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

by L M Lacee

  Once he had their agreement. He held his hand out to Ciana. “Can I do something?”

  “Sure, what?” He laughed at the light-hearted response and realized he was hearing the real Ciana Walker.

  “Well as you know I am a healer?”

  “Yes.” She said distractedly as she looked at the two women that stood a little apart. The lovely older one of the two and that was just a feeling because she did not look ancient, but Ciana could feel the years on her. She was tall with what her grandmother would have called a full figure. Her hair was the color of a bush tailed possum Ciana had once had as a pet. She had thin streaks of white that were just noticeable in her French roll. The woman had the sweetest copper colored eyes Ciana had ever seen but as she looked deeper she could see a core of steel in their depths. Not a lady to tangle with Ciana thought although right now her eyes were sad and wishful as she looked at Elara.

  Ciana had a blinding insight wash over her this woman was a dragon, Ciana stood and walked towards her she took note of the beautifully tall silver-haired woman with turbulent sea eyes that stood beside her and knew she was the bear named Edith that Rene’ had talked about. She could almost see the bear in her eyes and her stance of a protector.

  Ciana smiled as she reached them, she asked Verity. “Would you like to hold her?” Verity nodded too choked up for words. Ciana passed Elara to her and watched as they all did, Elara’s little pink tongue come out and swipe cross Verity’s arm she then purred and for the first time in Verity’s life she heard herself or her dragon sing. Elara’s head cocked to the side as she listened. Ciana said. “I guess that means you are a dragon. I should have realized it. You all are.”

  “Well not me.” Edith stated. “I am bear.”

  Ciana inclined her head. “Excuse me, of course. So what does this all mean?”

  Verity said as she cuddled Elara to her. “Recently most of the females were reporting their dragons are talking to them. They are waking once more. It has never happened before, and we do not know why or we did not. Maybe, just maybe we are to shift.”

  “Maybe!” Edith said. “This means change is coming.” She led Verity to sit on a chair beside Rene’ whose arm went around her instantly. She raised tear drenched eyes to his. “Do you think that Rene’?”

  “I hope that is so my heart. I really do.” Sharm said to Edith as she followed the two females to the table.

  "Ciana I can restore your energy levels. They are so depleted that I am scared you are going to pass out and truthfully we have a while before that can happen. As you know something extraordinary happened here with you and Elara and it needs more discussing, plus we have to get you and Elara back to your original selves.” He held his hand up as Ciana went to speak. “No, I am not telling you here.”

  Ciana frowned and he softy said, “Ciana?” Then waited until she looked at him. “You will be told. We are not hiding anything from you, but there are somethings that should not be discussed. Especially where people can hear and draw erroneous assumptions until all the facts are in. Do you agree?”

  Ciana did, she knew knowledge was power and could be misinterpreted. “Yes, I know that.”

  “So we are moving to a more secure place where we can make sure you eat and bathe properly and before you ask, you do not smell.”

  He grinned when she did. “But I bet you would love a hot shower, clean clothes and a cup of tea.”

  Ciana grinned with him. “You wouldn’t kid a lady about that, would you? I mean tea, hot showers, food?”

  At his. “I kid you not.”

  She laughed, her first for some time and said. “Alright then hot shot, what do I have to do to get me some tea?”

  Sharm said serious now. “This is not like sleep but it will boost your energy levels until you can sleep. It will help you cope with everything for the next little while.

  So what do I do?” She asked.

  “Nothing just hold my hand.”

  “Mmm! I have seen your wife, you sure she’s going to be okay with that?” She joked.

  Sharm grinned. “Positive now give me your hand.”

  Ciana held her hand up and looked at her claw. “You sure?”

  Sharm encircled her wrist with his long fingers. Instantly she felt a warm tingle travel her arm. “Oh my goodness, that is so cool.”

  Sharm raised a puzzled brow murmuring. “Amazing another one that can feel my power.”

  “Oh, I am sorry am I doing it wrong?” Ciana asked concerned she was doing something wrong. He gave her claw a pat. “No Ciana, there is no wrong it is that normally the transference of power or energy from one to another is not usually felt. You are the second person I have met recently that can feel it and I find that extraordinary, that is all.”

  Ciana sighed. “I find everything about this extraordinary!” As she once again looked at her clawed hand and her daughter that was now a baby dragon.

  “I am sure you do.” He said as he gave her back her hand.

  Ciana admitted. “Thank you. I feel great, no more tiredness.”

  He gave her a warning. “Just remember, it is not a cure, you will crash and crash hard.”

  “I understand it’s like an energy drink but as long as Elara is safe the rest can take care of itself.”

  Andre` said. “No matter Ciana. I will be there to care for you and Elara.”

  Which caused her to smile. Right then Elara started to snuffle and Rene’ moved to lift her from Verity. Elara opened her eyes when she felt his hands on her, growled and blew a small blue flame at him. “Elara!” Said a shocked Ciana. Rene’ immediately withdrew his hands cocking an eyebrow at her. He tapped her on her small snout. “Young lady, that was naughty.” He stated with a grin.

  Elara narrowed her eyes and hissed at him. Ciana tried not to laugh, but she couldn’t help it, Elara was so small and brave. Andre` picked her up from Verity’s arms and cooed at her. “Look at my little darling girl, aren’t you just the cutest hatchling?”

  Elara purred to him and wiggled closer to his chest purring all the time. Ciana looked from the purring baby dragon to Andre` and then to Rene’ and Sharm. “So what do we do now?”

  Verity was the one to answer. “Now my dear we go to the apartment we have made ready for you and Elara. And if you give me your car keys I will have your things brought up for you.”

  Ciana looked at her claws and then shrugged. “Easier said than done!”

  “Oh my dear. I am sorry. I am assuming you cannot change back?”

  Ciana shook her head and said in a small voice. “No!”

  Verity gave her a hug. “Hush now we will sort this out. I promise.”

  “How?” Ciana asked the fear she was going to be permanently like this entering her voice. Rene’ said. “We have much to explain dear let us go. Do you mind if Edith looks in your purse?”

  “No, please, Edith, go ahead.”

  After that things moved swiftly, in minutes they had traveled through the quiet castle and finally arrived at a apartment. Verity told her as they went, she had decorated the castle years previous and had named each apartment. There were two floors for family use just about all her family or at least her sons and their families lived there.

  Ciana and Elara, who was still in Andre`s arms, found themselves in a beautiful foyer of the apartment she was to stay at, she hardly had time to look around as she was shepherded from the lovely foyer into a formal dining room. It had stone walls and light blonde wooden floors with a darker hutch and side board. The table would sit around twenty and was made of a golden wood, it was amazing and the chandelier suspended above it was completely of glass.

  The rug on the floor had to be priceless and made Ciana sigh it was so gorgeous, the design on it was cherry blossoms. “Oh, I get it now.” She said as she looked at it, Verity smiled.

  Andre` asked. “What do you want to do Ciana?”

  “Drink tea, sit and get some answers.”

  “Well, we can do all that.” Sharm said as Verity t
old them. “I will take care of the tea and food.” She pulled her phone out and placed it to her ear as she walked into the kitchen. Sharm said. “I think Elara needs a bottle.”

  Ciana as she sat down on a chair Rene’ pulled out for her, told him. “I have formula, but she does not seem to settle easily after she has it.”

  Sharm nodded. “Hatchlings need a special formula they have different requirements than other shifters, normal formula will fill them up but they will not thrive on it.”

  “Oh.”

  “Do not worry she seems to be doing okay. How long have you had her on this formula?”

  “Well, I ran out of the formula that came with her a week ago. Thank goodness we are here.”

  “I will order some for her now.”

  When the tea and snacks came they sat around the table and answered all Ciana’s questions. She was amazed to learn that apart from shifters and dragons, there were faeries. Small winged people three inches or so in height. All shapes and sizes and of different coloring. If they wanted to they could grow to normal human heights or dragon heights. They were ruled by a Queen and King and lived in a Grove usually consisting of trees and water. Verity told her the Dragon Lord had given them the valley between the castle and town as the Dragon Gaps Faerie Grove. She then went on to explain dragon society, who ruled it and how he became the ruler. Then she explained the nobles of dragon society and the positions they use to hold in the horde. Then she talked about the town of Dragon’s Gap.

  Edith arrived with three teenage boys carrying all her possessions from her car, she guessed they had taken them to a bedroom. Ciana had quickly hidden her hands from the teenagers but could do nothing about the scales covering her face and arms. They had stared at her with fascination, and she could not blame them, she heard Rene’ admonish them to say nothing as they left.

  Thankfully after they had come and gone Verity and Edith drifted to where Rene` and Sharm were with Andre` who was feeding Elara her bottle. Giving Ciana a much needed minute to herself. She had just figured out how to gently take a sandwich in her claws when a little person with silver wings arrived. She was obviously a faerie with purple hair, dressed in a lavender gown. She had taken up residence on the arm of the chair Ciana was in.

  The faerie remained still as she stared at Ciana. At first Ciana was embarrassed then annoyed, now she was amused and intrigued as much as it seemed the faerie was of her. Ciana reached her claw out to the faerie who promptly flew and settled on it. “So would you like to tell me why you are here?”

  The faerie nodded her head. Ciana smiled and said. “So that is a yes. Any idea how we can communicate?” Another nodding of the head and suddenly she flew to the floor. A second later a very beautiful woman appeared who reminded Ciana of the woman with green hair she had met when she arrived.

  Now she knew what Melinda had meant when she had said damn faerie. A little surprised Ciana stood up. “Hello.”

  “Hello, why have you not shifted back?” The faerie asked.

  “Good question, the answer being. I do not know how I did this, so I don’t know how to undo it? We are waiting for the current Lord and Lady to return to the Castle which will not be long now.”

  “Oh well, I suppose that makes sense.” She tipped her head to the side and asked. “Would you like to know my name?”

  “Very much, I am guessing you know mine?”

  “I do. I was watching you before, when you arrived.”

  Like that wasn’t creepy… Ciana secretly thought. “So your name?”

  “My name is Blossom.”

  Ciana smiled. “That is a truly lovely name and you suit it very well. Would you like to meet my daughter Blossom?”

  “I would.” Just then Andre brought Elara to her. He went to hand her to Ciana, but she shook her head. “You have to hold her Ciana. She misses you.”

  “I know but I am scared I will hurt her, please Andre`.”

  “May I hold her?” Blossom asked Ciana who looked to Andre`, he gave her a small nod. “Blossom, this is Andre` he…”

  Blossom took Elara and cooed to her. “He is her Grandfather.”

  Ciana shook her head. “No, he is just my friend.”

  Blossom laughed a sweet sound as she rubbed her nose on Elara’s snout. “That is silly, she must be his granddaughter if you are his daughter. That is how it works, the Queen told us all about dragon families.” She told them seriously as she looked at them both. Stunned Andre` and Ciana stared at each other until he bellowed. “Rene’, Sharm come here!”

  Which they did fast, he then explained what Blossom had said. Ciana sat down, shocked beyond speech. Blossom sat beside her. “Did I say something wrong my friend Ciana?” She asked sadly. “Would you like me to go? I will if you want me too. The Queen will send someone better, maybe.”

  “Why did the Queen send you Blossom?” Ciana asked hoping the conversation would keep her from thinking about the revelation of Andre` being her father. “I am here to be Elara’s guard and nanny.”

  “Why?”

  “Because!” She said in a quiet voice, then looked around. “A seer had a vision, they told her that the moon dragons were going to come to Dragon’s Gap. I have been here for a month waiting.”

  Ciana nodded, about the time she was given Elara. Ciana felt the hand of the Goddess in all this and why not, she basically had directed everything that had happened so far. She wondered how much meddling in her life the Goddess had really done. How far back it went?

  Blossom was talking to Andre` telling him about the Moon dragons. “The only ones in existence an impossibility very much like the Sun Dragons. Only better. I would very much like to stay with you Lady Ciana.” Sighing sadly Blossom said. “I understand if you do not want me too.”

  “Blossom please stay and help me with Elara.”

  Beaming a wide smile Blossom said. “I will help you as well?”

  “Yes me too!”

  Sharm came to her and Andre`. “We will do a blood test and determine if this is true.” As Blossom went to speak, he asserted. “No Blossom I do not doubt your seer’s vision but we must know for sure.” He told her at her agitation. She bowed her head. “Of course my Lord.”

  A few minutes later Andre` stood still as Sharm did a simple blood test on both him and Ciana. He placed a drop of each of their blood on a special cloth and gave it to the young dragon who had come at his call seconds earlier. The young male dragon named Teal took the samples and held them between his thumb and forefinger, then his dragon rose slightly to the surface.

  Ciana was fascinated as she clearly saw his dragon in his elongated eyes and under his skin, she forgot what it was he was doing for a minute, after two minutes he said. “They are a match father and daughter.”

  Sharm thanked him and asked him to keep quiet about what had been found. Teal grinned and bowed saying. “Of course master Sharm, my lips are sealed, seriously who would believe me?” He grinned cheekily and said. “Goodbye.”

  Leaving behind a shocked room of people and a stunned father and daughter. To distract himself, a little Andre` asked. “Sharm how did he do that? What did he do?”

  Sharm rubbed his head and absently answered. “Teal, as many dragons do, has an ability and his is to match DNA. He is in our research department and he helps trace groups of wild ones to families. He is invaluable.”

  Andre` looked at Ciana. “I am sure he is.”

  “He is never wrong?” She, in turn, asked. Sharm shook his head. “No, never!”

  Just then Reighn and Sage entered the room followed by Ash and Olinda. Reighn walked up to Blossom and took the baby dragon from her. Ciana stood abruptly. Andre held his hand out to her. “He is the Dragon Lord. She is safe.”

  Ciana’s. “Bloody hell!” Was soft but heard by all.

  “I swear Ciana.” Andre` told her.

  “Fine but someone should tell him to ask first. He could end up getting his butt kicked.”

  Sharm agreed. “I know. I tell him that a
ll the time.” He said to Sage as she came to the table. “She is right you know. I thought you were going to cure him of that?”

  “I try. I really do, but the male always distracts me and I forget.” No one was left in any doubt how Reighn distracted her. She looked at Ciana and said. “Hi! I am Sage the Dragon Lady, that guy over there with your hatchling is Dragon Lord Reighn and we are here to help.” Sage stuck her hand out and automatically Ciana held hers out, only to blush when she saw her claw. Sage grinned and dropped her hand. “Huh amazing!”

  “Some might say that.” Ciana amused by Sage’s attitude, grinned. Someone cleared their throat behind them. Sage nodded. “Oh yeah, right, sorry. This is Ash and his shadow Olinda.”

  Ciana said hello to them both. Ash and Andre` excused themselves and went to were Rene’ and Verity were standing talking. Ciana decided to take the opportunity as Sage and Olinda found seats and asked. “Can I ask you guys a question?”

  “Oh sure!” Sage answered for them both. “Shoot.”

  “What is a Shadow? Everyone mentions it but I don’t understand what it is?”

  “Oh my Stars.” Olinda a hand over her mouth grumbled. “Typical! Just typical. I say again. We need a guide book Sage! Really, this is too much.”

  “Alright… Alright! Get down off your unicorn. Female!”

  Olinda growled. “See that is just Speciesists!”

  Sage opened her eyes wide. “Really Speciesists? Is that even a word?”

  “Do not change the subject we need a guide book.”

  Sage stared at Olinda until she shifted in her chair, and then Sage looked at Ciana with a smile, her eyes twinkling with humor. “A shadow is actually a soul shadow. The other half of the dragon’s soul. Female or male it makes no difference, it is the dragons word for mate. Now what you should know is a dragon that has not found their souls shadow cannot have children. Only shadowed can.”

  Ciana was going to explain about her and Andre` when Sage softly said. “Oh look!”

  Reighn bent his head near Elara’s ear and whispered some words to her and within seconds he was holding a tiny baby girl with short fuzzy white hair.