Lost & Found (A Lost Ones Novel Book 1)

by Khristine Stain

  Then she saw the smoke drift off his skin and how his body was still rigid.

  Oh crap. She hadn’t stopping Zapping him with downed-power-line. Downed-power-line was bad. Very very bad.

  Raj recovered from her Zap and pushed Iya back as Rain’s frozen form fell backward straight like plywood. Raj looked at Iya in awe.

  “You don’t have to get me anything for Christmas next year.” Then he hugged her in a bear hug and spun her around. Iya was about to Zap Raj to get him off her but then thought about it. She didn’t want to kill Raj. She didn’t even want to kill pretty wolf. She was just upset and decided to take it out on the wrong wolf person.

  “Let go of me.”

  Raj complied immediately. Iya continued as she looked at stiff smoking Rain on the hallway floor in horror. “Oh God! I think I killed him.”

  Twenty-seven

  Raj laughed at Iya’s horrified face “I wish! Don’t worry; you just shocked his nervous system into locking down.”

  Iya’s already wide eyes widened even more. “Is that what happens when I shock you?”

  “Not like this. You really put some juice into that Zap. The ones you gave me momentarily freeze my system but I heal it in less than a minute.” Raj shrugged his shoulders like it didn’t mean anything. He dragged Rain inside and tossed him on the floor. He really hated Koda’s brother.

  “Oh my God! I shut down your nervous system? That’s a huge deal! It’s not supposed to work like that.” Iya was freaking out. Now she knew why Momma didn’t want her to learn how to use Daddy’s gifts. Now she understood why Daddy made her keep it a secret.

  Raj pointed to Rain. “No, it’s supposed to work like that. I didn’t know you ‘Of the Light’ guys could do that.”

  “Enough with that! I’m not a whatever the heck you guys keep saying I am. I’m a person. Not everybody has to be a separate species.”

  Raj put his hands up in surrender. “Whatever you say Iya, but I’ve known only one ‘species’ with ‘gifts’ like your packing. And he–”

  “Put on the brakes! You know somebody with a gift like mine?”

  “Yeah. Met him through Koda. He’s something else, doesn’t like us wolves like you do.”

  Iya ignored the end of his statement. “So there is somebody that can do all the things that I can do?”

  “No.” Iya looked like she wanted to strangle him so he continued quickly. “What I meant was I only know that he can do your Zap thing, not the other stuff. Definitely not the glowy stuff.”

  “If you don’t know all that he can do, how can you be sure he can’t look in the Light?”

  “Because he can’t do anything with the Light. He is ‘Of the Darkness’.”

  “And that means?” Iya felt like Zapping the crap out of Raj. It might make her feel better.

  “It means that he is ‘Of the Darkness’. He was born of a Dark Fallen.”

  “This crap again, you know Raj, if you don’t know something, you can’t go and make up stuff–”

  “That’s not what I’m doing. The Nephilim –your people– are born of the Fallen; the angels. There are two kinds, both warriors but for different sides. ‘Of the Light’ means from the Heavens and ‘Of the Dark’ means from the Hells.”

  “That makes no sense. Those are angels and demons. The Fallen are the demons. I know, I read the bible.”

  “No, that’s not true. The Fallen are warriors, they were not all cast out of heaven because of Lucifer. Some were sent to keep Lucifer in Hell and to keep those loyal to him from taking over the earth. They can switch sides and loyalties but none are demons. The Nephilim are their children with humans. So depending on which side the Fallen sire was on dictates what powers his offspring will have. Demon’s are different and a whole nother ball game.”

  “I have a question.”

  “One or thirty?”

  “So the Fallen with loyalties to Heaven have different gifts than the Fallen with loyalties to Hell?”

  “You got it.”

  Iya went to ask another question but Raj cut her off. “Another question?”

  Iya rolled her eyes. “Your answer to the last question gave me more questions.”

  Raj chuckled. “Don’t they always?”

  Iya ignored his sarcasm.“So why can’t these Fallen switch sides in battle and use the other side’s gifts? What if a Dark Fallen got a human pregnant and change sides before he was born? Wouldn’t the Nephilim by birthright be able to switch sides as they chose?”

  “Wow only three? Iya, I am shocked.”

  “Ha ha, answer these first.” Iya said dryly.

  “I’m not an expert but I will tell you what I do know. The Fallen can’t switch sides in battle because they have to make an oath to who they want to serve. Their oaths are binding until they are released from them. I heard a few stories of some Fallen changing sides but not many. Who ever created them in the first place made them that way. Then again that’s not really my kind of circle so it could happen all day every day. I never heard of a situation where a Fallen changed sides during a pregnancy but logically whenever the child was created would determine if it’s ‘Of the Light’ or ‘Of the Dark. And no, the stories say the Nephilim are born not created so their side is determined by their parentage. Being ‘Of the Light’ gives one certain powers and so does being ‘Of the Dark’.”

  Iya thought about what he said and replied, “God created the Fallen. It says so in the bible.”

  “Gods of old and new come and go throughout history. Your God might be supreme, my God might be. Who knows? If you meet your God, ask him.”

  Iya was getting really upset with this whole conversation. This was why she didn’t ever talk religion to people. “In the bible it says there is only one God. It has to be true if it was–”

  Raj was going mad with Iya’s questions. “Written in the bible. I know. Let me ask you, who wrote the bible? Man. Fallible, imperfect men non-psychic men. So the God of whom they speak could be the Grand God of All or a God from one pantheon or another with a chip on his shoulder. Who knows? Don’t Zap me, it’s a logical theory.”

  Raj sighed as Iya eyes narrowed. He continued, “We call our God the Great Creator. He created all things, life, the sun, ect. Our history goes back to before the humans evolved from whatever they were evolved from. In our history, we were the first. According to the Fallen, they were the first. And in your history, we are fairy tales and they are nearly mythological creatures. See? In Greek & Roman history, there were multiple Gods and Goddesses. In Norse history too. They all each have different theories of creation. Who’s is right, who’s is wrong? Maybe they are all right to a degree or all wrong. Maybe it’s the scientist’s who are right. But what created the very first molecule? Is my heaven the same as yours? Why doesn’t God wipe out all the bad and leave all the good? I could do this for days and it still wouldn’t make any sense.”

  Iya had to agree with Raj. They could do this all day and it still wouldn’t change things. According the wolves, Iya was a Nephilim. What that meant she had no idea. What would happen next, she still didn’t know. But Iya wasn’t going to spend all her time trying to figure out the great mysteries and meanings of life. She was going to live her life and try her best to move on from her confusion.

  Besides, she had time for that later; apparently her kind didn’t age. That was weird for so many reasons. At least she wouldn’t be alone; she had the wolves to keep her company.

  Bite your tongue.

  They’re not that bad. They’re just different. Like she was different. Like Koda said, different doesn’t always mean bad.

  Raj was surprised Iya didn’t have a thousand more questions for her. It was very unlike Iya. For days it was like she was preparing for the SATS and the BAR exam. Now she was sitting silently in reflection.

  “Thanks. You know that was a great argument. You should be a lawyer.”

  Raj laughed as he sat by her on the sofa. “No monkey suit for me. Besides, a public life is
too hard on my people since we don’t change.” Iya tried to lean her head on his shoulder but he wrapped his arm around her so she lay against his chest.

  He always smelled so good. He didn’t wear colognes and Iya guessed he washed with that weird soap Dae used because he smelled like himself. She couldn’t smell him from across the room but when he was holding her like that, she could almost imagine what a wolf nose could pick up.

  After what felt like days but was probably hours, Koda left the room. Dae still hadn’t moved. She just lay there, still and sleeping. He was beyond worried. He was debating on calling the Alpha and explaining it all to him.

  Koda needed help in the worst way.

  He caught his brother’s scent some time before but knew Raj would handle it. Raj wouldn’t allow Rain into his house. But Rain’s stink was making his nose twitch and Koda wondered if Raj had killed him in the hallway. Raj would definitely kill Rain if he tried to enter– Rain was lying frozen on Koda’s carpet as Raj sat holding Iya on the sofa. Rain was in his house. And he was still breathing.

  “What happened?”

  Iya jumped up and put her hands up like she was wary. Raj also stood and smirked.

  “Listen, I didn’t mean to do that. But your brother has a bad attitude. I’m sorry you’re mad I Zapped him but it couldn’t be helped.”

  Koda blinked at Iya and a now grinning Raj. “I think I’m missing something.”

  Raj spoke before Iya had a chance. “My girl here Zapped Rain –like Nathaniel does when we piss him off– into a Popsicle because he was being his usual self: a huge dick.”

  Iya turned on Raj, wondering why he was grinning like an idiot at a very emotionally distraught Koda. Koda’s face didn’t show it, but Iya knew he was a mess. Only when Iya turned back to Koda did she realized he still wore the same stoic expression. He wasn’t mad at her.

  Koda wished he could smile. “If this were any other day, I’d think I’d buy you a car.”

  “You’re not mad?” Iya asked confused.

  “Not at you. I wouldn’t mind killing Rain but it wouldn’t be any fun now. Maybe later.”

  Rain started to jerk and twitch as his body finally responded to his commands. “Th-the-that’s all th-th-the conc-c-cern I wa-wa-warrant??” It was hard to control the stuttering as his muscles once again became his to control.

  Koda shook his head, not taking his brothers bait as he walked back into the room to sit with Dae who still hadn’t moved. This time he closed the door and lay down next to her.

  Rain had a hard time trying to control his jerking limbs. Iya thought it was funny. Raj did too so he video recorded Rain’s jerky movements as Rain got his footing.

  Iya spoke as she sat calmly on the coffee table. “Why are you here?” Iya was fearless now that she knew she could offensively protect herself. She wasn’t going to get all Zap-happy but at least she would be able to take care of things as they arose. She could help now.

  Rain looked at the Nephilim before him. “I’m here to speak to my brother which is none of your concern.” Raj growled menacingly, warning Rain that he better watch his tone.

  “Well, he’s busy. So I guess we’ll be seeing you.” Iya stared at Rain expectantly but he didn’t move.

  After a second of Rain looking at the bedroom door Koda had went through Rain responded. “Was all that true?”

  Rain asked despite his own sense of self preservation. If it was all true, then Koda would kill him for what he did. As much as Koda hated him, Rain didn’t hate Koda. He liked annoying him, irritating him. Rain had been doing that to Koda since he was a pup. Koda had been the only one of his siblings that didn’t recognize Rain’s status as next in line and it bothered Rain. Maybe that was why after near 40 years of arguing, Rain still pushed him.

  “Bout me frying your nervous system? Sure. Want to try it again?” Iya taunted Rain. Iya couldn’t shake the bad feeling that told her Rain would bring the sky down on their heads.

  Rain looked that the Nephilim and ignored her threat. A first for Rain but he knew better than to openly mess with one ‘of the Darkness’. Raj still wore that shit eating grin but Rain decided to ignore that too. “I meant about my brother. The Cursed feral is his mate?”

  “Dae is not a Cursed feral, she is a hybrid and has been going through her first change. Use your nose. Does she smell Cursed to you?” Raj corrected, bristling from the accusation that something was wrong with Dae. She may be kind of crazy but it worked for her. Crazy did not mean feral or Cursed. Dae was already Tribe as far as he was concerned.

  Iya gaped at Rain, debating on whether or not she should Zap him again while thinking of a downed power line.

  Rain was getting nervous at how the Nephilim was eyeing him. “No, but she tried to kill me. And a hybrid hasn’t been heard of since–”

  “Since the Withering, we know but it doesn’t change that fact that someone mated with a human twenty some odd years ago.”

  “And good taste does not a Cursed feral wolf make!” Iya balled her hands into fists to keep her temper down. Nobody was going to be talking crap about Dae. Iya knew what he meant. Raj had written the whole explanation of who the Cursed were. They were the wolves that tried to enslave the humans. After the Great War –which the Tribe won– the Great Creator punished the evil wolves somehow. Raj explained that it had been thousands of years since then, so the knowledge of the exact punishment was lost but that the Cursed are identified by their tainted scent and evil actions. That was not her sister.

  Raj stepped forward. “Rain, where you by any chance being a huge asshole? Have you not realized that’s why everybody hates you?”

  “Pup, everybody does not hate me.” Rain sounded indignant.

  “I didn’t dislike anybody but those Cursed wolves before I met you. All it took was 5 seconds of being next to you.” Iya spat out at Rain from behind Raj’s huge body.

  Rain thought about that. “But you’re ‘Of the Darkness’. Your people hate everybody.” Iya was going to Zap Rain until his eyebrows burned off! Iya was fighting with Raj to get him out of her way.

  “No, Iya is something else but that’s not the point. The point is everybody wants to get rid of you, they just pretend otherwise when your around. Dae doesn’t give a crap about putting on a show. Iya, would you please stop?” Iya was still trying to slip past him again.

  Iya glared at Raj as she folded her hands over her chest.“Fine. Next thing bad thing he says about my sister and I Zap you both.”

  Rain thought about the whole conversation he heard in his paralysis and the one he just had. “Then we’ve got a problem. I thought she was a feral Cursed before and that’s the report I gave to Alpha. He’s on his way.”

  Koda was out of the room, intent on killing Rain for what he brought down upon his mate’s head. Raj was before him, but Koda’s wolf didn’t care that Raj was a friend. Man and wolf were going to kill Rain. Koda’s growl reverberated off the walls as he lunged at Rain.

  Rain was already flipping over the sofa to get away from his brother. Rain knew he messed up. Big time. Rain knew it was all ego. It was always his ego that made things worse. Koda stalked Rain as though he was Koda’s next meal. Raj kept trying to come in between them and Koda kept jumping over him and around him to get to a retreating Rain.

  Iya didn’t know what to do; she wanted to kill Rain for what he did but technically, he didn’t do it intentionally or he wouldn’t have admitted to it. Rain said ‘we’ got a problem not ‘Koda’, not ‘you’ or ‘ya’ll’ but ‘we’ which meant that regardless of Rain being a huge jerk, he wouldn’t leave them to deal with the Alpha alone. On the other hand, Iya wanted to kill him too. He had just made the fan face the gigantic poop mountain, and it was now raining poop all over the countryside.

  This countryside saw enough poop to last a lifetime thank you very much.

  Iya watched warily as Koda stealthily stalked Rain. He had him pinned into a corner and the only way around Koda was through him. Raj kept trying to split
them up, to reason with Koda, but Iya knew Koda was at the end of his rope long before he heard what Rain did.

  The man wasn’t driving that Camaro anymore. But what could Iya do? If she Zapped them both thinking of downed power lines, they would be paralyzed for hours. What if the Alpha came then? It would be bad. Not to mention when Dae got out of her sadness, she would be pissed. Iya focused on static shock and jumped at Koda.

  Koda caught a leaping Iya at the waist intent on tossing her on the sofa until he felt his muscles and brain seize up. His body froze, and he was fighting, trying to stop the teeth clenching fire he felt in his body.

  Raj grabbed Iya before she fell down with Koda. Rain watched his little brother get Zapped with a horrified expression. He growled at Iya, how dare she think to Zap his little brother? Raj growled back and Iya lost all her patience. She launched at Rain, knowing Raj would go after her and thought of a cut electrical wire. Rain got Zapped first as she touched the hand that tried to grab her and the Zap traveled to Raj as his arm made contact with her waist.

  Unfortunately, there were no wolves left standing to keep her from falling into the coffee table. Rain absorbed most of the impact for her, but Raj landed on her smashing her in between the two wolves. Iya could barely breathe between the two beasts!

  “Crap.” Iya muttered.

  Twenty-eight

  Iya wanted to Zap Rain and Raj again but –thankfully– Koda had shaken off his static Zap and was on his feet. He eyed Iya’s predicament and Iya glared at him. Iya saw his blue eyes and knew the man was in control.

  “Koda if you leave me here…” Iya threatened.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it.” Koda pulled Iya out of her sandwich and then pulled Raj off Rain. Somehow he figured both of them would not appreciate being left laying on top of each other.

  “So we’re all thinking Koda again?”

  “Yes.” Koda replied emotionless. Iya cell phone still had been chiming underneath the ruble that used to be his coffee table.