Dragon's Gap: Set Includes Stories 4-5 Plus Love's Impulse

by L M Lacee

  Olinda nodded. “Okay I will give it a go, for now!”

  Charlie gave her a serious look. “That is a start. Now I am out of here. I am sure you will find me when you are ready.” So saying she left closing the door softly behind her.

  Olinda looked under the sheet. “Naked! Of course why not?” She slipped from the bed, and walked into the bathroom and swooned, it was delicious, tiled walls in a soft white, with light blue veined marble sinks and the shower was huge. Three people at least could fit in there.

  As she counted, her eyes opened wide, twelve shower heads, six on either end plus a rainfall.

  She rubbed her hands over the soft thick towels that laid on the heated rack as her eyes feasted on the bath. It was a large corner tub that had jets and would fit two. She so wanted to just fill it and then soak for hours but alas she had somewhere to be and someone waiting on her.

  She thought about that for a minute, it was such a novel experience to actually have somewhere to be and someone waiting for her.

  She sighed partly in trepidation and partly in anticipation then looked around at the bathroom. The whole room was one of luxury. She did a slow circle and stopped and stared at the person in the full length mirror. A stranger stared back at her.

  This woman who looked back at her was skinny. She had lost so much weight her cheeks were hollow and her eyes, her eyes were dark pits of pain. A haunted knowledge of fear and betrayal resided there.

  Olinda shook her head, if her mother could see her now. Then she felt the anger rise, if her mother had just been honest with her there would be no now. Sadness swallowed her.

  Olinda calm! Said the soothing voice in her mind.

  No leave me alone! I am allowed to feel this way, betrayed, abandoned. You who knows so much and will not explain have no rights to tell me how to feel! Leave me to wallow in my anger!

  She snarled out her rage before she felt a heartfelt sigh wash through her mind and then she was alone once more.

  Olinda took a deep breath and let it out slowly, banishing the tears that would not fall along with the anger that seemed to be always present. “Well first a shower, then dress, then information, then food.” She said out loud, the room was so quiet it was unnerving, it was like the very air waited for her to do something.

  When she had been alone in the wildness silence had been her friend, here it seemed wrong. She hurriedly stepped into the shower. Okay I can do this!

  CHAPTER EIGHT:

  C harlie stepped from the bedroom and walked slowly along the corridor to the enormous lounge. Ash and Storm stood shoulder to shoulder looking out over the view of the lake. They both turned when she entered. Ash asked. “How is she?”

  “Awake, sane and showering, she will be out in a few minutes you cannot be here?”

  “I am her shadow?” he growled, causing Storm to shrug a little. Charlie moved to his side, Storm’s arm automatically went around her. She softened her instinctive snarl of rebuke as she felt Ash’s pain.

  “Right now, she trusts no one. You all have seen that over the last three days or her shooting Axl and stabbing you wasn’t example enough?”

  “She was not in her right mind then, she was sick.” Ash argued.

  “Agreed.” said Charlie, “But do you know why she was like that?”

  Ash shook his head. “We could not find out, she would just scream when we asked. Finally Claire said we had to call for you.”

  Charlie lent her head against Storm’s arm as she said. “Well I can tell you, there are only a few reasons a person does that and they all come from some type of abuse. Ash this is why you called me back. So let me handle it.”

  He nodded unhappy about it but he would do as she asked. “Reighn said you would understand her the most, he was fearful she would hurt herself.”

  Charlie smiled as she asked. “She will not, she is far stronger than that, you were frightened for her?”

  Ash sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “I am, I was. To be near her is torture, my dragon and I are finding it hard to cope.”

  She looked at Storm. “I understand give me time, give her time. How are the hatchlings?”

  He smiled. “They miss their mama but at least they do not whimper and cry like they did before.”

  Storm finally said. “Sun dragons what do the histories say?”

  Ash shrugged. “Keeper is looking through all the written texts now.” They heard the soft tread of feet on the floor, both males moved swiftly from the room. Charlie heard the front door closing behind them just as Olinda entered from the hall. She stood in jeans, blue tee shirt with her old high tops on. She looked around then asked. “He was here?”

  Charlie did not show it but she was impressed they had not known she was there listening.

  She nodded. “With my husband, they left. I asked him to give you some space.”

  “Did I really stab him?”

  “Yes but he forgives you.”

  Olinda shoved her hands into the back pockets of her jeans as she said. “So coffee, food and an explanation, I think you said.”

  “I did.” Charlie moved past her and frowned wondering what was missing. Something was not right but she could not place what it was.

  Olinda looked at the place Ash had been, she could swear she could feel him as though he was still in the room.

  She shook her head. Active Imagination! Shrugging she followed the short woman to the kitchen were food was placed on the table along with coffee. “Help yourself.” Charlie told her as she sat.

  CHAPTER NINE:

  K eeper stood and stretched his back “Impossible!” he muttered. He had been at the history books for the last two days researching sun dragons as well as Ella’s origins. So far he had found out nothing about Ella that did not lead straight back to her family.

  As for the hatchlings, he had read plenty which was a vast amount of conjecture and very little fact. He had read everything he had been able to get his hands on from his library and everything the historians had. Which in truth was everything he had in his collection and still he did not believe that apart from a line or two, there was nothing about sun dragons.

  He had found references of reports of oral stories of sun dragons, which had been spoken about throughout history. It just seemed that no one thought to write the actual stories down. It was mildly frustrating and if he was honest, intriguing to the scholar in him.

  “You are Keeper Kingsley?” Asked a deep bass voice from behind him. Keeper sighed, he knew he should have turned the table around to face the door as Johner had advised weeks before.

  Keeper turned slowly, he had not heard the dragon arrive. His dragon snarled as he too had not heard the male enter. It was disconcerting for them both to know they had let their guard down.

  Instantly Keeper became wary as he watched the male move further into the back room he was using, in what would eventually be the library.

  “I am.”

  The male’s hands opened and closed with quick spasms, an action that Keeper had seen before on former Hunters and Shields. A sword hand his Sire called it, an unconscious action, they felt slightly lost without their swords in their hand.

  The male looked at the opened books spread all over the surface of the large table overflowing on to the floor.

  “You are shadow to Ella Field?”

  Keeper nodded. “Are you her father?”

  The dragon snorted. “No. I will be visiting him and his family soon. I am her uncle from her birth parents. On her Sire’s side!”

  Keeper raised his eyebrows, the only indication of his surprise. “Yes she is my shadow.”

  “They have not threatened to take her from you?” He asked worry in his tone. Keeper inclined his head. “Yes they did, however they did not succeed. I will not tolerate my shadow to be hurt nor will my family and unless you do not realize it the Dragon Lord is family.”

  “I did not miss that.” The male said. “I am thankful, I worried I would be too late.”


  “For what?”

  He looked at Keeper. “What do you know of your shadow?”

  Keeper eyed the male, he was a hard tough looking warrior, he would hazard a guess and say an Elite. At least as old as Reighn, he had short red hair, close cropped to his skull with hard brown eyes, he sported a well-trimmed mustache and goatee and spoke with a brogue that denoted his highland beginnings.

  Once Keeper looked for it, he saw his Ella in the male dragon and smiled. “I would say not enough and you are proof of that. What line are you?”

  “Slorah from the First Dragons, before the Romans named us Caledoni. What today is considered Celts. I and Ella are the last of our line. I am Finlay Slorah.”

  Keeper nodded. “Obviously you are royal?”

  Fin nodded slightly, suspicion entering his eyes. “My ancestor was a cousin to Kato Kingslayer.”

  “So far back, cousin to my ancestors. I never looked that far into the past. Sad to say the past historians only considered the First Dragons to be those with a variation of the family name Kingsley. I have scholars going through all the old texts and reinstating all the original First Dragons. I am sorry to say we have not got to your line yet but now you are here maybe you would be willing to help with that?”

  “I would be pleased to make all the documents I have available to you. So you have been searching?”

  “Yes, Ella on our bonding developed a ring of purple, much as you have in your eyes.”

  Finlay sighed it only showed when he was emotionally charged as he was now. “It only shows occasionally as with my brother, from birth we bred true. Our Sire told us. It seems Ella has as well. Is her ring permanent?”

  “No it comes and goes. Reighn and Sharm believe it is based on emotions which makes sense.” Keeper seemed to be talking to himself as he murmured. “Of course that would explain the physical differences she has to the Field’s and their interest in her. I suppose.”

  “It would, so you know Ella is not from them?” Finlay asked relaxing a little.

  Keeper nodded. “We only recently suspected. Reighn our Lord Dragon...

  “Asked my brother, shadow to Ella, to research the possibility. Commander Finlay Slorah. I am glad you are back.”

  They both spun around at Reighn’s voice, to be confronted by Reighn, Lars and Johner.

  “My Lord.” Fin bowed deeply, he liked and respected Reighn, he always had.

  While growing up they had very little contact, even though they were around the same age, due to distances and separate continents but on the rare occasions they had managed to get together it had been fun to play with Reighn, Storm, Ash and Ace. He then said. “I am glad to be home as well.”

  Reighn clasped arms with him. “You have met Keeper. These two are our brothers, Lars my prime and Johner my castle commander.”

  He clasped arms with each of them. Reighn smiled as he told the other three. “It has been many years since we last stood in each other’s presence.”

  Fin also smiled. “Too many years, how are Storm, Ace and Ash?”

  “Storm is bonded, Ash is trying to become bonded and Ace will be home soon.”

  Lars said. “I feel a males night to catch Finlay up on all the happenings of Dragon’s Gap is warranted.”

  “Any excuse to drink dragon ale brother?” asked Reighn.

  “Well there is that but at least this is a legitimate reason.”

  Fin raised an eyebrow. “Even I see that as weak!”

  They all laughed, then Reighn asked. “So Ella is from your line?”

  “That is so.”

  Reighn nodded, Keeper asked him. “You suspected?”

  He smiled at his brother. “I did and hoped, she has the look of him. Finlay Slorah and his family were known to be loyal and dedicated to dragon kind and are the finest swordsmen ever. Even better than the Battle brothers.”

  Fin asked. “Who?”

  Reighn said quietly. “The Tomas brothers.”

  “Oh! I see.” And they could see the dragon putting two and two together. “I feel, I need to be caught up as Lars has said, with Dragon’s Gap and my friends?”

  Reighn said. “You do and will be. So where have you been?”

  “Chasing dragons but not here on earth.” he smiled at all but Reighn’s surprised reactions as he told them. “Dragons fly and not always on earth!”

  Keeper grinned. “I have read that.” As the others laughed at the often quoted saying which they all knew was more than likely true.

  Reighn agreed. “It has always been that Shields have gone off world to hunt for the wild ones, so hopefully those that remained away will come home now.”

  Fin told them. “It was not that we did not like the past Dragon Lord’s rule it was more that we were not in line with many of our elder’s direction on where dragon kind needed to go. Too many fingers in the pies as a friend of mine quotes.”

  Reighn nodded. “He is right, there were. We have reduced that now. So what called you home?”

  “Recently I was told that our new Dragon Lord has made changes for the better and that my niece was alive and bonded.” He nodded to Reighn and then Keeper.

  “Who told you such?” Asked Lars.

  “An Elemental, not two days ago.”

  “You thought Ella was dead?” Asked Keeper. Thinking it was the only thing that would have kept this dragon away from her.

  Fin replied. “Yes, my brother and his shadow and wee Ella.”

  “As we did of you Fin.” Said Reighn foregoing telling them he and Ace had often thought Fin had taken his own life. Reighn said now. “It seems there are questions to be asked and answered.

  Prime and Commander, please take a unit of castle guards and bring the whole Field family, every one of them to court. I want them there by two o’clock today, no excuses and no reasons accepted. Also ask Stan and Jacks to attend. They have been looking into the Fields finances, they should have something by now.”

  As they turned to leave Reighn then said. “I do not care how the Fields arrive or in what condition. As long as they are there and able to answer questions and while I remember, make sure Donald Patten the healer is there. It seems his rehabilitation is not going well. Court will be in session at two o’clock.”

  Lars said. “Edee will be pleased!”

  Reighn grimaced as he snarled. “Leave, annoying males!” They saluted and left quickly, smiles on their faces.

  Reighn said to Fin. “I expect you there as well. Keeper you had better find Ella and introduce her to her uncle.”

  “Yes my lord.” he said and pulled his phone out as they listened he said. “Edee!”

  Reighn sighed and gave Keeper a dirty look as he pulled his phone out while he started to walk from the room saying. “Sage my soul.”

  Keeper said. “Edith can you come to our place please?”

  “Why?”

  “Edee, it is about Ella.”

  “I will be there in two. Where are you?”

  “At the Library.”

  “Huh! I am outside.” They heard the door open and close then her footsteps come closer as Keeper closed his phone he said to Fin. “The Lady that is coming is Edith, Sharm’s shadow. She is Ella’s friend and you should know she is a grounder.”

  Fin’s eyebrows went up over his brown eyes “Really! I did not know they still existed?”

  Edith rounded the doorway. “They do. I do! So what about Ella?”

  Keeper introduced Fin. “Edee this is Finlay Slorah. Ella’s uncle, her true uncle from her birth parents.”

  Edith said nothing for minute as she looked the male up and down. Just when Finlay was starting to feel uncomfortable, she hissed out a breath. “Oh thank the goddess she is not related to the vipers.” Then fell on the startled male hugging him saying. “This is wonderful. I am so very happy.”

  She released him with a huge smile on her face and asked Keeper. “Can I tell them? Please let me tell them?”

  He laughed hard, firstly at the males astoun
ded expression and secondly at Edith’s request. “No you cannot. Reighn has convened court.”

  “Ohh! She pouted. “Not fun.”

  “You can come to court at two o’clock today where he has demanded the Fields be present. As a bonus Reighn has demanded Donald attend.”

  She bounced on her toes. “The twat! Now that is what I call a two for one deal.”

  Keeper grinned at her excitement. “Edee we are going to our place, Ella needs to be told and introduced to her uncle.”

  Edith nodded. “She will need mama Verity. And I need to tell Sharm.”

  “I will organize them.” said Keeper then asked the dragon. “Where are you staying?”

  He shrugged. “I have not thought on it.” Keeper said. “Please stay with us, Ella and you will need time to talk and find out about each other.”

  “She will not mind?” He asked hesitantly.

  Edith asked before Keeper could reply. “Did you leave because you did not care about Ella?”

  He looked shocked. “No I thought she was dead as her Dam and Sire are.”

  Edith shrugged. “So why would she not like you?”

  He did not answer. Edith asked. “One question I have though, is how did they get Ella?”

  “I cannot answer that as I do not know but I too would very much like to find out!” Said Fin.

  Keeper said. “Oh I have no doubt our Lord will be asking that question and several more and will get answers.”

  “Or I will.” Said Edith under her breath as she turned to leave. “So your Dam is visiting Sharm and Ella at work. I will take Commander Finlay to your place.”

  “Work… Ella works?” Asked a startled Finlay.

  Edith looked at Keeper, then the male, then Keeper and said. “What?”

  Keeper hurriedly explained. “Commander Slorah is surprised Ella works. Females that have been brought up by females like Ella’s mother do not normally work because their Dams do not consider working, lady like.”

  “Oh yeah that archaic drivel.”

  Keeper agreed. “It is!” And to stop any more of Edith’s hot words on the subject of the elders, he said to Finlay. “Ella is a healer a very talented one.”