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

by L M Lacee

  “Oh my…What does Ocean say?”

  Conor looked at the couple and sighed. “She says if Harper is going to be that way, there is nothing she can do.”

  Patrycc said. “Does she want to —” BANG! A loud crash sounded from above as Ocean walked in from the kitchen, the baby Parker in one arm, her camera in the other hand. Relieved Conor stated. “You are back. Good.”

  “I am sorry Conor.” She handed the baby to him, kissed his cheek smiled at the couple then ran up the stairs and before she hit the landing she was yelling. “Dear Heavens can you please go one day without fighting and you can damn well fix this NOW! We have guests and you are embarrassing your father. Now move and dress, brush your hair and DO NOT LOOK AT EACH OTHER!”

  Silence reigned. Conor said as though they asked. “And that is how she handles it!” He motioned the two people in. “Come on lets go to the kitchen, there is cake.” He closed the door behind them sighing at the sight of all that freedom disappearing.

  “I heard that!” Ocean said from behind him. He grunted as if he had not known she was there.

  She walked ahead of him to the kitchen. He shrugged at Grace and Patrycc. “Not a happy household. Bad time to visit.”

  “Well, this is ridiculous!” Grace growled she shoved up the sleeves of her sweater and said. “Hand me that baby.” Which he did, then she marched into the kitchen and was talking before she got to the door. “Ocean Towers what the hell is going on with your family?”

  “She does know Ocean has no idea who she is?” He asked Patrycc, as they moved slowly towards the kitchen door that they could hear murmuring behind. Patrycc grinned. ”She knows and will handle her.”

  “Bet you didn’t think this was what you were here for? Why are you here?”

  “You know I did not, but we are here, and this is what my shadow and I do.”

  Conor looked at him. Patrycc told him softly “We fix fractures. Sage called us.”

  Conor grunted, he thought it would have been her. “So bonded! How is that going?”

  “Easier than yours. I only have four bears, two of who are male to contend with!”

  “Lucky you!” Grumbled Conor as they made the kitchen. Patrycc laughed as he slapped him on the back. “Hey, it could be worse.”

  “Can’t see how?”

  “There could be five of them!”

  Conor almost swallowed his tongue as he followed the chortling male dragon. Ocean stood behind the island, phone in hand. “Now what?”

  “Pass me that.” Grace said when the phone was answered, she said without giving Harper a chance to say more than hello. “Harper Elliot Battle you will bring your Joy here to Ocean and Conor’s home immediately.” Grace listened for a minute and then she said. “Do not make me get Verity… No, I did not think so. Yes, you may bring him as well. We will be having lunch. Goodbye.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY TWO:

  T wenty minutes later, Grace had the girls who were dressed with their hair braided. Helping her in the kitchen preparing food for apparently the visitors who were coming over for a discussion and lunch. Ocean had been handed a cup of coffee and told to make herself scarce. Conor was told to put Parker in her bassinet, and he and Patrycc were in his study which apparently he had now. She was on the patio watching her daughters who had done nothing but argue for days. Who were now smiling and talking like real people with Grace.

  She closed her eyes and soaked up the quiet and the sunshine. How long she would have remained like that she had no idea and would never find out as a huge shadow crossed above her shutting off the sunlight.

  She opened her eyes to see a dragon circling above her and immediately snapped up her camera and started shooting as the large black dragon landed. A dragon was in her backyard.

  The door opened and the girls as well as Grace, Patrycc and Conor emerged, Patrycc said. “It is Andre.”

  Ocean and the girls ran to him and stopped, Patrycc said as he followed behind them. “You can touch him. He is waiting for you to do so!”

  Instantly they all smoothed their hands over him. “Oh granddad, you are warm.” Kadee said entranced as Paige said “And soft, you are so soft.” Ocean looked into the eye closest to her. “You are wonderful and handsome, just wonderful papa, thank you.” She laid her head as the girls did against his hide and felt his pleasure. They stayed that way for a few minutes until Ocean sighed and said. “Come on girls your granddad needs to change and Joy will be here soon.” They all moved back to the patio as Andre` transformed from dragon to human. The girls ran to him again to be hugged, he looked over their heads at Ocean. She smiled and said. “Welcome to our home papa!”

  “I thank you daughter for the welcome.”

  Once the girls had released him, he moved to Ocean and hugged her, she breathed in his scent and could feel his love. “Well, what are we to have for lunch?” He asked as the girls hurried to tell him, making sure to impress on him what they had prepared.

  He was impressed as he looked at Ocean who said “Don’t look at me. It is all Grace and the girls.”

  Andre` smiled as he shook hands with Conor and Patrycc, then hugged and kissed Grace. Conor said “We are waiting for the Battles to arrive.”

  Startled Andre` asked. “What, all of them?”

  “No just Ace and Harper as well as Joy” Ocean told him. “Ahh I see, do we have time for a drink?’

  Grace nodded. “Of course.”

  Ten minutes later as the adults sat around the kitchen table with a drink each, while the girls made a salad. Another shadow crossed against the window. “That will be Ace.” Andre` said.

  “How do you know granddad?” Paige asked with a smirk at Kadee who wanted to ask.

  “I trained all of the boys. I know his dragon.”

  “Oh wow! That is so cool.” Kadee said as Paige frowned and hissed. “I was going to say that?”

  “Well, you were to slow.”

  “Girls enough!” Ocean warned in her, do not piss me off voice. They ducked their heads and became silent, knowing they could find themselves in their bedrooms. Andre` gave her a look to see if she was angry. She was not, she shrugged. “They have been like that for days.”

  “Ahh I see.” He may have said more but a quick knock on the door and Joy burst into the kitchen. “Kadee I am here. Paige, it is me, I am finally here.” She announced dramatically as the three girls grabbed each other, squealed and hugged as though they had been apart forever.

  “It’s like they have been separated for years!” Harper moaned to Ace as they stood in the door way.

  Conor walked around and shook Ace’s hand and kissed the back of Harper’s hand which made her smile. “Welcome to our home, please come in.”

  As they stepped in, Grace looked at Conor. “Do you see it?”

  He nodded and said. “I should have seen it before. I must be slipping.”

  “You have had other concerns.”

  He shrugged. “Maybe.”

  “Well, I would like to know what you are talking about.” Ocean asked as Harper said. “As would I and will it stop the sulking.”

  “And the fighting.” Ocean grumbled. “Because I swear one more day…”

  Harper laughed as she glanced at Ocean who even though she was amused looked like she was ready to find a hole for her girls.

  Andre` smiled as Joy said hello to him. Kadee asked. “Granddad did you know Joy was coming today?”

  “No sweet girl, I heard you and Paige had your first shift and I wanted to come and tell you how proud of you I was.”

  Joy squealed as she hugged Kadee. “You shifted.” Then she looked at her mother and said. “See what you made me miss? Kadee and Paige’s very first shift. You are so mean!” Before Harper or Ace could say anything. Ocean growled. “Joy Battle! You will not talk to your mother like that. She deserves your respect at all times, even when you are mad at her, the same goes for your dad. You young lady will remember you are the child, not the parent, and as a child you will mind your m
anners and your parents. Do I make myself clear?”

  Joy’s eyes widened as she nodded her head, “Yes ma’am.”

  “Good. Now I am waiting!”

  Joy looked at her mother as Harper snapped her mouth closed, after it had dropped open at Ocean’s reprimand of Joy and her defense of her. Joy moved to her mother and hugged her saying. “I am sorry mom… I should not have been so rude to you and mean to you even…” Ocean cleared her throat.

  Joy sighed. “Sorry mom!” Harper’s face softened as her arms automatically wound around the girl.

  “Yeah, I know you are, as am I kiddo. I love you and I am sorry. You are right, I don’t always listen. I will try in the future.”

  Ace hugged her, then said. “Can you give us a few minutes please girls?”

  When they were gone. Ace turned to Conor, “Want to tell me what is going on?”

  Conor handed him a glass of whiskey and a beer for Harper as they all sat at the table. Conor said. “The reason you and we have had such a hard time with the girls over the last few days, is they have made themselves into a pride.”

  Harper lowered her glass and asked. “What?”

  Ace said, “Paige, Kadee and our Joy?”

  “As well as Kammy, Parker and I should imagine every baby and young one in the family.”

  Andre` asked quietly. “Do they understand what is happening?”

  Conor shook his head as Grace answered. “No, they just know they need to be together.”

  Patrycc said. “Safety in numbers, they call to each other. Instincts.”

  “Yes and we cannot ignore it.” Conor told them.

  “So what do we do?” Ocean asked.

  “Nothing, except I hope you all have enough room for sleep overs.” Grace stated, they all look at her as she smiled. “They will need to be together. You have seen what happens when they are not and believe me it will only get worse as they get older.”

  Conor sighed. “She is right, also Joy will no doubt shift in the next day or two, and her wolf feels safe now with you, us and her pride.”

  Harper smirked as she asked. “Isn’t it pack, you know cause she is a wolf and all?”

  Conor looked at her and said with a raised eyebrow “No it is pride only!”

  Ocean lent near her and whispered. ”It’s a lion thing, I think!” Harper snickered then said. “Oh, I get it,”

  After that the rest of the lunch went great, there was laughter and plenty of food. Paige and Kadee were happy and excited about family day which would be there first for their family. Harper agreed for Joy to stay the night which made them even happier, especially when Andre` offered to fly the girls so Joy could get her things. Paige and Kadee were ecstatic their first dragon flight and with their grandfather.

  Ocean took Harper up to show her the paintings and as Harper stood looking at all the work Ocean had saved, she said. “I never knew she was like that. I should have, there was always a secretive side to her. I assumed it was what she saved of herself for her work, but it wasn’t, she just hid the evil side of herself from me.”

  Ocean leaned against the wall. “I don’t think she was evil. Well, I hope she wasn’t. I hope she was just self-involved and bitter. No one who did work like this could be truly evil. I hope!”

  Harper thought maybe Ocean was trying to convince herself more than her. “Are you scared you are like her?”

  Ocean shook her head. “When I was young, I worried about it, as I got older I decided I was not.”

  Harper smiled. “I can tell you are not.”

  “I know because if I was, those two girls of mine would be unable to breathe.”

  Harper burst out laughing, when she got herself under control she said. “See, I knew it was not just me.”

  “Nah! Now do you want some of her work because you should take it now? Edith is coming up her next week.”

  Harper looked at her with horror. “You are not letting her see all this are you?”

  “Well yeah. Are you saying I shouldn’t?”

  “No… no, do not show her it all, only ten or so pieces at a time. Otherwise, she will nag you forever, and I mean forever!” Ocean had visions of Edith at her doorstep each morning. “Oh Goddess, thanks.”

  They spent the next thirty minutes finding paintings Harper wanted. Finally, Ocean said. “We can always do a loan thing. You know when you are tired of looking at them you can bring them back and swap them over.”

  Harper grinned, liking that idea. “Are you selling any of them?”

  “No, I will keep them for us and my young. So take what you like now and come again.”

  Harper grinned. “Edith will be so annoyed, can’t be a better deal when that happens.”

  Ocean grinned as well. “Bonus then!”

  “Yep!” Together they gathered five for Harper to take with her. Harper grinned all the way home and as she hung the paintings. Knowing Edith would see them and drool, along with the photos Ocean had given Ace when he had admired them.

  CHAPTER TWENTY THREE:

  O cean lay watching the sun come up it was Monday and the first day of school. She sighed as she thought over the previous day, meeting every one of her large extended family, for family day. What she was amused to learn, was every Sunday and no one missed, unless dying or not at home.

  The girls loved the idea from breakfast to after dinner they were adored by all the young. Even Grace’s grandsons and granddaughter, three lovely bear cubs who followed them around. Grace had told her they were in the developing pride.

  The adults made much of the girls, but fell under Parker’s spell. Conor told her before they went, that dragons loved babies, he was right.

  Ocean finally met everyone in her family. Funnily enough she had to admit she enjoyed Claire, Harper, June and Edee, the most. Maybe she thought she had more in common with them, Charlie amused her with her dry wit, and the way she ribbed Harper. Ciana, Olinda and Frankie were similar in that they were goodhearted females and it was nice to spend time with them. Frankie was over her annoyance with Harper, especially when she saw her and Harper laughing together.

  Thorn was a nice male he and Conor seemed to get on well. Conor got on with everyone really. The one who had more fun than everyone was Andre` he was either with the girls or had a baby in his arms. He looked slightly bemused and proud all rolled into one.

  There was only one tricky bit when Verity started to apologize about Paige. Ocean gently cut her off, telling her she understood, more so since meeting Andre`s dragon. After that she seemed to stop avoiding her. It was a great day she thought as she yawned, but today was all about school and if she was lucky she could persuade Birdy to look after Parker for a little while this afternoon so she could go shoot some photos in town.

  Ocean finally rose and went to shower by the time she was dressed and ready. Conor had changed Parker and handed her and her bottle to Ocean as they passed on the way to his shower. Ocean grinned as she sat to feed Parker, they were like a well-oiled machine.

  When she made it downstairs, the girls were already at the table as Birdy had made their breakfast for their first day of school. So far so good.

  Later that day, Ocean decided as she took a break from her computer at lunch time just as Parker grumbled, ready to wake for her bottle. That the morning had been easy. Conor had gone off to work, leaving Ocean to drop the excited and nervous girls at school, although once they saw Joy and Clint they seemed to be calmer.

  They would get a ride home with Conor when school let out. Ocean had returned home and helped out with housework. Birdy was interviewing today for people to come into clean, they were going to need it. Ocean’s quip about needing an army was not far off. There were still renovations being done and the painters were still there.

  Birdy did indeed agree to look after Parker, so Ocean was going to shoot at one o’clock. She figured she would get in an hour or two before the girls arrived home full of news about their first day.

  After a lunch spent with Bi
rdy, Adam, Ian and the bears, she ended up leaving later than she wanted so would barely get in an hour before school finished.

  CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR:

  O cean walked around another corner, the town was lovely calm and a little confusing at first. She had taken some wonderful photos of people, and they did not seem to mind being captured by her camera. She stopped and looked around, finally admitting she was lost. She had only been in town for forty minutes and knew she would have to figure out where she was and then see about returning home. She turned another corner, working on the principal that turning corners would eventually get her to the main street, as she turned another corner she bumped literally into Loa. “Wow! What timing. Hello Loa, I am lost, would you believe it?”

  “Oh thank the Goddess. I have been looking all over for you!” Loa said as she held onto her arms.

  Ocean’s heart squeezed at the worry in the faerie’s eyes and voice, she could barely get the words out as fear clutched her throat. “Why has something happened?”

  “Yeah, I am so sorry Lady Ocean.” As she talked Loa hurried Ocean along the road. “What Loa… What has happened? Is it Parker, Conor or the girls? Who is hurt?”

  “No, none of them. I am sorry Lady Ocean. It is Lord Andre`.”

  “Andre?” Ocean’s mind spun. “What …How?”

  “He had a fall!”

  “Andre` fell? Dear Goddess how… from where?”

  Loa nodded. “Yeah, I am so sorry Lady Ocean!”

  “You keep saying that? Why are you saying that? Why are you sorry Loa?” Ocean asked as dread filled her heart. Was he dead? Oh please, she thought don’t be dead papa please. They turned into a darken doorway as Loa said. “I am sorry for this, or I am not really but it is what one says is it not?” She plunged a needle into Ocean’s neck, instantly she dropped to the ground.

  “Damnit!” Loa hissed as she lifted the small female and took her farther into the building and dumped her into an open box. Taping it closed, Loa hummed as she worked, so far the plan was working.