The hum of Club Eden’s after-hours was a low pulse in Raven’s veins yet distant, like a heartbeat slowing to an uneven rhythm as she sat alone in the dim back office, the stale scent of cigarette smoke and leather swirling around her, but her mind was elsewhere, tangled in dark thoughts that refused to loosen their grip. A half-empty glass of whiskey sat untouched on the desk, untouched because the burn of guilt was sharper than any liquor could dull.
Victor’s words, 'Talia’s gone again', echoed in her head like a brutal drumbeat that wouldn’t stop. She was missing without a trace.
Raven’s fingers curled around the glass, knuckles white, but she didn’t drink, she couldn't, not while the club breathed with secrets she wasn’t ready to face.
A soft knock pulled her attention from the shado
