Second Chances (The Extinct Race Series)

by Michelle Farrell

  “When I woke I was stuck and completely out of energy. I could feel Alexi was safe and alive. I felt her pull very strong so I knew she was ok. The fire was all out and cold when I woke up so I am not sure how long I was passed out. I know I went for about a week with no food and water before they showed up. Iraina pulled the debris off while Alexi used everything she had to heal me. I had to in turn carry her out of there.” Gosha told them

  “When I woke I had to tell him that our son was gone. I couldn’t feel him anymore so I thought they killed him. We mourned for years and then one day little Halina, she was three at the time, started throwing a fit. She pulled on our hands and screamed at us until we followed her. Over the years we felt the faint pulls of other Dragons, but we always steered clear of them. After all it was one of us who did this. So when we felt the pull she must have been feeling we wanted to go in the opposite direction.” Alexi said

  “I remember my fit too. I felt something so different that the normal pulls of my mother, Alexi and Gosha. This one I could not deny and I had to go to it. I couldn’t wait for them to come with me anymore, so I stopped trying to grab their hands and I just took off. They followed of course. I came upon a car that was half on fire in a ditch. The bodies of the adults were beyond saving, but the little boy in the back seat is what had my attention. I climbed in that burning car and sat beside his unconscious body. He was mine and I was keeping him.” Halina said

  “I thought my girl was crazy, climbing in a burning car and all. I grabbed her out and brought the boy too, since he was still alive just passed out. Halina would not take her arms off of him. I knew he was a Dragon so I had Alexi heal him and once his eyes opened I understood everything. She found her mate very early. I took every penny I had left and had his name changed. You see here in Russia we kept our money in a safe or hidden around the house. When they burned down the house, we all lost all of our money. I managed to find one safe that was untouched. There was only about 200,000$ in there. I used $150,000 of it to bribe the adoption person and the other money lasted about two years. We were not used to living within a means. Once the money ran out we started working on people’s lands for food and clothing. We live in a small cave in the Mountain. We wait until it is pitch black to shift, and we only do that when the pain gets too much to bear. I would not let Zachary change Halina until her twentieth birthday. That was a week ago. He has amazed us since.” Iraina said

  “Zoe is quite amazing herself and has only been changed about a week also. To me it seems that those two together are more than any of us were expecting.” Marcus said

  “Told you all she was an Angel, so he must be and Angel too.” Justine grinned

  “Well I am just glad we are now more powerful than Aldrich and his many half-blood children, but we still have to find any survivors and the other missing races. Iraina what you might not know as a Queen yourself, is that Aldrich has essentially decimated all Sects. My parents got letters from around the world before they were killed. From what I know there is exactly one set of soul mates from each race that were hidden or lost. My mother told me to find them all to rebuild the race before Aldrich killed all of us.” Kaiden told her

  “So you kids are the last of us? It is up to you guys to rebuild our race? We are Extinct now?” Alexi asked

  “Yes.” Camilla replied

  “We only know of one child born in the last ten years. No one has had any new children that we know of beside Aldrich, but all his children are half-bloods. All the last children we know of, the youngest is ten and the oldest is Gabe here, he is twenty four. He is only the oldest by a couple months though.” Kaiden informed them

  Everyone sat in silence after that thinking of all the possibilities. Marcus and Iraina kept casting glances at each other and Alexi noticed.

  “May I heal you now?” Alexi asked

  “I am not ready to forget her.” Marcus said

  “You will not forget her I cannot heal the mind, but I can heal your heart and I know Iraina also does not want to forget her first mate.” Alexi said

  Kaiden finally caught on to the clues that were staring him in the face. “Are you saying they are soul mates?”

  “It feels like we are.” Marcus said

  “It does.” Iraina breathed

  “Wow, more history in the making. Zoe and Zachary are twins and no one has ever heard of that. Then you guys are getting a second chance at fate. This is awesome.” Justine said

  “Seems that way.” Marcus announced to no one in particular.

  Alexi placed her hands on either side of Marcus’s chest and looked into his eyes. They held each other’s gazes for a long moment before Alexi asked “when you are ready just nod and I will begin. I am just going to repair the scars of the last twenty two years on your heart and body. I would like to make you whole again.” Marcus took a deep breath and nodded. Alexi pushed her magic into Marcus and it swirled around his heart. Marcus gasped and grabbed Iraina’s hand. She then let out a gasp and closed her eyes.

  The rest of the flight went in silence. Marcus and Iraina held hands and just stared at one another. Zoe sat next to Kaiden with Zachary and Halina across from them. Alexi and Gosha sat across from Marcus and Iraina while Camilla and Sebastian sat behind them. Justine and Gabe sat behind Kaiden and Zoe. Within the hour they were touching down and landing in the open field.

  When they stepped out Rosa and Michael were there to greet them. Rosa’s smile was large on her face when she saw Zachary and Halina step out. She greeted them warmly with hugs and her smile. When Marcus and Iraina came out hand in hand Rosa was surprised and her smile faltered. Gabe was right behind Marcus and Iraina and noticed his mother’s confused face. “Second chance Mom.” Gabe said. She looked at him with shock on her face and shook her head. “Hey you never heard of twins either and you are the historian here. If you are shocked then it is shocking, but a good one. He deserves his happiness again and so does she. Mom this is Iraina, Queen of the Russia Sect. This is Alexi and Gosha. We believe they are Christian’s parents.”

  “Oh my!” Rosa gasped. She turned and saw the outline of Vivi and Christian coming up the hill.

  “Well here he is now. Are you ready to meet your son?” Rosa asked Gosha and Alexi.

  Alexi burst into tears and Gosha stood tall and proud, but the tears still came, running down his proud face. As Vivi and Christian got close his step faltered. He stood there staring at Alexi and Gosha in shock. Vivi tried her best to urge him forward, but he stood his ground. She got right in front of his face and held her hands on either side of his face. She kissed him hard and brought his attention to herself.

  Jeeps had been waiting on them, but Kevin had to call two more to bring everyone back. The other two jeeps were coming in the distance as Christian walked forward holding Vivi tight to him. Zachary looked to Vivi and told her “They will not blame you for your father’s deeds. You are far too young for them to blame you. Have no fear of them, they only just found out your mate is alive.” Vivi looked to Zachary with confusion “How do you know that?” she asked. “I have been always been about to feel the emotions of others. I do not mean to be rude and pry, but your fear and worry was screaming loud and clear.” Vivi smiled and nodded at Zachary and kept walking with Christian.

  They all stood face to face. Not touching and not moving an inch. They said nothing and just stared. Justine being Justine, walked over and placed a hand on Gosha and the other on Christian. “Christian your parents never abandoned you like we all thought ours did. When their sect was raided, as you heard, you were taken from them. No one knows where you were taken, but you. They just found out you are alive today. Don’t hold it against them.” Justine cooed at Christian. “Do you feel the truth of my words Vivi?” Vivi nodded and Christian glanced for confirmation. “I feel your intent to hug me. I feel your intent to never lose me again. Please hug me?” his voice broke and he went to his knees. Gosha caught him before he made it to the ground and gave him a bear hug. Alexi was f
ast behind him and hugging them both.

  Christian gasped and both their hands made contact as they healed the hurt. He pulled back and looked into their faces. “We can do that? Not just wounds, but inside scars as well? You? We can heal more than just outside wounds?” He stammered excitement running through him.

  “Yes son. We will teach you all that we know of being a good Blood Dragon.” Gosha told him. They hugged once again and Christian looked to his mother. “Please heal Vivi, take the hurt and the guilt she feels away. Heal her heart and make her who she really is and not the daughter of an evil man. Make my Vivi better?” He cried. “She is so much more on the inside than who everyone is going to think she is. Some survivors might blame her and I don’t want that. I want them to all love her as I do. I want them all to see her as the woman who brought light to my darkness.” Christian begged his parents.

  Vivi gasped as Gosha and Alexi both hugged her. She sagged in their arms in tears. She was crying so hard that she had to be carried to one of the jeeps. Christian just held her in his lap and everyone climbed in and they made their way to the house. Zoe had Kaiden make a call to the house while the healing was taking place. The empty room in their suite was being prepared for Zachary and Halina. The room next to Vivi and Christians was being prepared for Alexi and Gosha. Clothes were being placed in both rooms for them and hot baths being drawn. Kaiden also made sure that space would be given until dinner and then they would all talk.

  The ride back to the home was in silence. When they made it through the front door Marcus took Iraina up to his room. Zoe told Christian to take his parents up to their room and let them get cleaned up and dinner would be in an hour. Zoe and Kaiden took Zachary up to their suite and showed them their room. Clothes had been placed in the closet for both of them and a bath was waiting.

  “Please clean up and make yourself at home. This is your room and our parents are across the hall behind that door. Kaiden and I are at the end of the hall if you need anything. I am so happy you both are here and that I have a brother. We will leave you now and talk more at dinner.” Zoe told and ushered them inside the door and closed it. She took Kaiden’s hand and walked to their room.

  An hour later dinner was served and they were all seated at the table. Kaiden stood and introduced everyone. Marcus and Iraina looked so happy that it brought tears to Zoe’s eyes. She was sad that her mother was dead, but happy that her father was given a second chance and his pain would no longer be there. They all talked during dinner and shared their stories of how they came to be there once again. This turned out to be one of Zoe’s favorite things to do now. Justine also seemed to be getting better at it. Tia still had a little problem sharing the rape with everyone, but talking about their hurt was a good thing Zoe thought. It also helps everyone know her better and understand the times when she might come across as brash and breakable. When really she had no idea what was going to happen.

  Dessert was served once again with some wine. Zoe noticed how well Iraina cleaned up. She had lovely chocolate brown hair and bright hazel eyes. The flecks in her eyes were only highlighting the green and brown within her eyes. She had strong cheek bones and a straight nose. Her lips were full and heart shaped. She didn’t have any makeup on and she didn’t need any. Iraina was a natural beauty. Halina looked a lot like her mother with the same nose and mouth, but her eyes were a deep green color like an emerald. She also had light brown hair with red highlights running through.

  Zachary was definitely her twin. Zoe felt like she was looking in a mirror when she looked at him, although he had shorter hair. He had the same features and same color eyes as her. He was built tall and lean like her, but had thick muscular arms and legs. Zoe was all around happy that everything was falling into place. It was very hard to believe it has only been a week since Kaiden showed up in her diner.

  They had all finished dessert and their wine when Zoe remembered that the new arrivals have only ever shifted in times of need and never when they wanted. She thought a flight was in order and so she got up and ran into the kitchen. She asked one of the girls where they kept the robes and went to go get them. The girl giggled and followed her and helped Zoe load up all the robes they could manage to carry. One by one she went to the table and handed them out. Christian gave her a knowing look and so did Zachary. Zachary got up to take some of the robes from her and helped pass them out. Kaiden sat there watching his mate with pride written all over his face. Once she was done Zoe stood there, well she bounced in place clapping her hands and the smile on her face was infectious.

  “Anyone up for a flight?” Zachary boomed out in his strong voice.

  Everyone then looked up with smiles on their faces. Marcus being the exception he looked scared, but determined. Zachary must have felt his worry and whispered something in his ear. Marcus nodded and stood grabbing Iraina’s hand and walked upstairs. The rest of the table took that as a signal and everyone ran to their rooms. Within thirty minutes everyone was outside in their robes. Kaiden, Zoe, Halina and Zachary were all in the front with Marcus and Iraina behind them. Kaiden must have called Charles because he soon showed up with the same men as before and they were all in robes. They all faced forward and dropped the robes. Zoe and Zachary were the first to shift. Everyone else one by one was soon shifted. Marcus was the last, worry still written on his face. Zachary nodded at him and Marcus shifted. No screaming, no pain he just shifted.

  They took a longer flight this time and went to the very edges of the border. They looked out beyond the hazy pink bubble for any signs of danger. Once they were done they made it back to the house and shifted back to human. One by one they grabbed their robes in silence and headed to their rooms. It had been a long day and everyone was feeling it.

  Chapter 8

  Training

  At breakfast as everyone took their seats and they were all there. Charles arrived with the other men who flew with them. They sat and ate in silence while everyone else chatted. When the girls cleared the table after breakfast everyone still sat knowing they needed to talk out a plan for the training.

  “Let’s take this to the circle so everyone is comfortable.” Kaiden suggested. Everyone got up and moved to the couches and chairs. Ben once again was in Justine’s lap with Gabe. There was no fire made this morning so Kaiden grabbed a large piece of wood and covered the pit. He stood in the middle and addressed everyone. “We need to start training. I want everyone to learn how to fight and protect yourselves. These half-bloods have guns. Guns can and do kill us. So we need to learn to fight together and use our Dragon abilities to help one another. I also think it would be wise if all of us find a weapon that you feel comfortable holding and wielding. Train with that one weapon for now. Once you are proficient and confident with that one weapon I want you to pick another and train with that one. Are there any questions?”

  “This has never been done before we have always relied on the Fury’s to protect us.” Iraina said

  “Yes, well I am not comfortable sitting pretty while only certain family members put their lives at risk for me. I would rather be out there with them and fighting as one.” Kaiden told her

  “And that my King is why you will make a good King.” Marcus said

  “I agree. That is where Aldrich got the upper hand on all of us. He knew that the only fighters were the Fury. So take out the Fury’s and the rest are easy picking. I for one am also tired of hiding and living in caves, running from half-bloods. I’m all in agreement for learning to protect my family.” Brad said

  “Also, I have the half-bloods that live in the barracks and who are not ready to be turned taking shifts with patrols and training. They have acquired long range walkie-talkies that reach more than a hundred miles and the base radios for those are in the barracks training room. It is also wired to Mateo’s and Charles’s rooms. Mateo is human, but a proven fighter and has been hired as a fighting instructor here. He has taught Gabe here a thing or two and Gabe can hold his own against any Fury. Gabe i
s the reason I am implementing this training. He is an Onyx as you can tell.” Kaiden reasoned.

  “Also, I have a human associate who is friendly to the family. He found Zoe for me and he found all of Justine’s information. He is also the first man I called when we found out Zachary was alive. He managed to give us your location. And that is how we found you so easily. I have him looking into all missing and open adoptions right now. He knows what to look for, although he does not know what we are. I do plan on telling him in the near future. I plan to bring him and his children to visit us and get to know us. I am putting this man’s life in danger by having him do this for us. I just don’t know who else to turn to. This man has connections and abilities we do not.” Kaiden breathed out.

  “You worry for nothing Kaiden. This man is a huge asset to us.” Zachary said

  “Thank you Zachary, I just do not like dragging anyone else into this mess that Aldrich has caused.”

  “Please, you all are my family now, call me Zach.”

  “Right, Zach, thank you. Charles before we begin training today how many half-bloods are ready to be turned in your opinion?”

  “I have fifty men and women ready. They are all proficient in training and with at least three weapons. They have even met Mateo’s approval in fighting, so they will be able to help with the training also. I hope you are ready for some biting and maybe a quick flight to show them the ropes.” Charles said