Lost Ones (The Extinct Race Series Book 3) (20 page)

Mary and Mateo both looked to one another and then Mary looked at Gabe. She could see the worry and fear written all over his face and it broke her heart. She then turned back to Mateo and saw the hope in his. “Forever” he whispered and her heart soared. She turned back to Marsali and smiled nodding her head, agreeing to the gifts. Gabe saw her nod and he yelled out his happiness.

“Tonight when you go to sleep we will come to you. Tomorrow you will wake up and never age again.” Marsali said and walked out of the room.

Chapter 35

Five Days Later

Marsali and Airic had changed Mary and Mateo’s lifespan that night and their bodies were found the next morning. They never turned to ash and Gabe had eventually told them all that their Dragons had died with the spell they all performed. This fat saddened Zoe, but she knew this was what they wanted. They buried them at the head of the clearing where they always faced before they shifted. That way they always looked to their creator before taking flight.

Cassie and Aubry along with Morgan had made the flowers that grow in their ashes, grow all around the two graves. They had also placed huge boulders as the markers to the plots. Every night Zoe came out and told them about what she had done that day. She liked to talk to them. She noticed tonight that she was not the only one. Iraina sat at the graves talking softly. Zoe walked back into the house to let Iraina have her peace.

The preparations had all been done. Twenty foot trenches were dug out and covered so that you couldn’t see them, they were placed sporadically throughout the forest floor. The patrols were set up and going steady every day and night. Levi had asked to help out, but Charles was weary of allowing him to. Jaco had set up all the wires and cameras and the monitors had been set up in the library where Rosa and Michael spent most of their time. At night Brad and Monica would take turns with Shiloh and Jaco. They had done all they could do without harming wildlife or a random hiker.

Training went on everyday and everyone pushed themselves harder than normal. The one on one combat training intervals were more intense than normal, and mainly focused on disarming and subduing. During one of these times John learned his ability, after getting frustrated that Gabe was winning, he pulled all of Gabe’s strength from him, to the point that Justine felt him get scared and ran over to knock John away. John felt horrible, but once Gabe regained his strength they all laughed about it. Tia had also learned to use hers more and took down everyone she sparred with, because they couldn’t see her move.

News of Halina and Zoe being pregnant spread like wild fire and when it came time for them to spare their opponent would take it easy on them. After two days of this Halina got mad and started to shock p anyone who took it easy on her. After Zoe noticed this she made sure that the two didn’t spare at the same time so that Halina could send a volt over to Zoe’s opponent. Others learned very quickly not to go easy on the pregnant Queen and her sister in law. It was something that Kaiden teased about when it would come time for the girl’s to spar. He would stand on the side and yell that if they didn’t move quickly enough that Halina was going to light their asses up.

Bristol and Shiloh had also become quite the team not to mess with. They liked to tag team together and when one would take a hit the other was right there to hit back. Those two had also moved in right next to each other and spent a lot of time together. Emery and Delany became close friends and Emery and Kendal decided to take the house next to Conner and Delany when it was finished.

Over these last five days life in Ireland took on more meaning that it had before. After everyone had shared what they wanted to do, now they wanted to make that a possibility. Zoe had told Marjorie to stay away for a while, until she called her and told her it was safe to come back. She also made sure that she informed Hugh and his men. She had given them the opportunity to stay on the land and continue doing what they did, or they could go home and take a vacation for a few weeks. In the end though they all chose to stay on and continue. Hugh was not sure how long he had and he wanted to see his work done. His thoughts were that he was dying anyway so if someone killed him or if he died building, it didn’t matter to him.

Iraina walked into the house after she was done, but now dinner was ready so Zoe decided to talk to Marsali and Airic before bed. The table was an assortment of everything you could want. It was like a restaurant had served all their dishes on the menu at once. It had been like this for the last four nights, since Mary woke up pretty much immortal. The bags under her eyes had disappeared and her hair took on a very healthy glow, erasing most of her grey. There were still a few wisps of them and everyday a little more of them disappeared. But the energy she had now was something to be amazed at. Every day she cooked up a storm. And every day Mateo told her to stop and just make one thing, but she refused. Her passion was cooking and that is what she wanted to do.

Mateo also had more energy and while his wife cooked he taught his secret techniques to anyone who wanted to learn. He ran more and worked out more and every night he and Mary would dance in their new home. Neither of them wanted to know what the sex of their baby was, so the nursery was done in a soft yellow on the walls with silver and teal bedding. Mateo also weaved baskets for the plants and flowers Mary liked to keep in their house. He also loved the fact that she had all of his things brought from his storage place and he had set up the office that was off of the living room with all of his things. He had his trophies lined up on a bookcase along the wall. All of his training certificate and other things he had framed lined the walls.

As they sat at the table and ate the conversations around the table were quiet and really just about the everyday things. Since Marsali and Airic passed this is how it was. There was an elephant in the room and no one wanted to bring the conversation to the front. Zoe thought that it was time to fix that.

“So we are literally waiting for the big bad wolf to knock on the door, Marsali and Airic are where they want to be, Halina and I as well as Mary are pregnant. We have set the traps and pray that they work. We are training more and more every day and I feel I could knock and elephant down now. So what is the tension in the room? It feels like there is an elephant here that no one is addressing. I am unsure what it is though.” Zoe asked

“Well we have been talking amongst ourselves for a couple days and have thought of something, but we are unsure of what you will think.” Sebastian was the brave one to speak for the group.

“And what is this plan?” Kaiden asked

“Well I have heard about the second chance soul mate thing, Marcus and Iraina have explained it to me along with Cara and Brice. And well with me being the only full-blood Blood Dragon left, what if that evil man is mine?” Sarah answered

“Would you want that?” Zoe asked with disbelief

“That’s the thing, I don’t, well not how he is right now. But what if he is sick or something? I have talked with Ada and she said he was not like he is now when he was a boy. Rosa and Monica have also told me that they saw him as very loving at times, just jealous most of the time. So what if something in him snapped? What if there is something that we can heal? Maybe he is just a sick man.” Sarah explained

“Really that is your reasoning behind this plan?” Vivi asked with disgust.

“Vivi you have just found your mate. I mean I know it has been a couple years, but try going on twenty more and then one day losing him. Then imagine spending another twenty without him and alone. If there is a chance he can be healed, wouldn’t you want that?” Sarah pleaded

“No I don’t want anything to do with him and now I am against this plan!” Vivi yelled

“What is this plan?” Kaiden asked

“We were going to ask Halina if she would shock him with enough to knock him out and then we were going to capture him and see.” Sarah explained

“And what if you feel the soul mate pull to him? Will you be able to tie him up then?” Vivi snapped

“That is why I will not be fighting. I will be with Ada and Leon and the kids.” Sarah snapped just as nastily as Vivi had.

“Well if I get to him first, he is dead!” Vivi yelled and then stormed out of the room and up the stairs

“Sarah even if the possibility of him being your second chance, do you think you could forgive him?” Zoe asked

“I think if I had an answer I might. But I can tell you this is really hard on me too. I understand where she is coming from, I really do. But like Marsali told you guys, he sounds like an ancient. So what if he is like possessed or something?”

“Do you really believe in your heart that is a possibility? Because honestly I do not know if I could ever forgive him for what he has done.” Zoe said

“Ok well let’s take the soul mate factor out of the equation. Don’t you guys want answers?” Sarah asked. “I know damn well that I do.”

“Honestly no, from me anyway, I was held prisoner for twenty two years. My first mate was murdered, my daughter lived in hell thinking she was garbage and then when she found out the truth she thought she was the one who killed her. No I don’t need answers the man is on a quest for power and that is all. With him it’s kill or be killed. I will have no part in answers. I do not want revenge either. I just want to live in peace now and be a part of my grandson’s lives. I never got to see my daughter as a baby because of him. I will have a part in theirs!” Marcus ferociously stated.

“There are some answers that I would like, but having been here for a while and the chance to live again and be free. It doesn’t matter to me anymore. To me he defected and to me that is a death sentence.” Iraina stated

“As much as this truly pains me Sarah, he will not ever be welcomed here with the things he has done. He sent a missile, in fact there were ten of them and we missed just one. He had them implanted in his children. That kind of malice is not welcome here. He has tortured, killed and raped, he is not a man I want around my children or for that matter even his own children. I really hope that he is not your second chance soul mate. Because if he is you, will be alone once more.” Kaiden said

“Sarah I know that you are tired of being alone. But you heard all of our stories, how can you even forgive him for what his sons did on his command?” Zoe asked

“A part of healing is forgiving. How can you ever truly heal if you do not forgive the man that did them?” she pleaded

“I do not want hate in my heart Sarah. So I will say this and it will be the last we speak of it. You all may capture him, Sarah if you feel the soul mate Pull to him I will ask Alexi and Gosha to see if he is sick somewhere and if they heal him it is up to them. I do not need answers anymore I have them. He wants to be King and will not stop until he is. Sick or not I will never trust him around my family. Blood family and this family, I will never trust that he is truly healed. I will always have doubt that he will do it again. I can’t live like that. That cannot taint this family we have created. If he is healed and we allow him in the home, NONE of you will ever feel safe. I do not want a rift in this family! If I make an executive decision and allow him in against the wishes of other family members I will be the one who loses. Do you think Vivi would stay here if he was here? Do you think Marcus would stay knowing he was right next door? Hell, more of you would leave here if I did that. So NO! I will not lose my family over one man. If he is your soul mate I will do everything in my power to possibly heal him and then I will set you up somewhere far away and require you to take back your fealty. So that we know we are always safe.” Kaiden boomed out and magic swelled around the room as all the Pearls felt the way Kaiden did.

“I will heal him if he is caught and can be healed. I will also leave with my brother.” Ada said

“I will not live with a man that has done everything that he has done. Do you really think that I would Ada?” Leon announced

“You would choose to stay here than be with your soul mate?” Ada asked totally bewildered

“Ada you are a stubborn woman. I love you with everything I have, but our life has always been for good. We help the poor and the unhealthy. This man has caused nothing but pain. How could you ask me to change everything about myself? Kaiden is right. If we left with him I would never relax. I would never be able to sleep at night and it would make me resent you. I do not want that. So really the choice is yours. Stay here with me and help raise your nieces and nephews, or leave with that evil man. Because, truly, that is all he will ever be thought of, evil.” Leon hung his head.

Ada was silent as she stared at her mate. Christian got up and left the room to go to Vivi. Everyone was silent at the table and was shocked to hear a mate choose to be without his other half. Mary got up and started clearing the table with the help of Mateo and a few others. As dessert was being brought out Christian came back downstairs with Vivi.

“Vivi, if anyone can catch him Ada will see if she can heal him. If he is healed he will not be welcome here. I will not lose any of you for him. You are more important to me.” Kaiden told Vivi

“Thank you Kaiden. Ada if what Christian tells me is true and you plan to leave with him then you are a bigger fool that I first took you for. And Leon, I am proud to call you my uncle. Kaiden is right and you know it is true Ada, you too Sarah. Even if he is your soul mate and you get lucky enough to heal whatever has a hold on him, you will never fully trust him. You will start to see the monster that he truly is. I have talked a lot with Rosa and Monica about my mother. Did you know that my father enjoys raping human women to make babies? Even before he killed the Sects, when he was with my mother, she nor the king could stop him. Why do you think he had so many sons when he first lost it? Brad and Michael have no half-blood children. Their King didn’t require them to do so. I have heard the mothers at the amp scream, the louder they scream the more he gets off. He beats them for the fun of it too. You really want to live with a man like that? You want your soul mate to beat and rape you? Because that is the only way he will ever be happy. Oh women talk you know. My mother was upset after their first time and ran to Monica. Monica please tell her what he did to my mother the first time he made love to her and they turned into their Dragons.” Vivi sneered at Ada and Sarah