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

by L M Lacee

Claire and Edith grinned as Sage said. “Oh sneaky dragon!”

  “I have my moments. Well, we will see what happens tonight.”

  “Andre’ cannot get back in time?” Edith asked worriedly.

  Reighn shook his head. “No! Two more days. They are still waiting for more clan members to arrive. He is hopeful they will be back the day after tomorrow.”

  “You will not recall him?” Sharm asked Reighn who thought about it and looked at Claire. “Will it make a difference?”

  “To Ocean no! Let her mark her territory. She may be more receptive then.”

  “Well, we can only hope!” Reighn said as he picked Molly up. “Let us also get home and prepare. Claire, will you come?”

  “Yes, I will bring her, are you meeting in your conference room.”

  “Yes. What about you Sharm and Edith?”

  “We will attend.” Sharm answered.

  “Alright see you all at six.”

  CHAPTER SIX:

  C laire rapped on the hotel door at ten minutes to six. The door was pulled open by a young girl. “Hey!”

  “Say 'hello' please Kadee. Hey is not hello.” Called out Ocean. The girl, obviously Kadee, made a face then said politely. “Hello, my name is Kadee Walker. How may I help you?”

  Claire could see how much she enjoyed saying her last name, her whole body wiggled with delight when she did. Claire smiled it was impossible not to in the face of her pleasure. She said. “Very nicely done. I am Claire Axton. I have come to escort Ocean Walker to a meeting with the Dragon Lord.”

  Another girl as tall and tanned with the same eyes and hair, although Claire could see she was a little older, came to the door and growled at her sister. “You are meant to ask her inside. Seriously Kadee, grandpa taught you better manners.” To Claire she said. “Would you please come in? I am Paige Walker, Kadee’s sister.” Claire could see she shared the delight with her sister of saying her new last name.

  Claire stepped into the hotel room, it was like every other one she had been in. Except it smelt clean and fresh. The bears that ran the hotel were sticklers for cleanliness, and it showed in the linens on the two double beds. They had even provided a bassinet which stood on a stand between the beds.

  “Thank you. Are you comfortable here?”

  Paige said. “Yes it is only until we find somewhere to live. We hope to be in a place by the end of the week.”

  Claire thought that sounded more like Ocean than her talking, she almost missed what she said next. “We want to start school next Monday.” She thought a minute and then asked. “They do have a school here, right?”

  “Oh yes for all ages.” Claire said without the laugh she suppressed. Both girls looked relieved. Kadee eyed the small female with black and white hair. It was cool but not as cool as Oceans and she was wiry like a runner whereas Ocean was more what her grandpa would have called, a bouncer. Claire looked nice though, like she could be trusted, like she had seen stuff and was not scared of things.

  Sometimes Kadee saw that same look in Paige's eyes. She said. “So you are taking Ocean to see the Dragon Lord? We read all about him and his family from the guide book we got at the center. It is very good. Paige and I made notes, Ocean said too. In case whoever wrote it needs ideas of what else they should have in there.”

  “Ahh okay! Well the ladies who wrote it would be very pleased I am sure to receive any suggestions.” Claire told them thinking about the hours Ciana, she, Frankie and Olinda had put into the guide book before Ciana left. Frankie would not be pleased to see someone had said they had missed things. Kadee nodded as she said. “Knew it!”

  Ocean came out from what Claire assumed was the bathroom with a tiny baby held to her shoulder. Hello, I am Ocean Walker. You have met my girls, I see?”

  Claire could not help but see the gleam of pride in the girls’ eyes as Ocean called them her girls. “I have, they are charming.”

  Ocean eyed them both and smiled. “Yes, they are. So I will be ready in a minute.”

  “No hurry. How old is the baby?”

  Kadee answered before Ocean could. “Her name is Parker and she is only a day old. She is a lion like us.”

  Ocean said with a laugh as she wrapped the baby and placed her in the bassinet. “What she said! So Paige she has had her bottle and I changed her, she will sleep until I return, if you are worried call the front desk…”

  Claire handed Paige her phone. “Speed dial one if you need your mom.” To Ocean she said. “I will make sure you have everything you need tomorrow. The electronics you have will not work here we have our own network and system.”

  Ocean turned to her and asked. “Why will you do that?”

  “I am the liaison for Dragon’s Gap. You fall under my umbrella. Think of me as your personal go-to girl Friday, anything and everything you need to know or want, I can probably advise you on how to get or get it for you.”

  “I see and for this you get what?”

  “Hopefully a new friend. Can we really ever have enough friends?”

  Ocean kicked up one side of her mouth. “No, not that I have found. In truth you do not seem the friend forever type!”

  “Oh really! I have been working on that too!” She said without expression making Ocean grin. Claire said. ‘I always tell the truth. It can be hard for some to take.”

  Ocean nodded. “I prefer that than being in the dark. Ignorance hurts more in the long run.”

  “Got it.” Claire nodded.

  Kadee asked. “Are you two fighting?”

  Ocean smiled. “No sweetie, just setting boundaries.”

  “So Lady Claire is our friend then?” Paige asked proving she had studied the guide book. Ocean looked at the woman with black and white hair and nodded. “Yes!” She then smiled at the confused girls. “So girls will you be alright?”

  Paige nodded. “We have babysat a lot, and you know she will sleep until her next bottle. You have two or three hours. We will be fine.”

  “Okay, well, we are going. I will be no longer than an hour, two at the most.” She hugged both girls. “Stay inside. See you soon. Lock the door behind me.”

  She and Claire left and waited until they heard the door lock. She shrugged at Claire’s amused look. “New nervous mom!”

  “Hey, I know, I have two, a baby boy and Kammy she is three and a tiger she runs rings around me on most days.”

  “Oh do not say that. They are all lions.” Groaned Ocean.

  Claire smiled. “Poor you. Listen! I am always, always available for coffee.”

  Ocean laughed. “Thank you.”

  “I thought if you didn’t mind we could walk. It is not far, and it is a lovely night.”

  Ocean smiled and took a slow, deep breath of the fresh evening air. “Now that would be lovely. I have been in a car for days.”

  They walked along the cobbled streets in companionable silence for a while until Ocean said. “So, new friend what was it they did not tell me this afternoon?”

  “Oh, you knew I was there?”

  “Yes, I saw you as we left.”

  “I was only there towards the end. I do not want you to think I was spying on you.”

  “So why were you there? An accident?”

  “No!” Claire took a breath and said. “I am a seer.”

  “Wow! Didn’t see that one coming. So you saw me arriving?”

  “Well yes, more than that but basically yes.”

  “So what else?”

  “I saw you surrounded by lions and other shifters and in a large estate.”

  “Well, that is interesting. Would you happen to know which estate?”

  “Yes as it happens it became vacant today. I was hoping you would come and visit it tomorrow morning.”

  “That sounds good. We need a home, and I am thinking with lions, a large home with grounds sounds about right!”

  “Well this one is huge and comes with a hundred acres or so, plus a ten bedroom country estate home. I should warn you it apparently need
s updating.”

  “Wow and they want to sell?”

  “Yes. Oh, I should also tell you it comes furnished.”

  “I have no idea what to say, except yes, sign me up.”

  “Think about it and let me know?”

  “No! I am serious we will look at it but if it is what you say. I will buy it.”

  “Good around nine tomorrow morning.”

  Ocean smiled excited at the prospect she and her girls could be settled this time tomorrow. “Yep sounds good.”

  They arrived at the castle, and Claire led her along the stone hallway. Ocean was impressed, it was a beautiful castle she asked Claire. “Do you think the girls could get a tour?”

  Claire smiled. “Yes Frankie, Sages P.A will gladly show them around, she knows everything there is to know about the castle from the ground up.”

  When Claire showed Ocean into the meeting room, she was unsurprised to see Reighn and Sage who she now knows are the Dragon Lord and Lady. There as well were Sharm and Edith, also an older couple were standing beside Reighn who inclined his head to Claire. “Thank you Claire. Ocean Walker I would like to introduce my parents. The former Dragon Lord and Lady. Rene` and Verity Kingsley. Papa is brother to Andre`.”

  Ocean bowed her head. “Hello!”

  “Hello.” said Verity.

  “Good evening.” Rene’ said, and Ocean could see them taking in everything about her from her hair to her shoes. Reighn said quietly. “Please before we sit, may we test your blood to determine you are actually related to Andre`.”

  “Of course.”

  A young male walked forward as Sharm held his hand out to her. “Your hand please.” Ocean placed her hand in his large one, he pricked her finger quickly and a bead of blood appeared. He dabbed it with a small square of cloth, then handed it to the male who held it between his fingers with another one and then a minute later nodded and with a bow to Reighn and Sage left the room.

  “I am guessing that was positive.” Ocean asked. Sharm answered her. “It was.”

  Reighn pulled a chair out for Sage as he said. “Let us sit.” After they had all taken their seats, Ocean asked of no one in particular. “So where is Andre`, I assumed incorrectly it would seem, he would be here?”

  Reighn answered her. “Unfortunately, he is unable to come. He will be back in two days or maybe sooner. Before we go much further I should tell you he is with your twin sister Ciana and her daughters.”

  Ocean said nothing for a minute then two, then five. She just sat looking at the wall opposite her. Everyone looked at each other. Claire watched Ocean and felt her heart ache for the sad angry female.

  “My dear!” Verity finally said softly. Ocean looked at her, then at the wall again. Verity shivered in response to what she saw in that look, within her eyes she had seen Ocean’s dragon and she was not a happy contented dragon. Not like the many female dragons Verity had encountered within the other females or even her own, over the last few months. Verity said softly. “Please do not think he has no feelings for you or that he did not want to be here, he did, they did very much. He is torn between responsibilities. Ciana and her daughters needed him.”

  Still no response from her. Reighn said into the quiet. “He has seen a photo of Ciana’s mother and does not recognize her. We were hoping you had a photo of your mother for him to see.”

  Finally, she spoke. “Why?”

  Reighn explained about shadows, magic, Goddesses and Ciana and her daughters and how Andre` had been an unsuspecting victim in the conception of both girls. How until a few weeks ago, he had not even known she or Ciana were alive.

  Again when he had finished speaking, she looked ahead of her at the wall. After a few minutes the silence got on Edith’s nerves and she asked. “Ocean what are you thinking?”

  Her voice was flat as she said. “Truthfully that I am not interested in meeting either one of them. It is just a waste of time. I have done what I set out to do. Come to Dragon’s Gap and on my way I found three children that need me and that is all I want, all I need. So please tell him and her to not worry I will be alright. I always have been. I and my girls add nothing to what the Goddess wants for dragon kind or the world.” She shrugged and returned to her silence.

  “I don’t think either of them see it like you do.” Rene` said. By consensus they had decided not to tell her of the key and lock situation preferring to let Andre` and Ciana handle that and now as he stared at her, Reighn was glad they had not.

  “You are necessary to them, to us, to what may happen here. Why else were you drawn here?” Sage asked her.

  “I was not drawn. I found a letter after my mother’s death that was an invitation to come here.”

  “May we see that?” Reighn asked shocked, no one was sent a letter or invited to come to Dragon’s Gap, in that way.

  “Sure.” She drew it out of her back pocket and passed it to him. He unfolded it and read, then passed it to Rene’ who hissed. “Where did that come from?”

  “More importantly who sent it?” Reighn asked as the letter was passed around ending back with Ocean, they all stared at her as Reighn asked. “When did you receive this?”

  Ocean shrugged. “Who knows, sometime in the last thirty years? As I said I found it in my mother’s things after she passed away.”

  “We are sorry for your loss.” Verity commiserated.

  Ocean shrugged. “Thank you, we were not close.”

  Verity looked at Edith when she heard the underlying angry tones in Ocean’s voice and let Edith see the sympathy she felt for the female in her eyes.

  Edith returned the look. She too felt helpless in the face of so much anger. Rene’ said. “Andre` wants you here. Believe me when I tell you this.”

  Ocean smiled and said. “But you do not know, do you? As he is not here, you cannot really know.”

  “I am his brother, I know.”

  Verity placed her hand on his arm hearing the hurt under his words. Whether Ocean did, she could not tell as she just shrugged and said. “Maybe, it is a moot point, though, as he is not here. So thank you all for the information. I will get you a photo Reighn. I must leave, I left the girls alone in a new place.”

  She stood and Reighn stood as well. “Is there anything we can do for you?” She turned blank violet eyes towards him and asked. “Why?”

  Softly he told her. “Because you are family!”

  “Oh, I suppose I am. No Dragon Lord there is nothing I require from you or your family. Oh wait!” She passed him the letter Paige’s grandfather had written. “This is a letter from my girl’s grandfather it explains why the girls had to leave and what is happening where they came from. I promised I would see if maybe someone could stop it.”

  Reighn took the letter. “I will make sure it is looked into and stopped.”

  “Thank you and good evening.” Without waiting she walked from the room and took with her, all the shock and anger she felt.

  Sage blew a breath out. “Well, I can honestly say I have never seen anyone crushed, so completely, as I just did!”

  “My heart hurts.” Edith complained as Sharm hugged her. Verity pressed her hand over her heart. “That poor sweet girl. I really am angry with the Goddesses. The mess they made of this and now we have to help fix it and I am scared we will not be able too.”

  “Andre`, poor Andre’ and Ciana. We will have to warn them.” Cautioned Rene` his eyes on the door Ocean had walked out of. Why he wondered did he feel like she had closed the door on them all.

  Claire nodded to Reighn and walked out after Ocean. Her sympathy for her rode her hard making her heart hurt and her soul cry out for her bonded.

  My soul I am here. Lars called through their bond.

  Lars it is so sad.

  Come home dear.

  I will…I will be there soon. I just need to make sure she gets home.

  I will meet you at the hotel.

  Okay.

  Claire followed Ocean discreetly. Happier Lars was to meet he
r. She needed his arms around her. It was not fair what the Goddesses, in their single mindedness had done and for the life of her she could not see how this ended.

  Back in the conference room. Sharm said. “I feel so very sorry for her. She is so very angry.”

  Edith agreed. “It is not going to be easy for Andre or Ciana. They screwed this up by staying away.”

  “We felt it would make no difference?” Said a saddened Reighn. Sage stood, angry for Ocean. “Well, we were all wrong, so very wrong. I do not care what you have to do, make them come home!”

  Reighn nodded. “I will try.”

  Ocean found the gym on her walk home from the meeting which had gone as she predicted it would go. Anger churned her insides as she slipped into the building. Happy it was almost empty, either it was too early or too late for the citizens of Dragon’s Gap.

  Whichever it was, she was pleased. She did a quick survey there was the usual gym equipment and amazingly enough a boxing ring towards the back.

  Two males looked like they were doing a work out. To the side were a group of people standing around treadmills and other machines furthest from the manager’s desk. She knew there were two large people, in the furthest corner from her. She could not really tell if they were male or really large females as they were standing well into the darkened corner. They looked to be engrossed in their conversation. They took no notice of her, so she dismissed them as she did the others.

  Ocean talked to the duty manager, who found her a pair of gloves. Normally she would wear her own, but she did not want to go back to the hotel and disturb the girls for them.

  Conor Towers stood next to his half-brother Saul. They both scented the air as Ocean walked in and started talking to Mike, one of their pride who ran the gym. “Trouble!” Saul commented softly.

  Conor nodded as he watched the female walk towards the punching bag putting on gloves. She snapped them into place as though she had done so many times before. No novice, he thought.

  Then she stood in front of the punching bag and just stared at it. She is heart hurting. His beast told him, Conor replied. I can feel her pain just as you can, my friend.

  Saul grinned and asked Mike as he walked towards them. “Did you give her instructions?”