Redemption (The Extinct Race Series Book 4) (3 page)

Chapter 4

Memories

Aldrich lay in his bed of furs thinking and dreaming about the day he would be king. He had seven more days until the three teams of humans arrived with their weapons. He would feed them and then let them have a day of rest before they made their way to Ireland. He would make sure his children were proper hosts to these humans he needed. A part of him also hated that he needed these particular humans.

For now he was content to relish the fight to come and prepared for his victory. He had his sons capture a woman for him and right now she was naked and strapped to a giant wooden X that he placed in his tent. It reminded him of how he used to enjoy taking his mate this way. The woman was a bloody mess and he had already taken her a few times tonight. He had healed and then beaten her more and then healed her again just to hear the screams she gave out that he loved so much.

He laid there and was reminiscing of his youth and the first time he took a woman. The way he took her instead of seducing her made his heart jump at the memory. It also made him think of his whore sister and how she had just left him to the beatings of his father. As he looks back his father was right to beat him and make him the man he is today. He just made him stronger. The day he took his first woman and gave her a beating, his father had walked in on him and his father had a look of pride on his face. That made Aldrich a happy young man.

Germany 1945

Aldrich remembers the day he came home from school at the age of seven and found out that his sister was dead. His father pulled him into the house to tell him that Ada was a whore. His father went on to explain that he had caught her in town sleeping with human men and he had to stop it. But Aldrich knew his Ada would not do the things that his papa was explaining to him. He knew she lived in fear just as he did. But there was another side of Aldrich that thought his sister might be capable of going with human men. Ada always did try to stop him from picking on the weaker race. He thinks her capable of this because that is what he was now doing.

Aldrich lay in bed with a human girl from his school. They were so easily swayed into bed since he grew into his body. He is now sixteen and his father encourages him to take these women when he can. As the human girl sleeps next to him on the hay in the loft of her father’s barn, Aldrich remembers the good times and the bad times. His sister is the reason he is the way he is now. If she had been stronger she would have saved him. But he has learned that all women are weak, Dragon or human, they are all weak.

Since Ada’s death they moved around more frequently, never staying in one place to long. Papa has taken on the teaching of his studies and sent Aldrich out to mingle within the towns they lived in. Papa has explained to him about the soul mate factor and that he must not follow it. That with a soul mate you are blinded to everything else and she will only bring pain and misery in her wake. Papa has also explained how his role would be in a Sect and that is why they move around.

Once his father told him he would be used for the talent in his hands he never wanted to join a Sect. So they moved and Aldrich was allowed to do what he wanted. He was told by his father to bed women and if he found one he liked that he could bring her home to be the bitch of the house but she would have to service him as well as Aldrich. The idea of sharing a woman wasn’t as appealing to him though.

One day while he was out for a walk in the countryside he heard screaming. He followed the screams and it led him to a barn that was deep in the wooded area. He peeked through the slats in the barn and saw a woman hanging in the middle by her hands placed in chains that hung from the rafters. Her feet didn’t reach the floor and she was completely naked. This sight turned Aldrich on and he couldn’t take his eyes off the woman just dangling there. Then he saw the man come into view. He had a strip of leather and he struck the woman across her belly and she screamed out in pain. The man hit her over and over and Aldrich almost lost his head in desire. He wanted to be that man at that moment.

A week later he found a girl that he wanted. The thought of having her ate at him. He could feel it in his bones that she was the one that would be the first. But she was rich and spoiled and didn’t even look his way, so he knew what would need to happen. She was a beautiful red head and the way her dress fit he just had to see what was underneath. He also knew she was a proper girl and didn’t mess around with boys. He wanted to spoil her and ruin her all because he couldn’t have her.

He watched her for a few days learning her routine. On the third day he made his move. He had borrowed the horse buggy from his father and had parked it in a dark alley that she always passed. Then he waited on the corner until she came by. When she walked by he grabbed her from behind and held his hand over her nose and mouth dragging her into the alley. He held her that way until she passed out. He then threw her in the back of the buggy and threw a blanket over her body to hide it from anyone he passed.

His father always picked houses where no neighbors lived close enough to see him shift. So Aldrich was looking forward to the screams and the beam on his ceiling already had a chain just waiting for her. He got the buggy in front of the house and then tied the horses to the post. He fed them and then got the girl out of the back. She was still passed out which made Aldrich happy. He wouldn’t have to fight the bitch to get her clothing off.

He got her inside his room and undressed her. As soon as he had both her hands secured in the chains she woke up. She took one look at him and then her naked body and screamed a blood curdling scream that got him excite. He hadn’t even hit her yet. She stopped after a moment realizing that it was futile. Aldrich smiled up at her not saying a word as he undressed himself. She watched him with fear in her eyes and when he didn’t drop the belt he had taken from his pants she started to cry. Sobs wracked her body which only fueled Aldrich more.

His ceiling wasn’t as high as the barns were so her toes barely touched the floor. Aldrich was much taller than this girl so he knew right away he would have no problems. He looped the belt twice in his fist and then let the strap hang with the metal part swinging free. The girl’s sobs had subsided a bit and now he was looking forward to the screams. He struck and she wailed. The sound was music to his ears and he kept going getting lost in his arousal. When she was bloody and weeping he lost himself and took her.

His father walked into the room just as Aldrich was about to have her again. Aldrich looked over at his father a little worried that he would stop him and take away his new toy. But his father smiled at him and nodded his approval. He then walked over and placed his hands on the girl and healed all her cuts and bruises. His father had made her brand new once again for him.

“She is just as you found her once more. Even the maidenhead is back in place. Let me know when you are sated I would like a turn with her too.” His father told him and all Aldrich could do was nod at him.

His Father came in two more times at Aldrich’s request to heal the girl completely for him. Once he was done he walked out to the living room area and tapped his sleeping father on the shoulder and then collapsed his still naked body on the other couch. There was dried blood all over Aldrich but his father did not care. Ulrich just got up and took his sons place for another four hours.

They did this routine with women for two years before Aldrich decided that he didn’t want them healed anymore. His last toy had gotten pregnant by his father and his father took her to his room. After that he didn’t want to share and loose anymore toys to his father. Jealousy crept up inside him when his father laughed at him for not being man enough to impregnate the female himself.

When the woman gave birth to a son Aldrich went to the closet like when he was young and held the black leather book his father had given him a few years back. He took it to the forest and read all that was written inside. It seemed like a diary to him. It talked of a time where only Dragons roamed the earth and they had magic. This book was also special because it belonged to a Blood Dragon, like he one day would be. But he needed his mate to do that and his father had told him not to look for her.

When he got home that day his father had healed the woman and was already trying to put another baby in her womb. He was doing it on the couch and the woman was willing which just disgusted Aldrich now. He had seduced a woman after this one came up pregnant but he couldn’t enjoy it. He needed the other stuff.

When he was twenty and the boys she gave birth too started to crowd the small home Aldrich left. His father had three more women now in the home and they were constantly popping out children. He couldn’t take it anymore and wanted out. He left the home and the country.

He was in no hurry to find his mate and enjoyed the solitude of the home he acquired which was very far away from anyone else. The sisters who lived in the home also seemed to enjoy being beaten and taken.

He stayed with them until he was in his forties and the women couldn’t take anymore. He killed them both and went to find a new home in a new country. His one companion was the leather bound book he took. Which had started to speak to him in his head, it told him what he needed to do.

He listened to it but took his time about it. Apparently this Dragon was not a man that shifted into a Dragon and there was no soul mate for this one either. It just told him he needed to kill all the others and be King. That he was the strongest of the races and that he needed sons to follow him, hundreds of them that would be strong enough to clear a path for him. Aldrich knew he needed to find his mate for this and every time he looked in a mirror he knew he was aging. He looked way older than his own father now. He just wasn’t ready to find her.

When his fiftieth rolled around she found him. He still wasn’t ready but no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t deny her. She told him of her Sect and wanted him to go with her back there since he had nothing. He only agreed because she refused to stay with him at his little shack. She was older looking like him and he did not like that at all. He liked his woman young. He explained to her the night they were to turn that he could only be aroused a certain way and she had agreed trusting him completely. He was going to have to gag her though as he knew everyone in the home would come running at her screams.

After that night she left his side every chance she could. He didn’t mind he was able to make his sons now and went out hunting. He went to the city nightly and followed women to their homes and then would take them until a child was in their womb. He had over 50 sons before his mate came to him and told him she was expecting a child. She had no idea about his sons. The oldest ones were twenty and he met with them in private plotting his plan.

The book had told him that his mate was carrying a son. So when the baby was born and it was a girl he lost his temper and killed his mate right then. He took the baby to one of the mothers that enjoyed their arrangement. She had given birth a month before so she would be able to feed his daughter. He then gathered his sons and led them to the Sect. He snuck them into the King and Queens chamber and showed his sons what he could do with his hands before they even woke. Hell broke loose when the rest of the Sect felt their King and Queen leave the earth.

Chapter 5

Wooly Mammoth

“Kaiden!” Vivi shouted

“What?” Kaiden replied a little lost. He was so scared of looking weak in the face of death. It was the first time he was at a loss for what to do. The shock of what had been done left his mind blank.

“Is the memory wiped still an option or no?” Vivi asked

“Calm the boy down, I honestly think the decision is his. Bronwyn was his mate and we can’t bring her back to him. He should decide her fate.” Kaiden responded automatically not really having thought to what he had said.

It took Leon and Vivi to calm the boy down. Gabe went to get some rope and he and Justine had made quick work of tying up Ada. Levi’s crying had woken the whole barracks and now everyone was awake and standing in the hall. Justine informed them what had taken place. None of them had known why Ada had moved in only a few hours before they just accepted it. Once they were told the story and what Kaiden had come to do they all had agreed with hid decision. Now after hearing she made Bronwyn brain dead they wanted her blood.

Murmurs started to sound and the crowd in the hall began to get agitated. This one was the second time that something bad happened at home. This was personal attack and tension was riding high. As the mumbles and talk started to get louder Ada began to come out of the darkness. Sound floated to her ears and once it began to make sense she woke.

As soon as she realized she was tied up she tried to reach for Zoe. Zoe had been keeping one eye on Ada and the moment she saw what Ada was trying Zoe stepped away. She then leaned down and asked very calmly “And what exactly where you going to do to me if you touched me?”

“I was gonna kill that King inside your belly you stupid cunt!” Ada hollered.

This statement bolted Levi out of his sobbing and he looked to Ada his eyes were murderous. He knew exactly what he wanted done to the one who hurt his mate.

“Do to her what she did to Bronwyn and then put her outside the border where Aldrich will find his dear sweet brain dead sister!” Levi seethed out his order. Ada looked at him in shock and true fear ran down her body because she knew Vivi would listen.

“Gladly!” Vivi grinned and stood. She grabbed the rope at the top near Ada’s neck and she dragged her backwards out the door and through the crowd. Everyone followed and watched on as she was thrown down the flight of stairs and then dragged outside. No one disagreed with what Vivi was doing. Bronwyn had grown up here, she was born here and everyone knew and loved her dearly. Levi carried Bronwyn’s body out behind everyone. He held her close to his body and watched Vivi.

“I am going to shift and my Dragon is going to do this. Then I will carry the body out to the border to the clearing. Zoe and Kaiden you will have to banish her before I carry her off just in case. “Oh! Leon let’s do a mind wipe while she is still awake. Take all her memories way back to the day you met her. But remove yourself from it.” Vivi smirked as she looked at Ada’s frightened expression.

“You can’t do that it’s not possible!” Ada screamed pure and utter terror clenching her whole body.

“Oh dear I have many tricks my parent never taught you and I kept them all secret.” Leon told her and she looked back at him with hate as he stalked towards her. He placed his hands on the front and back of her head while Vivi placed her hands on both sides. Ada screamed as her memories started to disappear one by one. It took a while to get all eighty years worth of memories out of her head. Leon took her to the day they met right before she found him. Ada had stopped screaming and now looked at them all confused because she had no idea who they were.

“Where is my papa?” Ada asked

“Perfect!” Vivi squealed as she looked over her aunt.

Leon removed his hands and Vivi stood up. They both moved away from her a few feet and stared down at her. No one answered Ada as she looked around in a panic. Levi ran forward with Bronwyn’s limp body still in his arms.

“Do you know what you have done?” He asked Ada

“What are you talking about? I was just going to the market. I felt a Pull but now it’s gone and I just feel all of you. Where am I?” Ada began to weep.

“Vivi don’t do this I think is punishment enough that she is like this. Just banish her and tell her to wait in the field for her brother and father. Let him find her like this.” Levi said

“Are you sure?” Kaiden asked

“I am. What will happen if you banish her here?” Levi asked

“Not sure. Honestly no one has ever made it inside.” Kaiden answered

“Ada look over behind you please? Do you see that field out there? Go there and wait for Aldrich. He will be there soon to get you and take you home.” Levi told her as he cut the ropes off of her. He had laid Bronwyn’s body down next to him and turned to his left to cut the ropes.

“Ok.” Ada responded getting up and walking in the direction of the field the strange boy had pointed out to her.

“Kaiden and Zoe would you please say the words? I am a little curious and frankly I don’t like looking at her.” Vivi asked. She knew she was being mean and taking a little too much pleasure in the act but this woman had been getting to her for months. The final straw had been what she did to Bronwyn.

“Ada you are hereby banished from this land. Your fealty is denied and you are no longer welcome at our home.” Kaiden and Zoe said in unison. He had whispered the words to her before they said them.

A scream ripped through the air as Ada took off running as fast as she could but being dragged out at the same time. It must have been painful enough for her to pass out because the screams abruptly stopped. All Justine could see was the body being dragged out by an invisible force. Then there was a shudder in the border that they all saw.

“Well that answers that.” Vivi said a little shocked at what had happened.

“Vivi?” Levi whispered so softly she barely heard him. He was now lying next to Bronwyn on the grass and was stroking her face. He had tears streaming down his cheeks silently sobbing for his lost love. At the sight it made all the joy of a moment before drain out of Vivi and she stared at her brother.

“Levi what can I do to make this all better. I feel so lost right now?” Vivi asked

“I want you to kill us both. I can’t live without this feeling. I could never take a human woman knowing that I would never have this love again. She will turn to ash and I will not but please bury me right next to her flowers. Right here right in front of the barracks. This was her home and she loved it all so much. There was nothing that made her happier than when she was turned and was able to actually help. She wouldn’t want to be like this, please Vivi.” Levi pleaded

Vivi looked around at all the crying faces of the half-bloods. She hadn’t gotten to know Bronwyn at all but they all did. As Vivi looked at the faces she noticed a girl who was taking the loss almost as hard as Levi. “Honey, please come over here?” Vivi asked the girl

“Yes Vivi?” the girl came forward and stood in front of Vivi but she didn’t look at her she turned to look at Levi and Bronwyn.

“Would Bronwyn want this?” Vivi asked the girl

“Bronwyn was my best friend. We grew up here together and when she was finally turned with the rest of us it was the happiest day of her life, until she felt Levi’s Pull. She knew he was good inside and the fact that he was one of the bad ones that were out hunting us…well that didn’t matter to her. She got us all to know the real Levi and their love was unbreakable. You missed something though when you were looking for what was wrong. Feel again and you will feel the life in her belly. She just found out this morning.” The girl told Vivi as tears were streaming down her face but she was strong and held the sobs in.

“What?” Levi yelled confusion and fear seeping into his blood.

“Let me look.” Vivi stepped forward and placed her hands over Bronwyn belly and sure enough there was life in there. The life was still strong and alive. Vivi looked up at Levi and then to Kaiden and Zoe pleading for an answer and help. She then looked back to Levi. “Brother you are a father. I cannot kill her when there is life in her and it is strong.”

Levi sobbed harder and grabbed Bronwyn into his arms cradling her to his chest. The girl went over to him and hugged Levi. She then looked right into his eyes and told him “Bronwyn wanted this life more than anything. She would want you alive to raise the baby Levi. Please keep her body alive long enough to have a healthy baby and then you can make your choice. This baby will need you. None of us can do what you can do for your child Levi. Think about this.” The girl pleaded

Zach and Halina had come down when they heard the screaming. They were unsure of what had taken place and their attention was now on what was happening. They watched from the shadows and heard everything that was going on. Once the girl pleaded her case and the overwhelming emotions rolled off Levi, Zach stepped out of the shadows. He walked over to Levi while Halina followed him.

“Levi.” Zach said as he placed his hands on Levi’s shoulder. “This is hard. I know I can feel it coming off you in waves. You’re so unsure of yourself. You can do this though. You know she would want you to. There is lots of help here so you won’t be alone in this. Please let us take her back to your room and sleep on it. Let her find you in your dreams and I am sure you will have your answer in the morning.”

Levi nodded and Zach helped him stand up and then he leaned over and picked up Bronwyn placing her in his arms. Levi gently took her body and walked her back to his room. The others followed and soon it was only Zach, Halina, Zoe and Kaiden along with Leon, Vivi and Alex left standing outside. They were all quiet as they stood there and watched the retreating forms.

“This is my fault and whatever decision the boy makes I will follow through with it. If the boy chooses to live and raise the baby then I would like to have him move into a home with me and Sarah. That way Bronwyn will have care around the clock. I am so sorry. I will do my best to atone for this mistake.” Leon said as he hung his head in shame.

“Leon this is not your fault at all. This was all Ada’s doing. Nothing more and no one will take blame for it but her. Now let’s all get some sleep we have big day tomorrow and I feel we will need to speak with Hugh and have him concentrate on that home. We will need to make it a bit bigger.” Kaiden stated and they all nodded their agreement walking towards the main house.

When they got back to the house Mateo was waiting on them in the foyer. His radio was in his hand and he looked confused. “Can someone explain the screaming Ada and the shudder in the barrier?”

“We banished Ada. Her memories are gone and she believes that she is twenty two again. She will be waiting in the field for her father and brother.” Kaiden informed Mateo as he lowered his head and shook it from side to side.”Watch her but do not interact or try to bring her back in.”

“Understood, I will tell the men not to go after her and to watch. You will fill us all in at breakfast? You guys look like you just had your hearts ripped out and need sleep more than a conversation.” Mateo stated with a nod not leaving room for an explanation and just walked away to the kitchen. They heard the click of the back door closing and one by one went back up to their rooms.