The Darkest Star

Ch. 26 Memories

Salem was trying really hard to suppress the smile that made his lips twitch.

Melisande stood with her arms crossed and sulking as two identical males stood on each side of her. To be so grumpy about finding her Mates, she sure didn't waste any time marking them or letting them mark her. She had two identical bite marks that still looked a little raw on each side of her neck. Which she made no attempt to hide.

Azrael was glaring at everyone from behind Salem. There was no reason for it really, he was just feeling a little possessive. Over the two days everyone had to wait for Melisande to let the twins come out of her room, Salem hadn't gone any further with Azrael. The big male didn't mention it and didn't complain but his wolf was pressing him to finish the mating process. All they'd done was sleep in the same bed and that's only because the first night Azrael had stormed into Salem's room and carried him back to his own bed.

"Have fun, Mel?" Salem teased, watching her ears turn a darker shade of red. "Must of been good to keep you hidden away for so long." The twins were grinning smugly. Salem couldn't tell them apart and didn't know how Melisande did.

Melisande had started to growl at him but abruptly stopped when Roland joined them. They'd been waiting for hours now. A small chubby boy peeked from around the big male, his round cheeks stained pink. Azrael had filled him in on who the Human was and how Melisande had broken into his apartment and carried him back on pack lands. Salem thought it was a good thing she didn't usually come up with the plans on her own.

"Oliver," Salem purred with a slow smile. The Human squeaked and ducked back behind Roland who glared down at Salem as he passed. "I do wish we could have met in better circumstances, but we have some questions for you." Salem wore a pair of small black oval-shaped sunglasses to hide his pale eyes. They seemed to make the Wolves even more uneasy now and he didn't want to frighten the boy anymore then they already had.

When Oliver didn't reply, Roland gently nudged him towards a couch and pulled the Human into his lap. He snuggled closer to the big male but Salem noticed he wasn't marked. Hmm. He wouldn't have taken Roland as someone who would wait.

Melisande groaned loudly and rolled her eyes. "So where's your brother?" She bit out, clearly not in a good mood. Perhaps she didn't have enough time with her Mates. They just stared at her adoringly, as if her attitude didn't stink.

"I-I haven't seen Stan in two years." Oliver spoke shakily, clutching onto Roland as if he'd disappear from under him.

"Why not?" Salem asked, moving closer to get a look at the boy's big brown eyes. He smelled like cinnamon. Salem was still getting use to his heightened senses but he was able to control focusing them better so he wasn't in a constant sensory overload.

"He, He," Oliver paused and took a shaky breath before sitting up some. "Stan told me he had a job to do, that it might take a while. I thought he meant about a month but it wasn't like I'd notice. We could only afford to see each other once or twice a year and that was before the Council was looking for him." Salem had inched closer, his eyes holding the boy's.

"Did he tell you about many of his jobs?" Oliver swallowed and shook his head. Salem's eyes narrowed and he brushed his hand against Oliver's. The boy flinched and Roland growled only to be shut up by Azrael who growled in response. Salem had broken the eye contact to look down at his hand that was tingling slightly. He felt a warmth in his chest that excited him for some reason.

"Salem this isn't the time for your games." Melisande huffed. Salem ignored her.

"And when you met, where was that?" Salem met his brown eyes, feeling the warmth again.

"A-at a park in the city. Always somewhere crowded." Salem was now only itches from the Human who was staring at him wide eyed. Roland had his arms around him tightly and looked ready to pull him away. Salem blinked slowly, breathing in the boy's warm scent. He pushed his sunglasses up on his head, making the Human freeze.

Warmth spread through his limbs and Salem was moving before he understood what he was doing. He cupped the boy's round face and Oliver's yelp was cut off when Salem pressed his lips against his. He was gentle, letting the warmth spread through the Human. Muted shouts surrounded him but it was like he was underwater listening to them.

Visions assaulted his minds eye, quick flashes. A dark room with a young brown haired boy in front of him. The same boy holding his hand as they ran through the woods. He watched as in each of these visions the boy aged and grew taller. Salem focused on the ones that were the most recent. He was sitting on a bench watching a kid throw a toy truck at another kid, his head turned and that same boy was sitting beside him. His lips were moving and Salem pressed his lips harder against Oliver until his words became clear.

"It's nothing serious, I just have to unlock something that was sealed a long time ago. It will just involve some traveling. You don't have to worry about anyone finding you." He said with a small smile, hugging him to his side.

Salem was jerked away from Oliver, his head slamming into a wall. Salem blinked to clear his vision and looked up at Liam who had him pinned against the furthest wall. Confused, he glanced around to see Melisande's glare replaced with horror and her twins blocking her against the opposite wall. Roland kept repeating Oliver's name and Azrael was blocking the Human from his view as he kneeled over him. Salem pushed Liam, not expecting him to stumble back as he did.

Oliver laid on the floor, gasping for air with tears trailing down his temples as he trembled. That wasn't what made his own breath pause. Visible beneath the boy's pale skin were what looked like black veins, darker around his blue lips and becoming lighter as they crawled across his cheeks until they became lighter and couldn't be seen anymore.

Roland spun on Salem who had frozen where he stood. The huge male snarled and jumped towards him with his claws and canines out. Azrael jumped up but the male had already tackled Salem to the ground. Claws sunk into Salems neck and he was sure the male was going to tear his throat out. No one could pull him back without risking it. Salem instinctually exposed his own fangs, only making Roland tighten his hold.

"Ro," the Human gasped from the floor, soft sobs that he couldn't control. "Ro," he whimpered and the male's grip loosened on Salem.

"Roland, your Mate needs you." Azrael's words broke the male out of his blind rage and he rushed to the boy's side.

"What the hell was that, little Lemmy?" Salem didn't care to yell at Liam about the hated nickname, he was running through the visions he'd seen.

"Not visions, memories." He whispered. Oliver's memories, all the ones with his brother. The Witch. He'd used black magic for the first time to crack the spell that kept Oliver bound to his Coven and he'd used it to keep his Human brother's apartment hidden from Witches. But not shifters, that's how Melisande found him so easily. It was obvious the magic had a price and Salem wondered what it was. In each vision of him after tarnishing his magic, he looked gaunt, too slender and hair too limp.

Salem was pulled up so he was sitting and Azrael was cupping his sharp face between his hands. Salem leaned into the touch and hummed. The soothing touch chased away the warmth that had grown hot and made his skin clammy.

"He accepted dark magic to free his brother." Salem told the male, his eyes staring into those of honey but without the warmth, just calm. "He's unlocking something for Ivan Vasilek."

"Okay." Azrael said softly, helping Salem to his feet.

"No, I could see, I could see every memory he had with him." Salem didn't think Azrael understood. His thick brows were furrowed and creating a dent between them. "How? How could I do that? What am I?" His usually smooth and controlled voice trembled a bit. He'd been asking himself that question for the past three days. He'd gone through all the Alphas private collection of books but there was nothing that described him, no mention of pointed ears or permanent canines.

Azrael pulled Salem into his chest and held him tightly against him. Salem held him just as tightly, scared to let go. He'd hurt a Human, and he didn't think he could call himself one anymore.