I've Been Waiting for You

by Mary Moriarty

  “Mama Sally, will I be OK?”

  Sally smiled and hugged her little girl that she had adopted. “Yes honey, you will just be different that’s all. Maybe it’s better this way, don’t worry.”

  Katherine started to laugh. So much that Olivia stopped nursing and reached for Thor.

  Colum wrapped his arms around his wife. “What has tickled your funny bone, my darling Kat?”

  Katherine wiped the tears from her eyes and pointed and then started to laugh again. “Do you realize she, Madison Smith, aka Gormflaith is walking into quite the paranormal situation. We have ghosts and vampires here and she is, if the boys are correct, a witch. This could be a battle royale, and coming right to us.”

  Sally coughed.

  Colum looked at his daughter. “Yes, honey?”

  Sally grabbed Odin’s hand. “And we have a wedding to plan.”

  * * * * * * * *

  After every one who needed sleep had left to go lay down for a while, Katherine sat on the couch with her feet up and Colum lying with his head on her lap. Katherine had a notebook in her hand and was writing. “We will have Sally and Odin continue with wedding plans. We have Travis securing your castle and everything is going to be changed if we don’t see a favorable outcome by next week.”

  Colum reached up and ran his fingers through Katherine’s hair. “We still have a chance. Who knows, she may be all hot air, and doesn’t even have a clue she is a witch or who and what she was in the past.”

  Katherine put the notebook to the side. “She is walking into a live bomb here. You know your parents as much as said they would take her out if they saw her even make a move towards anyone of us.”

  Colum laughed, “And with Thor and Odin on heightened alert, and our newest vampires in the making, I didn’t see that coming.”

  Katherine laid her head back on the cool leather of the couch and closed her eyes. “We have a week to figure this all out before my family gets back, or it could be a feeding frenzy, or an end to this world as we know it with so many creatures in one place. She opened her eyes at the sound that came from above. It didn’t sound good. “Oh God, what are the boys up to now, I thought they had gone to rest.”

  Colum got up and pulled Katherine to her feet. “We will settle them down and then I need a bit of alone time with my wife. I have a feeling that kind of time is going to come at a premium price the next week or so.”

  Young Thor and Olaf had the library all back together but they had laid booby traps all over the place. Thor turned to Olaf, “I think mother and father are coming up.”

  Olaf was off to the door. “Mama.”

  The door opened up and a bucket of honey fell on Katherine’s head.

  “What the hell, boys where did you get that?” Colum tried to clear Katherine’s face. He reached the second bucket that was just about to fall. It contained feathers.

  Olaf turned to his brother. “I told you we should have waited till we had showed them our traps, now we have to get Uncle Tom to find more honey and feathers.”

  Katherine was trying not to be mad, though she could barely see with honey dripping down into her eyes. She felt her body move and heard a few exclamations come from her father-in-law and Elsabet who came running toward the noise.

  Katherine tried to see her husband. “Delegate, please, Colum, then will you help me get cleaned up?”

  Elsabet came forward. “Don’t worry, dear, I will take care of this and we will help the boys. You go get cleaned up.” She pushed Katherine into Colum’s arms and she pulled Cormac into the library. “OK, boys, we need to clean this up and then set it up again, but we need a bit more ammo.”

  Olaf smiled. “I always did like you.”

  Elsabet smiled. “You were dear children, and I am glad we can all be together again. Don’t fear, all will work out in the end and we will get the castle back in the family.”

  Olaf took Elsabet’s hand and looked up into her kind face. “I hope so.”

  Chapter 16

  Madison drove her Mercedes up the gravel drive till she pulled up to the front of the castle. She stubbed her cigarette out then blew smoke out the window. She had waited for what seemed like forever. She had been eternally thankful when she had heard of Slaine’s reincarnation. She’d been keeping track of Colum and his activities. She knew he would show her where that bitch was as soon as he latched onto her. She had missed her the last time she had been born and died. It was a pity I wasn’t the one to put her to death. Well, she won’t be so lucky this time, vampires around or not. I will put an end to Katherine and her reincarnations.

  Madison opened her door and swung her long, shapely legs out around to the gravel. She really had beautiful legs, if she did say so herself. Getting out, she stood for a moment and looked up at her castle. Someone should really be greeting her after all the money she’d paid to have staff stay on.

  * * * * * * * *

  “Colum, she is here. Is the staff gone?”

  Colum came up behind Katherine and looked out the window. “Yes, they have gone with Travis to our family’s castle. He will be back later. The staff will set things up there, should we need it.”

  Katherine turned into her husband’s arms. “Even Uncle Tom?”

  “Yes.” Colum caught Katherine’s mouth in a kiss. “I wish we had a few more minutes but we don’t.” He let the kiss go deep and felt her respond. “Hold that thought.”

  He grabbed the big bell and rang it. He knew all creatures, whether they were ghost or vampire, would hear that and know it was battle time.

  Katherine looked up at the mantle clock and saw that it was five-thirty. “Good, not many hours and the boys and other spirits will be active. Let’s go get her settled in.”

  Madison heard a bell as she wrestled with her bags. Then she heard footsteps crunch on the gravel approaching her. “Well, it’s about time. Come here and get these bags at once.” Head buried in the trunk of her rental, she was holding a bag and pulling another out. She didn’t feel anyone taking her suitcase. She stopped yanking on the fucking suitcase and turned, looking up to see what the hold-up was. What she saw didn’t make her any happier. There, standing right in front of her, were Colum and Katherine. One sniff told her what she had hope would never happen. Katherine was no longer part of the living. Fuck! She thought as she straightened up.

  Plastering a fake smile on her face she walked towards the giant and Katherine. Katherine, who looked just like she did back in 1024, before her death, that time. Inwardly she shuddered because Katherine was radiating the new vampire power, though on the outside she looked very calm. Colum on the other hand was vibrating. This is going to be harder than I thought, but nothing I can’t handle.

  She reached her hand out to greet these two like she was meeting anyone in the world, except, they weren’t just anyone.

  “Hello, I had hoped the servants, I mean staff, would be out here to help with my things.”

  Colum took Madison’s hand. Felt the electricity come from her. Saw the sparks coming from her fingertips. “Katherine watch it, she is uncontrollable, though she appears calm.”

  “Madison, let me introduce you to my wife, Katherine.”

  At that moment Cormac and Elsabet came out. “Oh, this must be Madison Smith? “ They both came gliding down the stairs, hands extended. “So good to meet you.”

  Colum had a protective arm around Katherine who had yet to come near Madison.

  Elsabet smiled at Colum and Katherine, then turned a simpering smile on the woman. “Let me help you with your things and get you settled. You must be frightfully tired. All the staff left, but we have a few of ours who have just arrived. I can vouch for them, they will do what they can, this week at least, to make your stay comfortable. After we leave I suppose you will have to find your own staff, but that shouldn’t be too hard. What with the local economy,” she kept up a cheerful stream of chatter.

  Elsabet glanced at her husband and then up at the windows and saw shimmers of sp
irits and some of their own who had just arrived. As she ushered the blond witch up the stone stairs she felt a breeze go by her quickly. It didn’t have the characteristics of the boys. Good, the big guns were coming out early. “Follow me and I will get you settled into your suite, then we can all talk over dinner. I think you will be pleasantly surprised with what I’m having planned.”

  Colum, Cormac and Katherine stood on the gravel driveway in the gathering dusk. They watched as Elsabet took the problem and ushered her right away.

  Cormac chuckled, “I’d better be careful or she will have the kill over before any of us has a chance.”

  Colum wrapped his arm around Katherine. “We have to watch her. She is a strong one but I am sure she doesn’t understand how strong her powers are. If she did, she wouldn’t have let the sparks fly when we shook hands.”

  “Yes, I understand that, your sister Bella surrounds herself with witches but they are all civilized.”

  Colum studied his father. “This is a revelation that at some point you must share. I didn’t know you were in contact.”

  Cormac shook his head as they slowly walked up the stairs. “I’m not, though I have tried to make contact at different points.”

  Katherine knew about Bella but nothing much was said about her; the sister that stayed away.

  All three stopped as a spirit swirled around them and then stood just in front of them at the door.

  Colum pulled Katherine in tighter, a growl escaped his lips. “You will do well to show yourself spirit. We are on a common side here and mean to get your castle back, with that, I plan on purchasing this castle for my wife Katherine, It was once hers, given to her by her father the High King Brian Boru.”

  The sprit had a hard time focusing. He wasn’t used to being around humans and these in front of him were not humans but blood feeders.

  “My name is Wolf, Wolf the Quarrelsome. Me thinks this is my Niece Slaine.”

  Katherine pulled away from Colum and took the shimmery hand of the spirit. “Uncle Wolfie?”

  All three jumped at the rumbly laugh that came from the spirit.

  “Tis been a long while that I have heard that name. How are ye lass?”

  Katherine looked at her husband and father in law. “We all need to talk and fast.”

  “Dungeon,” said Uncle Wolfie

  Colum looked at his watch. “At midnight.”

  Uncle Wolfie smiled as he felt himself getting stronger and come into view. “I will gather the spirits. Niece, we have catching up to do once this is finished.”

  * * * * * * * *

  Madison walked the hallways of the castle. She had been told by Elsabet that staff could be had in the village. Everyone gathered at the little village store. So tomorrow she would go to the village and see what she could scrape from the barrel. Tonight, she was told, dinner would be at eight. She glanced at her watch. Ten minutes to get from this wing and floor down to the dining room.

  The halls were dimly lit. She wasn’t afraid, after all, she was a witch. What could get at her? She should be more scared by being in a castle with four vampires, but she knew they had their weakness. It was just a matter of finding out what that weakness was. She would come out on top, she always had.

  She turned the corner and knew she was in the wing that Colum and Katherine occupied. She came up to a door and pressed her ear to the massive door.

  Sally sat on the bed with Odin’s arms wrapped around her, looking at him as he growled. “What’s the matter?” she whispered.

  Odin flew up and had his Glock in his hand in a fraction of a second. Yanking the door open he found Madison jumping back. She looked as startled as anyone should be who’d been caught eavesdropping. “What the hell are you doing and who the hell are you?”

  Sally was up and at Odin’s side. “Darling, I don’t think she meant anything by snooping, I think she is the new owner.”

  Madison was taken back for just a moment. “Snooping? Yes, I’m the new owner and I forbid firearms on my property.”

  Odin hadn’t planned on getting this out of control, but to be this close to his mother from another life, and knowing what she had done in the past and what she was capable of doing, he wasn’t sure if she knew about her past so he would leave it but he wasn’t going to let her get off so easy.

  “This is Sally MacNamara and I am her fiancé. We are here till next week, since we have to find another place for our wedding. I sleep, eat and kill with or without firearms,” he pointed to Madison. “You, witch will not be stopping me from bearing arms,” he then bared his teeth. “I suggest you get out of this wing and not get near Sally here if you want to live past the night.”

  Sally had thought they would start out softly but Odin had felt or sensed something, and far be it for her to question anything. She saw the reaction from Madison. A bright blue glow or aura surrounded her. Sparks shot off from her body.

  “You will regret getting in my way vampire!” She raised her hand and with that Sally was in the air.

  Sally later said things happened so quickly she thought it was worse than in Tunisia. But as quickly as it started, it ended. A cyclone or whirlwind whipped up and carried Madison to one end of the hall and slammed her against the wall. Another picked up Sally and cocooned her. She later found out it had been a lady ghost who had protected her and her mother’s Uncle from a past life who had attacked Madison.

  Odin had finally gotten ahold of her and held her tightly. “I’m getting you and Fatima out of here. I obviously can’t fight that witch.”

  Sally pushed away from Odin. “I’m not leaving my family and this is just as much my fight as anyone else’s. I’m staying.”

  Odin took a deep breath and bringing his finger under Sally’s chin, he made her look at him. “How am I to keep you and Fatima safe? Fatima isn’t strong enough yet to fight her and short of ripping into the witch, she is as quick as I am.”

  Sally let her finger scrape against her lover’s fang that had stayed elongated. “There is only one way in my way of thinking.”

  Odin shook his head, “I can’t.”

  Sally pulled away, “Then I won’t marry you.”

  Odin looked into the eyes of the one he had waited for, for what seemed like forever. He had never seen or met anyone, until Sally, who he had wanted. The day he met her, he knew she was the one. He couldn’t go through eternity without her.

  Sally knew she had hit a mark. She would still marry him, but she also knew she stood a better chance of surviving if she was a vampire. “If you are worried about me around my brothers or the other family members, don’t. We can keep me away for three weeks.” She saw the look he was giving her. “I know that’s a crash course, but what other alternative do we have?”

  They heard a groaning noise at the end of the long hallway.

  “She’s waking up. Let’s leave her and go back to our room, I think we may have a busy night ahead of us.” Odin said. Sally saw the shimmer and though just a few weeks ago it would have seemed strange for her to talk to ghost, now she accepted it as normal. “Uncle Wolfie? Mother told me you were here.”

  The spirit flew past the prostrate form of the witch and flew to the side of his niece. “Yes, Lass?”

  Sally looked up at her mother’s Uncle. “Would you go tell mother and Colum, Odin and I will be busy this evening and may join the festivities later.”

  “Yes, Lass. I will tell her.”

  All three turned to the sound of Madison trying to pick herself up.

  “I will leave Deirdre to watch your door. She will let you know if anything is amiss.”

  With that Sally and Odin watched Wolf disappear. Sally saw a ghost of a woman who must be Deirdre come into focus.

  She came up to the giant who stood holding the young woman. She glanced over her shoulder and saw the evil witch getting up. Turning she pushed the giant and the woman into the room and slammed the door. “I know you are one who thirsts for blood. If you are going to change her, as you say,
I think you better be done with it, we are going to need all the help we can get. She is a strong one and it’s going to take all of us.”

  Odin took the spirit’s hand. “Keep watch and I will do my part.”

  He and Sally watched as the spirit floated through the door. Odin turned towards the woman he loved more than life itself. Taking her up into his arms he kissed her deeply. “I’ve been waiting for you for one thousand years. If it means I have to change you then I will, but I’m going to love you in the process.”

  As he brought Sally down onto the bed he felt Sally’s legs wrap around his waist as she pressed into him. She bared her throat as on offering.

  As he let his lips and fangs skim her skin, he whispered, “I love you.”

  * * * * * * * *

  Colum was up on his feet. “She did what? I am going to rip her apart right now and own this castle by the morning!” He roared, slamming his fist down on the table.

  Katherine put a restraining hand on Colum’s arm. “Listen to Uncle Wolfie.”

  Wolf the Quarrelsome floated about the grand dining room. At one time it had been part of the great hall. Now, in these modern times, the great hall was broken into smaller rooms. This room was grand enough but not like the old days when they roasted stags and boars in the great fireplace, like at Slaine’s wedding feast to Colum. He picked up a goblet of fine wine and sniffed it. Too bad he couldn’t drink. He could use one. Wine or Meade would suit him right now. “Don’t worry niece I left your mother Deirdre to help.”

  Katherine put her goblet down. “You mean Slaine’s mother? I barely remember her. She died when I was about ten.”

  “Yes, a Norse attack. Your father mourned her for the rest of his life, even if he did marry that cunning witch.”

  Cormac and Elsabet walked into the dining room. Elsabet looked up at the mantel clock. “Where is she?”

  Wolf put the goblet down and laughed. “She was detained, but she is making her way down here, slowly.”