Trinity - Defying Destiny (11 page)

Chapter Twenty

I looked out the airplane window at the clouds that surrounded the aircraft.

We had left Chelsi passed out in the lounge room while we went over to the main house. Mr. and Mrs. Jane made us all breakfast while we talked about our plans. They pulled me aside to tell me that they do not blame me for anything, that I had saved Nikkee not dammed her and we would always be loved by them. It had made my heart sink and feel overjoyed at the same time. Jason had walked over and put his arm across my shoulders. They both smiled and went about making the morning feast. Afterwards, we went back to the main house where we found Chelsi gone. We packed light, were bid farewell by Nikkee’s parents and then we were on our way to the airport. Lachlan had booked us all first class flights and we were lucky to get a seat at all.

I looked down at my hand that was held by Jason’s. I could no longer ignore the burn that I felt by them being joined together. It wasn’t painful, more like unbearable that I couldn’t hold it any tighter than I already was.

The flight was really long. We had to stop over at a few places and board other flights. I was starting to feel extremely drained. My reflection in the window said it was starting to show.

Jason didn’t say anything, but I know he was concerned. On the drive from the house to boarding the plane, I had felt myself start to decline. It was as if a switch was turned. I was thankful that the plane was already in the process of landing, as I really needed to feed. I could hear the heartbeats of every passenger on the plane. Jason had no blood left either otherwise he would have already given me some. His supply was at his place and we didn’t have time to make a detour. I told him I would be fine, but I am starting to think I may have to go back on my word.

We started to descend just past the Taktsang Palphug Monastery that was built into the mountain. It was beautiful. The structure stood tall, proud, and was magnificent to see with our own eyes.

The landing had been scary. The runway was between the Bhutanese Himalayan Mountains and it was much shorter than normal. Over the speaker, the flight attendant told us all that only eight pilots are qualified to land in at the Paro airport. The information had me squeezing Jason’s hand quite hard. He chuckled.

I let his hand rest while we waited outside the airport waiting for Lachlan and Vex to get our rental cars. I did however, allow him to stand behind me holding my body close to his with his arms hanging over my shoulders and down the front of my body.

I blinked a few times watching people walk past. It felt slow, as if I was in a trance. I didn’t see their faces, just the pulsing blood from their neck vein. I took a step forward not realizing that I was doing it, only to be held back by Jason’s hold.

“We will get you fed soon, hang in there,” Jason whispered.

My mouth watered at the thought of all that blood. I wanted to swim in it and drink, drink, drink.

“Trinity?” came Nikkee’s voice. It sounded distant.

Hands touched my face and a slight shade came over my eyes. Someone had put my glasses on. It didn’t change how much I could see, only block others from seeing how freaky I was or how much of a monster I am.

I shook my head, trying to block out all the heartbeats and images of blood. It was hard. My stomach growled or I did, maybe both.

“Lachlan’s here, let’s go,” Jason said ushering me to the car.

I didn’t see it, only the people walking around.

I closed my eyes and let Jason continue to usher me along. I felt myself being seated in either the back or front, I wasn’t sure where, and I tried to close my thoughts off. I chose to think of Jason, his touch, his warmth. The way he kisses me like he is never going to see me again. I thought back, back to before I realized I had a crush on him. The way he would try to avoid looking at me, but when I saw him, his eyes were so intense I had to look away. I always assumed that perhaps he didn’t like me but now I know it was because he was tormented by not calling me his own.

“We will get you some blood soon, Trinity. Vex and the others are stopping at the hospital to raid the blood supply. Just hang in there,” Lachlan tried to reassure me.

I felt the car move along, but I didn’t dare open my eyes again to see the people as we passed.

“I thought I was doing fine,” I half slurred. My voice sounded far away like Nikkee’s did, or like when you have blocked ears.

“We should have known better. We should have made her drink more,” Lachlan snapped.

“I didn’t want it,” I slurred again.

“You can’t fight what you are Trinity, you have to feed, if not on a human at least a blood bag,” he said more calmly.

“I’m not fighting,” I defended.

“Yes, you are,” he replied.

He was right. I knew he was. I accepted my fate. I accepted who I was, but deep down I was fighting with my inner beasts. I didn’t truly want to be who I was and I tried to be as normal as I could or at least not as monstrous.

“Whatever,” I slurred, then my mind went black and everything else around me faded to nothingness.

Chapter Twenty-One

Jason’s voice woke me and I caught the smell of blood. It wasn’t fresh, but my mouth watered all the same.

My eyes shot open fast and before I knew it, I had snatched the glass out of his hand and was chugging down the sweet nectar. My eyes felt like they were on fire, my whole body trembled and my hands shook as I held the glass to my lips. The taste exploded in my mouth and it brought back memories of how much sweeter Nikkee’s fresh blood had tasted. It wasn’t the same, but it was better than anything I have ever tasted before.

I finished the blood and slowly pulled the glass away from my face. My eyes were blurred, but slowly starting to refocus. I was sitting on a double bed. The sheets looked old. The furnishings were chipped and scratched. The curtains, stained and ripped. I looked around and saw three more beds that looked the same with crappy bedside tables.

Nikkee was sitting on one of them with a glass of blood and Sky on the other with a large burger in her hands. She grinned at me with a mouthful of food, pinching her lips together to not let any food escape. I gave her a smile back. Lachlan and Vex were sitting in a chair, each with a glass of blood as well.

I glanced at Jason, he had nothing.

“What about you? Aren’t you hungry?” I asked.

He gave me a smirk and said, “I already ate while I waited for Lachlan. Sky is on her second burger,” he laughed.

“I wanted to eat everyone,” I pointed out.

“It’s a newborn phase. It will pass when you get a handle on it. Nikkee did well her first time, but she could get like you too. You have to have blood every day, Trinity or you could end up killing someone,” he informed me more seriously.

I sighed, but gave him a nod of my head letting him know that I agreed as much as I didn’t want to.

I was starting to feel a bit more energized as the blood started to fill my body with its goodness.

“I’m ready,” I announced out of nowhere.

“Ok, we will leave soon,” Lachlan said.

I shook my head, “No, I must go alone.”

Everyone in the room went quiet, I couldn’t even hear anyone breathing.

“Out of the question,” Lachlan told me in a stern tone.

“It is dangerous in the forest, Trinity. We must go with you,” Vex said.

“No, I HAVE to do this alone, just like you, Carra and Garth did. I have to earn the right to all that knowledge,” I told them, looking at each of their faces.

I knew what I had to do, I knew where I had to go and I had to do it alone.

“I can’t let you go out into an unknown land on your own Trinity,” Jason said as he grabbed my hand.

“You have to, you have to believe in me and trust that I know what needs to be done,” I pleaded with him.

“Like your judgement on starving yourself?” he replied.

“Ok, you have a point there, but this is different. I have to be shown the path I must walk alone,” I said.

“Did Carra tell you this?” Vex asked angry.

I shook my head, “No, it is just what I know to be true.”

“You know we won’t let you go,” Nikkee said, finally saying something.

“It doesn’t matter. I need this journal and this is the only way to get it,” I said with conviction.

“No, we will get it another way,” Lachlan argued.

“Why can’t you all trust that I can do this?” I said getting angry.

“It’s not that we don’t trust you, it’s the world we don’t trust. How are we going to help you if we are nowhere near by if something goes wrong?” Vex asked.

“Are you saying I can’t protect myself?” I snapped.

Vex stood up, “You are new and untrained with no combat skills. Do you think Garth or I survived so long just on the basics? Throughout time we learned, we adapted and we bettered ourselves. You don’t even have a day of combat training under your belt. You cannot do this alone and that is final. Garth will agree,” he said angry and frustrated.

I looked at him. He was powerful in his stance and stubborn in his look, he was not going to let me go even if I tried to fight my way out so I let him win, for now.

#

The rest of the afternoon, we sat in our little run down hotel room discussing problems at hand. I nodded and agreed, but sat quietly for the most part. Nikkee and Sky kept exchanging looks and I knew why. They knew what I was going to do and couldn’t communicate to figure out how to stop me. Vex, Garth and Lachlan were discussing how we might be able to get the book without sending me alone. Garth didn’t seem to say much and I got the feeling that he trusted that I knew what I was doing even though he didn’t want me out there alone.

Every one of us had showered, had dinner and was now turning in. Vex, Garth and Lachlan went back to their rooms and left Nikkee, Sky, Jason and me alone. He was laying down beside me, his body keeping me warm and comforted. I started to feel scared at what I was going to do, but I cleared my mind as to not alert any mind spies. His breathing was slow and deep, he was asleep.

I slowly moved my body out from under his arm and placed my pillow there instead. I stood up, looking around the room. Sky and Nikkee’s breathing changed and I knew they were not awake. They lay still as if nothing had changed. I pulled a note from my pocket, which I wrote in the bathroom earlier and placed it on the pillow. Telling them to trust me and believe I could do this.

I walked over to the mini bar, opened it quietly and grabbed a blood bag to show I was being responsible. Next to the fridge was my backpack. I picked it up quietly and put the bag inside. I looked back to Jason sleeping. He looked peaceful and sexy. I felt so guilty.

I sucked in a breath and before I could change my mind, I walked over to the door, opened it quietly and stepped out into the hall. I closed the door trying to make as little sound as possible. I started walking slowly down. I only had a small glow from the lights, but I could see fine. I walked fast passed Vex and Lachlan’s room as quiet as a mouse and as I neared Garths door, I slowed and stopped right in front of it.

I could hear shallow breathing; I knew he was right on the other side.

“I will be fine,” I whispered. “Trust me on this.”

“I know, stay safe,” was all he said as I heard him move away.

A sigh of relief came over me as I felt pride that my father believed in me. Apart from Nikkee’s parents, this moment was the first time I felt love and adoration from a parent. I smiled and turned back down the hall. The end came and I walked down the steps. The whole place looked like it was going to fall apart.

At the bottom of the stairs was a foyer with a counter and a sleeping attendant. I walked past quietly, out the front door and into the chilled air on the street. I squared my shoulders and lifted my head high, showing no fear. This was the only way. I had to do this. The journal may not help, but then again, it could.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Curled up in a ball under a large tree I shivered. It wasn’t the cold that was affecting me. I could feel the blood on my hands and face starting to dry but I couldn’t move. I was paralysed from disbelief and shame at what I had done. I looked over to the corpse that was once a man, his face unrecognizable, no breath coming from his body and it was entirely my fault.

I had walked quietly down the main street of town, my footsteps barley making a sound. I had looked around marvelling at the old building that still stood. Every detail caught my attention. Every imperfection stood out. Beautiful.

The walk through had only taken twenty or so minutes until I reached the part where I needed to go. I stood there for a while and just looked out at the vast forest that stood before me. I knew it was going to be a challenge. I could see many cliffs and drops. I contemplated running with my speed, but for the moment, I just walked slowly.

My steps were crunching leaves and twigs. Though the sky was dark, I could see easily, as if it was an overcast day. I had walked for hours before I decided to run, I wanted to put distance between the others back at the hotel and myself. That didn’t go so well. I was doing fine, but after another few hours, I started to slow down without meaning to.

I stopped at a water hole. The sun was beginning to rise setting a nice orange glow around the water. I drank and sat down. I started to feel tired, so I got up; walked over to the rock that was shading most of the water. I leaned against it and closed my eyes, just for a moment.

The heat was what woke me. I was no longer shaded, but exposed to the beaming hot sun, I looked down at my watch and saw that it was three pm. I had slept for over eight hours. Just yesterday, I had drunk a lot of blood; I usually have more energy than this. The thought of blood had me licking my lips. I wanted to rip open a blood bag and scull it down in one gulp.

I shook my head. The thirst was taking over. Why now? I made myself stand up and I walked over to the water, I bent down, cupped some in my hands, and drank as much as I could.

I stood back up and wiped my wrist over my mouth. I looked behind me, as if I was waiting for someone. Nothing.

I pushed on, with no idea of where I was going, I just knew that I would get there if I moved. I ran at a fast speed again, but it was failing me and I was back down to a normal jog. I hadn’t been running for long and I knew what the problem was. I needed the blood.

I opened my bag in haste and grabbed what I needed. I bit the corner open with my teeth and I drank. Before I knew it, it was all gone. My thirst was not quenched, I wanted more, and I needed more. I could feel my energy still low and needing a boost. I felt sensitive to my surroundings. Everything was mashing together in my eyes as the sound of every bird echoed, every leaf and branch whispering in the background. I could hear animals scurrying around the forest floor. I looked around and realized it looked just like the forest I would find myself in when I would talk to Carra.

I must be close. I had to be, I ran for hours and hours in what others would take days to walk and hike. Maybe that was why I was so hungry; my body was burning off the blood faster by using my power.

I stuffed the empty blood bag back in my backpack and started walking again, this time a calm, steady pace so as to not wear myself out.

Hours had passed and night was once again upon me as I finally made it to the Spirit Rock. I knew it was the right one, I looked up at the deadly steep climb I had to make and I gulped. I was hungry, but not for blood, for food. Well, both actually, but I needed something. I pondered for a moment whether to climb or eat what I had in my bag.

Food won over. I set my stuff down and walked around picking up sticks and swigs. Small animals scurried around as I made more noise than needed. I had never hunted before, so I wasn’t about to start, yet I was thinking that a cow on the fire I was making sounded good. Unfortunately, I didn’t think any cows were around, more like rabbits and predatory animals like myself.

My stomach growled again. I put all the sticks and twigs in a pile and dug in my back for the lighter. I finally found it and a notebook, I then pulled some pages out of it to help the fire start.

I went through more paper than I thought as I am no fire expert, but I finally got it started.

I went back to my bag, pulled out the two sandwiches and a packet of chips I had snuck in there from the mini bar before I had gone to bed with Jason.

I dug in and ate the lot of it in no time at all. I really had to start looking after myself and start feeding more regularly.

I started doubting myself, all of Vex’s words started to haunt me. I was not trained, I was new to this life and he was right. I should have let someone come along even if it was just for the company. I thought of Jason’s arms wrapped around me and the comfort that would have given me at that moment. He was going to be mad, so was Vex and Lachlan. Only half of them had faith in me and the other half either doubted me or just didn’t want me doing this alone. I tried not to judge them harshly, but all my life I was told I would not be anything that mattered, that I was a waste of space and wouldn’t amount to anything. This was my way of proving I can be great; I can become the person I needed to be. Not that I had to prove myself to them, they did not think that of me, but the words still echoed in my head and taunted me when I felt as if I was failing, then the need to prove myself takes over.

I was beat; I felt dead tired. I wanted to climb the Spirit Rock, but I knew I should rest. I placed my bag where I was going to put my head and I laid down. I hugged my arms around myself and curled my legs slightly. I wasn’t cold. I was scared and alone. I didn’t want to be afraid, I didn’t want to fail.

I closed my eyes and thought of all the things that had happened and why I was doing what I was doing. I needed Carra’s journal. Not just to figure out my path, but to see if I could change it. I wanted to help save Steven, Ally, and anyone else they took whether they were friend or foe.

I looked up to the stars and the moon that was not so full anymore. I could see the tips of the trees in my view that surrounded me and the rock I needed to climb. It was like a large boulder. It made me feel protected and safe even though I knew anything could walk through that tree line. I closed my eyes again and concentrated on the boulder, as if it was a barrier keeping all things bad away, as if I was protected. I needed to, I needed to believe that I was safe in order to get some sleep. I crashed earlier with ease, but that was during the day; however, with the clouds starting to cover the moon it began feeling darker by the minute and I was not going to let fear override me or make me quit.