The Pearls

by Michelle Farrell

Mateo is in awe of all the information he is given. His eyes dart all around the room. As Mary hands him a plate he is brought back to reality. He digs in greedily as he hasn’t had a home cooked meal in four years by this woman.

  Tai and John look a little more relaxed when Marry hands them plates of food. She then hands everyone else plates and sits to enjoy hers. They make small talk during dinner. Gabe finishes his first and makes another plate to take to Blake. When he returns he sits next to Justine and kisses her head.

  All eyes are on Tia and John as they wait for them to begin talking. John notices first and has a mental war. He can feel that Tia is comfortable with these people. He knows that she needs a family more than he does. It is his own feelings that get him to talk. He has grown up with a family, not your normal family, but none the less a family. But it is the feeling of belonging which he has never felt that gets him to talk.

  Chapter 27

  As Blake sits up to grab the plate from Gabe he is overwhelmed with feelings of gratitude and belonging. These people are showing him a different side of what he knows of Dragons. It is so different than he would have treated on of them, and very different then how he was raised. He longed to be the Dragon his father was, not the evil side, but the Dragon itself. He was going to run as soon as he was turned. Blake always searched for way to get free, even if they hurt someone else.

  John takes a deep breath and looks up into their curious eyes. He grabs Tia’s hand turns to her and kisses her long and hard. She looks into his eyes and tells him she approves of what he is about to do.

  “I grew up on an oil rig. My family for all its worth are a bunch of roughnecks. My father found me on the main platform where the helicopters and such land. I was in a huge pile of ash. Somehow flowers grew in that ash too on a metal deck. There was another pile of ash and flowers on the other side of the deck and there was a letter in a water proof bag that had just my name written on it, Johnson Avery Santana.”

  “Anyway my father took me in and cleaned me up. He had kids before that were taken from him, so he just kept me. No one asked and no one cared to question him. So I grew up around a bunch of big bad mean men. From a young age I knew I loved to fight. Even as a young boy I was easily angered and hotheaded.”

  “When I turned fourteen I got into it with one of the biggest guys on the rig. I beat him. After that the guys started taking me to the fight ring. It’s like a warehouse in town and well you fight and they place bets. The roughnecks make a lot of money and they love to bet on me.

  Then one day this pretty little girl walks in the room and I was shocked, I just stood there still as a board, something in me was pulled to this girl and I could not take my eyes off her. I guess, I get the term you guys used, the “Pull” this girl definitely had a pull. Well the guy I was fighting took me down. The next thing I know this little thing is pulling a two hundred pound man off me and she knocks him out. She made eye contact with me and it was all over. Love at first sight and I am only seventeen.” John laughs

  “My dad is pissed but I don’t care this girl was made for me and you guys confirmed it. Well a month ago we kind got reckless as always and well ended up doing it. We kind of got rough and bit each other. Next thing we know we are outside in a field completely naked and something is changing. It didn’t hurt we just both got really warm. Then we were these huge Dragons.”

  “We were too freaked out to move and once we fought the urge to take off we were human again. We have learned that it hurts not turning. And well since we haven’t actually flown yet we just shift to alleviate the pain. We haven’t told anyone but Mateo. He talks so much of you Gabe that we thought maybe you were a Dragon too and he knew. So we showed him, he freaked out, and then we knew we made a mistake. And now here we are.” John looked at all of them again. “Now I am thinking it was a good mistake, but still I am sorry for putting your life in danger Mateo, we never meant to do that.” Mateo bowed his head at John’s apology.

  “Thank you John, that helps us know you a little more. Do you know what state the rig was near at that time? So I can let the lawyer know. See our parents have all left information of some kind with a lawyer so far. We are hoping that yours did too. That is the only reason I need the information. Your date of birth won’t really matter in this case there is no record of it I assume?” John shakes his head no.

  “At the time it was near Alaska.” John told Kaiden.

  “Justine, can I talk to you a minute alone?” Tia asks her

  “Sure, let’s go outside. Baby and John will you watch over us, but let us get out of ear shot please?”

  “Of course, my love.” Gabe answers her

  Tia and Justine walked out the back door and headed towards the pond. There is a bench that looks to be far enough out of ear shot of the guys. They both sit and Tia looks at her nervously.

  “John knows about my past but, well, how were you able to just tell us how you have been hurt?”

  “Trust baby girl. Zoe is like my sister as you know, she saved me. You are still young, you haven’t dealt with your demons and that is fine. But baby girl you are now this age forever.” Tia looks at Justine in shock. “Oh we haven’t covered that yet have we?” Tai shakes her head no. “Well honey when we turn we freeze and pretty much don’t age ever again. We can be killed, but you will never get sick and old and die, you are now sixteen for hundreds or thousands of years, hopefully.”

  “Really? You’re not joking at all are you?” Tia was excited to be young forever, but what was still ahead of her made her nervous.

  “Since I have learned what I am and well it’s only been a couple days, I have faced my demons in this time, and I embrace this life. Zoe is a great girl and you seem to be too. Really I am letting my guards down because I want what Kaiden says. I want to go to Ireland and start a family. I want to be happy. If you are too afraid to tell us the worst, just skip those parts, we don’t need to know now. As long as John knows, that is really all that matters to me. But the more you tell us, the more we understand you as a person.” Justine tells her feeling like a big sister right now.

  “Thank you. You have just given me the courage that I needed. Kind of funny, I don’t need courage to fight, I just go, but talking, sheesh that’s a new thing for me.” Tia laughs and grabs Justine’s hand and they walk back to the house.

  John smiles and takes Tia into his arms when they walk back in the house. “You sure baby girl?” She nods her head and goes to sit back down. As soon as he felt her relief and her determination he knew she was going to open up.

  “Oh do you guys know about the feeling thing with the first kiss?” Tia asks

  “Yep we figured that out and apparently it’s a new thing for Dragons, well as far as we all know, it is.” Zoe says

  “Pretty freaky huh? It’s kind of awesome when we are fighting though. John can be on one side of the room and in a fight, then some guy starts to try his luck on me, and out of nowhere John feels me and he is there bashing the guys face in.”

  “Got to love Fury’s. Speaking of which, I need to call Charles after this and tell him about the two of you and our new trainer.

  “Who is Charles again?” Tia asks

  “He is a Fury too and he is pretty much my uncle. He is at home and he looks after all the half-bloods.” Kaiden tell her

  “Sweet can’t wait to see what we can do against an adult Fury. Like one that’s been a Dragon longer than a month.” Tia giggles

  Tia looks to John as seriousness comes over her face. He nods for her to go ahead, she looks to Justine and she also nods for her to go ahead.

  “Here goes nothing.” Tia takes a deep breath and lets it out. “My full name is Tia Carmela Perez. I was left in a hospital in Miami. I did the whole foster home thing until I was ten and then I have lived on the streets for the last six years. I got into lots of fights and eventually had the cops after me for hurting another girl pretty bad.”

  “I left Florida when I was twelve and have just been hitchi
ng rides with truckers. The last trucker I took a ride from chained me up when I fell asleep. I woke up chained to his bed in the back of the truck and he raped me for two weeks. He beat me pretty bad and drove into a field to leave me there. But once he got the chains off, he had planned to leave me there, so once he got them off I played dead, once he tossed me to the ground I jumped up and beat him with everything I had until he was no longer breathing. I was in the middle of a field in Colorado and wasn’t sure where to go. I ran as fast and as far as I could.”

  “Eventually I heard some other kids in an abandoned warehouse and figured they were all homeless kids too. They helped me get better and I stayed with them for another two years. We traveled all over the place. When I decided to leave there was one girl that left with me, and she and I came up here. She had some friends that had a house here and I have been living with them. About three months ago they talked me into the fight scene. I have been making us some good money.”

  “Well at my last fight the guy I fought told me I could make some real money off the roughnecks. Told me where to go and so I went. It was just me and this other girl that night and we just wanted to check it out.”

  “As soon as we walked in I felt something funny. Something pulled me right into that warehouse and right to John. When I saw that he was on the floor under this big guy, I lost it and threw the guy off then knocked him out. Next thing I know I am staring into the eyes of this gorgeous guy and his eyes are like mine, there are sandy color flecks in them and I couldn’t leave his side.”

  “We have been together since and he got his dad to give me a job on the rig. We are supposed to leave in two weeks, but I don’t want to now. I haven’t talked to John yet but I know I need to stay with you guys. My Dragon is talking to me and she is telling me that you are safe and you guys are home. John baby, what do you feel?”

  “Same as you baby girl. This is our future and it’s the right choice.” John said feeling the confidence in his own words.

  “Welcome to our little family guys!” Zoe stands and starts to giggle. She walks over to Tia and pulls her in for a hug. She knows the others can hear but she feels the need to whisper it instead of saying it out loud “It took a lot of guts for you to admit that. I am glad you trusted us enough to tell us and I just want to let you know that I am here and I understand. We were all dealt a fucked up deck of cards but we made it through alive and I think we have a good future ahead of us.”

  “I am going to go call Mr. Steinman and see what he can come up with.” Kaiden told everyone and walked out the back door.

  “This is all kind of mind blowing, but honestly I look forward to training all of you and whoever else. Mary will you be coming too?” Mateo looked fondly at Mary

  “Yes I will be, now I need to get everyone settled. I assume you all are staying the night yes?”

  “Well Um I am actually going to head home and then start the process of closing down the business. Gabriel, if you could come to town tomorrow with that nice large SUV of yours and pick up the weapons? They will be my insurance that I will neither run nor tell anyone. I really am excited for all this to happen. I assume I am going to Ireland?”

  “Yes Mateo you are, and I should be there around noon. Is that enough time for you to get them all together?” Gabe asked

  “Yes it is. I will see you tomorrow and for the rest of you, good night and it was very nice to meet you all and get to know you. I will see you all soon.” Mateo bowed and walked to the door. Mary went with him and walked him to his car. She was back a couple minutes later as Kaiden was walking back inside.

  “Mr. Steinman will call me in the morning with more information. I am going to owe that man a lot of money with all these checks I have him doing. I just don’t know anyone else who can do it.” Kaiden said.

  “I don’t know about you guys but I am really tired.” Justine said

  “Come let me show you your rooms” Mary said. She gestured for them all to follow her.

  Chapter 28

  Mary had been busy when they were all telling their stories. The house had four bedrooms and two bathrooms. Gabe went and got everyone’s bags while Mary showed them to their rooms. She put Tia and John in the room closest to Gabe and Justine’s room. She put Kaiden and Zoe in the room on the opposite wall closest to the bathroom. Her room was next to theirs. All the rooms had queen size beds and were nicely furnished.

  Zoe knew no one has ever slept on this bed, but she appreciated that it was here. She lay on the bed as Kaiden was in the bathroom taking a shower. She was reflecting back on all she had learned today and this past week. She was happy, incredibly at peace with everything. She couldn’t wait to meet the others and get to know them too. She couldn’t wait for the day that they all got to go to Ireland. From what Kaiden told her it was the safest place and Blake confirmed his words. She knows now that she needs to let all her walls down and talk more. Interact more and stop hiding. All her life it’s been to run and hide, right now she needs to be the woman that her parents would be proud of.

  Kaiden walks in from his shower and he felt her emotion change. He knows something is different but he doesn’t know what. Zoe grabs him and pulls him down to the bed.

  “I love you Kaiden, I have loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you. I have been afraid to open up and all that is happening has opened my eyes. I am sorry I haven’t told you enough or thanked you enough, but I truly love you. You have made everything else in my life seem like it was nothing.”

  “I love you too, My Angel. Things will work out and we will be happy. I think I have a plan worked out but I need to sleep on it. Tomorrow after we settle some things we all need to go through that journal you set aside. My Angel you truly are the woman that was made for me. Thank you for being accepting of this life. I am a blessed man to have you by my side.”

  Zoe pulled him into a kiss and held him tight. Their lips moved together perfectly. Kaiden pulled away after a little while, the kissing was starting to affect him.

  “We need to take this slow Angel. I do not want to turn here I don’t think it is safe. And if you keep kissing me like that we are going to have a hard time.”

  “You’re right, your lips just feel so good and I don’t want to stop.” Kaiden pulled Zoe to him and they wrapped themselves up together and lay in silence. Soon Zoe could hear his breathing change and she fell asleep to the gentle rhythm of his chest.

  Blake lay there in the dark with his thoughts running wild. He knew his mission and knew that all his brothers and sisters were being called back to camp. They would be preparing for a fight. He didn’t want that. He couldn’t hear them at all but he could hear them walking. He could tell there were more people here, at least two more. Part of him hoped it was Vivi, but he knew it wasn’t. If it was she would be down here killing him herself. She would hate him for what he is doing and she would be able to tell. She always had that ability. She always knew when he was lying.

  Blake just wanted her safe and happy. He knew that these people could give her that. He hasn’t told them where father is yet. He should he knows that. They are being very good to him. Yes he is tied up, but they are bringing him food and good food too. The guilt is eating him up alive and he is not sure what to do. Blake also has a secret that he needs to tell them

  Blake took the headphones off today when he knew no one was watching him. And the stories he heard come out of all their mouths broke his heart and he felt responsible. It was, after all, his father that ruined all these peoples’ lives. It is his father that makes his children murder innocent people just because they have something he wants. But even if he tells them where father is will they trust him then? Will they leave him or worse kill him? He doesn’t know but he is going to have to choose his fate soon. It is only a matter of time before someone figures out what is happening.

  The sun is shining through the windows bright and wonderful. Justine slips out of bed and down the hall. Mary is in the kitchen cooking up a huge breakfast.r />
  “May I help?” Mary jumps in surprise

  “Oh Justine you scared me. I would love some help, do you cook?”

  “I love to cook and yes I think I cook quite well. Zoe never said anything anyway.” She laughs

  “Well dear if you can cook you will make Gabe happier than he already is. That boy can eat a whole cow and still ask for seconds.”

  “I think I can handle that.” Justine teases

  They make a huge breakfast and are placing it on the table as everyone walks in.

  “This smells so good!” Tia exclaims

  “Heck yeah, better than a roughneck breakfast.” John agrees

  “John, Tia do you think you can handle breakfast with the half-blood? I have a feeling he needs some sunlight and company. I have a few things I would like to talk about and he is the one with the answers.” Kaiden looks at them

  “I will be good.” Tia says

  “I will be good, but I have a condition. If he does anything stupid can I be the one that gets to catch him and beat him?”

  “Yep, sure thing.” Gabe says grinning

  John smiles and nods his head and sits down. They all take a seat as Gabe goes down to get Blake. A minute later they are walking into the room. Blake looks like he showered and is in the change of clothes Zoe picked out for him.

  “Alright we are going to eat and while we eat I have some things that I need addressed today.” Kaiden looks blankly at Blake and Blake nods his head.

  They all make their plates and begin to eat. Mary and Justine have made a feast. There are pancakes and waffles, eggs and bacon, sausage and muffins, toast and every jam you could want. There are even homemade croissants with little chocolate pieces inside. She made tea and coffee and well as juices. Blake clears his throat after a minute and looks around the room.

  “I think it is time for me to tell you how to find my father. You guys have been good to me and I don’t want to make you mistrust me anymore. I want to tell you everything, but I am afraid to.”