Catch, Curse, Release (Immortal Warriors #1) ✅ Completed

Chapter Eleven: Wine and the Moon

Wine and the Moon

Lori stood outside her balcony gazing up at the night sky. The sky here was filled with so many stars, all in new and unfamiliar patterns that she couldn’t help but stare at it all in silent wonder. The moon appeared twice the normal size of the one she was used to back home. It was so big it appeared to fill up half of the whole sky.

What kind of world had Desmond taken her to? It looked so much like hers and yet it clearly wasn’t. Everything here was almost too bright, too green, as if the impact of the human race hadn’t ruined a single bit of it. It was more than beautiful, it was breathtaking. And even though she was almost too exhausted for words, she couldn’t turn into bed just yet. She wanted to enjoy the quiet moment in private, alone for the first time since stepping into the museum.

Had it only been that very morning since she’d woken in her own bed, broken her favorite mug, and dashed out of her apartment before running into Des at the MET? It seemed like months ago at this point. With the journey to Wolfgard, watching the pretty young girls turning into wolves, meeting Eric, and singing in front of an immortal audience, everything had been on maximum overdrive. But she’d managed to survive it all, even her impromptu concert, relatively intact.

After her performance, she’d sat back down at the high table among cheers and loud accolades from the attendants. It felt nice but really she was just glad it was over for the moment. She was pretty sure it would not be the last time she’d have to perform while staying with the McKenna clan, but at least she could put it off for a little while now.

She’d stayed in the dining hall well into the evening, even when most everyone (except for Des, Aiden and Eric) had left for the comfort of their own beds. After the emotional rollercoaster of her singing debut, Lori had toasted a few glasses to herself, drinking more wine than was entirely safe. She’d paid for it initially, getting tired and sleepy at the high table. But every time she’d tried to make a quiet escape, she was thwarted by Aiden, Desmond or Eric, usually by all three of them at the same time.  

If she hadn’t been forced to sit next to Eric it wouldn’t have been so bad. But of course, Des had guided her right back to her original seat. Eric had turned and smiled at her, lifting her hand to his lips and placing a small kiss just inside her palm causing her whole body to heat up like a mild supernova.

“Thank you for the lovely performance, my lady. You sing like an angel,” he’d stared deeply into her eyes with his odd colored ones. His perfect dimples were enough to make a nunnery riot and it just wasn’t fair; everything about the large warrior king bordered on the obscene.  

Dear God every time he smiled at her she just wanted to throw herself at him and start redecorating the castle. It was almost scary how a man she didn’t even know could cause such an intense reaction in her, even if he was a conceited, chauvinistic Neanderthal. Such trifling matters seemed less and less important every time he looked her way.

It was at that point Lori realized she needed to put some distance between them.   

Lori had stood, interrupting Aiden’s slightly slurred explanation of the castle’s construction. She’d smiled apologetically and tried to be gracious as she attempted to leave for the last time, “Please forgive me Captain McKenna, I think I need to step outside for some fresh air before retiring for the night,” Turning to Eric she bowed slightly, “Thank you for the lovely evening, my lord.”