Ch 4

Trinity woke in the Darkwood Pack Hospital. She knew where she was by the smell. This was the third time since last autumn, once when Luna Cerese had the twins, Leah and Lizbeth, and the other time when Callen had shattered his arm falling out of an elm tree.

Lesson learned: wolves could not climb trees as well as walkers, remembering, she groggily tried to shake her head. It wouldn't move. Her eyelids wouldn't even lift. She felt drained and like the world was spinning. Trinity couldn't remember what happened after the large gray warform hit her other than Coen was injured with a broken leg and Gabe was defenseless. The memories of last night swirled around in her mind like a whirlpool of horror and grief, but while her wolf howled in mourning, her shadow demoness hissed for vengeance. She imagined a beautiful marble statue with bat wings spread wide and clawed hands raised in defiance while a pale as moonlight wolf laid at her feet. Her body refused to move even a finger, as she eavesdropped on concerned voices, they sounded far away, and somehow she knew the sun would be rising soon.

"When will she wake?" It was her grandfather's second Prometheus. Trinity felt a gush of relief that he survived and wondered if her father and Grandfather Cain had too.

"We do not know. She is five years too young to have transformed into her immortal shadow form, but that is what we think happened. Her body needs time to adjust, it has only been three days, Prometheus. Be patient," Allegra, the Bloodstone Coven's healer chided him.

"Because Trinity is a hybrid," Dr. Reynolds adds, "This is uncharted territory for us. Please, tell your master we are doing all we can."

Their voices drifted away, and Trinity fought the urge to cry in relief because at least one of the Lords of Bloodstone survived. She fell back asleep.

A while later, she woke again, dawn was coming and she was famished. Not the hunger of the sun-walkers for cold blood and rare or raw meat, but the hunger of the shadow-walkers for warm blood, fresh from the living. Warm like the wolf's blood she drank the other night. She shuddered. The room she was in had no window, and she fearfully wondered if she had changed from a day-walker to a shadow-walker. Epimethius had told her once that the Fae believed that drinking from the living caused the vampire to also consume part of the living being's life glow or soul, as Dark Fae once did, and that might be why. No one had ever figured out exactly how the change happened, they only knew that once a vampire drank blood directly from a living body, they became violently allergic to sunlight. Trinity was suddenly terrified that she might never get to play in the sunlight with Coen, Callen, and Camillia ever again.

Callen burst into the room followed by Camillia, both threw themselves on her, hugging her.

"Coen said you were awake. You've been asleep for so long!" Camillia blurted out, relief shining in her jade eyes.

"Is he okay? And Gabe? Where's Gabe?" Trin inquired desperately.

Callen held her hand with his thumb rubbing circles on the back of it, "Gabe is with Grandmum Marigold. Coen has a broken leg; it should be done healing soon. It was shattered. But..."

He didn't continue and looked helplessly at Camillia. Trinity glanced back and forth between the two siblings, not wanting to ask but knowing she has too.

"What happened to everyone at Darkstone?" She whispered.

"Oh Trin, I'm so sorry," Camillia 's eyes were tearful.

"Listen Trin, whatever happened at Darkstone, it was probably really bad, the warriors didn't come back for two days," Callen started.

Trinity's almost hysterical laugh interrupted him, "Probably? Probably! Callen, they... they were killing everyone... Grandmother Desa was dead. And Grandfather Lloyd died so Gabe and I could escape... And Mother was... her blood was on Father..." She choked on her sobs, admitting, "I dreamed it would happen and Grandfather Cain told me, if it did to take Gabe and flee to Darkwood and not look back so I did. I took Gabe and I left them to die." Her hysteria squeaked the last word.

"You didn't. You saved Gabe. It's not your fault." Camillia hugged her tightly, until Callen pushed her away and picked Trin up, saying, "Coen can feel you crying, he's going crazy. Cami, go pull the blinds in his room."

Camillia ran ahead as Callen carefully carried her down the empty hall, whispering reassurances into her hair, "You saved your brother and your grandfather still lives. It will be okay."

At the far end of the hall, he carried her into Coen's room. His leg was in an elevated cast and he looked pale, but his bruises and wounds were mostly healed. Callen carefully laid Trinity next to Coen in the now darkened room. He hugged her tightly to him and they were quiet as she sobbed in his arms.

Coen finally spoke, "I was so afraid for you. I dreamed you were running through the woods, and my wolf went crazy and forced us to shift. Dr. Reynolds says it will take me a few more days to heal because my bones weren't ready, but I had to save you."

"I know," Trin murmured softly. "You did save me."

"No, you saved me, Trin, you changed. Your eyes were dark, and you were moving so fast. What happened?" Coen asked.

"I... I drank the dead wolf's blood. The one that fell on us. I stabbed it then my shadow and my wolf made me drink its blood." Her chin trembled as she looked up at him. "Coen, what if I'm... I'm a... a shadow-walker now? I c-can't be a luna if..." She covered her mouth to keep from sobbing.

"Shh, if you are then you are. Callen can be Alpha of the Darkwood and you and I will rebuild the Darkstone," Coen declared firmly. Callen and Camillia nodded in agreement.

"What do you mean?" Trinity asked. "I thought there were survivors."

"Trin, Darkstone is gone," Callen answers. "Camillia overheard them talking in dad's office. Almost everyone is dead. They killed all the hybrids and their mates then the allied vampires and werewolves who were visiting. The Guardians are still pursuing those who did it, but for now Darkstone Clan is no more."

Tears burst from Trinity's eyes again, she already knew it true, but she didn't want to believe. She wanted it to be a nightmare. Camillia shushed her, patting her hair as Callen held her hand while Coen hugged her.

"Why didn't they tell me?" Trinity whispered.

"You mean us? 'Cause we're just kids," Coen retorted bitterly.

Camillia took a deep breath and wiped her own tears away, responding resolutely, "Nevermind. We will help Trin rebuild Darkstone, and if she's a shadow-walker now, well, then she is and we will deal. There's nothing the four of us can't overcome."

"Princess Trinity is not a shadow-walker as we feared." Came a gentle but firm voice from the door.

"Epimetheus!" Trinity gasped, and squirmed off the bed to rush to him.

He hugged her carefully, his pale gray eyes were sad and fierce at the same time. "You should be in bed, Princess. I will answer all your questions as much as I can, please let me take you back to your room."

Coen growled slightly, then shrugged as everyone looked at him, "She's my mate, my wolf doesn't want her to leave. We don't want her to be alone when she is sad."

"I understand, young Coen, but these are matters I cannot discuss with you. She may tell you later if she wishes," Epimetheus responded firmly.

"I'll come back later, I promise," Trinity reassured Coen, squeezing his hand.

He nodded curtly but it was obvious he wasn't happy about it. Slowly, she walked back to her room, but the short distance exhausted her. What she learned from Epimetheus made her feel more tired than she had ever felt before. There was a traitor in Bloodstone Coven, who had revealed the plans for the party to the Pure Blood movement. He fled out into the sunlight before Prometheus and Lord Cain could finish questioning him. Epimetheus brought him back inside before he died, but it was too much for him to survive.

His last utterance, "Death to the abominations and all who shelter them."

Trinity shuddered, fearing she and Gabe would never be safe, but for now, the vampire world believed all of Darkstone had perished. They couldn't live with Bloodstone so they would stay hidden with the Darkwood pack, living with Alpha Andrew and Luna Marigold. They were orphans. Alpha Blake and Luna Ceresa came later, but their sadness over what happened to her clan, made her weep. Especially when they gave her a carved wooden box filled with the ashes of her parents and grandparents. She clutched it to her chest and cried herself to sleep.

<^><^><^><^>

Trinity woke up to the sound of Callen grumbling about wanting a double cheeseburger and onion rings and not the protein bar he was chewing on, and Coen was offering to trade him jello for it. She laughed at the conversation then gasped, she was hearing them in her head. She realized she was listening to Coen and Callen mind-linking as she turned and saw only Callen in the room with her.

'What the heck is going on?' she demanded, shocked.

'Trin, you don't have to shout,' Callen sounded annoyed in his thoughts while he scowled and chewed.

Coen laughed at his grumpy brother, 'Shut up Callen, she isn't used to it. It's our mind-link Trin.'

'I know what a mind-link is, I talk to Grandfather Lloyd and all the...' she thoughts trailed off as she suddenly and painfully remembered that they were gone. Everyone was gone. Tears came and Callen squeezed her hand. She gulped a few breaths to keep from crying. 'Anyway Gabe never shuts up, so I tune him out!'

'Oh my goddess, is that Trin?' came Camillia 's surprised voice.

'Why are you surprised?' Coen asked grumpily, 'She's mine.'

'Shut up big brother! Trin, Mom sent me home to bring you some clothes, do you want anything in particular? I gotcha jeans and that blue sweater you like.'

'Thanks Cami but I really don't care... wait! How can I hear you? I'm not in your pack,' Trin is shocked.

'Mate link,' came Coen smug answer, 'I told you, you were mine.'

Trin felt Camillia rolling her eyes at her oldest brother, Callen laughed beside her.

'Um, aren't we a little young for that?' Trin voiced her concern and doubt.

Callen patted her hand as he thought into the link, 'Our sibling link is stronger than others, and because of everything that happened the other night, you can hear us too.'

'But why?'

'Grandmum Marigold says our wolves forced the mate link before the mate bond, to save us,' Coen explained.

'Okay, wow, I guess,' Trin sounded unsure.

'I think it's awesome!' Camillia practically shouted enthusiastically, 'Now you two can kiss and stuff. Coen and Trin sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N...'

'Shut up, Cami!' Coen and Trinity scolded at her at the same time, as Callen covered his ears uselessly while glaring at her but Camillia 's giggles filled the link.

'Cami, I am not kissing your brother, not for a long time!' Trinity insisted. 'Five years, maybe ten.'

'Aww but you two are so cute, I totally ship it! Coenity forever,' Cami teases. Trin made a frustrated sound.

'Callen.'

'Yes, brother?'

'Be so kind as to kill our sister for me,' Coen growled.

Camillia squealed with laughter and faded from the link. Callen rolls his eyes, smiling at Trinity, then he spoke aloud, "Welcome to the family. If you think Cami and Gabe are loud, wait till you join the pack and have to hear everyone."

<^><^><^><^><^>

Three years later...

Trinity stood in front of the burned out lodge-style castle that was the Darkstone Clan home. She wasn't certain how she got here. She had a feverish nightmare about that night and then woke laying on the grass among the vines. Wearing only the torn scraps of her nightgown, she knelt at the threshold and picked at the blades of grass growing between the flagstones. She crawled around on her hands and knees, scratching at the weeds and dirt until her nails were broken and bleeding. She screamed in her grief then the sound became a howl. Fur began to erupt from her skin as she shifted into her wolf again. Exhausted and in pain, she laid on her side panting for a long time.

The sun slid higher overhead then she heard a car motor. Her wolf stood on wobbly legs and stumbled into the vineyard to flee. Hiding behind a low stone wall, Trinity's wolf didn't even have the strength to yip when she heard the motor turn off and a shout. She wanted to stay here, even if the scents of her family were fading. Her wolf coughed and laid back down.

"Trin! Trini!" Cami hollered for her while Trinity heard the pounding of two sets of paws then Coen and Callen's wolves howled.

Coen's wolf inhaled the air deeply as soon as the door was opened. He sprang from the truck and ran to sniff around the threshold of the burned out lodge. His Trin had been here. Callen sniffed beside him then howled.

'My wolf says her wolf is here,' Coen announced, trotting the opposite way from his siblings.

'Mine too, but where did she go? Her scent is everywhere!' Callen asked as he tracked the scent like a hound. 'And why does she keep coming back?'

'It's the place her wolf thinks of as home, duh!' Cami snapped then she yelled again. "Trin! Where are you?"

The vines were fully leafed out and heavy with fruit. Walls of green and deep burgundy that went for tens of meters stretched into hectares as they searched. Coen despaired finding Trinity then he caught a fresh scent on the breeze and leapt over the trellises to the top of a low stone wall. He saw her lying at the end and sprinted toward her, yipping for his brother. Shifting as he jumped down he knelt by her. She was lying naked. Her skin was pink and blistering, but dry. Her temperature felt warm, too warm for the sunny day.

"Trin, open your eyes," Coen begged as he picked her up. Her head lolled onto his shoulder, and she groaned. 'Callen, Cami, get to the truck! Trinity is sick,' he shouted through their sibling link. He sprinted, carrying her toward the burned-out lodge and parked vehicle.

"Oh my goddess!" Cami cursed as she caught up with Coen. She ran ahead, opened the door, and laid a blanket on the seat. "Callen, come on!"

Coen felt like his heart would burst as he laid Trinity down and pulled his shorts back on. Cami pulled a sundress over her head then eased one onto Trinity. She raised her friend's head and gingerly poured sips of electrolyte punch into her mouth then splashed cooling water on Trinity's sundress. Coen started the engine and started driving as Callen jumped in the back like a large dog. His brother sped away from the abandoned vineyard and out to the old highway. The road was centuries old and not maintained but Coen drove it as fast as he could. Callen opened the door and climbed into the front passenger seat then dressed.

"Is she going to be okay?" Callen asked as he watched Cami putting wet cloths on Trinity.

"I don't know... It... It almost looks like she has puppy pox," Cami looked at the blisters in shock. "But everyone has puppy pox by the time they are eight."

"Trin never had them, Gabe gave them to her," Coen announced as he turned wildly onto the branch of the highway that led to Arborville.

"Are you kidding?" Callen demanded in shock.

"She wasn't allowed to visit when we had them. They didn't know how it would affect her because she was a hybrid."

"Then why now?" Callen demanded as he held onto the door to keep from being thrown across the cab by his thirteen year old brother's reckless driving.

"She's always lived as a vampire, not a werewolf," Coen growled as he ran a stop sign then he slammed on his breaks in front of the pack hospital. "Get Dr. Reynolds."

Coen climbed out and yanked open the back door. The half an hour at over one-hundred kilometers per hour felt like it had taken too long. He carefully lifted Trinity out and carried her up the steps.

"Coen!" His father barked at him but was ignored as the young teen rushed inside.

"Put her here." Dr. Reynolds had Coen put Trinity in a cold water bath.

When she started thrashing, Coen reached to lift her out. "It's too cold."

"Leave her," the doctor ordered.

"No, it's too cold," Coen snarled as Blake stopped him.

"Don't take her out of the water, Coen, we have to cool her core temperature, or she could die," Dr. Reynolds explained.

"No!" Coen's wolf snarled. Its mate was dying. She needed protection, not drowned in cold water, so he started to shift to fight for her. Blake seized his son by the scruff and dragged him outside. Shouting at Coen to stop, Callen and Cami watched in horror as their brother fought their father to get back in the hospital. Callen held Cami as she cried. Neither could bare that their brother was challenging their father, but finally Blake's wolf forced Coen's to submit. Bloody and bruised, Coen shifted into his skin and tried to crawl back into the hospital, but Blake stopped him.

"Control your wolf, Coen! You have to let the doctor do his job." Blake growled then he pointed at his eldest son. "Put him in the cells until we know if she'll survive."

"Father, please," Cami begged as Callen refuted their father, "You can't do that."

"I am Alpha," Blake snarled at them as Coen was carried away by three pack warriors, "Do you want to join him? Or do you want to wait in the waiting room?"

Callen felt his fangs starting to drop to fight for his brother and his brother's mate but Cami slapped her hand over his mouth. "We'll wait, we're sorry, Alpha. Forgive us." She grabbed the back of her brother's neck and forced Callen to bow with her. "Please, Alpha, let us wait."

It seemed to satisfy Blake's wolf then he growled, "You will all do duty in the pack kitchens for stealing your grandfather's truck and for disrespecting your Alpha."

"Yes, Alpha," they said together, still bowed.

Alpha Blake towered over them still snarling like he was going to bite them both when Luna Ceresa said, "Enough. They repent their disobedience and recklessness. They found our son's mate and brought her back in time to hopefully save her from her illness. Camillia, Callen, go inside."

Blake looked at her like he was going to attack her next, but she did not back down, just narrowed her eyes and said, "Do not make me show you a mother's love, my Alpha."

Inside, Cami and Callen watched through the glass as Trinity was dressed in a pale gown and laid in a bed with an I.V.. Dr. Reynolds looked at their scared faces and tried to reassure them, "You did well, finding her as quickly as you did. We'll have to run some test to figure out..."

"It's puppy pox," Cami blurted out, "Trin never had it. Gabe caught it at school last week. When I saw the rash, I knew what it was. It's why I gave her some electrolyte punch, wet her dress, and put cooling cloths on her while we drove."

Dr. Reynolds raised an eyebrow then looked back at the sleeping hybrid girl. "I'll run a test to confirm it, but it is a good thing she caught it now. If she were any older, it would be fatal. It still might have been, if we hadn't gotten her cooled down so quickly." He nodded, "Good catch, Luna Camillia. Tell me, have you ever considered taking medical classes and becoming a doctor or nurse? Packs always need health care professionals."

Callen sent the information to his brother through their sibling link, but Coen was sullen and resentful of their father and refused to respond.