CH31

What Kate and Rick found was a mess. There were dead men everywhere, a few of which had actually bled out leaving really large pools of blood. There were bullet holes everyplace it seemed. Plus there was the burned out wreck of a car in the driveway.

"You?" Rick asked after they all had taken the time to get showered and dressed, secure in the knowledge that they had the time. "Yeah, it still feels like it wasn't really me. I cut those two in half and bit the third one in half. I finally had Alexis safe when that car came charging up the road. I still don't know how I did it." Kate's face was grim.

"The dragon part of you is who did it Kate, and no, it's not an alien or a parasite wrapped around your spinal cord that has control over your body. Think of it as two people living in the same body who happen to want the same things. Your dragon understands what it means to be a dragon while you understand what it means to be human. Once you get used to each other and talk to each other, things will get easier. Or so I learned - the hard way," he admitted. Rick saw the look on her face. "I wanted to escape from my father and I saw the bear in me as being him. Brutal and ruthless. A beast that had no qualms or compassion."

"I spent my years in New York forcing the bear inside me to keep silent. Having my own daughter defend my honor got me thinking and not just about what my publisher and publicist had done to me. If I had listened even a little to my bear it's likely that I would never have let Gina and Paula do that to me," he said ruefully. 'Damn straight!' his bear told him.

"My father is wrong, so very wrong but I also know he'll never change. There is strength, bear or dragon strength, and then there is dominance like my father's. I learned a hard lesson. You can be bear or dragon strong but human kind, thoughtful, and considerate of others. It's what gained me many of my friends, like Oscar for example," he shared with her. It earned him a hug and a kiss from Kate.

"How do we clean up this mess?" she asked. "Fixing the holes and broken windows is easy. Call the contractor who built my house in the first place. A small or large extra payment should keep his mouth closed over what he finds. As for the bodies and the car?" Rick paused and slumped with a large exhale of breath. "I know someone who can take care of that. It's just he might do it using my dead body." He gave her a clue.

Kate hung her head. Rick was talking about his father. "We can take what Espo found on my boss and what we found on what's left of the dead men. It might be enough," she offered. "Plus his men have likely already informed him of my attempt to gain access to his land." Meaning her boss had bugged her to accomplish something. He thought about it. He considered himself lucky that both himself and Alexis were still alive and he knew that he had Kate to thank for that. "We can try it, just be ready to fly all of us out of there on a moment's notice," Rick warned her. Kate, however, was hoping it didn't come to that. She didn't want that many people to know she was a dragon, besides she still had to confront her mother. Yeah, this day totally sucked, big time.

"I'll get Alexis's and my things packed for a week, I suggest you go home and do the same. We may be staying with my father at least until the car and bodies are gone." Rick knew he was going to hate this. This day had just gone from bad to worse.

Kate gave Rick a kiss. "How do I get home?" she questioned since her Jeep was at home and her Durango was abandoned on the side of the road miles from here. "Take the quad, the keys are in the garage next to the door. Just press the button on the wall next to the door to open the garage door. I'll close it when Alexis and I come over," he said. Kate walked back into the house.

"Please be quick Rick, I really don't like being separated," she told him and jogged down the stairs. Downstairs she found Alexis crying while petting Midas and Maggie who were lying on their sides breathing heavily. 'Rick! Get down here. Alexis needs you,' she called to him.

"Midas and Maggie will be fine Alexis, they just don't feel too good right now, but they'll get better." Kate stroked her hair. "The bad men hurt them," Alexis kept repeating as she cried. "I know they did, but they'll get better and they were defending you from the bad guys weren't they?" she gently asked her not really knowing what happened down here. Alexis was nodding while still crying just as Rick came crashing down the stairs at a dead run, worried that more Paladin men had shown up. Alexis's crying only increased when she saw Rick show up in front of her. Kate left Alexis in his capable hands. "Try not to take too long babe." Kate kissed his head and bent way down to kiss Alexis's head, too.

The face Alexis was making was breaking his heart. First she was attacked followed by thinking she was a monster and her two best friends were hurt. Rick hoped his ability was powerful enough for this as he took her into his arms and hugged her.

Kate came charging down their little hill from the highway and slid the quad to a stop just behind her Jeep and ran inside, finding her mother sitting at the table eating lunch. She walked right up to her and glared at her since she was really furious with her. "I want answers Mom and I want the truth. Don't bother trying to wave me off." Kate was all but towering over her.

Johanna put her sandwich down and waited for the Katie storm to sweep over her. "Which one is or was the shifter? You or Dad? Or both? And why the hell didn't you tell me I was a dragon!" Kate was so angry she was shaking. Johanna hadn't been certain which storm was going to hit her, however this wasn't one of the storms she had even considered. "What happened?" Johanna asked.

"Just answer my question Mom. I think I deserve the truth. I'm a freaking dragon!" Kate glared at her mother. Johanna however was unfazed by Kate's death glare for a moment. However the secret she had been keeping for untold years had always weighed heavily on her.

"Your father was a dragon, I'm only human," Johanna finally admitted. "I met your father just like you were told and I loved him with all of my heart. It was right after he proposed that he told me who and what he was. I didn't believe him at first. I was really conflicted. He had just proposed. I had a ring on my finger and I was so very much in love. Next I knew I was thinking my future husband was a mental case and that he should be locked up. Then he convinced me to come with him out to the cabin that the two of us had been out to a few times. We used it to sneak away from our parents so we could spend time together," Johanna told her, which was code for sneak out and make love to each other where she could scream to her heart's content.

Kate had a question. "I thought you and Dad had bought that cabin. That's what you told me anyway." She wondered just how much of her life was a lie. "The cabin was in your father's family, they had used it for years. Its isolation was perfect for them and him," Johanna told her. "It was out there that he proved it to me. He begged me not to freak out on him. That he truly did love me but he couldn't keep such a big secret from me. That was when he turned into the really huge…dragon. His body was even bigger than the house itself, let alone the wings, tail, and that head full of teeth." Johanna squeezed her eyes closed and pictured that day in her mind.

"He was so very big and he was black. Darker than the night itself black. Only his huge head full of such very big teeth were the only things not black. …I was scared speechless, so very frightened. I actually begged him to take me home." Johanna paused to blink back the tears. "You know what's funny? I never even considered taking my engagement ring off." Johanna to this day was still amazed at that. "Your father convinced me to stay that night. I slept in the other bedroom, your bedroom, and we barely spoke the next day. Then that night he changed into a dragon again and took me flying on his back. I had never felt like that again or since. I knew that I loved him, dragon or not."

"Then his parents were killed in a gas explosion that turned their home into match sticks. Suddenly he was the last known dragon on the planet and he was mine." Johanna wiped away the tears.

"When you were born you never displayed any indication that you had inherited his dragon genes, so there was no need to tell you. Then the love of my life was run over by a stupid drunk driver. Of all the things to die from." Johanna still couldn't believe it. "I'm sorry Katie, I really am. But you didn't have a need to know. If you weren't a dragon there was no need to traumatize you." Johanna pleaded her case.

"That's why Dad loved that little, almost falling down cabin." It dawned on Kate. "We went out there when you were little and when you were fast asleep, your father would change into a dragon and take me flying. We stopped when you go too old to hide it from you," Johanna admitted.

Kate sat down in one of the dining room chairs but still faced her mother. "Black dragons are evil dragons Katie. Your father fought his evil tendencies all his life. He was convinced that it was me that allowed him to succeed. He was such a good man who would suddenly blow up for what seemed no reason or over any little thing," Johanna told her which had Kate remembering just such an instance. She never did understand why her father was so mad at her over such a little thing. Only to have him come back hours later and apologize. "His father was black and his mother was white. They were both evil and I think they were both assassins. I could just never prove it, and then there was the explosion," Johanna explained.

"I'm purple, so what am I?" Kate questioned. If her family was evil did that mean she was evil too? "Wait here." Johanna got up and went to her room.

Kate was beginning to wonder if she was coming back when suddenly she walked into the dining room. She was also carrying something. "Your father left this behind. I'm not sure why I kept it since you didn't display any signs of being a dragon. We just assumed that my genes won out." Johanna dropped a book on the table in front of her. It looked old and handmade and had the form of a dragon coiled about itself in the center on the cover. It was a color Kate wasn't familiar with. It was also obviously locked with two large bands that held the very old and very thick book closed.

Kate looked at her mother. "Jim's parents had who got it from their parents and so on. They had given it to Jim and now it's yours. Jim couldn't open it and as you can see there's no opening for a key. Maybe you'll have better luck and maybe it will hold answers to your questions." Johanna hoped it did.

"What happened Katie?" Johanna didn't understand why she was showing signs of being a dragon now. Had she already shifted into her dragon form? "We were attacked by a group that wants all shifters dead, shifters like me," Kate told her. "Paladin," Johanna all but whispered uneasily.

Kate turned on her mother with a renewed fury. "You know about Paladin?" Kate was shocked. "Of course I know about Paladin. I was married to a dragon," Johanna countered with equal emotion. "Your father buried his dragon when you became too old for him to hide who he was easily. We only went out to the cabin at Christmas, I never saw him turn himself into a dragon again. I never flew on his back ever again, but it never stopped me from loving him, or you."

"Your father was never sorry that we had you. Giving up being a dragon was a small price to pay in his mind. You were worth it, you were our daughter. A little piece of each of us. Though you're maybe a larger piece of your father than we both thought. If Paladin is here, you need to leave Katie." Johanna didn't want to lose her, certainly not see her die. Kate shook her head. "They're all dead," she informed her. "It doesn't matter Katie, they'll just send more. They will never stop, ever," Johanna warned her.

"I came over here to pack," Kate said and picked up the book and ran upstairs to pack enough for a week. She tried to pack as quickly as she could, but the emotions of today were getting to her. Rick and Alexis were almost killed. She herself had killed at least 5 men, she was a dragon and her father had been a dragon. Overwhelmed, she sat on the bed crying. Kate lost track of time until she heard Patch barking just for a moment. The dog's barking had her reaching for her weapon that wasn't there. "They're out near my car along with my uniform." Still she didn't know who was downstairs.

'Rick?' Kate queried. 'We're downstairs, we need to hurry,' he replied. She relaxed and went back to packing. She threw the book her mother had given her, some panties, a couple bras, some toiletries, a little make-up, and several changes of clothes in a suitcase. She raced downstairs to find Rick asking Johanna to look after Midas and Maggie while they were gone. She also saw a 50 pound bag of dog food and a case of canned dog food sitting on top of it. Who she didn't see was Alexis and she couldn't help it...her heart froze for a moment out of sheer fear for her. "We need to go Kate, Alexis is in the truck waiting," he told her which had her breathing again when she didn't even realize she had stopped.

Johanna hugged her. "Please be careful Katie and take care of these two. They're good for you and you have more power than you know." Johanna squeezed her tight and blinked back tears. "We'll return when we think it's safe Mom, I promise." Kate hugged her back.

Rick took her bag and Kate followed him outside. "You brought the trailer?" She was shocked. She hadn't even thought about taking the motorhome. "I thought we might need it. I even emptied the refrigerator in the house and tossed it all into the one in the trailer. It's why we're a little late." Rick left off the melt down that Alexis had. Kate didn't need to know about that right now.

"I have keys, I can bring the motorhome," Kate offered as she watched him throw her suitcase into his bed and put the cover back down. "No need, I have space, food, and my tanks are full including the truck," Rick told her then got behind the wheel and buckled up. Kate still thought it might be a good idea but they did need to leave and the trailer had enough space. So she clambered into the truck. "Hi Alexis, how are you?" she asked her. But when she looked back at her, she scrambled out of the front seat and into the back seat where she could wrap an arm around Alexis.

Rick turned around and turned left onto US85 and headed north. He really didn't know if this was a good idea or a bad one. His father just might turn out to be worse than Paladin.

Kate was silent and was holding an equally silent Alexis. Rick had never been more grateful for Kate than he was now. His little girl was hurting and he had to drive. If it was just them, they would both be alone.

"There's your car." Rick pointed out the windshield. "Stop Rick, please stop," she suddenly asked him. He pulled over to the right on the other side of her patrol car. Kate got out and Rick followed her leaving Alexis behind. "What are we doing out here. We don't need the car or anything in it that I can think of," he said curiously. Except Kate didn't walk to the car, she began walking out in front of the car back the way they came.

"I'm trying to find what's left of my uniform," she told him, which had him wondering if Kate had cracked under the pressure of the day's happenings. "I was carrying two weapons and spare rounds on me and I want them. We might need them," Kate said which convinced Rick to look with her. "Is one a small revolver?" Rick asked and held what he found up. "That's one. Now where is the other one?" She found her belt with the bug in it, took the spare rounds off of it, then dropped the belt. "Damn it where are…there you are!" Kate picked it up and blew dust off of it. "Can we go now?" He didn't like being out in the open with Alexis all alone in the truck.

Rick was soon back to driving with Kate in back holding onto Alexis again. He had the revolver while Kate had her Glock and the spare rounds for it. Alexis looked up at Kate with a face that broke her heart. "We'll be fine sweetie. We're going someplace where those bad men can never find us again. Besides your father and I will never let anything happen to you again. You have a really big powerful bear and a dragon to protect you."

"Sweetheart, please tell me that you don't still think that you are a monster. Because I can promise you that you are not. The person who said that didn't know what she was talking about." Kate really wanted Alexis to believe her, it was important. Alexis however only looked down at her hands. "Oh sweetie." Kate wiped away her tears. She was going to prove that Alexis wasn't a monster if it killed her.

Kate noticed that the woods were getting a little thicker. "Better be ready Rick. Last time I came through here two quads came bursting out of the trees one on each side and blocked the road forcing me to stop. Both of them were heavily armed and were wearing armored vests," she warned him.

It was only about 10 minutes later when what happened to Kate happened to him, forcing him to stop. Rick, however, remained in the truck and waited for one to approach him while the other one kept his automatic weapon trained on them. "There is a turnaround just ahead. This is private property and you will be turning around and going back the way you came," he ordered Rick. Kate however noticed that neither of them were the same men as last time.

Rick pulled out his wallet and handed over his driver's license. "I'm Richard Rodgers, I'm here to see my father." What Rick wanted to say was 'I am Rick Rodgers and I'm here to see his Majesty. You know, your master, slave.' The guard handed his driver's license back to him and waved to the other guy to let them pass.

Kate got to see a few trails lead off the road and out into the woods but didn't see any buildings yet. They both watched as a large van drove up to them, turned right, and went down a small blacktop road. "Shift change at the mine," Rick explained. "What are they mining" Kate questioned. "It started out as a strip mine for coal until a test result came back with something more lucrative. Uranium. They do still dig for coal but it's taken a back seat to uranium." It occurred to Kate that he would know about everything that went on here. After all his father had tried to beat everything into him. Plus Rick likely knew everything for when he slipped out and went to New York.

They finally started to see a few buildings here and there. There was even a sign that told them when they had crossed from Wyoming into South Dakota. It was now that they suddenly found themselves in what felt like a town. Except that every building seemed to have been built around the trees which were still everywhere. Rick literally drove them right through the middle of town. Not that he had a choice if he was going to his father's mansion. "WOW!" Kate was twisting her head looking everywhere.

The signs suggested they had everything any small town had. They were just starting to exit out of town when Rick pointed. "High school, middle school and elementary school," he explained. Kate was simply amazed. Each of the buildings looked new and the architecture was lovely. "You went to school here?" she asked and watched Rick nod.

She watched as he took a turn off onto a narrow blacktop road and watched him slow way down and pull far over to one side. Kate lowered her head to look out and forward. It was a short series of switchbacks. He was having just a little difficulty with the trailer they were towing. Still they were at the top and her eyes opened wide as her mouth dropped open. "HOLY...!" Kate exclaimed.

The house he was pulling up to was more mansion than house. It looked at lot like Rick's being that it was a log home too, but this place was massive. It appeared to be three stories tall. She could easily see the three car garage and the grand main entrance with the emphasis on grand. Rick pulled way off to one side in a manner that would allow him to turn around easily and go back down. "You grew up here?" she asked him and noticed that he didn't say anything. It was hurting Kate to think how he must be feeling about being back home again. A home that was filled with pain and not an ounce of love.

Rick got out and Kate decided to follow, bringing Alexis with her. "How many people live in this thing?" she inquired. "The last I knew, just my father and mother," he replied. That wasn't just possible. This place was massive. "The head of security lives in what you would call a mother-in-law suite that's attached to the main house," he added just as the front door opened and out walked a single male.

He kind of resembled Rick, just older with mostly grey hair and a short grey beard. He did not look happy. In fact, to Kate he looked ready for a fight. "You've got balls son and you're going to lose them," Hunt informed him. Rick watched closely and just as he thought his father was about to shift and rip his clothes to shreds, he held something up at eye level. "This mean anything to you?" Rick asked him. Hunt came up short and his attention was taken off Rick and onto what he was holding. Kate was so sure she was going to have to shift and defend her life mate and Alexis.

Hunt snatched it out of Rick's hand and studied it for a time. As he did, another man who was carrying an automatic weapon and was wearing an armored vest walked up behind him. Hunt took his eyes off of it and handed it to the man behind him and turned his attention back to Rick. "Paladin," the man behind Hunt stated. "We'll get to work on it, sir." And he walked off and started talking into the headset he was also wearing.

"You might as well come inside. Your mother is just about to start dinner," Hunt told him and turned his back on them as he walked back towards the house. "I'll have someone prepare your rooms, including one for the bastard," Hunt called over his shoulder.

"Dinner will be fine, but we'll be staying in the trailer," Rick informed him coolly which caused him to stop, turn his head, and growl. Then he just turned back around and resumed walking, disgusted with his son yet again.

The potential conflict appeared to be over. "What happened to his face?" Kate wondered aloud. She couldn't help but notice he had four really long scars slicing at an angle across the front of his face. They didn't look old but they weren't made yesterday either. "That would be me," Rick responded and began walking to the front door leaving a slack-jawed Kate holding onto Alexis behind him.