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

by L M Lacee

  “I am going to stand now. You should know I am big and tall.”

  She nodded again. “Good!” He slowly stood as her eyes followed his ascent, when he reached his fill height, she pointed to a pink cup with a lid sitting on the counter.

  Storm asked. “Is this yours?” She nodded.

  “Good girl, well find a seat at the table, can you manage?”

  She frowned as she walked to the chair on the opposite side of the table and with a little effort she climbed on to it. He placed her cup in front of her, she smiled at him when he told her she was very strong and clever.

  Cara sniffed the male her mama told her was their new daddy. She had wanted a daddy forever, now she had one, he was big she again frowned then deciding. She nodded to herself and touched his hand with her finger.

  Storm stilled and waited. Cara looked up into his face and saw the same look in his eyes her new mama had. She raised her arms, and he gently picked her up. She sniffed his neck and smelled the scent of her daddy. “No hurt?” She asked and Storm stilled again. Charlie and Kelsey came to a stop as they entered the kitchen while they waited for Storm to answer. He looked down into the eyes of his daughter and said. “No...No, baby girl, no hurt! I will kill any who think to hurt you.”

  He looked at Kelsey. “Any of you, you are mine to protect, to love.”

  Kelsey smiled. “Okay dada.”

  Cara smiled as well and said. “Okay dada.” He looked at Charlie. “Should I have not said kill?”

  “Why? Are you thinking you would not now?”

  “No, they would die. I am unsure as a dada if I should say that?”

  “Well… Edee said to tell the truth. All young ones know truth.” He grinned. “Well okay I am all about truth.”

  She laughed at his happy expression as he placed Cara back onto her chair while Kelsey scrambled onto her hers. Charlie said. “Speaking of hurt, how does she remember that? I thought all those memories were gone.”

  Storm said. “I think instinct. She was asking if as her new father, I would allow my family to be hurt.” He thought about it for a minute then said quietly. “Just in case I have that wrong. I will ask papa to look at her again.”

  “If you think you should but you really cannot fight instincts.” Charlie quietly stated. “Especially when you do not know where it comes from.” Storm agreed with a quick nod of his head.

  Kelsey sat and watched Storm and Charlie as they took their seats. She waited until Storm had taken a sip of his tea before saying. “Mama said you are a dragon like Grandpa?”

  “I am!” He told her as Charlie passed him the baby. Then Kelsey asked. “Do you fly like Grandpa?”

  “I am a male dragon so therefore I fly.” He told her. Kelsey’s face took on a very pleased expression. She had a new daddy and he could fly just like Mama said Kammy and Molly’s daddy could. She just bet she would be able to fly with her daddy by herself one day, quicker than her new cousins would be allowed too as she was older.

  Storm finally looked down into the face of the hatchling in his arms and took a breath. Royal! His dragon stated.

  Charlie watched his reaction. “So you did not notice before?”

  “It is hard to see when your eyes water and are squeezed shut!” He replied.

  Trying hard not to laugh she said. “Your father and Sharm said there would not be a problem.”

  He raised his gaze from the baby to hers. “No my shadow, there will be no problem, royal or not.” He looked at the girls as they stared at him. “No one can take any of our young from us, we are a family.”

  Charlie sighed. “Agreed.”

  Storm decided to change the subject. “Now if you girls eat your breakfast. I will take you flying if you would like? I offer this because you are to meet your cousins today and they have all flown with their fathers. I do not want you to feel left out.”

  Kelsey grinned and picked up her spoon. “We will hurry dada, come on Cara hurry up so we can fly with our dada.” Cara nodded. “Fly dada!”

  Charlie sighed pleased and delighted that Cara was speaking. “Well I have already flown with dada so can Justice and I still come?” She asked the girls, both nodded.

  “Babbie fly wif mama?” Cara softly asked.

  Kelsey smiled. “Yep!”

  They both quickly finished breakfast then saw to their needs with Charlie’s help while Storm fed his son his first bottle. Then he tackled the thermal jumpsuit Charlie had handed him to place the baby in. It only took him two tries to figure out how to place the baby in the suit. The first time he unfortunately tried to stuff Justice’s little arms into the legs of the suit. With advice from his dragon, his second try was much more successful.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN:

  K nock... Knock!

  Storm opened the door. “You are late!” He admonished Edith who walked past him with Molly in her arms. “Hello, Storm and I know.”

  Storm sighed as his dragon reminded him Manners!

  He tried again. “Hello Edith, where is Ava?”

  Edith smiled as she told him. “Sage is bringing her. Good morning Charlie again.”

  “Hey!” Charlie greeted her.

  “Do not blame me for being late, it was little miss Molly here, she changed dresses twice!”

  “Coosins Edee.” Molly replied seriously.

  “I know sweetie.” Edith said with a smile as she lowered her to the floor.

  “Me come to see you unca Storm, me happy, got coosins and antee.” Molly told him as she reached for her uncle, who took her in his arms and kissed her forehead. “I am happy to see you too. This is your new Auntie Charlie.”

  Molly ducked her head as she said. “Hi!” Charlie fell in love. The girl was gorgeous. “Well hello little one, who is your mother and father?”

  “Mama and dada.” Molly answered in the same serious voice she answered Edith with.

  “Well of course.” Charlie said to the quiet laughter from Storm and Edith. She rolled her eyes at them as Storm said. “This is Reighn and Sage’s oldest girl. Ava is their little one.”

  Charlie asked the little girl. “So how old are you lovely girl?”

  Molly popped her head right up and wiggled to get down as she told her new auntie. “Mees two, Isa big girl!”

  “Yes, you are, and you have come to play with Kelsey and Cara?”

  “Yep me and Kammy.” Just then as if saying her name made her materialize. Kammy ran in and threw herself into Storm’s arms. “Me too Uncle Storm. I come to say hello to cousins and new auntie.”

  “Kammy we are meant to ask to be admitted remember?” Claire told her daughter as she walked in after her while carrying the tiny baby Kale.

  Kammy slipped from Storm’s arms after giving him a kiss on his cheek with wide eyes and said. “Mama, Edee is here.”

  Claire frowned. “I don’t understand?”

  Edith grinned as Kammy and Molly looked at her, then Kammy said. “Edee says family is family. We is family.”

  Claire shook her head. “I still do not understand?”

  Edith said. “What I said was the young are the most important people in the family and we can always trust family to watch out for us. I think they took that as they are wanted everywhere.”

  “Ahh! Along the same lessons we have been teaching them.” Claire said.

  “Of course Sage told me.”

  “Of course.”

  “So how is my nephew?” Edith looked down at the small baby in the carrier.

  “Growing! Sharm is pleased with him.”

  “Of course he is, come to Edee my handsome bear.” She cooed as she unstrapped him from his carrier. Claire grinned at Storm. “We have invaded you, so we could meet your young and your shadow. I hope you have coffee brewing?”

  Charlie watched bemused as her shadow, He really did not seem like the hugging type, opened his arms embracing the smaller female called Claire. Dressed in a lovely green silk shirt and black jeans with black and white spiked hair she sighed as she gr
eeted him. “Hi Storm.”

  “Hello Claire, of course, there is coffee. Now how are you, is my brother treating you well?”

  Claire nodded and said seriously. “He is too scared of you not too!”

  Charlie frowned until Storm laughed and said. “You lie so well, our Claire.”

  “It is a gift.” She grinned at him. He indicated Charlie as they parted. “Claire this is my shadow Charlie. My soul this is Claire, my nest brother Lars’s shadow. They have recently bonded, their little girl Kammy is a tiger and three years old. Their tiny baby boy is a bear.”

  Claire held her hand out. “Nice to meet you, sorry about the hug should have made sure it was okay. Bonding and greeting bonded males is a new thing for me. I am still learning the rules. He is very selective who he allows into his heart. I know you and your children must be very special.”

  Charlie shook her hand. “I sorted that out, otherwise you would be dead, and the hugging is new to me too. They all seem to do it though, looks like we are just going to have to get used to it!”

  “Yep looks that way, as for the other. I appreciate your restraint. My bonded would not understand.” Said an unfazed Claire as she asked. “So Edee said you have young?”

  Charlie smiled. “We do.” Just then the two girls came in from changing their clothes after the flight with Storm. She introduced them. “This is Kelsey who is cougar and five.”

  “Hello Kelsey, I am Claire if you like you can call me Auntie Claire or just Claire. I am Kammy’s mother.”

  Kelsey looked up into the bright clear eyes of her new auntie and saw a kindred spirit. She smiled and sighed all at once. “Hello Auntie Claire.”

  Charlie picked Cara up and said. “This is our Cara, she is two and we are unsure what she is?”

  “Hello, little one how delightful you are. You are so fill, your soul just shines.” Cara laid her head on her mother’s shoulder. She whispered. “ello.”

  In response to Claire’s raised eyebrows, Charlie said. “Edee could not tell us, we will figure it out I am sure!”

  Claire smiled softly to Charlie and Storm then said. “One will come soon that knows and she looked deeply into Charlie’s eyes then said to Storm. “Have Reighn call Ace home soon.”

  “As you say Claire.”

  Charlie asked. “Are you a seer?”

  “As much as I have not wanted to admit it, I am. My loving shadow and family have shown me that I am what I am. And that is okay, so short answer, yes.”

  Charlie nodded. “Are you getting help?”

  “I am training with the best shifters and dragons here. Reighn would have it no other way or Lars now. My gift is becoming stronger and the knowing more ‘clear’. You have gifts?”

  “Yes a few, we will have to get together some time and compare.”

  Claire nodded. “Oh, Sage and Edee will love that.”

  Edith said. “I do. And it is a good idea, you should know, gifts tend to become more evolved when they are in the right place. Or so I am led to believe.”

  “Okay now that makes sense, sort of like why the female dragons have come out of hiding.” Claire said. Storm agreed as Claire asked. “You have a baby boy, too right?”

  Charlie nodded. “Yes, we have Justice who is asleep at the moment, he is seven weeks old and a full dragon.”

  Claire smiled. “A house full, I hope you don’t mind the invasion. We wanted or should I say once Kammy knew she had new cousins, there was no stopping her.”

  Charlie smiled. “No, it is great, it is like instant family and friends all rolled up in one bundle.”

  Edith agreed. “Exactly.”

  Storm asked Claire. “What is Lars doing with his collection?”

  Everyone knew Storm and Lars both collected weapons. Claire sighed, “Nothing, he has them in storage which is a shame, he has some nice pieces.”

  “As do I. I have left mine at my old apartment. I do not want them around my young.”

  “That was Lars’s feelings on it.”

  Just then Sage arrived with Ava. “Hey everyone, I can’t really stay too long… umm, how are you all?”

  There was a general. “Fine!”

  Edith started talking to Storm and Claire about the weapons just as Sage flicked her fingers and two baskets of toys appeared on the lounge floor. Much to Charlie’s astonishment, Sage said. “Witch, comes in handy.”

  Charlie’s. “I am sure!” Was amused, together they watched the four little girls’ edge towards each other. Kelsey was the oldest at five, Kammy next. Molly and Cara were around the same age, Kammy said. “Hi, me is Kammy. This is Molly, who you?”

  Kelsey said. “Hi, I am Kelsey and this is Cara. Storm is our dada.”

  Kammy blinked. “Our dada’s fly, your dada fly?”

  Kelsey eyes became excited. “Yep, we fly this morning.”

  Kammy smiled. “Me and Molly likes flying.”

  Molly nodded. “Yep.”

  Cara nodded as well and said. “Yep.”

  Kammy said. “You have a mama?”

  Kelsey nodded. “Yep.” Then pointed to Charlie.

  They all turned to look at her. Charlie felt like she was under a microscope, as four pairs of eyes sized her up. Sage whispered. “Stand strong don’t let them see you are uneasy, they will seize it and life will be hell.”

  Charlie grinned at her. “You are all really weird aren’t you?”

  Kelsey asked Kammy. “Which one is your mama?”

  Kammy pointed to Claire and then pointing to Sage said. “That Molly’s mama.”

  “You see what I mean?” Sage said out the side of her mouth. Charlie whispered back. “Female you are crazy.”

  “Well, maybe. Didn’t stop you whispering though, huh!” Sage murmured as she placed Ava on the floor only to have her scooped up by Storm.

  “Hello my little Ava.” He crooned to her much as he had to Justice earlier. She giggled as he kissed her cheek. Cara frowned and cried. “My dada!” As she threw herself at Storm’s legs who looked astounded.

  Edith passed the baby to Charlie and squatted down in front of Cara. “Your dada loves you, but he loves others as well.”

  “No my dada.” Cara pouted.

  “Yes, he is sweetie but just like he loves Kelsey and Justice. He loves Ava and Kammy and Molly. It is okay that he does because their daddies will love you and Kelsey and Justice. This is what makes us a family. You Cara are part of our family now. That means every one of your uncles and grandpa and aunties and grandma’s get to hug and cuddle all the young in our family because we all love you.”

  Cara looked up at Storm, then Charlie, then Kelsey who said. “It is true Cara he is our daddy, we can share him like Kammy and Molly will share their daddies.”

  She nodded. “Kay.” And released him.

  Edee stood and looked at Storm. “Wow! What is it that makes you so lovable? Can’t see it myself!” She sniffed loudly and grinned. “Just a male!”

  Storm growled. “Because you do not look hard enough. I am adorable!” Which he said with a straight face and laughing eyes, much to Charlie’s amusement.

  Claire said. “You notice how they don’t have the same worries for us, their mothers?”

  Sage said. “I noticed.”

  Charlie said. “It is because they know we have huge hearts.” She looked at the other three who stared at her confused. “We have too, we love their daddies.”

  All three of the females said. “Oh!”

  As Storm kissed the baby Ava and replaced her on the floor with her toys, he then kissed Cara and each of the girls who giggled at him. Then they all ran off to play in the new playroom. When they entered they all heard their yells of glee and Sage said. “Just a few toys until you can go shopping. Reighn already placed the barriers on the balconies, and someone will be here this afternoon to do the murals. Do you know what you want?”

  “The, what now?” Charlie asked as she lifted her head from the little baby boy. “How old is he?” She asked Claire. She
smiled and softly said. “Two weeks tomorrow.”

  “So tiny.”

  “Yeah but he is doing better, he was very small when we first got him.” At Charlie’s look of disbelief, she said. “Believe me he is.”

  Storm said. “When Claire and Lars first got him he was this big, he held his hands apart a little from each other. “And he weighed less than my phone.”

  Charlie’s eyes widened as she asked and there was a definite growl in her voice. “Who did that to him?”

  “Oh, we don’t know he just arrived here and no one is saying how or why.” Claire told her, then said. “Truthfully I do not care, he is registered as mine and Lars, just like yours are registered to you and Storm. No one can take them from us.”

  Storm nodded. “Or they will die!”

  “Well okay then!” Sage said. “Now the faeries will paint murals for the girl’s bedrooms. If they want to the girls can pick what they want for themselves and the playroom is whatever you all want.”

  “Oh, I see, what do you have?” Charlie asked curiously to see what Sage thought was appropriate.

  Sage smiled. “Forests and trees with cats of all kinds. In Molly’s room, Ava has faeries and rainbows. In the playroom there are wolves and dragons.

  Claire said with a sigh. “We have dragons, loads of dragons.”

  The girls came back in from the playroom. “Mama toys.” Cara said as she cuddled a dragon in her arms, it looked a lot like Storm. When he saw it, he grinned and said. “Thank you Sage.”

  “My pleasure brother always. So Kelsey what paintings do you want in your bedroom?” Sage asked.

  Kelsey smiled. “Auntie Sage can I have hills and trees and flowers, big yellow flowers. I love them.”

  “Well of course you can and Cara what would you like sweet one.” She asked with a smile for the little girl whose face was in a cute little frown. “Me want unicons. I oove unicons, pink and puple ones, me oove pink an puple. Me have unicon, anniee Sage?”