Dragon's Gap: Set Includes Stories 6-7 Plus A Christmas Surprise

by L M Lacee

  They both watched her go to her bedroom neither male saw the laughter in her eyes at Andre`s stunned expression. Rene’ shrugged at his brother’s look. “What can I say, she grew up.”

  “I can see that. You are a lucky dragon my brother.”

  Rene’ agreed with a smile. “I am.”

  They embraced and years fell away, hearts settled and the pain of separation dissolved as the bonds of brotherhood were re-established, Andre whispered. “My brother.”

  “Ahh Andre`…” Tears entered Rene’s eyes, when he pulled away it was to see those same tears reflected in his brothers eyes.”

  Andre` told him. “I needed to come home.”

  Rene’ nodded. “You could always come home brother. I missed you.”

  Andre` looked him over noticing the new streaks of silver in his hair showing the time that had passed since he had seen him last. “It was hard for you?”

  “Yes it was hard. Handing the mantle over was right but it took me far too long to realize who I was without it. Losing the shackle of responsibility crippled me for a period of time. If you can understand that?”

  “I do. I understand completely.”

  Rene` sighed. “And my Verity paid for my procrastination.”

  “We all grieve at our own pace and in our own time brother and for all different reasons. A wife, a mantle, lack of responsibility, they are all a loss a death of sorts.”

  Rene’ sighed as he realized what Andre told him was true. “Yes, they are.”

  Andre` went to the decanter and poured both of them a whiskey. “My life changed the day Karrie died, and I cannot change that or what happened afterwards. What I can change, what I must change is my life forwards. I need my family Rene’. A momentous change is coming my brother, are you ready?”

  Rene’ sighed and rubbed his face. “Is your dragon hinting at change as well?”

  “Yes although he does not understand from whence it comes!”

  As mine does not or any of the ones that tell us change is coming and to answer your question. Are any of us?”

  Andre` smiled lifting the look of worry he normally carried from his face. “Hell no but it will be fun to be here, in the middle of it!’

  Rene grinned. “Where else should we be brother.” He raised his glass to Andre`s. “Welcome home Andre`. You read my reports?”

  “I did it is troublesome and I think we should look closer at the various reports, all of them. I believe this campaign is older than just the last months.”

  Rene’ his glass half way to his mouth was shocked. “Longer!”

  “Yes since Reighn came into power.”

  Rene’ swallowed his whiskey and asked. “What makes you think that?”

  “My contacts have given me many instances and examples. I have pulled them together into a pattern along with the accounts from people I have communicated with. Am I still Commander on this unit?”

  “We should go see Reighn.” Rene` said feeling uneasy.

  “Do not bother Papa, Uncle, we are here and yes you are still Commander of the unit. More so now if what you say is true!” Reighn said as he walked into the apartment followed by his brothers and Verity who walked out from her bedroom where she had changed clothes for dinner.

  “It is true.” Andre` said as he naturally appraised the fitness of each member of his family that entered.

  “How did you know he was here?” Rene’ asked although he had a good idea who they found out from.

  “Joy. You did not come back, she felt mayhem was being done!” Stated Keeper.

  “Mayhem?” Andre` asked with raised eyebrows, really the young girl was delightful.

  “It is her word this week. She heard Harper use it in her threat to Ark the other day.” Storm rumbled as he thought about little Joy.

  “I have to meet this female called Harper.”

  Storm eyed his uncle and mumbled. “That will be interesting!”

  Reighn grunted in agreement. Andre` bowed his head. “Dragon Lord. I request to return to Dragon’s Gap to reside and work. I wish to come home!”

  Lars stepped forward as the Prime to Reighn, he was the one to demand Andre`s oath to Reighn and the realm. He looked at the older male he had always respected and slightly feared as they all had, there was no tougher trainer than Andre`. He was always a fearsome dragon. Like Storm he could not bear stupidity and unfortunately all young are stupid at times. So at one time or another they had all felt his wrath.

  Good memories! His dragon said quietly as he too looked the male over.

  For you, your arse never hurt. Lars grumbled.

  He smiled as Andre` raised a blonde eyebrow. He and Rene` could not look less alike and yet one knew they were brothers. Lars assumed it was how people would view him and Stan and all the brothers.

  “Son move it along!” Rene` sighed as Lars seemed disinclined to take the oath.

  “Of course Papa, sorry Uncle.” Lars grinned cheekily and did not miss the gleam in his Uncle’s eyes. Pushing it my friend. His dragon warned.

  True! I live for danger.

  Which received him a derisive snort. Lars donned the mantle of the Prime with ease as he demanded Andre`s oath.

  “Dragon Kingsley are you ready to swear fealty to our Dragon Lord and the dragon nation?”

  Andre` bowed his head. “We are, we swear on our honor and courage as a descendant of the First Dragon Kato Kingslayer. We pledge our fealty and sword to defend our Dragon Lord and the dragon nation. Until our death.”

  Reighn smiled. “Welcome home Uncle you have been missed.” He enfolded the older male in a hug of welcome. Andre` hugged his large nephew back. “Thank you my nephew.”

  Reighn released him to his brothers who hugged and welcomed him home. Andre` let the warmth of their love settle in his soul, he told his dragon. We are finally home my old friend.

  Yes! His dragon agreed as he sighed in contentment.

  CHAPTER TWO:

  C iana Walker tossed and turned wrapping the sheets around her sweat dampened body. She had spent the last three days in bed fighting a flu. She woke with a scream on her lips and her body on fire.

  Easy dear one, easy. Lie back hush! Just let the dream come.

  Ciana tried talking, but words would not pass her swollen throat. This was not the first night she had woken on fire, in a sweat with her heart pounding. Although it was the first night, she had heard a soft voice speaking.

  Ciana was on the way to her next job in Brazil teaching British students at an Embassy school. The pay she would receive for one year was enough to finance two years away in Alaska. On a fact finding mission, with the privately sponsored Archaeology group known as The Luna Society. Comprising of humans and shifters that she belonged too.

  Her grandparents when alive were founding members of the society. Along with several very wealthy families who were all interested in the belief of Goddesses and the civilizations that devoted their lives to them. Her grandmother Luna Walker, after her husband and Ciana’s grandfather had passed away, became their number one contributor. Although her reasons for funding and going on the expeditions was not as it had been when her husband was alive.

  Ciana had lived and worked with her grandparents throughout her life. She was a constant on all their expeditions from before she could walk. Her earliest memory was of a dig site. Ciana had grown up on expeditions all over the world. Her studies were dictated by her grandparent’s passion, she had hoped to help them discover the past they desperately sought.

  This next mission would be the first one Ciana would go on by herself after her grandmother’s death two months earlier.

  Since her grandmother had passed away, she had been traveling across Australia. Taking her time and allowing herself time to come to terms with her life without either of her grandparents. When she received the job offer to work in Brazil from a family friend, she decided to give herself three final weeks of sightseeing before she was due to leave for overseas.

  She had stop
ped at this hotel in Melbourne for the last few days to soak up the vibe of her favorite Australian city. She was due to fly out in three days but now struck with the flu she placed everything on hold to give herself time to recover.

  She and her grandmother had lived in Australia for the last ten years. Ever since her grandfather had died from a sudden bout of blood poisoning, he received when tramping with her grandmother, through the jungles of India. Apparently he was accidentally stabbed by a broken branch submerged under water. How it happened was never the concern, in fact the small wound should never have resulted in his death but for his stubborn refusal to have it treated.

  It was several days after the accident. Her grandfather Tony Walker woke in the morning and could not put his boot on. His calf had swollen three times its normal size.

  Luna Walker finally over rode his protests to call for a medic. Unfortunately, it was too late, and he died on the way to receive treatment. The infection having poisoned his organs and caused a sudden heart attack. Ciana’s grandmother was never the same afterwards believing she could have, should have intervened earlier and saved her husband’s life.

  For a period of time right after his death Ciana and Luna Walker traveled the world looking for a way for her grandmother to communicate with the dead. Which is why her grandmother had eventually taken them to the outback of Australia to ask the aboriginal people to teach her how to walk the dream time.

  Luna Walker believed there was life after death and she especially believed in the Moon Goddess. Ciana did not believe in life after death and she had very little faith in her grandmother’s Moon Goddess, who supposedly guided Luna’s life.

  Considering Ciana and Luna shared a passion of archaeology. Luna never understood Ciana’s attitude but she loved her granddaughter as Ciana loved her grandmother, they eventually agreed to disagree on life after death and Goddesses.

  The years passed as Luna fell more and more into the aboriginal way of life. Ciana left her for extended periods of time to follow her own studies in universities around the world.

  She always came back to visit and stay with Luna but in her later years Luna lived more in the dream time than the real world. Searching for answers and her Goddess.

  A year and half before her death Ciana felt she could no longer leave her grandmother. She was unwilling to look after herself and unwilling to leave her new home of Australia. So Ciana stayed and looked after the not always lucid Luna it was a arduous and thankless exercise which she did with love and patience.

  Finally on a night that boasted of a bright full moon eighteen months after Ciana came to stay with her grandmother, Luna left this world. She died peacefully in her sleep with a smile of contentment on her face. Ciana hoped she finally found her afterlife and her Goddess.

  No suspicious reasons were offered at the inquest, of her death, it was just a natural death of a lady that Ciana loved.

  So Ciana unable to stay in the small house her grandmother loved, packed up her belongings gave the house and everything of her grandmothers she did not want to the woman who had cared as deeply for Luna Walker as Ciana had and placed her boxes in her car and decided to drive across the country before leaving for good, it took her five months to finally arrive in Melbourne only to be struck down with the flu.

  Flushed with fever Ciana heard herself say. You are not my grandmother?

  No, I am not. Come Ciana time is running out you have to make your decision!

  “What decision?” Ciana murmured as she looked around at the landscape of silver. It looks like the moon. She touched her face and the skin on her arms, it felt different like soft scales and she knew she wasn’t really there, it was her dream body. So this is what grandmother felt each time she went into the dream world. So beautiful!

  A voice said. Why are you surprised? It is nothing you have not done many times before.

  Really I have done this before?

  Yes! You need to remember.

  Remember what?

  That you have been here before.

  I don’t remember it.

  Oh, that is a shame, well maybe you are not meant to or not ready to, it does not matter.

  Not to you probably! Ciana muttered then she asked. Did grandmother ever come here?

  Several times.

  Ciana frowned as she asked. And she looked like this? Ciana held her arm up to show the soft silver scales that covered it.

  Oh no, that is all you.

  It seems you have pulled me here for a reason.

  You are right!

  Okay! Well, who are you?

  Oh Ciana, Granddaughter to Luna. You know exactly who I am.

  Moon Goddess?

  Yes.

  So she was right!

  Yes, she was. My Luna was always so devoted.

  Why am I here?

  So direct!

  Life is short.

  Only for some of us!

  Well, that is probably true.

  A beautiful woman bathed in moonlight walked towards her. Her hair was like a water fall of silver trailing behind her. She was everything a Goddess should be. Ciana bowed her head. Goddess!

  Welcome to my world Ciana.

  That would be where?”

  The moon my dear. I am the Moon Goddess after all!

  Well of course, so why am I here?

  I have a quest for you.

  And that would be?

  I wish for you to go to Dragon’s Gap and deliver my gift.

  A gift! You cannot do it yourself?

  The Goddess laughed a sound like moonlight, if moonlight had a sound. Ciana you know you are more than just human do you not?

  I do know.

  You never asked Luna?

  My grandparents did not encourage the topic.

  I see, well I will not tell you. Go to Dragon’s Gap and find your destiny.

  So cryptic!

  Well, I am a Goddess! There was the sound of laughter again. With that Ciana found herself back in her bed. “Well, that blows!”

  She heard her voice. All trace of the flu was gone, and in fact she swore she had never felt healthier. “Almost like a Goddess gave me the flu then healed me.” She murmured with a touch of sarcasm. Squinting at the clock on her bedside table she saw it was just after five in the morning. “I may as well get up, no more sleep for me.”

  Throwing the sheet off she yawned and stretched her five foot five frame and scrubbed at her shoulder length hair which was a deep purple color with red highlights. She wandered into the bathroom of the hotel room she was staying at and stepped into the shower. Closing her eyes as she felt the warm water wash over her taking away the sweat from her body. She took her time washing her hair and body as she thought over the conversation she had with the Goddess. Did Ciana believe she had spoken to the Goddess? Yes!

  Now she remembered, it was not the first time she had walked in her dreams or spoken to the Goddess. She sort of felt guilty her grandmother had spent the better part of her life trying and failing to accomplish what Ciana apparently did as a matter of course although she blew out a breath of air, she could be forgiven as she had not known she did it.

  She remembered how she had made a deal with a Goddess she was very sure it was not the moon Goddess she was positive it was when she was a child to always forget her night journeys maybe it was her way of protecting herself or her grandmother, either way it made no difference now.

  It was the only thing she had kept unwittingly from her grandmother, unfortunately Ciana knew her grandmother could not say the same, there were many secrets Luna Walker had kept from Ciana and sadly she had taken them with her.

  Most of the things her grandmother never told her about were about Ciana’s parentage, in all the years they had together they had never spoken in depth about who her father was and she knew very little about her mother.

  She would take this package to Dragon’s Gap wherever that was and maybe she would ask the questions she could never ask her grandparents. Who was sh
e? Where did she come from, and who were her parents?

  Suddenly her mind froze as though something was being pushed into it. Minutes later she came back to herself and discovered the information she needed to find her way to Dragon’s Gap was there in her memory. It gave her a chill, making her skin pebble thinking of the powerful being that could do such a thing.

  She hurried with the rest of her shower the urgency to leave the hotel swept over her. Wrapping her hair in a towel, she straightened up and wiped the steam off the mirror and looked into her eyes seeing not for the first time the tiny flecks of silver amongst the lavender, and once more wondered if her father had eyes similar to hers.

  She knew she did not take after her grandfather who had blue eyes or her mother who had looked just like her grandmother with brown eyes and blonde hair. None of their hair were purple with red highlights. Even her body shape was different where they were all almost six feet in height. Ciana was short and rounder than the slim Walkers. Her skin tone was more a bronze than their English pale white. So reason would say she took after her father.

  She had always believed her grandparents did not know anything about her father as her mother had died in child birth. Now she wondered if that too was a lie was her mother actually dead?

  Ciana was not sure how she felt about that line of thinking so decided to shelve it for later. Maybe as the Goddess hinted at, she would find out at Dragon’s Gap. Regardless of all that, she had to pack and get ready to leave.

  Thankfully when she had arrived, she had been too sick to unpack completely so with the ease of practice she was ready to go in minutes.

  Looking around to make sure she had not left anything, she was about to call down to the front desk to ask if anything had been left for her, when there came a knock on her door.

  “Wow, that isn’t freaky or anything!” She muttered.

  Ciana unlocked the door and found a tall lightly tanned male with indistinguishable features standing holding a bag and a Moses basket in his hands. As Ciana looked up at him it was almost like he was blank not quite finished and as she stared at him she wondered if he was actually a man maybe she thought, he was a nothing! “Hello!”