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Trinity
~~
As we were running, racing to check on Shawn, I sent a message via mind link. I needed to tell Griffin to hurry. He had been waiting near the edge of town. He was waiting to see if he would be needed. Well, he was needed. I'm sure more than just Shawn needed his help, but Shawn was all that filled my mind right now.
'Griffin!' I nearly yelled into his head.
'Not so loud, Luna, please.' It sounded like he was speaking with pain in his voice.
'We need you, now.' I sent these words back at him with a slightly lower volume.
'Who has been hurt, and where?' He was already in his work mode.
'Shawn has been hurt, he is near the river on the south side of the city.'
'Lana and I will be there soon.' I was happy to hear that they were together and that they could help Shawn and everyone else.
It felt like it was taking a long time, too long, to get to Shawn. I felt like I was running through sand and water, hell even jello. It was like I just couldn't move fast enough, but none of the others were moving any faster than I was. We were all racing to the river, racing to where Shawn was laying, hurt, probably scared. How could I have let this happen?
Finally, after what felt like hours I crested a small hill and could see the river in the distance. Somewhere over there was Shawn. We all started off once more, this time using our noses to search for Shawn's exact location.
It only took seconds to find him this time, but it still felt like an hour. My sense of time was majorly off. I couldn't trust myself with judging time right now.
I was the first to reach Shawn's side, Dietrich hot on my heels. I dropped to my knees next to him and took in the sight of him. There was a large bloody slash that went up his abdomen from his right side all the way to his shoulder, and there was an equally bloody looking slash that ran down the left side of his face from his hairline to his jaw.
"Shawn?" I called out his name at the same time that Dietrich spoke.
"Mein Wolfsliebe." I heard the tears in Dietrich's voice as he reached out to stroke Shawn's face. "Bleib bitte bei mir. Bleib für immer bei mir." The heartache in Dietrich's voice as he begged Shawn to stay with him forever was enough to bring tears to my eyes.
"Shawn, come on, wake up. Speak to us Shawn."
Just as I spoke those words, begging Shawn to wake up and hoping to see his eyes flutter, I heard the approach of more people. Griffin and Lana were here.
"Griffin, hurry." I called out to him.
"I'm coming. Lana, you check the others."
"Reece, get the others to help you find anyone who may be hurt and need help. Also, count the dead and gather their bodies. They deserve a proper burial." I was trying to sound diplomatic and authoritative, but all I could focus on was Shawn.
"Alright." Reece nodded at my words as he turned to leave and begin his task.
Almost as soon as Reece left Griffin was at Shawn's side, shooing both me and Dietrich away. He needed to work and we were in the way. With some reluctance, the two of us rose to our feet and stepped aside.
"What kind of animal attacked him?" Griffin asked almost immediately after beginning his examination. "These wounds are deep.
"It wasn't an animal." I told him. "It was another human monster created by Edmond."
"Will we never be rid of him?" Griffin's voice sounded tired and sad as he spoke.
"We are." That was all it took. The light that lit inside Griffin's eyes was like a rising sun.
"Are you sure? He's really gone?"
"I have his head as proof." That should have sounded dark and sinister, but it really didn't. It was like a joyful chorus that needed to be sung to the world. Edmond was really truly dead.
Dietrich could not seem to get into the conversation. Tears rimmed his eyes that had turned red in his extreme emotional state. I tried to put my arm around his shoulders, but he was too tall for me to do that. What I managed instead was an arm around his waist. I pulled Dietrich toward me, taking his weight onto me, letting his head rest against the top of mine.
"He will be alright Dietrich, I know he will. He's strong."
"He's stronger than I am." Dietrich's voice held all the emotions he was trying so hard to hold back.
After that, the two of us stood together, leaning on one another for support as we watched and waited for Griffin to give us some sort of news. We watched as Griffin tore away what remained of Shawn's shirt so he could inspect the deep gash across his chest.
Griffin then pushed aside Shawn's hair, revealing more of the slash down the side of his face. With more of the two wounds finally revealed I was able to see that they were lined with a deep purplish bruising. Long thin red lines had begun to snake from the sides of the wounds and were making their way across his chest and arms. And on top of that some sort of thick, yellow pus was oozing from the sides of those two deep cuts.
"What is that Griffin? It looks like he's been poisoned."
"That's exactly it. Those creatures must have been venomous. He's been infected and it's spreading fast."
"What does that mean? Can't you stop it? Can't you use your power to heal him?" Dietrich's seemed desperate as he asked these questions.
"I'm trying, but the venom is spreading faster than I can heal him. I'm worried it will reach his heart before I have the chance to rid his body of it all."
"What can we do? What are our options?" I was scared now, more scared than I was when I faced down Edmond.
"I don't know." Griffin looked like he was at a loss. "I don't know what to do."
"Would having two of you help? Should we get Lana?" It might have been worth a shot.
"I really don't know. It might, but I don't know if he would make it, he might not last that long."
"Why did I have to send them away?" I would beat myself up my entire life if I couldn't find a way to save Shawn.
"I might have an idea." Dietrich's voice was filled with apprehension. "But it is not something I had discussed with Shawn yet. I do not know if he would accept it, even to save his life."
"Dietrich, whatever it is, I am sure that Shawn would choose to stay with you instead of dying. He loves you and he would want to be with you."
"It's not that simple, he might reject what it is when he wakes. And I admit, I do not know what all it will entail."
"Will it save his life?" That was all I needed to know from him. "Will it stop him from dying?"
"I believe it will, yes."
"Then do it. If Shawn takes an issue with it, then have him talk to me. I will explain everything to him."
"Alright." Dietrich was nodding as he made his decision. "I will do it."
I watched as Dietrich knelt next to Shawn before pulling him into his arms. He wrapped his arms around him, cradling him close.
"Ich liebe dich Liebling." Dietrich whispered before he kissed Shawn's forehead.
I felt like I was invading on a personal moment, but I was too worried for Shawn to look away. I just kept praying to the gods, all of them, that Shawn would live.
I watched as one lonely tear streamed down Dietrich's face. Whatever he was about to do was very emotionally hard for him, apparently. He kissed Shawn one last time, on the lips before he pulled Shawn closer to him.
As I watched on, I saw Dietrich's eyes shift. His usually almost white shade of light blue had turned red and had begun to glow with a faint light. Then, I saw his fangs descend past his top lip so they were visible even with his mouth shut.
In the next second I watched as Dietrich lowered his mouth to Shawn's neck. He sank his teeth into the soft flesh at the curve of shoulder and neck. He bit him right where a mate mark would appear.
For nearly a minute Dietrich kept his lips pressed against Shawn's flesh. I just watched on in awe, not really understanding what was going on. But before long he pulled his mouth away, with a sigh and a gasp for air.
But Dietrich didn't seem to be done just yet. The next thing that Dietrich did was bring his own wrist to his mouth. He bit down on the soft, tender flesh of his right wrist. The fangs broke into the skin bringing blood to the surface immediately.
Dietrich slowly tilted Shawn's head back and placed his wrist against his mouth. Slowly, but with a steady stream, the blood poured into Shawn's mouth. I saw the muscles in his throat move as he swallowed reflexively.
I had finally figured out what it was Dietrich was doing. He was turning Shawn. He was giving him a vampire's healing ability. I just hoped it would work in time.
As I watched on I felt a slight breeze begin to stir all around us. The breeze picked up, stronger and stronger, but I seemed to be the only one affected by it. There was a slight red glow in the corner of my eyes that was soon followed by the whisper of words within my head.
"I do not choose you as my successor, but I acknowledge your strength. That is why I will aid in this endeavor. I will help the wolf boy to become a hybrid." The voice spoke to me inside that wind.
"Who are you?" I asked reflexively.
"I am the Goddess Selene. The mother of vampires. I will aid your allies and help them. And I choose the vampire before you as my chosen one. He will be my Vampire King."
"Thank you Selene. Thank you so much." I felt the tears begin to run down my face.
"This road will not be easy for your friend, but he has a strong one there to aid him. I only ask that you never turn your back on my people."
"I won't, I want to unite the world, bring peace to all those that walk in the shadows."
"I know that, child, that is why I am choosing to help you. Keep this alliance going strong, always remain true to your heart."
"Thank you again Selene." With my last thanks I felt her presence beginning to slip away and the wind started to die down. No one else even seemed to have noticed what had happened. But I was now smiling. Shawn would live.
