Lost Wanderer Awakened - Book One of the Airendell Chronicles

by Audra Hart

  “I am really having a hard time wrapping my head around any of this Luca. Less than a week ago I was just a middle aged woman trying to survive losing her family. Now I am finding out I may have to figure out how to save a whole race of magical beings… Me! Of all people! What the hell? Am I dreaming or going insane?” Morna whispers through pale lips.

  “Darling, you certainly are not insane, and unfortunately, you are not dreaming. But I am certain you are up to whatever is ahead of you. You just don’t fully realize yet who and what you truly are. Actually, you have never really understood how amazing you are. You just have never seen yourself clearly, never accepted how important that you are to all of the Spell Weavers. But I know you will be more than a match for any challenges ahead of you,” Luca assures her.

  They have arrived back at their home by now and are still sitting in his car discussing this via telephone with Breena. Luca’s phone rings. He looks at the number then says, “Morna, go change into some jeans and a sweater. It will colder on the ridge. And eat something, darling. I think we have a long night ahead of us.” Luca gets out and walks around to open her car door for her. After Morna walks away, he answers his phone, “Brigid, what’s up now?”

  “Luca, Morna has linked with Aideen just like she has to Breena. Aideen relayed all of the conversation with the Elf Lord’s envoys to me. I hope the connection stays intact. Aideen is overjoyed at being so closely linked with Morna but she’s worried about Morna. She’s in a lot of pain. We can’t wait for you two to get here tonight,” says Brigid. Go look after your wife Luca. Aideen says she is feeling very lost and confused right now, she is feeling exactly what Morna is feeling. She needs you,” urges Brigid. “And do not miss the damned flight!”

  Luca finds Morna sitting on the floor in their bedroom. She has stripped down to her bra and panties. She is holding a pair of soft jeans and a lightweight cashmere sweater on her lap. She is staring off into space. Luca kneels down in front of her on floor, “Morna, are you okay, darling?”

  She grabs him to her and starts kissing him desperately, like she may never get another chance to be this close to him. Her need and desire for him are tangible things. He takes her into his arms, holds her tightly to him, “We can’t, darling,” he whispers. “You are linked, remember?”

  “Well, maybe Breena would forgive me…” her voice trails off, uncertainly.

  “Morna, Breena isn’t the only link now. You are also linked to another in Chicago, another from Airendell. This other one sees, hears and feels everything you do right now,” He kisses her gently. “Soon, I promise, I need you just as much. But now let us go see what these Elvish envoys have for us.” He kisses her gently and helps her to her feet. “Damian and Mac are back. I must go talk to him. What do you think we should do with Mac?”

  “I am not sure. My impulse is to take her to The Bridge, she will be safe and comfortable there. But Damian might be able to give us insight into whether or not that would be a good idea.” Morna smiles reassuringly at her mate, she recognizes the deep concern for her written on his face.

  “Go Luca, I am fine. I have my wits about me now, I will stop acting like a coward,” she promises him.

  “You have never acted like a coward Darling, never,” he assures her. He kisses her lightly and leaves to speak to Damian.

  Morna looks at her reflection in the full length mirror by her destroyed wardrobe. And says, “Well my little eavesdroppers, we know better don’t we?” When she finishes dressing, she spots her new luggage on the bed where Luca had put it before joining her on floor. She snatches up the smaller bag and takes it into the bathroom. There she washes her face, trying to calm herself. Then she brushes her teeth and quickly packs all of her toiletry items into the bag. Zips it up and takes a look in the mirror above the vanity. “Yeah, not a coward. Then why am I so thoroughly terrified to find out what I have to do next?” she asks her unseen audience.

  She carries the small bag into the bedroom and lays it on the bed. She opens the larger one tosses half the contents of the wardrobe into. She also packs all the clothes that Luca insisted on buying today. She’s really not paying attention to what she’s packing. She zips it up. And then she sits on the bed beside the suitcases and puts her face in her hands, in an effort to collect her wits. Her cell phone rings and she groans. She digs it out of her purse, pushes the speaker phone button, “What now Breena?”

  “Easy sister. I just wanted to let you know my plane will arrive at Chicago O’Hare three hours after you two get there. Brigid will send someone to pick me up at the airport. We will all meet up at her practice, the next morning at 10:00 am. And sis, don’t be self-conscious about the connection, and yes, I would have forgiven you. I truly understand now why you two have always acted the way you do, you are really two halves of a whole aren’t you? You need each other as much as you need air and water to survive. He needs you as much as he needs blood. Morna, it’s amazing!”

  Morna just nods. She knows that Breena doesn’t need her to answer. Then she asks, “Do you know who else I have connected with?”

  “No,” Breena lies. “It’s okay sister. Go do as Luca says and get something to eat, or go smoke that cigarette you have been craving all day. Luca’s gone, he called me and said he was taking Mac to the Bridge.” Just then Morna hears Damian call up the stairs.

  “Breena…” she starts. But Breena cuts her off, “I know, I heard him too. Go invite your, uh, son upstairs. I suspect he is very worried about you. God, that boy is gorgeous! He makes me want to rob the cradle.”

  Morna laughs, and says, “Well, biologically speaking, you two are nearly the same age. But he’s a young vampire sister, they can be very dangerous. Luca just makes being a bloodthirsty monster look easy. But it’s truly very, very hard for them to control themselves around humans.”

  Breena chuckles wickedly, “But it might be worth the risk…”

  “Bye Breena.” Morna hangs up and walks into the living area still chuckling softly and shaking her head.

  “Come on up Damian,” she calls out.

  Damian comes up the stairs and looks around uncertainly. “Should I be up here without Luca?” he asks.

  Morna laughs and says, “Well I am not planning on molesting you young man.”

  “That’s not what I meant Morna and you know it,” he says.

  “I know what you meant, goofy,” she motions to the kitchen area. “Come join me. I need to eat.” Damian follows her into the kitchen area and sits at the table while she makes a sandwich. She grabs a coke out of the refrigerator and says, “Let’s go outside. I want a cigarette after I eat this.” Once outside they settle on the swing on the porch.

  “How’s it hangin’ kiddo?” she asks, throwing on her best light-hearted attitude.

  “Wow, ma’am, you are really asking about me?” he asks incredulously.

  Morna shrugs as she bites into her sandwich. “Sure, you have had a lot thrown in your lap lately. I assume Luca told you about the envoy from the Elf Lord?”

  “Yes, and he said I might need to be part of some gathering to help break a curse that’s binding you? I don’t understand, I thought you were a magical being yourself. How can anyone curse you? I mean I thought you were really powerful,” he asks, clearly confused.

  Morna looks at Damian thoughtfully, perhaps looking at him through Breena’s eyes for a moment. She is startled to realize he is truly a beautiful man. Nearly as tall as Luca, but not as powerfully built. He has straight, jet black hair, a much longer than Morna likes on a man, but beautiful none the less. His huge eyes are a rich amber color, widely spaced. His lips are full and very pale. His nose is straight and strong. He has lovely high cheek bones and a strong chin. “Yes,” she thinks to herself. “I see what you are talking about Breena.” Then she chuckles.

  “Damian, I don’t remember everything yet, but the witch who cursed me was apparently very powerful... Or she had help.” Morna looks thoughtful at that and continues, “She apparently constit
utes some kind of threat to my people, the Spell Weavers of Airendell,” Morna answers.

  “Why did she curse you?” he asks.

  “Because I had killed her mate.” Morna sighs and runs her hands through her hair before she rubs her throbbing temple. “Look, her mate was an ancient stone cold vampire. He was killing my mate when I came upon them,” her face and voice clearly revealing her hatred for the ancient vampire. “So I killed him.”

  “Wow!” breathes Damian. “And your mate? That was Luca?”

  “Yes Luca has always been my only mate. I may have lived as wife or lover to other men in my various incarnations, but Luca is my only mate, for all of eternity,” she vows.

  “Other incarnations?”

  “Yes, that was the essence of the curse. She couldn‘t completely take away my immortality, but she cursed me to be continuously reborn a mortal with no knowledge of who I am, who Luca is… nothing. It’s been hell on Luca, I can’t even imagine what he has had to go through in the nearly 600 years since that day. He has to track me down over and over. He has to help me to remember him, to remember myself. It’s a real nightmare for both of us, but mostly for him. At least I am blissfully unaware of what I don‘t know until he helps me,” she whispers as tears silently roll down her cheeks.

  Damian is so moved by her admission and tears that he starts to embrace her. She puts up her hand to stop him. “Easy Kiddo. Let’s not stretch that self-control of yours beyond reason. I am fine. I promise.”

  “Okay, sorry. I didn’t mean anything inappropriate Morna. You know that right?” he asks uncertainly.

  “Of course I do,” she assures him and pats his knee. “I just understand, probably better than any human in existence, the pull the scent of human blood has on your kind. Luca has mind-shared many of his experiences as a vampire with me.” Morna shudders at some memory before continuing, “And you have already said that my blood smells especially appealing to you. Why push it, right?”

  Morna looks at her sandwich and pulls a face. She walks over to her car and gets the spare pack of cigarettes out of the glove compartment. She lights one and sits back down by Damian. She notices him wrinkle his nose and says, “Sorry.” She draws deeply from the cigarette and enjoys the taste and effects of the strong chemicals in the tobacco smoke.

  Damian shrugs. “I used to smoke, but I don’t like it anymore, not since the change.” Morna nods at that and Damian continues; “When we first met, you said you had killed my kind. Okay, so one of them was when you were an immortal, before the curse. What about the others? Were they before the curse?” Damian asks, trying hard to understand the woman sitting beside him.

  “As a warrior of Airendell I killed vampires who killed mortals. And yes, I did kill vampires after the curse. Apparently your kind is drawn to me, for some reason I can‘t fathom.” Morna chuckles at that, thinking about all the encounters she has had with vampires over all the years, including the two last night. I was a mortal when I killed the other three, I had to break them apart and burn them. I was attacked by three different vampires in two different lifetimes. Many of your kind see my being mated to Luca as, well unnatural. I seem to be a bit of magical being even when I am trapped in this curse, so I am able to defend myself against them. But my memories are a bit incomplete, so I can’t really explain it any better than that. Sorry.” says Morna.

  “Okay, so you said that ancient vamp was killing Luca. How did he get the drop on Luca? I means wasn’t he a Spell Weaver at the time or did that come after he changed into a vampire?” asks Damian.

  Morna is very thoughtful when she answers. “He was apparently in a trance. But that shouldn’t have been enough for the ancient to catch him unaware. It confounds me, it always has. The ancient should not have been able to overtake him. Luca was and remains, a very powerful Spell Weaver. It is almost as though someone was interfering… NO!” she gasps. “Magdrid! I could sense her energy, her presence when I found them in the glen! Magdrid, was in league with the ancient vampire! She meant for that beast to destroy my beloved.” Morna stands up so fast she almost unseats Damian from the porch swing. “That bitch! My own mother tried to have Luca killed!” she shouts. “I’ll destroy her!”

  Two things happen simultaneously, her cell phone rings and Luca, who had just pulled up in his BMW, appears by her side.

  Luca takes her into his arms and demands, “What do you mean? It was Magdrid? I always suspected someone was helping the ancient one, but Magdrid? Are you sure love?” The cell phone is still ringing. Luca retrieves Morna’s phone from her back pocket and hands it to Damian and tells him to answer it, “It is probably Breena, tell her to sit tight, while we sort this out,” Luca grinds out between clenched teeth.

  Morna has silent tears coursing down her enraged face as she looks at her beloved mate. She nods wordlessly, then swallows hard. “Luca, forgive me. I should have seen it sooner. I should have realized at the time. Now I can see it plainly. It seems so obvious now. It’s the only thing that makes sense, my mother is the only Spell Weaver that was strong enough to do such a thing, and she and I had had words earlier on the day of the attack… I don’t remember what brought the fight on… She told me that I would live to regret my impertinence for marrying you against her wishes. I have never understood what she had against you.”

  “But I am certain that Mother was jealous of me from early on. We argued often about the true mission of the Spell Weavers, she felt we should be increasing our strength and our territory, while I held that Spell Weaver magic was only for healing and defense of mankind. The Elders often sided with me during these times. I guess she feared my growing strength and resented how the Elders were looking to me for counsel more and more. There had been whispers that I was to take over for her when I reached my majority at three hundred years old. I was two hundred and sixty-five when she tried to have you killed.”

  “I should have seen this before; She was seeking to destroy me through you. I am sure that she sent a vision to the witch, Kyera. That’s how she knew I had killed her mate and where we were,” she breathes. “My own mother did this to us, Luca. I am certain of it. It is an extreme version of tactics that I have seen her use often enough.” Shame fills Morna as she looks at her one true love, she knows in her heart that her own mother was behind the attack and the curse.

  He holds her close and tries to ease the pain he knows this apparent betrayal is causing Morna. She clings to him desperately for a moment, until she senses another person near her. She looks up and is shocked to see Samantha. Sammy is standing on the steps of the porch, she is staring at Damian with obvious lust in her eyes.

  Morna sighs and looks up at Luca, “Why did you bring her?” she asks, feeling very frustrated at the thought of having to deal with the impetuous and promiscuous Samantha along with everything else.

  Samantha speaks up then, “Morna, I sought you out. I have been drawn to you for over a year now. I have had many, many visions about you. Today I had one about a tiny black haired woman in some sort of tryst with the tall silver haired woman who caused the crash. I think they are plotting against you, against all of the sons and daughters of Airendell that have moved to America. She is plotting to kill you if you remain in Oklahoma. When Luca dropped Mac off at the halfway house, I snuck out my bedroom window and waited for him around the corner. I told him about my visions, and that I thought I should come with you guys to meet the Elves on the ridge.”

  “Wow kiddo, your visions keep you remarkably well informed,” muses Morna thoughtfully, wondering what this new development means. She sighs and rubs her forehead to try to ease the monstrous headache.

  She asks Luca if he is packed. “No, but it won’t take long. Damian, please go get her luggage from the upstairs bedroom and put it in the back of the BMW.” Luca kisses Morna’s forehead and says, “Baby, when you have satisfactorily satiated your nicotine craving, join me upstairs.” He smirks and then disappears.

  Morna looks at Samantha and says, “When we get
in the car, you get in the back seat young lady. I will ride back there with you.” Morna lights another cigarette and rubs her throbbing temples. The pain is excruciating, and she‘s nearly blinded with it.

  Sammy smirks and says, “You afraid I will rape the gorgeous Damian?”

  “Not really, but he might find you a tasty morsel. I don’t want to put any more temptation on that kid than we have to,” Morna replies.

  “What do you mean?” Sammy asks.

  “Sammy don’t you realize what Damian is?” asks Morna incredulously.

  “What, besides a hunk?”

  “Sammy, he is vampire, so is Luca.” Morna can’t help but smile when it’s obvious that Sammy is very surprised, but not overly frightened.

  “You mean you are bangin’ a vampire? You are doing the deed with a real live, honest to God vampire?” asks Samantha, clearly in awe.

  Morna shakes her head. “You might be hopeless my dear girl, but I don’t think so. Stay with me, do you understand?” When Sammy nods, Morna finishes smoking in silence. Finally, she puts out her cigarette and goes upstairs to talk to Luca.

  Luca is laughing softly and shaking his head when Morna walks into their bedroom. “Bangin’ a vampire? That girl is quite a character isn’t she? “He has obviously finished packing. He is just standing there waiting for her to join him. He takes her into his arms and kisses her soundly. She revels in the cold, hard perfection that is Luca. She pushes away gently when she feels her passion rising.

  “Having an audience really stinks. I would very much like to bang my vampire right now,” she says with a wry look on her face. She turns to the bed and picks up her purse and starts digging around inside. Finally, she fishes out her breath spray and two prescription bottles and she pours a valium and a lortab into her hand.

  Luca is eyeing her with concern. “Baby, is the hip and leg hurting? I didn’t notice you limping,” he says.