The Young Vampire Mate: The Airendell Chronicler Diaries - Book 1.5 (8 page)

I chew on my lip and wonder how best to answer his question.  I finally decide to be completely honest.  Luca won’t carry tales, that’s just not how he operates.  “I have been dreaming about him for centuries.”

“No shit?” my brother in law asks incredulously.  “Are you sure it’s the same man?  Those types of dreams can be pretty vague, or so I understand.”

“I am pretty sure, but I won’t know for certainty until I meet him and am able to spend a little time with him,” I admit.  “What kind of man is he, Lucian?  He‘s always been so tender, protective and caring in my visions.”

“He’s got a good heart but a bad history, Breena.  He had a really bad mortal life and then this idiot named Marshall changed him as part of an army he was trying to create.  After the Italians wiped out his sire and most of the army he had created, Damian went nomad and survived for a while like most Stone Colds do.” 

I close my eyes and let that little bit of information sink in.  Shit! He’s a killer. 

“I have no idea how many people he has killed, Breena.  I doubt if even he knows.”

My gut clenches painfully at this information.  Can I love someone who has taken innocent lives? 

“But he wasn’t on his own for too long before he chose to turn from that way of living.  He told me that he kept having visions of his sister and some beautiful red haired goddess calling to him.  Urging him to turn from his blood thirst and follow his true destiny.”  Luca chuckles, “Sound familiar?”

I am confused.  Artemis is the only red haired goddess that comes to mind at first and I admit as much to Luca.  He chuckles again before saying, “You are worse than Morna.  He described this ‘goddess’ to me… it could only be one of two people, My Morna during her original incarnation or you, Breena Glynn.”

I gasp at that news, “You really think that he has been having visions of me calling to him?”

“Makes sense, if you have been dreaming of him… You know the bond between true mates can manifest itself in very strange ways.”  I am silent as hope rises up in me, but Luca’s next words bring it crashing down.

“He has turned from feeding on humans, and I hope he is able to stick with it.  But Breena, you have no idea how hard it is to resist the lure of human blood.  Especially if you are intimate with a human.  If he is your mate, you will be placing your very life in his hands every single time you are near him.  Are you really ready for a life time of having to be on guard and using spells to protect yourself from your own mate?”

I am silent for several long moments as I honestly consider Luca’s question.  “If I could find one tenth of the love with Damian that Morna has found with you, Luca, I would gladly risk it,” I vow quietly.  “In a heartbeat!”

“I was afraid you would say that.  You and my wife are two of a kind,” Luca says.  I think he sounds sad and I wonder if it’s because of me or Morna.  I suspect it’s because of Morna.  Luca tortures himself with fears of hurting my sister.  It would be easier for both of them if he would just change her like she wants him to do.  But I suspect that he won’t ever do that.  He hates what he is and won’t do the same thing to Morna.  We chat a little longer as Luca tells me about Morna’s recovery and the things that she is starting to remember.  Soon, however, he ends the phone call because he hears Morna stirring in the other room. 

I knock around my hotel suite for a while until I feel like I am losing my mind.  I finally call Brigid and make plans to meet her for lunch.  I spend a pleasant afternoon with my old friend.  She tells me about her new love.  His name is George Welborn and she’s not entirely convinced that he is a mortal.  But Brigid is a Spell Weaver of the Second Order and they generally cannot sense magic in others as easily as a First Order Weaver, like Morna, Aideen or myself.  So, Brigid asks me if I would be willing to go by his hotel suite and meet him.  I am surprised when I learn that he is staying in the same hotel as myself and my sister and her mate.  The Westin Chicago River North is a lovely four star hotel with large, well-appointed suites, but I am surprised that a cowboy from Texas would choose to stay there.

But when we go to George’s room I am not at all surprised at Brigid’s attraction to the man when I meet him.  He’s a very handsome man of Native American heritage with jet black hair and strong, angular features.  He rides bulls for a living.  No joke, he’s a damned rodeo cowboy!  In fact, he’s a cowboy through and through.  He owns a ranch in North Texas, not too far away from where Rinda lives.  But boy oh boy does he look good in those tight faded jeans, and snug western shirt.  His bright sapphire blue eyes are gorgeous and I can understand what Brigid meant when she said she gets lost in them. 

I can sense strong magic in his aura.  And here is definitely magic and knowledge in those eyes and they make me think of that girl I met in Dallas back during the early nineties.  What the hell was her name?  It was a silly name… Tiny?  No… Bitty!  Bitty Randall!  I had tracked a demon to Dallas.  The bastard was about to attack her and take over her body when I intervened.  She was young thing, fresh out of high school and probably just off of the farm, literally.  But she definitely had lots of magic in her blood.  I could feel her power and understood why she was targeted by the demon.  And I knew that she would continue to be a target of demons.  Possessing a body of a person of powerful magic who hasn’t learned to harness it yet makes a very powerful and very dangerous demon.  I gave Bitty a picture of a protective symbol and told her to have it tattooed on the inside of her left ankle. 

I was shocked when she asked me to come with her to the tattoo parlor and got the tattoo immediately.  She didn’t exactly understand what was going on, but she knew enough about magic and unseen forces that she trusted me and followed my advice.  I went back to check on her the next year, but her friend told me that Bitty gave up on the big city and went back to Oklahoma.

I force my attention back to present time and the people sitting across from me.  It’s obvious that they are both smitten with each other and it’s equally obvious that the man has magic in his blood.  The only question remains whether or not he is aware of it and if he is an ascended immortal or if that’s something we would have to help him with.

I notice that he has a leather case attached to his belt and something inside of that case is definitely magic… I can feel it vibrating with power from where I am sitting.  I cast about for ideas of how to get him to show it to me. I am convinced it will tell what and who George Welborn really is.  Finally I just ask if I can see his knife, nodding at the case on his hip.  “Aw now, Miss Breena, it’s just bad form for a gentleman to be showing a weapon to a lady.”  I raise my eyebrow at that, and I know full well he suspects that I know it’s not a knife… it’s ancient, far older than any knife a cowboy would carry on his hip.  His reluctance to show it to me worries me though.  What is he hiding?

I chuckle and say, “I wasn’t planning on stealing it, George.”

“I know that, little lady.  But my kind don’t go around showing our secrets those we just met,” he drawls.  Brigid is looking back and forth in between the two of us, she knows we are talking about much more than a knife, but she can‘t figure out exactly what it might be.  Brigid is First Order Healer, but only a Second Order Spell Weaver.  Therefore, her magic is not a strong as mine and she doesn’t have very strong empathic abilities like I do, so she’s basically in the dark around most unidentified magical beings.

I smile and say, “That’s okay, George.  Soon you will know me well enough to trust me to see it.  I am a very… uh, sensitive person, my friend.  I know with a great deal of certainty that you are a good man, and a powerful man.  But not everyone has my advantages, so I won’t press you any further.”  I smile openly at George and Brigid. 

We spend a little more time chatting before I decide to excuse myself.  Honestly, I am growing uncomfortable under George’s scrutiny.  He knows I am magical and powerful…but he doesn’t know what I am.  For that matter I think he is now really wondering exactly what Brigid is.  It’s time for me to leave and let them have some private time.  I hope Brigid decides to tell him about us so he will relax around me.

I had noticed a spa when Brigid and I went out for lunch and I want to go get a trim, a mani-pedi and perhaps a facial or a massage.  Hell, I might get both.  Maybe a Brazilian wax? I mentally roll my eyes at myself for the direction my thoughts are taking.

I tell Brigid about my plans to visit the spa and ask her to join me.  I can see she’s torn, but is leaning towards staying here with her man.  I smile and say, “We are going to be in Chicago for a while, you and I can hang out later in the week.  Maybe I will call Aideen and see if she wants to join me.”

Brigid looks relieved when I give her the out and invites me to join her and Aideen when they go to Morna and Luca‘s suite tonight at 8:00.  I eagerly agree to join them.  George looks at me with a sly grin and leans forward to take my hand into his, “My Granny would call you and Brigid medicine women… but I think you are more than that.”

I can’t help it, I chuckle at his remark.  “She’d be right.”  George smiles.  “I suspect that my sister would recognize a fellow warrior’s spirit in you.”  He looks at me thoughtfully and says, “I would like to meet your sister, especially if she is as lovely and as charming as you are.”

Brigid laughs, “Morna is a lot of things…” Her voice trails off when she realizes that she really doesn’t have any idea what Morna is like in this incarnation.  Luca said she is beautiful, but he’s so hopelessly in love with her that he always finds her beautiful and charming, no matter what she has actually looked like in her various incarnations.  “But if I said she was tough and a true survivor, I would be making and understatement.  She’s a true force for good and a warrior.”

George looks at Brigid thoughtfully and says, “Is she in law enforcement or the military?” 

Brigid looks away and says vaguely, “Well, she has served in both capacities…”

I chuckle, that’s true enough.  Morna led our Warriors from a very young age and she was a fierce enforcer who tracked down rogue immortals who preyed on humans. “Enough about Morna.  Let George decide for himself when he finally meets her.”  I stand up and hope that ended George’s curiosity about Morna, at least for now.

CHAPTER SIX
             

I enjoyed my visit to the spa.  I came back to my room and soaked in the massive tub.  The jets were a very nice touch.  I am feeling relaxed and well pampered when I order room service.  I hang up and drop the towel and look at myself in the wall of the bathroom that is a solid mirror.  The Brazilian wax was brutal, but I have to admit, it looks hot.  The hairstylist, Juan, did a nice job on my hair as well.  I feel beautiful and pampered.  Not a feeling I usually allow myself to feel.  I have eyes in my head; I know what I look like, it’s just not that important… normally.  But I really want to be beautiful when I finally come face to face with Damian.  And I am hoping that happens sooner rather than later.  I am rarely impatient so this ‘eagerness’ feels so foreign to me.

I take inventory in the mirror.  I am short; only about 5’1” and slender.  I have good boobs, round and perky.  I have lots of curves, shapely hips, rounded belly, and a high, tight ass.  I work out hard to keep myself in shape, so I can take some pride in my body. 

I concentrate on my face.  I remind myself of Morna, which is funny considering that I am the older sister.  But Morna has always been the stronger personality of the two of us.  But we were both born with bright blue eyes, full lips, a pert nose and a heart shaped face with high cheek bones.  Some would call us classical beauties.  I have never been too impressed with my looks.  I value what I try to be on inside more.  But right now I must admit I am relieved that I am not some plain Jane.  I want to be beautiful, for my Damian. 

Whoa!  Where did that come from?  I smirk at myself in the mirror.  You know you want him to want you as badly as you want him.  He’s your mate dumbass!  You want to please him.  Yeah, I know that’s right, but I am surprised by my apparent certainty that Damian is my true mate. 

When did I go from hopeful suspicion to this bone deep certainty?  But I can feel it in my bones.  I know I will make a connection with him and we will love and live together for a very long time.  A feeling of intense joy fills me and I look into my eyes in the mirror and realize my love for this man I have never met is lighting me up a Christmas tree from the inside.  Morna is soooooo going to pick up on this.

When room service brings my meal I quickly wrap up in a robe and eat before dressing.  Before long Morna calls me to invite me to a sister’s only slumber party.  She said she’s kicking Luca out for the night.  So I assume he needs to go hunt.  My brother in law, the vampire, doesn’t feed on humans, but he still needs blood.  He hunts and feeds from wild animals.  I am very excited as I make my way to Morna and Luca’s suite. 

I can’t help it, I smirk and chide my brother in law when he opens the door.  He’s obviously just out of the shower.  I feel waves of languid sexual satiation just oozing from him and I suspect that he and my sister made love again after she hung up from speaking to me.  I feel something akin to envy stab through me and I stifle it as an unworthy emotion.

Morna soon joins me and I overwhelmed by her aura and her beauty.  She looks nothing like she did in her original incarnation.  For one thing, she’s over six feet tall now and probably weighs around one sixty or one seventy.  Her hair is no longer the bright coppery red that mine is, but it’s a strawberry blond with streaks of gray in it.  But unless you look closely, you would mistake the gray for blond highlights.  Some would call her face handsome and not beautiful, but I don’t think that’s right, she’s absolutely lovely!  Her love for Luca and peace from knowing her babies live shine through her bright emerald green eyes.  Humor and joy in living are revealed in her full, pale lips.  Patience and wisdom are evidenced in the faint lines at her eyes and mouth.  This woman is kind, patient, giving, loving and strong as hell. 

There’s no doubt in my mind that Morna is the one destined to lead our Guild.  Her aura is clearer and brighter than I ever imagined an aura could be.  I knew the Elves gave her aura a boost, but I think it’s getting even brighter because of how she is growing, mentally and emotionally.  Morna is certainly coming into her destiny.  Her power is increasing by leaps and bounds.

Morna and I get a little time together before Aideen and Brigid arrive.  I learn that Morna has remembered the child she gave birth to who died seventy years before Aideen was born.  My heart breaks every time I think of sweet baby Kylor.  That was a time of great tragedy for us all, but especially for Luca and Morna.  I can feel the pain they are experiencing as strongly as they experienced it when he died.  And I am left to wonder how many times Morna has had to experience that loss as though it just happened. 

Damn Kyera to hell!  This was a cruel, cruel way to extract revenge for the death of her murderous lover.  In that moment I realize that I would happily destroy Kyera if I ever get the chance.  I would love nothing more than to kill her with my own two hands.

When Aideen arrives she manages to insult her mother pretty quickly but Morna seems to ignore it.  However, I am greatly amused when she takes care of the matter later and puts Aideen, firmly but lovingly, in her place.  God, I have missed Morna’s way with people!  I doubt that Aideen realizes how easy Morna actually went on her, but I guess with time she will learn her mother is not someone you play stupid games with, unless you plan to lose and lose badly.

We had decided to go downstairs and get a drink.  Luca danced with Morna to the old Nat King Cole song, Unforgettable.  Watching them dance together, the way they held each other… it was plain for anyone to see that the rest of the world ceased to exist for them.  It has always made me happy to see their love.  But tonight watching Morna and Luca together makes me hope that I might find the same sort of thing with Damian. 

God, that man is always on the edge of my thoughts.  I assume that’s probably normal when it comes to true mates.  I close my eyes and try to imagine what it would feel like to have Damian hold me like Luca is holding my sister.

When I open my eyes Aideen is staring at me intently.  “You are in love?” she accuses.  I am taken aback because she really doesn’t look pleased at the prospect.

“What?” I sputter.  I look at Aideen and Brigid.  They both look amused… no, they look happy.  I am troubled by the rapid shifts of emotion that I have been sensing in Aideen.  It’s not natural.  Something is definitely up there.

I force myself to answer them.  “Maybe… I am not sure.”  I blush and quietly admit, “I have been having visions of my mate.  It’s really complicated and I am not ready to talk about it.”  Brigid nods, looking like she thinks she understands, but Aideen looks mischievous, like she’s planning to tease me unmercifully.  I stare at her hard and warn, “Aideen, I love you like my own child, but if you even attempt to mess with me about this I will go Medieval on your ass.”                Aideen looks shocked at my warning and Brigid looks happy.  I quickly change the subject back to how wonderful Morna and Luca look together.

Morna and I spend the rest of the evening alone in her suite drinking scotch, smoking cigarettes and eating crappy nachos.  We laugh and catch up but Morna reveals some heavy things about her past in this incarnation that she’s not proud of.  She’s afraid Luca will hold them against her, but I know he won’t.  He loves her too much to harshly judge her actions when she didn’t know the truth about them.

But our talk makes it plain to me that she has some serious self-image problems.  A little more time with Luca, and getting her memories back should help with that.  I hope.  I think her father and that shit head she married really did a job on her self-image.  Sometimes men really suck!  I remind myself that women have been known to cause just as much harm.  I decide to let these thoughts go and focus on my time with my sister.

I finally crash because I drank so much scotch that I am buzzing big time.  I don’t know how long I slept before I hear Morna and Luca in their bedroom.  Something is very wrong!  Morna is being attacked by some unseen force.  CRAP!  I go to try to help, even though I haven’t a clue what I might be able to do.

Morna eventually breaks the link with her attacker with Luca’s help.  After a while she drifts off the sleep and I decide to go back to my room.  Instead, Luca and I start talking.  I am shocked to learn that Morna has never told Luca who her real Father is or that she carries the Talismans, the very essence of our Guild’s magic in her soul.  She is our magic!  Her emerald green eyes represent the power of our Guild.

Honestly, she’s much more than our magic… she has a magic that is much more ancient than ours.  She is ancient and primal in her power, and has always made me think of the Dragons of the truly ancient times.  If Spell Weavers had spirit animals like the Shape Shifters and Changelings, I would say that Morna’s a dragon. 

Fionn has always agreed with my assessment, and as a Shape Shifter he would probably know.  He’s always said there is much more to Morna than any of us ever knew, and I have always agreed. We see eye to eye on many, many things.  We are so close and have been for centuries.  He’s my very best friend, ever.

God, I miss Fionn!  I wonder if I will have to give up my best friend in order to claim my true mate.  I hope not, but I know I would if Damian turns out to actually be my true mate.  If Damian couldn’t handle me having Fionn for a friend… I would give him up for a chance at a life with my true mate.  Immortals would do almost anything to find their mates, and I am no different.  But feeling this way makes me feel disloyal to my dearest friend and leaves me torn between the dream of a true mate and my dearest friend.

I soon realize that Morna has awaken and has been listening to us.  I can feel her emotions as she reacts to our conversation.  Much of what we have discussed has been new information to her, things she hasn’t remembered on her own.  That’s gotta be rough to not even truly know yourself.  Before I leave I urge Luca to let Morna know that her so called secrets do not make him love her any less.  She needs his reassurances, she needs to know his love for her is not conditional.  It never has been.

I finally make my way towards my own room.  I have tense moment when I encounter George in the elevator.  I get the distinct impression that he is hunting.  His demeanor towards me has changed, he’s suspicious.  I catch him scenting me during the elevator ride and I suddenly understand what and who he is and why he’s reacting this way to me. 

When the elevator doors open on my floor, I move to disembark but turn and smile at him, blocking the doors open.  “George, the one you smell on me and in this hotel is no threat to you, or anyone else.  He’s not a typical Stone Cold.”

George’s hand darts out quicker than I can react to and he drags me back into the elevator and closes the door, hitting the stop button to trap me in there with him.  I look down at this hand gripping my arm and rage boils through me.  “Get your hand off of me, Stone Breaker!  I am not your enemy and the vamp you smell isn’t either.”

“You know what I am?  How?”

“I wasn’t sure until you started sniffing me like that.  But you aren’t a Changeling, Shape Shifter or any kind of vamp, so that left Stone Breaker.  Plus the Native American Heritage kind of seals the deal,” I say gently and smile reassuringly when he releases my arm.

“What are you?”

“Ask Brigid.  If she hasn’t told you yet, I won’t steal her thunder.  You both love each other, so don’t let concerns about what we may or may not be get in between the two of you.  But know this, we come from a group of magical beings much like your own Clan.  Our mission is to protect mankind and guard the Gateways between the realms.”

“Well, crap,” He snorts.  “You could be one dozens races with that description.”

I can’t help it, I smile.  “Yes, we could be.”  I turn and push the button to open the door and disembark from the elevator.  I smile at him again and tell him, “Don’t worry, bro.  We are the good guys too.  You know Brigid‘s heart, trust in it.”  I know that I got through to him when he smiles.  “See you soon, brother.” I say as the doors close.

When I get back to my room I light a smoke and pour another glass of scotch.  I stretch out on my bed and flip through the channels on the TV.  I doubt I will be able to go to sleep, wondering about what our future holds with a couple of Stone Cold vamps and a Stone Breaker in our family tree because I have no doubt whatsoever that Brigid and George are meant to be true mates.  Their auras are perfectly matched and it’s obvious to me that the love they feel for each other genuine and of the forever kind.  I snuff out my smoke and drink my scotch before I curl up on the bed and let my mind focus on my potential mate.  I am getting so impatient to meet him.  It’s beginning to feel like a compulsion and not just a desire.

I am dreaming about Damian, again, when the phone rings.  I am trying to clear the images out of my mind as I walk over and dig my phone out of my backpack.  This time I wasn’t just dreaming about making love to Damian this time we were doing battle, back to back.  Protecting each other.  In another vision he’s holding me tenderly and telling me that he will always do everything he can to keep me safe.  His voice is deep and smooth, like silk and I feel it in my very core just remembering the rich tone and timbre.  I sigh as I answer my phone.

“Breena!  Help me!  I bit Morna!”

“No fucking way!” is my initial response.  On the other end of the phone Luca tells me, “I didn’t do it on purpose…but I infected her with my venom.  Come help her, please!”

I have rarely heard Lucian Michaels sound so uncertain, and I have never heard him sound so frantic.  “I’m on my way, Luca.  But, brother, calm down,” I tell him gently.  “Even if you did expose her with enough venom to change her, you know it’s what she wanted anyway.”  Luca’s only response is pained growl.  Fuck!  My brother in law is drowning in guilt.