Lost Wanderer Awakened - Book One of the Airendell Chronicles (48 page)

Morna takes Aideen’s ice cold, shaky hands
into her own, and glances quickly at Luca, and thinks “Dammit man,
stop laughing!” Morna smiles lovingly into her daughter’s eyes, “I
love you so much, Sweetheart, I hope over time we can learn to like
each other as much as you and your Daddy clearly adore each other.
But we will, in all circumstances, treat each other with dignity
and respect. The lovey-dovey stuff will come later, I am certain of
that. And Darling Daughter, don’t fret over tonight’s misstep, it
is already forgiven… Because even my darkest enemies are allowed
ONE.”

With that being said, Morna leans over and
kisses her daughter’s forehead. She sees her sister standing about
eight feet behind her daughter and knows that she most likely heard
the most salient parts of their conversation. Morna glances over at
Luca and hopes he doesn’t choke on that smug grin he is wearing.
Brigid is still shaking with laughter. “Oh my I am a wicked, wicked
mother, am I not?” she thinks to herself.

Aideen collects herself, and says, “Mama, I
am sorry. You are right. I was being a bitch. It was wrong, and it
won’t happen again. I must confess the green eyed monster has been
eating on me for months when I realized you were once again
becoming such a huge part of Daddy’s life. When I learned you were
becoming a part of my life too, I freaked. I felt overwhelmed when
you connected with me those two times. And I was not very generous
earlier when you were so ill and I was downright rude with the
beast remark. Thank you for your forgiveness.” Aideen opens her
arms to her mother, and Morna gladly embraces her child. “And may I
say Mama, you are one scary ass broad when you want to be!

Morna says, “Of course you can say that! It’s
honest, it’s sincere and it is not intended to be petty. Oh and by
the way, you are absolutely right about me being a scary broad.
Aren’t you glad I will always be on your side?” Morna leans over
and kisses her daughter on the forehead.

When Luca hears the last part of the
conversation, he walks over to the pianist and requests a 3rd slow
song, another specific title, then puts another twenty in the tip
jar. Then he saunters back to their table. Brigid had made a bee
line for the restroom because she was having so much trouble
controlling her mirth. Breena had returned to the table by now.
“How are my beautiful girls?” he asks happily as he sits down. They
both smile brightly at him. He looks to Breena and says, “I have to
go out tonight, and will be leaving shortly, but I have enough time
for a dance with my two favorite girls.”

He smiles happily as the pianist launches
into Nat King Cole’s classic, ‘Unforgettable.’ “Morna, he is
playing your song darling, please join me for a turn on the dance
floor.” Morna smiles lovingly and places her hand in his to be led
to the dance floor. He puts his left arm around her hips, pulling
her close, and holds her right hand in between them at chest level,
making the dance more of an embrace. She nuzzles her head into the
perfect, cold planes of his chest, and silently curses the fabric
that’s in her way.

“That was well played my dear,” he
complimented. “She’s a reasonable girl, just used to thinking of
herself as the center of Daddy’s universe, I guess I should have
been brave enough to tell her plainly long ago, who always has been
and always will be the true center of my universe.” he whispers
lovingly into Morna’s ear.

She lifts her face and kisses him
passionately before saying; “Please tell me that you requested a
specific song for her that will have some special meaning to her,’
she whispers urgently. “I can’t stand to think that I am taking her
anchor away from her. I am willing to share, I really want her to
know that. You are her Daddy after all.”

“Of course I did, darling. As soon as she
apologized, I requested “Candy Man.” She called me her candy man
when she was little. It’s sort of our song.” He smiles broadly.

Morna rests her face against his perfect
chest again, and he kisses the top of her head. Then he says, “And
how did you like your special request? Because you know, you truly
always have been unforgettable for me.” Morna tilts her face up to
his. And he holds her in a passionate kiss and deep embrace until
the song in question ends, and little beyond. When he finally
releases her, they mouth in unison, “I love you.” Then the lovers
walk hand-in-hand off the dance floor.

When they return to the their table all three
ladies are seated waiting for them and trying to act as though they
had not stared at the lovers the entire time they were on the dance
floor. Luca kisses Morna’s hand as she takes her seat and he says,
“Thank you my love for the dance.”

As the first bars of “Candy Man” begin he
goes around to their daughter and offers her his arm, “Care to
dance with your old Daddy?” he asks magnanimously. When they get
out on the dance floor he holds Aideen in a much more typical dance
hold, but kisses her forehead twice. And he reminds her that no
one’s daddy ever loved them more than he loves her.

She smiles radiantly and says, “I know Daddy.
But I must stop being a brat and make room for Mama. I see that
now.”

Luca cocks his head back, and says, “Oh did
you apologize to your mother?”

She shoots him a look that says, “Oh get
real!” and says, “Daddy, you know that I did, I am sure you heard
every word. I know about vampire senses you know,” she whispers as
quietly as possible. Then as though she were sharing a great,
highly guarded secret, she whispers, “I think Mama can hear nearly
as well. At times while you were dancing with Brigid, I got the
impression that she was listening to the two of you. Has she become
part vampire after being mated to you for all these centuries?” she
asks in hushed awe.

Luca shakes his head, “I don’t think so,
sweet girl. I just think your Mama is coming into her own. She is a
remarkable woman, indeed one scary ass broad,” he chuckles softly,
and kisses his daughter’s cheek as the song ends. He hugs her
gently and walks her back to the table.

Once they are again seated at the table,
Aideen looks from her mother to her father and says, “So I guess we
can all agree Mama is S.A.B.?”

Morna and Luca lock gazes, and say,
“Definitely.” Then all three chuckle warmly. Breena and Brigid know
they have missed out on something of import. Then recognition dawns
on Breena’s face and a few seconds later on Brigid’s face. However,
both try to keep it from registering on their faces.

Luca stands and says, “Ladies, I beg to take
my leave of thee. Would you like for me to walk you lovelies out of
this fine establishment? Or do you plan to stay and drink some
more?”

They all giggle. Morna finally decides to
drink her scotch. She tips it up and the double shot goes down
smoothly. “Goody!” she thinks to herself, “By the time I get back
to my room, I will have a nice little mini buzz going.”

When they get to the lobby, Luca kisses all
four ladies on the forehead. “Goodnight, dear ones. I will see each
of you tomorrow.” And he turns on his heel walks out into the
night. But he whispers under his breath as he goes, “Perhaps I will
get back early enough to try for number seven!” The he chuckles
because he’s fairly certain that Morna heard him. If he could see
her blushing face he would know that indeed she did.

Brigid hands her slip to the valet, then
turns to kiss Morna and Breena goodnight. “I am so happy to see you
girls. I’ve missed you both so much!” She hugs them both at once.
And then she steps back to allow Aideen to make her goodbyes.

Aideen hugs her mother gently and kisses her
on the cheek, “I do love you, Mother,” she whispers.

Morna strokes her daughter’s cheek and says,
“I love you too.” And then Aideen turns to hug Breena quickly, and
echo Brigid’s sentiments.

The physicians wait for their car as the
sisters lock arms and head for Morna’s room after bidding them a
good night. They laugh and carry on all the way up in the elevator.
When they step out of the elevator, two young men who look very
much out of place in such a nice hotel try to herd them back into
the elevator.

In a strong, authoritative voice Morna says,
“Seriously boys, do you really want to try to pull this crap on me
tonight?”

The teenagers hesitate at her tone, and she
purrs, “Smart choice,” as she and Breena sail past them. Morna puts
her hand out behind her back and holds the boys in a binding spell
so that they can’t see what room the women go into.

When they get into the suite, Morna cracks up
and says, “Last week, I would have had to settle for a little
sarcasm, kicking one of them in the nuts, and breaking the other
one’s nose,” she says with a grimace. Breena snickers happily at
her sister’s remark.

Morna picks up the hotel phone in the sitting
room and asks for security when the desk clerk answers. When
security gets on the line, she says, “This is Mrs. Lucian Michaels
in room 1112, we spotted two young men, teenagers really, hanging
around the elevator, attempting to accost hotel patrons. Would you
please deal with that? I am sure they are still near the elevator,
if you hurry you might save some poor lady from the fright of her
life. Thank you Mr. Thomas, your prompt attention to this matter is
greatly appreciated.”

When she hangs up, Breena is laughing nearly
hysterically. “Did you see the punk in the hoodie? The look on his
face when you asked him if he really wanted to pull this crap on
you? It was priceless, he was so shocked. He obviously expected us
to be very frightened. How did you learn to do that sister?”

Morna shrugs and says, “Many, many years
working in the public school systems, I guess.”

Breena laughs, and says doubtfully, “Yeah,
that must be it.” Breena snorts at Morna’s humble attitude.
“Bullshit! Once a warrior, always a warrior is the more likely
explanation.”

Morna laughs and reminds her sister, “Not so
much a warrior the night before last. Before I connected with you I
had a run in with two vampires that had tracked Damian down. I
didn’t really get very far with them. Luca had to finish them
off.”

“Morna, when we were linked, you thought
about that. Worried about it actually. But I saw your memory of the
incident. You were well on your way to getting back into the swing
of things.” Breena laughs and says, “Morna, you impaled one with a
lug wrench and shattered the face of the other. You were handling
it just fine.”

Morna chuckles and says, “It did feel really
good to feel that little snot’s face cave in under my hand.”

They both collapse in laughter on the couches
that face each other in the sitting area of the suite. Breena picks
up her LED ZEPPLIN knapsack that she had stashed beside the couch
she is now sitting on. She pulls an oversized night shirt and a
bottle of very good scotch out of her bag. She says, “Okay, I need
glasses and a place to change.”

Morna giggles and says, “Bathroom for both.”
She cocks her head to listen to the security officers in the hall.
They are attempting to question the would-be attackers, Morna waves
her hand and releases the binding spell. And then she thinks, “Oh
what a difference a week makes.”

When Breena returns in her night shirt and
waving 2 glasses and the bottle of scotch. Morna wonders what she
might wear to this impromptu slumber party. “Be right back,” she
says, “Don’t start without me. I don’t want you to get a better
buzz than I do,” she giggles.

She walks into the bedroom wondering what she
can wear when she notices a pair of Luca’s boxers on the bed and an
A shirt. She smiles at his thoughtfulness, in all things, great and
small. She picks them up inhales his spicy, musky, one of a kind
scent on them. She sighs, and wishes he were here right now.

She looks down and sees a note on the
blanket:

My Darling Morna,

I hope to get home early enough to try for
seven or maybe eight tonight. All my love, forever,

Your Luca

Morna chuckles and wonders whether he left
the note before they had departed the room or did he sneak up here
and leave it, just in case she didn’t hear him. Either way, he is
still one very amazing man.

She sniffs the clothes again and then goes
into the bathroom and removes her dress and folds it neatly before
she strips out of her bra and panties and don Luca‘s boxers and A
shirt. She doesn’t want anything to come between her and his scent
tonight since he won’t be there. She quickly brushes her teeth and
then tosses the lovely golden satin underwear and the folded dress
on top of the suitcase as she walks by on the way to rejoin her
sister. Then as an afterthought, grabs the pillows off the bed.

When she gets back to the sitting room Breena
is sitting cross legged on her sofa. “Let’s get cozy,” she giggles.
She tries to discreetly sniff the pillows to determine which one
Luca had had his head on the most when Breena starts cracking
up.

“Holy cow sister, picking out his scent to
cuddle up with for the night?”

Morna blushes, and says, “Girl, you just
don’t even know…”

Breena smiles broadly, “Someday I would like
to find out… er not with Luca.. Er you know what I mean.” she
stammers as she blushes profusely.

“Relax Breena, I know you don’t have the hots
for Luca. He’s your brother. Now Damian on the other hand, you
might make that jump, huh?” Breena blushes yet again and Morna
knows she has hit on the truth. She can’t help herself and decides
to tease a little more. “But you know I have kind of adopted him.
It might feel a little incestuous…” she says with a smirk.
“Seriously though, I think he might be an amazing young man, but
the jury is still out on his ability to control himself in very
close contact with humans. I guess time will tell. You could always
take him for a roll in the hay after you wove an iron-lion, but it
detracts considerably from the experience, in my opinion.”