Dragon's Gap Box Set Read online

  Dragon’s Gap Fantasy Romance Adventure

  Set #3 Stories 6 & 7 plus A Christmas Surprise

  By L.M. Lacee

  Copyright © 2012 L. M. Lacee. All rights reserved. Published by PrivotelConcepts

  This Dragon’s Gap set No.3 is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  All Rights Reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher or author constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author's intellectual property. If you would like to use material from this book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author's rights.

  FBI Anti-Piracy Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of a copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, if investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.For permissions contact: [email protected]

  Be certain to check out the back of this book for other stories in the Dragon’s Gap Series.

  Click to go directly to the story.

  Book 6: Thorn & Ciana

  Book 7: Conor & Ocean

  Novella: A Christmas Surprise

  Thorn & Ciana

  Table of Contents

  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

  Epilogue

  DRAGON’S GAP SERIES:

  Thorn and Ciana’s Story

  CHAPTER ONE:

  A ndre`s Return.

  Andre` Kingsley brother to Rene` Kingsley past Dragon Lord, Uncle to the present Dragon Lord stepped from the glowing portal.

  The urgency that had ridden him and his dragon for the last two weeks eased slightly, as he walked into the castle and felt his dragon sigh. Home!

  My friend I am sorry it has taken me so long to grieve my loss.

  His dragon repeated as he had over the last one hundred and thirty years.

  It is of no import. She was your love just because she was not our shadow does not lessen the pain you experienced.

  Andre` smiled. Your understanding and patience with me have been beyond words. Now if my brother and his shadow as well as my nephews forgave this old male his temporary loss of control all those years ago we should have our family again.

  His dragon snorted as he said. Placing us in exile was the only way for brother Rene’ to keep the ones you annoyed from killing us. I for one did not want to die so young. His message told us we were needed. Why would they turn us away? You worry for nothing!

  Andre` rubbed his forehead part of him agreed with his dragon, and it was true that Rene’ sent a message urging him to return home. Although the obstinate angry part of him had wanted to rile at the unfairness of his lover dying as well as the choices he made after her death. He knew it was the choice he forced his brother to make all those years ago, that drove him to hide away for as long as he did. Then like all things it became harder to return to his home and face his family the longer the years moved on.

  The fact Rene’ said he was needed at home was enough of an incentive to overcome his reluctance and it proved to Andre` his self-imposed exile had been the wisest decision for him to have made. Even if the Royal exile had been over many years previous.

  Andre` remained away because he knew he had been at fault, not for his lovers passing but for his reaction to his grief. Everything he did after her death that was all on him. He caused havoc amongst the nobles, so much so that Rene’ was left with no option but to exile his brother off world for a period of fifty years.

  In those years Andre` grieved his loss of his love and ranted at the unfairness of life. He then spent many years working through his grief and anger at Rene’. All with the help of Patrycc Maythom, Dragon’s Gap Redeemer.

  It took him years to come to terms with his loss of control. For a male dragon who prided himself on his logical mind and control of his emotions he had shamed himself by attacking his brother and Verity in public.

  With help from the redeemer, it had taken years for Andre` to forgive himself, long after Rene` and Verity had done so. Now it was time to come home to be a part of the exciting times ahead. Dragon’s Gap was involved in some kind of clandestine war, and they had only just found out about it. This was invigorating and something Andre` excelled at. He and his dragon loved investigative work, putting pieces together like jigsaw puzzles. Using their combined intelligence and cunning kept them young and alive.

  Andre` sighed he could not seem to shake the past it must be returning to the castle that caused these memories, these feelings to surface. He knew all those years ago it was Rene’s love for him that had forced him to exile Andre` and that was the problem. If the roles had been reversed Andre` would have done exactly the same thing.

  Unfortunately, it had taken Andre` sometime to realize that.

  Again you tread old territory, accept the past and move on. We have a young family to get to know and puzzles to solve. His dragon counseled once more.

  Andre` smiled when he heard the anticipation in his dragon’s voice. I apologize you are right!

  I am always right, you are just too slow to understand this!

  I am not slow, I am discerning!

  I scoff at that.

  Scoff all you like. You amuse me.

  Well yes, that is true. I am amusing!

  That is not what I meant.

  But it is what I decided to take from your words.

  See amusing!

  “Hi, are you lost?” A small female asked, cutting off the conversation he and his dragon were indulging in. Andre` stopped abruptly and eyed the small female that was not a dragon. “No, I am at the castle of Dragon’s Gap.”

  She was young, Andre` thought maybe barely a teenager. With long sable colored hair and a narrow face, she was possessed with intelligent inquisitive amber eyes, that as he looked into. He could just see a young wolf peeking back out at him. His mouth instinctively turned up in a smile, Andre` always liked young people, they were genuine and amusing most of the time, when they were not being fools.

  She is very young, has Reighn introduced pages again? Andre`s dragon asked.

  I do not think so. Rene’ did not say so in his last missive.

  “Hello, are you talking to your dragon. I talk sort of to my wolf although she is not really talking much yet. Conor says she will soon, but he is lion, a really big lion but he knows all about our animals. Ace said you can count on him, he is a good one…”

  “Hush!” Andre` commanded.

  “Oh sorry am I talking too much, I do that when I am nervous…”

  “Hush!”

  “Oh…”

  “Now little wolf female, do you have a name?”

  “Yep! Everyone has a name. I would think it would not be polite to not have one, although if you did not know it was not polite, you could I suppose get away without one. Although…”

&nb
sp; “Hush!” She closed her lips tightly together. Andre` eyed her sternly as his dragon laughed. “Now what is your name?”

  “Oh.” She ducked her head a little. “It is Joy. My name is Joy Battle.” She said it with so much pride Andre`s heart melted a little as she looked up into his face.

  Joy wondered why she did not fear this dragon she did not know him, then she shrugged, maybe he was someone who was meant to be here. Conor said she should always listen to her instincts and her instincts said this dragon was safe. He was as old as Uncle Rene` and looked a little like him except he had purple eyes and hair that was long and colored gold with purple streaks. Uncle Rene`s hair was black with silver streaks. This male was nice looking like Uncle Rene` but not as handsome as Axl or Ace.

  Andre` snapped his fingers under her nose to draw her attention back to him she seemed to have wandered off. Over the years he noticed teenagers tended to do this and cuffing a small female child around the back of the head, as he would have a cadet seemed wrong. Once he had her attention again, he said. “Good now Joy, I am Lord Andre`. Are you a page?”

  “A what?”

  “Never mind. I am brother to Lord Rene’. Do you know who that is?”

  “Sure, Uncle Rene’ you do not look like him.”

  “Really!’ Andre smiled as he told her. “I know, it is because I am the younger brother.”

  “Really you look older.” Joy’s eyes rounded as she slapped a hand over her mouth. “Oh, I am sorry. I probably should not have said that, Harper says I should always tell the truth but not be rude, that was rude. It is very confusing as Frankie dislikes rudeness the most. She says it does not hurt to be kind, she thinks rudeness is unkind. I am not sure about that, but I love Frankie, so I try to not upset her.”

  “Hush!”

  “Again!” She gave a deep sigh at the command. Andre`s dragon was as charmed a he was he shrugged as he told her. “It was not as rude as I can be.”

  Joy smiled. “I bet you do not get into trouble if you are rude, though?”

  “I have had the misfortune of being in immense trouble, on occasion.”

  Her eyes opened wide as she whispered. “With Lady Verity?”

  “Yes.”

  Joy shook her head and looked at him with loads of sympathy in her amber eyes. “Oh, I am sorry. She is fierce, that is what Harper says and not much scares Harper.”

  Andre` felt his lips twitch as he asked seriously. “But Lady Verity does!”

  Joy nodded her eyes wide. “Yep!”

  “Joy! Joy where are you?” Called a worried Verity. Joy looked behind her and then at Andre`. “Oh man that is her!”

  Andre` grinned as he saw her shoulders slump in what he remembered as the posture one assumed when young and in trouble. “You could run.” He said.

  She shook her head. “Nope, tried that once had to go to the afternoon tea parties for two weeks.”

  Andre` assumed that was a fate worse than death. She sighed as she looked up at him. “No better to just blame you.”

  She smiled sweetly at him as his eyebrows rose. “I see.” Which was all he could say before Verity walked around the corner.

  “Joy…I… Andre`…oh Andre`!” Verity flew into his opened arms. “I have missed you so much, please say you are home for good.”

  Andre` sighed as his dragon sighed, when they felt her arms wrap around his body. “I have missed you greatly my dear.” He felt her tears wet his shirt, and her muffled. “Oh my Andre`”

  Joy took one look at the upset Verity and took off running. She did not think the male should be hugging Lady Verity, no matter that he was Uncle Rene`s brother or if Uncle Rene’ would like him doing so. She knew what Axl had been like when a male had come near her or what Ace was like around Harper. She found Rene’ walking with a baby, she thought it was maybe Ion he always seemed to want to be held. He was probably grumpy again, the little dragon was always grumpy, and not like Steel he was a cutie. Joy ran up to Rene’.

  “Uncle Rene’ come quickly.”

  Rene’ turned and looked down at the flushed girl. “Where my lovely.”

  And she was lovely. She had blossomed under Harper and Ace’s care. In only a few weeks she was confident and happy it showed in her sparkling eyes, a far cry from the waif he had first encountered.

  Joy said breathlessly. “A male is hugging Lady Verity.”

  Rene’ was again amused at how he was addressed as Uncle but his lovely shadow was always called Lady. He knew she adored Verity, so it had puzzled him until June had told him it was Joy’s term of respect for the Alpha female. It was a wolf thing.

  Verity never said anything, so she obviously understood the sentiment. Rene’ looked again at the flushed girl and asked as years of having young had taught him to do. “Do you know his name?”

  Joy nodded he waited and when he realized she wasn’t going to actually answer, his dragon said. She becomes more like Frankie as days pass.

  Rene’ laughed. No, it is youth they think a thousand things and try to guess what answer you want rather than just answer the question.

  His dragon blew an exasperated breath as Rene’ prodded her with. “Joy, his name sweet one?”

  Joy jerked a little. “Oh… oh Andre` he said he was your brother, is he? Because he looks older than you and he said he was younger. So is he?”

  Rene’ grinned thinking Andre` would not have liked that. “Yes, he is my brother and yes he is younger than me and thank you for thinking he is older.”

  Joy grinned as Rene’ said. “Now you take this little one, we were going to walk outside for a few minutes, can you do that?”

  Joy shrugged. “Sure, although I think Ion does not like wolves very much.” He passed the grumbling hatchling to her and asked. “Why do you say that?”

  She sighed. “He cries when I cuddle him.”

  Rene’ told her. “Some hatchlings only like to be held a certain way. Ion likes to be up like this.”

  He positioned the hatchling upright against her chest so his head was at her shoulder as she held him, he stopped his murmuring and sighed. Joy smiled. “Oh okay, I will remember that.”

  “Good girl, now take him for a short walk, and I will see to Lady Verity.”

  Joy said seriously. “That is good because I am not sure hugging is allowed.”

  He smiled and kissed her forehead. “You are a treasure.” Joy glowed at his praise.

  Rene’ told her. “He is family sweet wolf, therefore hugging is allowed.”

  “Oh family.”

  “Yes family.”

  “Okay, bye.”

  “Goodbye little wolf.” Rene’ watched her walk slowly away and turned to where his brother was. So he has come home! His dragon murmured.

  So it would seem.

  Are you happy?

  You know I am, talking and the occasional visit has not been enough.

  His dragon grinned. It will be good to have him home.

  Rene’ agreed. Yes, I feel he should be here.

  All the dragons know the Sun dragons are heralding the beginning!

  Of what? Rene’ asked with a confused voice. His dragon was not the first to have voiced something similar over the last few weeks ever since the Sun dragons had arrived at Dragon’s Gap.

  Ahh! I wish I knew. His dragon replied just as perplexed as he. Rene’ walked around the corner and found his brother with his arms still around Verity, and she was weeping quietly into his shirt. Rene’ opened a portal, and they were instantly in his and Verity’s home.

  Verity pulled away. “I am sorry, you do not need me weeping all over you.”

  Andre` smiled gently as he said. “I am grateful you still wish too sister.”

  Verity smiled through her tears as she kissed his cheek. She turned to Rene’. He took her in his arms and hugged her. “Joy came and wanted to know if it was alright for you to be hugged by another male.”

  Verity smiled as Andre` laughed and said. “The chatterbox.”

  Rene’ n
odded. “Indeed! She is unsure what the protocol is.”

  “What did you tell her?” Verity asked intrigued by his answer, her Rene` had mellowed somewhat since remaining at home. Some days he was the male of his youth, she did admit to Grace she loved this new Rene`.

  “That family are allowed to hug.”

  Verity laughed and told Andre`. “Joy was abandoned and ended up here alone, sleeping rough with several others until they were all claimed by families. Ace Battle and his shadow Harper have claimed her, she is still trying to understand what family means.”

  “I see. I found her delightful.”

  “She is and already with a shadow!”

  “A what!” Andre` was outraged as he thought of the young girl with a male. “Some male has bonded with her?”

  “No…oh no… not like that. It is Axl Battle. She is his shadow he, as you can imagine has been taken off world until she comes of age.”

  Andre` felt his ire simmer down as he asked the growl still in his voice. “Ace is alright with that?”

  “In all honesty what choice did him or Axl have?” Rene` asked him. Andre` grimaced thinking about the young hurting male. “Not many I should imagine. May I contact him? He may need my counsel.”

  Rene` nodded as always Andre `would think of the young male. “Of course he would like that I am sure.”

  Verity smiled so very pleased to have Rene`s brother and her friend home. “Well, I need to change for dinner. Andre` you will join us.” There was no mistaking the order in her tone.

  “Ahh!” Andre` blinked several times at the unexpected tone of the Lady of the castle.

  Little sister has grown! His dragon snickered at him.

  Without waiting for further words Verity said. “Good. Oh, I am sure Rene` told you I instigated Sunday family day where all the family who are here, or just visiting come for the day. Starting at breakfast we spend the day together catching up, talking, and having fun. You will enjoy it I am sure. We do not dress as we use to for dinner. On family day it is casual dress so come as you are. I will see you shortly.”

  They both watched her go to her bedroom neither male saw the laughter in her eyes at Andre`s stunned expression. Rene’ shrugged at his brother’s look. “What can I say, she grew up.”