Second Chances (The Extinct Race Series) (21 page)

“I am Marcia as you all know now
. This is Raquel, Samantha, and Megan.” Marcia said, pointing to her sisters that were next to her.

“
It is very nice to meet you ladies.” Monica said

“I wanted to thank you all for giving us a break from the little ones.
It has been quite a week on the boat with all of them. I was shocked to have not heard a peep out of any of them all night.” Megan says

“Oh honey I can’t imagine, but we came up with a plan last night that might give you more of a break.”
Rosa said

“Well
, first can we share the good stuff with them? And then tell them the offers?” Vivi asked

“The floor is yours Vivi.”
Kaiden says

“Well first there are some things we found out, I will tell you all of them later, but the most important one
, I think you should know is the very last one. Well the first one too. Well our father has put the race of all Dragons into extinction. Every one of us at this table has quite a story, and none too happy because of Aldrich. Well, because of him we have all come together and are a family here, first and foremost. But the good news is that since we are facing extinction the half-bloods, you guys, if you choose to be turned. There is a chance you will have a soul mate and you will be able to have children. Your children won’t be able to be turned, but they will have the strength and feel of a full blooded Dragon.” Vivi says and looks at her sisters shocked and hopeful faces.

“Now the
offer, let me tell you before you decide. Here they do things a certain way. In order to be turned you have to go through training. You will be moved into the barracks with all the other half-bloods and will begin schooling and whatever other training Charles does to determine you to be fit to be a Dragon. But, because of where all of us came from, meaning us being Aldrich’s kids. You will not be turned until you are twenty two and you do this training. So if you want to be turned your training starts today and you will move to the barracks.” Vivi says very bluntly

Chapter 21

Children

“So what you are saying is if we want to be turned
, we have a choice?” Raquel asks

“Yes.
You will not be forced to be a Dragon here. As a half-blood you can choose to live as a human the rest of your life, or be turned into your Dragon. There are quite a few families here that chose a family over their Dragon. But, with the new changes, like the ladies in the house for example, they didn’t want to be Dragons because they wanted families. Now that they know they can have that, after being turned, they chose to turn.” Vivi says

“If we choose to turn
, are you going to force us to do your bidding? Make us kill or heal people we don’t want to?” Megan asks

“Absolutely not
! Alexi and Gosha will train you to be a real Blood Dragon. The good and the bad and everything you can do with your abilities. I will never force you to do anything. I may be King here and she may be the Queen, but the most important thing is, we are a family. All I ever wanted growing up was a large family. I want the laughter in the house, I want everyone to be happy here, and I want you all to live the lives you want. I don’t want anyone to want for anything other than their happiness and freedom. I just want you all to live and be happy.” Kaiden tells them.

“So we would move down there if we choose, what about the kids?”
Megan asks

“You have raised most of these kids already right?
Here you will not be forced to raise your brothers and sisters, unless you want to. I know you have never been able to choose anything for yourselves. I know there is a piece of you that feels you have to be what he forced you to be. But I also know there is a part of you that resents everything he made you do. So yes, make a selfish choice. The kids will all live here when they are sixteen, they will choose. You don’t have to worry about them they are now the family’s responsibility and not yours. No one here is going to judge you if you choose to train and become a Dragon or stay a human. We are all telling you the choice is yours.” Vivi tells the girls

“Will they hate us because of who are father is down there?”
Raquel asks

“You know I thought the same thing.
The ones sitting at this table are the ones that were hurt by him the most. The half-bloods, they know what he is doing, but they have always lived here so they haven’t seen it. Maybe you guys should all share your stories and then they can make their choices. But I am telling you now, if anyone was going to judge and hate you, it would be this table and these people. Look around, whose babies are they already in love with? Whose children are they bringing into their home and sharing their love with? That alone should show you everything you have been told by him is wrong. They are not evil and they are not out to kill us. They are the most loving people who just want to live that I have ever met.” Vivi says

“I would like to hear your stories before I decide.
I think it might help me choose. I have lived on the camp my whole life. I was in the cave when you all took Marcus. The way you came in and did it kind of proved my father right. So I am a little skeptical.” Marcia says

“Alright we can do that, I think little ears should probably go outside and play.
Ben are you guys all done eating?” Kaiden asks

“I think we all are.”
Ben replies

“Can you take all the kids outside and down to the training area and we will all be down in a little bit.
There are lots of other kids there who would like to meet you all.” Kaiden says

“It’s alright
, we will be down there too in a little bit we just need to talk.” Marcia tells the kids who are a little hesitant to go.

“Lucy
, can you take all the toddlers to the playroom with a couple of the other girls? The babies should be fine here, most of seem to be passed back out after eating anyway.” Zoe asks

As the kids file out the door and Lucy gathers all the toddlers to go play in the playroom
, Carmine starts telling his story. They were already late for training, but Kaiden felt this was more important. After the guys shared their stories they went out to train. By the time all the stories were told only the women with babies in their arms and some men were left at the table, the rest went down to keep on schedule.

“I didn’t know they did all that when they went out.
I knew he needed a Pearl to change us, but I honestly didn’t know he killed everyone.” Samantha said

“We don’t know how many have survived his attacks.
We know we are safe here within the border. We know he doesn’t know how to find us. We also know that if we don’t stop your brothers and your father, that we will never be able to leave this mountain.” Zoe says

“I want to turn.”
Megan says

“Me too.”
Raquel says

“Count me in.”
Samantha says

“I don’t want this life.
I don’t want to be a Dragon and I don’t want to live like this. I would rather be a normal human and choose to go to school and learn and have a real life I got for myself.” Marcia says

“And that is your choice.
But if you leave here we cannot protect you.” Vivi says

“I can handle my brothers if I run into them.
I am sorry to do this, but I didn’t ask to be born into this. I hate him for what he did to you all and me, but I can’t live like this anymore. I don’t ever want kids, I don’t want a man. I just want to be alone.” Marcia says

“So you want to leave?”
Kaiden asks

“Yes.”
Marcia says

“We will not hold you here against your will, but I do ask that you let me help you in a
ny way I can.” Kaiden asks

“What do you mean?”

“I would like to give you some money to help you on your way. It is not safe for you to stay here in this country. You will be on the run for some time. So I would like to help. I do not wish to see harm come to you.” Kaiden says

“You are really going to leave us Marcia?”
Raquel asks

“Look I know dad is evil now, I know I hate him for that, but I cannot stay with anyone who is going to kill him and my brothers.
I just don’t want to know all that. And I would know he was dead once it was safe to leave here. So yes, I am choosing to leave. I am twenty and I have never done anything but raise kids and cook. If I choose to stay it’s to do what? Stay here and hope for a man to love me? To have babies and do the same damn thing I have done all my life? NO! I want more I want a real life for myself. I don’t want someone to pity love, me or love me because something tells him he has to. I don’t want to be little Betty homemaker and talk about what recipes I am going to share. I can’t believe you guys are actually staying too. You have had the same life as me, don’t you want more?” Marcia asks

“I will go with you Marcia.
I don’t want you to be alone and some of the things you say, yes I want those too. It will be easier with two of us anyway.” Samantha says

“Thank you Samantha.
I didn’t really want to be alone, but I know I don’t want this life.” Marcia says

“If you are really leaving you will have to denounce your fealty and you won’t be able to come back.
You won’t see any of us unless he is dead and we are able to leave freely.” Vivi says

“I’
m sorry Vivi, but that is fine with me.” Marcia says

“
I will ask one of the builders to drive you both to the airport. Zoe and I will come as far as the border and there you will denounce featly and be on your way. Please take the clothing Marjorie dropped by this morning and anything else you may need. Do you wish to say goodbye to the kids before you go?” Kaiden asks

“No
, if they know we’re leaving it will make it a lot harder on them. I think it’s best if we just leave.” Samantha says

The girls get up quietly and walk to the rooms they were given last night.
Twenty minutes later they have two bags each and are ready to leave. Kaiden gets one of the guys to drive the girls down to the border. He and Zoe follow in a jeep. Zoe still has little Lily in her arms. When they get to the border they all climb out. Samantha walks over to Zoe and kisses Lily’s head.

“Her mother was one of the ones that didn’t come back.
Please give her a different life than we all had. I would love to see her grown and happy one day. So when it’s safe please bring her with you and find us. I know Marcia won’t want to know, but I would.” Samantha says. She and Marcia walk to the other side of the border where Zoe instructed them to stand and they take back their vow. Zoe and Kaiden know it worked as soon as it was spoken because the look on the girls faces.

Kaiden and Zoe drove
straight to the training area and walked to the tree where all the portable cribs and playpens were set up under the shade. There were some women there who were helping watch the babies as everyone trained. The oldest of the girls was sitting there helping also. Zoe was not shocked by this, but it did bother her a little.

“Honey what’s your name?”
Zoe asked her

“I am Mimi.”
She responds

“Hi Mimi, I am Zoe, you know you can play with the other kids you don’t have to watch over the babies anymore.
There are enough of us adults to do that. We just all want you to be a kid and play.” Zoe says

“I know, Megan told me, she is my big sister.
Maggie is our baby sister and Lily was born a few months ago. Our mom never came back when she went to the house. I just don’t want them to forget her. Or be afraid of all the new faces.” Mimi says

“Ok I understand that.
You know I got boxes of toys today for the playroom. You think after I am done training you might like to help Justine and I set it up? Lily I think I am going to keep her close to me, so she will be there with us too.” Zoe says

“I would like that.
I am good at organizing.” Mimi says

“Good, then I will see you after I am done and we will open all those boxes.”
Zoe says.

The training went longer into the afternoon than normal because of the events of the morning.
As Zoe was making a round across the track she heard a baby crying. She knew it was Lily and she took off running towards the tree. Kaiden followed her not really knowing why she was running off. He had heard the cries of hungry babies all morning and so had she. Mimi had Lily in her arms and was trying to get her to calm down, but little Lily wasn’t having it. Alexi was there also.

“Nothing is wrong with her physically or health wise.
She has just eaten and been burped. She also has a clean diaper. None of us can get her to calm down.” Alexi said

“May I try Mimi?”
Zoe asks as she reaches out her arms to the crying baby.

“Sure, I have tried everything mama does
, but she won’t stop.” Mimi says

Zoe takes the baby in her arms and holds her to her chest.
Little Lily immediately calms and Alexi giggles.

“I think you have been adopted Zoe.”
Alexi says behind a smile

“Well this is one adoption I am very thankful for.”
Zoe coos at Lily and Lily smiles.

Once everyone was done with training
, the men began taking apart the bunks and moving those upstairs, Mary and Mateo were moving their belongings into the rooms they picked downstairs. They chose two of the rooms that were on the same side as Jaco, Carmine and Paulo. That left one open bedroom on that side of the hall. Kaiden had an idea and got some of the builders to help him with it. Zoe, Justine and Mimi were all unpacking boxes in the playroom and setting that up. Halina was working on the mural in their too. They placed Lily and Jacob in one of the portable cribs near the open window. Some of the older kids had found their way in and were helping with the playroom.

Hours went by and soon Zoe noticed the bunks being taken back out of the house.
She got curious and went to find Kaiden. She found him on the second floor. He was looking inside the rooms and was very proud of himself. In the girls room he had bunks built into the wall. There were six beds total, four on one wall and two single beds in the corner, the heads meeting up and then splitting on either side. There was a triangular ledge above the two beds for books or what-not. The four bunks on the other wall were big enough to have a shelf inside and curtains that were able to close on the inside. They had dressers for their clothes and a table set in the middle with six chairs. The closet was full of clothing and the bathroom was made up for little girls.

In the boys room the longest wall had a row of three
bunks long and three high with a rolling ladder connected to it. Then there were two beds similar to that in the girl’s room where the head meets and then splits off. The boys also had a table in the middle and dressers, but the boys had a couch and TV area with a couple game systems set up. Zoe was very impressed with the work, it was done so quickly.