Lord Xilan, what Owain said is true. Many have been changed against their will. In fact, some go to the extreme of killing mortals in order to get themselves destroyed. I am a Helsinger. I have killed them in anger and for their deeds. I will not lie to you.
I know, Little Bird. Just listen to her words.
“You’ve asked for me, Lord Xilan?” The accent was pure Irish, the beauty the same. Fiona was a woman who’d make any man proud.
“This man claims kinship to you.”
Fiona looked and saw Owain. Without a word, she went into his open arms, hugging and kissing him. “Oh, deárthaír, you’ve come to give to Xilan. How are you?”
“I’m okay, but I’m here to rectify a wrong I did many years past.”
Fiona looked from the Mayan god to her brother. “Me?”
“Yes.”
“Because you made me a vampire? Owain, listen to me. It might not have been my choice to be one at first, but eventually, I’d have wanted to become one or would’ve been sought out to be made one.” Her pale hand rested on her brother’s forearm as Xilan tightened his grip on Colette’s arm causing her to flinch.
“But you should’ve had the choice as to when. There are others who had no choice either. wish for a serum to correct that problem. Kymaera said there was an attempt a long time ago, but it was faulty medicine.”
Fiona looked at Colette and smiled. “This is your Anamchara?”
“Tá sí.”
“Good choice. She’s perfect for you.” Fiona turned to Xilan and knelt on one knee, offering her wrist. “Lord Xilan, know this, what my brother speaks of is true. However, I don’t wish to be made human again. I enjoy my vampire state as I know he does.”
“Then there is no problem. Go, Owain. You are free to leave. I shall drink of Colette, on her wrist, and you both are free to go.”
Xilan put his mouth on Colette’s wrist. She felt the bite and felt the blood flow out of her. As he continued suckling her blood, Colette realized that this drinking was different from the one done to Owain. Xilan, please, you must stop! You’re taking too much of my blood!
No, I will not stop yet, Little Flower. There is recompense to be paid for annoying me.
“Owain! He’s going to drain me for your actions!” Colette sank to one knee and her free hand slipped to her boot.
Owain stepped forward but Fiona blocked his path. “No, deárthaír. You must pay for your behaviour. This is the way of our kind.”
“Then take my blood, not my Anamchara! Fiona, she’ll die, she’s only mortal!”
Fiona looked at Colette who was getting paler. “Is she truly only mortal?”
“He said…he said…I was more than human in my mind. I can hear him speak to me,” she whimpered as she tried pulling away from the mouth stuck on her wrist.
Owain tilted his head back and chanted in Gaelic. “Morrigu, daughter of war, spiller of blood, come to the help of your daughter, to your son. I need you, she needs you. Xilan breaks the covenant made by the vampire coalition!”
With the uttering of his words, there was a stiff breeze and the sound of a bird in the air. Owain knew that birdcall. It was one he was well acquainted with. The bird landed on the platform and shifted into the form of Morrigu, Celtic Goddess of War and Death. Looking at Owain then to Xilan, she stepped forward and forced Xilan to remove his mouth from Colette.
“That. Is. Enough,” she stated while shoving the Mayan god away from her priestess. “She is mine and you will not touch her again. How dare you try to enact a change on her? You may be the living embodiment of the rules, but you cannot instigate the change in one marked!”
Owain knelt on the other side of Colette. “Please, Morrigu, I don’t care if you never let me have her in my life again, just save her. I think he drained her too completely.”
Morrigu smiled at the druid. “She is your anamchara. Where is the torc, Owain?”
Fumbling at the pouch he had put at the back of his belt, he opened it and pulled out the Torc of Morrigu. Carefully he handed it to her. The goddess carefully placed it around Colette’s neck. The coolness of the metal seemed to stimulate Colette to consciousness.
“Morrigu? Is it time to go?” Colette tried to stand up.
“No, rest, my child. You have been almost drained of your blood. Your soulmate is willing to have you healed and if necessary, let me take you away from here and him forever.”
“Here - yes. Him, never. I love him. He’s my soulmate. He’s the one I want to be with from now until we both die. Even in the wheel of rebirth, we can be together.” Colette raised a hand towards the goddess. “Please, don’t take me from him. Whether he’s a vampire or he’s human, he’s mine.”
“Is she yours, Owain?”
“I gcónai.”
Morrigu nodded. “Xilan, I shall require your help to rectify your mistake. Owain, you shouldn’t have challenged like that. Gods need to be convinced and coerced. Had you asked nicely, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“Morrigu, had you tried to bite her neck, I’d have acted the same way to you.”
“I know. Now. It will take us to bring her back, but first, she must make a choice.”
“A choice?”
Morrigu grinned. “Colette, you’ve been bitten by the primal vampire. The god created to keep
the vampires from overrunning the world. The one who watches over this branch of the preternatural creatures of the night. Are you human or are you vampire?” Colette grinned softly. “Does this mean I could bite Owain and make him come when I bite him
correctly?” The goddess’ laughter joined Xilan’s. “Yes, it does.” “Then I am vampire.” Morrigu nodded. “Xilan, take her hands. Owain cut your wrist and feed Colette your blood.
Colette, my daughter, drink his blood.” Owain did as he was bade and knelt, offering his bleeding wrist to Colette. “Sip, mé ghrá.” Colette slowly licked the blood from him, carefully ignoring the metallic taste that filled her
mouth. Morrigu touched her lips as she drank. “Two halves made whole, blood binding and soul. Let them feed from each other, needing no other. Let the curse be fulfilled, let the life be loved and built.” A flow of energy passed into Colette and then into Owain. Their gazes met and held. Owain
stroked her cheek. “I love you, Colette. Be mine.” “I’m yours as much as you’re mine. Kiss me.” He leaned in, kissing her lips. Suddenly he pulled back with an “Ow!” He wiped away a droplet
of blood. “You bit me!” Colette grinned, her fangs showing. “Damn straight I did. Guess I am a vampire at heart!” “You’re my vampire. None else has the blood to make you complete.” “Can we see who can bite the other into submission?” “Later.” Owain turned to both Xilan and Morrigu. “Thank you for your help. Am I free now,
The Morrigan?”
“Yes, the curse is finished within you. You shall always be a vampire, but you shall have a mortal lifespan as will your wife to be, though among the Celts, she is your wife by claiming alone. Be happy, Owain, fight wrong.”
Xilan nodded. “This is a beautiful conversion like none I’ve seen before.” “My daughter, my right to convert, though in the end it was her choice. Choice matters.” Silence filled the air. “You’re right. Owain, there is an elixir to cure vampirism. However,
there are problems with it.” “Yes?” “It is only fifty percent effective.” “That’s not good.”
“Will you and your wife try to synthesize a better version of the elixir?” Xilan pulled out a small vial filled with an opalescent fluid. “This is the cure you seek, but in many ways, it’s death on earth. Those who don’t convert go mad or lose their natural skills if they do convert.”
Owain looked at Colette. She nodded. She knew what Owain wanted to do. “Thank you, Lord Xilan. My wife and I would take the elixir and work on a better version of it.”
“Limited quantities to be available, Owain. That means that it’s not made easily accessible. People who want to convert back must prove they
’re worthy.”
“Makes sense. Reduce the loss and the side effects.”
Colette stood up, brushing off the dirt. “The elixir should only be offered through the Council.”
Morrigu smiled. “That’s my daughter, a born warrior and ruler.”
Colette chuckled. “Well, not quite. More like I don’t want to be responsible for giving it to someone who will suffer when I don’t really know them or their actions.”
Owain put the vial in his pouch then took Colette’s hand. Squeezing it tightly, he bowed his head to both gods. “Thank you. We shall take care of this.”
Kymaera tossed the car keys to Owain. “Here.”
“You read my mind.”
“Nah, you’ve given blood to someone who’s been converted, you’re in love, and you are married. Congratulations. I’ll get a ride back to my place from someone else.”
Morrigu leaned over and whispered something to Colette. She whispered back and growled. Morrigu sighed. “Agreed, daughter. But I still don’t like it.”
Colette touched the torc, which glowed at her touch. “Doesn’t matter. You owe me personally. Just do it.”
“As you’ve asked.” Morrigu shifted into a raven and took to the air. When she was out of sight, Owain looked at Colette.
“She’s gone to heal Riana.”
“Ah.”
“Let’s go home.”
“Yes.” Owain and Colette bowed to Xilan and made their way down the pyramid, then escaped Chichen Itza without delay.
At the car, they kissed. “Conas tá tú?”
“I’m well, I promise. Let’s go make love at the house.”
“Why not catch a flight and head home?” Owain said with a grin.
“Sure. But I want to bite you.” “Not my cock.” “Yes.” Colette winked at him. “It’d be interesting if I can get you worked up and with a small
nip make you come.” “Evil wench!” “Go me!” They laughed and kissed once more before climbing in the car.
Epilogue
>They sat in first class, relaxing. “You know we need to shower together next time.”
“Why?”
“Water conservation. Everyone should shower together with someone they love. It saves water.”
“Funny, O. Very funny.”
Owain kissed her palm. “But I’m serious.”
A man across from them chuckled. “You tell her, sir. It’s important for a man to conserve water. Otherwise, we’re told we’re wasteful.”
“You make your wife real happy, don’t you?” Colette countered with a laugh. “My name is Colette, this is my new husband, Owain. You are?”
“Mark DeNuzzio. You all headed to Turkey or further east?”
“Egypt. You?” Owain asked.
“Going back to work. I’m part of the one hundred, sixty-second infantry. We’re assigned to Iraq,” Mark commented. He pointed to the other guys next and near him. “That’s Zach, Scot, and Rich. We just finished some well-earned R and R. Saw some of our friends from www.booksforsoldiers.com and now we’re going back to finish our tour of duty.”
Colette undid her seatbelt and got up. She hugged each guy and whispered. “Thank you. Thank you for serving the side of peace, even though sometimes it means war. Thank you for being strong and doing something that most people would flinch over. Be safe over there.”
Owain shook each soldier’s hand. “Thanks for being the way of peace for a torn country. don’t know how many have said it, but we truly appreciate you all and all you do.”
Zach smiled, showing off why the women always fell for him, Colette thought silently. “Thanks, but it’s what we chose to do. We only hope to come home in one piece. You both look a bit worn. Everything all right?”
Colette shot Owain a look and elbowed him. “Don’t let him tell you the one about him being beaten by a woman with a sharp mouth and teeth. The only thing that’s true is that I tried to kill him.”
“Kill him?” Mark asked. Colette decided he was the comfort rock of the group.
“It’s a long story.”
“We’ve got time.”
Owain leaned over and whispered in Colette’s ear. “Yes, we have all the time in the world now. Let’s entertain the troops with a slightly reworked version of what happened.”
“I love you,” she whispered.
“I love you forever, my Col.”
Colette faced the guys and grinned. ”What was I saying? Oh, yeah, the reason we look so beat up and such. You sure you want to hear this?”
The guys all nodded and cheered her on. Laughing, Colette settled down in her seat, her hand holding Owain’s.
“It all started in Cairo when I was trying to find the guy who killed my sister and nephew—“
Dictionary of words and phrases
>Mo dheartháir CailínFaílte Anseo Múinteoir Tuirseach Mé mionnaigh Codail tobar Cúinaigh Nemeton SailleBendithion Comhaontú, ceangal Uile LigI gcónai Freagair, freagra Go bhfios dúinn Ionsaigh Roimh i bhfad Aire duit Broinn Craoladh Dearthair, deartháir SlánGabhgo deimhin piseog sláinte my brother girl Bless, bliss here teacher tired I promise Sleep well help grove willow blessing agreement all allow always answer As far as we know attack Before long beware breast broadcast brother bye capture certainly charm cheers ceimic tar isteachcomhghairdeas smachtdorcha dorchadas éag miandul in éag deacair míshásta dochtúir aimhreas deoch furastaéigeandáil deireadh Dóthain earráidolcasna síogaí eile, eagla borb troid tinebronntanas ór maith buíoch go hiontach sásta díobháil, dola chemistry come in congratulations control dark darkness death desire die difficult dissatisfied doctor doubt drink easy emergency end enough error evil fairy folk fear fierce fight fire gift gold good grateful great happy harm saollas, solas éistéist legrá caillmallacht manmaoin marbhmeá meabhair teachtaireacht, scéala smúitdearmad béal, cab diabhal scéal anois doire de bharr as ordú i bhfus tinneas siochánle do thoil taitníonn le pléisiúr geall nimhGarda CleachtadhUllmhaigh life light listen listen to love loss curse fear gift dead scales, balance memory, mind message mist mistake mouth nothing at all now oak grove on account of out of order over here pain peace please pleases pleasure pledge poison policeman practice prepare
Cynnara Tregarth
115
mioscais
hatred
tá sé
he is
neamh
heaven
dia dhuit, Dia is Muire dhuit
hello
ómós
homage
conas tá tú
how are you
cén aois tú
how old are you
deifir
hurry
tá mé go maith
I'm well
tá me
I am
níl a fhios agam
I don't know
tá a fhios agam
I know
is cuimhin liom
I remember
Tuigim
I understand
samhlaíoch
imaginative
imigh
leave, go away, go
d'iarraidh amháin
in one go
sa phub
in the pub
dar leat
in your view
suimiúil
interesting
iarnáil
iron
éad
jealousy
Maraigh
kill
Póg
kiss
Scean
knife
Aithne
knowing
fios, iúl
knowledge
dlí
law
foghlaim
learning
clí
left
dlíthiúil
legal
lig amach
let out
Cynnara Tregarth
117
Tosaíocht
priority
Du
ais
prize
Ceisteanna
questions
Socair
quiet
Rún
secret
tá sí
she is
suigh síos ansin
sit down there
mionnaigh
swear
go raibh maith agat
thank you
buíochas
thanks
sin ulle
that's all
tá siad
they are
i leith
this way
mairg
trouble
de ghnáth
usually
cuir cogadh ar
wage war on
tá múid
we are
cad is ainm duit
what is your name
cad as tú
where are you from
Call of the Wylde Page 14