Devouring one enthralling story after another that day, he failed to show up for meals and, when his bedtime had come and gone, Mystia found him sleeping among the piles of books he’d read. Seizing on his interest, she began to spend hours with him, as together they read and discussed each myth or legend—mending his life that had been ripped away. When he was older, she’d transport them to far off places where the myths and legends they’d read about had originated.
On one such trip to Italy, they met a seer who confirmed the existence of an Italian wolf who, among other powers, could disappear and reappear at will. It was the first time they’d met anyone who could confirm a myth was true. As the years went on, Maximus grew up, went off to university and started Dire Enterprises. Then he met Oracle, fell in love and they were blessed with two pups—Steel and Slate. During those years, their search for this ‘mythical’ shifter slowed down, but neither gave it up.
Then another piece of information—the year of the wolf’s birth—was discovered by Mystia on one of her many sojourns and he remembered how excited she was when she asked him to add it to the file. Now they could narrow their search down to a place and time. But these were just tidbits; Maximus knew it was still like searching for a needle in a haystack, but they kept at it—Mystia with her many scouting trips and he, hiring the investigator to search the birth records of shifters born in Italy that year.
However, their endeavors produced no new information and both Maximus and Mystia became desperate because, according to the myth, the Italian wolf shifter also had the power to destroy countless lives. Then, the miracle photo of David’s tattoos had arrived, something Maximus never imagined would happen, and the last piece of the puzzle fell into their hands like a ripe apple from a tree. But now, did they have enough time to save David from himself? Rising after Mystia appeared, he hugged the witch who adopted him those many years ago and said, “So good to see you again, Mother.”
“You too,mon bébé,” Mystia murmured, returning Maximus’ hug before sitting at the table with him. She opened the book she’d brought to the page recounting the myth of the vanishing shifter and placed a copy of a print she’d made of David’s photo next to the hand-drawn picture in the book. The tattoos matched exactly. “See?” she said. “You have, indeed found him. Do you know if he has the other powers listed here?” she asked, tapping the page with her finger.
“No, unfortunately not,” Maximus answered. “The only thing Jackson knew for sure was David could disappear at will…well, that, and the markings.”
“Oracle is on her way there?”
“Yes, she left a little while ago. I think we need to tell Steel and Jackson about David because they can arrange for protection until we see what gift the Fates have in store for Zane.”
“Yes, I agree. We also have to find out if David’s soul is dark…and that depends on what his childhood was like.”
Maximus thought for a moment, before saying quietly, “You know if heisa dark being, we can’t let him loose on the unsuspecting world.”
Sighing, Mystia said, “Let’s find out more before we have to worry about that. You know as well as I do, if David is one of them and we have to destroy him, Zane will die also. And it will just about kill Jackson if that happens.”
“I know,” said Maximus, “but, I have never killed another being and I don’t want to do it now. Isn’t there another way if David is one?”
“Maybe. I’ve been doing some research because I know how you feel, but don’t get your hopes up.”
“Thanks, I’ll keep my fingers crossed instead,” Maximus said, smiling. “Now, how much do you want to tell Jackson?”
~/~/~/~/~
“Where is he?” asked the High Priestess.
“He’s at a hotel with his mate.”
“Has he been claimed yet?”
“As far as I know, no.”
“Did you find out who’s masquerading as his Fated Mate?”
“Yeah, a nothing wolf shifter from the California Blackwood Pack…small, very few members…nothing we can’t handle.”
“Go get him and bring him to me.”
“What about the shifter he’s with?”
“Kill him.”
~/~/~/~/~
Suddenly, David was wide awake. He was unsure why, because Zane was still sleeping, and the bedroom was dark and silent. Listening to the deep, even breathing of his mate, his heart slowed down from the runaway beating it had been doing. In fact, the whole situation reminded him of how he felt many times growing up in that godless place when he was jolted awake by someone entering the room, to do only who knew what to him.
Entering my room…that’s it. Someone is in the other room.Now, knowing what he was listening for, it was easy to hear the shifter in the living room, shuffling about, no doubt looking for what he could steal before coming to get him. David had no doubt he and Zane could escape, but to where? That was the question tumbling through his mind.
Morgan’s place was out, because the High Priestess already knew he worked there—as he found out late one night when she paid a visit to his room. Not having made a lot of friends in Scotland—because of his fear for their safety—there was only one other place he could take his mate where they’d be secure. As he heard the shifter sneak closer to the bedroom, David grabbed Zane’s handwithout a moment’s hesitation and the two of them vanished.
Zane was jolted awake when he felt himself sucked into a black hole and then found himself…On a boat? What the fuck? Oh shit! This dude isn’t happy we showed up in the middle of the night.Quickly pushing David behind him and growling at the man now standing before him, Zane had no idea why David brought them there but, knowing his mate, something happened when they were sleeping that triggered the disappearing act. Right now, his only goal was to get them out of there without his mate getting hurt. “Whoa, sorry for the disruption but we meant no harm. We’ll just go and leave you alone,” said Zane, in a calm, soothing voice. It was a fine line he was trying to walk—convince the man they weren’t a threat but appear strong enough to discourage him from attacking them.Shit, how do you look fierce in fucking pink, unicorn pajama pants?
“Zane, it’s okay,” David said. “This is the only safe place I could think of where they can’t find me.”
