Все главы Talon: Глава 31 - Глава 40

The darkness was absolute, a suffocating shroud that clung to my skin like wet earth. I coughed, a metallic taste coating the back of my throat. My head pounded, a relentless drumbeat that echoed through my skull. Groggily, I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through my temples, forcing me back onto the cold, hard floor beneath me. It was damp, the chill seeping through my jeans and into my bones. I could smell rust and mildew, the faint tang of gasoline lingering in the air. When I finally managed to pry my eyes open, I was met with a dim, flickering light. The bulb overhead cast long shadows, dancing like specters on the walls of what looked like an abandoned warehouse. Crates and boxes were stacked randomly, and the sound of dripping water echoed somewhere in the distance. My wrists and ankles were bound, the rope cutting into my skin. Panic surged through me like

The dimly lit sign on the bar flickered in the distance, a beacon in the darkness of late evening. “The Iron Horse” was emblazoned in letters that seemed to shine with a life of their own, casting an eerie glow over the wet pavement. My legs carried me toward it on autopilot, as though drawn by some unseen force. The bar was a dive, the kind of place where the lost and the broken found solace in whiskey and shadows. I hesitated for a moment, my hand on the heavy steel door, noticing the bikes lined up outside the building. The neon sign above the door cast an otherworldly glow on the blood staining my hands. I could feel it drying, tacky and cold against my skin. The thought of walking in there, of facing people when I looked like this, sent a wave of dread crashing over me. But I had to. I pushed open the door and stepped inside.

I left my bloody clothes in a pile by the bathroom door and turned on the shower, as hot as it would go. The steam curled around me, fogging the bathroom mirror and hiding the reflection I didn’t have the courage to face. I stepped into the shower, the scalding water cascading down my skin. Blood swirled at my feet, pink-tinged water spiraling down the drain. I watched it go, mesmerized by the way it seemed to pull every horrible memory with it. The metallic tang lingered in my mouth, a reminder of what I’d done. My stomach twisted, but I didn’t look away. I couldn’t. I had to face this, had to reconcile the girl I’d been with the person I’d become. The water stung my arm, the makeshift bandage clinging stubbornly to my skin. I peeled it away carefully, wincing as the fabric pulled at the dried blood. The wo

Talon “Morning,” Jake said, eyes flicking between the two of us as he went for the coffee pot. He paused, his hand hovering over it, then glanced back at us with a knowing smirk. “You two look cozy.” Laura stepped back from me, her cheeks flushing while she quickly wiped her hands on the dishtowel. "Morning," she replied, her voice steady but tinged with that self-consciousness she always had around her brother when we were caught in a moment. Jake poured himself a cup of coffee, unhurried, like he hadn’t just walked in on something intimate. He leaned against the counter, taking a long sip before speaking. “Sleep well?” he asked, his tone casual but his eyes sharp, scanning the room like he was putting together pieces of a puzzle. “Yeah,&

We pulled into a narrow alleyway, the buildings on either side weathered and cloaked in shadow. Talon cut the engine, and the sudden silence felt heavy. He dismounted and helped me off the bike, his hand lingering on my lower back. I glanced around, my eyes adjusting to the dim light, and noticed an unassuming metal door tucked into the brick wall. “Where are we?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Talon didn’t answer, just led me to the door and pulled it open. Inside, the space was a stark contrast to the alley’s grime. The walls were lined with glass cases, each one filled with glittering jewels that caught the light and scattered it like stars. The air smelled faintly of wood and metal, and the faint hum of jazz played somewhere in the background. A man stood behind a counter at the far end of the room, his back to us as he bent over a w