by Kylie Price
Mostly everyone was talking about bills, their partners, their children, and what they were planning to buy.
All that normal talk seemed so long ago as if it barely existed in my life at all. Only a few weeks ago, my biggest fear was not being able to go to college, even to simply escape my foster monster.
I took the last bite of my lunch and looked up. Both Steven and Sky were looking around, as if they were bored.
I rolled my eyes and stood up. They followed suit.
“Look, if you guys don’t want to shop with me, feel free to wait outside or something,” I said as I put my rubbish in the bin.
“I’m good,” Sky said.
“I would rather not face Vex if anything happened to you… or Lachlan,” Steven replied.
“Fine, well at least pretend you’re having a good time,” I said as I started walking out of the food court.
Sky walked beside me while Steven stayed behind. I felt like punching him in the face.
“Don’t worry about it, Trin,” Sky said, placing her hand in mine.
I looked down. It felt like old times only Nikkee wasn’t holding my other one.
I sighed. “Do you have a prejudice against Nikkee?” I asked hesitantly.
She gave me a small smile. “You know, I don’t think I do. In fact, I feel like we have bonded more in the past day than we have in the past eight years. Perhaps both of us becoming monsters has made us see things more clearly,” she told me, sounding all grown up.
“What’s more clear?” I pressed.
She pulled me into a clothes shop called ‘Ice.’ “That we both care about you, and that if anything happened to her or I it would kill you. You have always been able to share your love between us both so it’s time we recognize that it is not a competition and that you are the bond that holds us together.”
I pulled my hand out of hers and jumped at her, wrapping my arms around her neck engulfing her in the biggest hug I could muster.
“To tell you the truth, Trin, it was I who had the problem and I see that now. I only hope that things can go back to normal and I get the chance to make up for my betrayal,” she whispered into my ear.
“There is no need, you are here now,” I reassured her and stepping back.
“Yes there is, you needed me. And I abandoned you. I vow to never do that to you again or Nikkee,” she said with a strong tone and a single tear was running down her cheek.
I gave her a smile and looked behind me where Steven was standing outside the store waiting for us.
“I wish everyone else saw things that way, Sky. I seem to form nothing but triangles, one gets fixed and another appears,” I sighed.
“I don’t think you should concern yourself with him, Trinity,” she said bluntly.
“Why?” I asked.
“Isn’t it obvious? If you and Jason are together, you really shouldn’t be hanging out with other males. Well, apart from Lachlan,” she told me.
“He is hanging out with his ex!” I replied mechanically.
I ran my hand across the top of the coat hangers, moving them across one at a time to see what was hidden.
“That is a bit different,” she defended.
“I don’t see how. Besides, I only see Steven as a possible friend,” I admitted.
“Does he?” she pressed.
“I think he flirts with me but I think his eyes are more set on Nikkee. I believe he is also in the majority that believe I have intermingled the species, but doesn’t seem to hold that grudge against me, but rather on Jason and Lachlan.”
“Oh, this is cute!” She was holding out a nice, tank top then asked, “Did he tell you that?”
“No, It is just what I feel is true. Not sure why, but I just do. I think he is a great guy, but he sits on the fence,” I said looking back to him and Sky did the same.
“Everything used to be so simple,” she murmured grabbing a few more shirts off the rack and handing them to me.
“I know. I keep trying to tell myself that I am still the same, but deep down I know I am not.”
Sky smiled at me. “You are still you, Trinity. Even with everything that has changed, you are still unique and special, just with a bit more flair.”
I smiled back. I could always count on my friends to bring me back from the brink of despair and self-doubt.
“I am going to go try this on,” Sky said walking toward the changing room with a dress in hand.
I moved from rack to rack until I was near the back, I grabbed a few more things that caught my eye and some really pretty dresses for Nikkee. I stood staring at the lingerie and bra’s. I was finally here. My eyes skimmed over all the different brands and designs. I reached out and touched a pink nightgown made of silk. The texture was soft like air against my touch. I marvelled at the beauty of it.
Warm hands came around my waist and then a body against mine.
“If you buy that, there is no telling what I will do and I cannot be held accountable,” his words breathed in my ear as soft as a whisper.
Shivers ran down my body as goose bumps rose on my skin and butterflies started to form in my stomach.
“Jason,” I whispered.
He slowly moved me into the changing room a few steps away until we were both in there.
I watched in the mirror with bright blue eyes as he closed the door not taking his gaze off me. He turned me around in a fast move, put his arms around me and then his lips were against my own. It wasn’t until that moment that I knew I had longed for the taste of his mouth more than I let myself know.
My arms wrapped around his body in a strong hold as if I was worried he would disappear again. Rather than feeling like we had only just started out, it felt more like we had always been together, since the day of our birth or the moment our souls were created. I felt as if my body was made just for his and his for mine. I felt pained and jealous when we were separated, but I didn’t want to believe it, yet now that he was in my arms, kissing me like I had never been kissed before I knew I would not be able to deny him ever. I wanted to be with him completely, forever, and him being a monster also meant I could have him for eternity.
Chapter Sixteen
I pulled away from his kiss with too much reluctance. I pulled my hand from behind him touching his face. His piercing blue- green eyes were bright and I knew mine would be freaky as hell. I could feel every organ, bone and muscle vibrate with excitement and lust. Now was not the time, we were in a changing room for God’s sake. Someday, if all went to plan, we would have more time than this.
“Your back,” I said a little breathless. I knew it was a stupid statement, but my brain could not form much at that moment.
“I told you I would be. Why are you not at the compound?” he asked as a slight frown formed between his eyes.
I dropped my hand and turned away from his gaze.
“I didn’t want to be cooped up there anymore with nothing to think about except you and Chelsi. I know, I know,” I said and raised a hand in my defence before he could reply. “It was necessary, it meant nothing. I get that. I just didn’t want to sit around and think about it any longer. Besides, I have many other things on my mind and they are mostly back at ‘Mutual’. So I just wanted some space, some normal,” I told him looking back.
He gave me his sexy smirk, letting me know he was not mad, more amused.
“Garth called and told me you guys talked,” he admitted.
I rolled my eyes, “Of course he did.”
“Don’t begrudge him Trinity. I know more than you, one day you will know too, but you have to set your hate and anger aside to see it,” he empathized with such a serious look on his face.
I sighed, “I know, and I am trying. He is trying. But it is still hard to come to terms with everything. You have had time. I haven’t,” I pointed out.
A knock came at the door. “They are here, we have to go,” came Chelsi’s voice.
I mentally ground my teeth.
“Listen, I have
to go. You do too. I can’t explain now, but I promise I will,” Jason said quickly in a hushed voice.
I gave a nod and went to walk out. He grabbed me around the waist to stop me.
“No, you can’t come with me. You can’t go back to ‘Mutual’ either. Just wait a few moments until we have left the store, then go with Steven back home,” he said with authority.
I frowned with a questioning look.
“Lachlan will explain. He will meet you at the servo we stopped at yesterday,” he said bending down slightly and kissing my lips with a hard crash of desperation.
I locked my eyes to his and for the first time I saw fear.
He walked out leaving me standing there dumbfounded. Chelsi was beside him and then they were holding hands. He looked back at me with a pleading look for forgiveness. All good feelings had just gone. I knew he had to do that for a reason, but what a head game.
I looked over to the dressing room next to me where Sky was standing at the doorway watching the same thing.
“What the hell?” Sky said with a confused look.
I shrugged. I knew she heard everything.
I squared my shoulders and started walking to the counter. Steven walked up, but said nothing. He grabbed my arm and turned me back to the dressing room before the woman at the counter could turn around to serve me.
“Calm yourself Trinity,” he said sternly.
I couldn’t recall a time he ever sounded so serious. I knew what he meant, though, my eyes were freaky to the monsters and I could only imagine what a human would think.
I sucked in lots of deep breaths and exhaled them slowly. I pushed my last image of Jason out of my mind and thought of the ocean. The waves crashing. The sand between my toes and the fresh salt air slapping my face.
I looked to Steven, “Better?”
“Yeah, that was fast,” he pointed out.
I shrugged, walking calmly back to the register and placing the clothes I had picked out on the counter. Sky came up beside me. I grabbed the clothes she had and stuck them on to the pile. Steven reached over to the glasses stand that sat on the counter, grabbed a pair and stuck them on top.
“I think you need these,” he smirked.
The woman ran it all through the register. I handed her my card and paid, got our bags and walked out the store. I pulled the tag and sticker of the glasses and put them on. They were a good pick actually. Stylish and from my reflection in the store glass window, they suited me.
We walked out of the shopping centre and over to our car. Steven put a hand up to stop us, walked over to his commodore, looked around and started sniffing it. Yes sniffing. Sky and I looked at each other with confused weird looks on our faces, then back to him all normal.
“Ok, let’s go,” he said and unlocking the car and sat in the driver’s seat. I walked over to the front and got in while Sky climbed in the back.
Steven had pulled out to the busy street and made his way back to the long stretch of dead grass and open space within minutes, weaving around cars pushing us up further. We had all sat quietly only exchanging glances.
“What’s going on?” I finally asked.
Steven looked in the rear-view mirror and then to me, “All I know is that I am driving you to a service station at Gympie where Lachlan will meet us.”
“Did Chelsi say anything?” I asked.
“No, she does not talk to my kind,” he smirked.
“Well, it’s not like you really like her,” I pointed out.
He made a face saying, “I am trying to. She is a whole other story though. She won’t even look at us if she can get away with it.”
“Why is she like that?” Sky asked from the back.
“I heard that she was attacked by a vampire, savagely, not bitten, but basically ripped to pieces. It just so happens that Jason had found her and bit her to save her life. I don’t know why she was attacked like that for no cause she was not even fed on. Apparently un-provoked, but I don’t believe there is any reason why someone should have that happen to them. It’s a bit of a mystery,” he told us.
“So like an unsolved, vampire psychopath, attempted murderer?” I said frowning.
“Basically.”
I turned back and looked at Sky. She had the same expression that I probably had.
I turned back asking, “Could it have been the witches?”
“Trinity! Not all of us are psychotic because of the witches. We have a basic animal instinct to hunt, kill, destroy, feed and mate. Most of us can hold all the temptation inside, but there are a lot that enjoy being what they are and live it to their full extent.”
I cringed at the images floating in my head. “Maybe Garth and Vex are still needed to protect the humans like they were created to do,” I said loudly, but more to myself.
“And you, Trinity. You are the third. The wise woman,” Steven announced.
“There is nothing wise about me,” I said flatly.
“I think you are more aware and knowledgeable than you think you are,” Sky chimed in.
“I can’t be the third. I don’t want to be,” I hissed out through gritted teeth.
“You will have to be Trinity. Order needs to be restored,” Steven stated.
“How am I going to do anything?” I asked.
“Train, learn and prepare to take on anyone. We should never have been created. Though the intentions were good, we are now a plague and with us now being exposed, it is even more dangerous,” he replied.
“But Jason fixed all that,” Sky added.
“Yes with the police, but there are people that have believed in us since our creation and this has just let them know they were right. They don’t need to see the proof; they know it just by what Mark blabbered.”
“So we are still in danger?” I asked.
“Yes, until these people are exposed and gotten rid of, then we need to pretend we are normal every day teens and young adults.”
“That don’t age,” I said with sarcasm.
“Yeah a few will have to go into hiding for a while. Those that don’t will have to play their part.”
“Like Jason and Chelsi?” I said, trying to hide the venom in my voice.
He turned and looked at me, “Yeah, for now.”
Chapter Seventeen
The drive seemed to drag out, but it was only Sky and I talking. Steven looked too deep in thought, concerned, which only made the butterflies in my stomach swim around faster. We didn’t know anything; it seemed Steven had more of an idea than what we did. I couldn’t shake the bad feeling I was having and it made me long to have my own hand in Jason’s. I wanted us to go out like couples do, but from the way Steven said, “For now,” I can’t see that happening anytime soon.
“We are here,” Steven said.
I looked ahead and saw the servo come into view.
I felt twitchy all of the sudden. It was as if I wanted to jump out of my seat and run.
The sun was setting, but I could make out Lachlan’s car, he and Nikkee were standing next to it.
We drove in and parked beside it.
I opened my door and Nikkee was on me in a flash.
“OMG, Trinity. I have been so worried. We have been waiting here for hours,” she said, muffled in my shoulder.
I could feel her fear, her anxiety and realized this was why I was feeling twitchy. I had let my guard down and her feelings came flooding through.
She was really scared, hungry and confused. I thought she had been handling her transition well considering she already knew so much, but now I finally knew that was not true. She was exactly like I was and still am. Afraid of the monsters that we had become.
Sky’s arms came around us both. We stood there for a while longer before breaking away from each other.
“We are ok,” I said pulling my arms from around Nikkee. I placed one on Nikkee’s shoulder and the other on Sky’s. “We will work through this together,” I smiled and they both returned one.
“We need to
leave,” Lachlan said next to us.
I looked over and gave a nod.
“Thank you Steven,” I said walking over and putting my arms around him.
He returned the gesture and I hugged him tight. In the short time I had known him, I had grown quite fond of his smart arse banter and caring manner. Even if he did have a problem with the wolves, he still helped. I know he cared, that he was coming around. I felt a pang knowing he would be left alone. I felt fearful for him. I broke away from our embrace and smiled.
“Nikkee?” he said, reaching his arms out he was wanting her to hug him. “I won’t bite,” he added with a smirk.
She walked over and gave him a hug. I looked to Lachlan and if looks could kill, I think we would all be in trouble.
His eyes snapped to me as a warning, but I just returned a smirk. He should know by now, his threats mean little to me.
He sighed and turned around walking to his car, opening the door and hopping in.
Nikkee and Steven broke apart and Sky walked up and put her hand out to shake his. He looked at it for a moment and then placed his hand in hers.
I smiled, it was definitely a start. I was supposed to bring them all together, maybe this showed that it would work. Baby steps I reminded myself. Baby steps.
We pulled out of the service station driveway. Steven went back the way we came while we went in the direction of home.
Nikkee sat in the front while Sky and I sat in the back.
“So, what’s going on?” I asked.
Lachlan looked in the rear view mirror at me then back to the road.
“The authorities have placed Mark in a mental ward at Caboolture Hospital,” he said.
“That’s great news!” Sky muttered venomously.
I placed my hand on hers for comfort, she responded by squeezing tight.
“Well, it was until someone busted him out,” he replied.
“What?” Sky and I shouted at the same time.
Since Nikkee didn’t say anything, I guessed that she was aware.
“Yeah, we are not sure who; we have footage being examined. But we are guessing it is someone that has been looking for evidence of our existence for a long time. These types of people always pop in throughout history. They look for clues and well Mark had some very descriptive information. After the blood work came back clear, the police considered him insane. They did to start with, but with his insistence to check the blood, they humoured him,” he laughed and added, “Only problem was, whoever had been involved in the case obviously knew people who would find the information priceless. And not to mention the bones that they took from the ritual sight have now gone missing from evidence,” he finished. His eyes flicked back to me. They had anger and concern in them.
