Claiming Trinity (8 page)

The softest growl from his buddy beside him roused him from his state of self-pity. He had become so consumed with the banshee goddess, he hadn’t even paused to consider how Kane felt about the situation. Protecting the innocent was his best friend’s genetic coding. As much as Arawn felt like he’d failed her, Kane, for sure, would take the inability to shield her from harm even harder.

“How you doin’, partner?” He nudged Kane’s arm.

“It’s not me I’m worried about.” The soft rumble of his buddy rattled him. His friend stood and folded his arms tight across his chest.

It would seem she’s managed to get under more than just my skin.

In all their years of friendship and comradery in service, he had never witnessed Kane fixate on any woman except the one human he saved before they joined the force. The same woman who shattered his heart when she screamed bloody murder and ran from him as if he were the devil incarnate.

Once security arrived, Arawn and Kane left the golf cart for the girls and jogged back to the Haus. Arawn appreciated the physical outlet. Tension and worry strained every muscle in his body, despite the cold, wet clothes which clung to his skin from wading into the hot springs with Trinity. The vision of her in so much pain and both of them being so helpless to shield her in any way, traumatized him. It was a far cry from the protection they offered as Para Elite Forces men.

Never in his existence, even in the Underworld, had Arawn felt so powerless as a protector. Even when he crusaded against his namesake, his father, standing for what was right rather than his birthright of war and revenge. The epic battle had been easy as pie compared to this. Then again, in those circumstances, he’d known exactly who the enemies were and could determine what action would readily be needed. He rubbed his sternum as the memories stabbed through his head and straight down to the scars over his chest and arms.

They ran at a moderate pace along the beaten path of the forest. The fresh scent of greenery filled his nose with each inhale. The wind rustled the leaves and the breeze brushed his skin, cooling the beads of perspiration along his face and neck.

“Arawn?” Kane called to him as they jogged.

“Yeah, buddy?”

“You think she’s gonna be okay?” Kane slowed his pace and then halted.

Arawn stopped and spun around to face him. He bent over and rubbed his thighs as he caught his breath. “I hope so.”

“You’re as scared as I am, aren’t you?” Kane set his hands on his hips and twisted his upper torso from side to side in long stretches.

“Yeah, I hated to see her in so much pain, it….”

“Broke my heart, too,” Kane finished his exact thought.

Arawn took a leap of faith and confided in his best friend. “We both seem to have some strong feelings for her.”

Kane nodded. “I can’t understand how I managed to fall so hard for her in such a short span of time.”

“You and me both, brother.” Arawn raked his fingers through his hair. “This is kind of a first for us,” he prodded. “If you want me to stay away…?”

“I planned to offer the same thing to you.” He cracked a grin. “I mean, if you think she’s into your ugly mug.”

“Nice.” Arawn snorted. His amusement dissipated quickly. “How do you think she’d feel about…?” He couldn’t bring himself to entertain the thought, not while she suffered so.

“I think it’s fair to say, there’s a connection with the three of us, I mean, I can feel it.” Kane patted his shoulder. “It’s new territory for you and me, for sure. It wouldn’t feel right if only one of us had her to ourselves.”

“You think she’d be into both of us?” Arawn tilted his head with surprise. “I mean, she did make the comment about us….”

“Tucking her in together. Yeah. I caught it, too.” Kane bit his bottom lip.

The fact this possibility didn’t trigger the severe jealous streak he’d experienced earlier at the mere thought the danger could have been an ex of Trinity’s baffled him. A bizarre comfort came with the thought of sharing her with Kane. Not Arawn’s norm, and he and his buddy were both straight with no inclination toward romance with one another. Share was not a word he used often. Hell, even the suggestion of splitting a meal with the big guy was enough to spark competition between the lifelong friends.

“It’s a possibility, but I have to put it out there if there’s even a remote chance she might be interested.” Kane smirked.

“Go on,” he challenged.

“If we ever have a chance to get together with her, it’s about her…not….” Kane motioned back and forth between them both.

“Whoa, yeah. That’s a given, dude.” Arawn grimaced. “Even if I were into guys, which I’m not, let’s be clear”—he shuddered at the notion—“I couldn’t handle your hideous mug naked.” The subtle jab eased some of his tension and brought him to a chuckle.

“To be honest”—Kane’s smile faded—“I don’t know if I could take the rejection. I’ve never met anyone like her before.”

“She’s under my skin, too. I thought being in the forces would reduce the temptation to fall for a woman. Then she landed…right on top of me.” Arawn scrubbed his face at the recollection of her arrival in the portal room.

The heat of her body against his, the sweetness of her breath brushing over his lips. It had taken every ounce of self-control not to claim her as his own, right there in the middle of the floor. The awareness of the boss man, Rekkus, who stood right there, had been the only thing holding him back from his primal impulses.

Neither of them spoke the rest of the way back. The strain on Kane’s face at the cabin and the water had been unmistakable. Their talk confirmed it. They had both fallen, hard for this flaxen beauty.

Kane had been by his side since the battle of Annwn and never had Arawn seen him so shaken by another’s pain. Something was seriously wrong here, and they both sensed it.

Arawn held the door open to the Haus for his buddy and followed him in.

“Good morning, gentlemen.” Myron sat at the front desk and flipped her cards. “They’re all in the office, waiting for you.”

When they entered the room, Rekkus and Cyrus stood in the corner in deep conversation. Sarka, Cemil, and Sage huddled around the desk. Arawn cleared his throat to announce their presence.

“Come on in. We need to talk.” Rekkus waved them over.

“What’s the news?” Kane folded his arms over his chest.

“Did you sit watch over the villa last night while she slept, Kane?” Rekkus approached him, his teeth clenched tight.

“I did, from the moment we got her back until after sunrise.”

“Did you sense anything out of the ordinary?” Cyrus joined them.

“I can’t describe it.” Kane paused. “At the dinner hall, there was a hint, for a moment, of something, but I couldn’t smell, hear, or see where it came from, and it disappeared as quickly as it showed up. Last night on the rooftop, I saw and heard nothing. Even my radar for dark energy didn’t pick up any indication of anything out of the ordinary, but I felt kind of dazed, almost like a daydream.”

The fair-haired Rowan brother stepped toward Kane and held out his open palm. “May I?”

“Sure.” Kane accepted.

Cemil held his hand and closed his eyes for a moment then sucked in a sharp inhale. “Trance-like?” He opened his eyes and released his grip.

“Yeah, I would say tranced was pretty much how it felt.”

“If even
you
couldn’t sense anything, we have a serious problem.” Rekkus dropped his head back and heaved a sigh layered with frustration. “How are we supposed to protect her?”

“Any theories so far?” Arawn dug deeper. “The humans seem fine.” Sarka plunked herself into the office chair and intertwined her fingers. “But there are flooding and air system malfunctions on the second floor, the lighting down here has been flickering, and some of our para guests have reported nausea.”

“Food poisoning?” Kane debated.

“No, those who have complained had different menu items.” Sage joined her sister. “There is something dark on the island, but none of us can hone in on it.”

“The humans are protected, unaffected by all that has transpired, am I correct?” Arawn pondered out loud.

“Yes.” Rekkus raked his fingers through his hair. “For now, but if it does begin to affect them, she’s off the island.”

“Just because you can’t see magical creatures doesn’t mean they’re not there,” Arawn offered.

“What kind of creatures do you think they are?” Sage tipped her chin up. “The island is protected. We have every provision in place.”

“We thought the same thing before the sirens invaded, too, but every defense could potentially have a weakness,” he cautioned the group. “Those desperate enough to get in will do their very best to find a way. Take it from someone who knows. When malevolent beings have an agenda, they always find a way.”

“So far, this seems to affect mostly Trinity. Maybe she has lost her mind?” Sarka offered coolly.

“No, she hasn’t,” Kane growled.

“Easy, big guy.” Cemil held his palms up to tame the beast. “This is just a brainstorm right now. We need to weigh all the possibilities.”

Arawn tapped his chin in deliberation. “Sarka, is there any way to dull Trinity’s senses for the time being?”

“She has the enchanted glasses, but they haven’t helped.” She shrugged.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but those dull her
visual
perceptions, right?” he disputed.

“You’re right,” Cemil’s voice livened up. “She’s part empath, so she feels everything on all levels.”

“What do you propose?” Cyrus lifted a single brow.

“I’m not sure, but the pain she was in at the cabin was surreal, brutal.” He shook his head as if to dispel the experience. “Kane, Arawn, has there been a time since you’ve been with her, she’s been at complete peace?”

“You mean outside of the herbal roofie Sage gave her last night?” Kane pressed his lips tight and narrowed his eyes.

“Yes,” Cemil retorted.

“The hot springs.” Arawn’s hopes lifted. “The moment Serena had her submerged in the water, she said she couldn’t feel anything. She giggled with relief.”

“Well, we can’t keep her submerged in water the rest of the week. She’s not a mermaid.” Cemil frowned, then his eyes lit up. “This may be a shot in the dark, but Sarka, can you fashion a talisman to carry spring water in it?”

“If this is a cloaked being, and with this caliber, there may be more than one, I would bet it’s a psychic attack. The water neutralizes negative energy for her, but she needs more than one element. If I fashion a talisman for her out of black tourmaline, perhaps a mini vial with water in it, it can protect her from negative energy, even spells and curses. She can’t take it off at all, though, and I can’t guarantee how long it will last because we don’t know what we’re dealing with.”

Sage sat on the edge of her chair. “We can amp up the power with some herbs, too. Mugwort can protect against astral attack, since no one can see anything. Acacia is good for psychic attack; black thorn can reverse a spell.”

“Okay, you two, work together on the talisman. Cemil, once she’s got the protection in place, what other vulnerabilities does she have?” Cyrus inquired.

Cemil straightened his back, determination filling his features. “Unresolved grief.”

A knock sounded at the door. Sage pulled the door open a crack, and whispered. Then she let in the tall, silver-haired fae.

“Trixie, you were fast,” Sage remarked.

Is this a good sign or not?

The fae entered the room and frowned. “Only because parts of her memory has been completely erased.” She closed the door behind her.

“Where is Trinity?” Kane’s nostrils flared.

Trixie held up her right hand. “Serena’s still with her. She’s helping her balance her emotions in the springs. Two security guys stayed at the water’s edge to keep an eye on them.”

“What have you learned?” Cyrus’s voice lowered.

“Someone has seriously messed with her. I regressed her to last night, and even in her subconscious, she has no memory of a two hour span. Dark shadows surrounding her in the dinner hall were the only things she could recall before her head started to hurt.”

“She was pretty out of it,” Kane concurred.

“Did anything happen in the hall?” Trixie probed further.

“She told us about her uncle, her parents, and that she’s a mixed-breed,” Arawn listed as he recalled the events. “She read a little about each of us. She picked up on wings and stone from Kane here, and war and revenge with conflicted nature, and the hounds of hell from me.” He rubbed his chest with discomfort.

“But none of those things set her off,” Kane disputed. Then his eyes widened. “She got pretty feisty when she read some women’s thoughts. Three attractive women together. Redhead, brunette, and a blonde.”

“The sisters.” Rekkus nodded.

“What thoughts did she pick up on?” Cemil asked.

“She didn’t specify, but she said they made her blood boil, and she saw the faces they hid. She would have scrapped with all three of them.” Arawn set his hands on his hips. “I distracted her. I should have asked,” he grumbled.

“You kept the peace. Nothing about the shape she was in seemed logical.” Kane patted his shoulder. “And the women didn’t do anything specific, or at least anything we noticed. They sat at dinner. Then we took her back to the villa.”

“There’s more, I’m afraid.” The tall, slender fae knitted her brows. “The death of her uncle…she was there but has absolutely no memory of the death, the night, or the day after.”

Kane crossed his arms. “Isn’t that normal with trauma?”

“On a conscious level, yes, but there should be a subconscious recall of some sort.”

“But I saw the images,” Cemil disputed.

“When?” Arawn twisted to face him.

“The last time we met at her office in New York. I picked up on graphic details, brutal images.” Cemil shuddered.

“How did he die?” Kane whispered.

“I didn’t see his death, but it was slow, vicious, and painful. I saw the aftermath which haunts her.”

“I read the same with her mother’s ring for her parents’ deaths,” Cyrus concurred.

“Look, I can’t explain it,” Trixie said. “But it’s as though she was traumatized by these brutal deaths, and then someone erased the memories completely but left the damage in its wake.”