Morning came and with it some clarity. Michelle's head still ached, but the intense throbbing had subsided. She once again had the ability to think and reason. Yesterday was a nightmare that left shocking revelations behind. Jackson wasn't just an abuser. In his desperation to get money for his unsavory habits, he had come very close to murder. She had known he was cruel when he was drunk, yet it had never crossed her mind that he was capable of killing. Then there was Kelan, the man she looked up to, trusted, and worked in close proximity to, day after day. He was an alien! Not just your common, everyday variety either. He was a weredragon. They really existed. If her swollen eyes could be believed, he was the most beautiful dragon she had ever seen. Sure, all the ones she had seen before were in fantasy books or movies, but the emerald green and midnight blue one that Kelan had transformed into had put the others to shame. It was magnificent and frightening. How had she not known there was something different about Kelan? She spent endless hours working with him. Now that she knew his true nature, she realized his eyes had proclaimed it. They too were emerald green, much more intense than normal green eyes. She had assumed they were contacts. Boy, was she way off.

Michelle had no idea where to go from here. Could she continue to work beside Kelan knowing what he was? She loved her job, and he had never done anything remotely scary in her presence. Now though, she would always be looking for something odd and feel a nervousness she hadn't before. What about her house? If she went back, would the memories of her ordeal haunt her in every room? Could she live there and not see herself tied to the kitchen chair or scrubbed to the point of raw skin in the shower? She would move. That was the simple solution. With Jackson locked away, probably for many years, she could use the money she had hidden for her escape to get a new place to live. She could buy furniture he had never touched and start over with a clean slate. It was an exciting prospect, but to maintain her lifestyle, she would have to keep her job with Kelan. She told herself to grow up and face her fears. It would be worth it.

Michelle had several visitors that morning. The police came to tell her they had found enough evidence in and around her house to keep Jackson in jail without bail. Even the lawyer he had been assigned didn't argue for his release. Jackson was now blaming the dragon for Michelle's injuries. They had discovered some fresh, oddly shaped holes in the yard that couldn't be explained. Those had no bearing on the case, so they had ignored them. The police said she might want to have her yard checked for small burrowing animals that could destroy her grass.

A parade of coworkers came through her doors, bringing flowers, cards, and boxes of candies. They winced at the sight of her face, gave her hugs, and promised to keep her work caught up so she wasn't swamped when she returned. They were kind and caring, sort of like a real family. They left her feeling emotional and guilty for ever considering leaving her job.

The doctor came to say she would be released within the hour. She was warned to take it easy for a while and continue with the ice packs to her face. She would make a full recovery, without scars, except for the cuts on her legs and the ones she already had on her back from the cigarette burns.

Kelan walked in as the doctor's last comment hung in the air. "What cigarette burns?” he roared.

The doctor took that as his cue to leave. Michelle was torn between her fear of the dragon, her shame of having him hear about the previous abuse, and her happiness at seeing her savior. She reminded herself of the pep talk she had run through her head earlier. She would face her fears. "I tried to leave Jackson once before. The cigarette burns were punishment for it and a reminder that I couldn't hide from him or his buddies."

Kelan trembled with anger. He stood still and breathed deeply to stop the emotions that could bring the transformation and more trouble his way. He managed to growl. "Why didn't you ask for my help? I could have gotten you out and kept you safe."

"The cigarette incident happened before I knew you well. Besides, it wasn't your responsibility or concern. I should have had the courage to try again on my own. I'm just a coward,” she replied.

"The woman I know isn't a coward. She's intelligent, strong, and resilient. Stop putting yourself down. I saw the house. He tortured you and yet you ran. That's courage,” Kelan stated.

"I ran because I didn't want to die. He tied me with the electrical cord and asked me questions. He didn't like my answers, thus the cuts on my legs. Before he knocked me out, he said we would talk in the morning. He would get the answers he wanted. I knew what that meant. He tossed me, unconscious, into the shower and scrubbed off as much evidence as possible, then he forced me to swallow sleeping pills so I couldn't leave. When I woke up, I was left with no choice, except to run. It wasn't courage. It was desperation,” she retorted.

"You fought back. You endured the abuse and went on with your life. You've done an excellent job as my assistant. Somehow, you've come to terms with what I am, and you're still talking to me. All of that is courage. You're stronger than you think."

Michelle scoffed at his assessment, "I'm sitting here shaking. I don't know whether to be afraid of you or thank you for saving me. I haven't any idea whether I'm coming back to work or not. I need to gather some belongings, but I can't seem to wrap my head around the thought of going into my house and seeing the results of my imprisonment."

Kelan argued, "Speaking to me is facing down one fear. That makes you strong. Take the rest one at a time and you'll be fine. I can help. You will be coming back to work. I need you there. Tell me what you want from the house, and I'll go get it when the police remove the restrictions."

Michelle shook her head. "I have to go. Otherwise, it will haunt me forever. I have to see it now that I'm fully aware of the world around me, not half conscious."

"Fine, I'll take you. Get dressed, and I'll call the police station to see if it's okay,” he replied.

Michelle looked around the room. A nervous giggle came from her. "I can't get dressed. The clothes I came in wearing have been taken for evidence. I have nothing else."

Kelan felt a stirring of compassion and sadness in his heart. Michelle looked like a lost child in that moment. "I'll ask the nurse for some scrubs. We can go shopping later or get some clothes from your house. It's going to be okay. I promise."

Dressed in ugly green scrubs, Michelle was wheeled out to Kelan's car. This one was a red, flashy sports model, designed to draw attention. She slid into the cool, leather interior and sank into the luxurious seat that enveloped every curve. Not even her bed felt this good. Kelan turned on the radio, blasting rock music. He put the car in gear and sped away from the hospital. He grinned at Michelle and said, "Let's forget our worries for the time being and party." He began to sing along with the radio and dance in his seat. Michelle laughed out loud for the first time in a long while and joined in.

Her joy came to an instant halt as the car stopped in front of her old house. From the front, it hadn't changed. Nothing of the terror within was evident. She froze in place, unable to move until Kelan opened her door and took her hand in his. Forgetting to be frightened of him, she clung tightly to his hand, using it as a lifeline. The crime scene tape was gone, but the door was locked. Michelle mechanically stated, "There's an extra key under the rock by the hedge. Jackson was always locking himself out of the house, so I put it there for him. Don't put it back."

Kelan peeled off her shaking hand, retrieved the key, and opened the door. Horrible smells assaulted their noses. Michelle backed away. Kelan put his hands gently on either side of her bruised face, looked directly into her swollen eyes and said, "Go sit in the car. I'll get some clothes; then we can hire someone to clean up this mess. You don't need to go in."

"Yes, I do. I want to be the one to clean it as well. I can use it like therapy. Please, help me do this. Drag me inside, if necessary,” she cried.

Kelan lifted her into his arms and carried her over the sticky entryway, that was still littered with broken glass. He walked all the way down the hall, skipping the kitchen and the bathroom where the worst of her terrors had occurred. He put her down in the closet and ordered her to pick some clothes. While she was busy doing that, he went in search of cleaning supplies.

Michelle stared at her clothes. Everything reminded her of Jackson and her former life, good and bad. There was the t-shirt from the rock concert. He had bought it for her on a whim. It was a good day. There was the blouse he had ripped off her in a rage because she had spent money on it that he could have used for liquor. On and on, the memories assailed her. She didn't want any of this stuff. She wanted to start over. Looking over the bedroom, the only thing she really wanted was a picture. It had been taken years ago, before Jackson had entered her world. She was sitting on a snow-covered mountain, smiling. It spoke of the happy, free-spirited person she used to be and gave her hope of being that person again. Cradling it to her chest, she went to the kitchen for trash bags. Everything else had to be tossed.

Kelan had swept up the glass, straightened the chairs, and was now mopping up the stale beer. It was a strange sight. Michelle stared at him. It was the first time she had noticed he wasn't wearing a suit. Faded denims hugged his powerful thighs. A red t-shirt molded his upper body, emphasizing his muscles. His hair was mussed, instead of perfectly groomed. He took her breath away. She had read books that described men as sex on a stick, but she hadn't understood what it meant. Now, she did.

Kelan caught her staring and inquired, "Are you alright? What do you need?"

Michelle had a difficult time finding her voice and unscrambling her brain. Finally, she replied, "I came to get trash bags. This picture is all I want to keep. The rest is garbage that holds too many painful memories."

Kelan's smile brightened the gloomy space. "It sounds like a great idea. How about we turn on some music and dance this mess to the curb. If we break a few things to make us feel better, who cares? Come on, let's have fun. We'll go on a shopping spree tomorrow."

Fun was a concept that Michelle missed. She turned on some music and began shoving anything in sight into a trash bag. It felt wonderful and empowering. With each bag she tied shut, she closed another chapter of her life with Jackson. With every swipe of the soapy rag, she washed away the bad memories and fear. Soon, she was dancing and laughing, bringing new life to the house. She would leave behind happier memories for the new tenants and a good vibe that was refreshing.

When all the work was done, Michelle's bruised body ached, but she was a different person. She had exorcized her demons and was ready to face the future. She declared, "I need a hotel room for the night. Tomorrow, I won't just be shopping for clothes. I need to look for a new place to live."

Kelan demanded, "You're not staying in a hotel. You're coming home with me. It's safer in the penthouse. No one gets in or out without detection."

Michelle panicked. She couldn't stay with Kelan! He was an alien, a weredragon for goodness sake. Sure, she had forgotten that during the last few hours and enjoyed their time together. Now, she was fully aware of it. Furthermore, she had an attraction to the man. She wanted to run her hands over those hard, sculpted muscles and feel their power. She wished to kiss his full lips, tasting the hint of dragon fire within the depths of his mouth. Staying in his home wasn't a viable option. "I'll be safe in a hotel. Jackson is locked up."

"The buddies you mentioned aren't. They could come after you for revenge. What if he owed some gangster money and that's why he was so desperate? You would be a prize to them. Either they would try to get money from you or use you to extricate money from me. There's no telling what Jackson had going on. You're safer with me,” Kelan argued.

"Am I? What if I make you mad? Will you turn into a dragon and attack me? Can I trust you anymore?"

Kelan understood her worry. However, it hurt him down to his very soul. He didn't want her to fear him. He promised, "I could never get that mad at you. I didn't hurt Jackson. He was only frightened. If I could control myself with him, then you have nothing to worry about. I swear, I won't change. I'm still the same man you work with every day. Yes, you can trust me, always."

Michelle listened to Kelan with her heart. She believed him. He wouldn't hurt her. He was her safety net. It was true that she had no idea what Jackson was into. Rankin World Defense was the safest place on the entire planet. She would go with Kelan. Whether or not she could control her urges to jump his bones was another matter entirely. During the last hour or so, she had undergone a transformation of her own.