Lost Wanderer Awakened - Book One of the Airendell Chronicles (29 page)

The Damian looks confused, “You aren’t
wearing a hoodie or anything. How do you go around in broad
daylight? I thought our kind always look freakishly pale and kind
of glow in direct sunlight.”

“Boy, did you forget what the lady told you?
I am spell-weaver of the Second Order of Airendell. That’s probably
why my eyes are so different too. A vampire who feeds on humans has
red eyes, one who feeds on animals, like you do has yellow eyes. I
feed on animals, but I also get sustenance from moonlight, and my
eyes are this odd shade of blue, most likely because of the magic
in my body at the time I was changed. To the best of our knowledge,
I am the only spell-weaver who has ever been changed into a
vampire. I guess you could say that I am a bit of a unique
case.”

“Okay, we will have time for all of this
later, Damian,” says Morna. “Monica will be here soon to open up.
You can wait for darkness in the shed out back. I need to take care
of some stuff in the office.” She walks over to Damian and takes
his face into her hands, “How long has it been since you hunted,
child? Your eyes are a little dark.” He pulls away with a horrified
look on his face, “Sorry,” Morna says backing up quickly. “I will
try to remember to keep my distance. No sense straining your
control any more than necessary.”

“I am the one that should be sorry Ma’am. I
am the one who is a monster, not you. And it’s been ten days,
Ma’am,” Damian replies unsteadily.

“Damian, it’s just a fact of your existence
now. It’s just biology. But I admire you for striving to rise above
the hold your biology has on you, and I will do anything I can to
help. Do you understand, Son?” Morna asks quietly.

“Yes Ma’am, thank you,” he says, his voice
thick with genuine gratitude.

“Luca, ten days is too long for one
struggling with control, don’t you think? Can you take him hunting
tonight?” Morna asks.

“Of course, we will go after you and Mac go
to sleep tonight.” agrees Luca.

“Good enough. Thank you Darling. I will
finish up in Mike’s office and we can go. What do think about
ordering pizzas for the girls at The Bridge? Damian, does Mac like
pizza?”

“She loves hamburger pizza Ma’am.” supplies
Damian.

Luca shrugs, “Obviously I am happy with
anything you choose to feed the humans,” he chuckles.

Morna laughs, “DUH. I am a total goof
sometimes.” She walks through the door to the back rooms, heading
for the office.

Luca turns to Damian and says, “She honestly
just forgets what kind of monster that I am. She just sees me as
her mate. She believes in me completely. And she will support you
completely Damian. Don’t ever, ever let her down. Do you understand
me?”

“Yes sir, I do. And I will strive to never
disappoint her. And not because of the very real threat that you
pose, but because she’s amazing. I have watched her with those
girls over there at that house, with my sister. That lady is full
of love and eagerly shares it with anyone who needs it. I may be
teenaged monster from a screwed up family, but I can tell a real
lady when I meet one,” Damian tells Luca sincerely.

Morna is just finishing up with the last of
the paperwork and bills when Monica comes into open the bar. Morna
had to chuckle to herself when she saw the check stub where Luca
had paid the delivery driver. If she didn’t know better she would
have sworn she had written the check out and filled in the register
herself. Luca has always been able to copy her handwriting
perfectly over the lifetimes, no matter that her handwriting
changed with every incarnation.

Morna calls Monica into the office. “Monica,
I think I may have found a young man to help you around here. But I
need to check a few more things out before I hire him. Are you okay
with just the part time waitress coming in to help while Mike is in
this latest round of chemo? Jake is still coming in to act as
bouncer, right?”

“Yeah, Jake is great. He keeps everyone cool
around here.” Monica assures her. “Mrs. Montfort, I will do
whatever you need for me to do.”

“I know that Monica, and I want to express my
appreciation. You are going to get a raise in your next paycheck.
Carlisle will see to it. You are doing a great job and have earned
a raise.”

Monica hugs Morna, “Mrs. Montfort, you don’t
have to do that. I am just so grateful for all you have done for
me. You are like a Mom to me.”

Morna’s eyes tear up, “Monica, I would proud
to have you for a daughter. You are an amazing young woman.” Morna
hugs the girl back and asks, “How are your classes going? Do you
have enough money to cover all of your expenses?”

“My classes are going well. I am learning a
lot. And grants covered most of it this semester, but next semester
I may have to get a student loan,” admits Monica.

“No way, kiddo. I struggled for years to pay
off my loans. I don’t want you in that boat. Let me know what the
grants don’t cover and we will work it out. Okay?” Admonishes
Morna. She takes a business card out of her purse and writes a note
on the back of it and hands it to Monica. Look, kiddo, I am going
to be going to see a doctor in Chicago soon. Call my attorney,
Carlisle, if you need anything. I mean anything. If you need money
for school, or need to reach me… whatever, he manages my affairs
for me and can help you out anytime you might need it.” Monica
takes the card and looks at it in amazement. “By the way Monica,
please call me Morna instead of Mrs. Montfort.”

“Morna?” Monica asks confused.

“It’s Luca’s nickname for me. Don’t laugh,
but the name means ’beloved’ in Gaelic. I prefer it to Deidra,”
Morna admits with a smile.

“You two have gotten pretty serious in a very
short time haven’t you?” Monica asks with a huge grin on her
face.

Morna laughs, and says, “You have no idea!”
And then laughs even harder at Monica‘s surprised expression. “We
have to scoot, sweetie. Call me if you need me.”

Morna walks out the door and goes to the
Camry where Luca is waiting for her. He grins at her and says,
“Monica probably thinks you have lost your mind, my darling.”

“Maybe I have, maybe I have. But I am really
enjoying the ride,” she giggles like a girl. Luca smiles at the
sound, he has always loved it on the rare occasions that she
giggles like that. “Let’s go get some dinner for those girls. I
want to talk to Mac and see what we can do about getting her and
Damian settled in early tonight. Hey, what you are thinking about
for those two? Housing arrangements, I mean. I am thinking
downstairs at your place. That way we are around most of the time
to offer support. Sorry, I should ask before I make plans for your
home.”

Luca takes her face into his hands. “It’s not
my home alone, you know that, baby. Besides, I was thinking exactly
the same thing. We should hang on to your place here in town
though, they might be able to settle in there before too long.”

“That’s good thinking. Yeah, I like that
idea, a lot,” Morna admits. “Will you be able to get the documents
so Damian can work here at the bar? It’s the best job I can think
of right now for a teenage vampire. But I am open to any
suggestions you might have though.”

Luca kisses her quickly, starts the car and
heads out to the local pizza place. “I have already called Carlisle
about the documents for Damian. But it will be a week or two before
we can get them. I think working at the bar is the best solution
available to us right now. We probably should think about helping
him get an education so he can support himself and Mac without our
help though.”

“I have been thinking about helping him get a
GED and so he can start taking classes of some sort too. But I
guess all of that would be hold until we can get his identity
established. But he’s so young, would we have to make up a new
identity for him or could he use his own?” Morna wonders.

“Morna, I asked him about his life before he
became a vampire, he had a criminal record for theft and assault,
most of the offenses were related to protecting Mac. But it would
hold him back in building a new life for his sister. It’s really a
good thing that we don’t have fingerprints after the change. It
makes it much easier to walk away from our old lives.

“Well, let’s go by the little house here in
town. I have a packet of workbooks and stuff to prep for the GED.
Maybe I can get him started on it this weekend before we go to
Chicago. By the way, when are we going to Chicago?”

“Our plane leaves at 9:00 pm Sunday night. We
will go straight from the airport to our hotel room. That will give
us a little private time before you see Brigid. She has cleared her
appointments for Monday, so she can concentrate on you. And I am
pretty sure after we see her you will be busy getting reacquainted
with … er, her and others from Airendell.”

Luca quickly changes the subject before she
can think to ask any more questions about what he had just nearly
let slip. “I will drop you here at the pizza place, you can place
your order. I will go to the grocery store and get pops, cups, ice
and paper plates. That way, no one has any major clean up tonight.
How does that sound?”

Morna chuckles and then leans over and kisses
him. “Pops? You sound like an Okie.” She smiles when he just
shrugs. She knows he’s really good at blending into his
environment. Picking up the local vernacular and using it is just
part of it. “For someone who doesn’t eat, you are amazing
considerate of those of us who do.” She laughs and gets out of the
car, dragging “monster purse” behind her. As she’s watching him
drive out of the lot she laughs out loud. “Silly man, he really
thinks he sidetracked me that easily. I wonder which others from
Airendell will be in Chicago, and will I remember any of them?” She
shakes her head and walks inside to order the pizzas.

Morna calls her attorney while she is waiting
for the pizzas and tells him about Monica. She gives him her
number, home and work address, and says, “Look, she’s a good kid
with tons of potential. I want her to have a real chance at a good
life. If you don’t hear from her soon, please call her. That car of
hers is death trap; see about getting another one for her. Sorry, I
guess not many of your clients ask you to do the things that I
do.”

Morna chuckles when he says it’s a rare
privilege to work for her. “I like helping people who are trying to
help themselves.” He chuckles again and says, “Mrs. Montfort, I
specialize and doing for my clients things that other attorney’s
wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole.”

Morna laughs and says, “Carlisle, you are a
good friend. I am glad Luca found you for me.” Morna laughs again
says, “Yes, we have finally hooked up.” Morna is quiet as she
listens to Carlisle for several seconds. “What do you know about
Airendell?”… “Really, you are Marla’s son? I only remember Marla as
a ten year old girl. Well Luca is back to pick me up. I better go.
Yes, we are going to see Brigid. ”… “Who is Aideen?” … “Oh, okay.
Yes, yes get your other line.” Morna hangs up and wonders what that
was all about. Why did Carlisle get so nervous when I asked who
Aideen is?

The evening with the girls at the halfway
house goes well. The pizza is a big hit and when Damian shows up
Mac is so happy and animated to see her brother. She eagerly jumps
at the chance to stay with Morna, Luca and her brother. She starts
packing immediately.

Morna looks over at Luca, “I guess she can
sleep on the couch tonight?”

“That won’t be necessary. There are two
bedroom sets in the storage building behind the house. Damian and I
can clear out one of the offices downstairs and set up a room for
her in no time flat,” says Luca.

Another concern occurs to Morna, she looks to
Damian and asks, “Will she be alright downstairs by herself when
you and Luca go hunting?”

“She probably won’t sleep tonight anyway. She
has trouble in a new place. Most likely she will sit and draw until
I get back. Luca, do you have a desk and a good lamp she can use?”
asks Damian.

“Sure Damian, that’s not a problem. Tomorrow
we can set up her room anyway that suits her. We can also set up
one the spare rooms down there for you, so that you can have some
private space,” Luca assures him.

Morna gets up and says, “Well, Damian would
you like to help Mac get ready to go home?”

Damian rushes over to hug Morna, and then
takes a deep breath before backing away, looking frantic. “Sorry, I
forgot! Wow, I must not do that!” Damian shakes his head to clear
it and takes a deep breath. “Seriously though, I can’t thank you
two enough. My little sister deserves a real family, and it feels
like she is finally getting one. And I am really grateful for
that.”

Morna smiles at Damian. “You are wrong,
Damian. She has always had a real family. She has had you for a
brother. When someone loves you and does their best to look out for
you, that is as real as family gets.”

Mac packs her few personal possessions in
record time. Her eagerness to live with the Shining Man and her
brother make her impatient to leave The Bridge. Amanda and the
other girls are sad to see her go, but happy she will be with
friends who care about her.

Luca drives to Deidra’s little place where
Morna runs in and grabs some toiletries, few clothing items,
puzzles, art supplies, and the GED kit. She goes into the bedroom
to get her favorite pillow and breathes deeply and smiles. She can
still smell traces of her and Luca making love in here today. “Man,
my sense of smell is sensitive!”

Luca has come up behind her wraps his arms
around her as he nuzzles her neck. “It always has been, for a
human.” He chuckles at that and her physical reaction his nearness
before takes some of the bags and the pillow from her. She follows
him out of the bedroom on the way out of the house. She looks
around the little house before shutting off the light and wonders
how she never noticed how dismal the little house really looks. She
makes a mental note to fix it up before she lets ‘the kids’ move
in.