Lost Wanderer Awakened - Book One of the Airendell Chronicles (58 page)

The vamp growls, “Go to hell bitch!” Morna
punches him in the face and part of his cheek cracks and falls off,
crashing to the floor. “That’s for being rude. Start talking or I
will rip you to tiny pieces, very, very slowly,” Morna
promises.

Luca chuckles, and says, “I would obey if I
were you. You and your friends have made my mate very angry.”

Finally, the vampire says, “I don’t know who
she was, just some silver-haired witch. She had some vamp create a
bunch of us a few months ago and has been teaching us how to fight.
She called us her hit squad. She gave us orders yesterday to come
after the redhead and the tall vamp with her.”

Morna continues looking him in face. “Was
anyone else with her?” she demands.

The hostile vamp hisses weakly, then says,
“Yeah, some tiny woman that looked a lot like her,” he says as he
his eyes dart towards Brigid.

Brigid gasps, in shocked disbelief. George
puts himself in front of Brigid in a defensive crouch against Morna
and Luca. The couple looks at each other in confusion then
comprehension lights Luca’s face. “The vampire doesn’t mean Brigid,
he means her cousin.” George relaxes, but doesn’t move away from in
front of Brigid.

Morna quietly adds, “Yes, Brigid’s cousin and
my mother.” She sadly shakes her head and then turns her attention
back to the rapidly weakening vampire.

“Son, how old were you before you were
changed?” she asks gently.

“Seventeen!” he hisses.

“I am so sorry for what was done to you
because of me. I deeply regret having to destroy you, but you are
full of evil and bitterness. The air around you is heavy with it. I
see no hope of you becoming civilized. I will, however, destroy you
as painlessly as I can because you answered our questions,” her
voice is heavy with sadness as she says this. Then fast as
lightening, she rips his head off and tosses it in the furnace. The
rest of the body falls to the floor, and she covers her face with
her hands.

Luca quietly picks up the decapitated body,
unwinds George’s cord and hands it to him. “Thank you,” Luca says.
“Someday you have to tell me where you got that from.”

George catches his cord. And shakes his head
as he stares at Luca in amazement. “You should not have been able
to touch that thing without getting sick.”

“I have never fed on a human being George. I
am not what you might call a typical vampire. I am sure that’s why
the cord doesn’t bother me.” Luca quietly informs the Stone
Breaker.

Luca tosses the stone corpse in the furnace,
and turns to his wife. She is pale and trembling. He knows by the
set of her lips that she is angry, no she is beyond angry. He walks
over to his mate and takes her into his arms.

She collapses into his embrace and sobs
against his chest. “Luca, I guess I knew she was behind it all, but
to have proof is truly devastating. My own mother has been trying
to kill me for nearly 600 years.” Luca kisses the top of her head,
and gently strokes her back.

George clears his throat and says, “Folks, I
hate to be rude. But can anyone tell me why a shaman and lady
warrior are cozy with a vampire.”

Morna lifts her face and wipes her eyes. She
smiles at George. “If someone will order me a couple of pizzas I
will explain to this fine country gentleman, and then I will find
out exactly what and who he is,” she says with a big open smile on
her face.

Luca laughs and asks Brigid for a phone book.
She gets one out of a nearby desk. Luca walks away a few feet and
to order Morna’s pizzas. He looks over his shoulder and says,
“Either one of you want any pizza?” George and Brigid both say, “No
thanks.” Luca puts the phone back to his ear, “Yes, I want to order
1 medium hand toss supreme, and 1 medium hand toss meat lovers. And
a two liter coke please.” Then he gives the restaurant employee the
address and his cell number.

George looks to Luca and then to Brigid with
a question on his face. Brigid shrugs and says, “Morna has recently
undergone an interesting evolution. Her nutritional needs right now
are probably great.”

George chuckles, “Two pizzas? Yeah I guess
so.” He tips his hat back on his head, and then seems to recall he
is inside and in the presence of two ladies and removes the hat.
“Pardon me ladies.”

Luca looks into the furnace; the vampire
corpses are nearly destroyed. Very little remains but ash. He looks
at Morna, these are almost finished. I will meet the delivery
driver and bring your pizzas to Brigid’s office. Why don’t you go
get comfortable? I also need to call Ari and Almeda, to let them
know what has happened.”

Morna gets a concerned look on her face.
“Someone needs to be protecting Samantha, and the other girls at
The Bridge.”

Luca smiles and says, “Rinda got there this
morning. She has moved into The Bridge to act as bodyguard for the
girls, and in house therapist. A multipurpose hire don’t you
think?” He chuckles.

Morna nods, “Good, Rinda can handle those
girls. I just wish Damian was ready to act as a backup for
Rinda.”

“He is,” says Luca. “Sorry, I failed to
mention that part. Mac moved back in, Damian is patrolling the
neighborhood. And Rinda is stationed in the house. I decided to
step up security when we realized you were being attacked. I didn‘t
want anyone to go after the girls in an attempt to get to you.”

“Good,” says Morna. “But we need to provide
protection for the girls so they can go to work and school.”

“Enya and Carrick are on their way from their
vacation in Wales.” He assures her. “They should be there
soon.”

Morna laughs, “I should have known you were
all over this love. Thank you. I think Mad Mike is probably okay. I
have never been to his house and he‘s not been going around the bar
much these days. Unless someone has been watching me a long time,
he should be safe.”

Luca smiles and says, “I didn’t want you
distracted by worrying about your kids, Morna. And no one but me
has been watching you, so yes I would agree that Mike is safe.
Besides, Bronwyn and Brian are coming in from Vancouver soon as
well.”

Morna nods, and then turns to George and
Brigid. “Brigid, may we retire to your office?”

Brigid nods, and says, “Better yet, I have an
apartment on the 4th floor. Let’s go there. Luca, you will be able
to find us right?”

Morna and Luca laugh. “Brigid, he has found
me in thirteen different lives, I think he can manage to find me in
a building.”

Brigid taps her forehead with the heel of her
hand, “Duh, what was I thinking?” and laughs. Poor George looks
more confused than ever. Brigid puts her arm around his waist and
says, “Come on sweetheart. I think everyone needs a few
answers.”

Once they are settled into Brigid’s
apartment, Morna is drinking her 2nd glass of water and has removed
her shoes. She is sitting on the love seat with her legs curled up
under her. She looks at George approvingly, “Brigid… sis, I think
he will do.”

Brigid smiles, and says, “I know he
will.”

“Okay George to answer your question. “Can
anyone tell me why a shaman, and lady warrior are cozy with a
vampire? Well you figured out what Brigid is, essentially. She is a
spiritual healer, of sorts, as well as a talented scientific
healer, and neurosurgeon. She is what is known as a Spell Weaver
from Airendell. A race of immortals descended from a light elf that
fell in love with a mortal, about two thousand years ago. They had
52 children in a year‘s time. Each child gave rise to a magical
race that protects this world from the other worlds.”

George hugs Brigid and says, “I know of the
Spell Weavers. I could feel the magic in her. I had asked my
grandma to come up and meet her to confirm what I was feeling. Then
he looks at Morna, “What about you? You a Spell Weaver too?”

“The short answer is yes,” confirms Morna.
“My mother, as we said earlier is Brigid’s cousin. She is a full
blood Spell Weaver. I, however, have a slightly more complicated
lineage.” She sighs and says, “I wish that pizza guy would get
here.”

“You a vamp?” George asks. “I can smell it in
your blood.”

“Not exactly,” hedges Morna. “I was raised as
a Spell Weaver…”

“She’s being modest. She has a string of
magical titles that will blow your mind,” whispers Brigid.

Morna ignores her friend. “But my father is…
well, he’s the grandson of Odin and a giantess named Rind.”

“No kidding? Vali is your Gramps?” asks
George.

“I am pleased you have studied other
mythologies.” Morna smiles. “But then again when you are a mythical
creature yourself, you don’t easily dismiss anyone’s mythology, do
you?”

“Sure enough ma’am,” acknowledges George.

“Well Vali mated with a mortal named Enna, a
Scottish chieftain’s daughter. They produced my father, Valiant. He
has kept a low profile. Mostly he protects Ireland and Wales, but
truly he protects all the 52 gates of Ari’s offspring. Anyway,
Valiant found my mother appealing, and they conceived me in
1169.”

George lets go with a low whistle, “843 years
old? I feel like a pup ma’am. I am only 402 years old.” Brigid
chuckles and George wonders why, but keeps his attention on Morna.
He needs to know why she smells like a vampire.

“Well, I am not exactly 843, it is confusing,
yeah I guess essentially I am. Even after I die I am alive guarding
the gates… oh this is hard to explain.”

“So how come you smell like a vamp?” George
cuts through.

“George, do you have a prejudice against all
vampires?” Morna asks in a calm, serious voice.

“No ma’am, I just know they are dangerous,”
he replies.

“That is true, I won’t argue with you on that
score, but my particular scent is complicated, be patient, please.”
Morna steadily meets his gaze.

At that point Luca comes in with the pizza.
Brigid gets Morna a plate and tall glass with ice in it. Luca looks
at his mate, picks up her hand to re-examine her wrist. Morna
assures him that it is okay. Luca nods but doesn’t seem mollified,
and then he says, “Love, eat and I will finish the
explanations.”

Luca looks at George, and says, “Despite the
slight taint of vampire that my mate has, she is completely pure
and good.” Morna snorts. Luca continues, ignoring her
self-deprecating attitude. “She is indeed a Spell Weaver. She is a
Weaver of the First Order of Airendell. She is the First Warrior of
Airendell, Ireland, Wales, and the New World. In addition, she is
the First Protector of the Gateway and Talismans of Airendell. She
protects upper-world from any in middle-world and inner-world who
would harm the mortal humans who live here. She is just like you, a
protector of humanity. I assume you are a Stone Breaker?”

George nods. And Luca continues. “We have
been given to understand that Morna is destined to take over for
her mother as First Weaver and head of our Guild. Apparently her
mother has been plotting against her for nearly six hundred years
that we know of. But Morna is pure, even the Elvish council of
Alfheim is working with her to break the curse on her so that she
may assume her rightful place at the head of our Guild.”

“But she smells like a vamp,” George persists
like a dog with a bone. Morna laughs quietly around her sixth slice
of pizza.

Luca rubs his face with his hands and rakes
his fingers through his hair. He stands up like he is going to
break George in half. “Dammit man, she’s my wife, I love her, I
accidentally infect… exposed her to my venom! She is not, however,
a vampire! But the venom did increase her already impressive
physical and mental capabilities!”

Morna and George are beside themselves with
laughter. Luca looks angrily at George and then at Morna in utter
consternation. “Sorry Luca,” says Morna through spasms of
giggles.

George gets himself under control first. He
stands up and extends his hand to Luca to shake, “Sorry man, I just
had to be sure it was something that innocent. I fought beside your
mate today. She is at least as fast and strong as those newbies, I
had to know why.”

Morna gets up and hugs her mate. “I am sorry
I laughed darling. You are just so protective of me and you were
trying desperately not to tell George how I got exposed to your
venom.”

George speaks up, “Since I raked you over the
coals so badly, you want me to explain myself before I ask about
your history Luca?”

Morna and Luca look at each other and reach
silent understanding. “No,” replies Luca, “We have a good idea who
you are, but I am thinking there’s a variation to your story we may
not be familiar with. But I will explain my history so you can;
perhaps, relax a bit in my presence.”

“Sorry man, I was a bit of a bastard to you.
I have already figured out your wife is surely a pistol; I could
already imagine how she got exposed. I should not have pressed you
so hard,” apologizes George. “I don’t understand why she isn’t a
vamp like you though.”

“No problem,” says Luca. “Morna has been
telling me for centuries to loosen up, but I am not very good at
it. I have had to keep a very tight rein on myself to keep her safe
all these years. It’s a hard habit to break. Plus, I respect her
more than any other being in the history of the world, so I am
prickly about her honor. As to why she didn’t become a Stone Cold
vampire like me, we have no idea. But I digress, so about me... I
too am a complicated story, as I am sure you have surmised.”

“I was born in the mid thirteenth century,
somewhere in Italy. I am approximately 770 years old. My father was
a mortal, an Italian soldier. My mother, I am told, was Bellona.
Her father, Mars, made her give me up to an orphanage. I met Morna
in 1260. She challenged me when I stumbled into the gateway. She
detected my magic and decided I was fair enough to allow into her
realm. She later became my lore mother and ascension guide. She led
me to ascension in 1265.”