by Jana LaPelle
Colin moves quickly, his hands cup either side of my face, and his mouth crashes down on mine. He all but devours me before wrapping his arms around me and pulling me to him crushing me against his masculine frame. My hands slide up his torso to reach around to the back of his head, and I tangle my hands in his auburn hair pressing his mouth to mine in the most fiercely passionate kiss that we have ever shared. Colin pulls away breaking the kiss, both of us are panting as he gently kisses my forehead and whispers, “Mo chroí, after that, I’m never letting you go. Not ever.”
Behind us, I hear Nessa clapping, “The binding ceremony is on!” Then she squeals in delight.
I inhale as I gaze into Colin’s eyes before lifting my lips to gently meet his own never breaking eye contact before pulling away and asking breathlessly, “How do you say, I love you always?”
He smiles and kisses me lightly, “Is breá liomsa tú I gcónaí.”
Caught up in the moment, I repeat, “Is breá liomsa tú I gcónaí. How do you say always and forever?”
Kissing me again, he says, “I gcónaí agus go deo.”
“I gcónaí agus go deo, you are my light, you are the air I breathe, and I will forever be tied to you. You are my beginning and my end, and without you, I am not whole.”
Colin leans in and kisses my forehead, “Ya are mine ta hold, mine ta cherish, and mine ta protect, without ya I am not whole. I will love ya until the end of my days in this realm and beyond. We will be forever tied ta one another, in this life and in the next, from now until the end of time.” He kisses me again before pulling away and swallowing hard, both of us caught up in the moment.
I trace his beautiful jaw line and sigh, “From now until the end of our days and beyond, I will love you and only you.”
Siobhan appears at our side and smiles, taking our conjoined hands in her own and says, “So it shall be. Yer binding vowels have been spoken for all here tonight to witness. That was spontaneous and beautiful. I implore Clíodhna, the goddess of love ta bless this union. May this union invigorate the Tree of Life and may she bless yer union with beautiful daughters.”
Siobhan steps back with a secretive smile, “So? How do ya feel?”
I smile back and then look at Colin, “What’s she talking about?”
Colin smiles back at me and says, “I think we just completed our binding ceremony.”
“That was it? That was perfect.” I smile broadly up at Colin and about that time I feel a tingling sensation at the base of my neck and begin rubbing at the offending spot. I notice that Colin’s hand has snaked up to the back of his neck as he rubs at the base of his neck. “Colin, can I see?” I ask.
He turns and removes his hand, and I see a beautiful Celtic trinity knot that contains a never-ending circle within it that reminds me of a tattoo marking, I turn to Colin, “Is that our mark?”
Colin sweeps my hair up from the nape of my neck, and I feel his fingers trace the place on the back of my neck that was tingling just moments before. Gently, he kisses the mark that will forever bind us together. “It’s perfect, mo chroí.” He turns me around, letting my hair drop down my back and pulls me into his embrace kissing me before letting me go. His family is on their feet making their way toward us.
“Welcome to the family, my dear,” Gwen says while pulling me into a hug, “No matter what, we will always be here for you. Never doubt that.”
Nessa is so excited that she is bouncing up and down, “We’re officially sisters!”
Chapter 9
Over the course of the next week or so Colin and I settle into our newfound status. Our binding has taken hold. I never for one moment believed that I would ever be able to connect with someone like I have connected with Colin. I love him so… I can’t imagine my life without him. It is a majical time as our bond continues to grow. There are times when we are so in tune with one another that no words are spoken or needed. We have been here at Colin’s childhood home for going on almost a month, and we decide to make the most of the next month while here in Ireland and plan a trip to travel the western coastline of Ireland before circling back to his home for the last week of our summer holiday. After much deliberation, it is also decided that we will continue with our plan to live in the states and make our home in rural eastern Kentucky, effectively removing ourselves from the Irish connection to Daerok and his followers.
Every day that we are together, I feel more and more connected to Colin. He has become the center of my universe, and I love him more than I ever thought possible. As we make ready to leave out, Nessa runs to the car, her face is strained, “Don’t leave. Please don’t leave. I have a bad feeling about this.”
Colin reaches over to comfort his sister, “We’ll be back in a couple of weeks. Don’t worry so much.”
“Collie, listen to me…”
“Nessa, seriously, you worry overly much,” Colin says as I move to stand by them and Colin pulls his sister in for a hug.
“Nessa, it’s okay, we’ll be back soon.” I soothe, pulling her into my arms.
“No, it’s na that. Ya shouldn’t go, please stay. Joanna, I promise na ta bother ya or Collie so that you can have yer honeymoon here.”
“Nessa, sweetheart, I love you like a sister, and as much as I appreciate that, Colin and I came here to show me around Ireland, we’ll be back soon,” I say not understanding her fear.
“Ya don’t understand. Please, don’t go… Please… I can’t explain it,” She’s begging now, and the hairs on the back of my neck are standing on end.
“Hey. It’s okay. We’ll be back soon. We’ll talk then. We can discuss you coming over to visit in the states.” I say trying to calm her anxious feelings.
She nods, her tear stained face lifts to mine. Not at all like the rambunctious young lady that I met not so long ago. “Okay.”
“I love you, Nessa. I don’t take your reluctance at seeing us go lightly. Do you understand?”
“Yes.” Nessa breaks away to throw herself into Colin’s arms once more, “I love ya. Never forget that brother.”
“I love ya too, brat.’
“I feel as if I will never see ya again,” She pulls back reluctantly.
Pulling back, he ruffles her hair, “Don’t be ridiculous, we’ll be back before ya know it.” Nessa just nods solemnly and goes to stand with her great-aunt. Siobhan puts her arm around her pulling her grand-niece to her side as we climb back into the car, I notice that Siobhan’s face looks almost devoid of emotion. Looking back we wave to his parents, Siobhan, and Nessa as we head out and I feel uncertain as to our future.
I’m going to take a couple of minutes to break out of my reflections of the past. At that moment, I had no idea that would be the last time that I would see them all together, Colin’s family, my family. I can’t believe how close I had become to them in such a short period of time. The very thought of that day pains me to my very core because that was the beginning of the end for Colin and me, and our time to together. Nessa had it so right. Her intuition was utterly on-track. She would never again see Colin alive. We only had each other and the next several weeks together. Siobhan, however, was the only one that knew what was in store for us and she had said nothing, allowing fate to work its devastating majic. My anger with her has lessened over the years. I know that she has suffered as we all have from the loss of Colin, and supposedly things had to play out as they did. I call bullshit on that, but what do I know? I grew up in a household that did not adhere to the laws of majic but the very Baptist belief in Jesus Christ. Why the notion of majic would be taboo is beyond me. Didn’t Jesus turn water into wine? Didn’t he walk on water and even raise Lazarus from death? Looking back Siobhan’s stoic demeanor from memories haunts me to this very day.
My dear girls, what comes next in my final days with Colin is difficult for me to relive. Daerok comes into play and our last days together are difficult for me to recall. I’m reminded of my ignorant bliss. Oh, to be so bli
ssfully unaware now. I would give just about anything if only to have my Colin back. You both need to know what comes next. Please pay close attention and know that I love you both so very much. I believe that you both will become the saviors of the mortal realms.
Chapter 10
Two blissful weeks have passed since we left Colin’s family behind to travel the coast. The cliffs of Moher are breathtaking, and I find that I’m in awe of their beauty. Our time together alone has only helped to reinforce our bond to one another. His presence in my life has forever changed me. I now know that I am one half of a whole and will only be complete when we are together.
We’re traveling south down Slea Head Drive, down near Dingle and southwest of Limerick when we run into complications. Colin’s older model BMW begins to falter before it comes to a complete halt. We are just outside of Dingle and are able to flag down some help. A tow truck arrives within the hour, and we’re able to get the vehicle to a maintenance shop for the weekend. Evidently, the alternator and battery need to be replaced. Colin and I grab our bags, and we head to the closest hotel from the automotive shop, Dingle Brenner’s Hotel. Colin springs for the four poster deluxe room, and it has a certain, old world charm. The mechanic said that he would have to order parts and the soonest we would be back on the road would be Monday. We have a whole weekend to kill beginning tomorrow, which is a Friday. After a day on the road and our car breaking down, we decide to have a quiet evening at the hotel. After we get ourselves settled in we head down to the pub for a bite to eat. There are several other young couples that are dining in the pub at that time. After we eat, we end up joining the other couples, and a round of lively conversation ensues.
I’m on my second black and tan when a striking young man walks in with a stunning woman on his arm. Both are dressed for an evening out. Colin traces the back of his knuckle down my arm gaining my attention. I must have been caught staring. He leans in and quietly asks, “Do you know them mo chroí?”
I smile back at him uncertainly and shake my head. I turn my gaze back toward the couple across the room. The man is blonde with striking crystal blue eyes, his features are chiseled to perfection, almost too perfect, and he clearly works out to maintain a body like that. The suit he wears fits him to perfection. His female companion is runway model beautiful with waves of chocolate brown hair, a flawless complexion, and the most fascinating violet-hued eyes I have ever seen. In fact, I don’t think I have ever seen anyone with that eye color before. The pair is stunning together. For the second time in my life, I have an urge to flee. I swallow hard as that realization kicks in. I take a gulp of the draught in front of me to stead the shaking of my hands before looking at Colin and asking, “Can we head up to our rooms when we have finished our drinks. I’m suddenly tired,” forgetting our binding connection for a moment in my frantic need to get out of the bar and away from the attractive couple.
Colin narrows his eyes at me for an instant and then puts his arm around me and pulls me to his side, whispering for only me to hear, “What has ya spooked, Joanna?”
Leaning into Colin, I trail kisses from his jaw to his ear before whispering, “The couple that just walked in. I’ll tell you about it in the room.”
Colin plays along and nuzzles into my neck planting several scorching kisses there making me shiver, and my eyes involuntarily shutter closed before he whispers, “Say yer goodnights and I’ll meet ya in the room in five minutes. I need to get the details for our chartered outing to the Blasket Islands in the morning.”
Pulling back I lightly kiss him on the lips before rising and saying my good nights and casually walk out of the pub to find the lift in the lobby. As I exit, I can hear a group in the corner break into song, their boisterous voices following me into the elevator.
True to his word, Colin is back in our room in just under ten minutes with a concerned look on his face. I’ve already changed into a pale blue silk nightgown and my matching dressing gown. As he gets to me, he pulls me into his arms and says, “I didn’t sense anything out of the ordinary from them, but that could just be the cloaking spell working against me. Was it the same as last time? Do ya think it was a lich?”
“It was the same but different. I can’t explain it, but instinct was telling me to run. I’ve seen what I thought to be perfect looking couples before but there was something about both of them that struck me as off. But there is nothing we can do about it now but lay low. So this charter outing, will that be an all-day event?”
“Yes, mo chroí, so we should probably go to bed early if ya take me meanin’.”
Oh, I take his meaning alright, I back him up till his legs hit the mattress of the four poster bed and give a gentle push and he falls back on the bed taking me with him, “I do believe that my handsome Irishman is wearing too many clothes.” I say with a teasing smile, all thoughts of the mysterious couple vanish.
We spend the next several hours showing each other how much we love the other before falling into an exhausted sleep in one another’s arms.
Friday morning I wake feeling somewhat nauseous. We opted for room service, and after several bites of the smoked salmon and local cheese that I like so much, I find that my stomach is revolting at the intrusion of food. I race to the toilet to vomit the contents before sitting back and inhaling deeply. Colin is there by my side the whole time. I spend the next hour in bed. Colin will not so much as allow me to sit up.
“Colin, I’m fine. I feel much better now. I just had a queasy stomach this morning. That’s all.”
“Joanna, the whole time that I have known ya, ya have never had a queasy stomach. So ya must be sick, which means ya are going ta take it easy today.” He kisses my forehead and goes back to the paper that he’s reading.
Sighing, I roll over and lay my head on his chest and throw my leg over his as I get comfortable, the next thing I know I’m waking up several hours later. It’s still early, but I’m never one to indulge in naps. Not ever and especially not before noon. What the heck?
Looking up I’m greeted with concerned green eyes. Colin leans down and kisses my forehead, “Feeling better?”
Nodding, I say, “Yeah, I think so. I need to go freshen up. I guess we missed the charter to the islands, huh?”
“I had our time rescheduled to tomorrow morning. If ya do na think ya will be up for it there is plenty of other things to do here in Dingle.”
Nodding, I get up and make my way to the bathroom and pull my travel bag out. As I’m rifling through the bag, I come across my tampons and stop for a moment. It’s an unopened box. I mentally start ticking off the days since my last period. We’ve been on holiday as they say here for over a month and a half. My last period was the week before we left for Ireland. That can only mean one thing. I’m pregnant. I pull out my birth control pills. I remember in all the excitement that I forgot to take my pills several days in a row, which just so happened to coincide with our very first time together. Stupid… stupid… stupid. What was I thinking? Damn it! You’re a grown woman, and a doctor to boot. You know how these things work.
“Is everything okay in there?” I hear Colin call out from the bedroom.
Looking up at the ceiling I exhale, before taking a calming breath and standing. I open the bathroom door hesitantly, the box of tampons in one hand and the birth control pills in the other.
“Joanna, ya look ashen. Here ya need to sit before ya fall. Do ya still feel poorly? Come here,” Colin settles me on the bed, his touch soothing me and my ragged nerves. I know that he can sense that I’m all over the place just like I can sense that he is super worried about me.
Taking a deep breath, I say, “Colin, I’m not ill.” I hold up the tampons and continue, “I’ve not needed these during our trip.” I wait for the realization to dawn on him, but it doesn’t. “Colin, my last period ended several days before we left the States.” I wait again for him to put two and two together and he just stares at me with a concerned look on his face, and my exasperation continues to grow
when I realize that I’m going to have to spell it out to him, “Colin, I’m not ill, I’m pregnant!”
The look on his face slowly morphs from one of concern to one of joy. He picks me up and swings me around the room. I find that I’m laughing and squealing for him to put me down. “So you’re not upset?”
“Upset? Why would I be upset? I love ya, Joanna Claire, ya have given me the most precious gift!” He kisses me soundly, which shuts me up and I kiss him back. I drop the items in my hands and hold my kindred close and relish his enthusiastic reaction to my pronouncement.
Colin and I spent the next couple of days holed up in our room. Nausea plagues me at the most inopportune moments. Colin is constantly at my side. His cool gentle touch is one I crave, and it calms my unsettled stomach. I love him so, and I can’t help but think that he will make an amazing father.