Shifters; Wrath of Dragons

Chapter Ten- Mary- yet another family secret

I scowled at Dylan from the couch. He sat in the chair across from me looking half-way between bored and worried. "well?"I asked.

"Well, what?"Dylan returned.

"I'm waiting for an explanation for your behavior towards my little sister yesterday."

"Oh, that."

I gave him a disbelieving look. "yes, that. What was that about?"

Dylan rubbed his temples. "He won't shut up."he muttered angrily.

My anger dissolved as understanding dawned. "Max?"

"yeah."

"I thought he was a silent ridealong, aside from when you let him--"

"I thought so, too, but ever since you started talking about the sibling thing and Hope being the target host for Helgoth, he's determined to make himself heard. He thinks... I'm sorry, Mary, but he thinks if he kills Hope before they can get to her, he'll somehow have saved the world."

"your ridealong ancestor wants to kill my little sister?"

"yeah."

"is he nuts?"

"Maximillian Taylor, nuts? no. he's unstable, that's for sure. And the fact that he's... how did he put it? Split, probably isn't helping. But nuts? He's not that far gone."

"whoa, wait. What do you mean split? How is he split?"

"talk to him yourself."Dylan muttered and closed his eyes.

I gripped the arm rest and sat forward, alarmed. "Dylan, no!"but when he opened his eyes, the gleam there wasn't Dylan's. I sat back slowly. "Max?"

"Mary."he nodded to me. "long time, no see, I believe the saying is nowadays."

"are you really trying to act all buddy-buddy with me when I just learned you want to kill my sister?"
"well, no, I don't want to kill your sister."

"what?"I asked, totally confused.

He clutched his head, crying out. When he sat up, his eyes were a fiery red. "he's coming for her."he hissed. Then he doubled over, clutching his head. I stared at him, suddenly understanding. "you can still feel your own body, can't you?"

"yes. Gives a new meaning to 'splitting headache'."

"how is that possible?"

"It shouldn't be! When Helgoth claimed me as a host, Cassandra put my body in a vault and... stored my soul. I was meant to stay there until Helgoth took a different host. Instead, well, this happened."

I was still trying to get used to hearing the english accent coming out of Dylan's mouth. It sounded like a faked english accent, if I was honest. And then Valgoth did something. He made me see the man talking. Suddenly, I could see an agonized, grimacing fifty-something Max Taylor. I was a little in awe because I'd idolized the man for years, second only to my own father. His real voice, deep and commanding but in pain, fell on my ears. "there's something you have to know."he said. "Helgoth needs strength, and he won't get that with a host who carries both brother's blood."

"Wait, I thought that was the whole point of him coming after me first?"

"it's true he wanted you as a host, yes. But that's because of how strong you are. He would have been strong, yes, but he'll be stronger still if he claims a host that has his blood strong in their veins,without Valgoth's."

"then why does he want Hope?"

"he wants Hope for something else entirely."
Ryder came in and Max froze. "Fiernon."he muttered. "I should have known." Ryder looked like a cornered animal as his gaze slid between Max and I.

Before confronting my father, I looked at Max. "thank you for telling me."he nodded and the next moment Dylan was sitting there looking dazed. then I turned to Ryder. I stared straight at him with new eyes because I knew the name Max had called him. Fiernon, oldest son of Helgoth, the most feared and respected dragon of any species for centuries, second only to his father. I walked toward him, looking up to look him right in the eye. "Mary-"he began, but I punched him in the gut. Hard. "you freaking chronic liar!"I yelled. "I knew I had to have very close blood to Helgoth as well, but this?"

"Mary, you don't understand."he said when he'd got his breath back.

"what don't I understand, Fiernon?"

"I haven't been Fiernon for millenia."he snapped before sitting down. "you have to understand that most dragons see humans and hunters as the evil ones. I did, too, for a very long time. Until I met two people who changed that."

"who?"

"my brother and sister."he answered,his eyes going slightly unfocused like they did when he was remembering.

"Mick and Carol?"I asked cautiously.

Dad nodded. "their names were Dalarin and Forena back then. twins. They were cast out because they were fascinated by, and sympathized with, humans. When I met them, it wasn't really very friendly. They knocked me out and tied me up. It's quite a long story, but the point is that I realized how evil Helgoth is, and I had a Mystic do a Blood Severance, we all did."

A blood severance is just what it sounds like. It's an extreme measure taken by some dragon families to shun a family member and literally sever blood ties, so any blessing, curse, etc, no longer applies to that person, and any places who support or shelter that family will no longer do so for anyone who's been Severed from the family. So, yes, my family is weird, but not that weird. Then I realized something and I turned to Dad. "you might have doomed us all by keeping this to yourself."I told him, pulling out my phone and dialling Hope's number. "Hello?"

"Hope, there's something you need to know."

"Is everything okay?"

"Hardly. Look, it's a lot more urgent than we thought that you get to Maya and get her out, soon."

"why?"

"Because she's the target! Helgoth wants her as a host!"

I heard a muffled curse. "are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."I told her what Dad told me and there was only silence. "Hope?"

"yeah. Just... just keep gathering the Hunters and I'll let you know."she hung up.

I pursed my lips before turning to Dylan, who still looked a little out of it. "are you okay?"I asked, crouching by his chair. "yeah, I'm fine."

"you sure?"

"yeah."
"Good. I have to go yell at my dad, now."I kissed his cheek and turned to Ryder, who looked resigned. "does Mom know?"I asked right off.

"of course she knows."

and you knew,too, Valgoth, I know you did. I accused.

Yes, I knew. I also know that Ryder has proven his loyalty not only to the hunters, but to you. If you can't understand that he was protecting you, perhaps I chose the wrong host.

"would you have even told me?"

"soon."he said on a sigh.

"you should have told me- told us as soon as Maya was kidnapped. But, no, you decided to keep your mouth shut."I felt rather than heard Valgoth's warning growl in my head. "but I know why you did it."that statement surprised everyone in the room. "I would have gone after them as soon as I realized the truth. Instead, Hope's going after them and..."i laughed dryly. "I actually think it was the right decision. Alright, we can hash out our family issues later. Right now, we have work to do."

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short, but an update none the less. mostly, it was just to inform you guys about something that's been waiting to be revealed for a long time. I'll start working on the new chapter asap, and I'll let you guys know when I'm almost done.