“Well Vivi you are family we will always take your input into consideration, especially when it involves your blood.” Kaiden says
“Christian told me that Abby saw some of the boys a gray color. So I think we should pay attention to those ones a little more than the others. I also don’t really want them involved in the training until they are older and understand it. I don’t mind Mateo teaching them something like self-defense or like karate to learn discipline. But I don’t want them to have to fight their brothers. Hopefully this mess will be resolved by that time anyway.” Vivi says
“No they won’t be involved in that, but your older sisters will be required to go through the normal training that Charles does, if they want to be turned. I will want them to also learn with you and Christian on what Alexi and Gosha are teaching you, the healing and stuff.” Kaiden says
“I think they would really like that. It has been an eye opener for me. The things Aldrich told us and the things that we can really do are two different things. I am very glad I am being taught by true Blood Dragons.” Vivi said
“Well, the when and how of the turning is straightened out we just have one more thing to discuss, well maybe two. First, until I fully trust your older sisters I do not want discussion of the lost ones spoken in front of them. If we find one, we take it to the office. Second I would like to move Mateo and Mary down here tomorrow and the bigger kids in their rooms if that is ok with you. The older sisters can stay in their own rooms for now. Once Gosha and Alexi’s house is built, I will ask that two of your sisters share that room. I only ask this because I am hoping to have more survivors come in. And I would only have three rooms open. Now once the other floors are done we will of course have more, but if four came in tomorrow I would have people sleeping on couches.” Kaiden said
“I understand Kaiden you don’t have to explain it. I know there are a lot of us and it is a bit overwhelming. The older ones might even feel better if you moved them in the female barracks with having to do the training and all. It will also give them a break from being a constant babysitter to these ones. Then, when the bigger kids get older they would move down there too right?” Vivi asks
“Yes, I require them to move into the barracks once they reach sixteen, but only if they choose to be turned. Otherwise they stay at home until eighteen and then we usually all get together and build a house. Sometimes several live together in one house.” Charles says
“Ok well, I will ask the older four tomorrow after I talk to them. Now I have to ask, do you all mind if the little kids stay in the house. I don’t want to burden the families that already have children to take on more. We can move the big boys and girls into the rooms Mary and Mateo use tomorrow. But the babies they will have to continue being split up until they are old enough to move into the boy room or the girl room.” Vivi explains
“We already have a nursery in our suite and that is where the smallest baby is going tonight. Honestly I think after tonight, Zoe will want her to always sleep there. I don’t mind them being in the house, the sound of children laughing has always been a favorite of mine. We will have to baby proof the house, but I think we can manage. Any of you have a problem with the little ones sharing your room a couple nights a week?” Kaiden asks everyone in the room.
“Not at all, as long as there is a crib for the baby and smaller tots, we can manage. The chairs in our bedrooms are like a small daybeds anyway, so I know this little guy is going there.” Iraina says
“Good thinking. Alright I don’t know about you all, but I have a feeling this is going to be a long night. Babies in a new home with new people is going to be quite a challenge I haven’t had yet.” Kaiden says as he gets up to find Zoe. “Oh please tell your mates about the no talking thing and good luck tonight for those of you who took little ones.”
Kaiden finds Zoe in the rocking chair in the playroom. She is staring down at the baby fast asleep in her arms. Kaiden walks over to her and taps her shoulder. She glances up at him and smiles.
“Angel I think it is time to go upstairs. I will move the bassinet in our room so she isn’t far from you. But we also need to make sure we have everything in case she wakes up in the middle of the night. Diapers and stuff like that.” Kaiden says
“Right I forgot about all that, here take her and I will get it all before we go upstairs. A lot of the moms brought up diapers and bottles so let me go grab a few and we will go to bed.” She gently moves the baby into Kaiden’s arms and walks to the kitchen. Kaiden stands there cradling the small baby in his arms he now understands why Zoe was just staring at the little baby. She looked like an angel, so sweet and innocent.
Zoe comes back into the playroom and finds Kaiden in the same spot he found her in. He is sitting in the rocking chair staring at the baby. She taps him on the shoulder and he looks up at her. “I think you are going to have a fight on your hands for the pet name of angel. This little girl looks like the sweetest baby angel alive. How did he make something so beautiful and precious?” Kaiden wonders aloud
“Something beautiful and innocent can be made out of ugliness and hate, keeping it beautiful and innocent is the hard part.” Zoe says as she gestures for him to follow her. Kaiden walks slowly trying not to jostle the baby. Zoe laughs and tells him he can walk a little faster, that she won’t wake up. When they get to the suite they see that Marcus has a little guy fast asleep in his arms.
“Goodnight Daddy, you look good with a baby in your arms.” Zoe whispers
“Goodnight baby girl, Kaiden doesn’t look half bad with one in his arms either. But no rush now, we are all going to have our hands full for a while.” Marcus laughs and walks in his room.
Once they were in their own room, Kaiden hands the baby back to Zoe and he goes to the Nursery to grab the bassinet. He brings it in the bedroom and places it close to Zoe’s side of the bed. She lays the baby inside the bassinet and covers her with a small blanket. Zoe then sets a couple diapers and wipes on her nightstand with a change of clothing. Then she puts the bottles in the small fridge they have in their living room area. She walks back over to the bed and sits to look at the sleeping baby.
“Angel are you going to stare at her all night or come to bed yourself?” Kaiden asks
“Oh, sorry I just like looking at her.” Zoe blushes and gets up to go to the bathroom. She does her nightly routine and then climbs into bed. The baby makes a grunting noise and both Zoe and Kaiden jump to look to make sure she is ok. Once they see that she is fine they lie back down and snuggle into each other. Zoe never really knew she wanted a child until she held the baby in her arms. Until now the idea of children brought a smile to her face, but having held this little girl in her arms she knew that she wanted children.
“Kaiden I hope you want to fill all those rooms out there one day, because I really would like children. This little one has just proven that to me. For now I get to practice on her.” Zoe said with a smile. Kaiden kissed the top of her head.
“I would love nothing more than to have lots of babies and make you happy Angel. For now let’s enjoy this one and get some practice in.” Kaiden whispered
The night went smoothly not one babies woke up in the middle of the night. The toddlers were a different story though. They gave the ones who took them quite a fight to go to sleep, but once they were out they slept sound. Someone must have called Marjorie last night, because there were bags upon bags on the front porch full of clothing for the kids and the four older sisters, a shipment of toys had also arrived and were all on the front porch. Marjorie must have thought ahead as there were portable cribs and playpens, there were also loads of diapers in all sizes and just all around things you would need for a baby.
Kaiden and Gabe were the first downstairs with their happy ladies and smiling babies. They found the stuff on the porch and were bringing it all inside when people started coming downstairs. Breakfast was being served as the clothing was being separated and handed out. A couple smaller tables were brought in and se
t up behind the huge dining table for all the children. Abby and Ben decided to sit with all the kids and Abby was very happy to have more kids in the house. The older sisters came out of their room in new clothing and joined everyone at the table. They were very quiet and timid at first. So were most of the older children. Zoe and Justine still had the babies they took last night in their arms while they ate.
“You two will be very good mothers one day.” Rosa said
“Why do you say that?” Justine asked. She had the baby in one arm and was eating with the other like it was second nature to her. Zoe was doing the same.
“Look at yourself Justine, you too Zoe. Not many women who aren’t already mothers can do what you are doing right now.” Monica said. Rosa and Monica both had the babies they took last night sitting in their laps.
“Marcia do you know the ages and names of the kids, because I don’t think I know this little ones name.” Zoe asked
“Lily is four months she is the one you are holding. She has Jacob he is five months.” She pointed to Justine. “You have Shane he is seven months.” Marcia pointed to Rosa. “You have Landon he is six months.” She pointed to Monica. “And you have James, he is fifteen months old.” Marcia pointed at Iraina
“Oh Marcia I am so sorry. I didn’t introduce everyone. I am Zoe and this is Kaiden. That is Justine and Gabe, Vivi you know and her mate Christian, Tia and John.” Zoe went down the table telling the names of everyone. In turn everyone nodded their heads at the girls.
“I am Marcia as you all know now. This is Raquel, Samantha, and Megan.” Marcia said, pointing to her sisters that were next to her.
“It is very nice to meet you ladies.” Monica said
“I wanted to thank you all for giving us a break from the little ones. It has been quite a week on the boat with all of them. I was shocked to have not heard a peep out of any of them all night.” Megan says
“Oh honey I can’t imagine, but we came up with a plan last night that might give you more of a break.” Rosa said
“Well, first can we share the good stuff with them? And then tell them the offers?” Vivi asked
“The floor is yours Vivi.” Kaiden says
“Well first there are some things we found out, I will tell you all of them later, but the most important one, I think you should know is the very last one. Well the first one too. Well our father has put the race of all Dragons into extinction. Every one of us at this table has quite a story, and none too happy because of Aldrich. Well, because of him we have all come together and are a family here, first and foremost. But the good news is that since we are facing extinction the half-bloods, you guys, if you choose to be turned. There is a chance you will have a soul mate and you will be able to have children. Your children won’t be able to be turned, but they will have the strength and feel of a full blooded Dragon.” Vivi says and looks at her sisters shocked and hopeful faces.
“Now the offer, let me tell you before you decide. Here they do things a certain way. In order to be turned you have to go through training. You will be moved into the barracks with all the other half-bloods and will begin schooling and whatever other training Charles does to determine you to be fit to be a Dragon. But, because of where all of us came from, meaning us being Aldrich’s kids. You will not be turned until you are twenty two and you do this training. So if you want to be turned your training starts today and you will move to the barracks.” Vivi says very bluntly
Chapter 21
Children
“So what you are saying is if we want to be turned, we have a choice?” Raquel asks
“Yes. You will not be forced to be a Dragon here. As a half-blood you can choose to live as a human the rest of your life, or be turned into your Dragon. There are quite a few families here that chose a family over their Dragon. But, with the new changes, like the ladies in the house for example, they didn’t want to be Dragons because they wanted families. Now that they know they can have that, after being turned, they chose to turn.” Vivi says
“If we choose to turn, are you going to force us to do your bidding? Make us kill or heal people we don’t want to?” Megan asks
“Absolutely not! Alexi and Gosha will train you to be a real Blood Dragon. The good and the bad and everything you can do with your abilities. I will never force you to do anything. I may be King here and she may be the Queen, but the most important thing is, we are a family. All I ever wanted growing up was a large family. I want the laughter in the house, I want everyone to be happy here, and I want you all to live the lives you want. I don’t want anyone to want for anything other than their happiness and freedom. I just want you all to live and be happy.” Kaiden tells them.
“So we would move down there if we choose, what about the kids?” Megan asks
“You have raised most of these kids already right? Here you will not be forced to raise your brothers and sisters, unless you want to. I know you have never been able to choose anything for yourselves. I know there is a piece of you that feels you have to be what he forced you to be. But I also know there is a part of you that resents everything he made you do. So yes, make a selfish choice. The kids will all live here when they are sixteen, they will choose. You don’t have to worry about them they are now the family’s responsibility and not yours. No one here is going to judge you if you choose to train and become a Dragon or stay a human. We are all telling you the choice is yours.” Vivi tells the girls
“Will they hate us because of who are father is down there?” Raquel asks
“You know I thought the same thing. The ones sitting at this table are the ones that were hurt by him the most. The half-bloods, they know what he is doing, but they have always lived here so they haven’t seen it. Maybe you guys should all share your stories and then they can make their choices. But I am telling you now, if anyone was going to judge and hate you, it would be this table and these people. Look around, whose babies are they already in love with? Whose children are they bringing into their home and sharing their love with? That alone should show you everything you have been told by him is wrong. They are not evil and they are not out to kill us. They are the most loving people who just want to live that I have ever met.” Vivi says
“I would like to hear your stories before I decide. I think it might help me choose. I have lived on the camp my whole life. I was in the cave when you all took Marcus. The way you came in and did it kind of proved my father right. So I am a little skeptical.” Marcia says
“Alright we can do that, I think little ears should probably go outside and play. Ben are you guys all done eating?” Kaiden asks
“I think we all are.” Ben replies
“Can you take all the kids outside and down to the training area and we will all be down in a little bit. There are lots of other kids there who would like to meet you all.” Kaiden says
“It’s alright, we will be down there too in a little bit we just need to talk.” Marcia tells the kids who are a little hesitant to go.
“Lucy, can you take all the toddlers to the playroom with a couple of the other girls? The babies should be fine here, most of seem to be passed back out after eating anyway.” Zoe asks
As the kids file out the door and Lucy gathers all the toddlers to go play in the playroom, Carmine starts telling his story. They were already late for training, but Kaiden felt this was more important. After the guys shared their stories they went out to train. By the time all the stories were told only the women with babies in their arms and some men were left at the table, the rest went down to keep on schedule.
“I didn’t know they did all that when they went out. I knew he needed a Pearl to change us, but I honestly didn’t know he killed everyone.” Samantha said
“We don’t know how many have survived his attacks. We know we are safe here within the border. We know he doesn’t know how to find us. We also know that if we don’t stop your brothers and your father, that we will never be able to leave this mountain.” Zoe says
&nb
sp; “I want to turn.” Megan says
“Me too.” Raquel says
“Count me in.” Samantha says
“I don’t want this life. I don’t want to be a Dragon and I don’t want to live like this. I would rather be a normal human and choose to go to school and learn and have a real life I got for myself.” Marcia says
“And that is your choice. But if you leave here we cannot protect you.” Vivi says
“I can handle my brothers if I run into them. I am sorry to do this, but I didn’t ask to be born into this. I hate him for what he did to you all and me, but I can’t live like this anymore. I don’t ever want kids, I don’t want a man. I just want to be alone.” Marcia says
“So you want to leave?” Kaiden asks
“Yes.” Marcia says
“We will not hold you here against your will, but I do ask that you let me help you in any way I can.” Kaiden asks
“What do you mean?”
“I would like to give you some money to help you on your way. It is not safe for you to stay here in this country. You will be on the run for some time. So I would like to help. I do not wish to see harm come to you.” Kaiden says
“You are really going to leave us Marcia?” Raquel asks
“Look I know dad is evil now, I know I hate him for that, but I cannot stay with anyone who is going to kill him and my brothers. I just don’t want to know all that. And I would know he was dead once it was safe to leave here. So yes, I am choosing to leave. I am twenty and I have never done anything but raise kids and cook. If I choose to stay it’s to do what? Stay here and hope for a man to love me? To have babies and do the same damn thing I have done all my life? NO! I want more I want a real life for myself. I don’t want someone to pity love, me or love me because something tells him he has to. I don’t want to be little Betty homemaker and talk about what recipes I am going to share. I can’t believe you guys are actually staying too. You have had the same life as me, don’t you want more?” Marcia asks
Second Chances (The Extinct Race Series) Page 18