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

by L M Lacee

  Blood loss took its toll eventually, and the enemy dragons gave up by either shifting to human or just lying down in either form knowing their lives were forfeited.

  As Sage watched the battle going on in the air the land battle was quickly coming to a close. Not having a forest of brush and trees to hamper their defense, seemed to take the fight from the attacking shifters. They were decidedly lacking against well trained and experienced fighters. She saw why the Shields and Hunters were so feared on land and air. In dragon or human form, they were deadly, and none could stand against them. Several enemy dragons broke from the attacking dragons but were quickly herded back to the ground by the Strikers.

  Reighn with Sage circled above watching his people swarm over the enemies’ camp. Sage caught her breath as she watched Pearl and her Betas being brought down by Ivan and George.

  John Morton held Grace in his arms as he backed away from the advancing warriors. Reighn landed, and Sage was helped down by Lars. They stood with all the others to the side as with a thought Reighn became human once again, his dragon lent him power and he roared.

  “John Morton release Grace now.”

  Sage stood a little apart from the others as her eyes turned a deep blue, while she whispered a spell under her breath.

  “Never! I will kill her before I let her go. You and your bitch have ruined me. Taken everything from me. Now it is my turn to take everything from you. I will take this one, first, and your young next and then your shadow. You will never know when I will come for you. You will all die!”

  “Crazy as a loon.” Ivan muttered to George.

  “What is that?” Stan asked him.

  Ivan shrugged as he told him. “No idea, mama says it when George does something stupid.”

  “Or you.” George snarked back at his brother.

  “Brother!” Ivan growled. “I still have some juice left.”

  “See crazy as a loon.” George jeered.

  Storm arrived with his males following him. He told Reighn. “They are all secured. What the fuck is going on here?”

  Grace stood passively, her eyes on Sage, whose hands seemed to be weaving. “What are we waiting for?” Demanded Storm.

  “Sage to finish her spell and the crazy one to try to open a portal.” Lars told him. Reighn sighed as his brother growled deep in his chest, he looked over at Storm who stopped beside him. “Brother are you good?”

  Storm snarled. “Why would I not be?”

  “Your dragon is still at the surface.”

  Storm closed his eyes which were elongated as his dragon was still too close to the skin. “I find he does not like to recede as quickly as he once did.”

  “I see. You will speak to papa when we return home.”

  Storm did not mistake it for anything other than an order. “Yes Reighn.”

  “See!” Ivan said. “That is how you talk to your older brother.”

  George snarled at him, “He is a good older brother and does not throw him into frozen lake.”

  “Gentlemen!” Said an amused Reighn as everyone else snickered their amusement at the brothers. “Our predicament.”

  They turned their attention to the couple. John Morton was making signs of frustrations as he tried time and again to open a portal which Reighn, as Dragon Lord prevented. Portals were only opened when he allowed and in this instance there was no allowing. Grace stared at her sons, exasperation on her face a look none expected to see. Lars asked sotto voice. “You threw him into a frozen lake?”

  Ivan smirked. “It not frozen when George crack surface.”

  Lars, Stan and even Storm grinned at this as George snorted.

  “You will not escape with Grace, John. Stop trying.” Reighn told him with feigned boredom.

  John whipped around and a knife appeared in his hand at Grace’s throat. Sage lifted her head, her spell was complete, and she walked forward coming to a stop beside Reighn and Storm. “Come Grace, as mist, leave him!” She clapped her hands together and a grey cloud enveloped John and Grace, then a second later it was gone and Grace was in her son’s arms. “Mama.” George said with heartfelt relief. Ivan clasped her to him saying. “Mama are you alright?”

  “My sons I am good.” She looked at the others there and said. “Thank you all for coming.”

  “As if we would allow you to stay with these creatures.” Stan commented.

  “Well done my shadow.” Reighn said admiringly.

  “Thank you.” She curtsied. “All in a day’s work.” She went to Grace and they hugged each other.

  John screamed as spittle foamed on the sides of his mouth. “I will kill you all!” He raged, as he ran towards them and stopped rocking backwards on his heels as three Elementals stood in his way.

  No dragon you will not. We will not allow you and your followers to kill or harm our chosen. You have caused enough disruption here today.

  The next Elemental said. You have chosen unwisely John Morton and for that you and you followers who remain, will receive our judgment.

  Then he was gone as were all the dragons and shifters, dead or alive that had helped John kidnap Grace and fight. All except Pearl and her Betas, they alone remained.

  “Oh Pearl why?” Sage asked as she moved back to stand next to Reighn as the three wolves were brought forward.

  Pearl raged. “You ask why? You, who owns the world, asks me why?”

  “You reaped what you sowed.” Grace told her from within her son’s arms.

  “There is no blame here to place on Sage. Only yourselves.” Reighn told the three wolves.

  Still you strive to circumnavigate your sentence! Said the Elemental with stars in his eyes. You and yours have learnt nothing. Do not blame Lady Sage for your choices.

  “Lady Sage, you have come up in the world have you not.” Pearl sneered as Sage shook her head, she looked at her aunt who had aged dramatically. No longer was she the polished pure-blood female. Sage told her. “I have found that love will give you what you wish for every time. Not deceit and cruelty.”

  “So speaks the wisdom of a half-breed.” Pearl scorned. “I would rather be a full-blood wolf on four legs. Than live my life knowing I am only a half-blood.”

  “You are a fool.” Grace retorted. “Animal or human. You would still be a selfish wolf.”

  Was your sentence not enough? Why did you choose to defy the judgment? Asked the Elemental.

  “Why...why?” Pearl screamed as the other two females stood by her side and whined as anger and hatred contorted their faces. One of the sisters, Sage thought maybe it was Mandy, it was hard to tell as they both seemed to have sunk in on themselves screamed. “He told us he had a cure for the curse. He could make us die.”

  “How?” Asked a bewildered Sage.

  “Your death insured ours.” Said the other sister.

  “He was lying. You foolish females.” Snarled Storm.

  The Elementals looked on impassively as the one with stars in his eyes stated. No one can put aside the judgment. Your judgment was final. I see that I was remiss. I was swayed by your Goddess. She felt time would show you the error of your ways. It seems it has not. They turned to Sage and Reighn. We will not allow them to die. It is far too easy, but we see they cannot be trusted!

  Reighn asked. “What can you do to prevent this happening again?”

  Many things, what advice do you have for us?

  “They cannot be trusted to not try this again.”

  No, they cannot!

  Sage felt the sadness invade her heart for the three females who she knew still felt no remorse for their past actions or for all the injured and deaths they caused. As evidenced by their belief there was a way out of their punishment, sadly she said. “They need to be confined to pack lands, unable to shift or leave again. I fear for my young and my shadow as well as all my family, if they decide to seek revenge.”

  Ahh! A fine compromise, death will come as nature runs its course. After the sentence has completed its evolution. The Elemen
tal’s eyes swirled with stars and then he said. So be it!

  Instantly the three females were transformed to full wolves and then disappeared. I have returned them to their pack lands. The borders will not be open for them again.

  “We thank you Elemental.” Reighn said as he took a trembling Sage in his arms.

  Return to thy lands and continue the work you have started our chosen. The Elementals looked over all the dragons and shifters, words spoken for Storm passed through his mind.

  Keep strong, son of Rene` and Verity. One comes who meets the needs of you and your dragon’s soul.

  Storm inclined his head, as his dragon’s joy sang through his mind. He felt peace as he had not for many years enter and take up residence in his heart and soul. The sunlight dimmed and then as it lightened again the Elementals were gone and all wounds suffered were healed.

  “It is time for us to return home.” Reighn said as Sage sighed. “Yes, I want my home and my girls.”

  Grace hugged her. “As do I.”

  “You were not scared?” Stan asked of Grace after he too had hugged her.

  “Scared me! Never! Angry? Yes very much so, but I knew you would come. You and my sons as well as my adopted family, all of you!” She swept the dragons and shifters with her loving eyes. ”Always!”

  “Let us go.” Reighn opened a portal, and they all walked through the shimmering doorway.

  One Elemental appeared as the glowing oval closed. Hands touched the ground and the forest returned better, greener. Full of life as if nothing had ever scorched the Earth.

  Epilogue:

  T hat night as he and his shadow lay entwined. Reighn thought over the day and the reunion with Grace and his parents. He realized Sage had been correct when she had said they were already as his parents were bonded even now he realized what a true blessing that was. He felt her hand turning his face towards hers as her lips met his in a kiss of wonder and love.

  Molly smiled a sleepy smile as she looked at the little faerie with pretty wings.

  Remember Molly. I am still a secret just for you!

  Sharm and Edith’s Story

  By L.M. Lacee

  Table of Contents

  Acknowledgments

  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 ONE:

  E dith Black, walked the utility level of the Dragon’s castle. Asking herself again. Why was she here, on this level of this castle, at this time of the friggin morning, without coffee or a full breakfast?

  Her bear which she shared her body, mind, soul or whatever they were calling it now. Ignored her question once again. Commenting only with a soft growl, which she had to admit was becoming her bears default answer to just about any question that she asked her.

  Her bear soul or spirit as some shifters called the animal they shared their body and mind with, gave a snort of disgust at that thought. Edith knew that sound was disgust because her bear had told her several days ago, when she had been talking to a deer shifter, that it was.

  The Deer shifter who was a sweet gentle being, had tried to explain to her that the animal within her body was a form of a deity, which given the chance, would enhance the peace and awareness of oneself. Needless to say she had become bored with the ridiculous female within minutes of her opening her mouth. So she had nodded vacantly at her and walked away. Then asked her bear if all deer shifters were that insipid and had been told they were prey. What did she expect?

  She had replied, not that answer. The conversation had disintegrated from there. Since that encounter Edith’s bear had decided for some obscure reason not to answer what she called, Ridiculous questions!

  Which apparently seemed to be anything Edith asked her, especially this morning. Edith’s bear had repeatedly explained to her over and over for the last three days that humans thinking annoyed her. Edith did not want to think her bear was just plain mean. She kind of thought she probably had the right to be grumpy not being able to shift to her animal form. That fact alone, she considered was a very good reason to view the world with an attitude.

  Although why her bear took her annoyance out on her was still a mystery. It was hardly her fault that she could not swap forms with her bear. Until recently she never even knew she was a bear! She did have some sympathy for her bear and she felt having an attitude with the world was understandable not being able to shift to her bear skin must suck for her bear.

  Edith asked her bear. Seriously! Do shifters really call it that, skin? Because that term is just creepy. Like serial killer creepy!

  Her bear snorted then sighed as she answered. Yes, we do, it is a good way of knowing the difference between forms. You have two legs or human form and I have four legs or animal form. We all learn this as cubs.

  Edith hummed then said. Huh! I didn’t learn this.

  Were you cub?

  No need to be mean!

  Why do you ask then?

  No idea! Edith grinned at her bear’s snide tone, it seemed questions about shifters were not classified as ridiculous. She was sure her bear did not really like the term, skins but refused to disagree with the other shifters. Edith said as an idea occurred to her. Oh, so it is like when in Rome!

  Her bear sighed and replied. A stupid saying, we are at Dragon’s Gap. Not this place called Rome!

  Well, as you said, it is a saying! Edith returned with a smile in her voice.

  Her bear snorted making her smile wider, no matter what her bear said she believed she was right, being unable to shift was what made her bear grouchy. Edith’s inability to shift into her bear was a highly unusual occurrence for a pure blood shifter and had been a major concern for her clan or her parent’s clan. They referred to Edith’s inability to shift as a condition, with air quotes. It was a kinder label than faulty, which is what she was. A faulty shifter and if her bear knew why she could not shift, she was not telling.

  So annoying! She thought to her bear who just chuffed in answer. It seemed her bear did not care whether she could shift or not, in fact when Edith tried talking to her about it. She just ignored her or pretended to sleep shutting down any attempt to converse on the subject.

  As far as Edith was concerned being able to shift or not made absolutely no difference to her bears ability to have an opinion, which she had on just about every topic or more precisely on anything Edith liked or did not like. She had discovered her bear was grouchy in the mornings and not so grumpy in the afternoons, much as Edith herself was. So the question begged an answer, who caused the attitude, her or her bear. So far it has gone unanswered.

  She stopped to look at another tapestry of dragons in flight. Tapestries that as she looked along the corridor, seemed to line the walls on either side of the long hallway. She thought again it seemed a strange place to have such beautiful art. Hidden away on a level of the castle where no one could really appreciate them. She wondered if the people who ran the castle had a reason for it. Maybe they did not like this kind of art or maybe they had so many and these were the overflows.

  Sighing deeply she decided it was a shame really, because as she wandered along looking and admiring the artistry. It was really hard not to appreciate the time and dedication to accuracy that the weavers who had made the tapestries put into the designs.

  Her bear grumpily asked. Why do you care?

  Grinning as she casually answered. So talking to me again? Well, I care because they are amazing and should be enjoye
d by everyone and it is a dying art.

  She received another grunt for a comment.

  Good talking to you! She snarked back, then asked. So we are here at the castle, why?

  Her bear’s answer which over the last week was the same to just about every question Edith asked her. And no longer startled her into a near paralytic fit, was. Mate!

  Edith growled. Oh please! Stop saying that, I am starting to think you are a sexed crazed bear. I will tell you again for the hundredth time. I am not looking for a mate!

  MATE! Her bear growled back. Find mate!

  Edith frowned and thought hard at her bear. See this is why we do not talk because you are still being totally unreasonable about this mate business. I do not want a male in my life. In fact, I am quite happy without one!

  Her bear asked. Now who is being unreasonable?

  I am not!

  We need mate it is natural!

  Oh please! What about all of this is natural? Edith was not positive but it sounded like her bear was hurt when she replied. We are natural!

  She pulled back on what she was going to say and said instead hoping to change the topic. You realize we could get killed being here in the castle without escorts?

  MATE!

  “Yeah... Yeah, bitchy bear.” She mumbled out loud, apparently a change of topic was not going to happen. They had been having variations of this conversation for the last week it always ended the same way with her bear sulking and Edith annoyed.

  She moved on slowly walking the hallways looking at and evaluating the art while she thought over the last few years of her life. Sighing she shook her head, so much had happened and she was only twenty- five years old. She had been raised human in the English foster care system. Growing up she had always known she was more than just a human but in all honesty a shifter was the last thing she had ever imagined she could be.

  Laughing to herself, she remembered she had imagined some very weird and wonderful things. Especially when she reached her teenage years and found she never seemed to fit into any group. She always thought it was because she was a product of the foster system or from mixed parents like some of the others in the system.