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Trinity
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When my call with Reece ended I knew I would go crazy with nothing to do. Between the four of us, we had only managed to call half of the families of the missing kids. I figured I should call the rest while I waited. I didn't even know if Reece would be home tonight with what had happened.
It took me nearly an hour, but I called the rest of their families and obtained permission to get an item from them all so we could use it in the tracking spell. Hearing the parents go through the same cycle over and over. Nervous, afraid, apprehension filled relief, pleading, that was the order they all went through with their emotions when I called them. They all feared that we had found the likely location for their child's dead body.
I know I didn't have concrete proof, but I felt that all the children were still alive and I did my best to convince the parents of the same thing. I just hoped I wasn't wrong.
While I was sitting there waiting for Reece to come back and tell me what had happened I got a call from Juniper.
"Hey, I'm outside, can I come up?" She seemed like she was upset.
"What happened, Juniper?" I was afraid of what might have happened to her now.
"Nothing, but Reece sent us here. He told us that we needed to be careful."
"Us? Who else is with you?"
"Emmalee, Heather, and Nikki." She had just listed off everyone that I had been spending time with lately. It was clear that Reece was worried about my friends and family with what was going on.
"Yes, please come on up."
"Can you let the attack dog know please, he has the house on high alert and won't let us in."
"Attack dog?" I was confused.
"Shane. Him and Peter have the house on lock down and won't let us in unless you or Reece give permission."
"Not Lila?" I asked her with a hint of interest.
"Nope, only the Queen or the King will do for them."
"So, you believe it then?"
"Trin, you couldn't pay me not to. You're special, I knew it when I met you."
"So are you." I smiled at her. "Let me talk to Shane."
"Here Under Dog, talk to your Queen." I heard Juniper say angrily.
"Queen Trinity?" Shane's voice came over the phone and the title made me want to roll my eyes.
"Shane, why are you not letting them in?" I asked him with a hint of anger.
"King Reece told me that the house was on lock down. It's procedure."
"Yes, but he also sent them here for their protection."
"I know this, but I was not notified."
"They notified you, did they not?" I asked him with annoyance clear in my voice. With everything going on tonight my negative emotions were getting out of hand.
"But they didn't have the authority. Queen Trinity, I was just doing my job."
"First, please stop with the Queen stuff right now, I may be the Goddess Incarnate and new Luna Queen, but I don't want everyone in my pack calling me Queen all the time."
"But it's your title." He seemed to be serious now, his usual playful attitude gone.
"I know, but I have never been a royal before. But that's besides the point, let my friends and family in. Never stop them from coming in unless I tell you otherwise."
"Yes, Your Majesty." I sighed at his annoying words.
"See you in a few minutes." Juniper's voice came back over the line before the call ended.
I opened my bedroom door and stood in the hall waiting for them to arrive. I watched as they all rounded the corner together. Lila was with them as well.
"Trinity." Juniper called out and ran to me. Her arms wrapped around my shoulders, hugging me tightly to her as her words rushed out of her and into my ear. "I don't know what happened but I know it was serious." I heard the nerves rattling in her uneasy voice.
They all deserved an explanation. Reece had called them all and told them to come to our place for safety. In among the group was also Heather's three small children.
"Heather, would you like me to bring a bassinet into the room for Faith, and we can get Renea and Conner settled into one of the daycare rooms." I knew the kids shouldn't hear what we were all about to talk about.
"I don't want them to be alone." She seemed nervous.
"Then how about the room across the hall? We can leave the door open so we can hear them." I offered her.
"I can look after them." Lila offered with a smile. "I know something major happened, but I can find out later. If you would like I can sit with them for the time being and you all can fill me in later."
"I don't want to burden you." Heather was visibly upset still.
"It's no burden, besides I need the chance to brush on being around little ones." Lila smiled at her as she tried to soothe her.
"Thank you Lila." Heather handed the diaper bag and baby to her. "Faith ate right before we left so she should be good for a little while. If she wakes up needing to eat just come get me."
"Will do." Lila smiled at the baby in her arms, already in full grandma mode.
Once the children were settled with Lila in the other room the rest of us settled into my room. The five of us were sitting in a tight circle, being close together offered a comfort of its own.
"Trinity, what's going on?" Nikki seemed scared and nervous, placing her hand over her slightly rounded belly for comfort. Watching her make such an unconscious gesture reminded me that I had been doing the same thing. When I felt scared earlier I had placed my hand over my belly, feeling that comforting warmth inside of me.
"Ella was attacked." They all gasped, shocked by my revelation.
"What?"
"No way."
"Is she all right?"
"By who?" They all let loose their questions at the same time.
I told them. Everything I knew about everything that had happened this evening. I told them all of it. The anger and fear on their faces showed how much they had all come to see Ella as a friend as well, and how mad they were that these people were targeting my friends to get to me.
"These assholes are going to pay." Juniper's yelled words seemed to give the others the ability to speak.
"I know that you didn't have to include me in this group, but I thank you." Heather's sweet, innocent voice was full of emotions.
"Trinity." Nikki rubbed her belly. "We need to stay strong and protect each other." Her voice was trembling and her eyes glistened with tears.
"Nikki, I will not let anything happen to you." I leaned forward to rub her arm comfortingly.
"I'm going to kick someone's ass because of this." Emmalee was just as fierce as Juniper in her emotional outbursts.
"For now, all I can do is wait for Reece to get back. But I will not let any of this slide. The men who hurt Ella, who threaten my friends and my pack, they will pay dearly." I felt the tears begin as I sobbed. "I just wish I wasn't still so weak, so worthless."
"Sweetie, you're not worthless." Juniper, sitting next me to, put her arm around me and squeezed me tightly.
"You're always such a comforting presence, Juniper. Did you know that?"
"Well, I couldn't be planning to become a child therapist if I couldn't be a comforting presence for the children." She smiled at me. She may have been fierce at times, but she was still the most calming person in my life. She naturally made me feel like I was able to deal with whatever my troubles were whenever I was with her.
"You're a natural when it comes to that kind of thing, it's your gift." I smiled at her, letting myself succumb to her soothing aura.
No sooner had I said those words than a blindingly bright, white light emanated from my hand where it rested on Juniper's. There was no pain, nothing frightening at all. In all actuality, it was a soothing light. I heard the whisper of a voice as it spoke quietly yet clearly in the room.
'Gift granted.'
I really had no idea what was going on, this was totally beyond me.
"What was that?" Emmalee asked before anyone else could.
"What does it mean 'gift granted'?" Juniper wondered.
At their words I suddenly remembered what Gabriel had told me today. As the Goddess I had the ability to unlock and grant special powers or abilities to people. Was that what this was? Was Juniper granted an ability?
"Do you feel different Juniper? Anything at all?"
"No, nothing is different. At least I don't think so." She answered me with confusion on her face.
"I don't like this. Why does all this have to happen to us like this?" Heather was scared. She was really better off being in a calm environment, it was my fault her life was so hectic all the time. And to top it all off she was still carrying around extra hormones from the pregnancy and was full of exhaustion from taking care of three young children.
With Heather looking frightened the caretaker in Juniper took over. There was no hesitation in her moves as she went to her side and placed her hand on her shoulder.
"Heather, it's definitely tough, we all know that, but we all have mates out there who are fighting to protect all of us. We don't doubt them do we?" Heather shook her head as she looked in Juniper's eyes. "The world can be a scary place, but it's beautiful too isn't it? We just need to look at what the positives are. You are safe. Your children are safe and happy and healthy, right? Vincent is safe, he's alright, and he will be back soon. And he loves you and your children more than anything."
Juniper was speaking in a soft, comforting voice the entire time. And as I watched I saw a slight golden aura surround her and Heather. The aura was faint and barely noticeable, but it didn't look like any of the others noticed it. But what they did notice was the calm, serene look on Heather's face as she smiled sweetly at Juniper.
"You're right. As long as we're all together and safe then it will all be just fine."
"How did you do that?" Nikki asked her.
"Juniper, you're like a real therapist" Emmalee was in awe.
"No, it's more than that." I grinned.
"What do you mean?" Juniper asked.
"I don't know if I was the only one who saw it because I was the one who was looking closest or because I am the Goddess Incarnate, but what she just did was beyond talking. She now has an ability, like I do."
"You have abilities?" Emmalee asked.
"Many of them, and one is that I can grant them to others. Juniper, I think you now have the ability to make everyone come to terms with their sorrow, fears, worries, whatever it is that is troubling them. You can bring true healing to them mentally and emotionally."
"Wait, really?" Juniper looked taken aback.
"Yes, and that will come in very handy when you graduate and go on to be a therapist or social worker, just like your dream."
"I can? It will?" She still seemed shocked. "And–and you did this for me?" She was smiling happily now.
"I don't know how I did it, but I know that I somehow unlocked it for you. Use this ability to help others." I tilted my head and smiled at her affectionately. Juniper is like a sister to me and I would always be happy for her.
"You know I will." She looked overjoyed at my words, like all her dreams were coming true.
It was getting late, and so much had happened that I was getting tired. So many meetings, so many tough phone calls, so many stressful situations, I was done with them all for the day.
"I think it's time to call it a night." I smiled at them all."
"Should we head home?" Heather asked me.
"No, you will all be staying here for the time being. If they're targeting my friends to get to me, then you're all in danger." I was already reaching for my phone. I could have used the phone in my room, but it was quicker to just use my cell. The person on the other end answered almost immediately.
"Miss Trinity, how may I be of service." Peter's calm and friendly voice came through the speaker.
"Hello Peter, can you get someone to prepare some rooms for our guests. I'm sure Heather will be just fine in the room with the children across the hall. However, we will need a room for Nikki, Juniper, and Emmalee."
"Yes, of course Miss, I will have them prepped right away." He was always so amiable and helpful.
After the rooms were prepped and the girls all went to their rooms I was ready to collapse into bed. Shutting off all the lights and walking to the bed was all I could do. I remembered I had gotten close to the bed but I didn't remember anything after that. The last of my energy drained from my body and suddenly everything just went black.
