Lost Ones (The Extinct Race Series Book 3) (10 page)

Chapter 17

Hunting Anyone

Right after the first jet took off the hunting team loaded up all their supplies and plotted the closest location. Within two hours they had landed and immediately felt three half-bloods. The half-bloods were still about fifteen miles out so the team did a quick recon of the area. They all wanted to locate a park or somewhere that they wouldn’t be seen. Within an hour a forest was located and was pretty vacant. Charles and Etana plotted the course that Vivi would need to lead her brothers through. Once Vivi had the path memorized the rest of the team hid and she took off in search of her brothers. Etana shadowed her about a mile away directly parallel to Vivi.

Vivi located them while they were lounging around a swimming pool checking out all the girls that were there. The pool was surrounded by a wrought iron fence. Vivi noticed them right away. One of them was one of the ones Vivi thought was good. The other two she knew were ones that loved the kill.

From where Vivi stood was a straight shot back to where the team was. The pool was to crowded for Etana to throw anything, so it was going to be up to Vivi to come up with a way to lead them to her. The one good advantage she has was that her brothers were only in shorts. So Vivi took the opportunity and whistled as loud as she could. The half-bloods immediately looked up and right at her.

Vivi smiled at waved at them and then turned and started to walk away. Etana watched the boys as they got up quickly, but didn’t make a commotion. They just got up and grabbed a bag and left the pool area. Once they cleared the fence area one of the bigger ones grabbed a shirt out of the bag and handed more rolled clothing to his two brothers.

Vivi turned and saw the rolled clothing being passed out to the other two and she knew then she needed to run. She started to run when she heard the first pop and felt the instant pain shoot through her calf. Vivi held in her scream and gritted her teeth as she concentrated on forcing out the bullet. Once she heard the clank of the bullet on the ground behind her the healing came easy and she sped up.

Etana watched with pride as Vivi healed herself. She wanted to start tossing her knives but she knew they needed to lead the men to the rest of the team. Another pop rang out but it missed Vivi as she took a corner. Etana sped up as well and made it to the tree line just as Vivi was coming out into the open.

As soon as Vivi rounded the corner she came into the clearing and saw Etana shoot into the tree line just opposite of where she was and that made Vivi smile. She ran right into the trees as more shots rang out. The shots missed her completely but she stopped running and turned to her brothers.

She smiled at her brothers as Carmine stepped out of the trees. Vivi watched the shocked faces of her brothers as Carmine created a ring of fire around them. They went to lift their guns again as Etana and Ava stepped out. Etana took her whip and snagged the first gun while Ava made the other two guns explode in their hands. As they screamed their shock the rest of the team came forward.

“We are sick of being the hunted and have decided to turn the tables.” Charles told the half-bloods

“What the hell is this?” One of the half-bloods asked

“Oh dear brother, we are here to kill you this time. Not the other way around.” Vivi responded “Besides we are going to fight fair. We will give you each a weapon and will fight face to face. We are not going to make you run like you have made all of them. Now we were supposed to, but we decided on the way here that well, our training might improve if we could actually inflict pain. So you are our first, choose now who you would like to fight.”

“I want you Vivi.” The big one announced

“I want her.” The one Vivi thought was good nodded toward Ava.

“I will take your mate.” The last one said

Vivi gave Christian a worried look but he nodded he approval and told the boys to pick a weapon. The big one chose an axe, the good one chose a bat, and the last one chose two iron filled sticks. The ones that Tia loved to play with.

“Alright this fight is going to be one at a time. Carmine here will let one of you out of the fire at a time and the fight will take place in the open. The fight is to the death, just so you know. So who wants to be first?” Charles asked

“Me” the biggest and smuggest said. “I want to see the pain in his eyes as I kill his mate.”

Vivi smiled and stepped forward with the same axe that her brother chose. Carmine let him out of the fire and Vivi tossed him the axe. This idea had been Vivi’s because she knew that her brothers did not train the way they did. The rest of the team had protested at first, but after some manipulation they had all agreed to try it once and then decide from there.

Vivi also knew that since they did not train with weapons that her brother was going to come at her full force and try to muscle her down. And sure enough as soon as he caught the axe he came barreling towards her. Axe raised above his head he ran right towards her screaming his anger. Vivi just smiled at threw her axe as hard as she could. It hit right between his eyes and he went down.

“Next!” Vivi laughed and turned to stand next to Christian.

“Me!” The other bad one yelled in frustration. He smirked when he saw Vivi’s eyes go from glee to worry.

Christian didn’t speak as he grabbed the four sticks and tossed two to the half-blood. Christian took a deep breath as the half-blood stepped out of the fire and smiled smugly at him. Christian focused and stepped out away from the weapons. He was a healer and he could read intent. He was a fairly good in the hand to hand training so he knew he just had to focus.

This time the half-blood was weary and took his time assessing Christian. They walked in a circle across from one another, reading each other. The half-blood would step forward and Christian would not move. That made the half-blood wearier. Christian knew he was bluffing though. Christian decided to do what the half-blood did and see if he was going to react to a bluff. As he took a step forward so did the half-blood and then Christian felt his intent to strike his head. Christian took another step and decided to roll into it. As he rolled he struck out with both sticks to the half-blood’s shin.

The half-blood never saw the strike coming and yelled out when he felt his lower leg snap. He fell to the ground and then looked at Christian who was just getting up from his roll on the ground move. Christian smiled at him and the half-blood felt instantly hateful and wanted to kill Christian, he then saw the smile turn to a grimace. The half-blood grinned at that and stood on one leg.

The hate and intent to kill almost crippled Christian where he stood, but he knew he had to fight it. The smile on the face of the half-blood brought forth Christian’s anger and concentration. Christian smiled a hateful smile at the half-blood and charged him. Christian felt the half-blood’s intent to swing left so he spun right and hit the back of the half-blood’s head with one of the sticks. The half-blood went back down to the ground.

Christian came out of his spin and immediately shot forward into another roll. His roll stopped him right at the man’s head and Christian brought both sticks down to the back of his head and heard the ominous crack of his skull. Christian felt no intent, so he placed his right hand on the back of the half-blood’s neck and felt a weak pulse.

“So how does this work? His skull is fractured and he will die in a couple hours, so do I have to kill him all the way or am I done?” Christian looked to the team.

“Up to you, as you know better than any of us. Question is if he were to be saved could he be healed?” Vivi asked

“Yes he could, but he would be brain dead. There is nothing left up there.”

“Well to me a pulse is a pulse. I would rather them be dead when we burn the bodies.” Ava said

“Got it” Christian responded and brought one stick as hard as he would to the side of the man’s head. He placed his hand to the neck again and there was no pulse. Christian then looked to the last half-blood and smiled. “Your turn”

The last one looked them all over with worry written all over his face. He then looked to Vivi. “How are the kids?” he asked her

“Well the ones left alive are fine.” She saw his confused face. “Oh he didn’t tell you all did he. Well we didn’t kill them. You see he out a tracking device in all the kids five and under. We missed one and when the missiles came we didn’t have time to stop it. So your dad killed your mom and your younger sister and brother. We had a good home for them and were good to them, so at least they knew love for a short time.” Vivi snapped

“He killed them?”

“Yep, while you all hunt us thinking we are the bad ones he is killing his own blood.” Vivi hissed

“I don’t want to fight her anymore. Just kill me. I don’t want to be the man he made us into. So just kill me.”

“How many of us have you killed?” Etana asked

“None.” He responded

“None?” Etana asked confused

“They only bad thing I did to any I came across any was knock them out before my brothers could kill them. About five years ago we came across a couple leaving the hospital and I knocked them out and took the baby. I didn’t harm them.” He whined.

That was the catalyst to Charles’s anger. “Do you know where that baby ended up? Do you know the type of people you left her with? Do you know the sorrow and anger that one action cost?” Charles yelled at the half-blood.

“No and I am thinking it was really bad because of the way you are yelling at me.”

“Those parents had just experienced the joy of becoming parents and you took that from them. Then they wake up and their baby is gone. How would you feel if that was you?” Vivi asked

“Lost and it’s why I want you to just kill me. Vivi I will never have a normal life unless he is dead. I will never have a relationship with a woman unless he is dead. I will never know happiness. If I could apologize to those parents I would. You have no idea how lost I am. There is nothing for me this is not the life I would want for a wife or a child.”

“Tie him up and he will come with us. We will let Piper and Aidan choose his fate. Seamus will watch over him for the week while we hunt down more.” Charles said

Vivi and Christian tied the half-blood up while Carmine and Ave set fire to the others. Etana and Makayla gathered up the weapons while Colby and Charles dug two holes to make sure there was no proof left of their fight.

Chapter 18

A Capuchin and a boy

The flight to Brazil took close to twelve hours. They landed at a very small airport about three hours from where the dot was located on the map. A local man at the airport informed them that they were headed into a very dense area and would have to walk it. Kendal did all the talking with the local man and when he came back to the jet he informed them all of what they would need.

“We need to get tall hiking boots, preferably comfortable ones since we are going to be in there for a while. We need camping supplies and lots of water. The good thing is we can acquire all this at a shop on the way.”

“Ok well let’s grab what we need and head to the store. Kevin you want to come or want to stay here?” Kaiden asked

“I think I will come, never been out of the border except to the states. Besides seeing Finley squirm might be fun.” Kevin joked and Finley punched him in the arm.

The team gathered their back packs and supplies. There was a cart on the jet for luggage, this sides lifted up so it almost resembled a wagon. They loaded it up with the food and water and then headed to the store.

As they got closer to the store, which was about a forty five minute walk, Finley started to walk a little faster. Emery had to grab her by the shoulders to slow her down.

“We are going to take our time little fish. I am sure he feels you too, so maybe he will meet us half way. Just be patient and soon enough we will find him.” Emery told her

“Thanks Mom, I am really glad you are here.” Finley blushed. She hadn’t noticed that she had started to walk faster.

The team made it to the store and bought the last ten pairs of boots the store had, which also made the store owner very happy. The store owner also sold them the camping supplies they needed and provided a netting cover for the food. When the purchases were complete they left the store only to have the store owner run after them to give them each two bandanas. He told them to soak them in water and wrap around their neck when they get to hot.

They all let Finley lead with Emery right behind her coaxing her to go at an easy pace. They made their own path according to where Finley stepped. The temperature was hot and sticky, but the landscape was absolutely beautiful, so it made them all forget about the heat. The trees were tall and sometimes overwhelming. The moss covered ground and exotic plants were amazing.

They could all hear the running water in the distance signaling a stream or waterfall. They could also hear the wildlife in the jungle. Birds sang their songs while monkeys wailed in the background all other animals seemed to keep their distance from them. An hour into the hike they all felt the boy. But none of them could see him. So they walked for another hour.

Finley stopped suddenly and looked into the distance. She spotted a small monkey sitting on thin air. He was just suspended there. Then another monkey climbed the air and sat about a foot from the first. There was a shimmer to the air the monkeys were sitting on. Finley smiled as she figured out what it was. If what everyone told her was true then that was her man. She loved animals, so he must love them too, which would explain the monkeys. He was also invisible which would have to be his ability. She couldn’t see him, but the monkeys were a good six feet off the ground. So if they were on his shoulders then she wouldn’t be that much shorter than him.

“We are not here to hurt you. Do you feel what I feel?” Finley asked the monkeys more that the boy. The monkey on the right that she spoke to jumped down and ran to her. The monkey climbed up her onto her shoulder and sat down. Then began to talk and scream at the other monkey.

“She normally hates other people.” The invisible boy said. “And yes I feel what you do. I was told I would when my soul mate was found. I came here so we would never meet.”

Finley gasped and fell to the ground. Everyone was so shocked at what the invisible boy said that they all stood there with open mouths. Zoe was the first to come out of the shock of what he said.

“Can we talk? We just really want to get to hear your story and maybe share ours too.” Zoe asked

“You are the Queen then?”

“I am and this is my mate Kaiden. This is Finley and her parents Emery and Kendal. These two are Tia and John and these two are Justine and Gabe. Justine and I pretty much raised each other since I was nine and she was eleven. We have found my father and he is at home with the rest of the survivors that have found us or we them. Do you know what is happening out here?”

“My parents raised me in Brazil in a large city. One night they left and never came back. I was twelve at the time and after two days of waiting I came out here. They told me a lot about what we all are, but they also told me to stay hidden. I don’t know why though. They told me if they ever didn’t come home to make sure I stayed hidden.”

“Well we do and I will tell you our home is truly the only safe place.” Zoe told him. “Can you show yourself?” as soon as she asked he made himself appear and they all heard Finley gasp again. He was a tall black younger man with striking teal blue eyes. He was at least six foot three and very muscular. He was also bare from the waist up. He only had on a ripped pair of shorts and was barefoot.

“My name is Oliver, the monkey on Finley I have named Sue and this one here is Marty.”

“Well if you ever met Ben, my little brother, he will tell you their true names. He can speak to animals.” Justine told him

“That would be a very interesting thing. I just realized I could go invisible about a year ago.”

“Yes that is your ability. It’s something new for our race. Finley can control the weather. There are others with special abilities too, but I will tell you what is going on first. You see there is a Blood Dragon that went kind of crazy about twenty four years ago. He killed his mate and then his whole Sect. Well the ones he could find anyway. He has since had around one hundred and fifty children and he trains them to hunt us all down and capture a Pearl. We have found a journal that has informed us that we are indeed going extinct because of him. We know that there is one couple of each race left. You are the last Water Dragon male born and Finley is the last female. She is also your soul mate. We have found the last born of each race. You and the Earth couple are the last ones to be found. We know their locations, just like we knew how to find you. We are hoping you will come with us and then we will head to Africa to find one and Afghanistan to find the other. Then we will take you back to our home in Ireland which is protected by a magical border.” Kaiden told him

“And what if I don’t want to come with you? There has never been another Dragon in this forest so I am pretty safe here.” Oliver told them

“If you stay here you will die here and so will the rest of us. I don’t want to guilt you, but she will never have another, you are the only one she will ever have to love.” Zoe pleaded

“Everyone I have loved died. Love kills and I don’t want her death on my hands like my parents is.”

“How about you come with us with no promises and if you still feel the same when this is all over and Aldrich is dead you can leave?” Kaiden asked

“I won’t go anywhere without my monkeys. And I am pretty sure you don’t want them around.” He said as he went to turn away. As he turned the other monkey Marty jumped off his shoulder and ran to Finley.

“They can come too. I love animals and I am having a farm built. You can have them in the house or build them a home outside.” Finley blurted out. Oliver turned at the sound of her voice and just stared at her in confusion.

“You’re serious?” Oliver asked

“She is. We are a family and we take care of our family. You can have whatever you want, it will be your home too if you choose to stay.” Zoe tells him

Oliver thought for a while and stared at Finley while he did. They all stood there looking at him for about fifteen minutes. Marty jumped off of Finley and ran back to Oliver, but the monkey didn’t climb up him. Instead it tugged on a scrap of his shorts and tried to tug the big guy over to Finley. When Oliver didn’t budge the monkey ran back over to Finley and screamed at Oliver.

“Well it seems they have chosen for me and I really would like to know what they say.” Oliver said with a smirk on his face.

Finley smiled a shy smile at her parents and then turned to walk back to the jet. Oliver followed as the team made their way back to the jet. It took another three hours to walk back to the jet. Finley kept stealing glances behind her at Oliver. The monkeys took turns running back and forth between the two of them. By the time they got to the jet Marty was with Oliver and Sue was with Finley.