The Pearls (8 page)

“Zoe you ok?” Justine asked having walked up to the cou
nter without either of them noticing.

“Oh ya
h, um, that will be $15.36 Sir.” She was blushing and had a slight smile, like she had been caught. He handed her a $50 and told them both to split the change. He went to walk out the door, but he had forgotten something.

“Um
, sorry to bug you again, but is there a motel in town?”

“Oh
? I thought you just said you’re in town for a while, wouldn’t you already know that?” Justine asked with spite.

“Um
, I was hungry and came straight here?” He didn’t know if he was asking a question or telling her. Zoe was still standing there and he was a little lost for words.

“Well in town
, no there is not, you will have to go out of town, a little back near the highway there is a small roach motel, hope you don’t mind the bugs.” Gosh did she hate him already? He thought.

“Oh,
well, is there an apartment building close? I will just rent something there don’t know how long I am going to be here, seems like it’s going to be a little longer than I originally planned.” he told her matching her snide tone.

“Two blocks down on the left
.” Zoe blurted and hurried off.

“THANK YOU!” he called after her loudly
, loud enough for most of the heads in the diner to turn their way.

“Doubt the office is open now or that there will be any open apartments.” Justine
snapped at him giving him a dirty look. She probably didn’t want him to feel like he accomplished something.

He followed the directions Zoe gave him and found the apartment complex. The office was still open and he was able to get a two bedroom on the 1st floor apartment 102. It was a small complex
, but was clean and well taken care of. The whole complex was in a U shape and in the middle of it all there was a garden with a walkway to the front entrance. The complex only had two stories and maybe a total of twenty units. He was guessing of course, he didn’t plan on staying here long. But he would have to be patient with Zoe, take his time and work from there.

He walked into the apartment and it hit him then that he did not have a bed or even a pillow and blanket.
He brought his bags up, so he opens his laptop and looks up any stores that would carry household stuff. He finds one about fifteen minutes away, pulls out his phone, sets the new home location, and plugs in the address to the store into his navigation app.

He was walking out the door and Zoe was watching from the back of the diner. She didn’t want him to go. She had to know more about him, had to get to know him and this scared her, this feeling of need in her. She has never seen anyone like him before. He was gorgeous and so familiar to her. When he walked the pull she felt to him had her gripping the walls to stay put.

She was still shocked
that she blurted out the way to her apartment. “
Maybe they don’t have anything available though”
, she thought. She hoped they did though because she wanted to talk to him, and there was also a possibility of seeing his gorgeous face every day.
What was he doing here
? She wondered. “
Maybe I can just avoid him, Justine thinks to hate him already, and he just asked about her eyes, there was nothing wrong with that
.” Zoe was really curious about her eyes now. She wanted to know what caused the flecks, now more than ever.

Justine left about mid
night and Zoe’s shift ended at three in the morning. She was going to have to walk home. Justine would be passed out by the time her shift ended. Sometimes Justine hangs out when they have shifts like this, but tonight she was quick to get out of there. Maybe she was tired after pulling a double. She probably wanted to make sure he wasn’t living in our building though.

Counting out her till and cleaning the counters
, constantly glancing at the clock, there was about ten minutes left in her shift. Grabbing some salt shakers to fill, she needed something to keep her busy, keep her mind off him. She finished ten shakers and saw that she was a couple minutes over. She ran to the back and clocked out and went out the back door.

Walking home she was lost in thought about the flecks in his eyes
, they were identical to hers. She reached the courtyard to the complex and felt that undeniable pull, she was just lost in a daze. She walked through the front door and made the left to their apartment and froze. He was just walking into the apartment right across the hall. He didn’t see her, but she saw the tail end of his hair and shoulders. The door clicked shut and she heard the bolt slide home.

Inside she was dancing and screaming she wanted this, she told him where to go and now he was here
, what is she going to do with that. Thoughts of her childhood quickly assaulted her memories slamming into her mind. She saw the image of Justine’s terrified eyes, always running, always hiding, and all the bad men. All the things that frightened her were at the front of her mind. She slammed her walls in place and told herself he was no different than them. He wasn’t going to affect her from a look. He was not getting in here, why did she tell him where she lived? “
You’re so stupid
” she berated herself. She walked as quiet as she could to her door and went in quickly, her anger was rising inside. Justine was on the couch waiting for her.

“So you saw then?” Justine asked

“Yep just now” she responded

“Well as long as you know, you know they are all the same right?” Justine snapped at her.

“I haven’t forgotten Justine, I don’t try to forget with alcohol, but I am not running anymore, I am a grown ass woman and this is my home!” She was practically yelling at Justine.

“I am sorry
, I am not trying to start a fight Zoe, it’s just I feel that pull to him like you do, it’s the same pull I feel with you, it’s something familiar like we are the same and it just feels right, being with you, and to feel that towards someone else, and a man no less is freaking me out.” She was pleading

“I know
, it scares me too, but I think it’s time we faced our fears and not run from them, maybe he is familiar for a reason, and maybe he can tell us what that is, I sure as hell want to know. But right now I just want to sleep. I have class in 5 hours.” Completely drained, Zoe walks to her room, her sanctuary, and placed her things on the dresser, slipped off her shoes, and went to sleep, all her clothes still on.

Zoe awoke with a start
, she jumped up and looked at the alarm clock, she was now an hour late for school. Well, too late to get up now, she was already late. She couldn’t go back to sleep, she woke up so suddenly, that she couldn’t lie down and relax enough to sleep some anymore. She decided to get up, she threw some yoga pants on, and went to make some tea.

On her way to the kitchen she notice
s her guitar on its stand in the living room. She put some water in the tea pot and turned the stove on. She grabbed a mug and put a tea bag in the cup and waits for the water to warm. She was standing there just staring out the kitchen window thinking about the man last night. Those eyes called to her and confused her. She wanted to know the man that was behind those eyes. She was also angry with herself for wanting to know him.

The next thing she knew
, she was sitting on the couch with her guitar in hand, and the song, her song was just flowing out of her.

Zoe
was so lost in her song she didn’t notice Justine wake up and come out.

Justine
walked into the kitchen taking the water off the stove. The screaming kettle is what woke her. She sees Zoe’s cup and makes her tea for her, grabs a cup for herself and walked back out to the living room. Justine stood there with Zoe’s tea and her own in her hands. Justine has not heard the full song yet, this is the first time, and she can’t do anything but stand there and watch, the song is calling to her soul. Justine stood there for about 20 minutes, her emotions running all over the place. Zoe looked up then to see Justine standing there. Justine had the mugs in her hands and she was staring at the wall with tears streaming down her face.

Zoe decided to play the song again
. Maybe it would help Justine open up and talk. She started to play again and the song came out more powerful this time. She put all the feelings of last night and this morning into the beat. Right as she was finishing the song they both noticed the banging at the door. Justine quickly set the mugs on the coffee table and hurried to the bathroom. Zoe was left to answer the door.

Zoe set the guitar back in its stand and went to the door. When she opened it she was shocked to see the man from the diner standing there. Then she remembered that he moved in right across the hall from them
, the pull never went away last night and she got used to the feel of it. He looked like he just woke up. He was just in a pair of flannel pajama pants and his hair was all over the place. He looked so gorgeous to her. They sort of just stood there staring for a while.

“Uh, hi can I help you?” Zoe asked him

“Well umm, was that you playing?” He asked

“Oh
yah, sorry if I bothered you or woke you up, I just needed to play.” Zoe was confused why she was apologizing.

“You didn’t bother me at all
. I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself last night. My name is Kaiden.” He said holding out his hand

“Oh
, hi Kaiden, I’m Zoe and that’s Justine” Justine was walking back into the living room then.

“Hey” Justine waved and sat down grabbing her mug.

“Can you play that again for me please?” Kaiden asked

Oh shit
!
She thought, he wants her to play in front of him. “Umm I don’t really like to play in front of anyone” She told him

“Please
? I just need to hear it again, I won’t look at you, I can turn my back or something, and I can go in another room, I just I need to hear it.” Those eyes pleading with her, begging her to play and for the first time in her life she caved to someone’s pleas.

“Well come in then
.” She told him looking at Justine who just had and open mouth shocked look on her face. Zoe looked at her shrugging her shoulder, trying to convey her confusion over the situation.

Kaiden sat in the loveseat and Zoe grabbed her guitar and sat next to Justine on the sofa. Her hands were sweaty for the first time in a long time. She rubbed them off on her legs and got ready to play
. She hesitates, feeling the need to explain the song first, something she has never ever done, not even after she wrote it.

“This song doesn’t have a name, I just wrote it for a project at school
, and well it’s everything in me, everything I can’t say and well that’s it.”
What the hell is wrong with me?
She thought

Zoe close
s her eyes, putting her hands in their places, and letting it flow. Keeping her eyes closed, she felt the song change, she opened her eyes, and found Kaiden’s staring into hers. She felt a longing for him deep in her soul and saw nothing but love in his eyes. And then she heard him. He was humming her song, like he has heard it before, like he knew it. Then she heard Justine humming it too. Kaiden had never heard her play and Justine has only heard pieces of her song, and now they are sitting here humming it. Zoe stopped playing suddenly petrified and wanting to run.

“Please don’t run I can explain everything Zoe.” He was still staring at her and she couldn’t move.

“Explain what? How do you know my song?” Zoe was starting to panic

“Yes that
, and a lot more, and Justine this includes you too.” Kaiden was looking at Justine now who also looked like she wanted to bolt.

“Who the fuck are you and why are you here?” Justine asked him in a whisper.

“Just give me a minute, I need to get something, something that will help me explain better, I was going to wait and well get to know you better, but I think you just need to know.” Kaiden was standing now

“Ok” Both Zoe and Justine whispered still in shock. Kaiden walked to the door then and went out. They were both left sitting there staring at the door, waiting for him to come back.
Zoe was lost in confusion. She felt a longing for him. She felt like she knew him, well her soul did anyway. She has never had a boyfriend, but she had a feeling soul knew something her brain didn’t want to think of.

Kaiden was absolutely on cloud nine right now. He heard his song, well Zoe’s song
, in person for the first time ever, and it felt so good. It gave him all the confidence he needed. It told him that they needed to know the truth and he knew they could handle it. The song told him that she wanted the truth, she knew, they both knew they were different.

He quickly grabbed a shirt and brushed his teeth. He ran his hands through some water and then his hair. He ran to the door to get back to Zoe
, he didn’t ever want to leave her side again. As soon as Kaiden reached the door he remembered what he needed. In his hurry, he completely forgot to get Zoe’s package from her mother, and her other papers. He ran back to the bedroom, grabbed them, and bolted out the door.

Kaiden
didn’t know if he should knock again or just walk in. This morning before he knocked, he sat at this door listening to her play. The song called to him so much, but he just sat here, and listened. Once the song got too much to bear is when he knocked and she answered. Now he stood there feeling a little lost. Kaiden started to mumble “
knock just knock
” and then took a step back then side to side. Finally he raised his hand to knock. Before his hand made contact to the door it opened, Zoe was standing there. She was looking at him like she didn’t think he was real.

“I guess you heard me mumbling huh?” Kaiden asked her

“How do you know that?” Zoe asked

“Well
, I know you have exceptional eyesight, and incredible hearing. You can probably run faster than anyone, and so can Justine.” He told them both quite frankly.

“Who are you?” Justine stepped up then.

“Can I come in and sit down first? I will tell you both everything.”

Kaiden walked in and sat down, someone had made him a glass of tea and he took a sip. “This is hard to explain so I am just going to be blunt. Also you may not believe some things I am about to tell you both, but I am being absolutely honest with you. The information I have in this envelope is for Zoe, but Justine it will explain everything for you too.”

“Ok, wait that is information for Zoe right, so how is it going to help me?” Justine asked

“Just hear
me out, I will not lie to you, just please trust me.” He pleaded with them.

“Ok just spill it then” Zoe said her hands were starting to shake.

“Ok, I am just trying to think where I should start the very beginning or mine.” He told them

“How about
you’re beginning?” Zoe asked

“Ok well here goes nothing
” he takes a deep breath and starts to explain. “When my parents found out they were having me they sent letters to all the other Kings and Queens.”

“You’re a prince?” Zoe asked

“Well technically I am the King now, my parents were killed, but please let me finish.”

“Sorry” Zoe said

“Anyway, they sent out letters to all the other Kings and Queens, they were looking for another King and Queen that were expecting a child too. See in my culture or whatever, Kings and Queens are born around the same time, and they are always soul mates. Anyway they got a response from the King and Queen here in America. I am from Ireland originally and my home is waiting for me to come back. Well this King and Queen in America were having a child too. My mother and the Queen here sent letters back and forth and made arrangements for us to come meet them around my fifteenth Birthday. About a month before I was born the letters stopped, but that didn’t cancel out the meeting. So when I was fifteen we came to America, we went to the place we were to meet them, and my parents were killed. I watched them get killed and when my mother was dying she finally told me why we came to America. She told me the one we came to meet was my soul mate and that there are others that I and she need to find.”

“What does this have to do with us then?” Justine asked

“My parents are Dragons. I am a Dragon, well technically not yet, I haven’t turned yet, but it’s there in my blood.”

“You are insane.”
Justine told him, Zoe just sat there soaking it all up.

“I am not crazy Justine; do you see the flecks in my eyes, the ones in yours and in Zoe’s?”

“Yes? So, those have been there since I can remember.” Justine told him

“Well those are markers, you both are
full-bloods, and Zoe is also the child the King and Queen here were expecting.”

“My parents left me
, they didn’t want me, just because I have some flecks in my eyes does not make me some damn Dragon.” Zoe was standing now hands still shaking.

“Your name is Zoe
Mechelle Devonshire.”

“W
rong its Camden.” She told him

“Not according to this
.” He handed her the birth certificate and a newspaper printout.

“That is yours and that newspaper tells what happened to you.” He explained

Zoe read the papers and started to cry.

“How can you be so cruel
? This may be me, but even this clipping says my mother left me, on a doorstep, a fucking doorstep like the trash, she didn’t want me!” Zoe was yelling now.

“She did want you
. I have letters that prove how happy your father and mother were. I also have this, I think your mother knew something bad was going to happen and she left this with a lawyer in the town you were born in. That Lawyer died before he could get to you. I was contacted by another lawyer two days ago and he found this information in a safe built into the floor of his office building. He called my mother to make sure you were really there and safe, when he found out my parents were killed he contacted me. And I am here now.”

“Wait
, wait! So you’re telling me my mom and dad is a King and Queen?”

“Yes, but I think they were killed too”

“Killed?”

“Yes Zoe, you are now a Queen and there is something
killing all of us” Kaiden told her.

“What do you mean killing us?” Justine asked

“I mean, when we turn into our Dragon we must fly, over the last twenty years most of the Dragons don’t come back, they are disappearing, and from what I know, you and I are the last Pearl Dragons. Justine you are an Onyx.” Kaiden told them

“
Wow,” Justine said. Justine stood there looking between Kaiden and Zoe. She was soaking all this information in. It sounded so farfetched but she wanted to believe it, to her it explained everything.

“Can I have that package please?” Zoe asked

Zoe opened the package and began to read. Moments later she had tears running down her face. Justine had never seen Zoe openly weep and it made her speechless.

Kaiden just sat there in silence and let her have her moment. Obviously her mother had left her a letter in there too. He wasn’t sure what to say or do so he just sat there.
He was watching her and Justine for signs of anything. So far they were taking everything he told them in calmness. He expected some shouting and them telling him to get out, but they didn’t.

“So you’re telling us we are Dragons?” Justine asked.

“Yes” he told her

“How does that work exactly?” Justine was very
interested now that Zoe was crying.

“Well when you’re born
, your parents usually tell you your history, and it’s not a huge shock like this. You will see them shift into their Dragon. Mine liked to take me on flights for my birthday. And yes, you will actually turn into a Dragon, but we need to find your soul mate for you to turn. Or once Zoe and I have turned, one of us can bite you, and you will turn, but my mother has told me that for a full-blood, it is better to turn with your soul mate.” Kaiden was trying to explain without going into too much detail. He didn’t want to scare Zoe away right now.

“So is that why you feel so familiar to us? Why we feel
a pull to you?” Justine asked

“Yes, you are not fully human, we are the same and we are meant to all be together.”

“And you’re a King and Zoe is meant to be your Queen? She is your soul mate?”

Kaiden looked at Zoe then and noticed she was looking at him too
. “Yes.” He whispered.

“How do you know?” Justine asked

“You know the song she plays?” Justine nodded yes. “Well I have been hearing it for about 6 or 7 months now always in the morning and mostly when I am sleeping. I wake up to it.” He was looking at Zoe now.

“I wrote it 7 months ago for school.” Zoe choked out.

“I also feel a pull to her. It is so strong I can’t think straight. I feel a pull to you too Justine, but Zoe’s pull is stronger, like there is a huge magnet to my soul and she is the metal pulling me in.”

“I feel it too.” Zoe whispers

Kaiden and Zoe just stared at each other for a long time. She had gone through the package, reading every piece of paper in the package and was now holding a picture in her hand. She broke eye contact with him after a while and just stared at the picture and started to cry again.

Justine was pacing the floor, but her eyes were bright and looked happy for the first time since he met her. She seemed to be taking this very well.

Zoe now knew what Kaiden was telling her was true. Her mother had left her a note and some pictures. Her whole family history was in this huge envelope. The letter her mother had written completely broke her apart. She thought she was thrown away. Thought she was trash the garbage man should have taken. She has always felt unwanted and dirty.

Now there was this gorgeous man in her living room telling her she was like him, a Dragon. He was also telling her that they were meant to be, like in love meant to be. Her dreams of a family might come true after all. She knew the road to that was going to be the hardest though
, she had so many walls, and she didn’t know if he would be able to get in them. She wanted him to. She wanted to feel the love that this letter explained. She needed to feel that love.

She was looking through the pictures and saw what must be her mother and father. She
couldn’t get over how her mother could be her twin. Zoe found her mother breathtaking. She had long almost white hair like her. She could tell she had her father’s blue eyes though. Her mother’s eyes were a darker blue.

Her
mother died with a broken heart. This letter tells how she witnessed him being taken away by some men. And she knew the men would come after her next.
She had to leave me for me to be safe
. Zoe thought. That thought hurts, because now she knows that her Mother left her to keep her safe. All the hate that Zoe has been feeling towards her parents now feels like guilt. And it is tearing a hole in her heart.

After about an hour of her going through the pictures
, she offers them to Justine to look at. Justine has this huge smile on her face looking at the pictures. Well I guess she really likes this idea of being a Dragon, and having someone out there meant for her. This made Zoe smile. Justine finally found something that made her happy, and Zoe could see it in her eyes. Zoe glanced at the clock and realized it was almost two in the afternoon. They have been sitting here for hours and didn’t even realize it.

“Crap I need to get ready for work, my shift starts at
three.” Zoe told them

“Uh Zoe
, one last thing I need to show you.” Kaiden hands her the bank statement then. She looked it over and fell on her butt.

“Is this real?” Zoe asked

“Is what real? Zoe why are you on the floor?” Justine asked laughing at her.

“Yes its real, you never have to work or want for anything again, not to mention I will take care of you too.” Kaiden told her with the most serious expression
, but he was afraid.

“Umm
, Justine do you want to make some phone calls? You can be as rude as you want to be. Just tell them both we will never be in again.” Zoe was smiling now too

“What do you mean Zo
e?” Justine looked confused now. Zoe handed her the piece of paper grinning ear to ear. “Holy shit!” Justine yelled.

“Well we have to take you to that bank and get your new id’s and stuff first
, then you can actually access that money, until then whatever you need is on me.” Kaiden told them.

Zoe was in shock by
what Kaiden had just told her and what she was looking at. She was rich, like filthy rich. She wasn’t sure what to do first. She has always worked for everything. The things she saved for and spent the most on, was all in her bedroom. She started laughing then, hysterical giggles erupted from her mouth. Zoe jumped up then and grabbed Justine’s arms.

Zoe
hugged her as tight as she could and then they both started jumping up and down like the little girls they never were. Then they both stopped suddenly looked at each other and both burst into tears. They cried and sobbed and blew snot on each other’s shoulders. A couple minutes later they both remembered Kaiden at the same moment and looked up at him.