Trinity: Origins Ch. 04-08

"Wow." Alec turned and smiled at them.

"Impressive." Riona patted Alec's shoulder. "Shit!" She muttered as she watched Alec's eyes roll up into the top of his head. Remi rushed over and caught Alec as he passed out. "I was afraid this would happen."

"What's going on?" Remi asked as he felt a burst of shivers spread through Alec's body.

"He's not grounded." Rio muttered a string of curses under her breath. "Part of his powers opened before he was bonded."

"Bonded?" Vanessa's eyes narrowed as she glanced between her unconscious brother and Riona. "To who? What are you talking about?" She demanded.

"Let's get him into bed, and then I'll answer all of your questions." Rio sighed as Remi carried Alec upstairs.

"It's begun, Brae." Rio contacted her cousin mentally. "I need you here."

"What happened?" Brae's voice echoed in her mind.

"I don't have time to discuss it. You need to get here NOW." Rio glanced at the worried faces in front of her. "Help is on its way." She said to the siblings left in front of her to try and call them down.

They all watched as Remi made his way back downstairs and sat down next to Vanessa.

"How is he?" Vanessa tried to keep the worry out of her voice, but it was a losing battle. Remi placed an arm around her shoulders.

"I don't know." Remi shook his head with a sigh. "He broke out into a sweat, I think he's running a fever, and he's mumbling a lot to himself."

"It's to be expected." Rio scrubbed a hand over her face. Why didn't anything work out the easy way? "His powers are manifesting inside of him. Things will get better once his Animus gets here."

"Huh?" Reyhen looked at her curiously. "His what?"

"All of your powers will be very overwhelming at first, and you will need help in controlling them and learning how to use them." Rio explained. "That's where your bondmate comes in. The connection between the two of you will help you control your powers while you learn about them."

"And we don't get to choose our bondmates?" Vanessa asked the moment the thought entered her head. "You already know who Alec's Animus is. So, obviously, Alec didn't choose him."

"There isn't any choice. Everything has been predestined, chosen by fate." Riona gave them a small smile. "Left to your own devices you might not choose the right person to bond with. There are groups out there that know of the Trinity Prophecy, and they would try to use the powers for evil. Fate has determined who should be bonded to ensure that the gifts you receive are used to protect the world, not destroy it."

Vanessa watched Riona carefully and knew that there was more to what the woman was saying.

"What aren't you telling us?" She asked.

"You'll find out soon enough." Riona sighed. "Some things can only be found out when it's absolutely necessary."

"Are you going to tell us who are mates are?" Reyhen asked. "Since you already know how they are."

"The only thing I can tell you is that my cousin Braeden is Alec's Animus." Rio stood up as she sensed him approaching the house. "He's here."

The front door slammed shut and the sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway.

"Rio!" Braeden's voice entered the room before he did. "What's going on?"

"Manners, cousin." Riona admonished him as he stepped into the room. "You have to meet our guests."

"Let's just get this over with so I can..." His voice trailed off as he looked at the three people sitting on the couch. "Vanessa?" His eyes bulged.

"Joshua?" Vanessa stood up in shock. "Oh my God, you're supposed to be dead."

"Why did you tell them that?" He spun towards his cousin and glared. His scanned the room as a realization dawned on him. "Alec's the one the upstairs?"

As soon as Riona nodded her head, he turned and ran up the stairs without wasting any time. Vanessa turned to Riona, her eyes and shot the woman a cold, hard stare.

"You have a lot of explaining to do." Vanessa growled.

"I know." Riona said as she sat back down.



Alec wandered through the darkness that surrounded him. He had no clue where he was, but he didn't want to leave any time soon. All of his emotions, all of the pain, were non existent wherever he was, and Alec was in no rush to return back to the pain. He couldn't believe that Joshua was gone. There was no earthly way that could be possible.

Suddenly, the darkness was broken as a single flame appeared at his feet. Alec crouched down so he could get a better view of the fire. It seemed to sparkle in the darkness and he couldn't stop the overwhelming urge to touch it. As his fingers brushed through it, the flame expanded before his eyes. It curved out and snaked into a shape before him.

He stepped back to see what image the line of fire had created and was surprised to see it had formed the shape of Vanessa Trinity pendant.

"I have waited a long time for you, young master."

The same voice he had heard downstairs in his head echoed through the darkness. The fiery symbol collapsed before his eyes into the shape of a man.

"Who are you?" Alec asked.

"Any name I have has long been forgotten." The mysterious voice answered. "I am your guardian, your power."

"My power is fire?" Alec looked at the fiery man curiously.

"One of them." The figure nodded. "You were angered before, and the flames jumped to your unconscious call." The figure paused and Alec thought he saw a smile. "Your bonded has come for you."

"Bonded?" Alec stood in silence as his guardian explained to him what Riona had told the others downstairs. "The only person I would want close to me is gone. I don't care who is here."

"Joshua is only dead in name, young master." His guardian answered.

"What do you mean?" Alec paused for a moment. "You need a name."

"Then you may give me one." The figure laughed. "It has been a long time since a mortal could call upon me for help. It is only fitting you provide me with a name."

"Apollo." Alec said after thinking for a few minutes.

"Greek God of the sun." Apollo nodded. "I am honored."

"What did you mean about Joshua, Apollo?" Alec asked.

"Your love is only dead in name." Apollo explained. "The Eternal Council that has been watching over all of you saw some disturbing things. The woman you killed on the island had contacted some very evil people about Joshua before she died."

"Paige." Alec growled at the mention of the woman.

"Correct." Apollo nodded. "There were many people after your mate, and it was necessary to allow people to believe him to be dead. Otherwise his life would have remained in danger, and you would not be able to harness your powers without him."

"He's alive?" For the first time since he had awakened in the darkness an ache filled his heart.

"Not only alive, but he is there with you." Apollo stepped closer to Alec. "You just need to wake up."

"How do I get out of here?" Alec glanced around at the darkness.

"I shall help you, young one." Apollo reached out to touch Alec.

"Will I see you again?" Alec looked at his fiery guardian.

"You need just call upon me, and I shall be there for you." With that said Apollo reached out and grabbed onto Alec's hand.

It felt like his body was going to explode with heat as Apollo's fingers closed around his. The darkness exploded with light, and Alec closed his eyes from the surge of light. He could feel the hand holding his tighten, and a voice he never thought he would hear again reached his ears.

"Alec, come back to me." Joshua's voice pleaded with him.

Alec's eyes fluttered open and he realized he was lying on a bed. He turned and looked at the man holding his hand.

"Joshua?" His voice broke as the man sitting on the bed next to him smiled.

"I'm here."

Chapter Eight

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you, Bitch." Vanessa had Riona by the throat and pinned up against a wall. "Do you have any idea what your little game has done to my brother?"

"I...did...what...was...necessary." Riona managed to gasp out. Her hands clawing at Vanessa's.

"So am I." Vanessa pulled back a fist, preparing to launch it directly into Riona's face, but a hand stopped her. Her head spun around to confront whoever was trying to stop her. "Let go, Remi."

"No." Remi shook his head. "Let her go."

"Didn't you hear what she just said?" Vanessa's eyes seemed to blaze with light. "She KNEW who we were. She KNEW about what happened between Alec and Joshua...or Braeden or whatever the hell they are calling him now. She needs to pay for the pain she put him through."

"That may be," Remi nodded. "but what gives you the right to make that decision. Shouldn't you let Alec handle this?"

Riona seized the moment of distraction and pulled her legs up, effectively planting her feet against Vanessa's stomach. With a quick shove she pushed the woman off of her and slumped to the floor gasping for breath.

"You don't understand." Riona looked up at them. "There was no other way for this to play out. It had to happen this way. If anyone knew that my cousin was alive his life, and yours, would be in danger."

"That's what you keep saying, but I don't believe you." Vanessa took a step towards her, but Reyhen jumped over to help Remi restrain her.

"I wasn't kidding about Braeden's life being in danger." Riona stood up, her legs still a bit shaky. "You can ask him for yourself when he comes back down. There were two attempts made on his life. We HAD to protect him."

"Because of Alec's powers?" Vanessa shook the men off and walked over to sit back down on the couch.

"What happened tonight with Alec could have been extremely worse." Riona rubbed at her sore throat. "What if you were at home, or on a mission, and his powers manifested like that? He could have burned your house down or killed hundreds of people before he realized he could put the flames out. How would that effect him?"

"He'd be devastated," Vanessa mumbled.

"Exactly." Riona held eye contact with Vanessa. "I'm sorry for upsetting your brother, but I honestly did what needed to be done."

"Fine." Vanessa stood and slowly offered a hand to Riona. "I'm sorry for trying to kill you."

"I have to admit I might have done the same if our roles were reversed." Riona shook the woman's hand without a moment of fear. She could sense the truthfulness behind Vanessa's words.

"What do we do now?" Reyhen dropped down into a chair.

"For now..." Riona glanced up at the ceiling. "We wait."

***

"Joshua?" Alec's voice was hoarse, his throat dry. "Is that really you?"

"It's me." His thumb absently stroked over the back of Alec's hand. "I can't believe you're here."

"That feeling is mutual."

Alec's heart nearly melted at seeing the smile that he had been dreaming of for so long.

"I thought you were dead, Joshua." A thousand different thoughts were running through Alec's head in an incoherent jumble.

"It's Braeden, Alec." Braeden's smile faded a bit. "Joshua is dead, but it was only a name."

"Braeden." Alec tried out the new name. He liked the sound of it. There was a question that burned in his mind, one that he had to ask. "Why did you leave my pendant for me? Why didn't you stay to I could see you?"

"I didn't put it there." Brae used his free hand to tuck his hair behind his ear. "Paige had sold me out. I had trusted her, and she turned on me. She had given my name and location to a couple of the more powerful groups that I had pissed off."

"Who put it there?" Alec started to sit up in bed.

"Riona." Braeden knew Alec wasn't going to like the answer, and he wasn't surprised when Alec pulled his hand away.

"She's known everything the entire time." A growl rumbled in the back of Alec's throat.

"She's one of the seers for the Elders." Braeden tried to explain. "When she had a vision of the Trinity and its protectors, she had to do whatever was necessary to protect all of us. I didn't understand that at first, but I think I'm starting to now."

"Why didn't you try to contact me?" Alec pulled back a bit from the man sitting on the edge of the bed.

Once he comprehended the situation he had been thrown into, there were many holes of information that needed to be filled. He understood the need for Braeden to remain hidden, but did that mean he couldn't contact Alec? The happiness of finding out the man he cared about, maybe even loved, was alive, was starting to be eclipsed by anger.

"They didn't let me have contact with anyone outside of here." He reached out for Alec, and it hurt when Alec shied away from him. "I would have if I could-"

"You could have if you really wanted to." Alec pushed his himself off of the bed.

"I didn't have a choice, Alec, you've got to believe me." Braeden stood and started to move towards him.

"Don't." Alec raised his hand. "You want me to believe that you escaped from that damn tunnel, AND two attempts on your life, besides all of the other dangerous shit we deal with, and you couldn't even get a message to me?"

"I tried, God damn it!" Braeden's voice got loud. "I wasn't given access to any computer. I was under constant surveillance. Riona knew that I wanted to get in touch with you, but she was my watcher. I could barely get out of her sight."

"Oh, really?" Alec ground his teeth as he had his way to the door. He brushed off the hand Braeden tried to lay on his shoulder. "Don't touch me."

"Where are you going?" Braeden called after him.

Alec was practically snarling as he fled down the steps. He swiftly moved into the living room, and all eyes were on him instantly.

"You're okay!" Vanessa leapt up.

"We need to talk." Alec focused only on Riona.

Reyhen and Remi stayed in their seats as a wave of heat rolled off of Alec. They both noticed the way Alec's eyes seemed to blaze with light. Riona stood with a calm expression and faced Alec. It was yet another moment she knew would come.

"Alec, wait!" Braeden appeared in the doorway of the living room. "Don't do this." He started towards the blonde and his cousin.

"Stop." Alec turned and gave Braeden a look that was cold enough to stop him in his tracks. He turned back to the woman that stood in front of him. "Why?"

"If you knew where he was you would have come for him." Riona answered the question without asking for clarification. "You couldn't be together until you knew about your brother."

"Why?" Alec took a slow step towards her.

"If the two of you would have reunited, before Reyhen entered your life, the bond would have slid into place. What you went through before is nothing compared to what a premature bond would have done to you." Riona stood her ground. "Without your brother your powers wouldn't be able to unlock, but they would be trying to break through. It could have killed you, both of you."

"You couldn't even let him send me a message to know he was okay?" Alec glared at her.

"I thought the pendant would have been enough." Riona glanced over his shoulder at Braeden. "Though I must admit, if I had realized just how far the bond between the two of you had progressed, I might have tried to allow the Elders to let a message through."

"You had no reason to know about my sex life." Braeden crossed his arms over his chest.

"You are an Animus!" Riona's façade of calm started to crack. "You knew you were a guardian, and yet you didn't feel the need to tell me the full extent of what happened between the two of you!"

"Maybe I would have if I had known Alec was the one I would be protecting." He shot back at her. "You wouldn't tell me anything about the Trinity, though I should have been able to put two and two together. It's Vanessa's codename for God's sake."

"I don't take you as a bright one." Reyhen finally spoke up. "Since you couldn't even find a way to get in touch with my brother."

"Excuse me?" Braeden turned and started towards the younger man.

"Try it and see what happens." Vanessa moved in front of Braeden. "Please, give me any reason to knock you into next week."

"And when next week rolls around, I'll kick your ass." Remi stood behind Vanessa.

"I'm not the bad guy here." Braeden looked at all of them, especially at Alec. "I didn't have any choice."

"He's right." Riona tried to help Braeden out. "He was watched very closely. We couldn't risk anything."

"I'm sick of the excuses." Alec sunk down into the closest chair. "Besides fire, what other powers should I expect?"

"Due tell, Rio." Braeden moved as close to Alec as he could without upsetting the man even further.

"Well," Riona shrugged. "we're really not sure."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Vanessa shook her head.

"I didn't say my visions were totally detailed." A sigh slipped past Rio's lips. "I know that each of you will have some type of elemental guardian. Alec is obviously fire."

"How are you feeling?" Reyhen looked over his brother carefully.

"Better after talking to Apollo." Alec gave his brother a smile.

"Apollo?" Remi wasn't quite sure whom Alec meant.

"My guardian." Alec couldn't help but laugh. "Apollo. Can you hear me?"

A column of fire appeared in the middle of the group. After a moment it collapsed down into a form of a man.

"You called, Young One?" Apollo stood facing Alec.

"Fuck." Vanessa dropped into a seat on the sofa, her eyes widening at the sight in front of her.

"I want you to meet my brother and sister, Vanessa and Reyhen." He motioned to them. "This is another member of our family Remington. Finally, Riona and her cousin, Braeden."

"It is a pleasure to finally get to speak with all of you." Apollo nodded at each of them in turn. His gaze returned to Braeden. "Time will heal." Apollo glanced over his fiery shoulder to Riona. "It is time, Rio. After the setting of the sun, they must be taken to their destiny." With a flash of light Apollo disappeared.

"Where are we off to now?" Vanessa looked at Rio and smirked. "Or don't you know all the details?"

"All of you should rest." Riona choose to ignore the barb. "Tonight will be draining."

"Our destination?" Alec repeated his sister's question.

"Where else?" Riona started towards the front door. "Stonehenge."

***

In the shadows of Stonehenge six cloaked figures walked into the center of the structure. They could almost feel the waves of power that seemed to float through the air.

"Is there a reason why we're naked under these damn things?" Reyhen tugged at the collar of his robe.

"It's symbolic." Riona positioned the siblings in a large triangle. "You entered this world in the beginning stage of your life, and you are now entering a new stage. It's only fitting that you revisit your entrance to this world."

"So, now what?" Vanessa glanced around. "We wait for our guardians?"

"Are you kidding me?" Alec shook his head. "I think it's quite obvious who your guardian is, especially with the looks flying between the two of you."

"I'm sure I have no clue what you're talking about." Vanessa crossed her arms over her chest.

Everyone except Vanessa turned and looked at Remi. The man thanked the darkening sky for hiding his blush as he moved to stand behind Vanessa. Riona motioned to her cousin and he stood behind Alec.

"That would leave you as Reyhen's guardian." Alec looked over to try to see his brother's reaction.

"No way!" Reyhen shook his head.

"We don't have time to discuss this right now." Rio moved into the center of the triangle. "I need the three of you reach out towards each other when I tell you to." She commanded the siblings. "Remi, follow Braeden's lead."

Alec tensed as he felt Braeden's hands on his shoulders. How could something that felt so good feel so awkward at the same time? Remi followed suit and laid his hands on Vanessa's shoulders, though she was more welcoming to the touch.

They watched in silence as Riona pulled a ceremonial dagger from the sleeve of her robe. With exact precision she made a shallow cut in the palm of each hand. Riona gripped the dagger's hilt with both hands and squeezed. Her blood running down onto the blade and dripping to the ground.