Chapter 10
Michelle
The days went by quickly. Business filled the hours until way past sundown. Kelan was a fair-minded man and wanted to give all of his clients the best ending to their projects possible. He was determined to finish all those he had started. New clients were referred to Doug and were exclusively his responsibility. Michelle helped both men in their endeavors, making her workload double. She didn't dwell on the decision she had to make. Her heart would eventually choose. She would accept whatever choice it made.
At night, she was immersed in Kelan. They confided their fears and hopes, told stories from their pasts, and made love into the wee hours. They soaked up each precious memory to keep them sane if they had to be parted.
The weapon was manufactured, and quantities were boxed and on their way to every country. The original plans and multiple boxes of the weapon were placed aboard the spaceship by Kelan's own hands. In hopes that Michelle would choose him, Kelan also crammed the ship full to overflowing with her favorite things. Drinks, food, books, and even Christmas lights would make the trip to Talonia. He was amazing and persuasive.
Michelle's work mail produced threatening letters from Jackson's associates. She never left the confines of the building, trusting in the security there to keep out the bad guys. A part of her expected them to give up and go away. Instead, the threats increased. The police were given all of the letters, but there was no way to trace where they had come from. After two weeks, all her mail was rerouted to the police station. It was simpler and less anxiety-inducing.
Jackson was found incompetent to stand trial. He was considered delusional, still ranting about dragons and spending every waking moment drawing pictures of one in particular. The therapist at the facility he now resided in sent some of his drawings to the police and the reporters. He was curious to see if anyone could explain why all the dragons were emerald green with hints of midnight blue. He wondered if there was an enemy Jackson equated with the dragon. The pictures were shown on the news channels, raising Kelan's panic and speeding up his plans. Curiosity seekers were discovered in Michelle's old backyard searching for clues just as Kelan had predicted. The good news was that they trampled the ground repeatedly, wiping away all the evidence of claw marks.
Kelan's final day at Rankin's World Defense was marked by a party to say goodbye and good luck. He had given the reason for leaving as a world tour to speak about new weapon designs for Earth security and to schools about domestic abuse. He had left the door open for Michelle to join him if she wished. Her coworkers were supportive. They would hold her job for as long as she desired.
Over champagne toasts, Kelan's loyal employees, including everyone from the janitor to Doug, said farewell. Michelle raised her glass, took a deep breath, and said, "Kelan, may your journey be safe and your future a happy one. I'm sure everyone here will agree that you would be welcomed back with open arms. I hope they feel the same about me. I've packed my bags, and I'm going too!" Her announcement was met with whistles and cheers. Kelan stared at her in disbelief. He had given up hope. She had either kept her choice a secret or not chosen until this second. From her own stunned expression, he would guess it to be the second of those. Adding to everyone's shock, Kelan lifted her into his arms and planted a deep kiss on her mouth, claiming her as his.
Kelan and Michelle retreated to a quiet corner. "What made you decide to go with me?” Kelan asked. "You haven't said a word that would make me think you wanted to go."
Michelle was visibly upset. Her big brown eyes sparkled with unshed tears. "It was going to hurt either way. I intended to stick with what was familiar: Earth. But, every time you said goodbye to someone tonight, another little piece of me died. I can't be whole without you. Besides, the police called today. They wanted me to know that the threats are becoming more volatile. It's not just me they're threatening now. It's Jackson, this building, and everyone that works here. I can't justify staying for selfish reasons. If I'm gone, the threats disappear, and I get you."
"You're not ready for this. It shows in your face and the trembling of your body. You can change your mind. I would hate it, but I would understand. I'll find a way to provide protection for everyone. This decision has to be for you, not everyone else. It's a huge one. You're not moving across the globe; it's across a universe,” Kelan soothed.
"It is for me. What we have can't be replaced. You're right. I'm not ready. I will be. I just need to say goodbye to the familiar sky and all that it contains. Will you spend the rest of our time here walking every inch of the city, driving to the country, and stuffing yourself with the food we can't bring? It's asking a lot, I know. You won't be getting any sleep for the trip, but it's the only way I can think of to say farewell to an entire planet. I ache inside so badly. Is it wrong to hold on to the dream that someday I might see it again?” Michelle sobbed.
"I'll hold onto the dream with you. It's possible. I would like to see it again too. I've made friends here. They've become family to me. Let's go visit all the places we love. There's a special one I want to show you,” Kelan replied.
Michelle and Kelan roamed the city streets, taking in all the sights. The city lights guided them to bistros, clubs, the park, and the lake filled with sailboats. They dined on tacos, steaks, ice cream, and gooey caramel. Kelan drove them to the countryside where there were open fields of green. Horses and cows roamed freely. The air was cool and fresh. Kelan made a sharp turn into a wooded area. His Jeep bounced over the uneven, unmarked ground. Michelle hung on to the roll bar and yelled, "What are you doing? There's no road here, not even a trail."
"Remember? I said there was a special place I wanted you to see. It's in these woods, and there is no road or trail in. That's why it's private and why I drove the Jeep." Kelan wound his way through the trees, guided by instinct. Suddenly, light shone ahead, and the thick, dense forest thinned, and a meadow appeared. Flowers of red and yellow covered the ground. It was lovely. "This is my secret meadow,” Kelan announced. "It's where I come to be myself. I transform and fly among the trees, hidden from prying eyes. Welcome to my sanctuary."
The Jeep stopped at the edge of the trees. Kelan climbed out and breathed in the fragrance of the flowers. The air smelled of freedom and happiness. Michelle saw the longing in his expression. She gathered her courage and said, "Go ahead and transform. Fly for a while. You have something to say goodbye to as well. I won't freak."
Kelan took the offer. He stripped off his clothes and walked to the center of the meadow in all his glorious nakedness. Turning his face to the sky, he closed his eyes and spread his arms out to his sides. His skin shimmered, becoming emerald green and scaly. As wings tipped with midnight blue sprouted, he grew larger. The dragon's mouth opened with a roar, shooting fire toward the clouds. The field shook, and the trees swayed when he lifted his mighty wings and rose from the ground.
Michelle lost her fear and stood mesmerized by the graceful flight of the incredible beast. Kelan soared over the meadow, practically floating on the air currents. He dove down to a pond, skimming its surface, then flew straight up to the clouds. Michelle could feel his happiness, and her heart beat in time with his. This moment sealed their relationship. He was giving everything of himself to Michelle, and she was accepting it without limitations.
Kelan landed and bowed to Michelle. The great dragon kept his head close to the ground as she walked toward it. With her heart banging against her chest, she placed a hand on its snout. A sound that was close to a cat's purr came out of Kelan. It made laughter bubble from Michelle. She kissed the scales beside her hand, forever letting go of her fears of at least this weredragon.
The scales shimmered once more, and Kelan returned to human form. His gaze was hot and loaded with desire. Michelle leaped into his embrace. Deep in the meadow, hidden from sight, they fell into the flower-strewn meadow and made love. Earth wrapped them in its embrace and sent them a message. It said, "Goodbye. Safe travels. Thank you for sharing your lives with me."
A calmer, more subdued Michelle followed Kelan into the elevator. It stopped in its usual spot: the parking garage. As they walked by his vehicles, she asked, "What happens to all your cars now?"
Kelan replied, "Monday morning some of my most valuable employees will receive titles to them as parting gifts. It would be fun to see their faces."
Kelan was a generous man who thought of everything. Michelle was so proud of him. In the darkest corner of the garage, she watched as he removed a metal panel. Underneath was a complicated series of coding. Kelan's nimble fingers made fast work of the numbers. A laser scanned his eyes and the wall miraculously opened. Michelle had watched this process once before when he had shown her the spaceship. Tonight, the wall closed with a more permanent clang. Kelan entered a code that had never been used before and never would be again. All mechanisms shut down, and the wall was sealed forever.
The spaceship was loaded and prepared for departure. Like a chameleon, it took on the colors of its surroundings. It would be invisible in the night sky. Michelle walked up the ramp. Her whole body was shaking. Some of it was trepidation, but most of it was excitement. The storage hold was beneath their feet, filled with weapons and Michelle's favorite things from Earth. Her new wardrobe was stored in sleeping quarters. They could make use of those once they were past the Milky Way. Kelan would set the route, set it to auto pilot, and the spaceship would reach speeds beyond the imagination, taking them to Talonia.
Michelle sat in the co-pilot's seat. The half-moon of windows would allow her to watch as Earth shrank and disappeared. Kelan booted up the engine. It was silent: yet another precaution to hide them. The roof opened to a starry sky and the ship began to rise. Kelan glanced her way to ensure that she hadn't changed her mind. She nodded, and he closed and sealed the roof. There was no going back now. For her, Kelan made a smooth though quick pass over the Earth. She caught glimpses of China, Greece, Australia, and even Greenland.
Earth was just a blue and green ball when Kelan warned, "You'll get a little lightheaded for a minute or two. The ship will compensate for the atmosphere changes, then you'll feel normal again. Make sure you're buckled in tight. We will lose gravity for a short time as well."
His warnings were barely in time. Dizziness overwhelmed her. Earth blurred as her vision dimmed. It was over quickly, and she was shocked to feel herself plop back down into the seat, unaware that she had risen an inch or two with the gravity loss.
Space was awesome. It was so quiet, and the blue was endless. Earth was beautiful. She was staring at it when her peripheral vision caught the edge of a huge white object: the moon. Michelle's mouth fell open and refused to close for hours. Light came and went as they passed planets she had read about in school and seen in pictures from man's space travel. Kelan told her each planet's name and a little about their capabilities. Other than that, he kept quiet, letting her enjoy the view.
Her eyelids began to droop. Kelan smiled. There hadn't been much rest for her in over a month and none in the last fifty-six hours. She had kept going on caffeine and adrenaline. She required sleep. "Michelle, go to bed. I'll be there in an hour or two. We're almost to the point where I can let the ship fly itself for a while."
She yawned and replied, "It's too beautiful. I want to see it all."
He had surmised as much. "We'll be on the ship for days. There will be plenty of wonderful things to see. You can't remain awake forever. You'll enjoy it more later. The ship’s recording everything it passes. You can watch the recordings anytime. Go to bed."
Unable to argue since her brain was too tired to function, Michelle stood up on shaky legs and kissed him goodnight. She slid into the bunk, fully clothed, and fell into a dreamless slumber. Her decision had been tough, but once she was in the sky without the option of returning to Earth, she had let the past go and grabbed hold of the future.
Kelan didn't have the luxury of closing the door on the past. He was responsible for a human female. He had taken her from her own planet without permission of Earth's government or the sanction of Talonia. He was facing reprimands, and worse, once they reached the weredragons' home. No human had set foot on Talonia. They weren't aware of its existence. Would he regret his choices? He could be imprisoned for treason, or at the very least lose his rank. The cost of bringing Michelle along was a high one. Thinking of her soft hand on his scaly snout, accepting his alien form, he knew no price was too high. Michelle belonged with him, and if he must fight his own species to keep her, so be it.
He zipped out of the Milky Way. The controls were set on autopilot, his trajectory aimed for Talonia. The ship would alert him if danger approached, whether it be another ship or merely a meteor. In the sleeping quarters, he watched Michelle's chest rise and fall in unworried slumber. He softly kissed her lips and climbed into his own bunk where he fell into a restless world of nightmares.
