Chapter 18

"Omorphi Angelos. Beautiful angel." Dixon caught Kristina and wrapped his arms around her. "How are you my little angel?"

Alexis moved to stand in front of them and stared at the sight before her. She heard the words Dixon spoke and knew their meaning. She was stunned by the fact that they seemed to know each other so well.

"Dixon, I think you need to explain all of this and fast."

Dixon not taking his eyes from Kristina, took her by the hand and led her to the sofa and sat down never releasing her hand. And Kristina fairly bounced her way along with him holding on to him as if permission for her next breathe could only come from him.

"How did you get here Dicky? How did you know where I was? Did mama come with you? Tell me, tell me, Dicky."

"Shh... child. Can you not see there are questions circling our heads? There are stories to tell, my little angel. Look, look at the faces of those around us. They await our answers. Would it be fair to keep them in suspense any longer?"

Dixon spoke to her as a parent would to a child. His eyes sparkled as he looked at her. The onlookers had no doubt in their mind that Dixon loved Kristina as if she were his own child. They slowly inched forward, closer to the pair who so raptly held their attention.

Alexis, though dumbfounded, was the first to break the silence that invaded the room as Dixon looked back toward them.

"Uh, Kristina, you know this man?"

"Oh, Alexis, I've known him all my life. I grew up with him. We have always been the best of friends. I would have to admit, that he has on occasion gotten extremely too protective and big brother-ish for my taste. But, I guess he had the right since in a way he was my big brother. He and I were adopted by the same family."

Alexis fell into the chair beside the sofa. Johnny was having trouble comprehending all that he was hearing. But, Sonny was looking on the scene warily. There was too much coincidence going on for his taste and looking at his watch decided his noon meeting should be postponed a few hours until the questions surrounding Dixon and Kristina were cleared up. He quietly entered the kitchen to call Diego.

"Diego, there is a problem here. Do not come here at noon. Hold our guests until you hear from me. Do not harm them. I repeat do not harm them."

"Sonny, what are you doing?" Johnny missed Sonny in the living room and went in search of him. He wanted Sonny to remain with them to hear Dixon's explanation and had walked in on his phone conversation with Diego.

"You have them, don't you?"

"Yes, they are at the warehouse with Diego."

"Sonny, don't do anything until we know what we are dealing with in there. Too much has already happened without all of the facts in place. We don't want to make a mistake here. It could cost me my sisters."

"I know, Johnny. I told Diego to wait for my call. He is under strict orders to not harm them. We will wait until we know all that can be known here."

"Thanks, Sonny."

They turned and reentered the living room as Kristina continued to babble about anything and everything. Alexis allowed her sister to prattle on until Sonny and Johnny returned. She was getting antsy though. She needed answers and they weren't coming fast enough to suit her. When they guys came in and settled themselves, she turned to Dixon.

"Ok, sport. Your turn! I want it all. Tell me everything."

Dixon glanced toward her and lifted his hand to gesture to her to hold still for one moment as he looked back toward Kristina.

"Little angel, in the next few minutes you are going to hear a story that will anger you and frighten you. It is ok to be angry. But, you have no reason to fear. You are in the middle of three who love you very much. We do not wish for you to be hurt, but, I must tell a story that will no doubt hurt you. Let me finish it. It must be told and it must be told without interruption. Do you remember our game, little angel? You know the silence game?" At her nod of recognition he continued "when I stop speaking, the floor is yours. I will not speak again until you say it is time. Ok, angelos?"

"Ok, Dicky."

Dixon turned back to Alexis and began to tell her all that he knew.

"When my mother sent me to live with her sister, I was too young to know what was going on. I was just a babe. I grew up thinking the people I lived with were my actual parents. Several years passed and I grew up like any normal child would. One day a child was delivered to my mother, who was actually my aunt. The child was near death. It was Kristina."

Laying his hand on Kristina's, Dixon looked at Johnny.

"My mother wanted you to believe that she died. It was safer for her. The night you went looking for her, you set in motion a chain of events no one was prepared for. Up until that night, Helena did not know you existed. Johnny, you favored Mikkos so perfectly that once she saw you at the castle, she knew that Mikkos had again betrayed her. She called for Poppa to follow you. She did not know yet that it was Poppa and Mama that Mikkos left you with. Poppa made a vow to Mikkos to protect you. When he realized that Helena finally found out about you he ran back to the cottage and told mama that they had to at least protect Kristina since they knew Helena would not stop until she found you."

"I remember Pap coming in and whispering in her ear. I was too intent on Kristina to pay attention to what he was saying."

"They could no longer protect you and keep Kristina hidden as well. So Poppa made the decision to have Kristina taken to mama's sister's house that night. They barely had time to complete the transfer when Helena broke into the cottage demanding to know where you were. That is where she found you."

Dixon paused in his story. As much as it would hurt him, he had to tell them the rest. So, bracing himself against the pain of the story he continued.

"Helena took you that night. She also took Poppa. She wanted to know everything and figured that Poppa knew it all since you had been staying there. She tortured my Poppa. She took a blade and systematically cut off one finger after another until he confessed that Kristin Bergman and Mikkos had been together long enough to have three children. When he refused to tell her the location of Kristina, she cut his heart out."

Kristina crumbled against Dixon. She had fainted.

Dixon moved and kneeled beside her. Softly stroking her head he began to call out to her.

Alexis and Johnny quickly stood to pull Dixon away from Kristina. They weren't angry with him, they just felt it would be better for Kristina not to hear the rest. Alexis bent over Dixon and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Dix, leave her be. She does not need to hear the rest. We need to protect her memories as much as possible. No purpose can be served for her to know just how vile these people are. Come, let's sit at the table and finish this."

As the three of them sat at the table, Sonny remained standing. It was hard to fathom that these people could be more cruel than his Mafia. The more he heard the more he was leaning toward letting Diego have his way with them. His attention returned to the present as he heard Dixon continue.

"When Helena did not get what she wanted from Poppa, she went after mama. The cook and mama were very close and the cook had already told mama what Helena did to Poppa. So mama decided to offer my services to Helena in whatever capacity she wanted in exchange for Kristina's life and safety. She figured that in giving me to Helena, it would ensure my safety as well as Kristina's. What mama hadn't figured on was that my services would not be enough. Helena didn't want mama to suspect that she had any ulterior motives so she agreed to the plan and I was delivered within a few days. When mama took me to the castle, Helena played her last card. She took me aside and told me that if I loved my mother and wished her to remain alive, then I would do whatever she asked without question and I would divulge Kristina's location to her. I couldn't bear to give up the little angel so I countered with my own deal. My mother and Kristina live because, I sold my soul to Helena. Helena has known all along where Kristina was, but would not touch her as long as I remained faithful."

There was something missing and Alexis and Johnny knew it. Johnny decided it was time to get down to it.

"Dixon, that would not be enough to stop Helena if she really wanted something. You've got something on her and it's enough to keep her somewhat under control. What is it?"

There wasn't going to be any way to get around it. Dixon realized he was going to have to give them his ace in the hole. And he knew that once he did, he would no longer have a hold over Helena. His life would be over and he would have to trust Alexis and Johnny to protect his mama and Kristina. Speaking to Alexis he made his point.

"Once I give you what you want, my life is over. She will come after me and she will get to Kristina. It will be your responsibility to take over for me."

Reaching over he placed his hand on Alexis "I must ask you to please take care of my mama. Get her to safety. I beg of you, Alexis."

Johnny caught Alexis' attention and silently asked her to let him respond.

"Dix, she was my mother for years. I will take care of her. You have my word. You and I are family, we are bound together by her love. I will protect her with my life. But, you mistake us. You are a part of us now. We fight together. What you tell us here, will protect all of us."

"Thank you, my brother."