The land was protected and always would be. She knew eventually some would leave, like in a hundred years or so. Once it got a little too crowded. Her one prayer was that Kaiden and she set a good example and if other sects were formed that the Pearls were not like the ones of old. She wanted them all to be families and work together. She hoped there was never another dictatorship within their race again.
First things first though, they needed to rebuild this almost extinct race.
Chapter 27
Pearls 10 Years Later
“Bath time!” Zoe called to her children.
“But mom we took on last night. Can’t we just watch a movie? Dad got a new one yesterday and we haven’t watched it yet.” Isaac whined
Zoe looked down at her youngest son who was four years old now. She saw herself in him so much his white blond hair that stood out on his little tanned face. She now had four children of her own and Lily who was now ten. They had had children pretty quickly and she wouldn’t change a thing. When Isaac was born they decided to enjoy the five children before they tried for anymore. Briec was nine now Josephine was seven and Aisley was six.
“Fine we can have a movie night, go and get your sisters and I’ll make the popcorn.” Zoe replied to her youngest son with a smile as he turned down the hall to get his sisters.
Zoe walked into the kitchen in the suite that was now stocked with food. The only night that they had Mary make dinner was on Sundays when everyone came to dinner if they were home. So Zoe and Kaiden shared the cooking duties now. Kaiden walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“So Isaac got you to cave huh?” Kaiden teased
“He sure did. So caramel or butter?” Zoe asked
Hmm let’s think about this? Five youngsters on a sugar high for the next few hours? Or bed on time and a bath for my beautiful Angel?” Kaiden mused
“Butter it is. Grab a couple bowl will you and ill pop this up?” Zoe turned to the microwave with the popcorn in hand.
The living room was full of toys and bean bag chairs for each kid. Movie night was a big deal on weekends and the kids always fought over who sat where. So the bean bags had become a must. Lily came into the room first and she took her seat in the bright pink bean bag. Zoe noticed that her other two daughters came in behind Lily and took their places in their red and purple bags. Isaac was in his green one and the blue one that should have Briec sitting in it was empty.
“Where is Briec?” Kaiden asked
Lily looked at her dad and rolled her eyes. “Where do you think he is?” she laughed.
At that moment Justine appeared at the elevator with Briec at her side. “Zoe we need to talk. They are too young to be sneaking around and doing the kissing stuff.”
“Again? Alright Briec that is the last time. I know she is your soul mate and you have already established the bond. However you are too young to be doing this already and if I have to I will send you to grandpa.” Zoe threatened
“Mom I am going to be ten in like seven months you can’t keep us apart.” Briec replied as he glared up at Justine who had just snitched him out to his mom.
“Kaiden he is your son you fix this. You need to explain to the boy what happens. Dad is in Hawaii and would be happy to take the stubborn little man for a few months.” Zoe said as she went to the living room and handed each of her children a bowl of popcorn.
Kaiden took Briec back to his room and Justine waved goodbye. The boy was a handful Zoe knew. They had figured out who his soul mate was as soon as the girl was born. Zoe was tickled pink that it was her best friend’s daughter however as the two get older they get in more trouble. If they are not watched like a hawk then they are sneaking off with each other. Zoe remembered Ben and Abby when they first met and how Ben was with her. But then again Abby is five years younger than Ben, not the same age.
Briec was also the only Pearl male they had and he knew that he was a King, which didn’t help Zoe any as the boy took that fact to his head. Aisley was also a Pearl but she was very quiet and shy. Isaac was a Fury and John was his hero it also helped that John happened to be his soul mates Father. Josephine was Water and she spent a lot of time with her soul mate as well. In fact all of her children knew her their soul mate was but none were like Briec and his. Those two were trouble with a capital T.
Lily was the only one of her children who did not and would not have a soul mate. Zoe spoke to her a lot about it once she started to notice all the other children basically went into pairs when they all went outside to play. Zoe spent extra time explaining what happened and why Lily had come to them. Once Lily understood she went to Vivi a lot and talked with her sister. It also helped that Justine had Jacob. Lily and Jacob were best friends as well as brother and sister.
Kaiden and Zoe both spend their days managing the land with the help of Zach and Halina. Kaiden with his intuition does the investing online as well as stocks. Zach uses his ability and makes sure that everyone is happy and has everything they need. Zoe takes care of payroll and the finances while Halina does all the ordering of food and supplies. The four of them make a very good team and have managed the mountain for ten years now with no problems. They have even created an account that is strictly for the land which everyone deposits money into. This was created only after lots of pestering from the rest of the family.
That account is used to buy the groceries and supplies for everyone’s household. Many have businesses and jobs outside the border. So once a month everyone makes a deposit into the family account. The ladies that work in the house go once a week to gather everything needed from the stores and then spend the next day making deliveries. It has worked out well and the girls love helping out the new moms.
Kaiden and Zoe took trips every summer with the kids to her father’s place in Hawaii. Marcus and Iraina maintained a house on the land as well as their home in Kauai. They purchased the ocean front property about two years after Briec was born. They travel between the two homes but summers are always in Kauai. The kids all love it there and look forwards to the month long vacation they spend there. Marcus and Iraina also call daily to speak with their kids and grandkids.
On the other side of the house Halina had her hands full making sundaes for her children. Zach stood next to her holding one their newest babies in his arms. Because of their upbringing both of them wanted a lot of children and right now they had six. Zach also inherited the twin gene as they had two sets of twins.
Tori and Taylor were their newest arrivals who were now six months old and happened to be identical Blood girls. They also had another set of twins who were fraternal Annalese and Cooper were Pearls and now they are four years old. Airic who was also a Pearl was ten now and he was just like his father. Noah was eight and he was Earth. Noah was the troublesome one who always climbed out the window into the trees.
Noah preferred the trees so much that Halina had had Morgan come and decorate his room. His bed was a vine hammock that hung from the two small but sturdy trees in his room. There was no carpet as he wanted fresh grass instead. There was no electronics in the room at all which Halina was very thankful for. Airic on the other hand had a huge TV in his room with a few video game systems. Cooper shared a room with Airic and those two were two peas in a pod. They were stoic like their father however once you got them going they were a riot.
“Hey Babe you want chocolate or vanilla tonight?” Halina asked as she scooped the ice cream into bowls.
“Can I have one of each?” Zach asked while he placed Tori into a highchair next to Taylor who was already munching on a cone in her seat.
“You sure can. Hey we also need to talk to Airic about Chloe. She is coming back from France tomorrow and he doesn’t know yet. Morgan just called me about an hour ago and said that Chloe is home sick and doesn’t want to stay there for school anymore. She wants to come home and not just during the summer. Like she doesn’t want to be in that school anymore she wants to move home for good. You know how Briec and Ir
elynn are. I just don’t think I can handle that stuff like Kaiden and Zoe do. I mean Cooper and Avery are still so young I have a few years and it helps that Avery doesn’t live in the main house. Plus her father is so protective her has that house on lock down with those three girls. Airic is a good boy, I just want you to have a talk with him, ok?” Halina explained as she added the sprinkled and whip cream to the bowls.
“I will baby and actually I am glad she is coming home. I didn’t like her being sent to that posh school away from us all. I know that Morgan and Quinn wanted the best for her and I am sure she has excelled for the last two years. Speaking of which Colleen is coming home too. I know she moved downstairs now and she is only home when she isn’t touring those big fashion shows however Marjorie is retiring and asked Colleen to take over. She called me this morning and I was going to surprise the kids. They miss her so much.” Zach tells her as he lifts a spoon of chocolate to Tori’s mouth.
“That is wonderful news. Maybe she can rekindle her little romance she had with that boy in town before she moved away. He still calls here to get info on how she is doing you know?” Halina laughs
“Oh really?” Zach looks back to his mate with playful suspicion in his eyes.
“Yes really. KIDS! DESSERT!” Halina hollers down the hall.
The kids all come running and they immediately take their seats at the table. Cooper and Airic sit right beside one another with Annalese on Cooper’s right side. Noah is the last to arrive and he sits between Zach and Airic. Zach looks right at Airic who has dug into his bowl of ice cream.
“Son, we need to tell you something.” Zach starts the conversation.
“What I do?” Airic asks thinking he is in trouble.
“Nothing son, we just want to let you know some news. Chloe is moving back home.” Halina replies
“Really? Like for good? Like she will be going to classes with the rest of us and live here again?” Airic asks as his face lights up and he is almost jumping in his seat.
“Yes son however we will not tolerate behavior like Briec and Irelynn. We all know how the bond works and you already know how we become one with our Dragon. But like we had to, you will have to wait until you are twenty one before you do anything serious. You are a King as are you Cooper. You will want your fellow Dragons to look at you seriously and not like you are children. Tia and John have a good life however when they travel they are looked at forever as teenagers. They have a hard time just renting a hotel not to mention restaurants. Do you get what I am saying?” Zach asked as he threw out his feelers and felt his son’s emotions. He was happy with what he felt coming from both of them.
“Dad you know it’s more Irelynn than it is Briec. She always gets him to do whatever she wants. He doesn’t ever do what he wants unless he is away from her. I like playing with Chloe and hanging out with her but she likes girls things and I don’t.” Airic states as he takes another bite of his ice cream.
Halina looks to Zach with a little smirk on her face as she realizes that she has done well with her boy.
“Good I am glad to hear that. Now tomorrow morning would you like to go get her something special to welcome her home? You know something a girl would like?” Zach asks knowing the answer already because the only thing on his sons mind was making sure that Chloe coming home would be a special occasion.
“Yes please.” Airic replied, as he held his emotions in check and ate his dessert. Inside he was a riot of happiness and anger. Anger was for the girls he knew pestered his Chloe, happiness that she was finally coming home and he could see her everyday at school. He didn’t like her being away with no protection although he knew there wasn’t a threat anymore. His aunt and uncle had made sure of that.
Chapter 28
Onyx 10 Years Later
“Gabe seriously you need to have a talk with that girl. Irelynn is just like you and trust me I have heard the stories from Mary. If I have to get a damn chastity belt I will. That also reminds me I need to have Jacob trail her from now on.” Justine states as she walks back into her suite and looks over at Gabe who is sitting on the couch holding little Thea.
“Yes I will as soon as little one here is asleep. You know how she likes to be rocked.” Gabe replies not looking at Justine. Instead he is peering into the blue flecked eyes of his newest daughter Thea.
Justine plops down next to Gabe on the fluffy couch and Liam jumps into her lap with a book in his hands. Justine and Gabe have had four children in the last ten years. She found out she was pregnant shortly after the fight that won their freedom. She had given birth to a Pearl female who turned out to be Briec’s soul mate. Irelynn was almost ten years old and she was a little troublemaker like her father used to be.
Thea was their youngest and just four months old. It had been quite funny to figure out who her mate was. Justine had given birth on a Monday. She hadn’t really had any visitors as many couples had and were having children. The Main house and the homes were now full of them. At dinner that following Sunday when everyone came to the main house to eat Brandon, who was Colby and Makayla’s four year old Water son, walked right up to Justine took one look at Thea and said “Mine”. The whole room erupted in laughter because little Brandon was a matter of fact kind of kid. He had no filter and just said what was on his mind.
Liam who sat in her lap now was two years old and was her sweet boy. He was a Fire however his was a warm fire you wanted to soak into and he did not have the temper of a normal Fire Dragon. He was all calm and loving. Even though he was two, when his soul mate was born and brought to Sunday dinner he had run over to her and kissed her on the forehead very gently. Ian was her seven year old Onyx.
Everyone knew from Marsali’s journal that they would give birth to all the races and not just their own. But Justine was overjoyed when Ian opened his eyes for the first time and she saw the black flecks in his eyes. She hadn’t expected to be so happy about it but she was. Morgan and Quinn’s daughter Olivia was his soul mate. Ian dotes on little Olivia so much so that sometimes Ian won’t even let her own brother near her.
“Well looks like Liam needs his story and Thea is asleep so time for your talk with your daughter.” Justine states as she carries Liam to his room to tuck him in.
Down in the valley from the mountain Michael and Rosa are sitting on their couches with their two kids. They were enjoying a family movie night. They had decided to try for more once Justine and Gabriel had Irelynn and everyone else seemed to get pregnant within the year of Aldrich’s death. Not to mention the babies just kept coming. Rosa had given birth to Lucas seven years ago and then had a girl five years ago.
Lucas was an Onyx and his soul mate was born to Donny and Alex two years later. Her name was Allison. Lucas was a lot like Gabriel was when he was younger and Rosa tried to keep his head in books and learning. However if Lucas was with his niece Irelynn they got in a whole lot of trouble together. They loved to pull pranks and booby trap the main house as well as her home.
Alisa was her five year old Fury and the troublemaker stuff didn’t stop with Lucas. Alisa was a good girl but boy did she have a temper and if Lucas made her mad Rosa or Michael would have to physically hold her back from pummeling the boy. Needless to say Rosa had set up private lessons with Etana after the first few outbursts to try and teach Alisa a bit of control. Michael and Rosa both agreed to wait to have more children until after these two were through the teenage years.
Rosa and Michael both ran the school and had many of the half-blood mothers and fathers now certified to be teachers of all grades. It worked out well when some of the half-bloods had wanted to go to universities and colleges. They also worked a lot with Mr. Steinman who frequently traveled between California and Ireland. His children were now in college which left him with a lot of time alone. His son was studying law as was his daughter and both wanted to return here to the mountain. Rosa and Michael both had become very fond of the children when they had come for those few months.
Next door Br
ad and Monica were also having a family movie night with their two children. Ben was away at college but came home every chance he got to visit Abby who was in her junior year of high school. Ben was not to far however he was only across the ocean at Oxford. He had taken his time finishing school because he had not wanted to leave Abby or his dogs. Ben now had his own breeding business which Abby took care of while he was away.
Brad and Monica were honestly surprised when they found out they were pregnant almost six years ago. She had given birth to a little girl named Claire who is now five years old. When Monica was pregnant with her Donny and Alex’s little boy Shane had kept sneaking out of the house to find Monica. Turned out she was carrying his soul mate and gave birth to a Fire girl. Claire was a sweet girl and reminded both her parents of how Ben was when he was younger.
Two years after giving birth to Claire Monica had found out she was pregnant again. She was even more surprised that when she gave birth the baby was a Pearl little girl. They named her Rainey and they were even more surprised when the three youngest Pearl males all came over to look at her. Barkley had been the one to reach forward and brush her check with his fingers. He was only three years old at the time and there were many pregnant however she was the only Pearl female that was born at the time.
Rainey was only three years old but she had a personality of a princess already. She loved frilly dresses and anything pink. Play dates with all the other little girls was a must and happened frequently. Monica never thought after she lost Justine that she would have another little girl let alone anymore kids. She was overjoyed to have more children and couldn’t wait until fate allowed her to have more.
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