DRAGON'S GAP: Set Includes Stories 1-3 Plus Love's Catalyst

by L M Lacee

With that pronouncement they all entered the lift, June pushed the button. Sharm asked suddenly. “Why Justice?” Charlie looked down at her son. “Because Sharm, if there is any justice in the world. Then this tiny hatchling will grow to be the mightiest dragon of them all.”

  Sharm grinned as did the others. Edith’s and June’s. “Oh isn’t that wonderful!” Joined in with the dragons blessings of. “As the ancients allow!”

  Clint asked. “Where does Harper come from?”

  Charlie smiled a bittersweet smile as she said. “From my sister, long gone now but never forgotten.

  “Oh okay.” The lift came to rest as Charlie turned to Sharm and Ella before she got out. “I am not sure if I thanked you, so in case I did not thank you. Both of you for looking after my babies. I will never forget it ever.” She gave them a half bow. When she rose, she looked up into the eyes of Sharm’s dragon and swore. “If I had lost him, you would have had to put me down to stop the carnage I would have wrought. There would have been no stopping the justice. I would have reaped on the ones that stole him and the girls. Now I can leave that to your father and his people.” No dragon or shifter there doubted for one moment she spoke an untruth. Shivers of danger ghosted over their souls.

  CHAPTER NINE:

  J une hurried from the lift, suddenly feeling claustrophobic and broke into speech. “So Charlie, as per my Lord Rene`s request, I have made the rainbow apartment ready for you and your family. She then came to a set of double doors and with a twist of the handles threw them open with a flourish and stepped back saying. “Welcome Lady Charlie Easton and family. I hope you enjoy your new home. I have left the furniture that was in here for you, but it can all be changed. I also added a bassinet and crib for Cara.”

  Charlie walked through the opened doors and winked as she passed June. “You did that with flare. You have style!”

  June bowed graciously as she said. “So I have been told, now for the tour.” They toured the home after placing the girls on couches. Ella decided to carry Justice with her as Charlie walked around and slowly fell in love with the apartment. Especially the beautiful master bedroom, because in the middle of the large room proudly sat an extra-large king sized bed.

  “How did you know?” She asked June, Charlie loved a large bed to spread out on but she found it was a little disconcerting to think someone could read her unspoken wishes. June laughed as they all looked around when she said. “Finding a normal size bed is the challenge.”

  “Well do not bother on my account. I love a big bed.” The room was huge and the bathroom was a females dream with a large walk in shower and step down spar bath fit for two. Charlie cocked an eye at the tub, June nodded as she said. “Apparently Lady Verity decided all bathtubs should be adequate for a dragon or two.”

  Edith grinned. “So true if you had not figured it out yet, mama Verity designed and decorated all the apartments. In fact the whole castle.”

  “Really?” Charlie was impressed.

  Edith frowned. “Why would I lie? Why do people always say that to me?” She demanded of her shadow. Before he could answer, Charlie said. “A female with hidden depths it would seem.”

  Sharm nodded as he told her. “Seems to be a trait with the females that grace, our home.”

  Charlie grinned at him acknowledging the compliment. Edith her eyes serious told her, “It is, very soon we will have a girls night where all will be revealed.”

  June and Ella groaned, Edith grumbled. “What… What! Do not groan at me, you all like the girls’ nights.”

  “We do...We do!” June agreed. “It is the day after we find hard to survive.”

  “Oh shut up!” Edith told them.

  “And on that note we will depart,” Sharm said. “I will be by tomorrow to check the little ones.”

  Charlie nodded, and she couldn’t help it, a touch of fear entered her mind. Looking at her Ella could see the sudden spurt of trepidation quickly hidden she said. “Edee maybe it would be a good idea for me to stay with Charlie and the young ones for the night. What do you think?”

  Edith hugged the young dragon “What a great idea. You are such a nice person, how you are my friend I do not understand?”

  They all heard June murmur, “Neither do any of us!” Edith snarled as she released Ella. “Heard that sister.”

  “Meant you too!” Stated June. Charlie grinned, she could feel her nerves settling. These females just had that affect. Edith gave Charlie a look that she could not remember seeing for many years, if ever. Although she would not show it she admitted to herself a tingle of awareness and something else skated down her spine. “Look out for her, she is yours for only the night.”

  “Well okay!” Charlie nodded not knowing what else to say to the fierce female. Sharm dragged Edith from the room saying. “My heart you delight me!” They heard her laughingly say. “Yeah… Yeah! I know.”

  After the departure of the couple, they carried on with the tour. Charlie fell more in love with her new home, with its balconies which she was told most apartments had. A barrier would be put in place first thing in the morning by the Dragon Lord. This would be to protect the young from climbing or falling. It was dragon magic. Clint told her, Charlie nodded in awe. They walked through the four bedrooms with their bathrooms and walk in closets. She admired the two lounges which June assured her one would be converted into a playroom for the girls the following day.

  She liked the two rooms that Clint said could be used for an office and study. Charlie nodded thinking home theatre, and office. They walked through the formal dining room which Charlie thought was a waste of space. She wondered if she could open it up to the kitchen but when they went into the enormous kitchen, she saw it had its own eight seater table.

  Once more June assured her there would be someone to cook and someone else to clean. Ella told her there were nannies available for the future if she would like them, they were faeries also. Charlie grinned. “Yep that would be great, the girls will love that.”

  June looked around satisfied. “Well, Clint and I are off if you need me call. Ella knows the number, there is tea and coffee on the counter with food made up in the fridge. The beds are all made up as you saw and there is a bassinet in the little annex of your bedroom for Justice. I will be here for breakfast, Ella there is food in the cupboards for the girls in the morning, and bottles in the fridge already prepared for Justice. Clint come on.”

  Charlie said. “Thank you both for everything, we will see you in the morning June.” Then Ella and Charlie wished them both good night.

  “Good night!’ June and Clint called back.

  Once they were gone, Ella and Charlie took a breath then she said. “Well first let us get these little ones into bed, then coffee, tea and talk.”

  Ella agreed, after Charlie took Justice to his bassinet and together they picked the girls up from the couch and carried them to their bedroom. They placed the girls in the pajamas June had left for them, then they snuggled them between clean fresh smelling sheets. While they did this Charlie softly told Ella how she found them all.

  After they had finished, they went to the dining room and together set out cups and jugs of tea and coffee. Plates of sandwiches and pastries were uncovered by Ella. Charlie smiled her appreciation and rubbed her hand over the white marble surface of the dining table. “This is lovely, everything here is lovely. It is truly a rainbow of colors.”

  Ella smiled at her description, the apartment was colorful and would definitely fit a growing family, she said softly. “The children will love it.”

  Charlie sipped her coffee then asked. “So Ella, tell me about you and where we are?”

  They spent the next thirty minutes, until Justice woke properly for another bottle, discussing Dragon’s Gap and the castle. Then Ella helped Charlie to understand where she was, and who was who. Also filling in some of the details Clint had left out. Ella was thankful they did not discuss her or her family. Finally, Ella asked Charlie. “What kind of work do you do an
d do you think you can continue doing it with being the young ones mother?”

  Charlie grinned. “The answer to that is no. I do not think I can continue my line of work here, and not just because of my children. Although that is a deterrent.”

  “Oh, what is it you do?” Asked a more curious Ella. Charlie decided it was now or never, Ella would walk away or she would not believe her, so with that in mind she said bluntly. “I am an assassin.”

  Charlie heard Justice’s first whimper and was out of her chair in a flash. Ella watched her go with a small smile, thinking Charlie seemed really relieved. She shook her head as she thought about the female that made a dash from the room. She was amongst shifters and dragons, killers every one of them if they needed to be and yet she feared Ella would not understand. Amazing!

  When after a few minutes Charlie came back in with Justice, Ella handed her the warmed bottle saying. “I have no knowledge of assassins.”

  Charlie grinned sadly. “It is okay Ella if you want to leave, I understand.”

  “Pfft what are you saying?” Ella asked with a touch of annoyance creeping into her voice. “I am not made of porcelain nor am I, regardless of what some may say, an innocent. I heal Shields and Hunters, retrievers and the abused and wounded females. As well as the young every day and have on many occasions since I learnt to drive gone out on retrievals to administer healing. You kill people, so can we all. So have many of us who live at Dragon’s Gap, and many that will again!” She thought for a minute while Charlie assimilated where she was and who she had just joined. “I am guessing you administer justice to people like the ones who captured your little ones and hurt Cara.”

  “All of them in a heartbeat.” Charlie said without inflection. Ella nodded. “Good, people like that deserve to feel the weight of their misdeeds and if that is death, so be it.”

  Charlie sighed in relief. “Depths, you all have depths.”

  “Oh, we do!” Ella said seriously, “We have to! We females’ dragons do not shift, and most of our shifters do not, but we all have gifts of one kind or another.”

  Charlie said. “Speaking of depths, Edith has many levels I am thinking and she appears to be a force of nature!”

  Ella grinned. “Oh yes, Edith most of all. Of course that is until you meet Lady Sage, then she pales in comparison!”

  Charlie’s eyebrows rose. “Seriously!”

  Ella nodded. “Oh yes, most definitely.”

  That gave Charlie something to think about as they called it a night. After tucking Justice back into his bassinet she lay awake for a little while going over her day and the people she had met. She smiled in the dark as she listened to Justice’s breathing. Just as she drifted off to sleep her mind conjured up the image of her dragon. It was a pleasant thought to go to sleep on.

  CHAPTER TEN:

  S torm had watched Sharm, and his Shadow lead the boy Clint and Healer Ella, along with the female and young from the room. And if his eyes had lingered on the female carrying a small baby, who could blame him. She was everything he and his dragon wanted. He held his dragon back from leaving and following them with effort. He said again now. We will go to her once we have assured ourselves these ones mean her no harm.

  Our Shadow, she has young! His dragon said again almost like he did not really believe his own eyes.

  So it would seem.

  Ours?

  Yes my friend.

  As Storm and the others all walked from the medical unit to the lifts. Sage found herself beside Scarlett. “So the female is the grey one then?”

  “How do you know?”

  Sage grinned. “Witch… remember?”

  “Oh yes, of course.”

  Sage gave her arm a pat. “I understand more urgent matters to worry about.”

  Scarlett nodded. “Not urgent, maybe worrying. Let us talk of other things for a moment, tell me are you and the girls happy with the nannies?”

  Sage smiled. “Oh, we are. The girls absolutely love them. They are very caring and protective.”

  Scarlett smiled. “I am glad, so do you know of others who may want nannies?”

  Sage’s eyebrows went up as she said. “I can think of several. Why?”

  Scarlett smiled. “Wonderful, I have many faeries trained and waiting.”

  “I see, so did you plan this?” Sage asked.

  Scarlett placed her hand on Sage’s arm. “Oh no the High Queen’s nanny decided to open a training school in conjunction with her light, who is military trained. He is the Captain of the High King’s guards. Together they are training our people who wish to be nannies.”

  “Very clever.” Sage applauded. “Are you and the High Queen pleased about this?”

  “We are, it gives employment to the faeries and not just here, over all the Groves.”

  “Good, there are other options, other than just nannies!”

  “We are aware but change takes time, we have that.”

  “Well, that is true.” Sage agreed, “Although as Edee is fond of saying, too much time makes ideas wither and die.”

  “Constantly one might say!” Reighn grumbled as Sage and Scarlett smiled at his tone while Elijah sighed. “You too?”

  Reighn nodded as he said. “Yes, you need a liaison between…”

  “Edee and us?” Elijah muttered.

  “Oh Elijah!” Sighed Scarlett.

  Elijah looked at Reighn as he said. “Just joking my light.”

  “He says that but I think he means it.” Scarlett said sadly.

  “Probably, she loves you. That is why she is so…” Sage stumbled to a halt. Edith was a force, a gentle one at times and other times not so much. Especially when it came to those she loved. Scarlett finished for her. “Grounder, it is what they do, some people should realize that and leave it alone.”

  Both males hunched their shoulders at the Queenly tone she used. Sage grinned. Verity and Rene` were quietly discussing Charlie and the implications to her and the faeries with a silent Storm following them. They reached Reighn’s new reception room or conference room, he had not decided on the title yet.

  It was situated by his office once upon a time many years ago, it had been a large wasted room that was filled with boxes and disused equipment. Now after Sage and June redecorated, with the help of Verity, it was a nice stylish reception or conference room. “Oh, this is nice, very nice.” Rene` said as he looked around. Reighn pulled a chair out for Sage as the others did for their mates. “Yes, the Ladies decided this was a more useful reason for the room, rather than dust and boxes.” In truth as he looked around at the soft reds and gold and black colors decorating the floors, walls and drapes he had to agree. They did a wonderful job. His Sire stood looking at the paintings. “I have not seen these for many years.”

  Verity agreed. “I know.” She pointed to a painting and said. “I found that one amongst some old chests. I asked Edee to repair it first.”

  “My dear it is beautiful, I thank you.” It was a portrait of his father, and she directed him to look all around the walls were others of his ancestors were framed and hanging in regal splendor. There empty spaces on the wall where paintings should be hanging. “She is still restoring them. They are quite damaged.” Verity told him as she noticed where he was looking. He nodded as words escaped him at the care and honor they were paying to those who came before him and Reighn.

  “When we find an appropriate artist, we will have yours and Reighn’s portraits done.” Verity told them both in the tone she used, that said do not debate this. Both Rene` and Reighn kept their grimaces hidden and just agreed. When everyone was seated Reighn said. “So Scarlett, Elijah what has everyone upset?”

  Scarlett let Elijah speak for them. “Prudence came to us this evening to say a grey one arrived at Dragon’s Gap.”

  “I see and has she?” Reighn asked.

  Scarlett said. “Yes the female with the young ones who left before us.”

  Rene` asked. “What makes you so sure?”

  Sc
arlett looked at him as she said. “She is of my line.”

  “Oh my!” said Verity. “Your sister’s child?”

  Scarlett nodded. “It would seem so.”

  “You did not know of her before now?” Rene` asked, as he frowned, wondering how Charlie was going to receive this news. Scarlett shook her head. “No!”

  Elijah took her hand. “My light’s sister has been hidden from us for many decades. In fact as you know we thought she had passed away.”

  “What do you want to do?” Asked Reighn.

  Scarlett looked around at the people there and said quietly. “Take her home with us, where she belongs. Try and make sense of who she is and where her mother, my sister is.”

  “What of her young?” Verity asked, fearful for the young ones. Rene` told them. “She has claimed them. It has been recorded. She will not let them go willingly, if ever.”

  “They are hers. They will be ours.” Stated Scarlett simply. Storm’s dragon roared loudly, then Storm flung himself from the room.

  “What has happened?” Elijah asked as he moved to cover his light, their guards surrounded them both.

  Rene` stood. “I feel our son does not like your suggestions.”

  “Why?” Scarlett asked, as she moved out from behind her light. Rene` shrugged. “I am not sure.” He had a fair idea what had happened but would not commit until he found out for sure. He could see political pit falls if he was correct, as could Reighn who sent along their mental pathways his suspicions. Shadow papa?

  Rene` sent back. I think so my son, we should go before he tears this place apart looking for her.

  That as well! Reighn said with a smile in his voice. Rene` agreed then said to the others in the room. “We will follow him and find out. Will you come with me Reighn?”

  “As you wish Sire.”

  Keeper came into the room. “He has shifted and is close to the castle.”

  “We will follow and find out where he is going.” Reighn said to the faeries. “Let us reconvene tomorrow. The one known as Charlie is going nowhere, can you wait one more day?”