Shine: The Knowing Ones (6 page)

She noticed his golden blue aura no longer encapsulated her. It did, however, remain strong and radiant around him. She had never seen energy like this; his whole countenance utterly enigmatic.

He sat down, unearthly blue eyes studying her. But far more noticeable was an overwhelming element of relief coming from him, as if the answer to a long sought question had finally been revealed.

All of
her
questions remained completely unaddressed.

“I’m Trin.”

“Yeah...” she said, still hearing the name in her head. “I mean, I heard your friend call out to you before.”

Trin laughed a little, tilting his head, a trace of amusement in his eyes.

She watched him as he continued to scrutinize her, and still, this feeling of relief radiating off him; a strange emotion to accompany a first meeting.

The band started another song and the volume went back up.
Damn it Vig!
She wouldn’t be able to hear a word he said. She attempted to read him, baffled by his aura. She could glean nothing from it; unreadable, impenetrable.

He broke her train of thought, calling out through the music. “Are you going to tell me your name?”

“Uh, Sam,” she shouted back.

He laughed, glancing down toward the stage, noting her inability to hear him. Her eyes rolled in agreement. This was the only time in her life she had wanted to kill Vig.

Trin smiled and held up a hand, scanning the club. Sam watched him, taking in his exotic eyes, textured hair, full mouth, eyes drifting to his broad chest, a black V-neck t-shirt hinting at concealed, sculpted magnificence.

He finally found what he was looking for. Raising a hand, he called out to one of the cocktail waitresses.

“What can I get you?” she shouted. Sam didn’t need a sixth sense to feel the girl’s sensual energy blasting Trin. If he was aware of it, he was politely ignoring it.

“Could I borrow a pen?” he replied, writing in the air, in case she hadn’t heard.

“Sure.” She dug through her apron pulling out a pen. “Can I get you anything else?”

Trin looked at Sam. She smiled and shook her head. “No, thank you,” he shouted.

The waitress handed him the pen and turned away, her aura blazing with envy.

Trin held up the pen, displaying his brilliant solution and grabbed a cocktail napkin.

Sam laughed.

She watched as his strong hand penned out the first of their written conversation. He wore an expensive diving watch. Her pulse raced into high gear as she noticed the time.

Three minutes past nine.

She gazed, stunned, and then looked back at him as he wrote.
Who was he?

He slid the napkin toward her.

She pulled it in, reading the words.

It’s nice to meet you, Sam.

She took in his handwriting; another extension of him, one more thing pulling at her. She took the pen, wrote her response, and slid it back.

Likewise, I’m sure
.

He smiled and took the pen for a quick reply.

Beautiful
and
clever.

Sam flushed.

He took the napkin back and began writing again.

So are you a student?

Sam took the pen and responded. She finished her reply and pushed it toward him.

Yes, I’m a dance major. How about you?

He paused—head cocked, expectant, then laughed a little and began writing his response, amusement once again illuminating his eyes. He pushed the napkin back.

Yes.

She read his curt response and glanced up, only to be stunned by a beautiful grin. She lowered her head, breathless, and began writing again. She passed the napkin back.

Not much for conversation?

He took the napkin, responded, and sent it back.

I am not my favorite subject.

She quickly scribbled her response.

So, what is...?

He read her reply and lifted his eyes. His gaze burned into her, a sensual, crushing heat passing through her body.

The music stopped and Vig could be heard announcing a break in the set. Right at that moment Trin’s intent gaze shifted from Sam to just behind her.

He leaned in. “I think you’re in trouble.”

Sam blinked and turned. Furious energy broke through the crowd of people as Anna charged their table.

“Anna!” Sam had been so consumed by the moment she could hardly remember which planet she was on, let alone where she was or who she had come in with. She jumped up from her chair to apologize when Anna caught sight of Trin. Her anger dissolved as an air of comprehension took its place. “Oh my—Sam...where did—”

“Shh!” Sam whispered, pushing Anna into the nearest alcove. “Be quiet! He’ll hear you!”

Anna looked at Sam and glanced around the thundering club. “He’ll
hear me?”

Sam shoved Anna further into the alcove, now staggering backward in heels, her long blonde hair bouncing against her bare shoulders as she tried not to sprain an ankle.

“Okay. Just shh!” Sam glanced back at Trin. “He is not your average guy.”

“Yeah, no kidding,” Anna replied.

She waited for a response and then stared at Sam in disdain. “You
do
know who you’re sitting with, Sam?”

Sam squinted. “What do you mean?”

Anna’s head dropped back in utter disbelief at her friend’s ability to tune out the rest of humanity. She extended a hand in Trin’s direction. “Sam, that’s Trin Kosolov, the Olympic gold medalist, like the greatest swimmer ever.”

Realization dawned on Sam’s face. She turned, looking in his direction, only to find him looking back at her. Her gaze dropped to the floor in shock.

“Sam, how can you
not know
that?” Anna said. “We’re not just talking epic Olympic status; he’s the sex God of the swimming world.”

Sam shook her head. “Anna, listen,” she said. “Do you remember the talk we had last night? How I said things were different here?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, last night I had this crazy dream,” Sam said. “I was in
this
club and there was this incredible light.” Sam looked back at Trin. “He’s the light.”

Anna stared.
“I’m sorry?”

Sam turned back to Anna, no reply.

“Your mystery light is Trin Kosolov, the Olympic legend.”

Sam shrugged, speechless.

Anna shook her head. “Oh, this just gets better every day.”

Sam had to agree. It was crazy. She recognized him now that Anna had pointed out who he was. But that was not at all what captivated her. His swimming status meant nothing in comparison to what she had witnessed.

“His energy is crazy,” Sam said, “and not because he’s an Olympian. I’ve never seen anything like this.” Sam grabbed Anna’s arms. “Anna, he has gifts like mine, only
way
more advanced. He used his mind to
pull me over to him,” she said. “I could see his energy searching for me.”

Anna stared, dumbfounded.
“Trin Kosolov?”

Sam nodded.

“What are you going to do?” Anna asked.

“I don’t know,” Sam replied. “But
he
has my answers.”

“Sure he does,” Anna huffed, “Trin Kosolov.
Why not?”

Sam grabbed Anna’s hand. “Here, come meet him.”

She pulled Anna over to the table. There he sat, in all his glory. He stood as they approached. Sam turned toward her friend. “Trin, this is Anna. Anna, Trin.”

“Nice to meet you, Anna,” he said.

“Hey,” she replied. She shook her head, gesturing toward him with both hands. “Trin Kosolov. You’re amazing.”

A humble smile crossed his face. “Thank you.”

“Sam had no idea who you were.”

Sam’s face dropped into her hands.

“Don’t take offense,” Anna added. “Sam lives in a bubble. She doesn’t know who anyone is.”

“Thank you, Anna,” Sam muttered beneath her hands.

Trin chuckled. “I can appreciate that.”

“I’m sure you can,” Anna replied. “Are you here alone?”

“Yeah,” he said, looking toward the door. “I was just recently abandoned actually.”

“Mind if we save you?”

“Please,” he said, gesturing toward the chairs. They all sat down.

“So,” Anna began. “What’s it like swimming with amateurs?”

Trin smiled. “You have a very good team here. They are far from amateurs.”

“They’re not
you
.”

Trin smiled. “No, but any one of them
could
be.”

Anna’s brow rose in skepticism. “Right.”

Trin changed the subject. “How about you?”

“I’m here on a track and field scholarship studying communications, and Sam is here because she is the greatest dancer in the world.”

Trin raised an eyebrow. “Really, the greatest?”

Sam gave a weak smile. “The greatest,” she said, glaring at Anna. “Those Olympic world records of yours, you got nothing on me.”

“I believe that,” he replied.

Anna grinned; her matchmaking instincts going into high gear. “She’s already danced all over the country; she’s done television spots. You’ll have to come see her sometime.”

Sam threw Anna a hard look. “Yeah or
not.
”

Trin unleashed his full attention on Sam. “I would love to see you dance.”

Sam could have felt Anna’s joy from a mile away. She was positively beside herself. Sam dug on a desperate search for strength. “So,” she said. “What do
you
study when you’re not busy clobbering the competition?”

“Physics.”

Anna’s grin got even bigger, if that was possible. “Physics, Sam,” she repeated.

“Hey Anna, why don’t you go attend to Vig? I’m sure he’s feeling neglected.”

Anna smirked. “Um okay, because the entire club’s population is fawning over him right now.”

Grand Master Sanchez had definitely captivated the club’s occupants, all but two.

Anna stood, so did Trin. “Well,” Anna said, “you two have a lovely night. I won’t wait up.”

“It was nice to meet you,” he said.

“It was great to meet you, Trin,” she said. “Take care of my girl.”

“I will.”

Anna turned to Sam with an exaggerated wink and disappeared into the raging crowd.

Trin sat next to Sam, rather than across from her as before, her heart racing at his close proximity.

“She gonna be okay out there?”

“Anna? Oh yeah,” Sam said. “She’s not really human. She’s actually Satan in ‘cute girl’ skin. You missed that, huh?”

Trin laughed, resting his elbows on the table. Again, he studied her. She wished he would stop. “Her boyfriend is actually the lead singer in the band,” Sam explained, trying to keep the conversation going. “She’s got all four of them, if necessary.”

Trin’s brow furrowed with mock intensity. “Impressive girl.”

“Truly.”

His gaze became serious. “You know, it would be nice to talk to you in a place where we could actually hear each other,” he said. “How did you get here?”

“I came with Anna.”

“Would she mind if I brought you home?”

Her heart raced. “Definitely not.”

He smiled. “Cool. Do you need to tell her?” he asked, pointing a thumb toward the dance floor. Sam’s attention shifted, barely hearing the question. Trin glanced back to find Sam locked in on his wrist and lowered his arm.

A beautifully crafted gold link chain hung there, expensive looking precious metal, almost regal.

Trin went silent. Sam reached out for a better look, taking his hand. A wall of euphoria leveled her. She glanced up at him, stunned. “Do you feel that?” she breathed.

He nodded once, jaw tight.

It all came flooding back. The energy she had felt in the dream was identical to what she felt emanating from Trin’s skin at that moment—as if she had always known him. For the first time living on campus Sam felt protected, safe—
home.
She gazed at his hand, beautiful, strong. So many things she wanted to say; so many questions. She held back. She barely knew him, although it didn’t feel that way at all. Shackled by his heavenly eyes, she forced herself to look away.
God, what is happening?

She lifted the chain in her fingers.

He stiffened, expression hard.

“This is beautiful,” she said.

“Thank you.”

Her fingers traced the links to a golden plate connecting the chain. She turned it, exposing the underside. Embedded in the gold was a brilliant red gemstone resting in the middle of an upside down triangle. Just above it were three elegantly engraved letters:

Т†Б†К

       
ВєдунЙ
  
  
хранитель

On either side of the symbol and stone were two words in the same foreign text. Trin’s energy went from apprehensive to heavily guarded. Sam felt the shift plain as day, fueling her intrigue.

“What is this?” she asked.

“It’s a family crest.”

“What language is this?”

“Russian.”

“You’re Russian?”

Trin nodded once. Sam held the beautiful chain between her fingertips. “When did you move to the U.S.?”

“When I was two.”

She continued gazing at the stone and inscriptions. “Do you speak Russian?”

“Yes.”

Sam lifted her eyes to his. “What does this say?”