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

by L M Lacee

  Yes…Yes bored! If you would talk to me, you would not be bored as I would not be. Said the voice.

  Verity bit her lip as she sighed deeper this time, loneliness sucked as Sage would say. Not that Verity would admit that to anyone. Sometimes like today she would admit she did feel the full weight of her years. The problem was she had too much time on her hands she missed having a day so busy she fell into bed each night exhausted but content.

  Feeling useless did not sit well on her shoulders which is why she found herself walking aimlessly around the castle. Looking around she realized it had been many years since she had traversed all the stone hallways of the ancient building and especially this level. She was pleased to see that the preservation spells she had commissioned over five hundred years ago were still working.

  The castle was as good as the day the spell had been cast, even these hallways that were on the utility level were pristine. Sadly she noticed the same could not be said for the art it sadly looked worse for age. They needed to do something about these paintings and tapestries before they were beyond help. She would talk to Sage about them.

  She again sighed trying to decide what she could do to fill in the rest of her day. Because a quick look over her shoulder at the guards who followed her showed that they too looked bored. She turned a corner and came face to face with a female, which was a surprise as it very seldom happened she herself was just on six foot tall. “Hello!”

  “Ma’am.” Edith replied as she looked behind the tall female to the two guards who stood swords half drawn and watchful and asked. “Your guards?”

  “Oh yes. They will not harm you.”

  “Are you sure, they look like they can?”

  Verity looked behind her and said. “Well it is their job dear.”

  “Is it? Well they do look like they could do it with skill!”

  “I think so, of course. I am prejudice. I have known them for a very long time.”

  “Yeah that seems logical. So are you lost?”

  Verity smiled and not just at the question. “No I know where I am, plus I have guards.” So Entertaining! Whispered across her mind.

  Edith sucked her cheeks in and rocked back on her heels. “Yeah it would be hard to be lost with them around.”

  “I have found it so!”

  Edith looked at the female before her and knew she had to be a dragon, an elder, possibly. She had the feel of age about her, and everyone knew that dragons aged very slowly, even slower than shifters. It was said that an average dragon could age one year to every fifty or a hundred of a humans and twenty- five to fifty years of a shifters.

  That had never been proved, Edith had been told at orientation, which everyone went through upon arrival at Dragon’s Gap and when she had asked. Why not?

  A female who Edith subsequently learnt was a wolf had told her, no one was willing to ask a dragon. She had said that some of the elder dragons were several thousand years old and as it was very hard to define a dragon’s full age. No one wanted to anger a dragon by asking.

  That made sense to Edith, this lady though, was stunningly beautiful as dragons male and female often were and to her she just felt ancient. If this female was an elder, she had aged very well indeed. She had a robust figure much like Edith’s and a refined tone to her speech. Almost a Victorian way of talking, much like she imagined the aristocrats of England had in the past. She had very little jewelry but wore a dress that probably cost more than Edith’s car. Her hair was a soft brown and up swept in a very becoming style, it showcased the white highlights that Edith were sure were natural. She seemed more than likely to be an elder, yet her face was not lined or cold as some of dragon kind could be. It was fill of warmth and there was a softness to her smooth oval face. She had very small laugh lines around her copper colored eyes that held to Edith’s amazement a hint of shyness. Edith knew if she got the chance she would like this female.

  She squinted as she asked. “Are you not worried I could be dangerous?”

  “Oh are you?” Verity asked a little bemused by the question.

  “Well no, not really. I can be short tempered and I have been told I am a sharped tongued female at times.”

  Verity heard the quiet laughter from her two guards, the young female it seemed did not or just ignored them as she said seriously. “But truthfully, people can be just so damn annoying!”

  Verity nodded hiding her smile. “I so agree.”

  Edith asked. “So you are a dragon?”

  “I am and you?”

  “Bear or a null bear, which is just a stupid and mean label.”

  At the older female’s confused look she said. “It means that I am a full-blood bear but am unable to shift.”

  “I as well am unable to shift. Dragon females cannot.” Verity told her sadly. Letting Edith see if she had known it, her pain at the admission. Verity leant in closer to Edith and whispered almost as though Edith would think she was crazy. “I think she talks to me.”

  Edith raised her well-shaped eyebrows. “Why should she not? She is part of you. Just because she cannot emerge, it does not mean she is without voice. My bear is always talking to me, shutting her up is the problem.” She sighed with resignation.

  Verity looked nonplussed. “Oh you see, she never did until lately!”

  Edith nodded. “Yeah mine only started talking to me a few weeks ago too. I have come to the conclusion it is the influence of all the shifters or it could be the amount of magic floating around the Gap.” She murmured to herself. “Although she never said a word when we visited my parents clan.” Why didn’t you, is it the magic?

  Magic has nothing to do with talking. You know nothing. I did not talk as I did not recognize any of them!

  Hey! No need to be mean! So were you just shy then? Aww! How sweet!

  Her bear snapped. I decline to talk about this with you!

  Edith looked at the ceiling while she tried not to chortle with humor. Verity did not take offense at the sudden silence from the intriguing female bear. Recognizing when an internal conversation was taking place, she had seen the same look often enough with male dragons. Although she could not help asking. “What did she say?”

  Edith’s bear nudged her to bring her back to where she was. “Oh sorry I said that she is shy but she will not admit she is. Now if your dragon is anything like my bear, she probably finds you annoying. And has stayed asleep until you got with people she felt she wanted to converse with.” She shrugged, letting her see the humor she was feeling.

  Verity laughed as she studied the young female. If she had not told her she would have assumed this female was a bear and she was exactly what a bear should be like in human form. Unlike her friend Grace who looked like everyone’s mother.

  This young female was as tall as Verity and had sea green eyes they were calm and seemed emotionless. But Verity had glimpsed turbulent waves in their depths. She had a long oval face that suited her, with a nice straight edged nose over a generous mouth. The female Verity thought, was attractive in an understated way. Especially with her hair, which was a striking white. She was sure she saw what appeared to be silver streaks within the tresses, it was like looking at a waterfall. She had long fingers and her hands looked strong and sported a few callouses. Her nails were beautifully manicured which finished the picture of Verity’s image of an ideal bear. Although the jeans and black boots with the paint splattered tee shirt and brown leather flight jacket, that had seen better days. Did not really go with the picture she had of a refined female bear.

  She was delightful though with a lovely sense of humor, which Verity fell in love with. She said now showing how amused she was. “Are you saying my Dragon is a snob?”

  Edith’s eyes twinkled. “Maybe you should ask her if she is!”

  Laughing again Verity said. “Well I never!”

  Edith shrugged. “It is only a theory of course.”

  Verity was enchanted and definitely not bored. She looped her arm through Edith’s as s
he turned her around and they started back the way she and her guards had just come. “I think a probable one, so dear girl why are you here?”

  “Who the hell knows, my bear dragged me to the castle. Why this morning? I have no clue, something about a mate. I have been at Dragon’s Gap for two months now. I came in with others from the west coast and until recently she never said anything about a mate. Now this morning she demanded we come here to the castle. She said we needed to hurry and I only had time for a small breakfast. So here I am walking the lower levels of this stone monstrosity looking at tapestries, waiting for my mate apparently! Oh by the way, my name is Edith Black.”

  Verity said. “Oh my!” So interesting! The voice whispered.

  “So ma’am.”

  “Please call me Verity.”

  “Am I allowed too?”

  The guard who they had moved nearer, answered. “Madam is addressed as Lady Verity.”

  With a nod of thanks to the guard Edith said. “Well Lady Verity, why are you here dragging your guards around the lower levels of this place?”

  “I must admit I was bored and feeling useless.”

  Edith saw what the Lady Verity tried to hide, a deep well of loneliness hiding in her eyes. Then it was gone, and Edith realized she had glimpsed the Lady’s dragon, a lonely one by all accounts. “Oh that is harsh and an awful feeling. We should do something!”

  Like an eager teenager, Verity asked excitedly. “What should we do?”

  Edith grinned. “Look at us, tall beautiful, robust females. We are obviously in need of food and then we will plan to find this damn mate of mine.”

  Verity put her head back and laughed, a full belly laugh, right there and then. Something she had seldom done in the last few years. Her guards both grinned they liked Lady Verity but felt sad they had been unable to lighten her mood.

  Edith aged twenty- five with no close family, alone in the world since she was five years old. Fell under the spell of the lovely female dragon. When Verity finally brought herself under control she said. “I agree, let us go and find food and your mate.”

  “Well we don’t have to hurry on the mate!” Edith mumbled. “I am only twenty- five.”

  Verity laughed again. “All will be well!”

  “So says you!”

  The tall, very large guard who was standing directly in their path said. “Lady Verity!”

  “Oh of course Arron dear.” Verity turned her head to Edith’s, her eyes twinkling as she asked. “Edith dear, do you intend me harm?”

  “What the hell for?” Asked a surprised Edith. “Sounds like far too much planning and stuff, plus hungry here.”

  “See Arron, Jermaine we are quite safe.” Verity assured both guards as the one name Jermaine moved closer to the one named Arron. Jermaine, who was the older guard said. “Lady Verity I must protest.”

  “Safe!” Verity snapped. Not bored now! Floated through her mind. No, not now dear one. Verity timidly replied and received a blossoming of comfort in return.

  Edith grinned inwardly, so Lady Verity was sharp tongued as well.

  “Now Edith dear what do you do?” Verity gently asked as they walked along the hallway to the newly installed lifts. Sage had installed when she had moved into the castle. Verity wished she had insisted on the lifts years ago, it made moving around the castle enjoyable.

  “I restore art, mostly paintings.” Edith told her.

  Verity stopped causing the others to as well. “Truly?”

  Edith narrowed her eyes and asked. “Why would I lie?”

  Verity blinked. “Ahh! I have no idea!”

  “Well I have worked at museums in London and several galleries since I got my degree.”

  “I am impressed.”

  “Thank you!” Edith said. She had worked very hard to accomplish her degrees. She was proud of what she had achieved. Verity said oblivious to Edith’s thoughts. “We have many paintings that need work here!”

  Edith sighed. “I noticed.” Verity looked at her as she told her with a shrug. “It is hard not too, occupational habit I suppose.”

  “Are you interested in restoring them to their original beauty?”

  “Well of course I am but there must be hundreds of artists you could get to do so?”

  “But I like you and they are not here are they?”

  Edith grinned as she leaned closer to Verity. “You might want your people to check me out first. To assure them I am safe and I am who I actually say I am!”

  Verity sniffed. “Ridiculous, I am quite capable of doing so myself. I will thank you to not assume I am feeble minded.”

  “No ma’am, never would I think that!” Edith said, just as the guard Arron opened his mouth to say that yes the female Edith was right. He snapped his mouth closed at Lady Verity’s words and sighed deeply looking at the other guard. He also looked defeated as he pulled out his phone to report a Miss Edith Black to Commander Johner.

  Edith gave them both a sympathetic smile knowing Verity did not realize how hard she was making their job. They both gave her a small nod in acknowledgement, as they arrived at the lifts. Edith asked Verity. “What do you do?”

  The older female sighed glumly. “Nothing now, once I ran this castle with my Rene`. He used to be the Dragon Lord. Now that he has passed that mantle to our son Reighn and his delightful shadow Sage.” She looked at Edith. “You do know what a Shadow is?”

  “Sort of yeah, like a husband or mate.”

  “Yes exactly. Sage is the Dragon Lady now.” They entered the lift as Edith asked. “So you have nothing to do?”

  “I organize somethings at Dragon’s Gap.”

  Edith asked. “You have friends?”

  Verity smiled. “I do, Grace and the matrons of Dragon’s Gap, they are shifters. Grace is lovely, she is Sage’s surrogate mother.”

  Edith heard the wishful tone in the other female’s voice as she said. “Ahh, I see! I have not met any of them.” She did see, Verity wanted someone she could share mother and daughter things with. Grace and Sage were close Edith bet and Verity would never impinge on that. Edith sighed she would have liked to have had someone like Verity for a mum but if wishes were wings, she would fly. Her bear grumbled at the expression. Bears do not have wings, they have claws much better for hunting.

  Edith blew her a raspberry, her bear sniffed dramatically and placed her head on her front paws and announced. I like Dragon female!

  Yeah me too.

  Verity’s dragon eyed the female beside her as they left the lift on their floor. I like bear. We will claim her! She told Verity who amused at her dragons demand answered hesitantly. She is delightfully direct. I find that appealing.

  Curious Edith asked as Verity had not mentioned any female dragon friends. “Don’t you have dragon friends?”

  “In the position as Lady Dragon, it was not a good idea to encourage that familiarity, too many agendas.”

  “Understood but that must have been lonely?”

  “In my early days I did have my sister Anna and a friend but they have both passed away. I do have a brother Patrycc but he seldom, if ever comes to the castle, he is a Redeemer.”

  “A… what now?”

  Verity frowned for a minute. “One who helps a person or in our case, a dragon to see what it is that troubles, them. Through his counsel he helps them redeem their honor or their ability to fight with honor. Sometimes he helps them realize they no longer can return to the life they had before whatever tragedy had befallen them occurred. So he will teach them to redeem their honor in some other way. Sometimes our warriors have trouble readjusting back into society. He helps with whatever they need, to be whole again.”

  “An honorable occupation and terribly hard I should imagine.” Edith said softly as she thought about what it would take to help someone like that.

  Verity smiled as she agreed. “It is, but he is truly gifted. I hope one day you will get to meet him, he is a gentle soul.”

  “So do I, so your sister and
friend passed away?” Edith asked quietly.

  Verity nodded. “Yes it was several very hard and sad years that we had to live through.”

  Edith gently squeezed her arm. “I am sure it was, but you had your Dragon Lord right?”

  “Oh yes and my seven sons.”

  “Your, what now?” Squeaked a shocked Edith. Verity smiled at the incredulous tone. “Seven sons. Reighn, Storm, Sharm, Johner, Keeper, Lars and Stanvis.”

  Edith exclaimed. “Seriously! You look good for having seven sons.”

  Verity smiled. “Well Johner is adopted or claimed as we call it. He was my sister Anna’s hatchling.” She smiled as she saw Edith’s confused look and explained. “Which is what we call a baby under the age of a year old, although he was older than that more like two years old when she passed away. His Sire sadly passed away when she did. You may not know this but when a dragon has a shadow and they are killed suddenly, the other shadow will generally go with her or him. I have heard it can be so for true mates?”

  “I would not know.” Edith said quietly thinking about the young orphans left because couples died together.

  Verity told her. “So it was fortunate that Johner was staying with us at the time.”

  “Oh he was lucky I suppose. Still hard for him and you to lose them both.”

  “More so for my Rene`s brother Andre`. He sent them as envoys on that fateful mission. He has never gotten over that.” She shook her head remembering ghosts from the past.

  “So you have eggs then?” Edith asked with what she hoped was a serious tone, not letting Verity see the laughter flooding her eyes. Verity’s look was one she had used time and again when her sons were being facetious. She asked with a raised eyebrow. “In human form?”

  “Well, no silly of me!” Said a delighted Edith. Verity went on as though the question had not been asked making sure not to allow her smile to show in her voice.

  “As I was saying, we have had Johner since he was two and Lars and Stanvis are our nest, or what the humans call foster children. We have had Lars since he was five and Stanvis since he was ten but as their parents would not give up parental rights. We could not claim them but they are ours. Except in name, they still wear their own family names which they have the right to do.” She stated that with a touch of anger and indignation like someone had tried to take their names from them at some time. Edith looked at her and saw she was remembering something she would rather not, quickly she asked. “And the other son’s?”