Wicked Rage of the Moon: Book Three of the Airendell Chronicles (18 page)

When Morna finishes her tirade, everyone is silent for a moment until Agnar smiles and says, “Yes ma’am,” before heading into the house.  Morna smiles too because she knows that Agnar would willingly take a beating anytime to help his mate.  Aideen must really want this.  Then everyone else, says, “Yes Ma’am” and heads off to the job she assigned them.  Valliant, Vali, Bellona, Gullveig and Heimdall had decided not to check out the loud noise outside, and therefore avoided being assigned a job.  Collingwood has gone for his nightly walk, and also avoided being a part of the cleanup detail.

Morna turns to follow them into the house when Luca comes up behind her and whispers as he wraps his arms around her, “I admire your self-control, my love.  But I want to know exactly what happened between you and that man when you were sixteen.”

Morna turns to kiss her mate chastely and says, “No love, you probably really don’t want to know exactly what happened.  But I will certainly tell you.”  And then she turns intending to go clean the table off. 

Luca doesn’t release his hold on her and says, “I want to know, Morna.”

Morna swallows hard and looks at her mate.  She really doesn’t want to tell him this.  “Right now?”  When Luca continues to look in her eyes and nods, Morna mutters, “Shit!”  Luca leads her to a bench and sits, tugging on her hands until she sits beside him.  “Well, we had been on the practice fields all day and I was feeling very full of myself.  I was sixteen, tiny and I was more than holding my own with these Asgardians.  You know how I get after a day like that.  All that adrenaline, the sweat, the sense of accomplishment and the excitement.  An impromptu feast broke out at Father’s house.  I was finally starting to come down off the high of besting four out five that I had faced that day, and I headed for my room to bathe.  Agnar caught up with me in hall and started kissing me.  He didn’t say a word, he just backed me against the wall and started kissing me and fondling my breasts.”

Morna swallows hard and says, “I am sorry my love, but I was enjoying it.  The calloused hands, the whiskers, the smell of sweat and my raging hormones were a heady combination.  I didn’t snap out of it until he lifted my skirt and started kissing me between my legs.  Actually, I was fine with that, but when he started to put a finger inside me I snapped.  I yanked him up by his hair and punched him in the nose.  And then I ran off like a frightened school girl.”  Morna looks at her hands unable to meet the eyes of her mate.

“Why did that bother you so much?”  Luca asks quietly.

“Because I had resolved to keep my maidenhead for you…” Morna whispers.

“You were stronger at sixteen than I was, Beloved.  The first barmaid who expressed an interest in me was sadly subjected my inexperience and over eagerness.  I am sure I didn’t do a thing for the woman.  But I got a taste for it and tumbled several other barmaids and serving wenches before I met you.  I know how powerful hormones are at that age.”  Luca says as he tilts her face up to meet his.  “You have nothing to be embarrassed about.  All of this happened before I was even born.”

Morna chuckles and says, “Yeah, bring up the age difference that will make me feel better,” she smirks and then says, “Why did you want me to tell you the details of that night?  You already knew the essence of it.”

Luca shrugs, and says, “I guess I wanted to know if it was hard for you to stop him.  And it sounds like it was.  Oddly, that makes me very happy.  You wanted sex with a man, but you resisted… waiting for, as it turns out, me.  That’s a really powerful thing to know.  And to also know that you broke things off with Rinda eight days after you met me and didn’t have any sexual contact with anyone until I finally found my courage two years later… that’s very special, to me.”

Morna groans and grabs him and kisses him deeply, passionately.  When she finally breaks away she says, “Those were two tough years.  I was hell on wheels during combat training waiting for you.  Fionn figured out what was going on with me and would give me hell about it.”  Morna chuckles.

“I heard him one time. ‘Morna, just go screw the boy’s brains out and quit trying to kill the rest of us!’”  Luca does a perfect impersonation of Fionn.  Morna laughs and strokes Luca’s cheek.  “I knew he meant me, Morna.  I knew you were as drawn to me as I was to you, but I wanted desperately to be on more equal footing with you before I admitted how I felt about you.  That day under our oak tree… that was not planned, my love, being close to you just got the better of me,” Luca admits.

“I am glad it did.  I was going crazy with wanting you, loving you, anticipating what it would actually be like.  And you didn’t disappoint.  It was the most amazing, beautiful, and yet raw sexual experience I could have imagined.  You haven’t disappointed since, either.”  Morna says quietly.  She kisses her mate again and says, “We better join our family and friends before I mount you here in this garden and get caught in the act.”

“Indeed,” murmurs Luca with a smile.  “But later…”

“Oh yes!  Definitely later…”  Morna says with a dreamy smile.

The whole family has quickly puts the kitchen and dining room back to rights.  And then everyone goes outside to the garden.  Morna blushes because there are a few smirks and knowing smiles when the family finds them kissing on the bench.  Kylor smiles indulgently at his parents and begins his instruction in teleportation.  After the first initial explanation, Aiden teleports the marble bench that Morna had been sitting on earlier from one end of the garden to the other.  Morna laughs happily and claps excitedly.  “Aiden, I knew you would probably be the first one to be able to do it.”  Luca and Kyle are next. 

A few minutes later, Luca walks out of the garden with Elias in tow.  Morna watches them and wonders what is going on.  Then Aideen and Ingrid successfully teleport the same bench.  Nora surprises everyone by teleporting herself from the center of the garden to just inside the doorway into the house. Agnar and Morna tentatively teleport objects around the garden.  Finally, Morna looks at Annie and says, “Aren’t you going to try?”

“No need.  I have been teleporting since I was a small child,” Annie says happily.  “But I have had a lot of fun watching all of you learn to do it.”  Morna looks over at her mother in law, who seems to be enjoying herself as well watching everyone’s efforts.  Annie watches Morna look for Gullveig and Heimdall and informs her that the Vanir witch had been summoned to the Healer’s Hall and Heimdall had returned to his post. 

“Is Rodrigo okay?” Morna asks.

“Yes, there was an attack on the Thunder Garrison.  Two warriors were crushed by a Troll.  Gullveig is reconstructing their bones.”  Annie says quietly.  “I just found out two minutes ago.  I was checking with Elias and Luca to make sure everything is okay at Airendell.  I was about to report to Ingrid so that she could report to you.”  Morna nods at that information and returns her attention to her family’s attempts at teleportation.

CHAPTER FOUR - MONFORT             

A few minutes later Annie reports, “Luca reports that the Warriors are on standby at Airendell but everything appears to be fine.  Elias has not reported back yet.” 

Morna looks at Ingrid and motions her over.  “We need to go check on Elias at Airendell.”  The three women turn toward the house.  Morna turns and looks at her family.  “Ag, keep my kids safe.  Aideen and Kylor, Ag is in charge until you hear back from me.  Aideen, when we leave, get a buffer spell up around the house.”  With that she leaves without looking back. 

The three warriors quickly grab their weapons as they head out of the house and run toward the Bi-frost.  Heimdall quickly transports them to Morna’s glen.  She doesn’t want to set down where Elias did.  Once in the glen, Morna nor Ingrid sense anything out of the ordinary, so they take off running for the village.  They quickly sneak into the village and are about to slip into the Guild Hall when Luca stops them.  He tells all three of them that an unknown man is holding Elias captive, with a firearm, and is demanding to know where to find Deidra Montfort.

Morna looks shocked for about two seconds and then she asks Luca exactly what part of the hall are they in and if anyone besides Elias is in there with the strange man.  Luca tells her that they are just inside the main doorway and no one is there but Elias and the stranger. 

“Luca, I do not know how this is possible, but that voice sounds just like Rolan.”  Luca looks shocked and asks her how she wants to handle this.  “Annie, can you teleport me behind the Elder’s bench?  When she nods, Morna says she will disarm the man with a spell and then Luca and the others can come in to subdue him.  Morna asks Luca to enter through the door, Ingrid and Annie come in through the windows at the same time, overwhelm him with surprise.

Morna takes a deep breath as Luca and Ingrid get into position.  When they are ready Morna crouches and nods at Annie who instantly teleports Morna into the hall, but behind the bench, out of sight.  Morna raises up cautiously and locates the man.  She almost gasps because she feels like she is seeing a ghost, because it is indeed Rolan Montfort.  Morna quickly weaves a spell of her own design that makes the pistol in his hand too hot to hang on to, and when he throws it away, Elias puts him in a binding spell and tells the others to come on in. 

Morna walks slowly forward, staring at Rolan in disbelief.  How is he alive?  And more importantly, how is he here?  Rolan is facing towards the doorway and he doesn’t see Morna approaching him silently.  But when he sees Luca, he obviously knows what he is and reacts with fear.  Luca walks past the terrified man to his mate.  By now Morna has come into Rolan’s range of vision and he is shocked, doubly so when the vampire puts his arm around his estranged wife.

“Deidra?  Is that really you?  What they hell has happened to you?” Rolan asks, disbelief and fear obvious in his voice.

“That was the name you knew me by Rolan.  How are you alive?  And how are you here?  And why are you threatening my godson with that .38?”  Morna demands regally.

“I am the son of a dark elf, Ciciceri.  I didn’t want to follow her rules and the ways of the dark elves, so she allowed me to live among the mortals, but she put a charm on me that would immediately teleport me to her in the event I was ever in danger of dying.  She told me a couple of months ago that you and our kids were all alive.  Yesterday, I finally got her to tell me where I could find you.”  Rolan struggles against the biding spell.  “Deidra, I want to see my damn kids, and I want to see them now!” He demands.             

“Why?”  Morna demands.  “What do you want with them?  You have never been interested in being a father before, why the sudden interest in seeing them?”

“Deidra, they are my damned kids.  And I demand to see Kyle right now!”  When Morna laughs at his impertinence, Rolan’s face goes red with rage.  “Deidra, you damned brood sow!  You may pop kids out like a gumball machine, but those three brats are my only progeny and I have a right to them.”

Morna’s rage over his attitude gets the best of her and she wraps her fingers around his throat.  “You parasitic little worm, I could snap your head off as easily as I can snap my fingers.  Mind your manners around me.  Your days of talking down to me and making demands regarding my children are long gone.  Do you understand what I am telling you?”  When Rolan nods minutely she releases her grip on his throat.  She steps back and stands by Annie and the others.

Annie tells everyone, but Rolan, that Ciciceri is one of Valgullveig’s lovers.  Everyone quickly understands that Valgullveig is behind this.  “Rolan, you know full well that my name is Morna.  Hell, you probably always knew.  What the hell does my sister have planned?  What are you up to?”

“Yeah Morna, I knew who you were.  My mother promised to set me up in high style in London if I kept an eye on you for a few decades. Val knew this would be your final incarnation, that you would regain all of your magic, all your memories, and ascend spontaneously.  She wanted me to keep you separated from your mate, your Asgardian relatives, and your whole damned Guild.”

“But your mother and that damn witch were not in on the plan, and tried to kill us all. I got pissed when the Dark One started plotting to kill Kyle and the others, so I snuck away to come protect him.  I think she might have moved her plans up to distract you guys with attacks.  She wanted to wait until your latest brat is born so that she can steal him and use him as leverage to capture and kill you.  Deidra, that old beast really, really hates your guts!”  Rolan’s disdain for Morna is obvious as he starts laughing, until Morna starts choking the life out of him him with a spell.

“Morna, don’t do anything you can’t tell the kids about.  Nora may be watching,” Luca says so quietly that only Morna can hear.

That thought fills Morna with fear and deep guilt.  So she releases the hold she has on her former husband.  She decides to test the range of her telepathy.  She stretches out her mind and seeks Nora.  “Nora?  Can you her me?”

“Yes Mom.  But you don’t need to shout.”  Nora says calmly.  “And yes, I saw who is with you.  But I haven’t told the boys yet.  What are you going to do Mom?” Nora asks calmly.

“I really don’t know, Pumpkin,” Morna admits to her daughter.

“I guess that’s why I can’t see what happens next,” Nora says blithely.

Morna looks at Luca and quietly admits that she has no idea what to do.  “Yes you do, Morna.”

Morna looks at Rolan and says, “If you tell me everything you know about my sister’s plans, I might let you live.  But to be honest, at this moment, knowing that you have been scheming with my enemies for over twenty years makes me want to tear you into tiny pieces.  I saw how you reacted to my mate, Lucian, well he’s the well behaved vampire in the family.  I, on the other hand, am not nearly so well behaved,” Morna says with a wicked smile.

“Do you mean you are some kind of damned vampire?” Rolan says in disbelief.  “Is that why you look so different?”

“Yes I am.  That witch that tried to kill us in the minivan, I ripped her throat out with my teeth, just yesterday morning.  My teeth tore through her skin, blood vessels, muscles and connective tissue like a hot knife through butter.  It was easier than biting a breadstick in two.”

Rolan swallows convulsively and tries to fight against the binding spell again.  “Deidra, I swear to God, I don’t know any more than I have already told you.  My mother and her bitch lover don’t trust me.  What little I know, I know because I got cozy with Valgullveig’s youngest daughter, Matilda.”  Annie stiffens at that name, but doesn’t move from her post.

Morna takes a deep breath and tells Annie, Ingrid and Elias to lock in him up in one of the cells at the Gateway.  Morna gives Archer a heads up that they are coming.  Several Airendell warriors meet them and escort them to the gateway.

Once they are gone, Morna collapses in a chair.  “Luca, I did not see that coming.  I can’t believe he is alive!  I can’t believe he is a damned immortal!  Does this mean I am still married to that mutt?”

“Morna, he knew who you really were and never told you.  I don’t think he has a right to ever claim that he was married to you.  He knew that you had a mate, who was looking for you.  He deceived you from the very first moment he met you,” Luca assures her.

“Luca, I always believed that the only child he cared about was Kyle, but to hear it from him directly is shocking.  And I am devastated that Nora heard him too.  She saw the whole thing.”  Morna wipes at the tears streaming down her face.

“Your telepathy reaches that far?”  Luca asks, his surprise is evident in his tone.  When Morna nods, he tries to contact Kylor and is pleased when they can communicate.  He quickly tells Kylor, Agnar and Aideen what has happened, and warns them to be extra vigilant. 

Morna starts pacing while Luca is conferring with Agnar and their eldest children.  Her mind is racing with plans.  She wonders if she should put everyone on the alert, finish curing Rodrigo, induce labor and get the baby here safely, and then go after Valgullveig.

“Really Morna!?!” screams Sammy in her head.  “That’s your plan?”

“Does it not work?” demands Morna.

“It does, but it will cost our side two lives,” Sammy says sadly.

“Fine, and don’t you dare tell me who.  But I am not totally giving up on this idea.  It’s time that I stop playing her game.  I need to start playing by
my
rules.”  Morna fumes.

“Mom, please calm down.  Whatever you are thinking about causes something really bad because Nora has just shut down.  Mom… I can feel your anger here.  Talk to Dad.  Do what you need to do there and come home.  Just don‘t do anything rash!”  Kyle says urgently.

“Morna, what are you thinking about?  Agnar says that Aiden can feel your anger all the way in Asgard,” Luca puts his hand on his wife‘s shoulder and searches her face.

“I know, and Nora has shut down.  Let’s get everyone on alert here and get back to the kids!” Morna says as she strides out of the Guild Hall.  On her way to the home of Shamus the Elder, Morna contacts her father telepathically and tells him to get Gullveig and Vali and get back to her home to protect the grandkids.  “Ag can fill you in when you get there.  We need to contact all the Gateway guardians and put them on alert.  I think Val is going to step up her efforts to get at me, probably through the kids, or some other relative.  Who is Matilda?”  Morna asks quietly.

“I don’t know,” Admits Valliant.  “That’s a new name on me.”

“Well, ask Gullveig, but not until you guys are at my house, with the kids.  I want her to fully remember exactly who is at stake.”  Morna says cryptically.  “Luca and I will be there soon.”

Morna arrives at Shamus’s house and gives him a quick rundown of what has happened, she tells them to be on alert. “I am sure Luca will have activated all the Airendell Warriors before too long.  I think the Guild is only her secondary target, but we can’t be sure.” 

Shamus hugs Morna and says, “Lass, let us know what we can do to help.  And don’ worry about us, we are not totally helpless without you.”

“I know that.  Besides, Luca won’t let Airendell fall, I promise you that,” Morna assures him.

“Hell lass, we know that,” Shamus acknowledges.  “Why do you think we so eagerly accepted him as First Warrior?”

Morna nods.  “I have to go meet up with Luca and Elias at the Gateway.  I will keep in touch as much as I can.”  Morna says as she walks out the door. 

She runs quickly to the Gateway.  She is met by Archer.  “Sister, I cannot understand why you would marry that sorry sod!  What the hell were you thinking?”

Morna laughs coldly, “Brother, apparently, I was not thinking.  Sorry you aren’t impressed.  To be honest I regretted my decision most of our marriage.  Will the cell hold him?”

“It will.  Ingrid reinforced it too.  Even if they can get past me and my boys, they won’t be able to get him out,” Archer says pleasantly.

Morna laughs, “Well don’t you dare let anything happen to you or your boys.  You hear me, brother?”

Archer chuckles and pats her on the back, “Yeah kiddo, I hear you.  We have alerted the other Guardians.  That idea you had during your Nichole incarnation works great.  Those damned charmed bats really do move faster than a bat outta hell.  I never would have dreamed we could train them to carry messages back and forth.”  Archer chuckles again and then gets serious.  “Luca is still questioning that dark elfin bastard.”

“I know, I can hear them,” Morna says with a sly smile.  “Sadly, the dumb ass really doesn’t seem to know anything useful.  Morna sighs unhappily.  “Sit tight on him brother, and stay sharp.”  Morna turns from her brother and says telepathically, “Luca, are you finished playing patty cake with my mistake?”

“Sure, baby.  Did you fill Shamus in?”

“Yes Luca, and I contacted Valliant.  He doesn’t know who Matilda is.  Has Annie said any more about her?” Morna asks

“No, but she won’t tip our hand in front of the idiot.”  Luca says with a chuckle.  “I’ll bring these three back out there and we can compare notes and go home, to our children.  Besides, you have a healing rite to perform in less than six hours.”

“Okay, but I want a word with the idiot before we leave.”  Morna takes off walking towards the holding cells.  “In private.”

Luca, Ingrid, Elias and Annie meet Morna on her way.  “Morna, you really want to do this?  Nora will see,” Luca asks her quietly.