Days of Innocence (The Firsts Book 13)

by C. L. Quinn

  “Aw, it blows the mind. Talib, they are not here.”

  Finished searching two rooms, unoccupied, their small band moved to join the group on the other side of the warehouse.

  “There’s a door over here.”

  Rodney hurried to intercept Shani. “Ben and I will go through first.”

  “Rodney…”

  “No. I know you are powerful, but you’re human, and if there is a threat behind the door, we need to meet it. The rest of you can follow us in.”

  Cairine took Shani’s arm and pulled her backward.

  “Let him do his job, Shani. He’s good at it.”

  On a silent 3, Rodney shoved the wide door open and followed Ben through. The light was on so they could see the contents of the room immediately. Their eyes moved quickly over two large cages that held numerous people of various sizes.

  The cage to the right held adults who stood along the back, but right after they came through the door, one of them pointed to the other cage. Dropping, Rodney and Ben searched the cage, guns raised, shocked to realize that the occupants were the children they were here to rescue. Behind them stood three men, armed, each holding a child against him, the guns held at the child’s backs.

  “Throw away your weapons,” one gunman commanded. “We have nothing to lose, but you do. Pretty sure you don’t want these little kids to get hurt.”

  Nodding, Rodney lowered his rifle and pushed it from him. Ben did the same.

  Rodney carefully scanned the men, the children, the unknown people in the other cage, then back to the man who spoke. “We just want the children. We don’t care about you.”

  “That’s mighty fine of you. ‘Cause that’s all we care about. So, you guys back off. Out of sight, and once we’re gone, you can come back in here and get these brats.”

  “That sounds fair. Just…”

  Rodney closed his eyes and raised a hand, palm out, to the cage. When his lids lifted, he stood, walked to the cage, touched the lock, which beeped and clicked, then the door opened. “Ben, go get the children.”

  In the second cage, the human captives watched silently at the back of their cage.

  When the three guards had slipped into the room fifteen minutes ago, they’d gone into the cage with the children.

  “This’ll become a free for all, and not only will you guys get shot, so will these kids, so stay quiet, and hope they don’t find us. If you call out, if you warn them, you’re not the first ones I’ll shoot.” The guard looked at the smaller children to make his point.

  “We won’t cause any trouble,” Sally had promised. “Whatever you do, please don’t hurt these children. They’re completely innocent.”

  “Didn’t say I wanted to. Let’s just hope I have a choice.”

  Sally had walked up to the bars. “You have a choice.”

  “What-the-fuck-ever, blondie. Get to the back of your cage and shut up.”

  Pushing backward, she joined her friends. This was going to get ugly.

  Now these two men had come into the room, surrendered their weapons, and pleaded for the children.

  When the huge man with a long dark braid suddenly closed his eyes and lifted a hand up, she prepared for bullets to fly. Nothing happened. Then the man stood and ordered his companion to go into the cage. Her eyes went to the guards, who hadn’t moved since the big man held up his hand.

  “What’s going on?” she said, unable to contain herself.

  Stepping toward her, Rodney searched her face and then the others. He didn’t know them. “Who are you? Why are you imprisoned here? What are you?”

  Strange question. Sally shook her head. “I don’t know what you mean.” She started to answer his question about who they were when two gorgeous women came into the room followed by two exotic dark-skinned men.

  The men raced forward and began hugging the children as they shrieked and ran to them.

  “They’re human,” Cairine said, looking over Sally. “Why are you here? You can’t be a part of this?”

  “No, hell no. We found out about the kids, so the asshole who was holding them stuck us in here. I think he was going to kill us. Look, two of the kids are missing. Before you guys arrived, the man responsible for all of this, Isiah, took the oldest child, a girl name Su’ad. Then a short time ago, his associate came for the smallest child, a little girl named Pilar.”

  Dhole looked up from the child he was holding, a small boy with curly hair. “Su’ad and Pilar are Kalia’s daughters.”

  “Where did they take them?”

  “I don’t know, but you have to hurry. Isiah has a plane waiting about half an hour north of here. He’s probably already left with her. And we heard a motorcycle a little while ago, so he isn’t on foot.”

  Shani touched Rodney’s shoulder. “We’re going to look for the missing children.”

  “Not alone. Let me deal with these men.”

  Cairine’s eyes moved over the three men, frozen, in the back of the cage. “Since when do you have the ability to freeze people? You’re not first blood.”

  Smiling, Rodney walked up to each of the men, took their weapons and threw them out of the cage. “Got some stolen talents. Your grandfather is one unbeatable vampire.”

  “Vampire?” Sally said quietly.

  Rodney winced. “Ah. It doesn’t matter, we’ll purge her before we go. All of them.”

  “We can’t purge mem… Oh, you mean you.”

  “Koen has put the most precious things in his life in my hands. He gave me the power to do so.”

  “Impressive. Okay, secure them then and join us, but we’re going.”

  Shani left with Cairine.

  “Follow them,” Rodney barked to Ben.

  Leaving the other cage locked, Ben disappeared after the women.

  “What are you going to do with them?” Jackson asked, joining Sally at the front of the cage.

  Waving a hand over each of the guards, one at a time, they collapsed in a heap. “Time to go to sleep.” He looked at Dhole and his companion. “You guys have the kids?”

  “We do. We thank you so much for getting us here. We are going to take them home now. As we discussed. You will pursue Kalia’s girls?”

  “Until we have them back, yes.”

  Dhole bowed low. “We appreciate your dedication.”

  Eras arrived with the other two teams. “We heard you found them. Everyone okay?”

  Rodney shook his head. “Two are missing. They may be en route to an airplane. I think we have everything contained here. Matt, Enrique, Dwayne, take six first bloods and go after them. You’re only dealing with two men, but they’re likely armed. When I get everything secured here, we’ll join you. Keep your phones near. I’ll contact you when we’re finished.”

  “We’re ready,” Eras volunteered. “Bryson, Fia, Caed, join me. And we need Cari. Zia, you should probably stay with Caed. Mac, will you stay here Talib and Ife to give Rodney and our sisters back up?”

  Mac growled but consented.

  “It appears you have your team. Everyone, be careful, don’t take chances. Remember that men like this have little to lose.”

  Rodney’s men took their newly formed rescue party and headed out the door.

  Dhole and the other two Totems rounded up the children and led them from the cage.

  “You’re heading back to the village in your animal forms. The kids are okay with that?”

  “They will be well. We can protect them. Several will ride with us. We have a snake, for instance.”

  Rodney lowered his head. “Okay. Travel safely. We’ll do all we can to bring Kalia’s daughters home too.”

  With one more grateful bow, the Totems left.

  Rodney turned to the second cage when Sally cleared her throat. “Um, how about us? Could you get us out of here?”

  “Once we determine your role in this, yes, we will be back. I need to check on my other team. Hold steady.”

  Rodney headed out to check on Shani and Cairine.
>
  Sally dropped onto the floor.

  “So, guys, what the fuck did we just see and hear?”

  SEVEN

  “That pretty blonde girl said that she heard a motorcycle, so the room where they took the girls has to be on this side of the building. Follow me.”

  Cairine led Shani toward the northwest corner of the building to another closed door. “Be careful, we don’t know what to expect.”

  “He’s in there. I can feel pain, anger, and fear rolling off him. And the child too. Their emotions are so strong, they are projecting them through the air. Poor little Pilar, she’s terrified.”

  “We blast in and freeze anyone in the room.”

  “Cari, freezing isn’t one of my skills. I can add my power to yours but I don’t know how much it’ll help.”

  Ben came around the corner. “I’ve got it. I go in first. Stay behind me.”

  Slamming his foot into the door, sending it wide, Ben raced in, his rifle raised, assessing the scene. One man stood in the center of the room with a gun in his hand, the child grasped with his other.

  “Don’t! I don’t want to hurt anyone.” Paul’s fingers tightened on the small girl and she winced.

  Ben kept his rifle in place, and his eyes on Paul’s.

  “I get that. So how ‘bout you let the little girl go, and I’ll just take you into custody. You’re outnumbered. Hear that?”

  Paul did. He watched no fewer than eight striking young men and women coming down the wide corridor outside the room. “I am not responsible for this shit! I didn’t do this.”

  “Then you have nothing to fear. Let her go.”

  After another moment of indecision, he pushed Pilar forward and laid the gun down. “Who the hell are all of you?”

  “We’re your biggest nightmare,” Eras said as he, Caedmon, and Cairine held hands and froze him. They left his ability to speak intact, but he couldn’t move any other limb.

  “What the hell did you do?”

  “We’ve shown you that there are people in this world who are much more powerful than you. That you’ve made a big mistake.”

  “I didn’t do this.”

  “Says the man who had a gun on a little girl,” Shani said, her fingers curled into Pilar’s hair.

  “We’re heading out to recover the kidnapped girl. Rodney is finishing up with the other kids right now. I think we’ve got this settled here.”

  “It looks like it. I’ll go ahead and get Pilar back with the others before they take off.” Shani bent down. “You’re going home sweetie.”

  “With Su’ad?”

  “No, honey, not right now. But all of your other friends will be there. Come on, we’ll go catch them.”

  Shani took Pilar’s hand and led her toward the front of the building, which faced southeast toward their homes.

  Near the entrance, eight of the children were gathered in a circle with the three Totem men in the center.

  “Those who can run, must stay with us. You must not wander off and you must keep up with us. Those who ride, hold on tight. Abasi, I will have Brea tie you on me, and I will carry you. Ari, stay low and fly close to the pack. We are going home, children.”

  With a soft smile, Shani pushed Pilar into the circle and watched as Dhole embraced her and led her to stand near his own son.

  “Children, we are ready. Take your forms.”

  Shani had never seen anything like this in her life and knew she likely never would again. Three men and nine children slowly morphed into a variety of different rain forest animals. Most were cats, but two were birds, one a small primate, and the big cat that Dhole had changed into had a snake strapped to him. The collection of animals that had only a moment earlier had human forms were beyond beautiful. Shani sighed in wonderment at the incredible genetic structure it must take to do what they did.

  Bowing low in the manner of the Totems, she bid them safe journeys and they bounded off into the brush, gone between leaves instantly.

  Cairine came up behind her. “Wow.”

  “Did you see that? We live in a miraculous world. I kind of understand human’s shock and awe at discovering these people, vampires, magic, but this is not the way to do it.”

  “Well said, my friend. At least we know they are going home to their parents. I feel sick about Kalia’s older girl.”

  “We’ll get her, I’m sure of it.”

  “I am too. I’m going with Eras. Between him, me, and Caed, we have the strongest vampire talents. They need me.”

  “All right. Be careful.”

  “I will, you know it.” She paused as Brigitte joined Shani. “That was indescribably special. Brigitte, I’ll see you two in a little while.”

  As Cairine walked away, Brigitte put an arm around Shani.

  “Hey, sis. Cari’s joining the hunting party?”

  “She’s powerful. More than she even knows. The trio, Eras, Caed, and Cairine, are our strongest. I believe that they will lead us when we begin the battle.”

  “I often wonder what our futures will hold. We have no idea about any of it, no details. No timeframe. Where will we live, what will we do? Will we be together, or will we have to wait until the day we follow our destiny to see each other again? It’s fascinating. I just wonder where we will all end up. Who will we be with?”

  Sliding an arm around Brigitte, Shani leaned her head against Brigitte’s shoulder. “Big questions that only reveal the answers by living our lives. It will be interesting to see where we go and what we do before the big blast.”

  Brigitte snorted. “I think I know one of those answers.”

  “What? Which one?”

  “Who will Shani be with?”

  Shani pulled away. “You think…Rodney?”

  “Well, yeah. You could light a forest fire with the looks you two exchange.”

  “It’s that obvious?”

  “Love, I get hot just watching you two touch, even just your fingertips. That man is lost in you. Don’t tell me you don’t smell his scent.”

  “Oh, God, yes. I just think of him, and I get turned on.”

  “He should be your first.”

  “He should be my only.”

  “Only time will tell.”

  “True, except that I have a feeling it won’t be that easy. He considers himself my protector, and therefore, I am off limits. Plus, he says he’s too old for me.”

  “Humans,” Brigitte said on a sigh. “Let’s go see what’s going on with the strange ones in that other cage.”

  Rodney woke the three guards he’d knocked out with magic in what had been the children’s cage. Using his borrowed skill, he put them under compulsion.

  “You will find jobs serving food in a chain restaurant in the U.S. You will never harm another living soul, you will always be kind to animals and children, and you will not remember anything that happened here in South America. You will have no memory of the man who hired you, or of any unusual people you may have ever met. And guns terrify you, so you will never pick one up again. Go now.”

  “And you will not like sex, except with sheep,” Brigitte yelled as she followed Shani into the room.

  Shani didn’t notice Brigitte’s outburst, her eyes only on Rodney as he turned.

  Moving slowly from the now empty cage, he closed the door and pushed it until the lock engaged.

  “Hi, ladies. What happened with the two girls? Did you get them? Is everyone all right?”

  Brigitte answered him. “The youngest is safe and on her way home right now with Dhole. Unfortunately, the other man is already on his way to the plane with Su’ad. Ife said she can’t read her, so she must be unconscious.”

  “My men and Eras’s team are on their way?”

  “Yeah. But we came to see if we can get some more information from these kind folks.”

  Sally, Jackson, and Jessie were at the front of the cage already. Dean and Taylor leaned against the side, their eyes on the three people on the outside.

  “Tell me exactly
who you all are and why you are locked here in this cage.” Brigitte glanced back as Mac joined them. “Hey, handsome. Ready to help us with a little Q and A?”

  “Sounds like all kinds of fun. Where’s Cari?”

  “She decided to join the hunters on the hunt.”

  “Huh. And I got babysitting duty.”

  “What? Who the hell are you babysitting?”

  “The bad guys here at this warehouse.”

  “Oh. As long as you didn’t mean us. Anyway,” Brigitte turned back to Sally. “Do tell.”

  “Jackson, this is your story.” Sally stepped back.

  Brigitte pulled a metal chair from behind her and sat down on it, her legs crossed. “Okay, gorgeous. What happened here?”

  Briefly taken aback by the compliment, Jackson looked at Sally, then shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t understand how everything went to shit so fast here. My name is Jackson Hollinger, and the man responsible for this horrid abduction is my uncle, Isiah Hollinger. My friends and I are just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  IN THE RAIN FOREST

  Cairine caught up with the rest of the group traveling to find the young girl that had been abducted. She kept her cell on because Shani had promised to let her know if they found out anything useable from the young people caged next to the children.

  They had been on the path for nearly thirty minutes when they heard an airplane engine. It was a small personal jet, a newer model, very like the one her grandfather owned, fast and efficient. It probably had state-of-the-art everything. So the man they were chasing was wealthy. How many times had her mother said that wealth often led to abuse? Those who had access to vast amounts of money tended to think they were special, deserved, entitled, with impunity. She really wanted this man!

  As they approached the vicinity of the plane, no one was in sight.

  While they surveyed the clearing, Eras kept everyone behind a large tree. “So I guess he’s already on board. Let’s go get him.”

  “First, we stop the engines,” Cairine demanded.

  “Ah, good call. Caed, Fia, Bry, why don’t you join me and Cari?”