Redemption (The Extinct Race Series Book 4) (13 page)

Chapter 24

The Good the Bad and Iffy

Morgan let the half-bloods out of the holes and they stood in a groups surrounded by a group of turned half-bloods. The ones that were deemed good ones were only teenagers most of them looked to be very young teenagers. There were three girls and four boys, eyes as big as saucers as they watched their other brothers being put into groups from what the little girl told them. The Fury’s all stood in a line in front of all the ones Abby had said were bad, which were still halfway in the ground. Another group, the “iffy” ones, stood between Gabe, Mateo and five turned half-bloods. They were all waiting for Leon to return from walking off.

Leon had told everyone about the journal and that he was going to look for the trunk that it was in before he walked off. He wasn’t sure what it was yet, he just knew that Aldrich went to it a lot in his memories.

Rosa and Michael had gotten curious about it and followed him from a distance. They saw the trunk before Leon with their excellent night vision. They jogged up to Leon and pointed it out. Leon grabbed the trunk and they all walked back to the groups that were waiting for them.

Once they reached the groups Leon asked Donny to provide a little light. Donny held up his palm and little balls of fire erupted in them. Leon opened the trunk once he could see. As soon as the lid was open Leon felt the evil Pull of the journal. His hands hovered over the thing, the journal wanted him to pull it out and listen to it. This scared Leon more than anything he had ever come across so he refused the call and slammed the lid of the trunk closed. He backed away from the trunk and muttered “No.”

That got Rosa’s attention and she bent to lift the lid but felt nothing at all. She picked the journal up and opened the leather flap. She read quickly and then turned to Leon. “What did you feel?” she asked him knowing he felt something from it from his reaction.

“I felt an evil Pull from it. It wanted me to touch it and read it. That thing wanted me to listen to it.” Leon tried to explain.

“I wonder how he got this. This journal is the account of a Dragon. It is his life written in words, like Marsali thought. Only this one died slowly and as he died he wrote his feelings. I believe this book is spelled for Blood Dragons. I think this is what ultimately corrupted him. I think this journal is what made him believe he could be a King. I also believe it is meant for Blood Dragons because I don’t feel a thing from it. Not even the magic.” Rosa explained

“It needs to be destroyed. We cannot risk this book getting in the hands of our children or our grandchildren. If it did this mess will happen all over again and that cannot happen!” Sarah bellowed.

“I agree, I only request that you give me a moment to read through it all. The magic does not affect me, I just…. Well… this is a piece of history.” Rosa pleaded to Kaiden and Zoe to understand the historian inside of her begging.

“Take your moment while we figure out what to do with these ones.” Kaiden answered and walked over to the group of Fury’s. Well ladies and gentlemen what do you suggest?”

“Well when we hunted them we let them fight. I think Tia and John want a little action since they haven’t gotten any but this time we will do it weaponless.” Colby answered

“Burned or buried?” Charles asked the group of bad ones.

“What?” One of them asked bewildered

“When you die, do you want to be burned or buried?” Charles asked again, irritated with them all. The fight had not gone as they all had thought it would. Charles saw visions of pure chaos, a battlefield full of it. He was not mad or jealous that it wasn’t however the pain that was still in the air from Vivi had them all a little tense.

“You’re serious?” another asked with fear in his voice.

“Deadly.” Charles sneered

“Buried then.” The scared one stuttered.

“Paulo would you kindly make a hole pretty deep and about ten feet to our left?” Charles yelled out. He didn’t wait for a response before he started to explain the rules. “Alright, you guys were deemed the bad and unfixable by our little one and well this is how this is gonna play out. We are going to move into the valley over there. You guys are going to try and escape the circle we are going to create around you. We will leave all of our weapons behind. If you have a hidden knife, good luck to you with that.” Charles explained.

Morgan heard the plan and since she was still in her Dragon form she concentrated a bit and then the bad ones were in the hole moved to where she thought they were going to fight. She waited until the Fury’s were a good distance apart from one another in a perfect circle around the half-bloods. Morgan waited until she got some kind of signal and then she filled in the hole. From the bottom up she filled it in until the half-bloods were standing in a large group in the middle of the Fury’s.

The half-bloods looked around at their enemies. Some looked scared where the others looked like they wanted blood. A brave one ran for the space between Tia and Camilla. Tia laughed and let him get close. Tia used her speed ability and scooted over a bit then kicked the man back towards the others and he went flying into a few of his brothers.

Another brave one walked right up to John. John let him get a punch in before he let loose. John took it easy on him though and mainly just dodged what the man was throwing out. He was trying to get more of them to come at him. He let the half-blood punch him a couple times and then the others went wild when the half-blood got a good punch to John’s eye and it split open leaking a bit of blood. As the smell of blood hit the half-bloods noses they all ran out and into the other Fury’s reach. A few ran close to another and then went for the opening between two Fury’s

Etana was wicked with her krav maga skills taking men down left and right. Colby and Makayla had some payback built up in them from the last fight when she almost died so they were brutal with the punches. Charles also let loose and Claudia was right there with him. Sebastian and Camilla were a little more refined in their fighting and preferred to get it over with quickly except they had not killed anyone yet. John was having fun sharing blow after blow and Tia was a speed demon, flying all around the circle and kicking the ones who managed to get out of the circle and were trying to escape.

Colby was the one who dealt the first deadly blow. His fist landed just right at the side of a temple and the man fell to the ground with half his skull crushed in. After that the half-bloods started to fall one by one although John made sure that Tia did not take a life that night. The fight was over pretty fast and when all the half-bloods were down the Fury men grabbed them and tossed their bodies in the hole Paulo had created. When the last man was in Morgan made the hole deeper and then covered it in.

The Fury’s walked back over to everyone else. Most of the family had gone back up to the house knowing that this was not a true fight any longer. The huge threat had been eliminated by Vivi. All that remained were the two groups of half-bloods surrounded by a handful of half-bloods along with the Pearls. Kaiden looked over to the group that Abby deemed the good ones.

“You alone have the opportunity to change your future now that Aldrich is no longer here. Our Little Abby has the ability to see good in people and she said you guys are the good ones.” Kaiden started to explain to the young ones he stood before.

“I am going to tell you a story before I offer anything to you. A few months ago we met Vivi and she has since joined our family, as you can tell. Then one day about a month or so later four boats showed up in the ocean full of children and four women. We took them all in and gave the four women a choice. They could stay here with us and learn our way. Or they could leave. Two chose to leave and two chose to stay. Another month passed and we had a park built for the children to play on. We renovated rooms for the kids and gave them a home. Those children were kids again and enjoyed being here. My wife and I sort of adopted one of the babies and while my wife was giving her a bath she felt something in her foot.” Kaiden had all their attention even the ones in the iffy group.

“She took the baby to Vivi and there they got the object out. We then checked all the children and found more objects that were imbedded under the skin. In every child five and under there was a small metal object. We later found out that it was a tracking chip and we took them as far from us as we could get them. However we missed one of those metal trackers and the sister tracking chip was inside a missile. We lost every child over three years old that day and some of our own.” Kaiden informed them. As he looked at the group he noticed that the females were all in tears and one of the boys. The other boys looked sad save for one in particular who did not look surprised.

“A missile also hit the two who left. He put it in their belongings. I was in the car with him when he pressed the button.” One of the boys told him, he was one that didn’t look surprised.

“That saddens me. Those girls chose a good future and last I heard from them they were doing very well. They had bought a home and were enrolling in school. Now I am giving you that choice. You can stay here and learn our way or you can leave. It is up to you and what you want to do with your life.” Kaiden told them.

“Maggie is here and she is happy?” One girl asked. She was the same one that asked before.

“She is and she is a doll. She is quite special to us all.” Halina replied.

“What about them?” One asked as he pointed to the group that was deemed iffy.

“They will not be offered a chance to stay with us. Their choice will be freedom or if they choose…death.” Kaiden said as he looked to the other group.

“The three that held us aren’t here. Did you guys kill some of your own before you got here?” Claudia asked. “They weren’t in the group that fought either.”

“I noticed three run off as we were told to go forward but I wasn’t going to stop them. More or less I wanted to follow them but I was too scared. They never killed anyone and they stuck close together all the time. I don’t think you will have to worry about them.” One of the boys in the good group replied.

“I don’t like that one bit but they never did harm us. They held us yes but they never abused us. Believe me if I see them though I will confront them.” Claudia announced.

“I wish to leave. I don’t want any part in this anymore. I didn’t ask to be born or to be used and I really don’t want to hurt anyone. I just want to live.” A boy in the good group announced.

“I would like to leave also. Forge a life that I want instead of one that was planned out for me.” Another boy said

At the end, all the good ones chose to leave except the girl who asked about Maggie. Kaiden told her to step to the side and he would explain more to her as soon as he was done. Jaco drove up in an SUV and handed the ones that chose to leave a duffel bag and a backpack each.

“In those are clothing and food. Enough money to get you started on a new life too. I know none of you asked for this and I thought most would want to leave. We all know what you have gone through in your lives and we don’t wish you to continue in strife. We really are good people here. I just hope one day you see that.” Jaco said as he handed out the bags. Jaco then went back and grabbed more bags. He walked over to the group of “Iffy” ones. “Same applies to you guys too. Just leave and start a new life. I will be monitoring the news and papers. So if anything at all stands out and it appears that a half-blood did the crime… well… we will come find you and stop you. So take this opportunity we are handing you in a bag and disappear.”

“How are we supposed to just start a new life?” One of the girls in the iffy group asked.

“Well I am the computer tech here. I took a picture of all of you when you landed. In those bags are new identities and the documents to prove them. At the airport in Dublin is a one way ticket for each of you. You just have to pick where that one way ticket is going. There are no set times on the tickets. You just have to go to the counter and give your name. After that it’s your choice on where and what you do. There are also taxi’s waiting on the main road for you all. So you might want to get going.” Jaco said as he walked away and sat in the SUV waiting to drive whoever wanted a ride back to the house.

The two groups didn’t hesitate they all grabbed the bags up and walked toward the main road that Jaco had pointed out. Once they were out of earshot Kaiden turned to the only half-blood that chose to stay.

“There will be rules for you that are different than the other half-bloods that are here. You will have to work a little harder than others to prove that we can trust you. Now, what is your name?” Kaiden asked

“Colleen is my name.” she replied

“How old are you Colleen?” Zoe asked

“I am fifteen.” Colleen replied

“Alright Colleen you will need to say these words and then we will go to the house and explain everything.” Halina said as she whispered the words in the girl’s ear. Colleen got down on one knee and swore fealty to Kaiden and Zoe. She then got in the vehicle with Halina and Iraina along with a couple Fury’s.

Chapter 25

The Journal

Rosa had read the whole journal by the time Halina and the others got in the SUV. As it drove off Rosa had started to go through the trunk. The things inside looked like mementos more than anything else. The only thing Rosa found that she felt needed to be kept was a picture of Vivi’s mother. Everything else could be destroyed with the journal.

“I have read the journal. Nothing really of significance in the thing. It is just a Dragon’s account of things. He was the last to die and he used something similar to what Marsali did and made himself human. He wrote what he could down and then spelled it. He must have known what Marsali was going to do, because he knew a Dragon would find it. In it he mentioned doing a spell and saw a bit of the future. In that vision he mentioned seeing us as humans who could shift into Dragons.” Rosa stated

“Well he definitely knew what he was doing then and to me that is more hateful than anything. The only question is how do we destroy it?” Kaiden asked

“That I don’t know. I think only Zoe and Zach can do it.” Rosa said

“This is gonna be hard then. The magic always seems to just come to us when we don’t even know we need it.” Zach mused

“Here let me hold it and see if that calls it forward?” Zoe reached her hand out for the journal and Rosa placed it in her hand. As soon and the journal touched her skin Zoe screamed and dropped it. “It burned me!” Zoe yelped

“What the hell?” Kaiden asked worried.

Zach reached for her hand and she showed him the burn. It was a very severe burn and would need to be healed. As Zach looked closer there was a pattern to the burn and suddenly his Dragon ripped through him causing him to shift. They all jumped back just in time to miss getting knocked down. Zach hissed at the book and let out a menacing growl. He backed up and looked to Zoe. As Zoe looked at him confused he nodded to her hand. She brought her hand close to her face and started to see the pattern and then her shift was forced upon her as well. She also growled at the journal as soon as she was fully shifted.

Zach started to growl and hiss more and more. Kaiden was confused until he looked at the hand that was now her paw. The pattern that she and Zach saw was a bright red and seemed to be moving up her leg. It looked like a coiled serpent and he could tell she was in pain. Zach started to pace and Kaiden started to really get scared. This was magical and he couldn’t do anything about it. Zoe hissed and growled in pain her tail flicked wildly behind her while she paced keeping her eyes on the journal. Zach flicked his tail and that is when the two touched. They both held their tails where they were and suddenly heat was rising in them. Everyone that stayed behind felt the heat and began to back up quickly.

The magical burn was moving quicker and seemed to be traveling straight to her heart as the heat built in them both. As soon as they both opened their mouths black fire erupted from them on the journal. Everyone held their breaths as the fire consumed the book and slowly the magical burn moved back down to her paw and then left her body completely slithering across the grass towards the journal. As soon as the burn met the fire it left their mouths.

Zoe shifted back to human and screamed right before she passed out. The burn was still there and now it looked infected with puss oozing out of it. Zach roared his fury then scooped her up in one claw and Kaiden in the other. He flew to the house as quickly as he could while the others ran as fast as they could to follow him.

Zach landed in front of the main house letting Kaiden go before he touched down. Zach then carefully laid Zoe on the grass and began to weep as he shifted back into his human form still cradling his twin in his arms. Kaiden flew inside the house and started shouting. He kept shouting as he ran for Vivi’s suite. Alexi and Gosha met him in the hall and Kaiden crashed into them. He was in hysterics and couldn’t speak past the tears and the block in his throat. He just grabbed them and ran back down the stairs pulling them behind him. Vivi and Christian ran behind them confused they had never seen Kaiden like this before.

Kaiden pulled them right outside to Zoe. Rosa was the one to explain to them about the burn and Alexi was the first to respond. She grabbed Zoe’s burned hand as Zach shifted his weight and Kaiden dropped down near her head. The whole house had come outside as the shouting had riled them all up. Most everyone else had come out because they had heard Zach’s mournful roars before he shifted back to human and now everyone was in the clearing. Alexi was deep in concentration with both her hands around the one of Zoe’s that had gotten burned. Alexi concentrated on the burn and healing is while tears started to stream down her face.

“I can’t heal it!” Alexi looked to Kaiden and wept. “The burn touched a tiny bit of her heart. HOW?”

“It was magic. It crawled right up her arm and started to touch her chest just before their fire burned the journal.” Rosa explained and she began to cry.

Gosha ran forward and placed his hands over his mates in a panic. Vivi and Christian went to either side of Alexi as Sarah and Leon went to Zoe’s feet. Bronwyn then went to her other hand and they all concentrated. As they sat there they all began to cry. Vivi was the one to look up and break the news.

“We can’t heal it.” Vivi sobbed

Zach screamed loud and long making everyone jump. Marcus also screamed his sorrow while Kaiden wept silently holding her face. Everyone began to cry and shouts of horror got louder and louder. Everyone dropped to their knees as their Queen lay dying.

Colleen looked on in shock and knew this was her fault. Somehow she felt that this was her doing. She walked forward and tapped Vivi on the shoulder.

“Can you pass it to me?” Colleen asked

“What?” Vivi asked completely lost and utterly confused.

“Her heart is starting to weaken. Something needs to happen soon. Zach! Magic! something! Anything!” Alexi screamed

Marcus shifted and moved next to Zach. Vivi placed one hand on Colleen and left the other on Zoe. Colleen then reached out to Zach and he moved closer automatically so her hand would connect. Then it was Marcus who let out a wail as green smoke rose from Zach’s mouth and two screams ripped though everyone.

The green smoke allowed the burn to travel up Vivi’s hand and into Colleen. Colleen fell to the ground as Zoe opened her eyes. Kaiden yelled out and grabbed Zoe into his arms. Everyone cried a little more in relief and then a gasp filled the silence as Vivi had gone to Colleen.

“She’s human!” Vivi shouted through her gasp.

“What?” Zoe asked

“The burn must have been trying to burn out your Dragon. Colleen wanted me to shift the burn from you to her. I couldn’t do it until they let out the magic and then it flowed right through me into her. Now her Dragon is gone. I don’t feel any Pull and I can’t feel it in her anymore.” Vivi responded as she held the now human girl who was still passed out.

“Oh! I still have mine, right? The baby?” Zoe yelled out as she began to panic.

Alexi moved closer and placed her hands on Zoe. She took only a second and then smiled at Zoe. “You are fine honey. Everything is how it is supposed to be.”

“Oh poor Colleen.” Zoe felt horrible for the girl but relieved at the same time which made her heart hurt and she sobbed into Kaiden’s shoulder.

“Bring her inside and we will all watch over her. I have a debt of gratitude for her.” Kaiden said as he stood and picked Zoe up cradling her in his arms. “We will celebrate after we all get some much needed rest. Aldrich is dead, we are free, so sleep in tomorrow, make love all day. Just do what you want and at dinner we will have a celebration. For now I am taking these two to sleep.” Kaiden announced and everyone began to cheer and laugh.

Zach stood and took Colleen from Vivi. He didn’t say a word just silently took the girl form Vivi’s arms. He carried her to his suite and placed her in the spare room. The only reason the magic came to him was because she offered her life for Zoe’s. For that Zach owed this girl the world. For Zach the bond him and Zoe shared was there however when he felt her disappearing he was beside himself in grief. He knew Kaiden must have felt it too because the man was distraught his emotions were all over the place. Colleen opened her eyes as Zach opened the door and he was shocked to see the red flecks in her eyes were gone. She didn’t wake up though so Zach placed her in the bed and took Halina to their room.

Kaiden placed Zoe in their bed gently. She was still in tears and he just wanted to hold her. Before he was able to climb in bed Zoe asked for Lily and he went to grab her. Once he had Lily, who was still asleep, he placed her in Zoe’s arms and then climbed into bed behind her. Zoe cried herself to sleep holding on to Lily like she might float away. Kaiden followed shortly after wrapped around his mate who he almost lost tonight.

Marcus snuck into the room a couple hours later when Lily normally woke and snuck her out of the room. Iraina and Marcus stayed in the living room area with Lily until Kaiden and Zoe woke around noon. Zoe spoke all the time of how much Lily was on a particular schedule. Marcus knew his daughter needed her sleep so it was no problem taking care of his grandbaby. Besides it was a job he loved anyway.

Colleen had woken up in a strange room about nine in the morning according to the clock on the little table and the sun streaming in the window. She looked around the room and found the bathroom. She quickly relieved herself and then went to wash up. As she was washing her hands she looked in the mirror and saw her eyes. She burst into tears and huddled down on the floor. Zach found her like that a few hours later and immediately went to her.

“Are you ok?” Zach asked her

“It’s gone.” Colleen replied with a smile on her face.

“You’re happy about this?” Zach asked confused

“Yes! Halina explained to me about the soul mate thing and I knew I wouldn’t have one. Now I can fall in love with anyone like a human would and that is fine by me. I was going to chose not to turn anyway. I didn’t ever want to be a Dragon.” Colleen laughed

“Well ok then, um I don’t really know what to say but I am glad you are happy. This is your room from now on and I would like you to stay with Halina and me. You can decorate however you want to and I will call Marjorie today and have her come up. She is the clothing lady so you just have to tell her what you want.” Zach explained

“Really? You would do all that for me?” Colleen asked dumbfounded

“You took it from my sister and for that I owe you everything. Zoe means as much to me as my own mate and I would be lost without her. She is my other half.” Zach admitted.

“Thank you. I don’t know what to say now.” Colleen shyly admitted.

“Someone here wants to see you.” Halina said as she walked Maggie into the room.

“Maggie!” Colleen jumped up and ran to her baby sister.

“Coween!” Maggie laughed and ran to her. Colleen picked Maggie up and twirled her around.

Marjorie came a few hours later and took Colleen’s measurements and then left. She had also told all the girls she would take them shopping when they were ready. Mary skipped breakfast but made a big brunch for everyone. As everyone sat down and began to eat they talked about the night before. They spoke of how the tension had been lifted and had asked Finley to make it rain. They all wanted the rain to wash it all away. They all spent the day inside and even gave Mary the night off from cooking.