*Talon's POV*
I need alcohol. Sure it's only about one in the afternoon. Sure I'm a highschool student who should be in school right now, but I'm also only human... Pfffaw nah. Not human, wow I'm funny. What I mean is, I am only what I am. I'm not a superior celestial creature, and I do what I can. One of those things I can do is drink.
I step off the public bus, one of I think 3 that made rounds around the town. As I jump down onto the curve and the bus pulls away I look up. West Cherry Avenue. The Black Queen Pub. It was a quaint little pub, one with dark oak wood and red tile. It was card themed, a special pub that many supernaturals went to. I'd only been here a few times. E... he works here. A job he needed to get after his family threw him out when he changed. He was really close with his little sisters and I know it was hard for him... not thet that excuses anything!
There were a few reasons I was stopping here. Not just because I needed a drink. The pub is full of information, valuable to me right now. I need to figure out what's up with the alpha kiddo and why he would reject Max. Not that it was surprising, werewolves seem to hate us, I just wanna figure out why. As I step into the dark pub the bell ahead sounds. Funnily enough there were 2, one for normal ears and one that was alike to a dog whistle. Most supernatural creatures can hear it, tho some can't. Dwarfs and goblins are a few to name.
It was mostly barren in here. The room was big enough for maybe 50 people to comfortably eat, though there were only 5 or 6 that I could see spread out between tables and bar-stools. I stride over to the bar and take a seat. To my left was a rather burly man, with long hair pulled back into a messy mound of brown. He looked to be somewhere in his thirties, with a trucker hat resting next to him and a sparkly bedazzled pink smart phone.
"Hello, welcome to the Black Queen what can I get yo- oh Talon." A familiar voice states. Surely enough he was here, I look up at Eton. His blonde hair and brownish-red eyes were right in front of me before I could speak. He seemed excited although cautious. "You finally want to join the guard!" He states.
"Um no." I state while pulling out my wallet and fumbling with a five. "I need a drink."
He lowers his eyelids in disappointment and sarcasm. He takes the five and pulls down a glass. "Beer? Sherly-temple?" I quickly tell him the beer I want and watch as he gets it ready. "So you're not here to join the guard, getting a drink couldn't possibly be the reason you choose this of all places. Don't you have a stash in your room?"
"Um, actually no... not anymore anyways. I drank it last night." I state while taking the glass and savoring a big gulp. "I was wondering what information you had on the Alpha's boy."
He leans on the bar with his elbows eyeing me strangely. "Why do you want to know?" He questions while pulling up some peanuts and giving me a package. The guy next to us was watching something on his phone. It was loud enough that I could hear if I tried, but instead ignored it and listening to the crinkling of the peanut wrapper.
"He's Max's mate." I state while opening the pack and popping a few in my mouth. "He rejected Max though. I need to figure out why, since beating him to a pulp isn't really a viable option."
He seemed surprised as he thought for a moment. "So Max really was gay..." He shakes his head jumping back to the conversation. "I really can't tell you much. It was before my time, clearly." He seemed to be thinking about something before speaking. "I had heard though that at one point the werewolf pack here in Kaiso had used to have nymphs in it before they came here. Something happened, I don't know what, that never got said. People have mentioned an 'incident' before and it normally was along the lines of black magic. So take from that what you will. You nymphs dabble in that sometimes don't you?"
I roll my eyes. "Only dark nymphs, which in case you didn't notice are sort've all gone. Nobody has seen one in ages."
"That's not true." A voice says laced with a thick texan accent. We look over at the man who was watching something on his phone. "I fought me one down in Cali just about a two decades ago." He pauses his video and is eyeing us. One word popped in my mind, Hunter. "I did a bit of freelance work for a community down there, he was a tough cookie to beat. You ne'r woulda thought he wer a dark one too. Sparkley toothy grin, tan skin like not'in you e'ver seen, and curly black hair... so curly. He dabbled in soul magic... in the end he got away and me well... he gave me an extra soul." He grips his pink cell phone. "He gave me a daughter."
Eton scrubs a glass while I stare in awe. "You're only a human though." I state. "That's crazy, how old is she?"
He stiffens. "She's turning 18 soon. I don't see her often though... as you can imagine with my job. She lives with the community down there... even if I were to want to take her with me, a child born of black magic cannot join the rest of the world. It would offset the balance of everything. Still as her father it's my job to protect her, she can live a normal life in the community" He looks off in the distance before snapping quickly to his phone. "Which is why I find this so sick!" He jabs his phone in front of me, his eyes burning with anger. "He didn't even get capital punishment!"
I freeze while staring at the screen before yanking it from his hands shocked. "REN?!"
The man nods. "Renae Stewart. You're familiar with her case-"
"No. She's my classmate." I state cutting him off while looking up at him, eyes wide. "A strange one at that."
"It's to be expected after everything she's been through." He states running a hand threw his hair.
"What happened?" I snarl staring down at the screen. Looking more closely I could make out her details as she sat at the stand.
"The father abused her to put it in short." He states glaring down at the screen. "The house was disgusting, beer cans, cigarettes, whiskey bottles everywhere. She was so scarred from it, that she got PTSD"
"A dirt house doesn't warrant PTSD" I state giving a confused look.
"Oh, that's not all. There's also evidence that he raped her, multiple times. Beat her, and even let other people rape her to consolidate debts." I blink a few times, anger rushing through my veins as I feel my nails and teeth begging to be unleashed. "Here watch his video of the trial, the whole thing fucked her up."
Renae sat at the stand, her face was neutral, as if she was trying desperately to contain her composure. A lawyer man dressed in a black and white suit approaches her. "Miss Stewart-"
"Renae... please address me as Renae sir." She states looking directly at his eyes. Her voice was soft, but her eyes showed her alertness.
"Of course, Miss Renae. Has your father, Mr. Stewart ever sexually assaulted you?" He questions. Renae breaks eye contact and nods her head. "Could you describe an incident of those events please?"
Renae stiffened. "I already have, multiple times. Is it really necessary?" The counters while twisting her wrists.
"I know how hard it is for you-" He begins. Her eyes... seemed to glow once more. They both were frozen for a few seconds before he seemed to snap out of it and cradle his head. As if he were in pain.
"No. You don't know how hard it is." She leans forward, her eyes holding an electric pulse that sent a shiver down my spine. "The first time it happened was when I was just getting into highschool. Mr.Stewart made me buy him cigarettes from some people so he didn't need to leave the house. My teacher had called home, to talk about how proud they were that I had come out to my class. My dad... saw this as a problem. It- It was on the couch. My arm was already in a brace and I tried... I really did try." By the end of her small explanation she was shaking, and tears slowly fell down her cheeks as she held a glare at the lawyer. Who still held his forehead in pain.
I slam my fist against the bar, causing the wood to split and crack. I quickly give the man back his phone, since the video had ended. Every time I search for answers it just raises more questions. Why the hell had her own father done that? Why'd they force her to talk about it? Why- Why did her eyes glow? I had spilled my beer everywhere, on my shirt pants. I grumble to myself as the hunter collects his stuff and gives a brief apology. Saying he has to get back on the road. Eton comes around from the bar with a clean towel.
I thank him while trying to wipe it up. "You know I've got an extra work shirt-" He starts, but I just quickly slip my ruined shirt up and over my head. My heart was beating fast, and as much as I begged my metal to retract it wouldn't. I honestly wished for blood... and all I needed was to hear Ren say that. "U-um so Talon... when did you meet your mate?" Eton asks taking a step back shocked.
I give him s strange look. "What do you mea-" I freeze while twisting my arm so I could see my back shoulder. It felt as if the world stopped moving. I stared... at the beginnings of my tattoo. Small vines and flowers were surrounding the space of about half my palm. Suddenly- Everything clicked. "Eton. I need a drink." I state while gently stroking the skin in shock.