Forty seven

Satake continued to look at the radiating mark imprinted on David's palm. All he could grasp from the rubbish the warlock spewed was that he could be a relic. Except, Satake has never even heard of the term before despite being very fluent with the creatures of the supernatural society.

"Are you implying that I am a relic? What the hell does that mean?"

"You are a fox. One of the seven rare species of shifters in the world."

Satake's eyebrows went up with suspicion the moment David finished his sentence. He looked at the insignia printed on David's palm before staring him dead in the eye. "You didn't test me, how in the world do you know this?"

A wave of nausea rushed through David as he realized his error. Of course, Satake was extremely distrusting of witches and David had single-handedly made things worse. The Beta would think he was a stalker or worse... What if Satake began to suspect that David wanted his heart on a plate? David's head racked on some lie he could throw to kill the subject matter but with nothing forthcoming, he decided to come clean and hope Satake wouldn't take his sincerity the wrong way.

"I found out the day you called Elder Quentin for help. The relic reacted when I came in contact with your environment and there was a strange aura emanating from you when we finally met. I couldn't say anything then because I did not know how Elder Quentin would react if he realized what you were. I was certain you were keeping it under wraps to keep yourself safe. But I guess I was wrong. You are clueless."

Satake stepped backward. He didn't seem to be wary of David anymore but that did not mean things were less awkward. "That rune engraved to your hand, how did you come across it?"

David put away his hand and swallowed. He wondered where Satake's sudden curiosity was coming from. It didn't take long to join the connecting dots. Candice and the Crow massacre. It was the same spot Satake had lost the heritage of who he was and ended up with the Crow brothers. David remembered how unbelievably powerful Candice had been when he tried to exorcise her. She had demonstrated powers questionable for a spirit and managed to beat him at his own game. David didn't need to try too hard to understand that perhaps his sister had done something horrendous to Satake's parents.

"That cannot really be what you're pondering about that right now."

"Why not?"

David's jaw tightened. He didn't want to lie but he had to do something. If Satake realized he was Candice's brother, there was no telling how he would react. "Because if anyone else learns what you are, you could be in danger."

"What!!"

"For years, witches and Elites of the Silverlaws have hunted down relics to use as power amplifiers," David said. "Certain items when retrieved from relics can allow a practitioner's power to reach new heights."

"That is what she was after," Satake muttered.

"What?" David almost regretted blurting it out loud.

"My parents were killed because some bastard witch wanted to amplify her powers!" Satake shrieked. As if attuned to his emotions, there was a crack of thunder followed by a streak of white light hitting the road outside. Satake approached David with murderous intent and took him by the hand. David knew he should be afraid but something about Satake, his fluid movement, and his steel grey irises made him jelly. Satake forced his palm opened and demanded. "That blasted witch used a relic similar to this to hunt them down. so I ask you again, how did this relic get to you?"

David tore his hands away. Crap. He was tongue-tied. Satake had him cornered and his brain practically abandoned him. David tried to speak but all that left his throats were wind and croaks. It took a lot but David finally overcame the crippling anxiety that took away his voice of reason.

"I cannot believe you, I am trying to help you here despite the fact that I literally owe you nothing yet you won't stop seeing me as your enemy. What is your deal?"

"My deal is you work here, the same pub that blasted witch owned and you have one of her heirlooms, are you related to Candice Blossom or something?" Another flash of light followed, temporarily blinding David. A customer from outside peeped in at the same moment. He took one look at the duo and took note of the tension in the room. He did not like it one bit.

"David, is this fellow bothering you?" The man asked out of concern.

David cringed on hearing the customer blurt out his real name and Satake didn't miss it. His eyebrow flicked up in question. "Your name isn't even Isaac." David noticed how Satake's jaw twitched, a flicker of the familiar resentment showing in his eyes. David didn’t need to hear a response from him to know what was going through his mind. Of course, he hated him. In minutes, David had managed to embody everything that Satake despised. He was a witch, a liar, and family to someone who wrecked his life. "You see there would be no need to lie about your identity if there was nothing nasty in your wardrobe. Who. Are. You?"

There was no use hiding it now. Summoning a long sigh, David spoke. "My name is David Blossom and..."

"...You are her brother." Satake finished. The hue of betrayal in his eyes was unmistakable. His face became hooded. It was beyond scary and as he stalked forward, David had to take a step backward. Whatever butterflies in his stomach have metamorphosed into moths. Satake looked like the grim reaper, a hot one of course. "This is why I don't and will never trust your kind."

"Insensitive comments like that were why I kept it hidden. Especially from someone like you. Do you have any idea how damaging and dangerous it is to live every day knowing you are hated by many because of something your sister did? Despite the fact that she got her karma, you all won't let it rest. It is becoming sickening at this point."

Satake clenched his hand into a fist. The next thing he did was hit a stack of dirty mugs in the sink causing them to shatter. It took everything in David had not to set him aflame. He was barely a customer and he had already broken at least ten cups.

"...And if I was the kind of practitioner you think I am, do you think you would be alive knowing all that I know and how clueless you were?"

"Don't play the victim card!" Satake snarled, "I thought you were one of the good ones. I thought I could trust you!" His volatile response caused the concerned customer to butt in. The customer walked towards Satake forming a barricade between.

"That is about enough Mister, you should go."

"Get the hell out of here before I do something I might not regret." Satake spat back.

The man shot a surprised look in Satake's way. He was much taller than Satake and he looked the part of a beast too. It must have surprised him when Satake did not back down and judging from the scowl at the corner of his mouth, the man hated Satake's gut. So he swung first. He was however too slow and Satake had predetermined what he wanted to do before he landed the first punch. Satake deftly caught his hands midair and landed an uppercut in the man's stomach. The force of the offense was so strong that it hurled the man to the end of the kitchen. The man's head hit the wall before he fell to the ground limo and unconscious. Eyes from the pub wandered into the room to discover what the ruckus was about but David's spell was quick and the door slammed shut before anyone realized what had transpired. David returned his attention to Satake and noticed the bastard was still going after the unconscious fellow as if to finish the job.

"Stop!" David practically yelled but it was as of Satake was in an anger fuelled moment of pure psychosis. The cracks of thunder got louder as Satake reached the man, balled his hands up to a fist, and attempted to deal the finishing blow. "That enough!" David shrieked the second time, this time he threw an orb of fire the size of a beach ball to prove his point. It worked effectively. Except for this time, his manic glare was focused on David.

"Satake, I don't want to hurt you," David warned, conjuring another fireball the size of an exercise ball.

David's threat didn't do a thing to deter Satake. Satake charged at David with an uncanny speed that stunned the warlock. The truth was David never intended to hurl a fireball of that magnitude at Satake. It could have seriously hurt him. All David hoped was that his show of light would halt Satake and even that had failed. In seconds, David felt Satake's calloused hands wrap around his throat like a noose. His feet left the ground and his back hit against the closed kitchen door as Satake snuffed the life out of him.

"Satake," David struggled to speak as his fingers dug into Satake's skin. Looking into Satake's eyes, he could see nothing but pure electric rage. It made him doubt Satake was even the one in control at this moment and David was right. The aura that emanated from Satake in the form of a fox spirit was bigger. It also seemed to be sentient as the being leaned into David when it realized the warlock could see it.

"Grief is freedom." It managed to say with extreme difficulty before it faded out of existence. The moment the aura vanished, Satake seemed to get his sanity back. He realized his hold from David's throat. His gut clenched when he understood what he had done.

"I..." Satake tried to speak but he could barely muster the words. What he had done was horrid. His gaze made its way to the end of the room where the other man he had viciously attacked laid motionless. A sunken sensation overwhelmed Satake and soon he found himself racing out of the pub.