In Love with the Dragon - Chapter 17

"I'm here." Due called him. He was outside the gate.

Spike watched him through the monitor room. His men were ready.

"Where are your men, Due?"

"They surround you, Spike."

"Tell them to go away. Please. We don't want to hurt your daughter."

"Okay." Due sighed before raising his hand. "They're gone. Now. May I come in?"

"Okay." Spike went to greet Due at the entrance of his property.

They met for the first time since Lala/Celine happened. They stared at each other.

Due was as handsome as ever. He sported a moustache and whiskers. He had a clean-cut hairstyle and white hairs at the temples. His mouth quirked with a cynical smile. His sunken eyes had known the pain of despair.

Spike felt compassion instantly but he remained distant. His expression was enigmatic.

"Hi, Spike..." Due was the first to speak.

"Hello, Due! It's been more than twenty years," Spike replied calmly. "Come in. Have a seat." They were both tall but Due was broader because he had more muscles in shoulders and arms.

"Where is my daughter?" Due did not sit. His eyes roamed around the luxurious living room. He admired the large painting momentarily before he focused his whole attention to Spike.

"She does not know about you yet." Spike picked up a folder on the table and offered to Due. "You better read this first. I'll get us something to drink." He was gone before Due could protest.

Spike went to his bedroom. Qila was still asleep. It was nearing dusk.

"Hello, beautiful..." he murmured as kissed her eyes lightly.

"What time is it?"

"It's time to get up. You have a visitor."

"Visitor? Who?" Qila was instantly awake.

"You dress up. I will wait for you." Spike folded his arms and leaned on the door jamb of the bathroom.

"Give me privacy. You wait outside. Okay?" Qila wrapped her arms around his waist while she pushed him out to the bedroom.

"Okay. Don't be long," he instructed softly. He pulled out his celfone to text messages to the kitchen, Turner, and Dr. Diomedes for follow-up reports.

Turner gave an update. 'In progress, sir. All employees had gone home.'

Dr. Diomedes was a bit vague. 'I am bemused why it is just water. I will try tomorrow..."

Spike looked up when Qila opened the door of the dressing room. She was cool and sexy in the summer dress. The spaghetti straps made her shoulders appeared slim. She left her hair hanging on her back.

"I want to see my visitor." Qila sounded intrigued.

"I want to confess something to you, Qila." Spike held Qila's hands and looked straight in her eyes.

"What is it?" she frowned while she looked at his serious expression.

"I got your nail clippings for a DNA test."

"And?"

"You're going to meet your father."

"My father?"

"Yes. Your biological father."

Qila's eyes sparkled eagerly. "Where is he?"

Due was staring at the painting. It was a silhouette of a lone wolf and a dragon against the full moon.

"Oh! Hi..." Due could not take his eyes at Qila.

"Hello..." Qila greeted him shyly.

Father and daughter gazed at each other.

Spike sat on a chair and to give them space. He observed them silently.

"What is your name?" Due asked first.

"I'm Qila Arrow. Um, I don't know yours?"

"Alarick Seawolf. But you can call me Due..."

"Or Dad?"

"You accept me as your father?" Due's eyes had moistened.

"I grew up without a father," Qila replied candidly.

"Didn't your mother--?"

"No. She didn't tell me about you..."

"I missed her--" Due expressed stiltedly. "But I'm glad I found you, Qila!" He opened his arms unknowingly.

"Oh, Dad! I missed you!" Qila ran into his arms and hugged him. They shed some tears while they were embracing each other.

When Qila loosened her hold, she turned to Spike. "Thank you for bringing us together!" she smiled tearfully at him.

"Thank you, Spike," Due voiced his gratitude to him.

"Does that mean we are friends again?" Spike asked Due in a low tone.

"Yes. I'm sorry. There's no excuse to all I've done--"

"Forget it. Let's start again."

They embraced tightly. There was moistness in their eyes when they stepped away.

"This calls for a celebration!" Spike declared triumphantly.

"Yes!" Due agreed. "You agree, Qila?"

"Of course, Dad!"

The dining room was prepared. Father and daughter imbibed their wine while Spike settled for water. When Qila excused herself to go the comfort room, Due asked him if she knew about their secret personalities.

"Qila knew I'm a dragon. It's up to you to tell her your true colors, Due."

"Has she found out she is a half-werewolf?"

"No. But she has healing powers."

"You haven't told her about me?"

Spike saw Qila so he just mouthed 'no.'

"Can I leave you for fifteen minutes?" Spike excused himself. "I'm sure, Due would like to have you to himself, Qila." He kissed her cheek while looking at Due defiantly.

Due growled under his breath.

Spike was smiling as he walked away. He went to the old office. When he saw papers were spewing from the fax machine, he frowned. He did not receive a message.

'Bring Qila Arrow to me! Abigor Limrick.' The other papers had the same messages.

Spike texted Turner. 'Do you have the number of Abigor Limrick?'

Turner replied the number.

Spike contacted the number. It was answered immediately.

"You bring Qila Arrow to me!"

"Or else?" His voice hardened.

"I will fire a rocket to your house!"

"Thank you for the warning, Limrick! Just make sure, you have the correct target!"

"Tomorrow. At ten o' clock. You will bring Qila Arrow to the east railway station! Understand?" The line went dead.

Spike recorded the conversation. He glanced at his wristwatch. The fifteen minutes was not yet up but this was urgent.

Due was talking quietly with Qila. He was startled when he saw Spike. Qila was dazed when she turned.

"Listen to this!"

They listened to the terse instruction of Limrick.

"Who did he think he was!" Due retorted angrily.

"He was a former scientist in my company."

"Yes. I read everything about Abigor Limrick. But what does he want with Qila?"

"He was my ex-boss, Dad," Qila informed Due. "Maybe, he thought I remembered everything about I encoded for him."

"Possibly," Spike uttered pensively.

"The papers mentioned Qila was poisoned by Limrick." Due patted the thick folder beside his plate.

"Yes. Limrick doesn't know Qila was cured. I healed her with my dragon powers."

"It is also revealed here that there are several Qila Arrows. Why?"

"What? My name is used many times?" Qila was shocked once again.

"My main concern is this place. One day is not enough to evacuate everything from here."

"And where will you go, Spike?" Due cut in. "I, together with my pack, will find the rocket!"

Spike nodded. "Okay. I shall do what I can here."

"Take care of my daughter, bro!" Due tapped Spike's back like in the old days.

Spike slapped his back lightly. "You take care of yourself, too, bro!"

"Dad, keep safe!" Qila kissed her father's cheek.

"We'll meet again, child!" Due said gruffly. "I'll take these, Spike!" He indicated the thick folder.

"It's yours."

When Due was gone, Spike guided Qila to the tower.

"Where are we going, Spike?"

"I can't let you out of my sight, Qila. Just be by my side!"

"What if you shifted shape?"

"Ride to my back!"

"That's exciting!"

"You're not afraid?"

"Why should I? I am with you!"

"Do you love me, Qila?" Spike stopped walking and turned to her. He held her hands.

Qila gazed at him. "Yes, I love you, Spike..."

"Even though I am a shape shifter?"

Qila nodded. "Do you love me? A half-blood?"

"Oh, Qila! I love you whatever you are!" They embraced closely.

"We are two of a kind. Will we survive?" Qila asked his chest.

"Don't ever doubt it. Limrick is just a flea compared to your father's expertise to weapons!"

"You're friends again!"

"You healed the wound in his heart, Qila. Due loved your late mother very much!" Spike kissed her lips.

"Dad told me that. He went mad for a while."

"A while... Yes, he was in great pain. Come. Let's go to the top of the tower!"

They continued climbing the circular stairway until they reached the peak. The wind was strong and loud.

Spike gave her the celfone and his watch. Qila was startled when it began ringing. She pressed the 'accept' button and stretched her arm to him.

"I changed my mind! The first rocket is coming your way!"

Spike removed his blazer. He instructed Qila to wear it.

"I will turn to dragon now!" he shouted.

In an instant, Spike shifted into a beastly dragon. He curved his head downward to fetch Qila. She wrapped her arms around his scaly neck.

He blew fire to the skies to test the level of his fury. From somewhere in the east direction, a thick line of fire came to them.