by Jamie Magee
At the Boneyard there were even more bikes. Riders from other chapters, ones from other organizations all together. Reveca coming home, even if it was only after a day’s absence, was an excuse to gather and to celebrate. Not that they had to have one of those to do so, but still, she was back, and the lawmen were the ones with their heads hung in shame.
Long before Talon parked his bike, Reveca felt a warm energy encase her, she felt King. The faint line she had been clinging to enhanced, and she felt revitalized.
Enough so that she broke her arms from around Talon and rested them behind her as she lifted her chin and closed her eyes. To anyone else it would look as if she was taking in the afternoon sun, and maybe she was inhaling it as well, but even she could not deny she was taking in more of King.
After Talon parked, she slowly brought herself into focus. Almost instantly her eyes met with King’s. He was leaning just outside of the last bay. There was a glint in that ice blue stare of his. She even saw him dare to lift his lip into a faint smile.
“We should wait a bit before Church,” Talon said. “Let everyone settle. Running in there straightaway will make it look like we fear the lawmen have something on us.”
“What have you been up to?” she asked, nodding hellos to others who were passing them and not brave enough to interrupt their conversation.
“Raising hell,” Talon said with a half smirk. “We’ve been outside since they took you. More and more chapters started to show up as the word got out. When Cartier had issues tracking a judge, more of us parked outside a few of their offices, and their golf courses.” Talon winked. “Loud motors must throw off your focus on your golf game or something.”
Cartier was the Sons lawyer, had been for years. Even though he shared GranDee’s last name, they were only related by marriage. Cartier was, however, close to the Dominarum Coven. His offices represented most cases that surfaced with any member, no matter how minor they were.
“That whole deal was bullshit. I had two cops as an alibi.”
“And Jamison BellaRose.”
“Do what?”
“Jamison came forward and gave a statement saying he was with you the night of that first murder, the one that happened right after the raid.”
“They didn’t even talk to me about that one, not really. They kept pushing the graveyard one.”
“Probably because the second they asked for an alibi they got one. They didn’t feel like crossing Jamison and us all at once. They needed you to bend to one, to lead to another. Cartier didn’t even let them push on one—told us it could never hold water because their own people said they were with you.”
“Jamison, they just took his word. Must be nice to be an upstanding citizen.”
With a dark smirk strapped across his face, Talon pulled out his phone. “They couldn’t argue with a time stamped video which was printed off for them.”
When Reveca looked at the screen on Talon’s phone, she saw an image of her sitting on the bar just before Jamison, him smiling up at her.”
“That happened days before, right when this shit all started.”
“Yeah, well, when you own the footage you can do what you want with it, like put a new time and date on it.”
“I don’t know that it’s a good idea for you guys to pass stuff like that around,” Reveca said, looking at the photo. She was never one to tease Cashton about his lackluster approach to technology because she saw it the same way, ever mysterious and elusive. She knew Knight had their phones protected, that no one could tap into them or whatever, but still, you never know.
“Blackwater sent this to me.”
“You’re joking.”
Talon laughed. “Yeah, he told me not to lose my cool if I was shown the image, that if they couldn’t get you to talk they would try to piss me off so I would turn on you.”
“I’m lost.”
“Apparently, Blackwater thought this is what you look like when you’re coming on to a man, having an affair.” Talon’s grin grew. “I told him I may be a jealous son of a bitch but I know what my woman looks like when she’s asking for it and it’s not that.”
Reveca shook her head. She wanted to stay away from lust-filled topics until she had a chance to settle back at home for a minute. Her episode with King along with the fight she almost had with Talon, just before she was taken was on her ‘do later’ list once again.
“I guess I better make it a point to tell Jamison thank you.”
“Why? You were hauling his boy back to death like a good little witch; he knew where you were that night. If you were not in his service, do you seriously think he would care?”
She did, she knew he would. That was just how Jamison was with all of the originals—even the assholes like Zale—he watched over. It was his good karma.
“Someone’s grumpy.”
“As far as I’m concerned, the fam started this shit. By covering that Newberry murder with Holden for them we linked ourselves to the other murders, this whole bone crushing deal. The lawmen can’t even get it to link together to make it make sense.”
“How’s the boy? Any leads on Evanthe?”
“I don’t know about the boy, you’d have to ask King. I put him in charge of that as we left. I figured if he or your witchling, Gwinn, did anything odd he could handle it. I wasn’t about to put a mortal in charge of it. Evanthe…” Talon searched Reveca’s face before he spoke. It was a look she knew, one where he didn’t want to tell her something. “We have locations and leads on where this drug is being cooked, and sold. We’re going to dig deeper, figure out where to strike next, but two of those guys we took out had the same memory—her vanishing. Scared the shit out of them but confused us. Where would she go? Why leave the boy?”
“No one has talked to him? Not even Thrash?”
Talon glanced to where Thrash was lingering near King, more than likely because his location was out of the crowd.
“He’s not right, in denial.”
“Denying that Bastion is his?”
“No, not that. Just not talking about it. I have a lead on what’s in this drug that I’m going to have to handle later. I’ll take him with me, see if I can get him to talk.”
“Your conversation looked intense just before I left.”
Talon glanced away not wanting to bring up any other tense conversations which had been on the verge of happening that morning. “By then he knew those asses had seen her vanish. He was arguing that Zale was behind it—that if she didn’t come to us she would have gone to him and obviously the boy had issues with him.”
“Everyone has issues with Zale,” Reveca said with wicked smile. She lifted her chin. “Your lead you have to deal with later is Amber.”
Talon looked away, clenched his jaw.
“Too much shit is coming down right now, Talon. Deal with it before I do.”
Talon looked down at her and let a smile twitch on his lips. “I’ve got it handled.”
Before Reveca could decide if she wanted to engage the tension between them, someone called her name, a voice which made her day right then.
It was Star calling her. Star was very mortal, and just last fall officially became an Old Lady to one of the mortal Sons, Taurus. Their wedding was the highlight of Reveca’s year. They pulled out all the stops for that one. Since then, Talon had taken Taurus off all the runs on the scripts. He was now the face of the Club for all the charity events. It kept him safer and Star happier. She wanted a family one day but would not do that if she thought she’d end up alone every day.
Reveca would bring back either one of them in a heartbeat, and on long nights when she and Star were perched on her porch, she would pose questions or start conversations that asked if immortal life seemed damning or a blessing if given the choice. Right now, Star, at twenty-four, felt immortal so the conversations never went far.
For the last month, they had been states away working with other chapters on a few charities the Sons were passionate about.
/> So running across the lot and crashing into each other was expected. Star was built exactly the way Reveca was. Her hair was near white though, that’s how blonde she kept it. She always had it in tiny little braids, which brought out her overall eccentric personality.
“Oh my God you look good. Epically so, for someone who has been locked up,” Star said as she put her arm around Reveca and led her into the lounge.
“Hardly locked up. They just wanted to chat because you know I’m such a good conversationalist.”
Star laughed at that because she knew that was an outright lie. “New faces everywhere,” she said as she sat down at the bar. “I’m scared to sing.”
“Oh, don’t pull that shit. I deserve to hear you—been too long.”
“My buddy Cash is not here to back me up. When’s he due back?”
“I’ll have to look. Soon, though. You know he can’t stay away,” Reveca said as she went behind the bar to get Star a drink. She really did love the way her voice sounded. It had this original rasp to it that shocked you because it didn’t look like it would come from her. The songs she did sing for the club, they captured the emotion of the life they all lived.
Tisk was at the bar, her arms crossed before her as she tossed a glare in Star’s direction then aimed a sulk at Reveca, who wasn’t paying any attention. She was reaching over it to whisper something to Gwinn who had just sat down at the very end of the bar.
“You good?” Reveca asked Gwinn when she saw a dark look in her eyes.
Gwinn nodded once.
“Are you sure? You don’t seem as—”
“Naïve,” Gwinn said with a lifted brow.
“Yeah,” Reveca said, as she twisted off the top on a long neck and reached to put it in front of Star.
“I feel better,” Gwinn said. “Still have no memories, but my confidence is coming back ‘round, or showing up for the first time, one of the two,” she said with a glance over her shoulder.
Shade was just outside the doorway with a few other guys, and girls, too, but that was the norm.
“King helping you?” Reveca asked.
Gwinn glanced to Star then looked back to Reveca. “He’s not really helping me with the stuff we talk about, but other things.”
Star grinned and leaned up on her seat and angled herself in Gwinn’s direction. “I’m well aware that Reveca is a witch. You can talk about your training,” Star said with an exaggerated wink that earned a chuckle from Reveca.
Reveca did give Gwinn a slight nod though, telling her in her own way the witch part was no secret—the immortality was a different story.
Gwinn gave Star a once over and smiled, even breathed in. Her eyes shimmered for a second, the hazel turned a bit more golden. “You’re a happy person.”
“Don’t go spreading rumors about me,” Star said with a laugh before she took a drink from her beer.
“I don’t get you,” Tisk said, as Talon and Taurus came in.
Taurus was just as tall as Talon, with dark red hair and a long red goatee to match, but his chest was twice as thick as Talon’s. He was built like a bull, hence the name. The two of them stopped just beside the bar. No doubt they planned to get a drink before they found a place to settle, but they were too into whatever they were talking about just then. All the guys were making their way in at that point.
“What is there not to get, Tisk?” Reveca said in the same flat tone she always used with her, which made Star’s eyes glimmer as she tried to hold in a grin. Reveca’s bitch mode always made her laugh, simply because she knew a Reveca that knew how to relax, one that was approachable when she wanted to be.
“Star is not a witch but you treat her like a chick you dig. Gwinn is a witch, a sucky one, but still, and you treat her like a child. Me? You’re a bitch to me.” She shrugged. “I mean haters are gonna hate, but damn, you make no sense. You even dig Amber and that girl has stupid written all over her.”
Reveca narrowed her stare on Tisk, and even though she wasn’t looking at him, she sensed Talon tense, and look to Tisk with a murderous glare.
That’s what happens when you don’t argue about something—it builds. The deal was that Amber was a fight that came up often, at least every few months.
“Oh yeah, she came by the other night. You missed it. Where were you again? That’s right, I heard there was this photo going around of you all up on that Jamison dude.”
Reveca didn’t bat an eye, knew Tisk was trying to start something between her and Talon. She had taunted the fact that they were helping Amber long ago, and failed then. If there was one thing Reveca and Talon always did, it was never let anyone know their business. They knew how to play a public role, knew in this family, in this Club it was seen as a foundation that should not be shattered.
Reveca leaned near Tisk, almost had a sorrowful expression. “You know what? Everyone is special. Star, Gwinn, even our little graduate Amber. They all have a little talent about them. Your talent…man, I couldn’t even begin to master your gift.”
Tisk sat up a bit, wide-eyed, a smile daring to come to life. In her mind for the first time ever Reveca Beauregard was going to compliment her.
Reveca squinted her eyes, made it seem as if she were in deep thought or awe. Then she shook her head. “Nope. I can’t. There is no fucking way I could be a slut like you.”
Everyone within earshot busted out laughing, said a few choice words as well. Talon even cracked a smile.
“Did you just call me a slut?”
“Never deny your talent, Tisk. Claim it. That’s what I do. I’m a bitch that you do not fuck with, and I own that. You. You’re a fucking slut.” Right as Tisk went to argue, Reveca lifted her chin, even grinned. “Shut up. Denying it just makes you look like a stupid slut. Go on now, go lie around somewhere half naked see if anyone cares for another ride.”
“Last bay in the garage, here I come,” Tisk said as she pushed back from the bar.
Before Reveca could even think to bask in that victory she heard a loud bang. Half the people in the room went to the ground the other half pulled out their guns looking for a target.
Then there was cuss, a girl screamed then ran up the hall. “This fucking place is haunted!” she yelled as she did her best to put her shirt back in place, still hauling ass when she made it outside.
Reveca stepped around the side of the bar and looked down the hall. One of the closets in the hall had a busted door, brooms were all over the floor, and Shade was stepping out looking pissed and frustrated at the same time.
Instead of coming toward the lounge, he stalked toward the garage, mumbling, “Fucking witches.”
Reveca glanced at Gwinn as she went around the bar once more, knowing the only witch that Shade was concerned with was her.
Everyone else had put their guns back in place, and even laughed it off saying they needed music. They were telling Star to get on stage.
Reveca glanced to Talon in question, and he just shrugged then went back to what he was saying to Taurus before Tisk put him on a hot seat that Reveca would deal with later.
Star eased over a seat next to Gwinn.
“You know, I really dig this girl. She’s sweet,” she said to Reveca.
“Yeah, we think so,” Reveca agreed, already picking up the heavy surge of jealousy manifesting in Gwinn’s energy. Reveca was doing her best not to show a proud grin. If Gwinn was able to lash out and look as relaxed as ever, that was a sign that her power was growing, she was waking up.
“It’d be a shame if Shade and his ghost scared her off,” Star said with sly grin.
Reveca lifted a brow to agree.
Gwinn looked down, and Star tried not to laugh. “Shade and a few others had to keep up with runs when you were gone. Each time he came back, a damn closet door would bust for no reason. I asked Gwinn if that was a common thing, but she couldn’t recall.”
“Oh my…” Reveca said, staring at Gwinn. She’d assumed that was the first time Gwinn had acted out, but apparently
not.
Gwinn looked up, bit her lip so she wouldn’t smile. Then she said, “I didn’t know how to ask King how to control some excess energy I seem to have.”
Star laughed. “Oh, honey…I don’t care what kind of witch you are.” She reached to put her arm around her. “Only one way to fix that—mark your territory loud and proud. Dare any bitch to cross you and then you’ll find that control.”
Reveca tilted her head in agreement.
“I’m coming!” Star yelled over her shoulder as she patted Gwinn on the back then got up and made her way to the stage.
Reveca didn’t say anything until she heard Star’s voice begin to move across the lounge, heard everyone cheer for the song she was singing.
“What does Shade say about this?” Reveca asked, leaning in front of Gwinn so their conversation was nice and private.
“Shade? Nothing. He’s never said a word to me.”
Reveca looked at her like she’d lost her mind. “Gwinn, that boy was at your bedside far more than I was.”
A shocked look came over Gwinn.
“Do you not remember any of that?”
She shook her head slightly, guilt saturating her visage.
“Talk to him,” Reveca said, hoping that would be enough. She didn’t want to talk about any soul connection deal.
“You’re not mad about me breaking the doors?”
“Na, just don’t kill anyone. There are enough of those accusations going around as it is.”
Gwinn shook her head. “I’m too messed up to talk to anyone. I don’t even know who the hell I am.”
“It’ll come back.”
“I don’t know if I want it to,” Gwinn admitted.
“You can’t be afraid of your past. You need to wear it like armor. No matter how bad it was, it brought you here, it brought you home.”
Gwinn sucked in a breath. “I’ll figure out how to control it, or ignore him. One of the two. Everything just feels crazy to me right now. I feel wide awake.”
Reveca’s gaze slowly drifted over Gwinn trying to fathom what King had said—that she was an Escort. “Gwinn, I will admit that what is inside of you, what King is helping you with, I’ve never come across—not in the same way at least. Not someone that wanted one and only one emotion, but I do know that it’s going to be decades before all that inside of you, all that new power and awareness begins to settle, then decades beyond that before you trust it.” Reveca reached for her arm. “Shade is a young one, too. He hasn’t been around long at all and he deals with it differently. What goes on in those small spaces, for a second or two no thought comes, only one fleeting sensation, but it’s enough to calm him down. That pause helps him focus afterward, deal with shit. It doesn’t mean anything to him.”