The Second Trinity

by Tracy Cooper-Posey

  Cora grabbed Meta and pushed her behind her.

  “What the hell?” Meta demanded. “Oh my god….” The fear in her voice made Cora look over her shoulder. There was another of the tall things coming from that direction. This one was well over seven feet. Its…his eyes looked like black pits in the skull-like white face. There was a dark shadow where the mouth would be.

  “Go inside, Meta,” Cora told her. “It’s me they want. Go now.”

  “What are they?” Meta’s voice shook.

  Cora was pretty sure they were Grimoré, even though she had never seen one before. They matched the description Lindal and Seaveth had given her.

  Seaveth! The reminder was sharp and Cora sucked in a breath, bracing herself. The mental shout she let loose seemed to echo in her head. Seaveth! Grimoré! Come quickly!

  She turned back to spot the first one. He had moved closer while she was watching the second. They were working together.

  “Meta, you have to go now.”

  “I can’t.” Meta’s voice was astonishingly calm. “That thing has blocked my way.”

  “Shit on a stick,” Cora muttered as the first prowled even closer. She wasn’t sure if it was walking. She couldn’t see its feet. There seemed to be a shadow lying over it, disguising details. Or perhaps it was just an emanation of its black soul. “Stand very still, Meta,” she said. “Tell me when it lunges for you and brace yourself.”

  “Brace for what?”

  “I won’t say. These things might know English.”

  “You’ll have to surprise me, then.”

  Cora eyed the one on her side as it drifted closer and closer.

  “Cora!” Meta cried.

  Cora didn’t turn to look. Instead she spun fast on one foot and leapt upward. She pushed down on Meta’s shoulders, which were below her own because of their differences in height. She used the leverage to pivot herself in the air and bring her boots up, her legs coiled.

  She pistoned her legs out with every skerrick of muscle power she could muster and slammed her heels into the thing’s face. The Grimoré flew backward, more lightweight than Cora had anticipated. It rolled when it hit the concrete.

  Cora was already falling back to the ground. Meta’s hands gripped her wrists, anchoring them and stabilizing her landing. Her boots hit the concrete. She kept turning, bringing Meta with her and out of the way of the first Grimoré, who had surged forward. Cora leaned back and brought her boot up to slam it into the white face, but a skeletal hand with three long fingers gripped her ankle.

  Instantly, Cora pushed off from Meta’s shoulders, bringing herself closer to the thing. She drove her other boot into its face. It wasn’t a strong kick and the Grimoré only staggered backward. But its hand let go of her ankle.

  She was in mid-air now and wouldn’t be able to get her feet under her in time. She thrust her hands forward to break her fall and felt the skin shred as they slammed into the concrete. Cora tucked her feet in behind her, finishing in a crouch.

  Meta was three feet away, her eyes very large.

  “Wyatt, take the one on the left.” It was Seaveth’s calm, rich voice.

  “Got it.” It was a man’s voice.

  Meta was looking over Cora’s shoulder now and her mouth was open.

  Seaveth stepped past Cora, swirling dark green fabric around her feet. A long knife was in her hand. She moved toward the second Grimoré that was just starting to stir. Cora didn’t turn to see what Seaveth was doing. She kept her gaze on the first Grimoré. There was a man she didn’t know crouched over it, his muscled shoulders working.

  From the darker shadows forming around the building on the other side of the parking lot came a snuffing animal sound and a low-throated rumble that made the fine hairs on her arm stand up.

  From behind came a grunt of effort and a high pitched squeal, quickly shut off. That would be the Grimoré Seaveth had chosen to take care of.

  “Cora.” It was a soft call for her attention. She snapped her head around.

  Aithan and Rhys were moving across the tarmac, heading toward her. Lindal was just behind them, only he had his black knife out and was staring at the building across the way, where the sounds were coming from.

  Cora got to her feet. Happiness was spreading through her and a deep relief that she wouldn’t have to face this alone.

  What the fuck, Coralee? she asked herself. Since when did she ask for help of anyone?

  But it was true. She couldn’t deny the joy that was bubbling up just from knowing they were here. That they had come for her.

  As soon as they were close enough, she reached out for them. “I was wrong. All wrong, totally wrong.”

  Rhys gathered her up against him with one arm and Aithan stood close to both of them. She looked up at his dark eyes. “I don’t understand. You feel more familiar, more dear to me, than any of my family ever did.”

  “It’s the bonding,” Aithan said softly. “Seaveth said it was kind, in its way.”

  Cora kissed him and Rhys’ arm tightened around her waist as Aithan held her face and kissed her back. It was a delightful kiss, different from Rhys’ as night was from day, but very satisfying. More than that.

  “If you’re done?” Lindal asked, sounding both amused and irritated.

  Aithan let her go but his hand dropped to her shoulder as he turned to look at Lindal. It put Cora between Rhys and Aithan.

  Meta was standing a few paces away, her arms wrapped around her middle, the safety strips on her tee shirt glowing in the dark. Her eyes were very wide, as she looked wildly around at Seaveth, the silent and still Grimoré and the four men, two of them with bloody knives and two of them with Cora.

  Uneasiness touched Cora. Meta had seen far too much. She was only human….

  “What the hell were you thinking, Cora?” Lindal demanded, pulling her attention back to him. “Walking around like you’re free as a bird, when Seaveth said going outside was dangerous? You put everyone at risk, including your friend, there.”

  Cora glanced at Meta again. She was watching Lindal now, a frown puckering her face.

  “It’s too late to worry about discretion,” Lindal added. “We’ll have to deal with her another way.”

  Cora gasped. “Dealing” with humans who learned too much often meant those humans were never seen from again.

  Lindal rolled his eyes. “No, not that,” he said impatiently. “Although we would be wiser to do just that and make sure you understood it was your fault.”

  More low growling came from behind him. He glanced over his shoulder at the shadows. “You’ve brought the Grimoré out of hiding by flaunting yourself when you were vulnerable.”

  Rhys shifted on his feet. “She didn’t do it on a whim.”

  “Shouldn’t you be taking care of the vampeen over there instead of lecturing?” Aithan added.

  “I’ll lecture until I believe you really understand what you’re doing,” Lindal shot back.

  “Lindal,” Seaveth said softly. “Leave it.”

  Lindal blew his breath out impatiently and looked at the strange man. “Wyatt, let’s deal with the rest of them.”

  The man pulled the long knife out from under his jacket again. “Sounds good.”

  They both headed for the other side of the lane.

  Seaveth had put her knife away. Cora didn’t know where she hid it, for her dress was form fitting right down to her hips, where it flared out to the ground. The most likely place would be her boot.

  “You three should go inside,” Seaveth said. “I will talk to your friend.”

  “Meta,” Cora added.

  “Meta,” Seaveth confirmed and smiled at Cora’s neighbor. “I’m sure you have many questions, but inside will be safer for now.”

  Meta unwrapped her arms and dug into the band of her running shorts for her house key. “I think I’ve got a lot of it figured out,” she said and glanced at Cora one last time before leading Seaveth to her back door.

  Cora glanced up at A
ithan and Rhys. It pleased her that they were both taller than her. Aithan was only just taller, but it was nice to look up at both of them. “I bet you both want a stiff drink.”

  “Surprisingly, yes,” Aithan said, his voice low. “How strange.”

  “More of the bonding?” Rhys asked.

  “Undoubtedly.” Aithan picked up Cora’s hand and this time, she had no objections.

  * * * * *

  Agreement and execution were two different things, Cora realized, as she looked at Rhys sitting at the table with her scotch decanter and at Aithan, who was back standing at the counter with his arms crossed. She couldn’t meet either of their gazes. Instead she stared at the carpet, picking out patterns in the pile. She was trembling and held up her hand to look at it in amazement. “I’m scared,” she said, as she remembered what the coppery taste in her mouth meant.

  “You’re scared?” Rhys knocked back an inch of scotch and pushed the glass away.

  “Don’t be,” Aithan said. “Either of you.”

  “Why aren’t you?” Cora demanded. “Or have you done this so many times before it’s just another snack for you?”

  “You don’t fear the sex,” Aithan said. “What you really fear is what comes after. The changes. The bonding.”

  “And I repeat, that doesn’t scare you?” Cora said.

  Aithan lowered his arms. “Why should it? You both seem to think that I chose this life, that I find pleasure in being forced to find sex day after day. Casual sex and one night stands are so fulfilling, after all.” His mouth turned down.

  Rhys held up his hand. “Hang on…you’re saying you became a demon?”

  “Incubus,” Aithan said flatly. “There’s a large difference.”

  “What were you before?” Rhys asked.

  “Human,” Cora guessed.

  “You were human?” Rhys said. “Someone turned you into an incubus? Why the fuck would they do that?”

  Aithan sighed. “Demons create demons from pure evil, but incubuses…they are created from human souls.”

  “Why?” Cora asked, for even she had not known this.

  “As punishment.”

  “As…” Rhys stared at him. “Because sex is a terrible penance to pay.”

  Aithan didn’t laugh. He didn’t even smile. “You don’t understand. I must have sex to survive but because of what I am, I can’t form human attachments. The shallowest of sexual intimacy is the closest I can get to a real relationship. The demons make it that way to tease, to remind me of what it is I cannot have. No love. No children. No chance of a normal life. Just the need to find yet another partner who can keep me alive for another few days.” He grimaced and his gaze flickered toward Cora. “Vampires remember who they were. They can fall in love even after they’ve been made. They can love humans. Live with them, even if it is a very bad idea. But for me…” He shrugged.

  “Damn,” Rhys muttered.

  “It didn’t take long to start hating myself. To hate my very existence. But there is no escape. I can’t kill myself, I can’t change anything.” Aithan looked at Rhys. “It is punishment.”

  “What did you do?” Cora asked. What could possibly be bad enough to inflict such an existence upon a human?

  “I don’t know. I don’t remember being human. I don’t even know who I was.”

  Horror for the life Aithan was forced to lead made Cora’s heart squeeze.

  Somewhere out on the lake, a boat horn sounded, flat and far away.

  “So you studied philosophy, instead,” Rhys said.

  “I thought there might be answers there. I thought I might be able to find a way to live my life, such as it was.”

  “Did you?” Cora asked.

  Aithan looked at her, his dark eyes direct and unflinching. “Not until this morning.” He gave them both another of his dry smiles. Cora was beginning to understand the cynicism he seemed to exude, especially in front of other people. “You two are afraid, but I’m sorry…to me this bonding just might be the miracle I have searched for decades to find.”

  “The changes,” Cora breathed. “You’re hoping the bonding changes you enough to stop being an incubus.”

  Aithan shook his head. “There’s no going back. I will forever be what I am. But even a small change might relieve some of the bleakness of my days and for that reason, the bonding gives me hope.”

  Rhys sat back in the chair, studying him. “That’s not what I’m feeling.” There was a rough timbre to his voice that sent a little jolt sizzling through Cora’s belly.

  “I know.” Aithan’s smile was warmer this time. “I can feel your need. Both of you. You’re both afraid, but you both want this.”

  “Want it, fear it,” Rhys agreed. “But mostly what I want to do is kiss you, which shocks the shit out of me. At the same time, I want to tear every stitch off Cora and kiss her from head to toe. But I don’t even know where to start. How to start.”

  Aithan held up his hands. “You need to stop thinking it through. For the next little while, just do what you want, when you want. Analyze later…” His smile was quick and humorous. “Or not,” he added.

  Cora pushed herself off the wall she had been leaning against and walked over to Aithan. “Dibs,” she said softly and kissed him.

  It was as good as the first one. Better, even. This time Aithan held her against him and she could feel his warmth against her body. He wasn’t as hot as Rhys would be, but he was warm. Much warmer than he had been when she met him at the casino. It was another change, but now the idea of changing didn’t scare her as much as it had before she had heard Aithan’s story.

  Then she forgot about changes and stories and immersed herself in the kiss. Aithan’s tongue slid into her mouth and stroked her own and she moaned. Her heart began to beat and she let it loose to work as it needed to. Blood surged and she could feel her body tightening up, nerve endings waking.

  Hands on her shoulders were spinning her, pulling her away. “My turn,” Rhys said. He brought her around to face him. “You’re so beautiful,” he murmured and kissed her.

  Cora reveled in the kiss, in the taste of Rhys’ lips and the soft touch of his tongue. She had never known him to have a girlfriend, not since she had moved to Erie, but he knew his way around a kiss.

  When Aithan cupped her breasts from behind, she moaned into Rhys’ mouth. Her whole body leapt, nerves fizzing in response. She could feel Aithan behind her, pressing up against her. His fingers stroked her nipples through the thin cotton of her tee shirt. She wore no bra, for she had stripped it off when she had begun cleaning the bathroom, a few hours and a whole lifetime away from this moment.

  Her nipples hardened into tight nubs and her clit began to throb in time with her heart. Having two sets of hands on her was more than twice as good. When she realized that Rhys was fumbling with the button on her jeans, her heart leapt even higher. Her breath rushed out of her in a whoosh and she tore her lips from his, needing to breathe.

  “That’s better.” Rhys’ voice was hoarse. “Now I can see what I’m doing.”

  He pulled her jeans open, baring her stomach.

  “Even better,” Aithan said. His hands slipped down her torso and pushed into her jeans. He stroked the flesh next to her hipbone and her hips thrust in reaction. Cora closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the pleasure building in her. The tingling in her extremities was feeding into the building excitement at the very bottom of her belly.

  Her clothes felt restrictive. “Take them off. Take them all off.”

  Rhys pushed her tee shirt up the length of her torso and gathered the hem in his hands. He pulled the shirt off and Cora felt the soft touch of cool air on her breasts. She was warming up. The flow of blood and her unrestricted heartbeat were heating her from the inside out.

  Her nipples crinkled even harder as Rhys cupped her breasts, not quite touching the heated tips.

  Aithan pushed her jeans down her hips. Cora stepped out of her boots and sock, then the jeans. She tossed them asid
e. All she was wearing now were her panties and Aithan slid a finger under each side, lifting the elastic. But instead of pulling them down her hips as she had expected him to do, he pushed his hand under the top of them, his fingers sliding over the very sensitive flesh. He didn’t curl them over her mound, but spread them out as though he was tasting her. His thumb stroked the skin next to her navel and her hips jerked in reaction. She drew in a sharp breath that hissed through her teeth.

  Rhys kissed her, just a small touch of his lips. Then he raised his head and leaned over her shoulder to kiss Aithan, keeping Cora between them. His body pressed against hers and she could feel his cock, hard and upright against her hip, distinct beneath the fabric of his trousers. The hard ridge brushing her hip made pleasure flare in her clit, a radiant heat.

  She leaned sideways, so that she could look up and watch them kissing. The first time she had watched them kiss, in Aithan’s hotel room, she had refused to let herself enjoy it even though her body had reacted. This time, she absorbed every detail. The way their lips met, the soft but very masculine sounds they were making. Aithan’s body against her back, shifting in reaction. The throbbing of Rhys’ cock against her.

  Cora let out a shaky breath as Rhys released Aithan and straightened up.

  “Oh, God…” Rhys swallowed. He seemed dazed. “That was so good.”

  She couldn’t stand it any longer. She reached for the button on his pants and yanked. The button popped and skittered across the carpet. “Help me,” she told Aithan.

  He let her go and moved around her so he could reach Rhys. He tugged Rhys’ jacket down his sleeves, revealing the shirt beneath and the webbing of his gun holster.

  Rhys grimaced and worked his arms out of it. “Cora, is there somewhere secure I can put this?”

  “Will a locked cupboard do?”

  “For now.”

  She opened the middle door of the sideboard with the key that was in it and held it open. Rhys slid the gun and holster inside on top of the hand-worked placemats and she locked the door and gave him the key.

  He put the key on top of the sideboard. “It’s safe enough there, if no one knows there’s a gun inside.” He turned around. “Now…where were we?”