by L M Lacee
Ash looked at her as she smiled at him, he enjoyed Edee, which he was asked to call her. She was the shadow of one of his best friends, she was delightfully irreverent, which amused him immensely, especially when she turned that on the Elder dragons or Reighn.
“I see and where is Reighn, Lars and Stan?”
“All on a mission to see mama Verity’s brother and not due home until the day after tomorrow.” answered Sage.
Ace rubbed his neck. “I know Storm and Charlie are away.”
“Yes with the Queen and King.” said Prudence.
He looked at Sage. “What of Keeper, this is right up his alley?”
“Away buying books, due home tonight.”
Ash stared at all three of them as he asked. “Right, so what is it you expect me to do, if Rene’ and Sharm and Johner got taken under so to speak then what hope do you suppose I have?”
Edith grinned. “No idea but I think because of your connection to the hatchlings you will not be affected.”
“My lord Ash, you come every day to visit with them, if they are causing this, we hope that connection you have will not harm you.” said Prudence.
Sage asked. “What have we to lose? If we are wrong, you will make a nice statue as well!”
“Very droll!” He returned then he shrugged as though he was going into battle.
“Well nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say!”
With that he strode purposefully through the doors. Sage with Edith and Prudence stared after the handsome dragon.
Edith muttered. “Of course it will work, otherwise the bitching from Storm and the others will drive me to more drink!”
“Swear jar!” called Prudence as she walked towards the doors.
“I really hate that friggin thing.” groaned Edith.
“Swear jar!” called Prudence again.
“Hey friggin, is not a swear word!” Edith yelled back.
Sage grinned as she told her, much to Edith’s consternation. “Yes it is, swear jar.”
Edith frowned and they both knew she was cussing in her mind.
The three females held their collective breaths as they watched Ash walk pass the dragons and sit beside the strange female and hatchlings.
Edith high fived the other two. “Right again, shit I am good.”
“Five dollars.” said Sage. “And yes I am telling.” Edith squeezed her lips tightly together. Sage said as she eyed the tight lipped female. “I can still hear you cussing you know.”
“Oh shut up!” she growled to Prudence and Sage’s amusement.
CHAPTER SIX:
A sh studied the female, she had to be five foot six and way too thin for his liking, almost emancipated. Her clothes were old and blood encrusted he could see no visible wounds, so that was a plus.
She was filthy and he hated to think it but she did smell, or to be accurate her clothes smelled. She had long dirty hair that could have been chestnut in color but was just dirt brown now.
Her cheeks were sunk in he guessed from lack of food. When she had flicked her eyes towards him, he saw they were what his Dam would have called cat’s eyes, and his breath caught in his throat as he glimpsed warm honey, with that one look they were seared into his soul.
Shadow! Hissed his dragon.
So it would seem old friend. We have found her at last!
His dragon whispered. I like eyes of honey, warm and soft.
Ace agreed. Looking past all the dirt, bruises and the numerous scratches that covered her face and hands he could see she was flushed. He assumed she was running a fever.
Ash felt his body respond to this amazing female. Shadow! His dragon growled softly again, our shadow, our hatchlings.
Ash cautioned him. So it would seem, we must tread carefully my friend.
His dragon growled. We must be soft, show our heart and not be a battle dragon anymore. I wish to be shadow and Dada like Storm.
Surprised by the loneliness he heard in his dragon’s voice, Ash asked. This is what you want my friend, you never said?
Would it have made a difference? I believed until now we were bred for war, like you did. Now I know we were bred for much more, for shadow and hatchlings.
Ace could not fault his reasoning as he said. Well alright, we are more than a fighting dragon, if this is what you want, then you shall be a shadow and a father.
Pleasure enveloped him as his dragon settled into watch the graceful movement of his shadows hands as she turned the hatchlings over with careful, gentle movements.
The babies were on their backs now and their eyes were open staring at her or maybe just at the dust motes dancing in the air.
Olinda knew she should be frightened or at least amazed by what was happening but as much as she tried, she could not find the energy to break the spell of peace that had stolen over her.
Looking down she watched her scratched up fingers trail up and down over the skin on their little chests and arms and was positive where her fingers had been a golden line blossomed and then disappeared.
“No you are not imaging it. It really is gold.” Said a dark voice that came right out of her deepest desires, a voice that romance writers often tried to convey and never could in novels. A voice that made every hair on her body stand up and wave, Hello!
Shyly she looked at the male through her lashes. She itemized each of his attributes as he sat at the end of the window seat, his long legs crossed at the ankles. Wide shoulders with well-defined muscled arms were covered in a black tee shirt that did little to hide his body’s perfection. She could only see his profile but knew deep in her heart he would be handsome.
Olinda wondered how it was possible for him to have come so close to her without her knowing. Was he magic?
Was he also like the others? She had time to think and realized the teenager and Prudence were not human. Was this man also not human? Her fingers finally stilled as she asked. “Who are you?”
He smiled a little, really just a quirk of lips but it was enough for her to become slightly light headed. “My name is Ash Battle.”
“Of course it is. I like it. It suits you.”
He laughed and it sounded rusty as though he did it seldom. “I thank you. I do know who you are or at least your name. You are Olinda Keaton a lovely name for a lovely lady.” He watched charmed as she blushed. “Would you know the babies names Olinda?”
She raised surprised eyebrows. “Of course, don’t you?”
“No I do not.”
“Oh well this one here.” She started to dress the baby, she looked around, as if he read her mind as he handed her a clean diaper.
“Thank you, as I was saying this one is Ion, I think because his hair is what my mother would have called platinum and his eyes are black.”
She finished dressing him and handed him to Ash. While she dressed and diapered the other baby she said. “This one is called Steel, I think because his hair is jet black and his eyes are platinum.”
“Who was it that chose their names?”
“Oh that would be the Sun Goddess, these are her gifts to the dragons.”
Ash’s eyebrows rose in shocked surprise. The Sun Goddess had gifted his two hatchlings to the dragon nation. Now the words of the dying female dragon made sense.
She cuddled the baby to her and looked fully into the face of both man and dragon and Olinda did not know how she knew what he was. There was no outward sign that proclaimed him to be dragon but she knew he was and now she understood the feeling she’d had about the teenage boy as he too was dragon. It had made sense the thought she had, that he wore a coat.
Olinda sighed. She had been right he was a magnificent looking man, green eyes, over a strong slightly crooked nose, which saved him from having the title beautiful male, although his chiseled jaw helped with that as well.
He looked strong, confident and quite capable of achieving whatever he set his mind too.
She wanted to reach out and touch his hair that was so black in color it appe
ared as though it was highlighted with blue. He had braided it into one long rope, combined with his body and voice he was everything a woman could wish for.
Olinda’s voice was dreamy as she stared at him while she explained. “They are Sun Dragons. Did you know that? I did not know that dragons existed. Now I fear my life will be changed again forever. Ash could you take the baby please?” Just as he slipped his hand under the hatchling, Olinda fell sideways to the floor unconscious.
Cursing loudly, Ash looked around to see Sage, Edith and Prudence descending on them and as if the magic had been waiting for that instant in time all the dragons in the room were released and pandemonium broke out.
Sage rushed to Olinda. Prudence took one of the babies from Ash as he handed the other to Edith.
Then he picked up the fallen woman. “I think we need to leave, where do you suggest we go Lady Sage?”
With a quick look at the dragons who seemed to be getting themselves together she said. “Your place! I think it would be the best and safest place for her and the hatchlings.”
“There is no danger to them here?” he told her.
“Is there not and yet between the three of them they halted the dragons in this room or was it everywhere. Until we know, they are to be protected.”
“I apologize.” he smiled. “I did not take that into consideration, unlike you who would make a great commander.”
Sage grinned. “Well thanks, I will call your brothers and the Dragon Lord for you.”
He looked down into the face of his future. “You know dragon kind well, my lady!”
“Oh please, we are well past the lady thing, Sage will do.”
“Well past.” Mumbled Edith, they both ignored her as Ash inclined his head.
“As you will Sage. So my place, I think we will go to the new apartment Lady Verity has placed aside for me. Now is it permissible for the hatchlings to be taken from medical?”
It had only been two weeks since his crazy long distance flight to bring them here. Prudence came back over to them and caught the end of his question. “Yes take them, they came out of the incubator this morning, they will be fine as long as we keep them warm.”
In saying that she handed Edith and Sage blankets and they wrapped up the babies. When they thought they were covered enough Ash led them from the room, Olinda in his arms. His dragon crooning to his shadow.
CHAPTER SEVEN:
O linda opened her eyes and quickly closed them again. Waking in a room she did not know was a disturbing and terrifying experience.
Sorting through her fear to her memories was an exercise in self-discipline, not allowing the panic she felt from overwhelming her, took effort.
The last thing she remembered was a beautiful giant of a man and two baby boys that glowed gold who were dragons.
Opening her eyes for the second time she found herself in a room that had to belong in a medieval castle. It was a bedroom for a princess. She frowned as she tried to make out what was above her and sighed when after a minute it came more into focus and she realized it was a white silken canopy.
She, Olinda Keaton was in a bed with a canopy, her fingers smoothed over the sheet as she looked around.
The walls of the room were a soft rose with darker red drapes, the carpet appeared to be grey and the side tables were in a white wood as were the doors frames.
There were several doors made from a deep golden wood leading from the room.
It was a lovely room and Olinda could not have felt more out of place if she tried, she looked to what her fingers were telling her brain, the sheets and blankets were nothing like she had ever felt before. They felt luxurious, and expensive, then the figure sitting in the chair registered.
It was like she had not wanted to acknowledge someone else was there until she had no choice. Her hands clenched on the sheet as she croaked out.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Charlie Kingsley.”
Olinda pushed herself up into a sitting position, she reached for the glass of water on the side table. Looked at the woman that sat relaxed in a chair by the window her legs kicked out in front of her, her hands in the pockets of the well-worn leather jacket.
If Olinda had to put money on it she would wager, the woman had a weapon of some sort in one of the pockets.
She had short black hair, her eyes were cold grey and fringed by black lashes. She reminded Olinda of a photo she had seen of her grandmother and her friends when they had been young. Although they did not wear jeans with red tee shirts under an old leather jacket.
“It is safe to drink.” Charlie told her quietly as she studied the female. She along with Storm had arrived back just this morning after a stressed Sage had called begging her to return.
This slight woman had apparently tried to kill Ash and his brothers, she had shot at Prudence who had saved herself by shrinking and hiding.
Sharm had ended up drugging her heavily much to Ash’s concern. Reighn had arrived back home minutes before Storm and her, and had asked Charlie to evaluate the female to see if she was a grey one or something else. He meant assassin!
Which is why she had sat for the last five minutes watching the female start to wake with her hand in her pocket on her gun.
Charlie agreed with Ash, she was as he had described and in time she would be beautiful with care and attention. Honey colored eyes that held a healthy dose of suspicion stared at her over the glass.
Olinda finished the water and licked her lips before she asked. “Where are the babies?”
“Safe!”
Olinda was not sure if she meant safe from her or safe in general.
“What happened to the man that I saw?”
Charlie quirk her lips in a half smile. “Before or after you tried to kill him?”
Olinda raised her eyebrows, she did not remember that, the last thing she did recall was falling from the seat.
“Really! Only tried, my aim must have been off!”
“Funny! His name is Ash Battle he is a Dragon, in case you don’t remember you are at Dragon’s Gap. You came here on a bus from somewhere, your name is Olinda...
“I know what my name is!” She growled as she rubbed her hands through her hair and looked shocked when they ran through the soft shiny locks. She looked at her hands, they were unscratched and all the damage was gone. She felt her face that too was healed and most of all she was clean. She lifted her eyes to see the woman’s cold eyes on her. “What the hell happened to me?”
Charlie answered. “You were bathed by my friends and healed by Edith’s shadow. A healer or doctor called Sharm.”
“I am guessing Edith is a woman and he is what?”
Charlie bit her lip then coming to a decision she said. “Listen I have a feeling you are not going to be happy about what I am going to tell you. So how about you let me explain everything I need too then you can get on with the yelling, kicking and biting thing you do.”
Olinda dropped her head into her hands as she whispered. “Oh please say it isn’t so?”
“I wish I could but I cannot.” answered Charlie with a small smile.
“Tell me the one called Ash. Did I bite, kick or yell at him?”
Charlie grinned. “Oh yeah, apparently biting was done as well as a kick to the groin, the poor guy is just starting to walk straight now!”
Olinda pulled the pillow over her face and groaned into it. Charlie grinned wider as she watched the woman, her cheeks bright red groan into the pillow.
This was no killer a fighter yes but killer no, she was too normal or at one point she had been. Now she was out of her depth and swimming hard or so it seemed to Charlie. She said now to see her reaction.
“His brother on the other hand.... She shook her head as Olinda lifted the pillow to look at her with sorrowful eyes.
Charlie shrugged as she said. “I tell them and tell them, never think a female will not shoot you or use a knife on you but will they believe me?” She shook her head. “The
answer is no, they do not! Well they do now, on the whole the last three days has been hell for them and fun for you.”
“So I have been here for three days?”
“No you have been here four, three of those, were hard on the males.”
“Oh dear….Please say I never killed anyone!”
“You did not.” Answered Charlie as she watched the female put the pillow over her face again and groan.
Definitely not a killer or liar, Charlie thought she had developed a hardness about her like an armored shield. She could and would kill but the killer instinct was not natural, it was adopted.
For Charlie it was like she was looking at a lie because it was not a true instinct it showed to her senses as a lie, but other than the shield she was just a female that was not quite human placed in an intolerable situation.
Olinda sighed and lifted the pillow of her face. “Well that is something.”
She frowned a fleeting image came to her. “The faerie was she hurt?”
Charlie shook her head. “Nope she shrunk and flew.”
Olinda breathed out in relief. “Thank goodness. Well if I am not going to like what you have to tell me. I should get dressed and would there be food and coffee?”
Charlie stood and stretched. “Yep to both, bathroom is through there.” She pointed to a door.
“Umm! Charlie where am I actually?”
“Oh this is Ash’s place.”
Olinda sighed. “Of course it is!”
“Don’t worry he is not here. I kicked him and his brothers out when I got back this morning. Oh and in case you wanted to know, it is Saturday. Shower, dress, I left you some clothes there.” She indicated a chair with jeans a shirt and underwear on it. “June said they would fit.”
When Olinda went to ask who June was, Charlie said. “I promise I will explain when you are showered and dressed.” Olinda expelled a deep breath before she said. “Charlie thank you, and sorry I was not very gracious when I woke.”
“Olinda I have a feeling you have a right to your suspicions and sometimes they are all that keeps us alive. Look I know this is a big ask but trust me, you are safe here. On my word there is nobody here that will hurt you.”
