Lost Ones (The Extinct Race Series Book 3)

by Michelle Farrell

  By dinner the suites were all cleaned out and the spare rooms that were not being used now only had a bed and a dresser in them. Rosa had gone into the playroom before dinner and looked at the map. Maggie had been busy in here and now all the dots were in clusters. Several red in Germany and the rest were in Ireland, there was not a single dot anywhere else on the map. She would have to break this news at dinner and was not looking forward to it.

  At the dinner table Mary had made Lasagna’s there were six of them and each looked a bit different. There was also lots of salad bowls filled with different kinds of salad and garlic bread or rolls along the table. While everyone took a seat and began to fill their plates Rosa still stood behind her chair. Michael was giving her a curious look and so she decided just to spill the beans.

  “We are the last one.” Rosa said loud enough for everyone to hear, but without confidence.

  “What do you mean Rosa?” Kaiden asked

  “I went and looked at the map. Maggie has been busy and well all the dots are now either here or in Germany. There are none anywhere else. We are the last Kaiden.” Rosa’s eyes filled with tears and Michael stood to wrap her in a hug, Gabe also stood and hugged her from behind. The table fell into silence and they listened to the quiet sobs Rosa was having. After a few moments Rosa wiggled out of their arms and stood there wiping her face. “I’m sorry it was just a little shocking. There were a lot more dots than just six and now there are none.” She explained

  “And that is why we had the hunting party go out. We knew that others may not come. I had just hoped they stayed safe. Now that it is a fact we must do all that we can to survive what is coming for us. We know that he is coming and we have taken the steps that we could. Now we need to plan a strategy and figure out a way to stop this. This is our home and yes I want to always live here, but I would also like to be able to take my family on trips and see the world. I never got to as a child because my parents knew there was a threat. We took that one trip and it was for Zoe, she was the only reason we left the land.” Kaiden smiled down at Zoe.

  “Yes, it would be nice to take the kids to fun places and let them be kids. We had never relaxed because we always had to feel and watch our backs. And don’t get me wrong, I love Marjorie and what she does for us, but a girl loves to shop too.” Piper agreed

  “That we do. It would also be nice to do things that teen’s do, you know. What do teens like to do anyway?” Tia asked

  “Hangout, shop, play pranks on one another, OH! And movies I love going to the movies.” Finley piped in

  “That is the point, we all want to live here, but we can’t stay in a bubble forever.” Justine piped in.

  Marsali and Airic sat in silence and listened while they also played with a couple of the toddlers. The table was a flutter of activity as the all spoke of what they wanted to do. Marsali loved hearing all the chatter and watching their faces come alive when one spoke of what they wanted. She was worried about what she needed to inform them off. Airic knew, of course he knew, he could feel it too. Marsali wanted to do one last thing though and as she listened she was choosing and watching.

  “We need to come up with a plan.” Kaiden interrupted the chatter

  “Couldn’t agree more, but what do we do about our wives? I mean I know none of the men are going to want them to fight now.” Charles said

  “Hey! If you guys fight we fight too. You do know it takes you to make a baby right? So if you die while fighting you kill that future kid too. We fight with you or you don’t fight either.” Tia yelled

  “You’re Right! Kaiden I am sorry, but this is what we have trained for. We are both still very early in our pregnancies. Like we told you today, neither of us feels pregnant yet. So if we are fighting we are fighting too. Besides I can stay near Halina and she can shock the shit out of them before they get near. And they can’t even get near.” Zoe was adamant in her decision and the serious look on Halina’s told her she was too.

  “I don’t like this at all, but you are right. Now are there any ideas on how to go about this?” Kaiden asked

  “With so many of his sons gone and possibly the element of surprise, he will call in humans. My last few years there, when I began plotting to leave, I listened to him. I picked out all the lies and guessed my own truths. He said once that he would never stop low enough to involve humans. That was a complete lie. I can only guess that we are going to be up against humans. Which he knows you will be we won’t hurt. There has always been a golden rule not to harm them. He doesn’t play by the rules.” Vivi informed them.

  “We need to keep a close watch on Maggie and the map. While they are still in Germany and all the survivors are here I think we should booby trap the areas we believe they will hit. The forest and the fields to the west, the fields are a perfect spot for an open attack. The forest is good for hiding and they won’t be able to get that truck in there. That is if they are looking to capture still. That is the one big unknown.” Gabe announced

  “I will keep Maggie close with me. Night and Day I will be with her.” Rosa said

  “I don’t want booby traps that will hurt a innocent hiker or what not. I am thinking large holes that will trap them inside, deep enough that they cannot get out of.” Kaiden said

  “That, we can do.” Paulo said

  “There is a tech store in Dublin that I found online. They have these wires that you place in the ground and they will ding every time they have enough pressure on them. We can also get cameras and wire them to the house. That way we can see and hear when they have arrived. It also helps that we can see out of the border. I can leave first thing in the morning and be back by lunch. That is if the red dots have not moved.” Jaco announced

  “Sounds good” Kaiden replied

  “We should also make the patrols more frequent. Two men overlapping each other, we can feel them and they can’t feel us, but give the men quarter sections, four men per team, camps at each end of the quarter section and patrols every thirty minutes. Then every four hours we swap.” Brad advised

  “This is fun!” John piped in

  “This is our lives, John.” Cara snapped

  “I know, I know, I am as serious as you all are. It’s just something to behold hearing the Onyx plan. I mean that is what their forte is right, tactical strategy and all that stuff? I wouldn’t have thought any of that up, I would just stand and wait for the fight.” John explained

  As they went over more strategy Marsali listened with no input. The ideas they were putting out would be what she would have advised. She watched as Mary doted on the Dragons, always making sure they didn’t want more before she took the meal away. Marsali understood that she was the cook of the house and was with child. She was just unsure of how she got there to begin with. Marsali and Airic had walked in as the newest Dragons began to speak and they just listened from the hall. She also watched during breakfast and lunch how Mary cared for them all. She watched her plan the meal and always advised the other girls what some liked and what others didn’t like.

  Mary was now clearing away the table alone. The other girls were going to be involved in this fight so they stayed for the planning of it. To Marsali May looked tired and apparently her husband noticed her frailty and started to help her clean the table. He was also human and this greatly confused Marsali. So when they both went to the kitchen Marsali nudged Airic and then urged him to follow her. They walked into the kitchen and found the husband and wife preparing plates of pie for dessert.

  “May we speak with you two a moment?” Marsali asked

  “Of course, did you need something?” Mary asked

  “No I don’t need anything I would just like to know your story. How is it you are here?” Marsali asked

  “Gabe” they both said and then Mary explained more. “I was sixteen when I met Michael and Rosa, they had Gabe with them and he was five years old at the time. I looked up to Rosa and had no idea what they were or anything. Then one day they came to me and asked
me to take Gabe. They offered me a lot of money and told me to disappear with him. I did no questions asked and have raised him since then. I hired Mateo when Gabe wanted to learn how to fight and protect himself. I actually hired a lot of trainers, but Mateo was the only one who could get through to him. I love that boy like he was my own and was so scared of losing him. But when Kaiden arrived he offered me this job and Mateo one too as a trainer. Neither of us could pass it up, for me I couldn’t leave Gabe, and Mateo couldn’t leave me. Although he gets to teach and train her too and that is his passion in life.” Mary smiled at the couple before her.

  “And you two are expecting, yes?” Airic asked

  “We are. It is the first for both of us. We have been busy getting the room ready in our new home.” Mateo said proudly

  “We have been watching you since we woke up and we would like to give you a gift if you are willing.” Marsali said

  Gabe walked into the room then and just heard the last little bit about a gift. “What kind of gift?” He asked snagging a piece of pie and kissing Mary on the cheek before he shoved it in his mouth.

  “Well to be honest I wish to give them a gift of long life. They will not age after this or get sick and it will pass to their children too. They will not be Dragons, but they will have the life span of a Dragon. That way she can continue to see you and your children. She loves you dearly Gabriel.” Marsali said seriously

  “Really? I mean, I would love that so much, Mary, please accept this gift. I don’t ever want to lose you.” Gabe pleaded

  “I listened when before you guys did the spell, you said it might take the last of your magic. The magic that is keeping you alive, so what will this do to you?” Mary asked

  “Well no one knows this yet and frankly I do not want them to know. But our Dragons are gone. We are just humans now with a little bit of magic left. I am guessing we still have our Pull, but neither of us feels you guys. This will be our last gift and we will die afterwards.” Marsali looked to Gabe and he had a shocked look on his face.

  “Yes I still feel you and this is going to break Zoe’s heart.” Gabe said as Zoe walked into the kitchen with Lily in her arms.

  “What is going to break my heart?” Zoe asked confused

  Gabe, Mary and Mateo looked at her with mouths dropped and big eyes. Marsali and Airic both looked surprised to see her.

  “I have offered Mary and Mateo a gift of life. They will both have a life span of a Dragon as well as their children. They will just not be Dragons. I cannot do that magic again.” Marsali answered

  “That sounds wonderful, but I am unsure how it is going to break my heart?” Zoe asked more confused than ever.

  “It will kill them.” Mary said bluntly and Zoe almost fell over. Airic caught her and Lily and smiled at her.

  “Zoe this is something we want to do, please let it be up to Mary and Mateo.” Airic pleaded as he held her up.

  “You really want to do this?” Zoe asked

  “We do.” Marsali replied

  “Ok. Gabe can you take Lily for me a moment?” Zoe asked and Gabe nodded taking Lily from her. Zoe turned back to Airic who was still close to her and she gestured for Marsali to come closer. “I know I won’t say this right, but thank you. Thank you for making us, thank you for helping with the spell, and most of us thank you for having the love in your hearts to do this for our Mary. Mateo and Mary are assets to us as a family and I don’t know what we would do without them. And I want to tell you that I am glad I come from a line of such great people. I am honored to have your blood in my veins. Thank you for everything. I love you both dearly.” Zoe said with tears in her eyes and then hugged them both, holding on tightly. Zoe then turned to Mary and Mateo and hugged them close to her whispering in their ears that she was ok with this and she wanted them to accept it. Zoe then grabbed Lily and walked back to the dining room, snagging a plate of pie on her way out.

  “She is actually ok with this?” Gabe whispered a little shocked

  “She knows that it is the right thing. It is up to you two now. Will you accept our gifts?” Marsali asked

  Mary and Mateo both looked to one another and then Mary looked at Gabe. She could see the worry and fear written all over his face and it broke her heart. She then turned back to Mateo and saw the hope in his. “Forever” he whispered and her heart soared. She turned back to Marsali and smiled nodding her head, agreeing to the gifts. Gabe saw her nod and he yelled out his happiness.

  “Tonight when you go to sleep we will come to you. Tomorrow you will wake up and never age again.” Marsali said and walked out of the room.

  Chapter 35

  Five Days Later

  Marsali and Airic had changed Mary and Mateo’s lifespan that night and their bodies were found the next morning. They never turned to ash and Gabe had eventually told them all that their Dragons had died with the spell they all performed. This fat saddened Zoe, but she knew this was what they wanted. They buried them at the head of the clearing where they always faced before they shifted. That way they always looked to their creator before taking flight.

  Cassie and Aubry along with Morgan had made the flowers that grow in their ashes, grow all around the two graves. They had also placed huge boulders as the markers to the plots. Every night Zoe came out and told them about what she had done that day. She liked to talk to them. She noticed tonight that she was not the only one. Iraina sat at the graves talking softly. Zoe walked back into the house to let Iraina have her peace.

  The preparations had all been done. Twenty foot trenches were dug out and covered so that you couldn’t see them, they were placed sporadically throughout the forest floor. The patrols were set up and going steady every day and night. Levi had asked to help out, but Charles was weary of allowing him to. Jaco had set up all the wires and cameras and the monitors had been set up in the library where Rosa and Michael spent most of their time. At night Brad and Monica would take turns with Shiloh and Jaco. They had done all they could do without harming wildlife or a random hiker.

  Training went on everyday and everyone pushed themselves harder than normal. The one on one combat training intervals were more intense than normal, and mainly focused on disarming and subduing. During one of these times John learned his ability, after getting frustrated that Gabe was winning, he pulled all of Gabe’s strength from him, to the point that Justine felt him get scared and ran over to knock John away. John felt horrible, but once Gabe regained his strength they all laughed about it. Tia had also learned to use hers more and took down everyone she sparred with, because they couldn’t see her move.

  News of Halina and Zoe being pregnant spread like wild fire and when it came time for them to spare their opponent would take it easy on them. After two days of this Halina got mad and started to shock p anyone who took it easy on her. After Zoe noticed this she made sure that the two didn’t spare at the same time so that Halina could send a volt over to Zoe’s opponent. Others learned very quickly not to go easy on the pregnant Queen and her sister in law. It was something that Kaiden teased about when it would come time for the girl’s to spar. He would stand on the side and yell that if they didn’t move quickly enough that Halina was going to light their asses up.

  Bristol and Shiloh had also become quite the team not to mess with. They liked to tag team together and when one would take a hit the other was right there to hit back. Those two had also moved in right next to each other and spent a lot of time together. Emery and Delany became close friends and Emery and Kendal decided to take the house next to Conner and Delany when it was finished.

  Over these last five days life in Ireland took on more meaning that it had before. After everyone had shared what they wanted to do, now they wanted to make that a possibility. Zoe had told Marjorie to stay away for a while, until she called her and told her it was safe to come back. She also made sure that she informed Hugh and his men. She had given them the opportunity to stay on the land and continue doing what they did, or they could go home a
nd take a vacation for a few weeks. In the end though they all chose to stay on and continue. Hugh was not sure how long he had and he wanted to see his work done. His thoughts were that he was dying anyway so if someone killed him or if he died building, it didn’t matter to him.

  Iraina walked into the house after she was done, but now dinner was ready so Zoe decided to talk to Marsali and Airic before bed. The table was an assortment of everything you could want. It was like a restaurant had served all their dishes on the menu at once. It had been like this for the last four nights, since Mary woke up pretty much immortal. The bags under her eyes had disappeared and her hair took on a very healthy glow, erasing most of her grey. There were still a few wisps of them and everyday a little more of them disappeared. But the energy she had now was something to be amazed at. Every day she cooked up a storm. And every day Mateo told her to stop and just make one thing, but she refused. Her passion was cooking and that is what she wanted to do.

  Mateo also had more energy and while his wife cooked he taught his secret techniques to anyone who wanted to learn. He ran more and worked out more and every night he and Mary would dance in their new home. Neither of them wanted to know what the sex of their baby was, so the nursery was done in a soft yellow on the walls with silver and teal bedding. Mateo also weaved baskets for the plants and flowers Mary liked to keep in their house. He also loved the fact that she had all of his things brought from his storage place and he had set up the office that was off of the living room with all of his things. He had his trophies lined up on a bookcase along the wall. All of his training certificate and other things he had framed lined the walls.