Shine: The Knowing Ones (13 page)

Mikhail remained stoic, eyes hardened steel. Vitaly retreated, straightening. “Sir,” he said, “You don’t need me to point out the magnitude of this situation. I am your military leader. I feel compelled to move forward.”

Mikhail scrutinized his subordinate. “I will be searching the sacred archives,” he said. “Certainly there are records, some documentation
that will give us information, some way for us to find what we need. This is too dire. The Divinity would not have left us helpless.”

Vitaly held his stare. “They didn’t, Sir” he said. “They gave us Samantha. Trinton needs to restore the Oracle power
now.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

S
am woke to her alarm clock—a buzzing so obnoxious moving to silence it was more than worth it. She reached over, smacked the snooze button and glanced at the time—seven a.m. she drifted back for a ten minute stay of execution, then jolted up, turning to the right.

An empty white sheet stared back, empty pillow—her eyes flicked to the chair...T shirt gone. She sighed.
Five a.m.
She stared down at her hands a moment. The memory of his hand on her face sent her into a euphoric spin, marveling all the while at the level of comfort she felt with him—no awkward silences, no stressing about how she looked—makeup or no makeup, it didn’t matter. She blew out another breath...wide awake now. She pushed the blankets back and stood up, reaching over her head in a long stretch. A slip of white caught her attention and she glanced down at her night table.

      
Hope you slept well. I’ll be done with practice by six. I’ll meet you in the library at 6:15—same place. Please call me if you need me.

      
Trin

She flushed, grinning, dropping her face into her hand. A soft knock sounded at the door. She lifted her head in anticipation as it cracked open. Anna peered in—her blonde hair a tussled mess from a good night’s sleep. Sam’s shoulders fell.

“Ooh, I saw that,” Anna said, through a giant grin. “Sorry, babe, I’m not super sex God. He left a long time ago.”

“I hope Vig left too,” Sam replied. “I’m sure he’d love hearing you call some other guy a super sex God.”

“Even
Vig
would call him a super sex God.” She pushed the door open. Sam rolled her eyes as Anna walked in and plopped down on the bed. “I want details...all of them.”

Sam sat down on the other side of the bed staring down at the comforter. “There are no details. He didn’t do anything.”

“The hell he didn’t.”

Sam looked up. “He didn’t.”

Anna dropped her head, staring up at Sam. “I know he didn’t get freaky, Sam, he’s the quintessential gentleman.” She lifted her chin. “I want to hear about the other stuff,” she said, “the reason you’re glowing, the reason the sight of my face at the door made you want to cry.”

Sam smiled and looked away. She heaved a large sigh and shook her head. “I can barely even put it in to words,” she said. She looked at Anna. “I feel like he can’t be real...like I’ve made him up out of sheer desperation or something. I mean talk about the sex God thing...” she put a hand to her face. “I told him to sleep in here with me...he took his shirt off...my God...”

“Oooh...yeah...” Anna replied

“Most difficult night of my life.”

“Don’t know how you did it.”

Sam lifted her face. “It wasn’t really an option,” she said. “It’s like you said—quintessential gentleman. He wasn’t gonna try anything, you know?”

“Doesn’t mean he didn’t want to.”

“Yes,” Sam said. “I know. I can feel it. Every time he touches me or I touch him...I don’t know,” her brows knit together. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, but this can’t be normal. The pull is...” she shook her head,
“insane.”

Anna stared, eyes gleaming with a wide smile. “When do you see him again?”

Sam handed her the note. She opened it up and read it—her smile widening, followed by a squeal. “This is so much more than awesome,” she beamed. “If you need me to be scarce I’ll be scarce. Vig is doing
a small gig tonight so I won’t be here anyway.” She sat up. “But if you guys want to come we’ll be at the Pub.”

Sam gave a shy smile and glanced at the floor. “I’ll let you know,” she said.

Anna squealed again, grabbing Sam’s shoulders.

“Speaking of being scarce,” Sam said, fighting off the assault, “We should get going. My first class is in a half hour.”

“Oh!” Anna jumped up. “I forgot about the time. Okay,” she said leaping up, running over to Sam and wrapping her arms around her. “I am so happy for you!”

“Thanks.”

“Okay, see you at lunch? I’m done at 11:30—are you done by then?”

“My break is at 11:15.”

“Okay,” Anna said. “Wait for me. I’ll meet you in front of the dance building.” She squealed once more and bolted out the door leaving Sam in a daze on her bed.

She glanced at the note lying on the bed where Anna had left it. She picked it up, read it again and folded it in her fists against her chest. She couldn’t stop smiling.

Dark haze clouded his sight; just as it had every other time he attempted his search. He hovered in the fabric of consciousness gazing into the future, but not finding what he searched for. He couldn’t imagine anything powerful enough to keep her off his radar, except the Divinity. No. They wouldn’t interfere. Not with this.

She was Veduny. It had always been so easy for a Veduny to see another; absolutely infuriating. He glanced down. On the floor lay his body, still as the dead on the thick animal skin covering the floor of the deep alcove where he hid. His stark, black hair, his strong build, one might think he was in a deep sleep. He floated above it in astral projection. Black magic was a beautiful thing. It tore so many convenient loop holes into universal law.

But his frustration mounted. The new Keeper had come of age long ago and the Oracle was still nowhere to be found. Something was wrong. He could feel it. Until he actually saw her aura he could do nothing.

As soon as he found her the final process could begin. But he was beginning to wonder if he ever would. He was forced to track her Keeper through a murky haze. He floated in limbo, fury growing, relentlessly scanning the future, following the Keeper. His complex, negative energy grew in strength as his patience continued to dwindle.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“O
kay,” Sam said. “Check this one. Did I do it right?”

Trin looked up from his own studies and pulled her paper toward him across the library table. With a quick glance, he nodded, “Very good. It’s perfect.”

Sam stared. “You barely even looked at it.”

“It’s right. I’ve seen that one a million times.” He continued working on his own assignment. Sam glowered at him, confounded by his powerful mind. A familiar disturbance snagged her attention. She glanced up. Trin felt it too, turning his head. About five tables away, Erika Torbin took a seat, placing her bag on the floor emanating her own beautiful radiance discolored by negative darkness.

Sam watched, inclining her head toward Trin. “That girl is a dancer. She lives in my dorm,” she said. “That dark energy hangs on her day and night. It never leaves. I’m wondering if she has an overbearing parent pushing for perfection or something.”

“It’s not a parent.”

Sam turned at Trin’s sudden intensity. “What is it?” she asked.

“It’s her boyfriend.”

Sam looked back at Erika in shock. “Ryan? He’s a linebacker on the football team.”

Trin’s ice eyes gleamed. “She’s not safe.”

Erika began digging through her book bag pulling out a cell phone.

Sam and Trin glanced at one another as the darkness in Erika’s aura increased. Gripping the phone she answered the call, speaking
in a hushed tone. Tension spiked the environment. A young man at an adjacent table lifted his eyes, disrupted by the call. Erika stood, still whispering, still frantic.

“It’s him,” Sam said.

Trin nodded once. “Yeah, and I’m willing to bet he’s right outside.

Erika grabbed her books without taking the time to put them back in her bag. She hurried toward the stairs, still whispering frantically into her phone.

Sam looked at Trin in desperation.

“Let’s go.” He shoved his chair away from the table. Springing to their feet, they packed their bags as quickly as they could and took to Erika’s trail. Sam cringed at the energy—pure fear. “She’s terrified, Trin.”

Trin grabbed her hand, picking up speed. “She’s still inside. You can feel her, right?”

“Yes.”

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Erika was nowhere to be found. Trin scanned the energy on the first floor. “She’s outside.”

Trin was right. Sam couldn’t feel anything. They raced through the first level of the library and reached the exit. Trin shoved through the double glass doors. It didn’t take long to find them. He had been right outside waiting for her.

Trin held a hand to Sam, keeping her back while reading Ryan. A Russian curse escaped under his breath.

“What is it?” Sam asked.

“He’s juicing.”

Sam’s head snapped back to the couple in alarm. Erika tried without success to reason with Ryan, but each attempt just made him angrier. She cowered in front of him. Trin tensed. “He’s going to hurt her.” Releasing Sam’s hand, he launched forward toward the couple, but Sam pulled him back flying forward with his determination. He glanced over his shoulder, features colored in a comical combination of irritation and concern.

“Wait,” she said. “Let me do it.”

Trin turned, tilting his head to one side. “Are you out of your mind?” he said. “There is no way in hell I’m letting you go anywhere near that guy.”

“If you go over, it will turn into a fight and he’ll make her pay for it later when no one else is around,” Sam said. “And if you end up fighting it could cause trouble for you on the swim team.”

Trin shot a glance from Sam to Erika in indecision.

“Please Trin. I know what I’m doing.”

With another curse he folded his arms across his chest. He knew she was right.

“Be careful,” Trin said. “He’s unstable, Sam. If he makes one move I’m coming over.”

She nodded, taking a deep breath. She turned and hurried toward the fighting couple.

Ryan trembled with anger, an explosive glare flashing in Sam’s direction as she approached. Sam continued forward, undeterred. From behind her, she could feel Trin bristle.

“Hey Erika,” she said. She nodded at Ryan and turned back to Erika. “Can I talk to you for a second?”

Ryan seethed, glaring at Sam.
“
Hey—
we were talking...”

Sam’s eyes gleamed. Her tiny frame didn’t budge as she ignored his massive physique looking him square in the eyes. “It’s just that Jana has changed the choreography in her piece and she wants to meet now to make the changes.”

He squinted, eyes glinting. “Well she’s gonna have to wait.”

Erika shot Sam an anxious look warning her that now was probably not the best time.

Sam didn’t flinch, squaring her tiny shoulders against the mammoth football player.

“I told Jana I would bring her back with me.”

But Ryan was now looking past her. “What’s his problem?” he demanded.

Sam shot a look back at Trin and turned back to Ryan. He squinted in Trin’s direction for a better look. “Is that Trin Kosolov?” he asked, jubilance ringing in his voice.

Sam froze. He
wanted
to fight Trin. He wasn’t thinking about football, school, or anything except putting Trin Kosolov, the champion swimmer, in his place. If Trin wanted a fight he’d be happy to give it to him.

He shoved past Sam to face Trin. The sun had been shining in an Indian summer sky—only a few sparse clouds scattered about. But the moment Ryan pushed Sam two things happened simultaneously. Trin’s arms uncrossed, shooting down to his sides in powerful fists, a flash of white igniting his aura. The few clouds above increased, stretching, expanding, the sky darkening in a matter of seconds.

Sam and Erika glanced to the sky, then to each other, stunned.

Ryan didn’t seem to notice. “You wanna go, Kosolov?”

Trin stood, silent, eyes gleaming, waiting.

Sam watched as a brilliant sheen of white exploded around him, this time locking in place. A blinding shield of light filled his aura, powerfully beautiful, yet cresting with fury. Sam grabbed Erika’s trembling hand, staring at Trin in an effort to dissuade him, but it was as if she were no longer there. A quiet rage rolled beneath the surface of his engaging stare, and for the first time in his presence, Sam was afraid.

A dark blanket of clouds now covered the sky, heavier, almost palpable, as a powerful ionic charge spun in the dampening air. The previously sunny ground was now coated in dark shadows as the sun disappeared behind the clouds.

Sam watched the bewildering phenomenon. A flicker of golden blue heat intermingled with the brewing storm. Eyes wide, her jaw dropped. Lightening fractured the sky and thunder crashed. Trin was causing the storm.

The clouds rolled and churned, dark, thick, and full of water as both powerful young men stood facing off. The first drop fell, then another. Trin’s countenance had changed.