The Trinity

Arrival

BEAU

Adriel had shredded his clothes transforming into an enormous crocodile. Holy s**t, definitely not an otter.

The bear slammed into him just as his massive jaws popped open. They tumbled a few feet away from me and were snapping at each other.

He hadn’t had time to untie my hands before the bear attacked. But he had squatted and reached for my hands like he had intended too.

Maybe he finally was starting to believe me. God, I f*****g hoped so. The few things I’d heard of Cullom from the orphanage made it seem like a real s**t hole shifters were forgotten in.

Oof. They slammed into me like a freight train. I took a face first nosedive into the gravel. The black bear reached for my already injured leg and chomped down like I was his favorite appetizer.

I guess he could easily smell the wound already there. I yelled out in agony. Adriel locked onto the bear’s hind leg and did a barrel roll flipping the bear off of me.

The bear roared out as Adriel dragged him into the water. A heavy wave reared up and plunged them both under. I righted myself into a sitting position. There were only small bubbles escaping to the surface now.

Obviously had to be from the bear, Adriel would have the clear advantage in the water. I kicked my legs out in front of me to see how bad the bite was. It didn’t look great to say the least.

Adriel burst to the surface as himself. He swam to the shore and crawled up the gravel breathing with exertion. He flopped onto his back and laid there for a second or two with his eyes closed.

Then he popped up and ran over to me as if he’d forgotten I was there at all during the fight.

“Beau! Beau, are you ok?” He kneeled in front of me pulling my boot and sock off as he went.

“f**k! Easy man, it hurts.” I told him hissing through my teeth. I laid back because I felt dizzy at the rush of pain.

He reached for his backpack he’d been carrying and pulled out some alcohol and bandages. “This is gonna sting a little.” He said as he poured the rubbing alcohol on my wound.

“f**k!” He might as well have been pouring acid on me, it hurt that damn bad.

“Yeah. Got some other news that’ll sting. That bear was a shifter too. Once I killed him he shifted back into a human. I pulled him down to the bottom of the lake and put heavy rocks on top of him.” He told me stoically.

“What the f**k Adriel? Is this a habit of yours? Since I sat down next to you inside Twigs it’s been nothing but a giant f*****g disaster for me.” I complained. But it looked like he had stopped listening to me. He was staring at the bottom of my foot.

ADRIEL

There it was. All the evidence I needed that Beau was indeed most likely Noa’s second mate. He had the identical birthmark as me. A perfect circle. Same size, shape, coloring…everything.

“What are you staring at, can you finish pressure wrapping the wound before you space out on me?” I picked up the gauze and started wrapping his leg and ankle.

“Have you always had that birthmark on the bottom of your foot, Beau?” I tried to ask as casually as I could muster. What the f**k was I going to do now? He’d killed my parents. Surely nature hadn’t chosen him for Noa. I couldn’t let him anywhere near Noa, he was dangerous.

“Yes, I was born with it. Hey it looks kinda like the one on your chest. I never noticed that before.” He told me. “Is this an elemental thing? I never noticed one on another air shifter before.” He added.

“I’m not sure.” I told him honestly. “Any reason to think that black bear was sent to attack you?” I changed gears wanting to deal with the most pressing problem at hand.

“Why do you think it was meant to attack me?” He asked as I finished treating his wound. I slyly pulled out another injection from my bag and pricked his leg with it. “What the f**k man? Again?” He asked me shocked. It’d been awhile and I knew the drugs had probably worn off completely.

“Yeah. Again.” I said putting the needle back in my bag. “Well, whoever that was seemed pretty hell bent on taking us out. Better to keep our eyes open.” I said standing.

“Sure, yeah, let me get right on that since you pumped me full of sedatives.” He said slurring his words. I rubbed my hand down my face in exasperation.

I pulled Beau away from the edge of the lake and sat up camp hidden off the main trail. I needed to get a little sleep if we were going to make it to Cullom by tomorrow. The sooner I got rid of him the better. I didn’t want to feel anymore attached then I already felt myself growing. I wondered why an earth shifter would attack us? Maybe coincidence? Probably not though, our numbers were just too few from what I remembered in the book from my dad’s office.

I still never understand how my father came to have that book in his possession in the first place. I yawned. Beau was lightly snoring beside me. I lied down with my hand holding onto Beau’s hand tie in case he moved at all. Time to get a little shut eye.

BEAU

We’d passed over Mt. Grant and were coming down onto the valley on the other side. Cullom was off a little ways in the distance. It looked like a large concrete compound with barbed wired fencing all the way around. It definitely didn’t look inviting to say the least.

As we got closer I could see a wing jutting off to the west that looked like a bomb went off. Was that smoke pouring into the air? What the f**k happened in there? I had a feeling I’d find out soon enough what horrors it held on the inside.

“So what’s your plan man? Are you gonna just waltz up to the front gate and ring the doorbell?” I asked. Had to get my last jabs in where I could.

Adriel groaned and ran his hand down his face. A favorite habit of his I’d come to realize.

“No dumb ass. I’ve got a scout meeting us just over the ridge. Your name was on their list. Apparently I’m not the only one you’ve f****d over at some point.” He told me.

A list? What the f**k was he talking about? Why would my name be on any list at Cullom? He reached the ridge much faster than I would have preferred. There were three armed guards waiting for us. Adriel stopped me about 15 feet short of them.

“Is this Beau Daniels?” One of the guards spoke up first.

“Yep. He’s all yours. What happened over there?” Adriel said lifting his chin to indicate the smoke. “That’s not really any of your concern. These elementals get out of hand sometimes and have to be dealt with accordingly.” Adriel nodded like he understood.

I looked over at him feeling betrayed. I knew it was coming, it just didn’t make it any easier. The guards were walking toward me now to take me to god only knows.

My new hell I guess. I looked over at Adriel and said the first thing that came to my mind. “I could have liked you Adriel.”

He paused surprised by my words I think.

“I could’ve liked you too Beau.” He said finally before turning and disappearing over the other side of the ridge.