The Trinity Sisters

by Kristin Coley

  “We should go.” We spoke at the same time and laughed, turning back to the path. We were careful not to touch one another, maintaining our distance as we walked. We were almost to the car when she stopped, her gaze focused inward. A second later, I could see the faint glow from her eyes, turning the already bright blue luminescent. She blinked, and it was gone, a frown marring her lips.

  “Everything okay?” I didn’t mention her glowing eyes, not wanting to reveal what I knew. The secrets between us all belonged to me, and I knew it was a risk to let them linger.

  “I don’t know,” she murmured absently, her mind elsewhere. “Evan …” She said the name out loud, a fact I was sure she didn’t intend as she shook herself and looked at me. “Sorry, woolgathering for a minute there.” She started walking again, and I wondered what she’d seen.

  I opened the car door for her, and she paused before sliding in. I closed the door gently, walking around to the other side. The fiancé was in the backseat still snoring as I started the car. The silence between us was comfortable, both of us content in the other’s presence.

  When we got to the apartment complex, she directed me to the right building. Her fiancé was still completely out, so I threw him over my shoulder in a fireman carry. My magic was a little different than most. It allowed me to have greater strength than a normal guy. I had no talent for spells, but once I’d hit puberty I’d found I was unusually strong. Portia had developed a talent for disappearing in plain sight, as well as mastering minor spells. They used to come in handy when we were camping.

  “You make that look entirely too easy.” She sent me a sidelong glance, and I shrugged. She held the door open for me, and I managed to get in without banging up the fiancé too bad. Luckily, there was an elevator. Walking up four flights of stairs, carrying this asshole, wasn’t something I wanted to do.

  She unlocked the apartment door, and we were greeted by the biggest damn wolf I’d ever seen. Over the years, I’d seen her familiar, Kai, but this was the first time I’d been up close and personal with him. I stood still, allowing him to sniff me. There was no denying the intelligence in those blue eyes, and I knew the stories about the guardians were true. He stepped back, allowing me entry, and I tossed the fiancé on the couch. Like hell would I place him on a bed Kincaid slept in. He could sleep his stupor off on the couch, and wake up with a damn broken neck. Kai gave me a look indicating his approval, and I knew we were good. Both of us had her best intentions at heart. And what she meant by ‘timing’ I didn’t know, but she didn’t belong with him.

  We looked at each other for a moment that grew increasingly longer, neither of us willing to break our gaze. I knew I needed to leave. I’d taken a chance following her tonight, and it turned out she needed me, but eventually she would ask questions, and I wasn’t ready to answer them.

  Finally, Kai broke our stare-down, nudging me toward the door.

  “I think that’s my cue to leave.” She bit her lip, nodding, and I went to the door. As I stepped out, she called my name.

  “Milo.” The sound of my name on her lips froze me in place. It took me a few heartbeats to turn around and face her, controlling my desire to touch her, brand her, and bind her to me with our own unique magic.

  “Will I see you again?” I nodded, not trusting myself to speak; afraid I would give myself away. There was no way I could stay away from her now.

  “Good.” She gave me a smile, closing the door and leaving me on the outside. I rested my hand on the door, instinctively knowing she was right on the other side.

  “Soon,” I promised her.

  Chapter Seven

  Kincaid

  “Evan, please return my call. I’m a bit concerned. I haven’t heard from you in a few days, and you haven’t returned any of my calls. I imagine you’re busy, but I need to speak with you.” The beep cut me off, as my time was up, and I set the receiver down a little harder than intended. I sighed, leaning back in my chair, as I gazed sightlessly at the door.

  It had been four days since my vision of Evan, while I was with Milo.

  Milo.

  It suited him.

  I hadn’t heard from him since that night, but it wasn’t as if we had exchanged numbers. I couldn’t very well blame the man for not knocking on my door when he’d assisted me with getting my drunken fiancé home.

  I groaned with frustration at the quandary I now found myself in. My thumb played with the ring resting on my third finger, a habit I’d developed of late.

  Patience.

  The word drifted through my mind, the ghost of a woman’s voice. I heeded it, knowing it was sage advice. The future would play out no matter what, and I was chafing because I was impatient. My sister would come soon. This farce of an engagement could come to an end, and maybe I would finally watch our father burn.

  My phone rang then, the number coming up one of Evan’s.

  “Evan! Finally.”

  “Not precisely.”

  The voice sent a chill down my spine, as my nose twitched with the slightest hint of sulfur.

  “Then why are you calling me?”

  “You seemed so upset that he hadn’t returned your calls. I thought I’d let you know he’s fine. Fantastic, in fact.”

  “Somehow, I think you’re lying to me.”

  A low chuckle came over the line.

  “Your gifts have not been exaggerated then. There are so many stories of you and your sisters. It’s so hard to know what to believe when no one has witnessed them. At least, no one that’s still able to talk.”

  I swallowed with the knowledge that he knew who I was causing me to tremble. I’d worked so hard to hide from the past, waiting for the right moment, when I’d reunite with my sisters and our powers were all linked. Now, it sounded as if Evan had been dragged into the middle of our battle, and I couldn’t let him suffer for it.

  “Let me speak with him,” I demanded, steel lacing my voice, as I decided what to do. Evan was bait. How they knew about me though, that I would come to his aid … that I needed to figure out. But first, I needed to make sure he was alive. My mind flashed back to my vision, one of Evan disheveled and slumped in a chair. There had been a man with him, but his back was to me, making it impossible for me to see his face.

  “Are you really in a position to make demands?” His question was mocking, and my eyes narrowed in rage.

  “I could hang up now. A dead man tells no tales after all. If you don’t prove to me Evan is alive and well, then I guess this conversation was pointless.” I hissed the last word, my anger growing dangerously. For years, I’d been powerless, then when I’d gained my magic, I’d lost the only family I’d had left. I’d waited, knowing evil was out there, and plotting against me and my sisters, keeping us apart and now, well, now wasn’t a good time to piss me off.

  “You may speak to him.”

  I calmed down slightly, my hand still clenched around the phone as I waited for Evan. My mind raced as I considered my next actions. I would need Kai, and Milo, my mind whispered treacherously. I shook my head, not wanting to admit I needed him. This was my friend—my battle.

  Then why did he show up now? The thought shook me, his unexpected presence in my life, Evan being kidnapped. I didn’t believe in coincidence. The story was clear that the man destined to protect me would be there when I needed him.

  But what if he’s the reason you need protecting? I couldn’t escape the thought, years of running and hiding from unknown enemies was hard to put behind me. I’d spent my life hunted for my gift, for my blood, for the power people believed they could take from me. I was perceived as weak, and I’d forced myself to become strong. Kai was a lethal protector on his own, but I’d never allowed myself to rely on him exclusively.

  “Guinea, don’t do it. Leave me. It’s the one thing you can do for me to make my life mean something.”

  “Evan.” My eyes closed at the sound of his voice, and I pressed my fingers to my lips. “You should know … that’s not how I op
erate.”

  “No, I didn’t think you would. It’s a trap.”

  The sound of a scuffle broke over the phone, and I bit my lip at the sound of his groan.

  “I think that’s enough. You have your proof.”

  “And what do you want in return for his life?”

  “Why, nothing more than a simple exchange. Your life for his.”

  “NO, Guinea, no.” I heard Evan’s shouts before they were cut off, and my sight flickered as my eyes began to glow.

  “You can find us at …”

  I cut him off, “I know where you are. You should prepare yourselves.”

  I heard his swallow before I threw the phone across the room, shattering it.

  I focused. My connection was strong enough with Kai to reach across any distance, allowing us to communicate.

  “I’m coming. Be ready. We’re going hunting.”

  I slammed open my office door, my mind on the fight ahead of me, rage growing as I thought about the men who would use Evan, my friend, to get to me.

  “Ms. Kincaid, where do you think you are going? The meeting is in here.”

  I paused, my determined stride slowed by the pompous ass who decided to interrupt me. I turned, seeing his self-important smirk as the other junior bankers hovered behind him. They were happy to see me called down, anything to make themselves feel a little better.

  “I’m leaving. An important business meeting with Evan.” I managed to keep my tone polite, playing the game, when I wanted nothing more than to tell the windbag in front of me to go to hell.

  “Well, you have a meeting here; one that has been on your calendar for weeks.” My eyebrow arched at his persistence, my rage flaring at his next words. “I don’t believe you are telling me the truth about a meeting with Evan Marshall. I have it on the best authority that he’s out of town at the moment.”

  “Well, perhaps you should reconsider your authority.” I modulated my voice, as I stepped closer to him, watching him attempt to straighten as I stood over him. “I just got off the phone with him. He’s downtown and awaiting my presence. I’d hate to have to explain to him why I was late.” My eyes narrowed on him, and he leaned back. “It would be a tragedy if he decided to pull his investments from this company, because you didn’t consider his meeting important enough.”

  “That’s not … I didn’t mean,” he stammered, and I spun around, my heels clacking on the marble floors as I pushed the doors in front of me, the force of my will opening them before my hand even touched the door.

  “Guinea!” I heard Scott shout, but I was gone.

  A few minutes later, I pulled into the apartment complex, running up the stairs. The door swung open as I reached it, startling me.

  “Kai let me in.”

  My mouth hung open, disbelief at seeing him in my apartment, right when I needed him. My eyes narrowed as I closed my mouth and skirted around him. My skin tingled at his nearness, the desire to brush against him overwhelming, even as my distrust grew.

  “How did you know?”

  “I felt your anxiety, your rage, and then I heard your call to Kai. I knew you’d come here to get him. I thought you might need me.”

  “That’s impossible,” I muttered, stomping past him and headed to the bedroom to change. Heels and a skirt weren’t the best for kicking ass, and I planned to kick some serious ass today.

  “You should know by now. There’s no such thing as impossible.”

  “You seem very comfortable with feeling my emotions and hearing me speak to my wolf.” I pulled my shirt over my head, muffling my words, but I knew he’d hear me. The door to the bedroom was open, but I was out of his line of sight.

  He gave a low chuckle.

  “We’re connected. Doesn’t matter if we like it or not. We are. We always will be. You need me. That means I can’t be anywhere other than by your side.”

  “What are you?” I stopped undressing, standing there in nothing but my underwear as I met his eyes. He held my gaze, his eyes never dropping.

  “I’m a warlock. You’re a witch. And my life is yours.”

  “Fantastic.”

  I released the breath I was holding, spinning around to pull on clothes: Heavy denim jeans, layers of shirts, a leather jacket, form-fitted to me, and steel-toed boots. The clothes would offer a small layer of protection, but spells had been placed on the clothes to increase their strength. I walked back into the living room, studying Milo as he stood in front of me, wearing a stained jumpsuit with Walker Garage stitched on the front.

  “Strip,” I commanded, walking past him to get the clothes I’d stashed in the hall closet. “These should fit. I’ve added magic to them. It won’t offer a lot of protection, but hopefully you won’t need it. Not after I spell us.”

  “You’re more gifted with spells than I would have thought,” he commented, tugging his boots off. They looked sturdy, which was good, since I didn’t have boots in his size. He slid the jumpsuit off his shoulders, the white t-shirt underneath clinging to his muscles. Muscles, I realized, that were stronger than the typical male.

  “You’re stronger than the average bear, aren’t you?”

  “Yep. One of my gifts.” He shoved the jumpsuit down his hips, revealing a pair of boxer briefs that outlined his endowments. “Too hot to wear anything else underneath these.” His words had my eyes flickering up to meet his.

  “I’m not complaining.”

  I threw the clothes I held at him, and he caught them, bending down to slip the jeans on.

  “I’ve decided to trust you.” He looked up at me, his hands hovering over the zipper to his jeans. I waved at him. “Finish getting dressed. You’re distracting.”

  One side of his mouth quirked up, but he didn’t respond to my comment, instead pulling the flannel shirt over his head. He tugged on a leather jacket after that, before sitting on the couch to put his boots back on.

  “So, you decided to trust me?” he asked, looking down at the laces on his boots.

  “Yes. I don’t know anything about you. Your presence is suspicious, your timing is, well, suspicious, and I’ve been taught not to trust anyone, ever.” His eyes lifted to meet mine, stealing my breath as I saw the depth of emotion in his eyes.

  “Sounds like my upbringing. Trust no one.”

  “Yet, here I am. Trusting you. Choosing to trust you.” I shook my head, my eyes burning as I stared at him. “Don’t make me regret it.”

  “I won’t.”

  “Stand up.”

  He looked surprised, but did what I asked. Kai came to stand next to us. His silence during our chat surprised me, since Kai tended to express his opinions.

  I pushed my thoughts away, focusing on the chant, and funneling all of the emotions I’d felt—the fear, distrust, and the rage into the spell I was weaving, empowering it further. It would cloak us, shimmer our outline from the sight of others, and make blows against us less powerful. I’d never tested the theory, but supposedly, if the spell was done correctly, it could resist bullets.

  Nancy had taught it to me years before, but I’d never had the magical power to actually use the spell. It wasn’t until a year after her death that I’d remembered it. It had served me well over the years, and become a reminder that my adoptive parents had known the risks I would face as I grew to adulthood. They’d given me the tools to survive, without me ever realizing it at the time.

  “That’s an interesting spell. Difficult to perform.”

  “For some,” I muttered, stepping back to look at him. He looked completely normal to me, as did Kai, but to anyone else, he’d be difficult to see. Their eyes would slide past him, registering his presence, but not actually noting it.

  “For me. I never was any good at spell work. Not like Portia.”

  “Who’s Portia?”

  “My sister.”

  I cocked my head, curious about his family. He was like me, and the thought was interesting.

  “So, what exactly is going on? You have us dressed for
battle. Who are we going to battle for?” His words made me realize I’d never explained the situation.

  “A friend of mine … a client. He’s been kidnapped. He’s being held downtown, and they want me in exchange for him. If you would rather not go, I understand.”

  “Oh, I’m going with you. Make no mistake, but who is this friend that you would risk your life for?”

  I glanced down, before looking up at him through my eyelashes. “A gentleman that showed faith in me. One I feel a kinship with, if that makes sense.”

  “It does. It’s a witch thing.”

  “Yes. I believe it is. It’s just one I’ve never felt before.”