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

by L M Lacee

  Edith shrugged. “Both I suppose.” She took a sip of tea. It was not a drink she liked, but politeness dictated she at least try it. Her bear warned her. Especially when a She bear’ offered it.

  Honey! Wow, she sweetened it with honey.

  Her bear sniped at her. See! She bear’ knows about bears. You know nothing still! Edith ignored her. She took a longer drink and sighed. “Thank you, this is nice.”

  Grace nodded with amusement. “Most people forget tea can be sweetened with more than just sugar.”

  “True.” Edith said as she took another sip then placed the tea down and rubbed her eyes. “Everything has gone wrong and I am lost. I hate being lost.”

  “I see,” Grace said again. Edith laughed then said. “Do you? Well, that makes one of us!”

  “Why have you not gone to Verity?” Grace suspected she knew the answer but asked anyway, mainly to see if she was right and also to judge how honest Edith would be.

  “You know why? She is his mother. It would be an untenable position to place her in. I love her too much to do that to her.”

  Grace was pleased she had been right. “I see, and yes I really do.” She set the porch swing in motion again. “So where are you at?” She asked gently of the young female beside her. For all her brave face she was showing the world around her, she was hurting so much the pain was like a shield covering her.

  Edith looked straight ahead. “Living together but sleeping in separate rooms. Not talking other than good morning, good night and stuff like that. He stays at work as long as he can, I am guessing. Because that is what I am doing.”

  “Oh sweetheart.” Grace said softly.

  Edith nodded and whispered. “I know, I hurt and I think he is too.” She leant her head on Grace’s shoulder as Grace said. “I am sure he is. Sharm is a loving sensitive male. How did it go so wrong?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know it was okay, then he sort of tightened up. Said he preferred me to dress a certain way, act differently. Not work, not own the gallery. Stay in his apartment. He does not see the reason we need to have our own space. My bear is uncomfortable there.”

  Grace nodded. “Of course she is, we need our own den.”

  “I told him that, he said he understood it was because I never had a home growing up. Which is not true or almost not. I made my own homes when I left the foster system but he totally ignored that. And he is ignoring my bear’s needs it is as though she does not exist. I don’t know how to fix this.”

  They sat there for a while just rocking in the gentle breeze as the scent of roses filled their lungs with their sweet aroma. Finally, Grace said. “As a bear and do not give me that crap about null bear, stupid title.”

  Edith asked. “Oh you know about that?”

  “Yes dear. Sage, Verity and June do talk to me.”

  “Oh right.” Edith winced at the tone that said, do not be stupid.

  “As I was saying, how do you tackle a problem?”

  “Straight on, get in there find out what needs doing and do it.”

  Grace laughed as she said. “Such a bear answer. That is what we do all right. I am told some other shifters and humans do it that way too.”

  Edith looked at her confused as she replied, “In my experience it is what most humans and shifters do, yes!”

  Grace asked. “And do you know why we do it that way?”

  “Because we see it needs fixing and we do it.”

  “Yes but the way we do it, head on.”

  Edith lifted her hand that was not holding her drink no I don’t see in a, who knows action. There was a point here she knew but she could not see it, she ventured an answer. “Because we are bear?”

  “Yes because we are bears. Dragons do not do that.”

  “Singing to the choir here. I know first-hand.” Edith thought on that and said. “Although Reighn can and does make quick decisive decisions as Dragon Lord and Sharm and his healers all do or people would suffer and die.”

  Grace nodded in agreement. “Yes they do, and there may be more that can. All I am saying is on the whole dragons do not, and they do not because they live extraordinarily long lives. Think about how long we have heard they live, then think about how long they could take to fix a problem. To them nothing is resolved overnight or with a good honest argument.”

  Edith frowned. “Then how do they ever get anything done that is just...”

  “Dragon kind!” Grace cut in. Edith sipped her drink and thought about what she had said and finally shaking her head argued. “No I don’t see it. They have Reighn and Sharm the royal family. I have seen them solve problems quickly.”

  Grace nodded. “Yet even they will take centuries to fix something that you and I would do with a harsh, swift argument.”

  “Like what?”

  “Verity and Rene` for example!”

  Edith turned wide eyes on Grace. “You have got to be kidding me?”

  “On no, Verity told me Rene` was what we would call a male chauvinistic ass in the past. Now he is just an inconsiderate male, who is learning slowly but surely. Do you see?”

  “No!”

  “Do not be obtuse dear.”

  Edith scrunched her nose up. She sort of understood but to make sure she did not have any misunderstandings she said. “Consider me obtuse!”

  Grace laughed then said. “Very astute, do not ever admit to understanding when you do not.”

  Edith said. “That way is fraught with danger which has the potential to get you killed.” The way she said it Grace knew she had some experience in that.

  “So as I was saying, a race as long lived as dragons grow and mature slowly, very slowly. We shifters are forced to mature faster. Our life span is so limited we have to cram so much into a short period of time, for humans it is even more so, I believe.”

  Edith was quiet for a time thinking over what Grace had said. “So what you are saying is I am dealing with a teenager?”

  “No an adult dragon who is a slow maturing emotional being.”

  “Shit!” Edith sat for a while rocking. “This will take more thought.”

  “Yes you do that but while you are thinking about that, think on this too. You have to drag him into this century. He, like the other dragons do not have the luxury of being able to mature slowly anymore. They are our shields against magical beings who do not always have the best intentions for earth and the people who reside here. Dragons are mating with shifters and humans, they must speed up and grow emotionally faster.”

  “I see that. Can they, though?”

  “Yes look at Reighn, Lars and Stanvis, even Storm and Keeper to some degree.”

  “So why not Sharm?” Edith so wanted to whine at the unfairness of it.

  Grace smiled. “Like his father he surrounds himself with others that think the same. So like us all, if we are not pushed to change, then why should we?”

  “Because he is joined with a shifter, he should bend.”

  Grace agreed. “True, unfortunately, he probably thinks he is and you are the stubborn one or he truly does not realize he is not!”

  “Thank you Grace. You have made it so much clearer now.”

  “Do you know what you will do?”

  “Not a clue but I will just ...”

  “Mull it over?” Grace laughed as did Edith who shrugged and said. “Yes that.”

  “Well remember we as bears can get stuck in mulling.”

  “Yeah I will watch for that.”

  Grace stood as did Edith, she took both glasses and looked at the younger female. “So what are you doing right now?”

  “Not much why?”

  “Well I would like you to come with me. It is time you met my family, they are all bears and I get the impression your association with our species has not been a good one so far?” She made it sound like a question.

  Edith winced. “You could say that.”

  After they deposited the glasses inside and Grace collected her purse. They walked down the sidewal
k to Edith’s car while Edith told her about her experiences with her parent’s clan. This led to how she was raised human. Neither of them saw the small faerie who spied on them from the roof of the car.

  CHAPTER TWELVE:

  S harm stared at Ella as she said. “I am sorry my Lord but if you do not sign my qualification papers. I will be forced to ask Lord Reighn to reassign me somewhere else.”

  “Ella, I do not understand, I thought you were fine with my decision?”

  “I think I was because you made it sound like I was incapable of considering any other choice, and that is not so!”

  Sharm frowned as he asked. “Why is that?”

  “It has been pointed out to me, that regardless of how many species we have living and arriving at Dragon’s Gap. My qualification should not depend on knowing every species needs. How will I ever qualify my Lord, as I will have to continue to learn about them? Therefore, each time a new species arrives, I will be back to square one. Which is unfair as you and the other qualified healers also have to study but you are qualified. Unless you consider me more stupid than you have led me to believe?”

  Sharm just bet he knew who had pointed that titbit out to Ella. The fact she was right annoyed him. He would wring his shadows neck, her influence on Ella was disturbing. He eyed the female in her new clothes with her new hair style, although she did look better in the casual clothing she was wearing it was just unsettling. He wondered if he should explain that her footwear which he saw were boots, were not deemed appropriate attire for clinics. Then he realized, he of course could say nothing now. Knowing it would get back to Edith and she would accuse him of picking on Ella. He really did not understand his shadow. He would have to reprimand her about her influence on his staff. She should not be telling Ella to make demands, even if they were right.

  His dragon asked. What right do you have to hold this young dragon back, she is right. You signed Donald’s papers, and she is as qualified as he is. You know she is, and she is much better than Donald. You are wrong in this.

  I did not ask you! Sharm snapped, but he knew his dragon was right which annoyed him more. This too was Edith’s fault, if she would just obey him. His dragon would not always be accusing him of being insensitive and arguing about how he spoke and what he said, as he was lately.

  Obey! You are not her master or mine. I am trying to get you to see you are wrong.

  Please, you are giving me a headache with your constant nagging!

  Maybe you should listen to me, not the one who loves himself!

  You are talking about Donald?

  Who else? His dragon asked, as he again felt concerned. Sharm never snapped at him or spoke to him as he did now. Was he under some kind of influence that he as his dragon could not detect? He was making bad decisions blaming Edith for almost everything. Sharm’s dragon was becoming very worried, he would have to take matters into his own hands soon… very soon. Although he did not know who he could speak too. Not their Dam or Sire or his brothers. There must be someone he could speak too about his human.

  Sharm inclined his head to Ella as he realized he was being stubborn for no other reason than he was annoyed with his dragon and Edith. “You are right Ella. I was remiss. I will sign the papers and please do not leave. We would miss you very much. You are needed here.”

  She beamed. “Thank you my Lord. I appreciate you saying so.”

  Sharm smiled as well and sighed internally as he signed the papers, while he told her. “I obviously have failed in not telling you enough and for that I apologize.”

  She clutched the signed paperwork in her hands and almost danced with delight at his words as she left. Sharm grinned, she was really lovely and she did indeed deserve her qualifications. Then he frowned, although Edith had no right to interfere with his decisions, no matter if she was correct. This was his work!

  Shortly after his confrontation with Ella, while he was making his way home, he ran into Conor. “Hey Sharm listen, that female of yours...”

  Sharm did not stop when he heard those words. He hurriedly brushed him off. “Sorry Conor cannot stop, talk tomorrow.” Seriously he thought as he stomped home, what had she done now. Maybe he should have stopped and found out… No! He needed to get home and put a stop to all this nonsense. Really this could not go on. First Ella, now people stopping him on the street enough was enough!

  By the time he made it to the apartment. He was furious, he slammed into the lounge yelling. “Edith, I have had enough! This will stop!”

  Edith looked up from where she was snuggled into her chair on the balcony. “What has to stop?”

  “I do not understand why you have the penchant to interfere in my or my associates business. Surely you have enough to keep you busy here or with your work?” He almost sneered when he said the word work, just stopping himself in time.

  “I am not sure what you are getting at?” Edith asked as she sat up straight in her favorite lounger. The balcony doors were open, and the breeze moved around the room it was refreshing. After visiting with Grace and her family, she had come back to the castle and spent the remainder of the afternoon going through old paintings. It was nice to breathe air that was not laden with dust.

  She had showered when she had returned home. And was sitting with a coffee relaxing or she had been. When Sharm had stormed in annoyed and apparently pissed at something else she had done. He said now in that tone that put her teeth on edge. It was a cross between annoyed and patronizing if he would just pick one she could respond appropriately. “Ella!”

  Edith frowned searching her mind, she had not seen Ella since the party. “What of her?”

  “With your meddling she has changed, and I do not just mean her wardrobe, it is her manner. Although her choice of clothes was perfectly acceptable!”

  “For someone’s maiden aunt perhaps.” Edith scornfully replied.

  Sharm counted to ten and knew his tone had become exasperated which was his default when talking to Edith of late when he replied. “Now it is her attitude towards the other staff members that has changed dramatically.”

  Edith laughed. “Oh you mean that twat Donald?”

  “Yes! I mean no… he is not a twat. He is a gifted healer.”

  “He so is a twat. He undermines her at every turn. I bet it was him who told you her clothes were better before, and she was incapable of doing her job?”

  At the tell-tale flick of his eyes, she knew she was right. She now stood facing him, apparently rest time was over. This looked like it was going to be another argument, the silence they had been indulging in was at its end it seemed. She asked him mildly. “Did the wonderful Donald tell you that he had told people there were no jobs available at the center?”

  Sharm paused and said quietly. “He did not, but that is off the point. This discussion is about you interfering with my employees.”

  “Huh, it so is the point and please call it what it is. An argument, a fight!”

  Sharm ignored her words and spoke through his clenched teeth. “Ella demanded I sign her qualification papers.”

  “Good for her, brave girl.”

  “Edith please cease! You are disrupting...”

  She cut him off, her temper showing now. “Oh now it comes out. I am upsetting Sharm’s safe little world, where everyone knows their place.”

  He ran his hand through his hair as he snapped. “I do not mean that. Do not twist this around to me!”

  “Really twist! Oh no! We should not do that. You are perfect, how could anything be your fault?”

  Sharm growled. “You are just being childish now!”

  “Do not growl at me that is just wrong!”

  “What is wrong, is your meddling attitude.”

  “Really, well how is this for meddling? You are a sexist pig. You have not allowed Ella to qualify because you love the idea of having her around. You love the fact she thinks you are wonderful. You love the fact she admires you whenever you do something great. How is that?”

&
nbsp; Sharm scowled at her. “You are so off track. She needed more training. You have no idea what is involved. You know art, nothing more.”

  “Training! What an excuse. She can find the same information out you can and in the same way. Unless you are saying you know everything there is to know about every species in the universe.”

  “What the hell does that have to do with anything?”

  “I say again. You Sharm Kingsley are a sexist male that likes to keep females in their place. You think we are all incapable of running our own lives.”

  Sharm’s eyebrows rose as he asked. “Please tell me what you have done to prove me wrong since you have come here. All you have accomplished is to make trouble with dragons, shifters and now the faeries and that is another thing! How dare you suggest that a faerie practice medicine?” He roared as his anger got the better of him shaking the glass in the doors.

  “Wow! Said a female’s voice from behind him. He and Edith spun around to see Reighn and Sage standing in the doorway. Shit! Sharm thought.

  Edith said nothing her mind seething at his accusations. Done nothing? The ass, he knew nothing. And do not say it is my fault for not talking to him, she told her bear, who for once remained silent.

  “Brother if you are finished yelling at your shadow. I wish to talk to you.” Reighn said, and his dragon was evident in his voice.

  Edith came back to herself and said. “He is done!” She brushed past him as Sage said. “I will wait for you to get your jacket.”

  Edith opened her mouth to say she was not going anywhere. When Sage said steel in her voice. “Your jacket Edith!”

  She nodded and without a word moved to the bedroom to retrieve her jacket and bag. Sage looked at Sharm and said. “The sooner you realize who you are bonded to the better or else she will leave you and the fault will be yours.”

  She kissed Reighn and said. “Talk sense into him before it is too late.”

  Then she moved into the foyer where Edith met her and together they left the quiet apartment. When they reached the lift, Edith asked wearily. “Where are we going?”