The First Spell Weaver of Airendell: Book Two of the Airendell Chronicles (12 page)

Morna and Luca sit quietly for several long moments, digesting this information.  “Why would she harm my daughter, her own niece?  How could she have anything against us?  We didn‘t even know of her,” Morna asks in bewilderment.

“I am not certain,” Admits Gullveig.  “She has always been a very complicated woman.  She was a wild, willful child.   She is powerful and a woman of strong lusts.  She is fascinated with magic and power.  She had spent centuries traveling the known realms, taking random lovers and learning the ways of other kinds of magic.  But six hundred years ago, she just disappeared.  We have no idea what has happened to her.”

Morna digests this information, but her mind goes swiftly back to her daughter. “Who is the other Vanir that you have called to come help Aideen?” Morna asks softly.

“Keep an open mind Morna,” Heimdall urges. “It’s Agnar.”

Morna explodes!  “What hell can Agnar do for her?  Besides try to screw her brains out!”

“Now, now Morna.  He has changed a great deal since you first met him when you were a young woman.  You know in your heart that he is a changed man.  You have fought alongside him as Protectors of the Gateways,” Heimdall says quietly. 

“He too, is empathic and must have sensed some attraction in you for him or he would not have accosted you like that,” Gullveig says quietly.

“Sure I was attracted to him.  I was sixteen, full of teenaged hormones, and we had been on the sparring fields all day.  He is a glorious specimen at seven feet tall with that beautiful face and all those muscles.  And he can fight like a demon escaped from hell itself.  But that doesn’t mean I wanted to have sex with him up against a wall in my father’s hall,” Morna huffs indignantly.  And then she adds, “I had to break the horny bastard’s nose to make him leave me alone.”

Heimdall chuckles.  “Morna I long ago read that memory in your mind.  There was more to it than that.  You did flirt with him and then allowed him to kiss you.  He knows who your father is, he had every reason to believe you took after Valliant in all things and would welcome his sexual advances.  He didn’t know you were resolved to wait until you met your one true mate.”  Heimdall politely leaves out the part about her letting him fondle and suck her breasts too.  It wasn’t until Agnar had knelt before her and was raising her skirt and had buried his face in her eager womanhood when she came to her senses.  Heimdall knows how hard it was that time for Morna to stick to her resolve to wait for Luca, and doesn’t want to embarrass his goddaughter too much in front of her mate.  “When he sensed that resolve in your heart, he stopped.  However, you were already panicked and punched him, thus breaking his nose.”

Morna knows Heimdall’s words are true.  And looks at her mate with deep shame burning her face.  Luca kisses her tenderly and whispers too quietly for anyone else to hear; “Don’t you dare be ashamed of being a young girl in the presence of these so called gods.  I am now doubly amazed you kept your virginity until I came along.  It is further testament of your strength when you are resolved to see something through.”

“Damn Luca.”  She whispers back nearly inaudibly, “Now I have to confess something to you later, since you are so accepting of my past indiscretions and are so willing to believe I remained a virgin on the strength of my resolve alone.”

“Later love,” he says in a barely audible whisper, as he stokes her face.  His loving acceptance of anything she might reveal is obvious in his gaze.  Her heart calms, as do her fears.  And she is able to turn her attention back to Heimdall.

“But I am not sure how Agnar could be of any help to our Aideen, he was definitely a randy hell raiser and womanizer.” Morna asserts in a hostile tone.

A deep chuckle sounds from the doorway.  “Yes, Morna I certainly was.  I used to really regret that I let you get away.  You were a very, very sweet little morsel back in the day,” says Agnar roguishly.

Agnar comes into the room with a flourish.  Luca can easily see what attracted Morna to him when she was a young girl.  He is probably close to seven feet tall, and very, very muscular.  His face is very handsome and strong.   He has brilliant green blue eyes, black, wavy hair, cut fairly short for a Norseman, and sports a neatly trimmed mustache and beard.  Luca also can see the man has a strong zest for life, but he senses some quiet resolve to achieve something that has thus far been just out of his reach.

When Morna and Luca stand up to face him, Agnar is taken aback my Morna’s appearance.  “Morna, I knew you would look different, being a different incarnation of yourself and all that, but you still look like you, only a mature, grown up, more stately you.  You’re glorious!  Amazing!  This new ascended form is definitely you!”  Agnar takes her hand and kisses it gently. 

Morna stiffly pulls her hand away, and is watching him skeptically.  “I have not yet re-ascended,” Morna says curtly.  Agnar simply raises his eyebrows at her comment.

Luca is watching him in an amused fashion.  Agnar looks at Luca and extends his hand to him.  “Sir Lucian, forgive my rudeness.  I must confess to being totally infatuated with your mate once upon a time.” 

Luca laughs richly and shakes his hand, “Yes, so I have heard.  And by the way, my name is just Lucian Michaels.”

“Okay Lucian.  I am Agnar.  Pleased to meet you.  You have quite a reputation among our kind.  Any man who can win this one’s heart must be one of a kind.”  Morna puts her arm around Luca’s waist possessively as Agnar speaks to her mate.  Morna reluctantly admits to herself that Agnar’s aura has changed completely since the days when she first met him.  His whole attitude and demeanor seem more mature and solid as well.  Why haven’t I noticed this before?  We have spent a great deal of time together as Gateway Protectors.  Perhaps I was aware of the change and that is why we became so close.  But we still tried to destroy each other over stupid things on more than one occasion.

Agnar turns his attention to Gullveig and Heimdall, and greets them appropriately.  Heimdall finally urges everyone to sit.  When Heimdall offers Agnar refreshment, he casually declines and says, “I thought I was here to discuss Aideen?”

“You know my daughter?” asks Luca in a low menacing tone.             

“Yes I do Lucian.  I might as well confess up front to you that I am in love with her.  I have been so for nearly one hundred years now.  At one time I thought she loved me as well.   We were very happy, but then one day, she told me that she was leaving, she had other matters to attend to in Midgard.  She never explained why she was leaving.  She just broke our affair off, and I haven’t seen her since.  Well, until today when Heimdall summoned me and told me that she was here and injured.  I had been out looking for her ever since I heard Ari had kidnapped her.  I would have been back sooner but I was dealing with a nest of blood wraiths that I stumbled across trying to break through the Gateway on the east coast of America.”  Agnar smiles sweetly, almost sadly and says, “I hope someday she will be my mate.” 

Morna chuckles softly.  “Well that certainly explains the change in you.  My daughter stole your heart and doesn’t want to play house with you.  Is that it?” She asks caustically.

Luca looks at his mate in surprise.  Morna is rarely this judgmental of anyone.  He wonders about their history together.

“Morna, look in my heart woman.  I know you are not an empathic like your sister, but you are an excellent reader of men.  You will see I have changed.  I, like you, have grown up.  If you had remained with us in the Gateways and here in Asgard during this last limbo you would know that for yourself.  I want to spend eternity with Aideen.  She is my one true mate,” Agnar vows quietly, without flourish or added emotion, just raw honesty.

Morna snorts.  Then continues to look at the demigod before her.  He truly does seem like a different man.  His words ring true, his heart toward her daughter at least, seems pure.  Morna wavers and looks up at Luca.  Their eyes meet and hold for a minute, then Morna sighs softly and Luca speaks.  “Fine, we accept your profession of love for our daughter and your apparent maturity of character at face value.  What does any of that have to do with Aideen’s current situation?”

Heimdall urges the trio to sit down.  “Morna, Lucian this will be hard for you to hear.  Agnar, it will hard for you as well.”

Gullveig leans forward, and looks at three people before her.  “I believe that my daughter cursed Aideen.”

Morna stands up like she is ready for battle.  “What kind of curse?” she demands forcefully.  Luca gently takes Morna’s hand and urges her to sit down. 

“Love you can’t break the curse by destroying Valgullveig’s mother.  She’s not the one who enacted it,” he chides gently.

“I know that dammit.  I just feel helpless.”  Morna rubs her face in frustration.  “Forgive my attitude Gullveig,” Morna entreats earnestly.  “I did not truly intend to attack you.”

Gullveig comes to Morna and kneels before her.  She takes Morna’s hand in her own. “Morna, I am a mother too.  I understand completely.  My love for my daughter allowed me to turn a blind eye to her reckless ways for many, many years.  In some ways, this is probably my fault.  Your anger is justified, if somewhat misdirected,” Gullveig quietly assures Morna.

Morna reaches out and strokes Gullveig’s face.  Her remorse for her daughter’s actions is genuine.  Morna knows this Vanir desperately wants to make it right.  “I don’t blame you, Gullveig.  Honestly, I don’t.”

Gullveig kisses Morna’s hand and returns to her seat.  “Heimdall, please explain for me.  I am feeling too ashamed to do it myself.”

Heimdall takes a deep breath and then clears his throat.  He is watching Luca warily.  “Valgullveig cursed Aideen with a love curse.  She has been cursed to love someone romantically that is incapable of loving her back in that way.”  Morna gasps, and covers her mouth with her hand.  Heimdall looks at her sympathetically and continues.  “We have broken the curse, but the shame lingers.  It has caused her to behave in ways she detests herself for.  It may take a while for her to heal enough to be able to face the people she knows and loves.  She could emerge from her stasis at any time, but she refuses.  She’s hiding… from her shame.”

A tense silence descends on the room as Morna and Luca digest this information.  Luca tries to clear his throat, emotion is making it difficult to speak.  Finally he says; “You mean me, don’t you?  That bitch cursed my daughter to fall in love with her own Daddy?” He chokes out painfully.

Heimdall sadly nods.  “Yes, Lucian.  I am sorry, but that is exactly what happened to Aideen.”

Luca growls and stands up taking an aggressive pose.  It is plain to everyone in the room that he is losing control.  He snarls and bares his teeth, looking every bit the part of a vicious, blood-thirsty vampire.  Morna rises instantly and stands before her mate.  He initially snarls at her.  And then she speaks his name so quietly the others can barely hear it.  “Luca!  I feel the exact same way, my love.  I want to murder her too.  But it won’t help our daughter that we feel that way.  Lucian, you know I am right, my darling.”  She puts her hand gently on his face.  He softens instantly at her touch.  “I know you want to commit murder right now.  But that’s not who you are.  And it wouldn‘t do one damn bit of good for our daughter.”

Luca is again under control when he takes his wife into his arms and kisses her gently.  “Forgive me, cor meum, but I should have seen it.  She has been acting so strangely for years now.  I just put it down to immaturity and not having her parents around when she was younger.  I made so many excuses for her.”

Morna puts her fingers over his lips to stop him from saying anymore.  “Nonsense!  There is no way any of this is your fault.  Listen baby, go hunt.  Let loose some of this aggression you are feeling.  Get some sustenance it will help you reason through this impossible situation, my love.  Go and hurry back.  I need your wisdom and calm, clear mind, now more than ever.”  Morna kisses him gently and he pulls her to him and presses his forehead against hers for a long moment.

“Morna, I am truly sorry,” he whispers so quietly no one but her can hear him.

“You have done nothing to be sorry about!  Go!” she assures him in an equally quiet voice.  Luca kisses her again softly, and then leaves so fast no one in the room can see him go, but they feel the air stir in his wake.

Morna turns to Heimdall, “Summon every living soul out of that park, immediately!” She orders in a calm, authoritative voice.

“I already have, Morna.  There are only animals left.  Luca won’t do anything he will regret.  I promise you.  Do you want me to send Damian after him?”  Heimdall asks doubtfully.

“No, no, in fact make sure he doesn’t go to check on him.  In this frame of mind he might turn on anyone but me.  I would go, but it might offend him.  He needs time alone,” Morna speaks quietly.

Morna sits down leadenly.  And lets out a long breath.  The group sits quietly for many minutes.  Then Morna looks up as Ingrid comes in with another icy Coke for her.  Morna accepts it gratefully, “Thank you Ingrid.”  The serving girl smiles sweetly and quietly leaves the room.

“What the hell was that?” demands Agnar.  “I have dealt with vampires before, but your mate is no ordinary vampire.”

“That is the powerful creature that results when a demigod is turned into a vampire,” Morna quietly informs Agnar.  “Bellona is his mother.”

“You are married to the grandson of Mars?  By Thor’s hammer!  No wonder he can handle you woman!”  Agnar says admiringly.  And then he laughs uproariously at himself.  “And I am fool enough to be in love with his daughter!”