"Well I’m glad you are safe and no one was hurt. Trouble just follows you everywhere when it comes to fire." She laughed
"Hey it’s been like ten years since I burned something down. Now I just play with it." He teased
"Well since you’re early, you want to watch a movie with me? I went and got some new ones." She asked
"Sure mom, I got nothing else going on."
"Well I know you don't like hanging out with old ladies, but I would like to hang out with my son." She teased
"Yeah because you’re ancient and all, come on mom show me what movies you got and I’ll make some popcorn."
His mother always joked about being old, but in truth she has looked the exact same to him since he could remember. She had the same auburn hair as his and it didn't go grey like women her age were supposed to. He was twenty one now and she was at least fifty, but she didn't look a day over twenty five and all his friends teased him about it. The guys that worked the fair loved when she came around. She never paid any attention to other men though.
Donny made the popcorn and his mother showed him the three movies she got. Apparently one was a comedy, the other an action movie, and her favorite type a scary movie. They sat on the couch and popped in the scary movie first. It was the longest and they always saved the comedy for last.
Chapter 26
Fire Starter
Colby and Sebastian felt the heat of the fire as soon as it started and knew that it was not a normal fire. A figure ran fast, faster than a human to the parked cars, he waited though until other people ran to their cars and started to leave in a panic. Sebastian looked to Makayla and Camilla and pointed two fingers to his eyes and then with the same hand pointed it out to Kaiden and Zoe with one finger. Camilla nodded. She knew that was the "Watch them" signal. Makayla also saw the gestured and whispered "we will watch them, find the location and meet us at the vehicles." She knew that even with the screaming and chaos going on around them that Colby and Sebastian would hear her. Sebastian and Colby followed the cars and Makayla and Camilla made their way to the other group.
The cars were in panic mode and Sebastian and Colby went off of feel alone running on foot. The pull would show them the right car to follow. As the panic of the drivers subsided and the cars started to go at a normal pace they spotted the one they were after. He was still driving a little faster than everyone else so Colby and Sebastian picked up speed. Right now they looked like they were just two friends on a night time run. They had to let the car get a bit ahead of them so the feel of the pull wouldn't make him keep going, but they could still see him. They ran for about an hour following at a distance as the car slowed to a normal pace and then cut down a street. Sebastian cut down the next street he saw and Colby follow straight to turn on the road that the car did. Sebastian put a burst of speed in just in case the car turned again.
Sebastian was about three miles off and couldn't feel a thing, but he recognized the car parked on the street. He got a little closer and felt the tiny pull of two dragons and he stepped back. He knew the location. He ran back the way he came and spotted Colby running towards him.
"Two of them down that street, I only stepped in enough to get the feel and then right back out." Sebastian told him
"I did the same thing. I didn't want to spook them. I hope they were preoccupied, hopefully they didn't feel the tiny pull and leave before we come back." Colby said
Both men run in and out of buildings as fast as they could. After a while they felt the pull of the others and ran in that direction. Staying in the shadow of the building helped them put on the Dragon speed and not be noticed. As they neared the vehicles a tiny wave of another and it put them on alert. They knew this pull was a half-blood, they weren't close, but if they could feel him he would be feeling them shortly. Colby and Sebastian rounded the corner where the vehicles were parked and everyone was outside of the SUV's. They didn't appear to be on alert, so obviously the half-blood was in the other direction. Once the group spotted Colby and Sebastian they jumped in the vehicles and pulled away once Colby and Sebastian were inside.
"So you found him then?" Zoe asks
"Yep and there are two of them, so the other must be his mate or his mother." Colby said
"Well we need to bring the others food and then we will get Carmine's take on what he wants to do." Kaiden says
"So he set the fire to get away? I wonder what that was about." Zoe asked
"Obviously he didn't want us following him. He was driving like a bat out of hell, even after all the other cars slowed down. He didn't start to slow until right before the turn to his place." Sebastian said
They all get back to the plane and let the other's eat before they tell them anything. Carmine is very impatient and keeps begging them to spill any information they gathered. He finally eats everything he chose to eat and sits there staring at them. Kaiden tells them about their day at the circus and then about the show,that his nephew put on. He tells Carmine that Donny makes it look like he uses alcohol and other things, but that the fire is different and only a Dragon would know Dragon fire. To a human it looks the same, but to a Dragon the flame is more red than orange and it is hotter that a normal fire too.
"Sebastian and Colby found where he is staying by following him. He set his whole tent on fire to get away and tried to blend it with everyone else. Anyway, there are two Dragons there. We are not sure if it is his mate or your sister. We are leaving it up to you and what you want to do next Carmine." Kaiden tells him
"Well I am not really sure, if it is his mate then they know and might come. The way he set the fire and then tried to blend in makes me think he doesn't know what he is. I mean the pull gives us away, so why would he try to blend in? Then he went on with the show, like he wasn't afraid. This leads me to believe that the half-bloods have yet to find him." Carmine says
"So then you are thinking that it is his mate up there? Because your sister would have told him right? He would know all about everything and what he is. But then if it was his mate you would think that they know what they are by now." Zoe thought aloud
"You know what if it is his mate and they think they are the only ones or they haven't done the deed yet." Ava says
"Either way do we go tonight or in the morning?" Sebastian says
"I would like to sleep on it, but I know I don't want to go now. We scared him off and so if we do anything it will be early tomorrow morning." Carmine says
"That is fine I am a little tired anyway." Zoe says and she turns and snuggles into Kaiden.
They all snuggled up with their mates and soon everyone but Colby was asleep. He stayed up to keep guard. He and Sebastian both felt that half-blood and didn't want to take any chances. Someone had to be awake in case they felt the pull. Sebastian and Colby had both shared the information with their mates and Tia and John. They wanted them to be ready in case a fight broke out.
In the morning they woke early and got ready to go meet Donny. Carmine and Ava decided to come on this trip. Ava had convinced Carmine that she could handle anything that came up and that she wanted him to be there when they told his nephew. They all wore the vests again and hid their weapons on themselves. Sebastian had told them all that they needed to be ready for anything, just in case.
Once they were all ready to go, they got into the SUV’s and followed the route that Donny had driven. As soon as they started to feel the pull they parked the two vehicles and got out. Carmine and Ava stayed with Kaiden and Zoe as well as Christian and Vivi. Colby and Makayla went around the block and would circle around from the left. Sebastian and Camilla went to do the same on the right. Tia and John decided they would be the ones to go straight with the others. It was very early in the morning and the sun was just peeking its bright head above the hills.
As they approached the car the pull was very strong and they were able to pinpoint that they were in the little pharmacy that was across the street. Tia and John went around either side of the building and Ka
iden and Zoe went to the front door of the store. Christian and Vivi stayed in the street waiting with Carmine and Ava.
“There is a staircase back here that leads to an apartment upstairs. I think that is where they are.” Kaiden heard the whisper of John come from the back of the store.
“You guys heard that right?” Kaiden asked the others
“Sure did.” Carmine answered
Kaiden and Zoe started to make their way around the back and the others followed. As soon as they made it to the bottom of the stairs the top floor went up in flames. The windows at the front of the store exploded at the same time. John and Tia ran to the front as Colby and Makayla were running towards them. Camilla and Sebastian were running to Kaiden and Zoe from the other direction. Everyone was standing there stunned for a moment, trying to figure out what was happening.
“Carmine put the fire out!” Zoe hissed at him
“Right.” Carmine said coming out of the daze.
Shouting came from the front of the building. The group ran to the front of the store and found Donny and the woman in a circle of flame. Carmine and Ava stayed in the back, working on putting the fire out. The woman was screaming at Colby and John to back away. Donny held her close to his side and away from the flames. They both appeared very scared. As the woman noticed the others come around the side she panicked and the wall of flame grew higher. The woman was screaming for help and at Donny to run away, but he was not leaving this woman.
“We are not here to hurt you. We are here to help you, to take you somewhere safe.” Zoe yelled out.
“You are working for him! You turned against your own like he has!” The woman hissed
“No we are against them as much as you are. We are simply trying to find everyone that is left and alive before he does. He has sent his sons back out and they are hunting everyone left.” Kaiden told her
“I don’t believe you. You only want to kill us. I won’t let you do that. I won’t let you take my son away from me.” She screams
“We are here to save you both. Look at me, look into my eyes and you will know I speak the truth.” Zoe said
The woman looked into each of their eyes. The wall of flame still stayed high and Donny still held his mother tightly to him. Carmine and Ava were now coming around to the front. Carmine immediately put the flames around Donny and his mother out.
“How did you do that?” Donny asked
Carmine’s head whipped up from his concentration and he just stared at Donny for a moment before his eyes landed on the woman.
“Cara. You’re alive.” Carmine whispered
“Carmine?” The woman said as her body relaxed a bit
“Mom, what the hell, you know him? But the feeling….you said they were here to kill us.” Donny stammered
“Donny I am your uncle Carmine. Last time I saw you, you were just a tiny little thing.” Carmine says
“All my family is dead. Mom is he serious?” Donny asks
“Yes Donny he is my brother. But I thought he was dead.” Cara whispers
Carmine walks over and pulls Cara into his arms. As they are all standing watching Cara and Carmine hug they didn’t feel the men sneaking up on them. Christian gasps and falls to the floor in agony as the intent hit him hard. Everyone spins around to face every direction they can, they form a circle around Donny and his mother and Carmine hugs his sister a little tighter to his chest.
“So many of you and a little happy reunion, too bad you will have to die now.” A voice says from the shadows.
Heads snap up and that is when they all feel the half-bloods. There are about fifteen of them and all hidden in the shadows. Carmine lets Cara go and creates a circle of flame around them. Donny looks at him in shock.
“We need to keep them away. Donny and Cara we are here to take you home. These ones are the bad ones and here to kill all of us.” Zoe says
“Nowhere is safe. I have been doing nothing but moving all the time, because of them.” Cara says true fear showing in her face.
“We have somewhere safe. Somewhere they can’t get to. We just have to get there.” Kaiden says as everyone starts pulling out their weapons. The fire is blazing around them and then they hear a shot ring out. The group all have their vests on so they hit the floor. Sebastian and Colby both landing on Cara and Donny. Vivi and Christian were already on the ground.
“Donny I need your help with the fire. We need to light them up.” Carmine says “Cara you too, Ava baby, I need you to do this too.”
“Mom doesn’t know how to do that.” Donny says
“Carmine, don’t let them hurt my boy.” Cara says. She stands then and flames shoot from her hands in the direction the shots came from and a man’s screams fill the area.
“What the hell?” Donny says as he stands and moves the fire higher in the air, catching some of the surrounding buildings on fire.
“Donny not the buildings!” Carmine says pulling the fire back and the building immediately starts to smoke. Zoe stands then and lets her knives fly. Camilla is right next to her with her whip. Tia and John jump through the flames and go after two of the men that they had spotted. Sebastian moves quickly and places everyone who does not have weapons and vests into a circle. “Stay low but keep the fire up.” He hisses as more shots ring out. Colby gets hit in the stomach, but laughs and charges through the fire, the vest he wore had come in handy. He grabs the half-blood and punches him in the face, knocking him out. He then brings him into the circle of fire.
“Carmine if you please. Let him feel a little pain as I beat the snot out of him.” Colby laughs and the man goes up in flames. Hot and slow the flames crawl up his body while Colby is laying punches all over his face. The man falls before he can even scream and the fire quickly engulfs his whole body. Makayla and Colby quickly take the spots of Sebastian and Camilla and let them go outside the flames.
“Donny do you think you can concentrate on the fire of the gun when they are shot and make them explode?” Carmine asks him
“Man, I am freaking out over here and you want me to do what?” Donny says
“Donny focus!” Cara yells out.
“There are only ten left now. They are there, there, there, and there.” Zoe says
“Alright.” Donny says.
There was chaos all around as Tia and John dodged bullets and rained their sticks down on the men. Camilla was doing the same and her whip was making quick work of the men that were near her. Sebastian was to her left and he was also making a dent in the men with his scythe sickle blades. Donny was able to concentrate enough on the guns and make them explode and as soon as the shots stopped Carmine took the wall of flame down. Zoe had her knives flying about into the men she saw left standing in the shadows. When the wall came down Kaiden jumped to the man nearest him and sunk his machete into the man’s head.
Vivi was crying in the circle. Christian was coming around and was out of pain holding her. “There is one left and he is calling more. His intent is to get help taking us out.” Christian said. Vivi stood then. The fighting had stopped and the dead men lay about all over. She followed the feel of the pull and found her brother hiding in a nearby store. She grabbed him and shot pain through her hands to his body.
“WHY!” She screamed at him
“Vivi you traitor, we will find you and kill you.” He wheezed through gritted teeth.
“You know he is wrong. Call of the dogs off and I will let you go.” She said
“You will all die and Father will be King. He will find you all Vivi and he will kill you all. All of you women are traitorous bitches.” He hissed at her.
“Come and find me then you coward.” She whispered to him as she sent more pain through his body. He looked up at her face then and realization hit him.
“You turned?” He whispered
“Yep and you’re going to die by this BITCH!” She yelled the word at him as she made his heart explode and he crumpled to the ground. She picked up the cell that he was using then.
“If you come looking you will die. If I see your coward faces I will kill you myself.” She hissed into the phone and then threw it against the wall smashing it into pieces.
Colby, John, and Sebastian were tossing the bodies of the dead men into a pile inside the apartment. Kaiden and Christian were getting the ones near them. Cara was in Carmines arms crying and Donny stood back looking at them in disbelief.
“Carmine? We need you to get rid of them.” Kaiden said
“I will.” Ava said. “First is there anything you need inside the apartment. Now would be a good time to get it.”
“No, it can all be replaced. Donny anything you need inside, son?” Cara asks
“Just clothes, but I can get more I guess.” Donny said
Ava stood up and walked towards the pile of men. Fire shot from her hands and the heat of it caused the others to back away. Donny and his mother and uncle were the only ones who stayed. Ava made the fire so hot there was nothing left of the half-bloods and just an empty shell of the apartment and store was left. Carmine got up then and gathered the guns he could find and tossed them into the fire.
“We need to go.” Zoe said hearing the sirens in the distance
Chapter 27
Truths
Donny was brooding as they made their way to the plane. He sat in total silence staring at his crying mother. He looked around at everyone that was in the plane and noticed their eyes. They all had the same flecks like his mother and him, but they were different colors. Only his uncle and another woman had the same color flecks as him. This was very confusing to him. Also the feeling he felt surrounding him was supposed to be bad, but the feeling of them didn’t feel wrong, which confused him even more.
“Mom what the hell, you need to start explaining all of this.” Donny snapped at her
His mother looked at him and tried to pull herself together. She wiped her eyes and sat up a little straighter in the seat. “Donny you can take off the glasses. You don’t have a condition. This is my brother Carmine, I took you away after I lost your father and I have been trying to keep you safe since. I told you things to keep you safe, some of those things are not true.”
Second Chances (The Extinct Race Series) Page 22