Wicked Rage of the Moon: Book Three of the Airendell Chronicles (28 page)

Everyone is preparing to eat when Luca stops them and says, “I want to take a moment to say grace.”  Everyone bows there head and Luca does the same.  “Almighty Father God, thank you for all of the blessings in our lives.  Thank you so much for my family.  I am truly a man blessed beyond my wildest dreams.  Lord please guide us and help us to fulfill your will in all things.  In Christ’s name, Amen.”

The family is tucking in happily to the delicious meal before them when Auggie comes out and sets Luca’s plate down in front of him, along with his silverware and a tall glass of cold milk.  Everyone at the table stops eating and looks at Luca in surprise.  He smiles broadly and picks up his steak knife and a fork and starts cutting his steak.  He puts the first bite in his mouth and chews slowly.  It tastes so good that he can’t help it, he moans with pleasure.

Morna reaches out and strokes her mate’s arm, with a broad smile on her face.  When Luca finishes chewing and swallows the bite of steak and begins to cut another, Morna can’t help it.  She giggles in delight.  Luca looks up to Auggie who is standing beside him and says, “Auggie, it tastes better than I remember Morna’s steaks ever tasting.” 

He laughs and winks at Auggie when Morna smacks his arm and says, “Old man, that one you will pay for!  I have taken enough grief over the years from our three youngest children about my cooking to last me a hundred lifetimes.”  Everyone laughs at that, especially Kyle, Aiden and Nora.  Morna is only a mediocre cook when it comes to most recipes, and it had been a source of many a family giggle fest at dinner time.

Suddenly the family dining room is very loud with everyone asking questions at once.  Finally, Luca whistles loudly and everyone falls silent.  Luca looks at Morna and says, “Mama healed me.  Now let’s eat.”  The rest of the meal passes happily.  With Morna answering all questions about Breena’s condition but evading questions about Luca’s new status and how it came about. 

When everyone has finished their meals Auggie comes out and says, “I hope that you have saved room for dessert.  And she is pushing a cart with several cakes on it.  Bellona and Aideen get up to help Auggie cut the cakes.  Morna gets up to help when Kyle and Kylor both say, “Sit down, Mom.” 

She laughs and complies and watches in pride as her sons deliver the delicious cake to everyone.  Morna couldn’t decide between the chocolate cake and the coconut cake, so she takes a generous piece of both kinds.  Luca opts for the lemon cake because he says that the smell of lemons was a smell that he always enjoyed, even when other food scents were very unappealing. 

He is happily eating the lemon cake when Nora laughs, “Daddy, you are funny.  Who but you would like lemons over chocolate?”  Morna agrees with her daughter and laughs happily, as do the other women in the room, who all have generous slices of chocolate in front of them.

After dessert Morna and some of the other adults enjoy a cup of coffee.  Luca declines trying the beverage.  “I am stuffed.  Actually, I feel a little uncomfortable.  I don’t want to overdo with my first real meal.”  The conversation during the coffee is very ordinary, and could have taken place at any family table in the world.  Everyone is peaceful and happy to be with their loved ones. 

This is the scene that Ewan finds when he comes back from Heimdall’s.  “The watcher couldn’t find Nyx,” he says in frustration.  She is too familiar with the dark places in the realms.  Far too good at hiding her evil from the rest of the world.”  He notices the dessert plate sitting in front of Luca and laughs, “Lucian, I thought you smelled different.  How did this happen?”

“Morna cured me,” is all Luca will say. 

“Didn’t know that there was a cure for vampirism,” Ewan says quietly.

“There’s not,” Morna says.  “I am a vampire, of sorts.  Now Luca is like me.”

Ewan snorts, “Morna Glynn Michaels, I haven’t known you well, but I have known you a long time, you are not a vampire.”

Morna chuckles, “Surely you can smell what is in this cup.”

“I can, and you probably need it keep you healthy while you carry the baby, but you aren’t a vampire.  You are nothing like the Stone Colds nor the psychic vamps that drain a person’s mental and magical energy.  And you sure as hell are nothing like the Blood Wraiths.”

Morna giggles and shrugs.

“I spoke to my Grandfather.  He will be here early tomorrow for the hearing.  He wants to spend some time with his friends before the hearing.  He also asked me if you remember yet”

“Remember what?” Morna asks feeling confused.

“I guess that means not yet.”  Ewan grins and says, “It’ll come to you, Madam First Weaver.”  He smiles up at Auggie when she brings him a heaping plate of food.  “Thank you, Ma’am!  It smells and looks delicious.”

Morna looks at Ewan trying to figure out what he is talking about.  Something is tugging at her memory… but what is it?  She looks around for Tena who comes to see what she needs, “Do we have a room left for the MacGregor?”

“We do, Morna.  It’s small, but it’s comfortable,” Tena says with a big smile.

“No need Morna.  I will be outside tonight, in my wolf form.  Don’t need a bed.” The Shape shifter Laird grins at his hostess. 

“You don’t have to be on guard duty, Ewan,” Luca begins.

“No, but I worry about what the Dark One will do next.  She must sense that things are coming down to the wire and that we are on to her.  I would just feel better if I am outside where I can watch out for danger.  Honestly, I am safer in that form anyway.”  Ewan takes a huge bite of the venison steak and smiles at Auggie, “Pretty lady, if I didn’t already have a mate I would propose on the spot.”

Auggie blushes and goes back to the kitchen.  Luca chuckles, “What are you planning on doing about your mate?”

“Not a hell of a lot I can do.  I made a stupid ass mistake, now I have no right to get involved in her life. I will keep an eye on Bitty and my son.  And when the time comes I will prepare him for the Change.”

Morna grunts, “Dumb ass! Go lay claim to her, she’s your mate.  Tell her what happened!  Give her the opportunity to decide who she wants.  Don’t let stupid male pride ruin three lives.”

Luca touches her arm and shakes her head no at his mate.  “Leave him be, baby.”

Ewan who is only half finished with his meal gets up from the table and walks over to Morna, “It’s just not that simple, Ma’am.”  He turns and walks toward the door.  As he leaves he says, “Lucian, I will warn you telepathically if anyone snoops around tonight.”

Everyone in the dining room watches the MacGregor leave and wonders what that’s all about.  Morna looks upset, and at one point starts to get up.  Luca touches her arm and shakes his head no at her.  Finally Luca says, “Morna it is getting late, you need to rest before you return to the healer’s hall for Rodrigo’s final healing rite and to check on Breena.”  He walks around and scoops Aiden up and throws him over his shoulder saying, “Time for bed little man.”  Aiden starts giggling when Luca tickles him as he carries him toward his bed room.  Morna picks up Nora and says, “You too, Pumpkin.  Tell everyone good night.”

After Morna and Luca get the two little ones tucked into bed they meet up in the hallway.  Kyle and Kylor are waiting for them.  Kyle looks at his Mom and hugs her.  “Mom, you are amazing.  I guess, you essentially did the same thing with Dad that you have been doing with Rodrigo.”

Morna blushes and says, “Essentially, yes.  Why?”

Kylor chuckles at his mother’s blush.  He thinks he knows exactly what happened but keeps it to himself for obvious reasons.  “Mother, may we come and observe you as you administer the last healing rite to Rodrigo?  Plus, we really want to check on Aunt Breena.”

“Sure boys that would be fine.  It’s not a state secret or anything.  I just ran everyone out that first night because I wasn’t totally certain how the magic wanted to be respected.  I needed privacy and space to figure it out.”

Luca smiles at his sons, he is glad that they are interested in their mother’s healing methods.  “Mom’s approach is very different from most Spell Weavers, but it is very spiritual and moving, none the less.  I was much moved watching her tonight.  Be ready to go at five am.  Mordir wants to collect more antibodies in case Breena needs them later.”

The brothers thank their mother, kiss her and tell her to rest up, and promise to be ready on time.  And decide to go to Kyle’s room to watch a DVD.

Morna and Luca watch their sons go and listen to them cut up about the movie they had watched earlier today.  They stand there and listen to them for several minutes until it becomes obvious that the movie has started and they are intent on watching the film.  Luca kisses his mate, opens their suite door and starts leading his mate towards their bed chamber when he says, “Old woman, am I still on the ‘not getting any’ list?”

Morna laughs and says, “Nah, I’ll cut you some slack this time.”

  She laughs happily when he scoops her and darts for their bed.  He lies her in the center of the bed gently and starts taking her clothes off.  When he has her completely naked, he starts lovingly caressing her swollen belly and laughs happily when Madigan kicks.  He kisses her belly and says, “Your Mom is an amazing woman.  But I am sure that you already know that.”

“He knows his Daddy is pretty awesome as well.”  Morna purrs in delight.  “But Mama isn’t too happy with him right now.”  Luca raises an eyebrow at that and Morna giggles, “He’s still wearing his clothes.”

Luca laughs and stands up, “I can take care of that.”  Morna smiles happily as she watches him disrobe and sighs contentedly when he is finally naked and joins her on the bed.  He kisses her lovingly, and gently caresses her breasts.  “Or would your rather a firm hand my love?”

“No, this is lovely.” Morna murmurs.  Luca is amazed that her eyes already indicate that she is fully aroused.  They spend the next thirty minutes gently exploring each other’s bodies and whispering of their love for each other.  When Luca moves to lie beside his mate and lift her leg over his own, and enters her eager body slowly.  He penetrates her deeply and proceeds to slowly make very gentle and very sweet love to his mate.  When they finally climax at the same time, Morna is so moved that she begins to cry softly as she turns and pulls him to her and clings tightly to him.

“Love, what is wrong?”  Luca asks frantically.  He is very confused and fears that Morna is ill or in pain.

“Nothing is wrong.  Luca, that was … was beautiful.  God, I love you Luca!”  Morna says.  He holds her tightly and tells her how precious she is to him.

After a while Morna is calm and feeling very open and content.  She decides it is time to ask him the thing that has been weighing on my mind ever since Luca watched her perform the healing rite on Breena tonight.  “Luca you have not asked me any details of the healing rites I have had to perform on Rodrigo.  You did not even comment on the fact that I briefly fed on my sister’s blood tonight.”

Luca sighs and moves to look his mate in the eyes, “Baby, I smelled the blood in your breath that first night.  I assumed it was necessary to the rite.  I must admit that I admire your control.”

“It’s no greater than yours.”  Morna says quietly.

“Oh but it is.  I love you Morna.  I would be essentially killing myself if I drained your blood and ended your life.  That knowledge has always been in the back of my mind, knowing the indescribable pain that would be in store for me if I ever lost control and killed you.  Keeping you safe has almost been a type of self-preservation for me.  But you control yourself for a virtual stranger.  That is amazing.”

“Perhaps.”  Morna says sleepily.  “You don’t feel…”

“Threatened?”  Luca supplies.  “No.  Morna, I know where your heart resides.  With me and with our children.  Nothing outside of our little family affects how you feel about me, or my importance to you.  No need to feel threatened by a healing ritual.”

“I am glad.” Morna murmurs in her sleep thickened voice.  Luca smiles, he knows she has been struggling to remain awake.  He snuggles in contentedly and feels sleep beckoning him.  When he hears her speak again, “Baby, I need another bite.  You probably should drink more too.”

“Are you sure Morna?  I mean is it really necessary?”  Luca asks reluctantly.

“I don’t know.  But I need it, I want it so much that I need it.  Do you understand?”  Morna says softly as she sits up, fully awake now and looking at her mate’s beloved face.  “I want it darling.”

“God help me, I do too.”  And without another word he leans in bites her neck and drinks deeply.  Morna sighs happily and holds his head as he drinks.  When he stops she smiles lovingly at him and moans when he moves to her mouth to kiss her deeply.  Her tongue plunders his mouth and his.  Luca is aroused but knows she is exhausted and should sleep.

“Love me again,” Morna whispers.

“No.  Sleep, we can love when you come back from the Healer’s Hall.” Luca says gently.

“Hold you to it,” she whispers as she drifts off to sleep.  Luca smiles at her wanting to make love when she was half asleep.

“I love you, my little wanton.” Luca whispers as he too drifts off to sleep.

CHAPTER SEVEN - THE BEAST

About twenty minutes later he is thrown out of bed when Morna begins screaming and fighting off an unseen attacker.  She is on her knees in the bed, screaming and fighting for her life against an invisible enemy.  Luca cusses loudly when a chestnut wolf with a dark face materializes in their bedroom and runs across the bed in front of Morna, apparently fighting the same unseen entity.  The wolf and his invisible enemy seem to be fighting on the floor beside their bed until the wolf disappears. 

Kylor and Kyle have rushed into the room, they arrive just in time to see the wolf disappear.

Luca looks at Morna, she is fully awake now, pulling the sheet around her naked body.  She had been watching the wolf.  “What the hell was that about?” Luca demands.  And then he smells blood and carefully opens the sheet to examine his wife’s body.  He finds long scratches down the front of his wife’s belly.  “That son of a bitch scratched you, Morna!”

Morna just shakes her head, “No, it wasn’t Ewan.  It was a beast!  It had two heads, one had the face of a woman, and the other had the face of a panther… of sorts.  We need to weave a finding spell and go help Ewan!”

“No need.  He just told me the beast got away from him.”  Luca picks her up and carries her to the bathroom to clean up the scratches.  They begin to heal as soon as he cleans them with the peroxide.

Morna giggles, “See, I told you I needed another bite.”

Luca smiles at her and says, “Well now you need some clothes.  Ewan just asked to come talk to us.”  He darts into the closet to get her heavy bathrobe and then slips into his jeans just in time to greet the MacGregor.  His sons had let him into their rooms.  They all sit in the study. 

Luca offers Ewan a drink, “I’d love a beer, if you got one.”  Luca checks with Tena and says, “One’s on the way.  Now do you mind telling me what just happened?”

“I am not sure,” admits Ewan MacGregor.  “It was evil as hell whatever it was, and it was after her baby.  It thinks the baby is dangerous to her, yep, the beast was a female.”  Ewan leans forward in the chair and tells Morna, “I forced my way into that creature’s mind, it was determined to kill your child.”

“We better get extra protection posted with Breena.  She carries a child of a Stone Cold vampire too.  Whatever that was might go after her baby too.”

Kylor gets up, goes to kneel before Morna.  “Mother, are you alright?”  When she assures her son that she is fine, he says; “Okay Mother, I will go see to it.”  And then he teleports to the Healer’s Hall.

Luca looks at MacGregor and says, “I thought you lost the ability to teleport in the attack?”

“I thought I did too.  I guess it’s still in there somewhere.  I did it spontaneously tonight.”  By now Tena has brought the beer and Ewan smiles his thanks at the lovely Asgardian.  “Just like I forced my way into that creature’s thoughts, I didn’t have to think about it, I just did it.”

Tena looks at the MacGregor and says, “I knew that some Shape Shifters can teleport, but I didn’t know you could force your way into another mind.”

“Only in a battle situation,” Ewan says with a grin.  “I am not a typical Shape Shifter though, Taranis is my grandfather.”

Tena giggles, “These demigods sure end up in a lot of bloodlines, don’t they?”

Ewan chuckles and looks at Morna and Luca, “That they do.”  He finishes the beer and says, “Well, Morna needs to sleep.  I am going back outside.” 

Luca stands up to shake his hand, “Thank you for your intervention earlier.  I thought Morna was having a nightmare at first.  That monster could have seriously hurt her before I realized what was going on.”

“No problem, I acted purely on instinct.  Wolf thing, you know.  You wouldn‘t have allowed that beast to hurt Morna.”  He looks at Luca and says; “Lucian, if you don’t mind, I was thinking I should stick around until we get Val back.”

“What do you mean get Val back?” Morna asks.  “What the hell do you know that you aren’t telling us?”

Ewan grins, “Go sleep on it, friend.  Grandfather says it will come to you when you sleep tonight.”  He walks towards the door, “It’s gonna be alright, Morna.”  And then he’s gone.

Kyle looks at his folks, “What just happened?”

“Kyle, you probably know as much as we do,” Morna says honestly.  “But I am truly exhausted.  I do need to get some sleep before I go perform the last healing rite on Rodrigo.”  Morna yawns hugely and kisses her son goodnight before Luca walks her back to bed.

Luca holds her in his arms until she drifts off to sleep.  Her sleep is full of dreams.  She keeps mentioning people he has never heard of, and talking about some dimension.  He is startled when she speaks as though she is talking to Valgullveig.  “I won’t let you down sister, I am coming!”

Luca finally drifts off about 3:30 when Morna’s dreams have been quiet for a couple of hours.  At 5:15 he is stirred out of his sleep by a knock on the door to their suite.  He jumps up and puts his pants on as he goes to answer the door.  It is his sons, Kyle and Kylor.  They both look surprised.  “Come one in boys,” he says groggily.  “Sorry, we fell asleep.  Go get comfortable in the study.  I will go wake Mom.”

“Dad?  You slept?” Kyle asks incredulously.

“Yeah, I can do that now.”  Luca says with a silly grin on his face.  “I can’t tell you how nice it feels.  Hang tight fellas, Mom will be ready soon.  We both will.  I am afraid to let Mom go without more than two new warriors for protection.”

Kylor laughs, “Thor and half a battalion of his thunder garrison is waiting in the front yard.  The other half of the garrison is at the Healer’s Hall.  He’s not taking any chances.”

Luca nods and goes to check on Morna.  She is coming out of the bathroom.  She is already fully dressed and is brushing her teeth.  She smiles at her mate and removes the tooth brush, “Poor Kyle.  I hope it never occurs to him how this transformation has occurred.”

“Morna he is a smart kid.  I am sure he gets it.  It didn’t take him long figure out that I changed you accidentally by performing oral sex on you,” Luca says with a laugh.  On impulse he kisses her and licks the toothpaste off of her lips.  He makes a face, “That’s different.  I like the way it makes your mouth taste better than tasting it directly.  But I guess since I am eating food now, I had better get me one of those.” He says as he indicates the toothbrush.

Morna laughs and says, “There are extras in the drawer.  Help yourself.”  She goes back into the bathroom to spit and rinse and then brushes her hair quickly.  She comes back out and Luca wraps his arms around her.  “So when I get home, I can collect?” Morna purrs.

“Definitely!  If I am asleep, wake me up.”  Luca laughs happily.  “I haven’t been able to say that in nearly six hundred years.   What a miracle!”

Morna laughs and says, “I love you, Man of Light.”

“I love you, Beloved of Luca.”  He laughs and set her down gently.  He helps her put on her socks and boots. 

“Thanks babe.  Be back soon.”  Morna walks out to meet the boys in the study.

“You look rested, Mother,” Kylor says pleasantly.  “Let’s go.  I will take good care of them, Father.”  He assures Luca.

The group takes their time walking to the Healer’s Hall.  Morna and her boys leisurely chat about different forms of healing magic.  “Dad says your methods are very different than other Spell Weavers.  How so?”

Morna launches into a rather detailed explanation of how Spell Weavers use spells to channel the minute traces of magic in their bodies using the power of the Talismans.  It’s very technical for most Spell Weavers.  It’s different for me.  I can’t explain in more detail right now.  Later, in private, behind a buffer spell.”  Kylor looks at his mother questioningly but doesn’t pursue it.

“I use the magic in my body to affect physical changes in my patients.  I also do essentially the same thing when I use magic in combat or for any my little parlor tricks, like the rainbows, the cold sodas and all that silly stuff.  I use a lot of visualization, but I also have to have analyzed how something works to be able to bend it to my needs.  Does any of this make sense?”

Both of her sons nod.  “Mother, that’s how I heal, too” says Kylor in surprise.

“That’s apparently how Kyle, Aiden and Nora use magic too.  Aideen is a properly trained Spell Weaver, she approaches it a little differently.  Soon you will understand why you do magic like I do. But for now, know that you have a great deal of potent magic in your blood that other Spell Weavers don‘t have.  It‘s from the same source as mine.  It’s powerful magic.  That is all we have time to discuss.  We are here.  I have to let Valla collect antibodies, you boys can go check on your Aunt Breena.  I will be in there in a little bit.”  Morna says softly before she turns her attention to Thor.  “Thank you for watching out for Breena and me.  Ewan said that beast was after my baby.”

“Yes, he told me the same thing,” Thor says.  He reaches out and touches Morna’s face, “Baby Girl, we will not let her get her hands on your child.  Rest easy on that count.  Now go finish your business in here.  My garrison is stationed inside and outside of this Hall.

Morna is pleasantly surprised when Rinda meets them at the door.  She kisses Morna as a greeting and kisses Morna’s sons and the thunder god as well.  “Rindy, how come you are here?”

“Reagan came through on the way to work at his practice in Midgard.  He works late nights in Middle-world after working here at the Hall.  He told me about Breena and how you healed her.  I was on duty at the gate tonight.  I came as soon as my shift was over.  I also wanted to talk to you and Luca about Rolan.” 

“Why were you on duty tonight?  I didn’t think your rotation started for a few weeks.” Morna asks.

“I traded a few days with Sean.  He wanted time off to be with his girl.  She’s on spring break from college,” Rinda tells Morna with a giggle. 

Rinda has taken Morna’s arm and leads her to the procedure room where Valla is waiting.  Her sons go on to see Breena and Thor goes with them.  Morna chuckles when she sees the healer, “Lady, do you ever sleep?”

Valla chuckles, “Not a lot.  There will plenty of time to sleep when I am old.”  Morna and Rinda laugh at that, it’s an old joke among immortals, who seem to never age.  In reality, they just age so very, very slowly that it is not really noticeable.

It is a simple matter to quickly collect the necessary antibodies.  When she is finished, Valla says, “Well let me go drag Mordir out of his lab.  He and Lou have been holed up in there analyzing, theorizing and debating, quite loudly at times, ever since you left earlier.  I will also go wake Rodrigo.  You have plenty of time to drop in and talk to Breena, she was doing great last time I checked on her.  Surth has been monitoring her condition all night.  That old tight-ass frowns on your type of magic and Spell Weaver magic for that matter, but he can’t help but be impressed by the results.”  The three women laugh happily and Valla leaves the room. 

Morna looks at Rinda and says, “What’s up love?”

Rinda leans in a kisses Morna hard.  “I just wanted to say thank you!  Even if I don’t get involved romantically with Annie, I think she may turn out to be one of my best friends ever.  Thanks for giving us a nudge.”

Morna kisses Rinda back, very gently and chastely before saying, “You are welcome.  What’s this about Rolan?

“I hypnotized him and got him to answer some questions.  Morna, he believes that Valgullveig is actually acting under duress or some kind of spell.  At least that is what Matilda told him and he believes her,” Rinda says in a whisper.

“We have already begun to suspect that.  I am working on some ideas about how to deal with that.  I just need to get a solid handle on who is controlling her.  Morna tells Rinda about the attack she experienced earlier.  Once she is certain that Morna is okay, Rinda grins, and says; “I can’t wait to meet this Shape Shifter.”

Morna laughs; “He‘s a good man, he keeps dropping all these cryptic hints about my memory coming back and then I will understand.  His grandfather, Taranis knows more than he‘s told us.  Hopefully I will get some answers when he comes this morning.”  Morna sighs, she’s feeling frustrated about all of the unknown variables.  “Well, let’s go check on Breena.”

When they enter the room where Breena is resting they are surprised to find that she is actually sitting cross legged in her bed laughing with her nephews and Damian.  She looks like her old self.  They spend several minutes chatting and then Mordir comes in.  “Morna!  There you are!  My friend Octavius is here, and we really should begin the healing rite.”

Morna smiles and follows the healer back to the procedure room.  The sight that greets her is quite surprising; her friends, the Stone Breakers are conversing intently with the ancient vampire.  The conversation appears very animated, but not hostile.  Rodrigo and Octavius seem to be old acquaintances, perhaps even friends.  When Morna steps through the door, the ancient one sniffs the air and smiles happily.  He turns to look at Morna with a look of pure delight on his face.  “Wonders truly never will cease.  You do exist!  The prophesies are correct, you are real!”

Morna cocks her head slightly and looks at the ancient like; ‘You have got to be kidding!’ Octavius laughs, and says; “You truly have no idea, do you?”

“I have many ideas.  Be more specific,” Morna says impatiently.