Evil Eyes 26
Almost all of the Rodgers clan plus Allison were in the living room watching a movie. It was The Santa Claus 2, the DVD that Rick had bought for Ava during the trip back from Denver after getting their Fifth Wheel and the new truck. While it was too early for Christmas, it was perfect for Christmas in the summer and it was proving to be an entertaining movie.
Kate leaned into her husband. "My money is on that you've already started shopping for Christmas presents." She smiled and kissed his cheek. Even though Rick didn't respond, the slight smile he was fighting gave her her answer. 'I love you.' She knew she had sent him her feelings of love countless times. Regardless, everyone who was in a relationship longed to hear the words.
Now Rick was smiling as well as he turned his head. 'I love you, too.' He chose to actually kiss her. But his kiss was interrupted when a new noise from outside started and quickly increased in volume.
It had everyone's attention just as it seemed to move directly over the house from front to back. Kate had one twin while Allison had the other who suddenly woke up to the noise. Everyone quickly found out just what kind of shifter both twins were.
The women exclaimed at the twins' sudden change and the little pain that they caused as each small Dragon jumped to the floor and ran to the wall of windows hissing. 'They're Dragons!' Kate's inner Dragon trumpeted joyfully.
Aileen turned out to be the single Chinese Dragon in Kate's family history according to the book. She was already long and sinuous with no wings which caused Kate to wonder if she could even fly.
Aurelia, however, was rather golden in color. 'Brass,' Kate's Dragon informed her. 'Good or evil?' she questioned. 'Good.' She was so relieved and grateful to know that since there were evil Dragons in her family history.
It had already flown over the house and they could see it spinning tightly to face the house out past the swing set off to one side. "Oh, crap!" Rick had spotted that it was heavily armed. Hearing Rick caused Kate to take a closer look. She truly considered shifting into a Dragon right where she was. She didn't have the time to strip or to even run downstairs and outside first. It would seriously damage the house but it might just save her family.
As they watched, it slowly descended and carefully set down. "Not attacking?" Rick questioned as he himself was considering what he could do to defend his family. "You don't suppose...?" He suddenly had a thought. 'Serena?' he asked his wife.
'We were told that she had a new toy.' Kate remembered it now that her husband had asked his question. Both of them fervently hoped it was. "It doesn't look like what she had before," Kate commented aloud.
This one didn't have wings with engines on the end with a large center belly. This one was maybe just as long but a lot thinner, though it did have stubby wings on each side that each had several missiles mounted on them. Plus there was a large gun hanging under the chin. It was the blades at the tail that made it different looking from any other helicopter.
They could hear it powering down which had the adults breathing again since a helicopter wasn't usually used to attack with while sitting on the ground. "Serena." Allison recognized her immediately the moment she stepped out thanks to her Hawk eyesight.
"Joanne," Allison added when the other door opened. But when the main door opened and out came four more people, the questions started mounting. "I do not recognize them," Allison warned.
"You can see them?" All Rick saw was people with helmets clad in black combat gear. Allison smiled.
Two Hawks sailed in. One landed on the swing set while the other swooped in and landed directly in front of Serena. "Thom." Allison relaxed completely.
Soon they saw a naked male standing in front of her and they talked for a short time before he ran off and shifted back into a Hawk as the other one flew off with him. "What did he say?" Kate questioned Allison; these two were now bonded after just getting back from the procedure.
"Serena has brought a team to help defend your family. She has great fears. Thom is flying off to consult with our leader and ask for assistance from the other shifters in the area," she explained. The two of them were still a little shocked at being able to hear the other while not anywhere even close.
"There are others?" Kate was greatly surprised. Just how many shifters were in this area, let alone planet-wide?
"Hayley and our Red-tailed Hawks, Damian Aquila and his Golden Eagles, Stephen Cathartes and his Turkey Vultures, Lance Lynx and his Bobcats. The others are not nearly our size and are few in numbers. However, they were willing to help combat Paladin so they may be willing to help now." Allison was hoping they would. Her clan wasn't that big or that powerful.
Kate bent down to talk to her little Chinese Dragon, her sweet baby Aileen. "It's safe, little one; you can shift back and let us protect you. Please, honey." She noticed Allison was doing the same for Aurelia.
Rick took Aurelia from her. "I will get the diaper bag," Allison said and went in search of it so baby girls could be re-diapered.
The group then met Serena, Joanne, and the others just outside the door leading to the backyard. "By the look on your faces, it would seem that our arrival was unexpected." Serena was pretty sure they knew they were coming. It was why they didn't load the camping gear.
"We were expecting your other..." Kate didn't remember what to call it.
"It was an Osprey. We traded it in for this one. It took a little time to adapt to it and it had a few bugs that needed to be worked out. We won't interfere with your upcoming trip and we'll remain behind to guard the place." Serena had been told they would be leaving to attend her mother's wedding.
"You're welcome to come," Kate suddenly announced since Serena and Joanne had become friends. But both of them shook their heads.
"Allow me to introduce our team," Serena said. "This is Kimberly and her mate, Miles. This is Jessica and her mate, Mark. Kimberly and Miles are our airborne group while Jessica and Mark are our heavy weapons ground group."
"Airborne?" Kate questioned. She could feel that everyone save for Serena were shifters. "Birds?" Kate watched the four smile softly telling her that she had guessed wrong.
"They're part of our Mountain Lion family," Joanne explained. They wondered how Mountain Lions could be airborne. Still they had little reason to doubt Serena or Joanne.
"It's late and the twins really need to be in bed like these two should be," Kate said firmly, hearing moans from Alexis and Sam. They had company and they wanted to know more.
"We'll be here for a number of days or longer. You'll see us in the morning." Joanne reached out to stroke the girls' hair.
Kimberly and Jessica were the last ones to go inside. "We look forward to seeing you in your Dragon shape. A real live Wyvern." Kimberly was dying to see just what Kate looked like.
"Just not in combat, naturally," Jessica added hastily. "Airborne?" Kate asked Kimberly. "Something I trust you will never have to see, but yes, airborne." Kimberly grinned at her confusion.
Miles and Mark ran back out the the helicopter to get everyone's bags while the others joined everyone in the living room. Allison did her job. She picked up Ava to get her ready for bed and shooed Alexis and Sam to their room while Kate took care of the twins. Allison would check on the girls once Ava was down for the night.
"You think something is coming," Rick said grimly then drew in a shaky breath, knowing they wouldn't be here if they didn't.
Serena nodded. "We've talked about it and unfortunately, we do. I've sent warnings to every shifter group in the area including Andrea and the Kodiak Bear community. Most will be acting more as scouts and monitoring the area rather than being involved in direct combat."
"And you think you can actually do damage to something that's already dead?" Rick didn't see how they were going to combat it if, and it had been a big if, it came their way. Until now.
"We have weapons that we think will work and we've got a plan. Provided that we get enough warning so that we're not caught on the ground. I trust where we landed is good?" Serena couldn't help but notice the expansion and addition.
"You're fine. The contractor's mostly working on the buildings themselves now and is done with any site upgrades. They'll be enclosing the buildings soon so that they can heat it once the weather cools down and work on the interior while finishing the exterior.
It won't be until after the new year that they'll finish and then the furniture will come, provided that the snow doesn't delay them," Rick explained.
"You four want to get set up in the trailer or wait?" Serena gave them a choice. The four of them looked at each other. "We'll stay," Kimberly answered.
"I'll get the wine and glasses then." Rick went to the kitchen and came back with glasses to hand out before returning with two opened bottles and began pouring.
Kate was back first. "You really think we are in trouble?" she asked as she accepted her glass of wine from her husband and kissed his cheek. Joanne pulled out a small flash drive and Rick got up to get his laptop and connect it to the TV.
"Paladin may be gone but we still have our network from which to get information," Serena said as Rick handed his laptop to Joanne who started bringing up pictures.
"That's her!" Kate announced at the sight of the first photo. "That's the Unseelie that I saw who was burning down Sam's old home. She caused the fireman to just freeze and completely shutdown mentally and physically. He totally checked out."
The pictures continued as Allison joined them and picked up her glass of wine and just watched.
"It appears to be making its way east," Allison remarked as she recognized some of the terrain.
"Correct; we lost it just outside Boston. We are hoping to pick it up again when it reaches the coast where we have teams on the lookout for her. Our theory is that she is headed for the Dracolich to give it your location. What it does with that information is yet to be determined.
Will it come directly here? Or does it continue its campaign of terror?" This had been the topic of conversation she and her friends had been having for days. Those were the top two options they could come up with.
"It's me..." Kate leaned into her husband and gladly accepted his arm around her in a mini Bear hug.
"Unfortunately, yes. Why you, we think is obvious. What it hopes to achieve might also be obvious or perhaps it has ulterior motives," Serena added.
"Finish the Draconic civil war," Rick suggested. Serena and Joanne nodded in agreement.
"The battle of good versus evil will likely last until time itself ends, if even then," Serena commented. "Our main problem is how to kill something that's already dead?"
"Rick has a thought about that," Kate said which got the attention of the new arrivals.
He began explaining his idea about the phylactery that would hold the dead Dragon's soul so the creature could just transfer it's essence into another dead Dragon's body and keep on living, such as it was.
"Interesting theory," Joanne mused. "If that's the case, how do we find whatever this thing is?" The blank looks she got back from Kate, Rick and Allison gave her her answer, which was not good.
"We solve one problem at a time," Serena said as she finished her wine. "Kill this one and figure out how to kill it again should it return."
Kate had checked on Alexis and Sam after Allison had joined Thompson outside for the night. Serena and Joanne went to their room, and the other four went outside to the Fifth Wheel and settled in.
Kate was happy that both dogs were watching over the two girls and looked alert. It was likely to be a long night since she would be up and down all night to nurse the twins.
She slid into bed naked next to her husband. "Now what?" She wanted his advice and his thoughts.
"We go to your mother and Oscar's wedding in two days just as planned. We have hotel reservations so we can take the Expedition or the truck." Rick knew they only really had two choices.
"Or Allison and Thompson follow us in their car," Kate added since they now had five kids that would just barely fit in the Expedition, not leaving much room for luggage. "Or my Jeep since I'm not sure I trust that car they're using." She didn't hate their car but it looked well used and she was concerned about possible break downs.
"Jeep it is, then." Rick knew they had offered its use as part of their job. "We can take the truck since it has fold down screens to keep Alexis and Sam happy," he suggested. Kate made a face, aggravated since that thing got horrible gas mileage. She hoped it would improve since they wouldn't be pulling the Fifth Wheel.
She snuggled in close and kissed some exposed skin. "I love you," she said softly and felt his love for her wash over her heart which brought a tear to her eye.
"I love you, too, so very, very much," he vowed as she kissed his skin again and sent him her eternal love.
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Kate and Allison looked tired after they loaded the truck with luggage and kids. "They going to be alright?" Thompson questioned Rick as they put the last of everything into the Jeep.
"They're finding out what it is like to deal with five girls, two which need to be nursed every two hours, one of whom isn't taking to being supplemented with formula." Aurelia had proven to be far more picky than Ava had been and wanted nothing to do with formula.
"Oh, one more thing," Rick suddenly remembered. He went into the kitchen to get juice boxes and put them into the mini fridge inside the truck. "Time to see if we can get those two on the road." He chuckled a little and Thompson smiled.
An hour into the drive with only about thirty minutes left in their trip, Rick glanced over at Kate. She was leaning up against the door with her head against the window, fast asleep. A quick look in the rearview mirror told him that all of the girls looked to be doing fine.
Alexis and Sam were entertained by their movie, their eyes practically glued to their drop down screens. Ava was wide awake and looking everywhere while Aurelia and Aileen were asleep.
"God, I hope those two don't up and shift on us during the wedding," he whispered to himself.
"I certainly hope not," Kate murmured softly, never moving from her spot.
'Okay, so not asleep.' Rick didn't mind if she was.
'Just resting. I just hope they don't decide to get hungry while Mom is saying "I do."' That made Rick chuckle.
He followed the GPS directions and found a place to park, leaving everyone in the truck while he went inside to find their rooms at the Best Western Devils Tower Inn. It was one of the better motels that Rick could find close to the site. It did, however, mean that they needed more than one room since all the rooms mostly had two queen beds in the same room. They had packed portable bassinets for the twins so they just needed beds for the adults, Alexis, Sam, Ava, Allison, and Thompson.
"We have two rooms that look like they are across the hall from each other. They're on the ground floor," Rick announced since Allison and Thompson had joined everyone at the truck.
It took work to get all the kids and all the gear into the two rooms. Kate was just sitting down on one of the beds when her cell phone rang. She was just thinking of calling her mother to find out where they were. Except the caller ID showed someone else's name. "Hi Lanie." She was glad to hear from her.
"Hi, girlfriend. What room are you in?" was her first question which had Kate perplexed, so she simply answered with their room number.
"Why?" Kate asked.
"Because we're curious," Lanie responded. Kate was still at a loss to understand. Then there was a knock at their door that Rick jumped up to answer.
"Hi, Rick." Lanie walked right past him, heading straight for Kate while Alexis and Sam were testing the bed.
"Aunt Lanie!" Alexis was happy to see her.
"Lanie? What are you doing here?" Kate was really confused now. They had talked and she didn't have the time off to come to her mother's wedding since they would all be going to Disney for a week in a few months.
"I don't have the time off, so if I get a case I have to run, but here I am." Lanie spread her arms wide before wrapping them around Kate and hugging her hard. Kate squeezed her back, happy that she was here.
"Kevin, Jenny, and Sarah Grace?" Did she hit the jackpot or just get lucky?
Lanie shook her head. "Kev has a case and can't make it. Jenny wanted to come alone but he talked her out of it. Javi doesn't have a case, but like me he may get a call and we'll have to run and drive like crazy." It was a three hour drive if the traffic was good.
"I'm so glad you two could make it! I'm sure Mom will be glad to see you, too," Kate said.
"And you're okay with her marrying Oscar?" Lanie needed to hear it from her.
"Yes, why?" Kate raised an eyebrow and looked at her as if the question was a dumb question.
"Just checking." Lanie relaxed. "So what is there to eat around here?"
"We only just got here so I don't know. ...Babe, where's lunch?" Kate trusted that her husband had everything all planned out since she had no clue.
"We need to go into town though choices are slim," he answered as he sat down between Sam and Alexis, attempting to tickle both at the same time. They squealed and ran to hide behind Alexis's Uncle Javi.
Sam was introduced to Lanie and Javi since she had never seen them before that she could remember. Still hearing that they were old friends of Kate seemed to satisfy her.
In the end they all ended up at the Ponderosa Cafe and Bar. Kate glared at him simply for the name. Still the bar was actually separate from the dining room and the inside did sort of remind her of the Ponderosa ranch house from the old TV series, Bonanza.
It wasn't true dining and looked a lot more like pub food, but Sam and Alexis were happy to get a burger and fries with a glass of milk. Kate noticed her husband had ordered a double cheeseburger while she had chose a club sandwich with fries and a strawberry shake that she ended up sharing with Alexis and Sam.
Lanie had glared at Javi for ordering what had to be their biggest burger. She watched him open his mouth wide to try and take a bite out of it while the juices dribbled down his chin. "Men," she snorted.
"And yet we love them," Kate countered which neither Lanie nor Allison could deny.
"Shall we go look where you two are going to get married? See if it meets your approval?" Kate asked her since they would be back here just over a year from now, but in the dead of winter and inside instead of outside.