“Ma’am, are you alright?”
Katherine stared down at the flyer she had dropped. She felt a tap on her arm and coming out of the fog she saw Uncle Tom watching her with anxiety. “Ma’am, would you want me to get one of your family members?”
Katherine tried to move but she couldn’t. “No, just pick that up again. I think I know why the ghosts are so upset.”
Tom picked it up and looked at the photo. “Why?”
Katherine took another look and knew she was right. “Because in a past life, she was my mother-in-law, and her name was Gormflaith.”
Tom looked at the photo and then at Katherine. “You’re sure?”
Tom scratched his head. Thought for a moment and remembered the tale of the High King and his beautiful, wicked wife. “Then that means she was the woman, the High King’s wife, who stirred up trouble for him and her brothers and sons, then started the Battle of Clontarf on Good Friday.” He studied Katherine, saw her visibly shaken. He was sure it would be the only time he would see a vampire shake like she had seen a ghost. “You’re sure?”
“Positive.”
“Mother of God,” he said shaking his head as he studied the photo.
* * * * * * * *
Katherine was walking down the stone stairs that led to the rose garden when she felt a rush of wind come breezing past her. “Thor, is that you?” She heard a sound like tinkling bells and knew that must be Olaf. It was funny how his laugh sounded like tiny bells. Then she felt the impact of Olaf and saw a shimmer around her waist. She smiled. “OK, boys, let’s go see Colum.”
Colum heard Katherine talking before she walked into the living room. Beside her were the two outlines of her sons. One shimmer disappeared and the next instant he felt a whirlwind around his body, then saw it settle next to Katherine. Seeing the larger spirit next to Katherine, he knew this one must be Thor. He had always been a mischief maker. “Hello Thor, do you remember me?”
Thor came up and stood next to Colum. He was a good eight inches shorter then Colum, but he was still tall. His mama had said he was going to be as tall as his real father.
“Yes Sire, I remember you.”
He floated around him one more time and then found a seat. Since Colum and his Mama were vampires the energy they gave off was a great deal stronger. Sitting for a moment he felt strength and knew they would be able to see him more clearly. He saw his brother coming into focus and saw the look on his mama’s face.
Katherine looked from her two sons to Colum. “Do you see them?”
Colum came up to Katherine and wrapped an arm around her. “Yes, I think they are charging their batteries so to speak.
Olaf looked from his Mama to his step-father. “Charging batteries?”
Colum laughed and smiled at the younger of Katherine’s sons. “Yes, being around us you are getting stronger.” He took Katherine’s hand and gave it a squeeze and smiled at her. “Now it seems we may have a problem, but not one that can’t be taken care of.
Olaf had slipped onto Katherine’s lap and laid his head on her breast, smiling up to her every few seconds. Thor was content with sitting next to her, touching her hand.
“What kind of problem, Sire?”
“Thor, call me Colum, or father as you did when, when you were alive last.”
Thor nodded. “Father, what problem?”
Colum hadn’t even had a chance to talk with Katherine so she would be as shocked as he had been. “It would seem that somehow word got out that the current owners of this castle were thinking of selling. My attorneys contacted the owner who told him to contact his attorney. There appears to be a woman from America who has made an offer for the castle that the current owner, who is in debt up to his eye balls so to speak, took without a backward glance.”
“Debt up to one’s eye balls, you certainly speak differently, though we have learned a few words over the years and have made our speech more colorful.”
“Yes, without you Mama we have spoken quite freely and with no moral compass.”
Thor remembered Colum was trying to tell them something and he could see his Mama was getting upset.
“Colum, please tell us about this offer the current owner received,” Katherine said.
Colum cleared his throat. “It’s an undisclosed amount but they are to sign papers in a week’s time. The current owner said he hoped the new owner was going to allow us to stay for the wedding. She has made it quite clear she wants us out.” He saw Katherine’s eyes getting red.
Katherine had a sneaking suspicion just who the buyer was. “Was it this woman?” She laid the pamphlet of Madison Smith’s Paranormal Research down on the coffee table that was loaded with magazines.
Colum picked it up, took one look at the photo and one look at Katherine. He now knew why her eyes were blood red. This woman, Madison Smith, was clearly Gormflaith.
“Mama, that woman looks just like our grandmother.”
Thor took off in a whirlwind and rushed about the room. He paced back and forth. He knew the man who had killed his Mama had worked for his grandmother. Now, he was looking at a photo of a modern woman and she looked just like his evil grandmother.
Olaf felt nervous and could feel himself getting weak. “Mama, I’ve been waiting for you, far too long to let her...”
Katherine wrapped her arms tightly around her little spirit son. He came back into focus. “You don’t have to worry about me, she can never harm me. She may not even know who she was but just feel a tie of some sort.”
Colum knew Katherine was trying to calm the boys and knew this could send them away if they felt a need to stay safe. “Your Mother is right. There is no need to worry until we know more. Also, I have placed an offer should hers falls through for whatever reason. Don’t worry.”
Travis came into the living room and saw the shimmers of the two spirits that he knew were Katherine’s boys. They had been his great nephews back before he had died and been reborn. He saw one go off in a whirlwind, the other staying close to Katherine.
“Sire, there is a call for you in the library, a Miss Madison Smith from...”
Colum stood up. “Thank you Travis, why don’t you come and get re-acquainted with your nephews.”
Colum kissed Katherine’s head as he passed and patted Olaf on the shoulder.
Thor looked at his mother. “Mother would you mind if I went with father?”
Katherine smiled. “Not at all, when you come back Travis will still be here.”
Thor followed Colum down the hallway to the other wing on the ground floor. They reached the library and Thor sat down but felt like flying.
Colum looked at young Thor and knew he would want to hear what this woman had to say. “I will put it on speaker phone so you can hear her speak.”
Thor nodded and sat as still as was all possible.
Colum hit the speaker button and answered the phone. “This is Colum O’Heachthanna.”
“Mr. O’Heachthanna, I am so sorry for the late hour of my call but I was busy all day wrapping up this deal with my attorneys and I felt a personal call to you was needed.”
Colum put his finger to his lips because he could see that Thor was reacting to her voice, a voice one never forgot as long as they walked the earth, whether a creature like himself or a ghost.
Thor was having a hard time. This woman spoke English, but the tone was the same, and he wanted to fly away and bring mother to a hiding place.
“Yes, Miss Smith we were told by the realtor and our family’s attorney that you were making a purchase of this castle from the current owner. I was hoping we could come to some arrangement since I had rented this castle for the sole purpose of my daughter’s wedding in three weeks’ time.”
“I wish I could oblige but I think that will be impossible. I have camera crews coming as early as next week for the show on paranormal activity and a wedding will not fit into my plans.”
Colum smiled at Thor and shook his finger. He was watching Thor write dow
n a note and it said he had plans for this woman and the crew.
“What day must we be out? I have family already here and to find a place to accommodate a large wedding that was planned at such a late date will take time,” he wasn’t going to tell her he had his own castles but had purposely rented this castle because it had been Katherine’s. He was determined not to lose this castle and if it took extra paranormal activity to get this lady to give it up he would do it. He wasn’t beyond playing dirty, if needs be.
“Next Wednesday is the last day, you must be out by then but I would appreciate it if you were out sooner.”
Colum smiled at Thor. “Wednesday it is.”
“I will be popping by tomorrow and bringing some of my things to move in. I want to get a feel for the place and I have plans, a demolition of some of the rooms.”
Thor was making motions of hanging her and driving her nuts and scribbling notes when he heard her last comment. He flew off into a whirlwind and sent a rare Ming vase crashing.
“I heard something crash, you know you will be charged for anything that is damaged because I bought the castle, lock, stock and barrel. Everything is mine.”
With that books came flying out and crashing to the floor, a lamp and other objects. Thor was tearing through the library at a fast rate.
Odin, Sally and Thor along with the babies were coming down the hall when they heard crashing coming from the library. Odin pulled out his Glock, had Sally take her baby sister and brother. He and Thor crashed through the door, guns drawn.
Colum had heard them before they came crashing in. “I’m afraid I will have to run, see you tomorrow.”
Odin along with big Thor, followed by Sally with the babies came rushing in. “What the hell is going on?” The brothers said.
Colum smirked and pointed to the shimmering whirlwind. “Guys, Sally let me introduce you to your younger brother or cousin however you want to look at it, this is Thor, Slaine’s step-son, but more importantly, Katherine’s step-son.” Colum had put the phone down and went to the shimmer who stood in the corner. “Son, come here and meet your family.”
* * * * * * * *
Katherine looked up at the mantle clock and saw it was three am. She was nursing both babies and Olaf sat next to Liam, gently touching the baby’s head. Liam was trying to crane his neck as he nursed.
“So let me get this straight, this Madison Smith has bought the castle and is ordering us out.”
Colum sat behind Katherine. “I called Joseph, our attorney, who by the way is a vampire, and he said nothing has gone through yet. He thinks he smells a witch.”
Katherine craned her head back to see her husband. Hisses could be heard throughout the room. Witches and vampires didn’t make the best of friends. There were a few but rarely did it happen.
Thor sat perched on a bookcase. He had said he would behave and not destroy anything else but hearing this newest piece of news he jumped down. “That would explain a lot, most of the spirits here sensed something off. Olaf and I are results of her handiwork, even if it wasn’t directly by her hand. The others said they had never felt such an evil presence.”
Colum clasped his wife’s shoulder. As he looked around he saw human, spirit, and vampire. “We have a few hours to get things started. I think it’s going to be a wing-it operation but you all need to know I rented this castle because it was Katherine’s at one time. I should have tried earlier to purchase it, but that is hindsight. What I want is this castle for Sally’s wedding.
“Once, a very long time ago, Katherine and I were married here when she was Brian Boru’s daughter, Slaine. What we must remember is her parents and brother and sister-in-law are not to know of our activities. If this Madison is truly a witch then she’s going to be a harder nut to crack. We can do it, but it’s going to take all of us. Also the babies, Sally and Fatima are to not be left with just humans at all. We are to be on a high alert status, just like dealing with terrorists. Father will have more of our men here within twenty-four hours.”
Cormac stood. “I will have all the men who are not in the field come here.” He kissed Elsabet’s cheek and left for the library.
Travis stood. “I think your family, Ma’am, should go to Dublin for a wedding shopping trip, or better yet send them to London or somewhere on the continent.”
Katherine smiled. “Good idea, Travis. Set up a trip for the four, no, six of them. They can take John and Patrick with them. That will get them out of harm’s way.”
Sally looked up at Odin, and wrapped her arm around Fatima, who didn’t sleep well, and usually was up wandering the halls.
Thor had come and settled down next to the little girl. He had heard her history and knew what she was going through, having lost her mother.
Fatima looked first at Sally and then at Thor the spirit. Sally reached up and drew Odin down so she could whisper in his ear. “Should we send Fatima with the rest, to keep her safe?”
The younger Thor reached up and tapped Odin. “I will keep her safe. I will show her places that she can hide.”
Odin smiled down at his family. He had waited a very long time for his Sally and nothing was going to take that away. He would change her right now if need be, to keep her safe. “OK, Thor. But if I feel we need a better solution, I will send at least Fatima away.”
Fatima looked around at her new family. She didn’t understand half of what was being said but she knew one thing, she wasn’t going to lose her new mother. “Mama Sally?”
As Sally held Fatima, she felt her tremble. “You need not fear, little one. If we have to, both of us will go to keep safe. But I will be with you. Thor here will show you hiding places. We will play games tomorrow before this woman arrives.”
Fatima glanced over at the shimmery object that kept looking more like a boy and then fading away. She had already played with him and the little one a few times. “Can we play now?”
Sally stood. “OK, let’s go boys, let’s see some really good hiding places that only you two know.”
Olaf climbed down off of Katherine’s lap. “Mama, may I go? I will see you before dawn.”
Katherine reached over to Olaf and brushed a kiss on the fading forehead. “Go ahead, son. Keep them safe.”
Olaf smiled. “I will Mama.”
* * * * * * * *
Sally told Fatima to only play for a little longer while she took Liam to the nursery. Fatima still had Olivia. Those two along with the young Thor, Olaf and bigger Thor, were combing the castle grounds for hiding places, should the need arise.
Fatima was just a little girl but she had cared for young ones before and Olivia really liked having her hold her. They stayed hiding, quiet as mice while the others hunted for them. She could see big Thor looking. Fatima knew he would be able to find them very easily but he pretended to not know where they were. She had to keep telling Olivia to be quiet. Olivia would smile and make wordless sounds and bounce.
“How do you expect us to hide from the bad lady who is coming if you make noises, be quiet Livee,” she had started calling her that when the baby had attached herself to Fatima. Fatima went to cover Olivia’s mouth but jumped when Olivia chomped down on her hand. Fatima screamed out and Olivia started to cry.
Thor heard Fatima’s scream, so he knew it was time to end the game. Young Thor and Olaf appeared with concern written on their faces. They rounded the corner and there sat Fatima holding her bleeding hand. They all stopped dead in their tracks. Olivia took Fatima’s hand and instead of kissing the boo-boo like everyone did with a little one hurt, she licked the blood and then said something that sounded like yum!
Thor walked over quickly, scooping Olivia up. Olivia was not happy with that. She bent her head and bit into Thor’s neck.
Thor pulled away, shock showing on his face but then smiled. “Let me see what you have going on in that mouth, little one. He made her open her mouth and instead of seeing baby teeth, he saw baby vampire fangs.
Fatima came up holding her hand
still. “You are a naughty girl, Livee.”
Olivia laughed and reached for Fatima’s hand. It was still bleeding so Olivia licked and licked until the blood stopped running. She let Fatima’s hand go and smiled at her first, then at Thor.
Young Thor and Olaf squeezed in towards big Thor, Fatima and Olivia. Little Thor looked up at Olivia’s smile and nodded his head. “We have another blood feeder among us.”
Olaf looked from his brother to Olivia and then back. “What will happen to Fatima?”
Big Thor had put his finger in Olivia’s mouth and she started sucking on it like a pacifier. “I’d say she is teething but got her fangs in really early, with that comes a thirst for blood. We will talk to the King and Queen. Apparently, she is growing even faster than we thought until she matures.”
* * * * * * * *
Colum held Fatima’s hand and inspected the sight, which barely had a mark. “Fatima, how many times has Olivia done this to you?”
Fatima felt like she was going to cry. She knew Sally’s father was kind but he was so big. She looked over to door and saw Sally and Odin running in.
Sally scooped up the child. “What happened?”
Fatima bent close to Sally’s ear. “She bit me.”
Sally looked at her parents and then into Odin’s eyes. Turning her attention back to Fatima, “How many times, honey?”
“I don’t remember, but I am thirsty.”
Colum looked over at Katherine. “This is going to be wonderful, trying to contain a hungry little vampire and one in the making.”
“It could be a blessing, darling,” Katherine said as she nursed Olivia.
Colum went and sat down next to his wife. “I’m not worried about that woman if that’s what you mean, but I am concerned for the staff. We will have to keep them away from these two.” He turned towards Fatima. “What do you thirst for?”
Fatima leaned again into Sally’s ear. “I meant I am really hungry, like when your father goes to feed and brings back meat, like that. When I see raw meat my mouth gets lots of water.” She looked up into her adoptive mother’s face not sure how anyone would react.
Sally looked up at Odin and then at her parents. “I think we have a new creature here.” She had tried to shield Fatima from the feeding habits of her family but Fatima had been around when the men came back hunting a couple of times.
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