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

by L M Lacee

  “Well we will need some things then.”

  “Like what?” Johner asked.

  “I need a job as does Harper and she needs a barn for her art.”

  “You are an artist?” Storm asked and Harper read shock in his voice. Charlie was shocked, really shocked. Oh my Harper!

  Harper frowned at him. “Why do you say it like that?” Which made Storm smile his slow smile. “It was not a slight, more a comment on the temperamental artist!”

  Harper gave him a hard stare. “I am so… not temperamental!”

  Frankie choked on her shake, Johner patted her on her back, wheezing she said. “Oh Harper you should not lie like that!”

  “Frankie how can you say that I am?”

  “Am I or am I not allowed to come into your work space?”

  “Not discussing it.” Then she looked at Storm and growled. “Why are you smirking?”

  Storm who was smirking and not even trying to hide it raised an eyebrow.

  “What kind?” Reighn interrupted quickly before his brother had a knife buried in his chest. Charlie must have thought the same, as she shifted to stand in front of her shadow. Frankie said. “Famous!”

  Harper sighed. “Frankie!”

  Frankie’s looked became mulish when she said. “What? It is true. You have your art in galleries all over the world. Harper is a sculptor, and a painter.”

  She told them. “At the moment her medium is metal.” She flipped open her phone and showed them pictures of Harper’s work. “Look!”

  Photo after photo of large beautiful pieces appeared, bears, lions, wolves, couples entwined, a mare with her foal, stallions, unicorns, people, not all were in metal some were in marble and bronze. Some were abstract but still held beauty in their depths and colors. Frankie pointed to them and said. “Harper calls these her whimsies. Then she showed them the half finished work in marble of what was obviously a faerie in flight.”

  Rene` looked at the pictures of the beautiful works and then the small female standing looking uncomfortable in his son’s apartment. Her heart was dented he realized, not dead, one could not have a dead heart or soul and create such magnificent art.

  Reighn inclined his head in respect and softly told her. “The barn will be up in three to four days, can you supply what you require tomorrow? You will have a place to live, both you and Frankie. Mama what apartment?”

  She looked at them both and smiled. “The bronze will do nicely.” Just then two whirlwinds flew in followed by several more. The Faeries had arrived. Queen Scarlett and King Elijah grew as did their guards and bowed to Reighn and the others.

  Forgive our intrusion Dragon Lord. Niece we felt a new grey one arrive?”

  Charlie nodded. “Yes it is my sister Harper who I thought was dead and her friend Frankie. I am sorry, what is your last name?” She asked her.

  Frankie smiled. “It is spring.”

  “No not happening!” Harper snarled once more as she made for the door. Reighn stepped in front of her.

  “No you stay!”

  “Why the hell should I?”

  “They are your Aunt and Uncle that is why and they are very nice people. Your sister has a relationship with them.”

  Harper shook her head. “See that is where you don’t get it. I am not my sister, never was, never will be.” She lent in closer to him and whispered. “For that I am sorry.”

  Louder she told him. “These people are nothing to me, they left us, we were abused, left alone in the clutches of an evil asshole and his bitch that wanted our mother dead and punished us for breathing. If they could have killed us they would have. Our mother called out for help with her dying breath. Do not lie and call it any different Charlie. You know she did.” Harper reminded Charlie when she saw she was going to talk.

  Charlie snapped her mouth closed and just nodded, knowing now was not the time to debate Harper on that memory.

  Harper carried on. “They did not come and we were abandoned, alone. I killed to keep Charlie safe. I made her fight shades. I fought demons and things I never want to think about again.”

  She mind sent to Reighn. After that night, I was changed, it left me marked with something inside me, and darkness haunts my life now!

  His eyes opened wide but he only nodded not letting anyone else know she had talked to him that way.

  She shook her head. Her eyes held anger and fear with a touch of deep despair as she said to him. “You have no idea! Charlie may forgive them. That is her business. I cannot. Now step out of my way. I like you Reighn but this is not your concern.”

  He said gently to her. “That is where you are wrong, you are my concern.”

  Startled Harper asked. “What the hell! Why?”

  He lent down. “Because you are family.”

  “Oh Reighn! That is just not right.”

  “Harper you have to speak to them.” Charlie said quietly. Without looking at her Harper said. “See that is where you are wrong! I don’t have too.”

  “Yeah you do she is Juna’s sister. Our aunt and uncle.”

  Scarlett placed her hand on Charlie’s arm as the shattered look in Harper’s eyes hurt her heart in return. “Cease niece, the time is not right, we did not come to cause hurt or disagreement.”

  “Then why are you here?” Frankie asked. They both bowed to Frankie. “To offer our friendship and an invitation.”

  “For whom?”

  “The High Queen wishes to speak to Harper.” Harper asked without looking at them or Charlie. “Now why would she wish to do that?”

  Scarlett said. “You have the ability to quebliss and fight in the grey mist!”

  Harper raised her eyes to Charlie’s who read betrayal in her sister’s eyes, as she asked of no one in particular. “Now how do you suppose she learnt of that?”

  Charlie spread her hands wide and hunched her shoulders defensively. “What? I thought you were dead.” At Harper’s look of disbelief for the defense she had stated, Charlie then growled. “Do not have attitude with me. I believed you were dead and it would not make any difference, how did I know you would magically appear!”

  “You always were a chatter box.” Snarked Harper.

  “Really?” Storm asked. “Chatter box?”

  Sage and Verity smothered their laughs at the sour look on Charlie’s face as she said. “When I was young. I learnt to stay quiet as I got older.”

  “Huh! Apparently not!” Harper sniped.

  Frankie said to forestall another round of arguments. “Well that is all very nice but I think this is not the right time. Please ask the High Queen to wait until Harper is ready, however long that takes!”

  She grinned at Harper as her look turned mutinous.

  Frankie turned and smiled at the Faerie Queen and King. “Maybe wait until we have settled in more?”

  The male inclined his head and said. “As you wish.” and they instantly reduced size and left, everyone stared at Frankie.

  “Who are you that you can make the Queen and King leave?” Sage asked a speculative look on her face. Harper said quietly. “She is special and also tired, Frankie we leave.”

  Charlie called softly. “Harper please!”

  She hung her head. “I heard you Charlie, sister of my blood. I am broken, not everything can be fixed in a day. I will not go back on my word.”

  Charlie said. “I am sorry.”

  Harper sighed. “Another day please!”

  “As you wish, they are family though Harper.”

  “No, yes, maybe! You and Frankie, your children all these people apparently are family. It is to be determined if they are. Let us leave it for now!”

  Storm placed his arm around Charlie and tightened it a little making her stop what she was going to say and with a quick look up into his face she relented and said instead. “Okay another day.”

  Reighn nodded his agreement. “Let us take you to your new home.”

  “Thank you.” Harper said with relief. He held the door open for her a
nd Sage to leave through leaving Storm, Charlie and his parents alone.

  Frankie walked together with Johner following after the quiet people in front as they all walked along the hallway. Frankie said. “So I will stay with Harper and you will court me.”

  “This is so, how long must we court you for?”

  “I am thinking.” She screwed her lips up again as she thought. “At least two weeks.”

  “My dragon will not cope, three days!”

  “Oh well that will not do, ten days.”

  “I wish I could say that would work, five days”

  “Oh... Oh wow! Okay five days. Harper, Johner is going to court me for five days.”

  “Well that is great.” Harper called back as she smiled. Sage walking beside her asked. “You are happy about that?”

  Harper grinned wider. “You have met Frankie right?”

  Confused a little Sage looked back at the happy couple and remembered the nulling of her blue globe and said. “Yes!”

  Harper nodded. “Now she is your brother’s problem.”

  “Oh...Oh I see but she is absolutely lovely and innocent, her nature shines like sunlight.”

  “Very lovely, very sweet a little crazy and very talkative and just plain happy all the friggin time!”

  “Annoying!” Reighn said from behind them.

  “See!” Harper pointed with her thumb over her shoulder. “He gets it.”

  They made it to their new apartment a floor below Charlie’s and Storm’s on the second family level. When Sage opened the doors to the apartment they were overwhelmed at its beauty the whole place was just gorgeous, decorated in soft shades of bronze and tones of cream.

  “Wow!” Frankie said. “I love it.”

  “Yeah.” Harper spoke softly as she gazed around at what was to become her new home. June who came in behind them as they entered was introduced and said. “You have three bedrooms with balconies and en-suites, large walk in closets, a kitchen, lounge, and a half bath for guests and two offices.”

  Johner trailed around after Frankie noting what she liked and did not. Sage, June and Reighn after quick goodbyes left leaving Harper to wander around her new home. She stood on the balcony off her lounge and watched dragons fly by and could see the faeries as they flitted through the skies and her heart ached. Johner moved up beside her. “Frankie is marking her territory.” At Harper’s confused look he said with a shrug. “I assume the rolling around on the bed is what she is doing.”

  Harper smiled “Sounds about right.” He brushed a hand through his hair as he said. “I apologize for my conduct earlier.”

  Harper sighed. “As do I, she is dear to me.”

  “I understand that I will keep her safe, I swear!”

  “I know you will, she is fragile you know, her heart has been stepped on and beaten a lot. She thinks I do not know but she was abused as a child. Left by parents that cared nothing for her. Her young life was fraught with fear and pain and she was often locked in a dark cupboards for days at a time. Most of what happened to her she has suppressed but it is there and what she remembers is barely worth remembering. You will need to have your brother Keeper or your Sire remove those memories soon. She needs patience and love, loads of love.”

  She warned him. “You should know, she does not think like we all do. Something got wired wrong either before her birth or because of her childhood.”

  Johner nodded as he thought about what she had told him. “How do you know what my father and brother can do?”

  Harper looked at him and decided to be honest with him for Frankie’s sake and for herself. These people were to be her family so they deserved honesty at least. “I am what you would call a seeker. I can find anything, anywhere.”

  “Is that why Charlie is upset because you did not look for her?”

  “I will tell you a secret I could not. I was not on earth for many years.”

  Johner sighed. “I see, these are matters for you and your sister. Just know I am always available to talk to. Now as for my future shadow, the way she thinks is what I like the most about her, she is unique.”

  Harper laughed then said. “She is that alright, you know as well as me that Frankie is not all human right?”

  “I do, can you not find out?”

  “No something stops me, either it is her or me. All I know is that the answer to Frankie is obscured at this time.”

  “You believe you will find out?”

  “I believe we will, yes! I also believe you will make a good mate for her. She needs someone like you who is strong and calm. You probably guessed she is afraid of closed in spaces.”

  “Well that explains your reaction to my father’s threat.”

  Harper gave a lopsided grin. “Yeah an overreaction on my part.”

  Johner grinned also. “Maybe!”

  “Listen you should know some people will try to use her, you will have to guard against that if I am not around.”

  “Do not worry, we Kingsley’s are very good at watching out for our loved ones.” Together they listened and smiled at the happy sounds coming from a bedroom. Johner said under his breath, “Five days! I can do five days.” Harper grinned knowing for him, it was to be a long week.

  CHAPTER FIVE:

  T he next day Johner arrived early with coffee for Harper and a shake for Frankie. When Harper let him in he said as he passed out the drinks. “I thought I would take you for a tour of the castle.”

  Frankie was excited. “Yes…Yes Harper, isn’t that exciting?”

  “No! I can think of nothing worse than to be stuck with you two.” She crossed her eyes at them as Johner grinned at her. “Seriously it is the last thing I wish to do, playing third wheel to you two, so not happening. Go with my blessing.”

  “Oh Harper it is the castle!” Frankie told her all starry eyed as she looked at Johner. Harper placed her hands under her chin and fluttered her eyelashes at her. “Oh Frankie I know.” Making Johner laugh and Frankie pout. She dropped her hands and swung her bag over her shoulder. “Nope! I have places to go and people to see!”

  “Where and who?” Frankie asked suspiciously.

  “Never you mind!”

  “There will be no killing right?” Frankie demanded to know. Harper grinned at her and Johner whose expression was a cross between amused and worried. Shen then sniffed dramatically and said. “I swear, I cannot swear to that.”

  “See?” Frankie grumbled to Johner. “This is why we have to leave towns.”

  “Oh so dramatic, I am off, see you later for dinner you remember you said you were cooking, steaks, salad and chips.”

  Johner asked Frankie. “You can cook?”

  Frankie sighed, “Only streaks, salad and chips.”

  “Oh I see.”

  They waved as Harper left them. Frankie said when she was sure Harper was gone. “I cannot really cook I buy dinner and have it delivered, Harper doesn’t know.”

  Johner thought maybe Harper did but allowed her to believe otherwise. Frankie looped her arm though his as they started from the apartment. “Do you know of a place that will deliver dinner?”

  “Yes but I will cook for you and Harper.”

  “Oh that is wonderful, are you sure? We have no groceries.”

  “We will have them delivered today, do not worry about it, I will take care of it.”

  “Oh okay thank you Johner so where will we go first?”

  While Johner and Frankie discussed where in the castle their tour would begin Harper was making her way from the castle but it was slow going as there were many tapestries to look at and study. She finally made the steps leading from the castle and breathed in a breath of fresh air. She looked right, then left, closed her eyes and then smiled when she felt the pull from her right. So it was to be exploring the town today. Happy, Harper set off to discover her new town.

  CHAPTER SIX:

  H arper stood on the cobble stoned sidewalk in front of a single red door a tall, stuck in the middle of a long
, wide stone wall that went on for a whole block. She stepped back and read the large sign screwed in place.

  “Broadsword Stronghold! Huh, my kind of place. Must be a weapons shop.” Harper murmured, at first she thought it may have been a hole in the wall pub, like they have in England but when she read the sign she changed her mind. She pushed the wooden door open and entered a wonderland of weapons. Large small, wherever she looked there were weapons of all kinds new and old.

  Lars watched the small female enter and grinned as he said to Fin. “This lady is Charlie’s sister, newly arrived to the Gap.”

  Fin eyed the small female, she had the look of Storm’s Charlie but the hair was different, reddish brown and longer and when she looked at him he saw her eyes were a darker grey than Charlie’s. They held that same something he saw in the eyes of some of his Shields after they returned from a hunt off world. They would never talk about what they had seen or experienced and if Fin could not get them to Master Patrycc or Lord Rene` most never made it back home.

  Looking at the female while she stared at swords he felt sad knowing she had faced something so horrendous it left a mark within her as he asked Lars. “I see, and is she as feisty as Lady Charlie?”

  Lars grinned as he whispered. “Worse I am told.”

  “Truly!” Fin said and looked her over from top to boots. He would wager she knew he was doing so. He slipped from around the counter as Lars spoke into his phone and walked down into the gun range where he had been going when the door suddenly opened and she walked in. Fin bet Lars was calling Storm to report Lady Harper’s movements. His dragon found that amusing.

  Harper kept track of the two dragons from the corner of her eyes as she walked around the large shop. It was an amazing place there were weapons of all kinds and age on the walls some in cases and others just showcased on shelves. As she looked them over she realized her mistake, this was no shop this was a place to show off weapons.

  Suddenly she came to a stop. “Ohh! You are beautiful, just beautiful.” She crooned to the sword that was on its own stand. It was just sitting there proudly in the open as though it had every right to do so. She would wager all she owned it was not a replica, it looked well used and well cared for, and she would have loved to have been able to lift it from its cradle but knew it would be too heavy. But oh it was divine!