8. Maxton

8

MAXTON

I walked around the establishment below our sleeping quarters. Soren told me this is where bad men came for information, a night's stay and to disappear. Apparently, the wolf and vampires led a life that was not noble. They stole and made a life of crime.

I didn't understand it, but it wasn't my place to and there was a reason the goddess gave her mates like these. If Ryder could get his emotions under control, his bond would give him so much. I tried not to be jealous of his bond, that he clearly didn't want for reasons that seemed stupid, but I could sympathize with being in love with someone that held your heart hostage.

My chest ached being away from my Sol. It was the first time we had been apart from each other for this long. It was like my skin was itching and I couldn't settle down. Soren was the same way, constantly rubbing his chest. He decided we needed to do something, so we came to the bar and I watched him talking to some guy. At the moment, we were trying to get some information about the Oria supply.

We agreed we needed to stay ahead of the danger that we all knew Oria was in. No one knew what she looked like, but it was only a matter of time before someone said something or Laima grew desperate and put a bounty on her. Soren said we needed to play it smart and listen to those around us because someone was always willing to spill secrets for money.

I walked up to the bar, keeping an eye on Soren, when the bartender looked up at me and asked what I wanted.

"Beer, whatever you have on tap." I said what Soren told me to say because I had no idea what they served at the bar.

I didn't even know what beer was, but Soren said it's kind of like mead, but I didn't know what the hell mead was either. The bar wasn't overly full, but there were enough people to make me nervous. The man Soren was talking to was looking back at a man who was in the corner. It made me think they were together, or he was wary of the man.

"Here you go, man." The bartender set the drink in front of me.

The drink was a golden color with foam on top.

"You wanna start a tab?"

Dammit Soren didn't say anything about a tab so I just gave him the cash Soren gave me hoping that would answer the question.

"Keep the change," I said, almost yelling, since I forgot Soren told me to say that.

"Appreciate it, man," he said, walking to the thing that held the money.

I nodded my head, grabbing my beer to taste it. The first sip was atrocious. The second one was ok and by the third sip it was tolerable.

Soren caught my eye, smirking at me. He must have caught my sour face at this weird drink. I continued to sip on this drink as I observed the bar. Soren shook the man's hand, walking away from him and exiting the bar. The guy watched him leave before walking straight to the guy in the corner as another man walked up to them who was sitting on the other side of the bar.

Something was going on and I wonder if whatever information they gave Soren were all lies. I finished my beer, deciding it wasn't that bad, setting it on the bar about to leave. The men left the bar one at a time and I decided to follow the man who had been by the corner. I walked out of a different door, debating whether I should shift, it might be better if I did.

I didn't bother taking off my clothes, not wanting to find a spot to store them. I shifted into an orange cat I saw hanging around earlier, running quickly to catch up with the man. He was lighting something in between his lips, inhaling and blowing out smoke. The smell was vile.

He pulled out a rectangle thing that I think was called a phone before walking out to the cars.

"Let me talk to him," the man said, walking.

"I don't give a shit, it's important," he growled. "Oh, fuck you, I think this might be something he wants to hear."

He was silent as he walked until he said a few uh-huhs and yeahs.

"Fuck. Fine. Tell him to call me. I don't want to be blamed for not getting this to him immediately," he said, then inhaled that awful stick. "Yeah, whatever. Fuck you too. I'm on my way."

He opened his car and I decided his car might give me a clue as to who he worked for. I meowed while walking through his legs.

"What the fuck?" he growled.

I jumped in the car, meowing again as I looked around.

"Hey, get the fuck out of my car," he yelled.

I walked through the disgusting car. There was trash everywhere and it smelled awful in here. How he drove in this car was beyond me. He tried to reach for me and I batted at his hand hissing at him. Being a cat was much easier than being a dog. Cats didn't care about anything so I could be as moody as I wanted.

"Get out!" he yelled, looking like he was seconds from throwing a tantrum.

I hissed at him and jumped out of the wretched car. This is where I wished I was a dog so I could urinate on him, but I ran away when he pulled his leg back like he wanted to kick me. I hissed again before watching him get into the nasty car and drive away.

Once he was out of sight, I made my way around to our room, jumping up to climb the vine by our window. I hit the window catching Soren's attention.

"That better be you, Max," he said, as I meowed at him. "I'm going crazy, if I'm talking to just a regular cat."

I shifted into a man, getting an eye roll from Soren.

"Put that anaconda away before I start getting jealous." Soren threw pants at me.

"I don't understand what you are saying. What's an anaconda?" I put the pants on as Soren laughed at me.

"Never mind man, it's going to be too awkward of a conversation if I have to explain," Soren chuckled, sitting on the bed, leaning against the headboard.

I shrugged, really wanting to know what he was talking about.

"One day you'll get it," he chuckled. "Where did you go?"

"The guy you were talking to had two other guys with him. As soon as you left, they all sat at a table and gossiped," I said, sitting down on the bed.

"I figured he had one guy, since he kept looking behind himself. He wasn't very good at hiding his other friend," Soren said. "I didn't think there was another guy."

Yeah, I followed one of them out to their car and he called someone saying he had info," I said, leaning my forearms on my thighs.

"Shit," Soren said, running a hand down his face.

"What did you ask?"

"I asked if he knew where we could find some Oria. I was getting desperate for my sister," he said. "I just wanted to see if he had any info on a supplier and if that supplier was Taylin."

"What did he say?"

"He said he heard that Oria might be off the market soon, he heard that supply had dried up." Soren leaned forward. "He did say that he heard a few pirates had some supplies."

"Taylin and Merrick," I said, wondering how the hell my brother had gotten mixed up with a pirate.

"I can't believe you and Taylin are brothers." Soren studied me.

I clenched my jaw hating my brother. "We used to be very close. We were only born a year apart and we used to do everything together."

"Oria and I were also inseparable when we were younger." I took a deep breath. "We stayed like that until… we were teenagers. I started training for the guard and her father took her under his wing so she could rule one day. Her mother always hoped we would end up together, that one day our bond would surface, and we would find out. I didn't believe it when it happened. One day I needed her with so much intensity, but circumstances kept us away. Then her duties kept me away and then it was like she had forgotten me. Our bond had been erased or something wasn't right. Next thing I knew, I came back to Oria and Taylin together."

"Was he trying to take over the kingdom? Or maybe he was always in love with her?" Soren looked thoughtful, like he was mulling over my words.

"Maybe? I don't know when he changed, when his plans changed or when he met Laima," I said, running my hand over my jaw. A few days of growth sat on my face, and I was kind of liking it. "She had to have gotten to him for him to go after the girl I was destined for. I felt like I was living in an alternate universe where the bond was one-sided. I also wondered if I had made up this elaborate story in my mind and none of it was real."

Soren studied me again. I couldn't take his scrutiny so I looked away so he could come up with the conclusion himself. Maybe I was crazy.

"I don't think you're crazy, at least if you are, you hide it well," he smirked, as I rolled my eyes. "I think Laima did get to your brother, but what would she gain from him becoming king?"

"Oria was set to become queen of the largest court of Fae and when she became queen, she would get her father's power," I said, feeling dread. "Fae's power is passed on from generation to generation and with that power it grows. Oria's grandfather brought the two Fae courts together, bringing the light and dark together. Oria would inherit the light and darkness, she would be the most powerful Fae on top of her god-given power."

Soren nodded. "I've always suspected she was powerful, but I had no idea she was a Fae. I just assumed she was a witch, and it makes sense because the fall of the Fae happened almost two hundred years ago."

"What?" I growled.

My heart pounded in my chest. I had thought about my family since I had become free; I thought I had all the time in the world to go back to them.

"No one has seen the Fae in years," Soren said with a somber look. "No one knows why they disappeared, only that no one has seen them for years."

"Without a living heir…" I let my words trail off. "I don't know what would have happened. I assumed maybe a relative would be able to inherit the power."

"What if they gave it to Taylin?" Soren looked horrified.

"And he gave it to Laima?" My eyes widened as the realization hit me. "But I don't know if that's possible."

"Fuck, if that's a possibility, what are the chances of killing her?" Soren brows furrowed.

"Nonexistent. The longer they have the magic the more powerful they get until it's too much power for them," I said, trying to remember anything Oria's father said about it. "It should have killed her by now; the power would have been too much for her. Fae lived a long time, but they transferred the power over, so it didn't grow out of control and if she's kept it all these years, I don't know how she has done it. Fae can hold a lot of power, but she's a witch."

My mind was going a mile a minute at the possibility that my brother was stupid enough to give power to that witch. What the hell was in it for him?

"So, your power is shifting?"

"I can shift into any animal as long as I have seen it before," I said, looking over at him.

"Anything? What about a giraffe?" Soren asked, getting excited.

"I don't know what that is, but right now, I can't do more than a cheetah," I said, frustrated. "I tried a gorilla the other day, but that didn't work out. I think being in cat form has made my power weak. I need to get used to my power again."

"What about a dragon?" Soren eyes widened.

I smirked. "If I can train my power, I can do it again."

"What the hell are you waiting for?" Soren said with a grin. "I think a getaway dragon is exactly what we need."

"It's not that simple," I said, enjoying his excitement.

"Can you imagine people's faces when they realize we have a dragon on our side?" Soren stood up. "We could fry Laima, well you could."

I chuckled. "I'm sure she would have a plan in place if I breathed fire."

"Dude, come in guns blazing, literally," he laughed.

"I don't know if coming in guns blazing is going to work out," I said, grateful he got over hating me.

I wanted to ask what guns blazing was, but I think I had felt inadequate enough for today.

"I think?—"

Soren's face immediately grew serious until he smiled.

"Fuck, thank god," he said, turning to the door.

"Is Oria back?" I got up too, ready to see her.

He shook his head, opened the door and walked to his twin.