Chapter 6

• Charles got up and ran his hands through his hair. “You didn’t need to go this far, Solaris. Seriously. This is so much information I don’t think even we need all this.”
• I shrugged. “I want to make sure we are the cleanest bar in town. If this is how Silas wants to play it, we can play all day. I feel bad though, at least we get a fight or two for them to watch. This weekend was quiet save for the three kids trying to get in.”
• He chuckled. “I hope Silas knows what he’s in for. I’m sure you don’t just roll over when a fight is being picked.”
• A wide grin spread on my face. “Oh, I’m far too petty to let sleeping dogs lie.”
• “The boys will probably be busy with that footage. Want to grab lunch? Or at least a drink?”
• “Sure. I’m sure you’re hitting your lunch time. You can eat and I’ll have a few drinks?”
• He smiled and nodded, leading me out of the room. We walked out of the station and he cursed. “My partner took the cruiser for lunch it looks like.”
• “Got an extra helmet, Sheriff?” My eyebrows wiggled at him and he chuckled.
• “Give me a second.”
• He disappeared back into the station and I walked to my bike, swinging my leg over and settling on the seat. Charles came back out with a police helmet in hand. Nervously, he looked over my bike.
• “Don’t tell me the Sheriff hasn’t been on a motorcycle before?”
• His throat cleared and his cheeks went slightly red. It made me throw my head back and laugh.
• “I’m glad I get to pop your motorcycle cherry. Helmet on Sheriff, and swing your leg over.”
• Nodding, Charles put on his helmet and nervously looked at my bike. There was plenty of room for him so I tapped my shoulder after I put on my helmet and he put his hand there before swinging his leg over.
• “Keep your feet up.”
• I walked us back before revving the engine. His body pressed hard against mine and I chuckled as his hands snaked around my waist holding on for dear life. Pulling out, I headed down the street and once he got comfortable, he started to direct me where we were going for lunch. As we pulled up into what looked like a tiki bar made into a restaurant, I kicked out the stand and motioned him off.
• His dismount was far more awkward than his mount and I laughed as I shut off my bike and dismounted as well. Pulling my helmet off, I shook out my hair a little.
• “Wasn’t as bad as you thought?”
• “Not nearly, though I never realized how loud they are.”
• I hummed. “She is quite loud but I’ve done some extra work on her over the years.” Holding up my metal hand, I wiggled my fingers. “I’m a bit mechanical.”
• Charles snorted at my joke and we headed inside the restaurant. If I thought the outside looked like a tiki bar, the inside was full blown Hawaiian luau. The hostess immediately recognized the sheriff and led us over to a table in the back. Setting my helmet down on the seat, I scooted in and smiled as the hostess handed us menus.
• “This place is…”
• He laughed. “Like someone cleared out a Party City of all their tiki torches and Hawaiian themed party favors? Yeah. It’s awful to look at, but it’s the food that you come here for. Food and the drinks.”
• Looking down at the menu, it was surprisingly tradition Hawaiian food. Manapua, Poi, Lomi-Lomi Salmon, Kalua Pork, you name it. It surprised me and I nodded. The drink menu was equally as fascinating. Once I decided, I pulled off my leather jacket and rolled my shoulders. Charles was staring at my arm for a long time, his brow furrowed.
• “If you want to ask, just ask.” I smiled as a blush ran over his face.
• “I’m sorry. That was rude of me to stare.”
• I chuckled. “Not really. I know to humans it looks a little distorted because of the magic holding it together.” Reaching across the table, I held it out for him.
• He looked from me to my arm before slowly reaching out and touching it.
• “I can’t feel anything. It’s just magic that connects to the muscles in my arms which allows me full mobility just as my arm would.”
• His curiously got the better of him and he took my hand in his and flipped it over, running his fingers over the metal. “Fascinating. Like you said, it’s like it’s not solid for me, but when I touch it, I can feel it’s just metal. It’s warm though.”
• “You’re not feeling the metal then, you’re feeling the magic holding it together. It feels slightly warm and tingling.”
• Nodding, he realized he had been holding my head and quickly let go, his face going cherry red. Before I could make fun of him, our waitress came over to take our order. I asked for some spam musubi and two different drinks where Charles ordered a full plate lunch.
• “So that leads to the next question.” I smiled at him as the waitress walked away.
• “Is your eye the same?”
• I chuckled. Not the question I was thinking but it was along the lines. “My right arm, right leg and right eye are all made of the same magic metal combination, yes.”
• His eyes widened. “You’re leg too? Can you…” he leaned in and whispered, “…shift?”
• Laughing at his secretiveness, I nodded. “Yes, I can. The magic in the limbs allows for them to shift with me. Though…” I looked wistfully out the window. “…I don’t do it often. It gets more and more painful every time I do it.”
• His brows furrowed but as he opened his mouth my drinks were placed in front of me and his Diet Coke. I took a sip and sighed. It had been a while since I had drank with someone other than Finn and Noah.
• “How did you lose them?”
• I smiled into my drink. There it was. The question I had been waiting for. Stirring my drink for a moment, I narrowed my eyes.
• “You could say I didn’t necessarily have a happy childhood, but I made the best of it. Then, I found myself in a lab filled with hunters. Men and woman with no regards for life because everything supernatural to them is a blight and not actually living.” My eyes looked at my left arm, covered in tattoos. At first glance, all you would see were the tattoos but underneath, the tattoos barely covered the ridiculous amount of scars that littered every body part that was left.
• “They removed them?”
• Tapping my finger on the table, I looked up at him. “They did a lot more damage than just remove them. But in essence, yes, they were the ones removed them.”
• “How long…” Charles smiled up at the waitress as she placed our food down and I took the opportunity to finish the first drink I started and move to the second.
• “Let’s see.” I closed my eyes. “Eight years? Give or take.”
• He coughed on the bite he put in his mouth. Grabbing his water, he gulped it down to clear his throat. “Eight? I’ve heard about Hunters from Silas. How did you survive eight years?”
• Smiling, I looked him eyes. “I didn’t.”
• His face paled. “But you’re here.”
• “And yet here I am.” I chuckled. “Not for much longer though. Silas doesn’t know how petty I can truly be when I won’t be around for long.”
• “When you said this was your last business…”
• I nodded. “I’m dying. Honestly, I should probably have died years ago but again, here I am. But I’ve got about a year, less depending on the shit that happens between. But…” I shrugged. “I’ve accepted it. Not much else I can do.”
• “But…have you looked into a cure? Magic? Anything?”
• It was always interesting, seeing how people react to death. Would they be the type to try and spur you to fight? Would they reach out and touch your hand, tell you that you are strong? Would they break down and cry that I was dying? Sometimes even I got angry responses. That had been both Finn and Noah’s go-to lately.
• “I never should have lived this long. I shouldn’t have lived so many times over. Now, my body is finally shutting down. Everything failing and even if my heart and soul told me not to give up, I’d end up a full robot.” Holding up my arm, I laughed as I clinked the metal together.
• Charles, though, was looking down at his food not smiling. Reaching out with my left hand, I touched his arm and he jumped a little.
• “While I appreciate your attention, I tell you this because I don’t want you to think I am brushing you off in the future. I just don’t have the time left to pursue anything deeper than the relationships I already have.”
• He nodded slowly but I could still see the wheels turning in his eyes. “This might be too personal, but why are you back here then? You seem to be familiar with Silas even though he doesn’t know anything about you. Plus, knowing Silas’ nature, rogues being on the edge of his territory would complicate things immensely.”
• “How good are you at keeping secret, Sheriff?”
• He chuckled. “Depends on how illegal the secret is.”
• I laughed and shook my head. “How long have you know Silas?”
• “I went to high school with him. We were in the same grade. I was coming in as a freshman, new to town and he was coming in, first time being in a human school. We clicked. Our whole little group did. We did everything together. Football, party, you name it.”
• Smiling, I took a sip of my drink. “Should the sheriff be telling me that?”
• He shrugged. “Statute of limitations. It’s been so many damn years.”
• Shaking my head, I smiled. “Not that long ago.”
• His eyebrow rose as he took a bite of food.
• “Did he ever talk about Aelia?”
• Luckily, he was done chewing before I asked him. His fork did fall out of his hands and his eyes dragged up to meet mine.
• “How do you know that name?”
• “So he did.”
• Charles grimaced. “Not purposely. I found out his sister died because one night he got too drunk at a party and some local college kids were rogues. It got real messy real quick. Honestly, I think dealing with that whole situation was what spurred me to be a cop. But Both Nate and Silas fessed up to what the hell was wrong.”
• Rolling my eyes, I shook my head as I took another sip. The waitress came over to check on us and I ordered another drink from her. Taking a bite of my food, it was salty and so good. There was even a sweet glaze on the fried spam. We were quiet for a while as I ate.
• “Do you know the meaning of Aelia?”
• He shook his head.
• “It’s Ancient Roman, meaning sun.”
• He cocked his head to the side, confused for a moment. I took a sip of my new drink. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he looked at me. His voice was a pained whisper.
• “Solaris.”