Chapter 17 The Market

Sasha

Waking up I feel cold. I don’t think Zane is still beside me. Maybe I dreamed it all up. Zane showing up and going all caveman on Theo still seems odd. I sit up and rub my eyes the bed dips behind me and I see Zane holding a cup of coffee.

“For you. I know you drink one every morning.” he smiles and I gladly take the cup and take a drink. It tastes perfect, exactly how I like it.

“Thank you, Zane. I was beginning to think I dreamed you being here.”

Zane places a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Glad to know you think of me. But, I can’t let you have all the fun. Plus I’m starting to like the little bugger.”

“Hey, I’m not that little!” Theo walks up behind Zane with a box of donuts in his arms. “It’s not my fault you’re freakishly tall.”

Zane laughs and stands up. “I’m only six feet. Face it elf you're short. Nothing to be ashamed of mate.” Zane and Theo just glare at one another and I ignore them.

I get up from the bed grab my bag and go to the bathroom where I shower, change my clothes, and brush my teeth. I decide to wear my all-black jumpsuit today. Leaving out the bathroom I hear a cat whistle and ignore it.

Grabbing my second bag I start grabbing weapons and filling my pockets. The room is silent and I look up to see both Zane and Theo staring at me.

“What?” I ask and they both turn to each other and then back to me.

“How many weapons do you actually keep on you?” Theo asks with a bright smile on his face.

“I usually lose count after twelve,” I answer placing the last throwing star in a pocket and zipping my bag up. “Well let’s go boys. We have a queen to save.”

Zane rushes over to me. “Let me get that for you. “He grabs my two bags and I walk out the door as they follow behind.

The ride to Squires Market takes three days. Lucky for me I have two boys to keep me company. And I mean boys because they act like children. Again I’m not sure why people become parents.

Zane and Theo constantly bicker over who gets the passenger seat. One time I make them both sit in the back. They also argue over the radio which resulted in them being stuck listening to what I picked.

Lastly, we stopped at a mall to pick up some new clothes. We went to every store three times because neither could decide what they wanted to wear and both had to try and outdo the other. I’m mentally exhausted from both of them. But still, I’m glad we decided to team up. Theo is like a younger brother to me and we feel like a weird little family, I like it.

We pull up to Squires Market and I put my car in park. There are lots of cars here and I wonder how popular this market is. Zane wraps his arm around my shoulders.

“Relax love we will find the queen then we will get back to our real mission.” I smile and Theo’s head pops up between us.

“What real mission?”

Zane rolls his eyes. “Bugger off, will you? Do you do anything besides eavesdrop?” Theo frowns and sits back crossing his arms.

“Not my fault I have excellent hearing. Now tell me what the real mission is. Maybe I can help?” He asks and Zane shrugs so I decide to let Theo in on our plan.

“We’re going after the Royal Council. We think they are the ones who had my family executed. I want to know why.”

“Well, it’s obvious really. You’re-” Zane turns around fast and flashes his fangs at Theo. “I-I mean it’s obvious they are threatened by you. Maybe they know you would grow up to be a powerful vampire hunter.” Theo chuckles nervously and Zane opens his car door.

“Let’s just go. We have an elf queen to find right.” Zane says harshly.

I’m suspicious of both of them but Zane is right. We have a queen to find. For once I made a promise. I will find her, alive.

Waking into the market I notice all the people keep looking at us and then turning away quickly. Surely we can’t look that intimidating. I mean we are a hunter, Vampire, and elf group but still. We stop next to an old fountain covered in vines. The water is crystal clear though.

“I don’t think the people here want to talk to us. Some are human but everyone else seems more nervous than them.” Theo tells us.

“Oh yeah, I can feel the anxiety rolling off them in waves. We should be careful.” Zane warns.

“Fine let’s split up then.” It’s the best plan I can think of at the time. “I’ll go east, Zane you go north, Theo west. We will meet back here in twenty.” The boys agree and we all go our separate ways.

Walking up to my first booth I see it’s a couple. They are selling silver and gold pots and pans.

“Hi. I’m looking for my friend. She came here recently. Her name is Merda. Maybe you saw her?” The couple is around what my parent’s age would be. The husband is bald and the woman has short curly black hair.

“We don’t know anything.” The lady shouts and her husband wraps his arm around her.

“No one of that name has been here. Plus we don’t ask customers their names.” The husband answers. I cross my arms.

“What if I tell you what she looks like? Maybe then you can tell me if you spotted her here?” The couple looks nervously around.

“We didn’t. So if you aren’t going to buy please leave.” The husband says sternly. I don’t want a fight so I walk away.

In all the booths I go to I get the same treatment. No one wants to answer my questions and they are quick to get rid of me. I find the behavior odd and I’m sure they are hiding something. But what?

I head back to the fountain where I find the guys in a hushed argument. They spot me and smile pretending to play innocent.

“They’re hiding something -” I say and Theo interrupts.

“No, we’re not!” I raise my eyebrow and Theo quickly shuts his mouth.

“I meant the traders here. They are acting weird. Didn’t you think so?” I ask.

Zane comes up to me and wraps his arms around my waist. “Weirder than us? But yes they are an odd bunch. I’m not sure if they are afraid of us or something else.”

I run my hand through my hair trying to think. “Maybe we should talk to them again. Someone has to know something. Maybe we should threaten them?”

“No way! They could be innocent!” Theo yells and he and Zane start arguing over what to do. I sit on the fountain and try to think.

As I watch the water ripples I notice they don’t stop. I hear a rumbling like thunder. I stand up. “What the hell is that?” I ask.

Zane stands in front of me protectively. “Vampires and lots of them.” He answers.