by Audra Hart
Morna thanks Brynhold warmly and takes the dresses. She walks over to the bed and spreads them out, and emits a low whistle. By now Rinda is out of the tub. She is wrapped in a towel and standing by Morna as she arranges the dresses on her bed. “Heimdall knows what looks good on you. I like the pale blue one, it will accentuate your eyes and show your trim little figure to advantage.”
Rinda eyeballs it skeptically. “It looks a little too small to me.”
“YOU look a little small to me, but I am sure the dress will be lovely on you.” Morna assures her as she gives her a little hug.
They are discussing the merits of the different dresses when Sammy comes striding into Morna’s suite without knocking. She runs straight for Morna. She’s still wearing jeans and a tee shirt. “Morna don’t make me stay here!” She’s begs Morna as she barrels into her. Morna quickly takes the distraught girl into her arms and asks, “What’s the matter Sammy?”
“They want me to stay here. I don’t know any of these people! Morna let me come home with you! I promise I won’t get into any trouble!” Samantha sobs loudly, and Morna hugs her gently and kisses her forehead.
“Darling, don’t you want to get to know your parents?” Morna asks softly as Rinda walks away quietly.
“Yes, but not right now. I want to stay with you until all this craziness is settled. I want to be with you when Samuel is born. I am your seer. I should be with YOU! Morna I am a grown woman. I lied about my age. I am 21, I just said I was 16 to get into your half-way house and get close to you. I can make my own decisions.” Samantha insists, stomping her foot like a little girl.
Morna and Rinda both laugh at that little move. Then Morna kisses her adopted daughter’s forehead again. “You are 21? Wow! I should have known. But I can‘t imagine why I didn‘t detect your magic.” Morna shakes her head and then grins. “I guess we are staying up here. At least until Aideen is recovered. Besides you have time to get to know your parents before the baby comes. It will be fast, but still several weeks according to Gullveig. And what did you just call him?” She says as she hugs Samantha.
“It’s just what I think of him as. I really don’t know what you two plan to call him. I can’t see anything past him being born. Morna, I really should be with you though. The pregnancy will be hard on you.” Sammy looks troubled as she says this. “It’s going to cause you to go through a lot of changes.”
“You saw his birth? Is he okay?” Morna asks breathlessly.
“Yes, he will be fine. The little bugger will have his daddy’s hair and your eyes. But I probably shouldn’t say little. He’s going to weigh 12 pounds at birth!” Gushes Sammy excitedly.
At that last little bit of information Rinda, who has just finished getting dressed comes and takes Sammy by the hand. “Honey that might be TMI for Morna. Jeez girl, don’t tell an expectant mom her baby will weigh twelve pounds.” She chuckles as she leads Sammy to the door. “You should go back to your parents, get ready for this shindig in your honor. You can see Morna at the party.”
“TMI? Oh, too much information. I guess twelve pounds for newborn baby is pretty big? Crap! Morna I am sorry. I didn’t mean to freak you out.” Sammy says repentantly. “Damn, I really have a big mouth, don‘t I?”
“Don’t worry about it, Sammy. I know this won’t be your average pregnancy. Go on, kiddo, get ready. I will see you soon. We can talk about this later.” Morna assures her.
When Sammy finally leaves, Morna sits down heavily on the bed. “Oh crap! Twelve pounds? That‘s a big baby! How can I deliver a child that big?” She asks fearfully.
Rinda sits down beside Morna and kisses her gently as she takes her hands into her own. “Don’t worry honey, you already know they will have to take the baby by C-section. It will be fine. You’ll see.” Rinda says as she tries to comfort her dearest friend.
“Please go find Luca for me.” Morna whispers as she clutches Rinda’s hands, feeling fearful.
Rinda looks away so that Morna can’t see the hurt in her eyes, and nods as she gets up to go find Luca. She finds him already on his way to check on his wife. “Luca! She calls out to him as soon as she sees him across the great hall. “Morna needs you.”
Luca speeds to her side, “What is wrong?” He demands sharply. “Is she ill?”
“No brother, nothing like that. Sammy just freaked her out a little. She told her your son will weigh twelve pounds. She was already a little freaked out. But please don’t tell her I told you that.” Rinda implores.
“I knew she was worried. She isn’t feeling great physically either. That’s why I wanted someone with her when she bathed and got dressed.” Luca tells her not to worry and then literally runs to check on his wife. He finds her sitting on the foot of the bed with her hand on her belly.
“Morna, are you okay Love?” He asks gently as he sits beside her and takes her into his arms.
“Sorry Luca, I am fine. I think it just sunk in what we are undertaking here in having this child. I am honestly a little worried, but mostly I just want to go to Alfheim and see my other babies.” Morna sobs. “Heimdall says I shouldn’t, that I might lead Valgullveig to them, but she must already know they are there. I miss them so much, Luca! I want to see my children and hold them in my arms. Thinking about this little baby growing inside of me just makes me miss them all the more. I know I can’t do anything to end the curse until after he’s born and I am desperate to see them. Besides, they have a right to learn about you and me and the new baby from me directly.”
“I know this must be hard for you. Perhaps something can be arranged…” Luca assures his distraught wife.
“Thank you Love!” Morna says happily, and then starts kissing his face all over. Suddenly, she settles on his lips and deepens the kiss. Luca can feel her passion for him rising, and gently sets her away from him. “You need to save your strength, you seem to tire fairly easily right now. We have a banquet to go to, we will have time for that afterwards.”
“Luca, I can’t wait till afterwards!” Morna assures him as she takes his sweater off in one smooth motion. “My need is too great!” She moves her hands down and starts to remove his slacks. She eagerly frees his hard cock and caresses it lovingly for a couple of seconds and then straddles him. She hikes the skirt of the gown up and joyfully glides down the length of his shaft. Luca reaches up and unties the halter top of the dress and frees her breasts and groans as he takes one breast into his mouth as she slowly moves up and down on his erection.
“I like this Morna who doesn’t wear undergarments,” Luca says with a chuckle, and then moves his hands up her back, and over her shoulders. He takes her face into his hands and kisses her passionately as she continues to rhythmically ride up and down with a look of pure joy and contentment on her face. He moves his hands down and lovingly caresses her breasts. He feels great joy himself as he feels the tension building in her body. She is already nearing orgasm. He places his hands on her hips to slow down her movements. “Slow down a little, baby. I want to come with you,” he urges her softly.
Morna chuckles and says, “Sorry Love, I am being selfish.” She kisses him deeply and caresses his perfect back as he very slowly moves her up and down on his shaft several times. She pulls back from his lips and groans, “Baby, I can’t wait any longer!”
He laughs and assures her, “I am with you, love.” She holds him in an iron grip as her orgasm washes over her in waves of undulating pleasure. Her joy is complete when he groans loudly as his own pleasure floods through his body. He is feverishly planting kisses on her breasts as she rains kisses down on his head. When the last wave of pleasure finally washes over their bodies, they just hold each other for several minutes. Luca, at last, breaks the silence and says, “I will never tire of experiencing that with you.”
Morna giggles happily, “Me either!” She assures him as she rises to dismount from him. “I don’t know what gets into me when I am pregnant. It seems my emotions are tied directly to my sex drive, any strong emotion tri
ggers intense sexual desire.”
“At least I will be able to physically keep up with you this time. When you carried Kylor, I thought you were going to kill me.” He laughs and then gets somber. Morna looks into his eyes and they share a sad smile at memories of their long dead son. “We are truly blessed to have the chance to have another son together.”
“Yes, we are very blessed, in so many ways,” Morna whispers and kisses him again. He helps her get up and straighten her clothes. When she goes to the bathroom to see to her hair he dons his attire for the banquet. Morna whistles when she comes out. “Lucian Michaels, no one wears a designer suit like you do!”
Luca chuckles and says, “No one wears a designer cocktail gown like you do.” He gently swats her behind, before kneading it possessively with both hands and pulling her into him. “Hmmm woman, you move me like no other.” Morna blushes prettily and nuzzles into his chest. Luca takes her hand and leads her toward the door. “Come on, baby, let us go join the festivities. I assume that Samantha asked to stay with us?”
“She did. I asked her to stay with her parents for a couple of weeks first. Rinda thinks she won’t have to stay with Aideen long, she wants to stay with us too. Are you okay with that?” Morna asks.
“Of course, she stayed with us when you carried Kylor and Aideen. Why should it be any different now?” Luca says lightly.
Morna watches him intently and realizes he truly means it. He honestly wants her to have the comfort that she will get from her best friend staying with them during her pregnancy. She knows she is blessed to have him for her mate. Another thought occurs to Morna and she says, “I wonder how come we can’t sense Samantha’s magic in her?” Morna says thoughtfully and then adds. “Her aura looks just like an ordinary human’s, but it always amazed me that it looked so clear. A human’s aura gets muddied up by their weaknesses and foibles. And Samantha had plenty of those, but her aura is still clear. Do you think she is deliberately projecting a false aura? Can a Vanir witch do that? If so, how can I trust any of them?”
By now they are walking down the corridor to the main hall. Agnar comes up behind them and overhears Morna’s last questions. “She can’t project a false aura, she believes herself to be human, and so her aura is human. And no, none of us can deliberately create a false aura. Your reading of any being’s aura is sound Morna. Trust in that.” Agnar assures her. Luca and Morna have stopped and turned to face him. He comes up and kisses Morna’s cheek lightly and shakes Luca’s hand. “Aideen is doing well. She is asleep now, not in stasis, but actually asleep. We talked for hours and she is very tired. She has moved into the quarters that Heimdall gave me to use during our stay here. I was coming to find Morna, I thought you might be on your way to the other bedchamber Heimdall had given her. Would you like to see her now, or wait until the morning?”
“If she is sleeping, perhaps I should wait?” Morna asks uncertainly. “What is her physical and mental state like right now?”
“She is highly agitated, but exhausted. She is full of remorse for what she did to you Morna, and the feelings she has harbored against you for so long. But she wants to make amends to you and apologize as soon as possible. She desperately needs your forgiveness Morna.” Agnar informs Morna solemnly.
“There is nothing to forgive, she was cursed.” Morna brushes it off lightly.
“Morna, you know there is more to it than that.” Agnar chides softly.
“Agnar, I forgave her before I woke up after the beating. She’s my baby, my child, she’s a part of me. We screwed up, we can make it better.” Morna says earnestly.
“Then go tell her that.” Agnar says quietly. “She will rest better after she talks to you.”
“Well, show us the way,” Morna says.
“Just you Morna. Luca is a whole other situation. I am not sure that she is ready to tackle that yet. She is too embarrassed to face her father at the moment.” Agnar says firmly.
Morna takes her mate’s hand and gives it a comforting squeeze, “I guess I can understand that,” Morna says thoughtfully trying to understand how Aideen feels, wondering what she would think of herself if she realized that she had been in love with Valliant. She shudders at the thought and gets a glimpse of the shame Aideen must be enduring.
They walk in silence for a few moments when Agnar can’t hold his peace any longer, “Does your mate know about you and Rinda?”
“Not that any of this is any of your damned business, but yes, he has known since before he and I became involved. Why would you ask?” Morna says curtly.
“Because you and she are still very close and he didn’t seem to mind at all. I was wondering if he knew the truth about your history. And if he did know, I wondered how come he was so comfortable with Rinda touching you the way she does.” Agnar says thoughtfully, then adds; “Are you and she still lovers?”
Morna literally snarls at him, “Why the hell would you ask that?”
“Because you two are obviously still very close.” Agnar says quietly.
“That doesn’t mean I am screwing around on my mate. It’s not that kind of close, you damned moron. People can still love each other without screwing them, without loving their mates any less because of it. We are just really close friends. It was more a friendship, even when there was sex between us!” Says Morna emphatically. “Damn, I wish my daughter had fallen in love with anyone besides a damn rutting dog like you!”
“Morna, you know that isn’t true about me anymore. Why did you say that?” Agnar has stopped to face her and demands her full attention.
“Because I am scared to death you will hurt my daughter. When I spent time here in Asgard, all you cared about was your own gratification. How do I know that once the challenge has passed, you won’t abandon her and leave her with a broken heart?” Morna demands heatedly. “And why did you pursue her in the first place? Because she is my daughter? And I am the one who got away?”
“I didn’t pursue her, for exactly that reason! She pursued me! And Morna, with that woman, the damn challenge will never pass. She is amazing. You just haven’t ever bothered to get to know her well enough to know how amazing she truly is!” Growls Agnar viciously.
Morna is shocked when Luca comes up from behind her and punches Agnar in the face. The demigod goes flying down the long hall. “You stupid son of a bitch, she wants to know her daughter, but hasn’t had a chance. There has been a small matter of a curse, being reborn 13 different times, and having to learn who she is over and over. It takes time to track her down and remind her who we are. She damn well does the best she can, and so do I!” Luca has been stalking towards Agnar as he says these things. “You stupid pup! If you ever talk to my mate like this again, Aideen’s love for you will not be enough to save you from several very painful broken bones. Is that clear?”
Luca has picked Agnar up by the front of his shirt and has drawn back to punch again when Morna touches his arm and says his name softly. “Luca, darling please stop. He can‘t possibly understand what we have been through and what we mean to each other. Besides, Aideen will be very hurt if you hit him again. Let‘s get passed this for our daughter‘s sake. Please darling, set him down.”
All three turn when they hear Aideen’s voice, “Daddy, please he really didn’t mean anything by what he said to Mama. He’s been listening to my poor little forgotten daughter saga for so long, and he doesn’t know the whole truth. I can’t even imagine the whole truth of what you two have been through. Please Daddy. I do love him, and he does love me. More than I deserve.”
Luca nods at his daughter and slowly sets Agnar back on his feet. “I meant what I said Vanir ‘god’, don’t ever speak like that to my mate again. And I will crush you if you don’t treat my daughter with respect, is that clear?”
“Clear as crystal.” Agnar says to Luca sincerely. Then he looks at Luca’s mate and says, “Morna, forgive me please. I did over step, again.” He chuckles and continues, “You have just always had a way of getting under my skin and ru
bbing me the wrong way.” Agnar says trying to lighten the mood.
“He’s right Luca. We will probably always say vile things to each other when we are angry. We used to get into actual brawls over the slightest disagreements. A few hundred years ago the frost giants and the Trolls united to try to break through the barrier to the human world. Valliant’s force of gateway defenders partnered up with Thor, Agnar and my grandfather Vali. After we had driven the frost giants and Trolls back to their respective home worlds, Agnar and I got in a horrific fight. We honestly tried to kill each other and I can’t even remember what started it. When I came back up top as Gigi, you had to heal my body with spells, it took several days for me to recover. Do you remember that? I couldn’t remember what had happened then, but I do now.”
“I offered to heal you before you left Morna, but you were being a stubborn, hardheaded ass, as usual.” Agnar growls at her. “Luca, I don’t know how you deal with her. I would kill her if I were mated to her.”
Luca laughs, and says; “I think you might be wrong about who might kill whom. Agnar, let us go see about healing your eye. It‘s going to look pretty bad soon if we don‘t. We should leave Morna and Aideen to talk.” He kisses his mate and then pats the cheek of his daughter, unsure how close he should get to her.
Aideen reads his uncertainty and says, “Daddy, the spell has been removed. I won’t take it wrong if you kiss my cheek. I would deeply appreciate it in fact, to know I am still your little girl.”
Luca gladly kisses her cheek, and says; “Darling Aideen, you will always be your daddy’s little girl. Nothing can ever change that.”
Aideen smiles at Luca, hugs him quickly and says, “Thank you Daddy.” Then she looks at Agnar and says, “Darling, please try to stay out of trouble.” And then she smiles at her mother and motions her into their bedchamber.
