by Amy Freeman
Adam came bursting through the crowd followed by a newly sober Chris, sans the giant penguin. Griffin and Jackson were on the ground aiding Vig as he came around, cursing and wincing in pain. Adam grabbed Trin’s hand, checking his bloodied fists. A myriad of curses, congratulatory comments, and the like flew around the yard, but Trin heard none of it. He glanced at Sam, feeling the severity of his actions. No one realized he had nearly killed a young ball player, and most unsettling of all, everyone now knew how lethal he was.
Amidst the chaos Anna had made her way to Vig. She dropped to the ground, bending over him as he held his jaw. Another dancer had taken Erika to the hospital. Sam stood, her arm around Trin’s torso, a hand on his chest. Their eyes locked as his friends continued on about the fight. They couldn’t stay here anymore. They had to get to Russia. Not only was Sam not safe, but Trin had become unstable. It was too much. They had to go.
The hospital waiting room was packed. Ryan Overton, one of Utah’s best linebackers, was in the ER and half the party had followed. Sam and Trin pulled into the parking lot to check on Erika with the intent of leaving right after. Trin was certain he wouldn’t be a welcome sight when family started arriving.
They walked up to the desk in the ER waiting room passing several bystanders. Some stared in awe, as if Trin were a hero for saving Erika. Others looked nervous, even afraid, not knowing what to think of the strength and precision with which Trin had taken the massive football player down.
“Do you think he’s on something?” one person whispered.
“Trin’s huge,” another replied.
“Yeah, but Ryan Overton. I’ve never seen anything like that.”
More comments followed.
“Did you see what Ryan did to Erika?”
“Did you see what Trin did to Ryan?”
Trin tuned it out, resting his hands on the reception desk. “Erika Torbin was just brought in,” he said.
The woman consulted her computer screen. “Your name?”
“Trin Kosolov and Sam Shields”
Her fingers clicked across the keyboard. “She’s been asking for you,” she replied. “She’s right inside the double doors. You can go on back.”
“Thank you.”
The mechanical door swung wide as the woman at the desk hit the button. They passed into the bright hallway. A scent of chemicals, plastic and a sterile attempt to cover illness and death filled Sam’s nostrils as they continued down a hall lined with small examination rooms. Erika was in the first one to the left, speaking with a doctor. Sam went straight to her side. “Hey,” she said, resting a hand on Erika’s arm.
Trin turned to the doctor. “How is she?”
“She’s going to be fine,” he replied. “We’re going to take some X-rays, maybe do a CT scan just to make sure, but it looks like just a nice cut and a big bump on the head.” The doctor paused for a moment. “Could I speak with you out here for a moment?” he asked, gesturing to the hallway.
Trin nodded, following the doctor past the curtain and out into the hall. When the doctor felt they were out of earshot he turned and faced Trin. “I’m very concerned,” he said. “She said this happened at a party, that her boyfriend is responsible. Is that true?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Were you at this party?”
“I was.”
“Did you see what happened?”
Trin hesitated. “She was hurt by the time I got there. He had her pinned, choking her. Her head was bleeding.”
The doctor shifted, looking Trin squarely in the eyes. “You found them?”
“Yes.”
The doctor studied Trin. “You got her out?”
“Yes, sir.” The implication was clear; Trin was responsible for the young man down the hall. Trin could see him struggling. The doctor was limited in what he could say, but he also sensed the doctor had daughters. He was grateful Trin had been there. Trin breathed an inward sigh of relief. He didn’t need police involvement on top of everything else, though he knew he had been justified.
“She is unwilling to press charges,” the doctor said.
Trin exhaled. “Yes, sir. We’ve had this conversation with her a few times.”
The doctor nodded. “Perhaps tonight’s events might make you more persuasive,” he suggested. “Our staff can’t get through, but you may be able to.”
“I’ll try again, sir.”
The doctor nodded. “I’ll go order the CT scan.” He held out a hand. “It is nice to meet you, by the way. Wish it could have been different circumstances.”
Trin blinked, then smiled, shaking his hand. “Yeah. Thanks.”
The doctor turned to go, but Trin stopped him. “Excuse me, sir?”
The doctor glanced back.
“Is Ryan going to be all right?”
The doctor turned to face him more fully. “He’s in pretty bad shape, but I think he’ll recover,” he said. “The head trauma is pretty serious. We just don’t know yet.”
Trin nodded. The doctor held his gaze again for a moment, then disappeared around the corner. Trin started down the hall, opposite Erika’s room. He peered into each one as he went until he found what he was looking for.
In the fifth room down, Ryan Overton lay silent on the bed, eyes closed, bruised, swollen, heavily sedated with a series of tubes coming from his body. Trin watched him breathe. He walked in to the room, hesitating only a moment at Ryan’s bedside.
Placing a hand on Ryan’s head, a golden white strain of energy ignited beneath his palms, glowing like sunlight. His glacier eyes gleamed. Within seconds the blood cleared, damaged tissues fused, the carnage he had caused corrected itself leaving no injury at all. Trin raised his palm, still holding it above Ryan and the white heat spread. Gleaming light expanded, filling Ryan’s body, clearing the insecurity, the self-loathing, the despair and pain. It churned through him, and spilled into the room, clearing the environment. Trin lowered his palm. The light went out in his eyes and the room went dark.
Trin lowered his hands. I’m sorry. The genuine offering locked the molecular changes in the atmosphere, a protective barrier of positive light that would continue healing the young athlete long after Trin was gone. He turned and left the room.
Later that night Ryan’s CT scan would return completely normal.
Sam turned to Erika. Words were not necessary. Erika looked down at her hands. “I know,” she whispered.
“No more?” Sam asked.
Erika shook her head. “No more. I’m done.”
Sam took her hand just as Trin returned to the room. Erika met his powerful gaze. Her face fell to her hands and she began to cry.
Sam put an arm around her.
“I think you saved my life tonight,” she whispered through her tears. “I’m so sorry.”
Trin moved toward her, humiliation and guilt vivid in her aura. “Don’t be sorry. I’m glad I was there,” he said. “Just promise me you’re done. You might be alone next time.”
Erika nodded. At that moment a frantic, middle aged woman hurried through the door. Her shoulder-length brown hair bounced as she raced to Erika’s side, manicured fingernails covering her mouth in horror. “Oh my God,” She wrapped her petite arms around her daughter, tears streaming down her face. “What happened to you? Who did this?” She choked on her words, her voice thick with emotion.
Erika began to cry again, not knowing how to tell her mother that the star football player she’d been so proud to date had been abusing her.
Sam looked at Trin, then turned to Erika’s mother. “Mrs. Torbin?”
The woman glanced up, hazel eyes glistening with tears, distraught expression emphasizing lines in her forehead.
“I’m Sam, this is my boyfriend Trin. I’m in the dance program with Erika.” She hesitated, trying to find her words and then realized there was no good way to say it. “Erika’s boyfriend did this to her.” Color drained from Mrs. Torbin’s face as Sam continued. “I guess he’s been taking steroids.”
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Her mother’s face darkened as she turned to Erika. “We’re pressing charges.”
“No, Mom,” Erika argued. “I’m not seeing him anymore. It’s over, but I’m not going to ruin his life, his football career, everything.”
Disbelief colored her face, staring at her daughter. She turned to Sam, speechless. Sam took a deep breath. “Erika, leaving him is not enough. He’s going to continue to juice. He’s spinning out of control. If you don’t do something to stop this, he’ll do it again to someone else, only Trin won’t be there to stop him,” she said. “He could kill someone, Erika.”
Erika’s mom looked to Trin. “You stopped him?”
Trin paused, not sure what to say, then nodded once.
She threw her arms around him and wept. “Thank you.”
He returned the hug, glancing at Sam who shrugged—her eyes soft with pride. “You’re welcome,” he replied.
“We’re gonna go,” Sam said, standing, “let you two talk.” She turned one more time to her friend. “Please think about what I said. This is enough,” she said, “for Ryan too...you know?”
Erika nodded. Sam squeezed her hand. They said goodbye to Erika’s mother who again thanked them, and left the hospital.
“What did the doctor say to you?” Sam asked as they hurried through the parking lot.
“He just wanted to know what happened. He’s worried she doesn’t want to press charges.” He took her hand, moving faster toward the truck. When they arrived at the passenger side door he pulled Sam to him, kissing her with such force he lifted her from the ground.
Disengaging from his soft lips, she drew back, breathless. “What was that for?”
His eyes burned. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
He buried his face in her neck. “What a messed up night.”
Sam gave a weak laugh, hugging his muscled torso more tightly, her fingers gripping his shirt. “I’m sorry,” she said. “We should never have gone to that party.”
Trin drew back looking in her eyes. “Think of what would’ve happened if we hadn’t gone,” he said. “It’s a really good thing we went. It totally sucked, but we were supposed to be there.” He reached for his keys. “Let’s get out of here.” He opened the door and Sam got in. Trin climbed in the driver’s side and closed the door, starting the ignition.
“Where are we going?” Sam asked.
“Anywhere but here,” he replied. He wrapped his arm around the back of her seat and backed out. “Let’s go to your place,” he suggested. “I’m pretty sure Anna won’t be home.”
Sam rested a hand on his shoulder. “Vig will be fine, Trin. He knows you didn’t mean to hit him.”
Trin pulled out onto the road, heading east. “That’s just it though,” he replied. “Ever since I was little I was taught how to protect. It’s what I am, it’s what I do. I protect my charge...you.”
Sam stared. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“There is no honor in needless violence. You do what is necessary and no more. But I feel so helpless protecting you. In fact I’ve pretty much learned I can’t. I feel like no matter how hard I try I’m always one step behind you. I’m so worried about your safety I’ve allowed the lines to blur.” Trin grew quiet. “I attacked Ryan as if he were my equal,” he said. “He didn’t have a prayer.”
Sam said nothing because he was right. Ryan would have died. “I know,” she replied.
Trin stared through the windshield. “I nearly killed Ryan,’ he said. “If Anvil hadn’t stopped me I would have. This is too much,” he said. “I can’t do my job effectively here.” He looked at Sam. “Mikhail is right. We have to leave.”
Sam exhaled, glancing at the floor.
He turned onto her street, heading for the dorm parking lot. “This isn’t working,” he said. “I’ve got this meet in a completely different state tomorrow. How am I supposed to leave the state? It’s bad enough to leave you to go get a change of clothes, or let you attend class by yourself. It’s only a matter of time Sam.”
He pulled into the lot, found a space and parked, killing the engine. Sam sat in silence for a moment looking at her hands. “Am I really that helpless on my own?” she asked.
“Yes,” he said, “because you haven’t been fully trained.” He turned in his seat to face her. “You have enormous amounts of untapped power, Sam but you don’t know how to access it deliberately. We’ve seen that time and time again. And even if you could you would only be as powerful as Ashbel. We are only stronger than him as a pair.” He gazed helplessly out the windshield. “He’s doing all this crazy powerful stuff,” he said, “and so are you. What you did today during our run...” Trin stopped.
Sam looked up at him. “What?” she asked. “What is it?”
Trin stared forward in disbelief for a moment and then turned to face Sam. “Ashbel’s jumping time,” he said. He looked past her in frantic thought. “No Veduny I know of has ever been able to do that until you,” he said. He looked at Sam again. “He hasn’t cheated death, he’s jumping time. In fact, it’s the only thing that makes any sense. Mikhail says his presence has been detected in many different countries...recently,” he said, “probably the same countries you’ve seen in visions of the past. You said you sensed him in every setting you witnessed. How else would he be present in all those times and places?” He looked at Sam with newfound anxiety. “I don’t know what he’s doing visiting all these wars and conflicts, but it means he can come and go as he pleases, Sam.”
Sam’s blood ran cold at his words.
“There is no way I can leave you alone tomorrow. You’re going to have to come with me. That’s all there is to it.”
“Trin, I can’t come with you,” she said. “I have a performance tomorrow.”
“Don’t you hear what I’m saying?” he said. “Just be sick or something. Isn’t that what...what’s it called?...alternate...second cast person—isn’t that why there’s a second cast?”
“Erika is the second cast.”
Trin leaned in, taking her shoulders firmly in his hands. “If he is jumping time he could take you, jump time with you, and I wouldn’t be able to come after you. He’s not taking you and hiding you somewhere in the city. He’ll take you to a different time. I don’t have that ability.”
Sam had no response. He was absolutely right. Then she had a thought. “But apparently I do,” she offered. “If, heaven forbid, that were to happen, I could find my way back to you.”
Trin scoffed. “Sam, think about how you jumped time. Do you even know how you did it? That whole thing occurred spontaneously just like everything else you do. I watched it happen. And when you returned you were barely conscious.”
“I could learn to master it just like anything else. I have the ability, right?”
“Do you know how long that will take, a gift of that magnitude? And Ashbel isn’t going to jump time with you and set you free to explore the country. If he doesn’t kill you instantly he’ll have you detained somehow and you won’t know anyone. You won’t even be able to communicate. You don’t speak Russian.”
Sam’s face dropped to her hands. He was right; right about all of it. She was in serious trouble.
“I’m sorry, Sam,” he said. “I don’t mean to lash out at you, but this is bad and we’ve got no other solution.” Trin dropped his head back into his seat.
Sam shot upright. “Trin, the shield.”
Trin glanced over.
“What Anvil used to protect Anavi, the thing you did in my vision...”
Comprehension dawned across Trin’s face.
“That will protect me, right? Ashbel doesn’t share your DNA.”
Trin grabbed her shoulders, elated. “God, I’m so stupid.” He hugged her so hard she nearly stopped breathing.
“Trin...” She gasped under his crushing strength.
He pulled back. “Sorry.” He brushed her hair back, his strong, angelic face radiant with relief.
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nbsp; Sam took his beautiful hand in hers, hesitant.
Trin rolled his eyes.
“Isn’t there any other way?”
“It’s a tiny cut, Sam. I think I can handle it.” He waited. “Can I have my hand back?”
Sam grudgingly let go.
Trin reached in front of her, unlocking the glove box, his soft sun streaked hair and muscular shoulders inches from her. His alluring scent spilled into her making her dizzy, craving him, forgetting the chaos. Then he pulled out a Swiss army knife.
“What are you doing?”
“What do you mean what am I doing?”
“You’re going to do it right now?”
Trin paused. “Is there a reason to wait?”
Sam winced. “Well, yeah. I mean, you’re just gonna cut yourself now, right here in front of me?”
Trin arched a brow. “That was the plan. You can turn around if you want.”
Sam squirmed. “Well, I mean, isn’t there some sort of a ceremony you have to perform or something?”
Trin grinned—his eyes glinting. “No.”
Sam began a new line of protesting but stopped short, shrieking as Trin flipped open the blade and pulled it across his palm. His aura gleamed. Sam covered her eyes as the blood spilled freely from the wound. Pulling her left hand from her eyes, he interlaced their fingers, pushing his palm against hers, warm liquid spreading beneath the pressure.
Golden light erupted between their joined hands. A blinding rush of heat washed over her—familiar, safe, locking in place. She reveled in the warmth, going back to the night they met at Crash, only stronger this time.
Trin pulled back, checking his aura gleaming around her. With a deep breath he placed a hand behind her neck, leaning his head against hers.
“I’ll be okay now,” she said.
“Yeah.” He leaned forward, his soft lips pressed against hers—once, then again—urgency growing. Her fingers laced through his hair, pulling him closer. He advanced unrestrained, his mouth covering hers, sliding a hand behind her neck. A warm liquid sensation moistened her skin. Her eyes flew open and she pulled back grabbing his palm. Trin reeled at the abrupt interruption as she held his hand up. “Fix it!”