CHAPTER 38

"You were all given a chance to surrender and seek forgiveness, but you didn't! You brought this on yourselves," Marcus hissed, than roared into a hysterical laughter, as behind them flew a massive black dragon, hidden in the pitch blackness of the dark night.

It's mouth opened wide as flames rolled out, straight onto Tyrone, as Trinity screamed. Turning to face her, Ryphonsus laughed, saying, "You didn't really think you could defeat me, did you? Your turn will follow soon." It flew over her and that's when she realized her entire house was engulfed in flames, everyone laying on the ground, burnt. Just as she turned around, she felt flames swallowing her... as she screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Trinity?" Someone called out. Suddenly, her entire body shook making her feel like she was on a roller-coaster and that voice... it felt so soothing, almost pulling her towards it. "Trin... wake up!"

Tyrone yanked back as Trinity shot up in a sitting position on the bed, eyes as big as saucers, breathing heavily and drenched in sweat. He knew she had been having a nightmare, but was it this bad? He felt fear and pain.

"Trin? You OK?" He managed to ask.

It took for a moment for Trinity to realize where she was and that sweet voice, that pulled her toward it... it was there again. She was sitting on her bed, wet as a pool and breathing as though she was running.

"Trin?" The soothing voice, she turned her face toward it, to find Tyrone standing by her, looking worried, his amber eyes searching hers.

"Ty?... Ty, you're alive!" She jumped on him and they were both wrapped in a bear hug, tears streaming down her face. "It was just a dream. Thank God."

"What happened?" Tyrone asked, after Trinity finally released him.

"I had the worst nightmare! Marcus was here; and so was he. He just burnt everything to the ground and laughed at me saying if I really thought I was strong enough to win, before... "she couldn't complete her sentence as she ran out of breath because she was talking so fast.

"Calm down, it's OK. We are all OK." Tyrone cupped her face in his hands and lifted it, looking into her big, brown eyes. "We will win this battle, I promise you." Their lips met and she instantly felt herself melt away, her worries a distant thought. "Why don't you go bath, and we'll have breakfast together."

The hot water calmed her nerves, while the lavender soap calmed her senses. She heard Tyrone's phone ring, and the opening and closing of the door. She knew he went out of their bedroom to take the call, which she was grateful for. No one would bother her bath.... "Trinity?" She thought too soon.

"Trinity?" Stacey's voice rang out in the room. "You there?"

"I'm in here," she called out. "In the shower. What's wrong?" Why couldn't she just bathe uninterrupted?

"Your mom is calling you downstairs," the other girl replied.

"I'll be there in a minute."

The breakfast table was layed out with a variety of dishes. There were sandwiches, cakes, cookies, sausages, eggs, bread and butter, jam, a variety of fruits, tea, orange juice, water, coffee and herbal teas.

"Wow, what's all this?" Trinity asked, looking at the table. "Don't tell me it's because you feel like this is our last breakfast as a family?"

Everyone stared at the dark haired girl.

"What??" The girl asked,confused.

"Mr King called," Tyrone said, entering the dinning area, distracting everyone. "He'll meet us here with some of his men, while the others will join later. He just said for us to try and move the fight towards the open area near... 'Upside-down Gardens'?" It came out more like a question, as he had never heard of such a place. At the mention of the place, he felt a surge of emotions... sadness, guilt, love... all tangled up. But why... Trinity!

Looking her way, he noticed tears pooling in her big brown eyes, and she was struggling it stop them from flooding down her cheeks.

"Rin, what happened?" Apparently he wasn't the only one who noticed. All eyes turned to her, making her feel uncomfortable. Tyrone wasted no time in getting to her side.

A hand wrapped around Trinity and she instantly calmed down; a little. The Upside Down Gardens; the name alone made Trinity travel back in time to the day she met her father.. his black hair, brown eyes, handsome face... she didn't even get to spend much time with him. He told her about a whole new world and couldn't even show it to her. She was left alone to figure out everything on her own. Had it not been for Tyrone, who, even when he thought she was annoying, saved her and took her to the castle, she would have been dead. Who knew the annoying boy would be the one to love her and guide through thick and thin. The ash blonde guy with amber eyes and a brown dragon, her mate.

"Rin?" Dorin's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "What's wrong?"

"You're really asking me what's wrong?" Trinity replied ironically. "Like you don't know."

"Trinity, honey, that's no way to talk to your mother!" Meredith said, shock evident in her voice. She had thought that after getting her witch powers, she'd be more at one with her and her daughter Dorin, but here she is, talking back like she didn't care for for her own mother, the woman who birthed her.

"Than ask 'my mother' what she did that day!... actually, don't bother... she probably has forgotten by now anyways," Trinity replied sarcastically.

"Trinity, I'm sorry for everything that I didn't do right, but it's time we talk like adults and get over any misunderstandings between us. I can no longer bear your hatred for me, especially when you insult me in front of everyone!" Dorin finally snapped. "I've always tried to do what's best for you..." "Best for me? Best for me?" Trinity screamed, putting an emphasis on 'me'. "All I ever wanted was a normal life like everyone else. To work and earn money for college so that no one would ever say 'oh, look at Trinity, living off of her parents money' but you threatened to close Cupidra's diner. Then all I ever wanted in my entire freaking life was to meet my father! But you never allowed me to, and when I finally met him, he was dragged by the police because of your insecurities. And when I finally did go with him, he died! If you would have let me at least meet him, I would have known enough about dragons and I... just might... have been ab.. able to.... to," floods of tears ran down her cheeks before she could finish her sentence. "All I ever wanted... was for you to understand me...mom! But you never even tried...if I had... I could have saved his life..."

"You wouldn't have been able to, Rin. Whatever you did wouldn't have been able to keep him alive. It was Alexandra who made the rule... " "To hell with Alexandra and her rules..."

"As I told you before, the father of the first born girl would be sacrificed as her first offering to the demon..." Dorin looked pained as she said this.

"You mean... I...I... " There was another kind of pain in Trinity's voice, as realization sank in.