Zoe and Justine are looking at each other panicked. They both know they need to go out, but they don’t want to leave the babies. Mimi comes over and taps Zoe on the shoulder. “I will take good care of her for you. Just give me your shirt so she smells you.”
“How do you know that will work?” Zoe asks confused
“My mama did it when he called her to the house, she would be gone a couple days and if one of us wore her shirt it would calm her. Just trust me.” Mimi said
Zoe had a camisole on underneath her shirt, she placed Lily in her lap and she slid the shirt off and onto Mimi, and then handed Lily over to her. Justine did the same with her shirt and handed little Jacob over to another one of the girls. They both ran upstairs and stripped and threw a robe on. Only Kaiden and Gabe were on the lawn when they exited the house.
“We didn’t want to leave without you.” Gabe said
“So sweet, let’s go.” Justine said
They shifted and immediately flew off. Kaiden and Zoe stayed together as they flew. Zoe decided to stop and hover high in the air. She turned all around and then spotted something in the distance. There was a light flickering in the distance to the west in the forest. There was a pattern to the flashing and she started to drift in that direction. Kaiden followed and spotted the light himself.
Everyone to the west, there is light flickering in the forest. Kaiden said to the other Dragons through their minds.
All the other Dragons started towards them in the distance. Zoe spotted the jeep but no patrol. She swooped down to the jeep and saw the men under the jeep. She shifted and stood there staring at the men and the light.
“Hey why are you under there?” She asked as she felt the pull of several Dragons. “Oh!” She said. She looked up to Kaiden still in the air in Dragon form. “Lots of them babe. Maybe twenty.” She yelled at Kaiden.
“Sorry Zoe, but we didn’t know who it is and well the radio broke, so we just stayed where I knew you would find us.” These were young men. “We haven’t turned yet so we didn’t know what to do.” He said
“No you are good, go ahead and head back to the barracks and check in. We can all handle this.” She said to him and then shifted back into her Dragon. She flicked her head in the direction of the light and moved towards it.
Kaiden, Zach and Halina had landed next to Zoe and they all shifted. Charles and Sebastian were right behind them.
“I will go and see.” Charles said. He shifted back into his Dragon and walked past the border. You couldn’t really hear anything, but a couple minutes later a naked human Charles was walking back through the border. “They saw the website Jaco made and took the hint, there are fourteen here, all full-bloods looking for safety. My King and Queen if you will join me, there is no harm. Ask Christian.” He said pointing up to the bright red Dragon hovering above them. Christian snorted and nodded his head. Kaiden and Zoe laughed and crossed the border.
Beyond the border were f0urteen adults, very tired and worn looking. Some had bags of things and others just had the clothes on their backs. They all smiled when a very naked Kaiden and Zoe joined them. Zoe smiled back at them. “I must tell you before you say your fealty and join us. We have lots of children in the house. They are our enemy’s children. They are innocent in this fight, so if you cannot live with that, then I need to know now. We are a family here not a dictatorship. We love these kids and they are as much victims in this war as we are.” Zoe told them. No one said anything in rebuttal.
Charles nodded at the crowd and as one, they all took a knee and vowed fealty to Kaiden and Zoe.
“So would you like to join us in flight back to the house? We have plenty of room and food and clothes for you. The house is loud and not always clean, but it is our home and yours now too.” Zoe said.
Then she jumped and shifted flying back through the border. The group gasped and ran after her. One by one they shed their dirty clothing and shifted. There were three women who did not shift. They stood and looked up at three different Dragons and the three Dragons were staring back at the women. Zoe noticed and shifted back human. She walked over to the women and giggled. “How do you ladies feel about second chances?” One woman looked at her confused and Zoe laughed. She looked up at the guys and yelled out. “Jaco, Carmine, Paulo, how about you fly down here and give them a ride. You guys deserve second chances too you know.” Zoe laughed again and shifted. She flew off leaving the men to do whatever they were going to do, either stare all night or bring them back to the house.
Chapter 23
Share and Tell
As they entered the house Lily and Jacob both were the only ones crying. Zoe and Justine both ran to scoop them up and calm the babies. Their little ones were hungry and the bottles were being made. Zoe sat back in her seat at the table and began to feed Lily. Justine did the same and soon everyone was taking seats. The other half of the table was left empty and as everyone came in they took seats at the table too. Jaco and Carmine walked in, hand in hand with two women and Paulo was right behind carrying his woman into the room. They all sat and looked to Zoe and Kaiden.
“I am so glad you found us. Please take a seat and make a plate. We will do all the talking first anyway.” Kaiden chuckled. “Let me first address the second chance safe fail to you all. As you are all looking at our men and seeing them quite friendly with the women. Well, almost a month ago now Zoe and I found a journal. It was from basically our creator. In this journal there were some fail safes she put into the spell to make us. In the face of extinction she made it possible for Dragons who lost their mates to possibly have a second chance and be given a new soul mate to share their lives with. As you can see that is what is happening here. We have already witnessed it with Marcus and Iraina here. They are second chance mates as well. Please don’t let it scare you, just go with it, there is nothing wrong.” Kaiden says
“Now, what we like to do when we get new people is have a bit of share and tell. But first please let me put a movie on for the children and have them out of ear shot.” Kaiden says. Everyone at the end of the table nodded and smiled. Kaiden ushers all the kids into the movie area and put on a movie he hopes they will all like. Some of the older boys ask if they can go to their room to play games and Kaiden allows them to go. He walks back to the table and sits. The newcomers are all making their plates and eating. One couple in particular, Kaiden can tell they are Onyx they are staring towards the movie area.
“We only do this share and tell so that you can know us. We are a family here, Zoe and I may be the King and Queen, but we do not order anyone about. Ok well except children now of course. I only have two rules. One, we act as a family here and two you train with us. I will not ask you to fight ever, but I will ask that you learn to protect yourself. If you wish to fight with us, we fight as one. I will not sit here and let you go alone. Zoe and I will both be right there with you.” Kaiden says “Now I will tell you my story and the rest of us will share theirs.”
Forty Five minutes later Zoe was finishing her story. Lily was fast asleep in her arms and the baby gave her strength to tell the story without tears for the first time. It was now the newcomers turn to share and tell. The whole time they spoke the Onyx couple stared at the other side of the house.
“I am Conner and this is Delany my soul mate. We have never really been in a Sect and just kind of wandered the world. We are Water Dragons, so we were in the ocean most of the time and on deserted islands. That is kind of our favorite thing to do. We haven’t been able to have children yet, but we sort of figured out why when we came back to mainland about ten years ago. There was a Sect in Spain that we would check in with. Their house was burnt to the ground and nothing was left. There were flowers everywhere in the ash. So we decided to go to our parents Sects and check on them, there we found the same thing. So we were in the water again trying to keep safe. We ran into Bristol and Harley a week ago and they said they saw a website and were headed here to check it out. So we came too. We love the water, bu
t sleeping in a bed sounds really nice.”
“I am Bristol and this is my soul mate Harley, we were in a Sect in Peru when we learned of the raids and murders. We are also Water Dragons so we fled that night and went to the water. We saw and felt them come. We saw everything from the water. All we could do was swim away. We were doing much the same thing as Conner for years. A week ago we were at an internet café looking for others. It kind of gets lonely out there alone. Anyway, we see this silly site and we caught on real quick. We jumped back in the water and made our way here. Found them on the way and they came too.”
“I am Adam and this is Aubrey, my soul mate, Cassie over there was in our Sect too and we all fled together. We are all Earth Dragons. We would spend our nights in the ground and walk aimlessly during the day, just trying to stay alive. Ten years ago we got lazy and they cornered us in Texas right in the open. They knew we would turn to ash though so they attacked. They got Cassie’s mate and we had to pull her away and run like hell. From then on we have stayed in the mountains, deserted places. Every once in a while we would go into the small town that was nearby. We too, found this website a week ago and slowly made our way here.”
“I am Colby and this is Makayla, We were wanders too. We are Fury’s so we liked to fight and well the King of our original Sect didn’t like that too much. So we left. We did a lot of the underground fighting. One day we went to check in and from a distance we saw it all happen. The huge red Dragon on the steps of the house just touching and killing anyone that went to get free. The half-bloods he had lighting the house on fire and others spraying it with their guns. No one inside had a chance. We wanted to fight, but what can you do against a gun? So we have been wandering since. We ended up at some fights in Wyoming and there was lots of talk of a tiny little thing of a girl taking out grown men, and her man who was just tall and skinny, but he could take on three men at once. We knew then what you were and we asked. They all said you just disappeared one day. But your trainer man left a trail, so we followed it. We ran into these Water Dragons and everyone else in the Forest about a day ago.”
Kaiden and Zoe both noticed that the Onyx couple kept staring towards the movie area and fidgeting in their chairs. They sat very rigid like they were going to run away at any moment. Their eyes were wide and hopeful with a mix of fear in them.
“I am Aidan and this is Piper, first I want to ask you something. There is a very familiar pull here and well is our Abby here?” he asked
“She is yours?” Justine asks
“Oh! She is alive? She is well? How did you find her? We have been looking everywhere. Oh my god please let me see my baby!” Piper cries
“Abby! Ben!” Justine calls. Ben comes around the corner holding Abby’s hand. “Abby honey, what color bubbles do they have?” Justine asks
“Huh? They are a very bright purple. That’s my favorite color. I never knew the color but, it was always in here.” She points to her head
“Sweetie I think this is your real Mommy and Daddy. You love that color because it was their bubbles that put it in your head. Do they feel different to you?” Justine asks
“Yep they feel like cupcakes, the warm fuzzy feeling you get in your tummy from eating one. They feel like that. My Ben, he feels like hot cocoa, because it just makes you feel right.” Abby says
“Oh! She has her mate?” Piper cries
“Yes, we knew when Ben showed up that he must have a mate. I had a lawyer friend of ours find her for me. I wanted to surprise Ben and well make him a happy kid. The lawyer found her on a site that well, I will tell you about later. She was never harmed though. She was just raised by a very mean lady. Your little girl here though, sees bubbles around people. Bright is good dark is bad and gray. Well I think can go either way. Apparently you are bright purple.” Kaiden laughs
“May I hug you honey?” Piper asks
“I would likes that very much.” Abby says
Piper scoops her up and hugs her for a very long time. Aidan joins them and he cries for a while. They gather themselves back together and allow Ben to take Abby back to the movie.
“Thank you Kaiden, you don’t know what you just did for us, but I am eternally grateful to you. Well again, I am Aidan and this is Piper. We were in a Sect, but once the killing started we went into the mountains and into caves. When Piper became pregnant we were very hopeful it was all over. We went into the city to find a place to live and have the baby. When she went into labor we went to the hospital and when we left a day later they were waiting for us. They didn’t kill us though. They electrocuted us and took Abby. We must have been out for a while because we both woke up in hospital beds. We immediately panicked and went to find our baby. She was just gone though, we couldn’t feel her anywhere. We traveled at night and went all over the US and Mexico. We didn’t want to leave the states because that is where we lost her. Two weeks ago we found the site you all made. We broke into the library at night to search on their computers. We wrote it all down and a week ago we kind of gave up hope of finding her and started making our way here.”
“Glad you found your little girl man. I am Brice, Ava over there was my brother’s mate and we are Fire Dragons. We all traveled together when we escaped from the raid on our Sect. We have been living near the volcanoes in Hawaii for the last ten years. We found that to be a very safe spot. Too hot for other Dragons and half-bloods. But like others we got lazy and we were cornered late one night while we were getting supplies. We started to feel them and then we heard the shots. My brother and my mate were behind us so they took the hits first. Ava and I barely got away and we were able to make the volcano explode and cover our tracks. We haven’t gotten lazy in the last eight years. She is like my sister and right now I am very glad for this second chance thing. Ava deserves it very much. Well a week ago we see a kid playing on this funny little Dragon website on the beach. Ava asked to see it and the kid let her. Now here we are.”
“I guess that just leaves me, I am Shiloh obviously Water Dragon. I lost my soul mate twenty years ago in the raid on our Sect. We had only just found each other about a month before. I escaped through the tunnels under the house. It led to the river and I just swam away. I lived in the water in the day and came out at night to eat and do whatever. It actually feels good to be human again and be able to talk to people. Well a couple days ago I saw the site and came straight here. I ran into all these guys in the forest. Thanks for the tips to the forest too, I am such a mess. I wouldn’t want people to see me wandering the streets. Also I feel much safer because they are out again. I found them in Alaska. I go there from time to time in the water and watch them. A few weeks ago the place just emptied overnight. He is there though with some of his kids.”
John and Sebastian’s heads snap to Kaiden. The question was written all over their faces. Vivi noticed “Guys no. He would feel you coming and that place is a death trap. You would be dead before you made it past the gate. Trust me please. We need to call him out of there and get him on open ground.” She says
“You are training to go after him?” Makayla asks
“Yes, we are all tired of living in fear. But our first job is to locate the lost ones. We are calling them that because they are the last to be born of our race. Some know some don’t. Most were put into hiding and given to people to keep them safe, we hope. And others were taken like Abby and Christian and placed somewhere for someone to find. Either way we have to find them first. We know where the Fire male is going to be and some of us are leaving in a week to get him and bring him here. We have enough Intel that the last children born each had a mate. Most sent letters to my mother and told her what they were doing. And from the letters we gathered that all seven races each had a pair of mates born and they were hidden. We are the Pearl set, we thought Justine and Gabe were the last, but obviously it is Abby and Ben. Then we have Vivi and Christian and we also have Tia and John. So we need Fire, Water and the Earth children still. Then we will have the children of all seven races h
ere.” Kaiden explains
“I am sure now that you have eaten, that you would like a shower and stuff. We need a bit of time to get all the kiddos to bed and baths. Now the biggest thing first, ladies are you comfortable rooming with your new mates or would you like your own room?” Kaiden asks
“Nah, we can share with them, if they will have us.” Cassie says
“Alright Piper and Aidan, Abby pretty much sneaks to Ben’s room every night so would you like to be close to her and take her room? We can have a larger bed brought up and the cribs moved out.” Monica asks
“I think we would like that, yes.” Piper says
“Ok then, Brice I will give you the last open room down the hall on the left side of the house. All you other couples there are six suites on the right side hallway and you may have your pick. We have had tons of clothing delivered over the weeks so all the closets are stocked with men’s and women’s clothing. You ladies going with the men, I will have Zoe and Justine gather some clothes and have the guys bring them over to you. If you could be back to those couches in about an hour and I will then tell you about the journal and the fail safes.” Kaiden says
“Sounds good.” A couple of couples respond
“Monica will you lead Piper and Aidan upstairs? And we will get the kiddos. And any and all help is appreciated.” Kaiden says
Zoe takes little Lily upstairs and gives her a bath and another bottle. Halina and Iraina have four toddlers and are giving them baths and putting them to bed in the room they made for them. Vivi had wrangled a TV for the girls room and tells them all they can quietly watch a movie in their room, but only as long as they are ready for bed and in their beds. She tells the boys the same thing and she leaves to help Tia and John wrangle the three toddlers they decided to take tonight into a bath. Monica and Rosa each took a baby and are busy putting them to bed. Piper asked if she could help with one and took a baby into her room. There was already a crib in there. Three of the ladies in the house took the last three babies left and the other three took the toddlers. Justine went to lay little Jacob down.
Second Chances (The Extinct Race Series) Page 20