Page 2 of Vicar
“Yeah, Vicar, I guess,” Trinity muttered, knowing darn well it was him thanks to her inner dragon.
“Vicar, the guy with multiple personalities,” Raven commented. “One of them being ridiculously alpha.” Her lips twisted in repressed amusement. “And you acting like some sort of dominatrix.” She flat-out smirked. “Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.”
“I’m not a dominatrix.” She scowled and shook her head. “I’m not anything near that when it comes to the bedroom.”
She avoided the word sex out of consideration for Raven, who’d had to remain a virgin because men and their volatile energy dragged her too low.
“I’ll admit, it’s hard to envision you being that in charge between the sheets.” Raven’s merciless smirk remained firmly in place. “But based on what Jade said, you definitely came across that way in front of everyone.”
Trinity groaned, mortified at what she’d said to Vicar through Jade. Worse yet, that she’d done it in front of his parents. In front of many of his people, for that matter.
“So, are youcomingfor him?” Raven asked, chuckling. She repeated what Trinity had evidently said. “Are you keeping him until you’re done with him? Until he’s halfway civilized again?”
Honestly, right now, her gut was telling her to run from him. That he was the one coming for her, determined to figure out why she’d said those things. Why, as it had also been hinted at on Jade's journey, Trinity was hunting him, seeking him, then intended to keep him. None of it sounded like her. Not at all.
That is until the Forge began.
Since then, she started having not just unusual dreams but sensations she’d never had before. Some downright naughty, others more passive. Too passive. Like her dragon would roll over for his if given half a chance. Which irked her to no end. She might like to help men,fixthem as her sisters called it, but sherolled overfor no man. That sounded like the complete opposite of being dominant.
“You were lying,” Aunt Elsie exclaimed, cutting into her thoughts as she joined them. She frowned at the dagger Trinity tucked beneath her hoodie and gave her a wounded look. “First Jade, now you.” Her eyes rounded. “Youneverlie to me.”
“I know.” She hugged her aunt because she didn’t know what else to do. Aunt Elsie had taken such good care of her and her sisters over the years. She didn’t deserve to be lied to. “I’m so sorry.” She pulled back and dished out the sweet smile that usually got her out of trouble. “I just didn’t want to worry you.”
When her aunt’s brows shot up, Trinity knew she better come clean, so she told her what she’d just shared with Raven.
“Well, obviously, you’re supposed to have the dagger.” Aunt Elsie’s expression softened. “Or it wouldn’t have found its way to you next instead of a Sigdir.” Concern lit her eyes when she glanced at the ash tree that doubled as a time travel portal. “Not to say a Sigdir isn’t coming for it and by the sounds of it, not necessarily in a peaceable way depending on his personality at the moment.”
She had learned enough about Vicar’s two personalities to understand why her aunt worried. If his kind inner Sigdir was at the forefront, a side she could evidently bring to the surface easily enough, their initial greeting should go fine. If his Múspellsheimr side surfaced, the more primal one born of dragonkind’s homeworld, God only knows what might happen.
“At least he won’t be alone,” Aunt Elsie went on, referring to those following him. Not just Maya and Dagr, but Tor, who could generally balance Vicar. Considering the blade Loki had created was on the run, she wouldn't be surprised to see the god as well.
Aunt Elsie squeezed Trinity’s hand and looked between her and Raven with renewed concern before continuing. “I’ll admit I’m worried about how things will go at this point for you both.”
No doubt she was, given Trinity’s emerging issues and the fact Raven shouldn’t be left alone without one of her sisters. Sure, she seemed better lately, but she’d never been without them, so it was impossible to know what might happen. Especially without Trinity here to keep her in balance. Because that was what she had always done for her sisters. Evened out their negative and positive energy, so they stayed on an even keel.
Was she still capable of it, though?
“You’re that off then?” Aunt Elsie murmured, following her thoughts easily enough now that Trinity wasn’t blocking them to hide the blade. Her aunt’s brows pinched when she looked at her. “I’m sure Maya will be able to help when she gets here. She’s very powerful now.”
“I’m sure,” she agreed optimistically, determined to keep her aunt from worrying any further. In truth, she had a feeling this went beyond what Maya could do. It was something else altogether. Something her sister’s dragon wouldn’t recognize because it had always been asleep inside Trinity.
Not now, though.
Whatever it was had stirred awake and woke more by the hour. She caught mental glimpses of not just foreign places but of Vicar. Never him in his entirety. Just bits and pieces. Enough to know he was intimidating. His Múspellsheimr side was ruthless by nature. Craved violence and bloodshed. His Sigdir half was far more tempered. Quick to humor even. She might not have seen him when she possessed her sisters, but she’d felt him. Understood how conflicted and tangled he was. How drawn yet repelled by her he’d been.
Yet above it all, beyond his inner demons, was her unquestionable desire to untangle him. To, yes,fixhim.
She knew she should be frightened but wasn’t. Sure, she had flashes of fear, but they were always followed by a sense of certainty that she could fix Vicar like all the men before him. Because that’s also what she did. Helped broken men heal so they could enjoy a healthy relationship with whoever came after her. A given, considering she didn't stick around too long. There was no point when she inevitably got the craving to move on and help another.
“Move on,” she murmured, sensing something in that.
More so, suddenly feeling like she needed to get moving.
There was no time.
“What’s the matter?” Raven and Aunt Elsie asked at the same time. Both looked at Trinity with alarm moments before the ash tree whipped violently, appeared to go up in flames, and the ocean turned an angry black.
“He’s coming,” she whispered, sensing Vicar drawing closer. “And he’s mad.”
That’s all she got out before the world burst into flames, and she, at last, came face to face with him...or so she thought.
