by L M Lacee
“So I can yell at him!”
“Yes my sweet if you feel the need to do so, then we will come back and cuddle some more.”
“Okay, I like that.” She said as he started the shower lowering her to her feet, she wound her arms around his neck and started her assault on his body. He pulled her slowly under the rainfall and proceeded to demonstrate cuddling Elf style.
By the time they had made love in the shower and then dressed and seen to the twins, which was becoming a morning ritual. Thorn saw to their bottles as Ciana changed the girls making them ready for Blossom. They would both sit in the nursery feeding the girls and talk over the coming day.
Blossom would arrive just as they finished to take over as she did today. When they sat down to breakfast they told her they were leaving the following day and why. Whereby she nodded and said she would be ready first thing in the morning and neither Thorn nor Ciana could dissuade her from going, and secretly Ciana was relieved. She had been slightly worried about travelling with both babies.
After they ate breakfast Ciana decided it was late enough to tackle Reighn about taking her babies off world when they reached his office it was to find Andre`, Storm, Rene` and Lars with him.
“Good morning cousin.” Reighn greeted her and she smiled at the endearment as she was hugged by Storm and then passed to Andre`, then Rene` making Thorn laugh at her exasperated face as he stood by Lars who under the noise of the greetings said. “She is adorable. When do you leave?”
Thorn nodded. “She is and tomorrow that is why we are here so early. Thank you for your advice I would not have thought of it.”
“No problem, in truth it was Reighn’s thought that you may not have known.” Thorn looked at Reighn as he watched Ciana. “The Dragon Lord is very wise.” Lars smiled secretly as he said. “That he is.”
They watched as Ciana was placed finally in front of Reighn she straightened her clothes as she looked ruefully up at him. Storm asked when the bonding party would be. She shrugged as she told him Sage had not notified her yet. Which made them all laugh for some reason. Reighn grinned hugged her and asked “Why are you here so early?”
Once released Ciana once more straightened her clothes sighed and said a little waspishly feeling ruffled. “Thorn and I will be leaving tomorrow to go and gather the rest of his clan.”
“Good, you have everything you need?” He asked Thorn who nodded. “That is so.”
Andre` asked. “How long will you be gone, and who are you taking with you?”
Thorn answered. “Two or three days and my warriors, Phoebe and Ark if they are free.”
Andre` said. “Myself of course.”
Thorn bowed. “Of course.”
“And the girls.” Ciana said before anyone could speak again she watched Reighn’s eyes darken as the room went silent. “Ciana!”
“Reighn they are our babies.”
“They are …”
“I know…I know. Thorn explained it to me but Reighn…” She looked deep into his worried eyes “They are our babies, would you let your babies be left behind?”
He sighed as he said. “No I would not but…”
She asked sharply. “What? They are not as precious as ours? Is that what you are implying?”
“No! I would never say that. All young are precious regardless of who they are or where they come from.” He sounded hurt she would even think that she hugged him as she felt his hurt. “Oh, I am sorry… I know you would never think that. Forgive me I am a crazy mother.”
Smiling and accepting her apology Reighn said. “Okay so what I was going to say was, allow me to send warriors with you.”
She pulled away from him Reighn expected an argument what he got was a startled. “Of course you will, we need as much protection as we can get as we are taking important hatchlings with us!”
She turned from him and headed out the door saying over her shoulder. “Seriously Reighn where is your thinking at.” Startling a burst of laughter from all the males there. Ciana held her smile in as she came level with Thorn. “See no problems.”
He eyed her and asked. “What happened to not bloody likely and yelling?”
“Oh Thorn seriously, he is my cousin and the Dragon Lord. One cannot yell at the Dragon Lord, as a King I thought you would know that, really where do you get these ideas from?”
Thorn went slightly darker in color as he snarled softly making Ciana smile as she left the room. “You female, that is where!”
He looked around and spread his hands wide. “My clan has no idea. They will not know what has hit them. We leave at first light tomorrow with your permission my Lord I will be opening a portal to the world we left our people on.”
Reighn nodded. “As I assumed take care we will await your return leave directions please with Lars.”
“Of course.” He hurried out of the room after Ciana. Reighn shook his head at Ciana and Thorn. “It is not only the clan that has no idea who has been invited into their midst. Storm have your bonded and Ace and Harper as well as whoever else you want, to go with you. Tell them they are on protection detail. Brother, Uncle protect our Ciana and our future with everything you have. I give you leave to use deadly force. Storm warn Phoebe her ‘magics’ are required and she is not to hold back.” Storm nodded as Reighn said. “Uncle I grant you portals to use at your discretion.”
Andre bowed his head. “Thank you. Why did you allow her to take them?”
He smiled. “Trust. I need him to trust me and Ciana to know I believe in her. They have the beginnings of our females’ future in their hands and we need them as much as they need us. Plus he sees we will send out best to kill to protect them all.”
Andre` had a thoughtful look in his eyes as he said softly. “You grew up well my nephew. Your father was a great Dragon Lord. You Reighn surpass him. Dragon kind could ask for no one better to oversee the future of our world in these changing times. We are better for your rule. Never doubt you are the right Lord for us.”
“I thank you uncle if I am, it is because of my Sire and family.”
Rene` wiped at his eyes and cleared his throat before saying. “She is going to drive him crazy!”
Andre’ smiled as he replied. “I can only hope.”
They all laughed as they made their way from the office to start their day. Storm and Andre` to prepare for their departure. Reighn to hope he had made the right decision.
EPILOGUE:
Grace stepped up on her deck and stood still as she scented the air. Of their own violation her feet drew her towards the back of her home and found him sitting there on her favorite swing.
“Oh!”
Patrycc smiled his slow smile. “My shadow, I do enjoy our home!”
Here ends book six Thorn and Ciana’s story. Look for the final instalment of Dragon’s Gap in book seven, Conor and Ocean’s story.
Conor & Ocean
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE:
CHAPTER TWO:
CHAPTER THREE:
CHAPTER FOUR:
CHAPTER FIVE:
CHAPTER SIX:
CHAPTER SEVEN:
CHAPTER EIGHT:
CHAPTER NINE:
CHAPTER TEN:
CHAPTER ELEVEN:
CHAPTER TWELVE:
CHAPTER THIRTEEN:
CHAPTER FOURTEEN:
CHAPTER FIFTEEN:
CHAPTER SIXTEEN:
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:
CHAPTER NINETEEN:
CHAPTER TWENTY:
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE:
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO:
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE:
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR:
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE:
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX:
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN:
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT:
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE:
CHAPTER THIRTY:
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE:
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO:
CHAPTER THIRTY THREE:
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR:
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE:
Prologue
T wenty years earlier!
The tall, impossibly beautiful man dressed in clothes that cost more than she or her mother ever earned in a year walked into Sancia Kathan’s shop. Instantly she knew she was in the presence of someone who was not from this world. Who he was or what he was, she thought was a better description. All she knew was she needed to be careful.
Raw power washed over her causing excitement to tingle over her skin raising goose bumps and when he spoke her eyes nearly rolled back in her head. Never in her twenty-one years of life had she ever met or heard someone like him. “Your shop is delightful.” He told her in his musical voice. Sancia blushed, “Thank you but it was my mother’s shop. I just took over last week.”
“Your mother is not here?” He asked as he strolled around, looking at the sparkling shelves with their magical ornaments on display and bunches of herbs hanging from every available space.
Sancia shook her head then realizing he was not looking at her hurriedly explained. “No, my mother passed away two weeks ago.”
He walked back to where she stood behind the old scarred wooden counter, her fingers clutching at the edge to stop them trying to touch the silver haired male. He smiled at her making her blush deepen as she worried he may know how attracted to him she was. His bright blue eyes shown at her like the sparkling crystals her mother use to collect when they washed up on the shore. Those eyes and that smile combined to make her knees weaken as he sorrowfully told her. “I am sorry for your loss.”
Sancia shrugged. She and her mother seldom agreed on anything. Mainly because as Sancia knew she was a better, more powerful witch than her mother, Maria Kathan had ever been or could have ever have been. For years Sancia had been casting spells and making potions for people that her mother turned away. By the age of fifteen, Sancia was tired of her mother’s constant lectures about witches doing no wrong, or that Sancia’s pride in her powers would be her down fall. So far her mother had been wrong on both counts.
As she looked at the beautiful male standing on the other side of the counter from her, she knew her mother was wrong again. Beauty was not just within a body it could shine from the surface as well. Breathlessly she asked. “What is it you need?”
“You are the only herb witch in this town?”
Sancia laughed lightly. “I am the only witch in this state.”
“I need a potion that can fell a dragon.”
Sancia stopped laughing and looked the handsome male over again. She shook her head. Her mother had drummed into her from the time she could understand. That one, dragons were real and two, no one should be foolish enough to go against the dragons. And Sancia, although she did not know why, heeded her mother’s warning. “I am sorry I cannot help you.”
The male smiled again. “I am willing to pay twenty thousand dollars!”
Sancia almost swallowed her tongue, thinking he must be desperate to offer that much money. For a heartbeat Sancia wanted to agree, automatically her mind started cataloging the ingredients for such a potion and how long it would take to age for potency. Then she sighed inwardly and casually stated as she drew an imaginary symbol on the wooden counter.
“That is a lot of money, but I decline.”
“Fifty thousand!”
Sancia felt her heart speed up again and heard her mother’s warning voice in her mind but dear Goddess. How could she refuse? That was a lot of money. She refused to look at him directly. From under her lashes she watched him as a frown marred his forehead. Then he leaned in a little making her head dizzy, a little from his scent, she sniffed but could not quite make out what it was. Sandalwood and something else then all thought flew from her mind as he whispered. “Seventy five thousand!” Which succeeded in banishing her mother’s voice from her mind. She steeled her resolve and placed her palms down on the wooden counter to hold herself in place as she breathed out. “One hundred thousand!”
Then Sancia prayed with all her might that he would say yes.
“Agreed!” He smiled as Sancia remained motionless from shock at his easy acceptance. It did flirt through her mind to wonder if she could have asked for more. With another look into those beautiful, watchful eyes, she shivered knowing it would not be a wise move. Instead, she nodded and said. “Up front?”
“Half now… half on completion. Do we have a deal?”
Sancia sealed her fate and never heard the wail of despair from her mother or the long line of witches that came before her.
“Deal! It will be ready in five months.”
CHAPTER ONE:
Present day
I t had been twenty years to the day that she had given the beautiful stranger the small brown bottle of potion. As Sancia walked back into her home after an exhausting month long holiday abroad she thought she had never been so tired, she did not even stop to unpack. Showering then she dropped onto her nice comfortable bed to sleep just as the sun began to set. Only to be woken much later when her feet touched the wet grass of her backyard and she found herself standing in her nightgown bathed in moonlight. A voice filled the moonlit backyard and covered Sancia in fear.
Little witch, do you know what day it is?
Sancia closed her eyes and dropped her head, of course she did, and she had almost convinced herself it had all been a dream. The male, the potion, the dragons. She raised her head as she felt something arrive in front of her. She found herself looking up at a tall hooded male and into the face of her demise. Sancia knew the bell was tolling as her mother warned her so long ago, for her. Her fate was sealed had been sealed the minute she had accepted the commission to make the potion.
She looked into the shadow of the hood and saw swirling universes and knew she saw them because the being before her allowed it. She knew no dream had ever been as real as the voice asked.
Little witch why did you make the potion to fell the dragon?
Who are you?
Oh little witch you know who I am!
An Elemental?
Little witch why did you make the potion to kill the dragon?
It was a lot of money, more than I had ever seen before.
So you went against your teachings and forfeited your life for money?
Weeping Sancia nodded. I did. I was young and stupid. I am sorry!
Are you? What have you done to repent since then?
I have spent the last twenty years helping people, following my mothers and her mother’s teachings. I give away as much as I earn.
The Elemental nodded and the voice said softly. I see, and you think this makes up for the poisoning of a chosen one?
Sancia sighed and shook her head. She had learnt a lot about the dragons over the last twenty years and knew they were chosen by the Goddess. No… no… nothing will. I am sorry… did the dragon die?
No, he survived by the will of his ancestors!
Oh thank the Goddess! Sancia clasped her hands to her chest as she breathed out, her biggest fear was the dragons would trace the potion to her if the dragon died. Do you know why I am here?
To take my life?
Little witch, what would that teach you?
Sancia shrugged. I suppose not much really.
No. I have a better solution. So let us make a deal. Your life for servitude.
Oh…oh, I never thought of that?
I am sure you did not.
What must I do?
Serve the people and shifted of your world until we feel you have atoned for the near death of the chosen.
What if I do not?
The voice became sharp and hard. Little witch does your life mean so very little to you?
No… no, it does not. Sancia said in small timid voice. What must I do?
A notebook appeared in her hands. Fill this with good deeds and when it is completed your debt is repaid.
She flipped the book open as her heart sank, when she s
aw the many pages but relief in having her life made her lift her head and say. Thank you Elemental.
Go in peace. We will talk again little witch.
As she turned to walk back into the house she heard her mother’s voice telling her.
My daughter be thankful for your life. Your pride is what has caused you to become beholden to the Elementals.
I know mother…I know!
CHAPTER TWO:
T he girl whispered. “Are you sure we are doing the right thing?”
The boy whispered back. “I don’t want it, do you?” She frantically shook her head. “No, I don’t, my dad will kill me. What about yours?”
“I don’t have a dad remember, but my mom would kill you and me.”
She cried softly making sure not to raise her voice as she moaned. “Shit, I just want this to all go away.”
The boy sighed and nodded. “Me too! Okay so I am gonna wrap it up in the blanket and get rid of it.” He grimaced at the smell as he began wrapping the bundle up. The girl whimpered. “Yeah okay, hurry so I don’t have to look at it.”
Standing up he said. “Alright, did you take the medicine the witch gave you?”
“No...I am scared, what is in it, what did she say again?” He sighed dramatically as only a teenage boy can. “Damn Trudy you are a pain, just take the medicine, she said if you do, it will be like it never happened. Shit Trudy, why do you have to make a big deal over everything?”
Pouting like the teenage girl she was, she whined. “Like this is my fault you asshole, if you...”
“Aww! Shut the hell up and drink the stupid medicine. I am gonna dump this and then I am going home.”
“What about me Robbie?… Come on Robbie. I am sorry!” Trudy cried as tears ran down her face and splashed on her hand that was holding the small brown bottle of clear liquid. The boy named Robbie turned and walked away the bundle in his hands.
The teenage girl was scared to drink the contents of the small bottle. The other bottle of medicine the witch had given her to drink yesterday had tasted funny and made her feel all light headed. And her body had felt strange all night. Thinking of her father and his anger if he should ever find out what she and Robbie had done and that Robbie… her sweet Robbie was a shifter frightened her way more than the weird taste of the witches medicine could ever do.