Summoning Annika_The Viking Witch Trilogies Read online

  She walked up the sidewalk and Sam stood up, “He’s all set for you.” She tapped her temple with a wink, “I’d say he’s excited and definitely curious…nervous too.” Michael just sat there on the step with a perplexed look that made Iris grin. She put a spin on Sam’s assessment, “I’d say that’s just cuz he’s hangin’ out with you, sweetie.” Sam laughed as she bounded up the steps and opened the front door to the building, “He’s all yours, I’ll be upstairs, when you’re done.”

  Iris took Sam’s place on the steps. Michael’s eyes got big as she sat right next to him. It was quite a contrast between the two women that were now in his life and Iris saw how nervous he was. She locked arms with him and gave him a sisterly squeeze, “I know this is weird, but something really interesting happened today.”

  He nodded, “Yeah, Sam tells me she’s on lockdown until after we talk. She’s just itchin’ to tell me something,” he shook his head, “She didn’t though.” He said it like there would have been big trouble if she had.

  “Michael, it’s ok, the truth of it is, Stefan and I didn’t tell the girls anything other than Alec is going to take a more active role in helping us.”

  He nodded, “Good. He pretty much started this whole thing. He’s such a secretive old guy.”

  She nodded, “Yeah, well that’s why I’m here. His choice to give you the original shield pieces was no accident. He told me again how much he likes you. Your role in this may still have another aspect to it. He trusts you. It’s maybe the only part of this I understand.”

  Michael looked at Iris and asked quietly, “Do you trust him?”

  “Absolutely,” she answered without hesitation and could immediately see Michael relax.

  She followed that, “But there’s a wrinkle you need to know about,” she smirked slightly at the inadvertent pun, “the Mr. Goodmund you know, your secretive old man? Isn’t really who he appears to be. Stefan and I found that out today.”

  He just looked at her blankly, he wasn’t following her at all.

  “Ok, you know about the magic I can do, my spells and stuff, right? I come from a family of very powerful people that can do amazing things.”

  “Can they all do the tattoo thing?” he asked. Iris smiled, “Yes, well some of them can, and some can do much more. But, Alec,” she exhaled a long breath, “he can take it to a far greater level. He is a shapeshifter, Michael. I watched, in utter fascination, him change from the old man that we know, to a man about fifty years old, right in front of my eyes.”

  Michael just blinked for a moment. Iris just let it sink in.

  “You’re serious.”

  “Completely. But there’s more to the story. He comes from Annika’s time, actually,” she corrected herself, “from before Stefan was sent here.”

  “That’s why Stefan and Annika recognized his name the night of the summoning.”

  Michael looked excited, “How long has he been here? Is he staying? Why is..” Iris just held up her hands to slow him down, “Wait, wait, I don’t know the answers to any of your questions.” She put her hand on his shoulder, “You’ll get to ask him yourself. We will plan a meeting for all of us to plan our next move.”

  “You mean Amund, right?”

  “Yes, and protecting Annika,” she then recalled their earlier conversation, “anything after that, is going to be up to you.”

  He seemed content to quietly contemplate that thought for a moment, “So, he’s powerful?” A sly smile crossed his lips, Iris matched it.

  She nodded, “Even without the shifting of time, if you add up all of parts of what is happening, he is a world class sorcerer. Think of every special effects movie you’ve ever seen, that’s Alec. He knew Stefan and Anni when they were children.”

  Michael smiled again, “All things are possible.”

  She knew what he meant, she shrugged, “I don’t know, Michael, I really don’t.”

  She looked at her phone, “What I do know, is that you have a date with Sam. Time for you to go.” They stood and she gave him a hug. “You have fun, Ok?”

  He looked a little sheepish, “she still makes me nervous.” Iris grinned, “Good, just be yourself, she adores you.” He took a deep breath as Iris turned to leave, she stopped short before he opened the apartment door, “Michael, wait.”

  He stopped and looked her. She looked out in the parking lot and then into the foyer of the building, making sure they were alone, “Give me your hand.”

  He reached out tentatively, looking very unsure, “I’m not going to bite you. This will only take a second.”

  She took his hand, and turning it around, placed it over his heart. She put her hand over his and traced a small star over the back of her hand,

  Iris spoke in a voice so quiet, Michael struggled to hear, “I am peace, I am calm, I am love, trust, and hope. Please, send me the angels of times forgotten, and lead me to inner peace.”

  A small snap of static jumped from her finger onto his hand. He didn’t even notice. His face looked calm and serene.

  She smiled and reached up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek, “You and Sam go have a wonderful evening, oh my, wait.” She reached up and wiped a print of lip gloss off his cheek. “That’s better, now off you go, we’ll talk soon.”

  She almost ran to the Jeep and jumped into the driver’s seat in a huff. Stefan was quick to ask, “How’d it go?”

  “Great. He’s excited, but now he is only thinking about his time with Samantha, plus he was a little nervous,” she gave him a devilish smile.

  Stefan had come to recognize that smile, “Iris? What did you do?” Annika again popped her head between the front seats, “What? Tell us.”

  “I just gave him a little relaxing nudge, nothing crazy, but they are going to have a lovely evening.”

  Chapter 44

  The theater was about half full when Michael and Samantha found their seats. With the touch of a button, the soft leather lounge chairs extended fully so, when they stopped moving, Sam and Michael were almost parallel with the floor.

  Michael looked at Sam, “Well, this is nice.” He took his phone, set it on the padded armrest between them and snapped a quick picture of their feet with the screen in the background, “This is for Iris. We had a great talk tonight.” He forwarded the picture on a text. Sam didn’t pry, she could see how happy and relaxed he was. She just nodded in agreement, “Good, I’m glad.” He hesitated turning his phone off for the movie but reasoned that, for a couple of hours, they could just get away from all of the weirdness.

  They both took a deep breath just as the lights dimmed and Sam caught some movement from the couple a few seats away from her that made her smile. Michael was already engrossed in the coming attractions. She leaned over to him, “Comfy?” He answered instantly with a smile. Sam just smiled back and lifted Michaels’ arm off the seat divider and slowly raised the arm rest and tucked it back into the back of the chair, removing the barrier between them. “How ‘bout now?” she grinned as she slid closer to him. She rolled slightly toward him and put her head on his shoulder just as the opening sequence of the movie began.

  ###

  Iris and Stefan had arranged to meet with Alec that evening to begin to map out a strategy for dealing with Amund’s likely arrival. They met again at the antique shop and Alec ushered them, along with an astonished Annika, back up to his apartment.

  Alec’s immediate concern was Amund. Stefan just spit out his name in disgust and each time he did so, Annika would shrink back further into the sofa. She knew their history together. The two families had always had problems, but after the fight between the two of them, the divisions grew stronger and a deadly power play began.

  “He’s such an ass,” Annika sighed after the discussion had gone on for a while. Alec tried to make a joke of it, “So, he takes after his father, then?” It had been many years since he had seen him.

  Stefan added, “True, but he inherited his father’s size as well, just double the bad temper.” />
  Annika just shuddered at that, “He doesn’t like talking, he just likes fighting.” She went on to tell how Amund easily took over the family’s penchant for power after Stefan disappeared. “He’s a thug with a couple of extra...” she struggled to find the right word, Iris interjected, “Enforcers?”

  “Goons, I think,” she answered. Her response caused Iris to snicker, “How much late-night TV have you been watching?”

  Annika smiled for the first time that night, “Maybe a little,” she confessed but then her look turned dark again, “He doesn’t need them for help, Amund has her,” her lip curled in disgust, “the Red Wolf. He doesn’t need any help with her around.”

  Iris tried to comfort Annika, “Don’t worry, Anni.” She put up her fists, “We’ll take care of her if she messes with you.” Annika looked unconvinced and Iris caught the concerned looks exchanged by Alec and Stefan as she said it.

  “Well then Alec, under the circumstances,” she quiried, “what do you suggest we do?”

  “There is so much that is just guessing, but Amund being strong is a fact. My greatest fear is that he, indeed, may not come alone. But,” he continued, “I doubt very much if the Red Wolf will come as well. If Elin counsels the entire family, I don’t think she would risk leaving them exposed to an attack from your family if she is gone.”

  Stefan shrugged, “Then it’s goons. We should prepare for that.”

  “Agreed.” Alec’s tone turned sober, “Honestly, though, I wouldn’t mind a shot at the Red Wolf, perhaps a bit of payback.”

  Annika just closed her eyes and turned away from them, “That scares me almost as much,” she put her hands to her head, “And he’s so stupid, Herregud!” she was exasperated.

  “Hey now!” Iris teased back at her, “Alec’s no dummy here, he’s a pretty sharp..,” Annika cut her off, “No, no, not Alec, I mean Amund, he really is a stupid man. He is not smart at all and he’s so superstitious, it’s ridiculous.”

  Stefan seconded the comment, “I agree, even as a teenager, he was all brute force, and usually in the wrong. His father made all the decisions. He’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer.” Annika wrinkled up her nose at that, “What is that about?”

  Iris ran her hand through her hair, “Alec, how much time do you think we have until something happens? It’s been quiet.”

  “I’ve thought the same thing, but given what Annika just said, I think it may take a while for Amund to figure out what to do to get here.” He stood up and walked toward the kitchen, “It took almost two weeks to summon Annika, I think we will have some time, though we shouldn’t squander it. It’s really a question of where he is going to show up.”

  Iris excused herself from the group and made her way to the bathroom adjacent to Alec’s bedroom. She paused to look at the robe display and then turned to look at the painting,

  “I just love this painting, Alec,” she called from across the apartment, “It doesn’t show anything, ya know, physically,” she mused, “But it certainly shows everything emotionally.” She walked back into the living room and brushed her hand lightly across Stefan’s shoulder as she made her way over to the large windows, the city lights added a sparkle to the dark backdrop of the evening sky, “It’s getting hot in here, whew.”

  Alec laughed, “Ha, I would agree. It’s from a local artist, I will pass your compliment along. She’ll be pleased.”

  Iris laughed and looked back at Stefan, “That would be a little over the top for my salons but maybe I’ll commission her for a personal version at the house.”

  She turned back to the window when a curling arc of lightning discharged itself almost right in front of the window. “Jesus,” she shrieked as she jumped back from the large panes of glass. Stefan was out of the sofa in an instant and by her side. “Did you see where it hit?” She didn’t answer, she was already on her phone sending texts to the group. She hit send, “I did, actually. Right on the corner of Main, like one of the originals.”

  A text came in from Allie, Got it, I’m on the police scanners and watching for media.

  After a moment, another text from her, Now what?

  Alec walked over to the window and looked nonchalantly out the window. A car alarm sounded from the lot next to where the thunderbolt had hit, I might have been seeing things, Iris, but did you happen to see anything remarkable about that lightning?”

  Iris stood there chewing on her lip, “I did,” she said, “It was green. Kinda pretty, if you ask me,” she said as she batted her lashes at him. “I like green.”

  Alec just shook his head and grinned, “God, she’s fearless.”

  One by one, texts came in from Parker, then Katie, more from Allie on police activity but nothing from either Samantha or Michael. Iris looked at her watch, “They are still at the movie,” She laughed again, gently teasing them, “Either they have actually turned their phones off as a courtesy or maybe they’re just getting to know each other.”

  ###

  The movie provided a welcome relief from the thoughts of the day and Samantha enjoyed playing with the buttons of Michaels shirt as they watched the movie. She would reach in occasionally and scratch his chest, just to tease him. They were very relaxed and, after the credits were done crawling across the screen, were the last to leave the theater.

  As they walked out into the almost vacant parking lot, Sam looked around at their relatively private surroundings, “I feel a serious make out session about to happen,” she said as they reached Michael’s car. Michael looked around the lot and grinned as he steered her toward the rear door of the car. She put her arms around him and pushed him against the door frame and kissed him deeply. She pulled back and looked in his eyes.

  Michael just smiled at her. As he thought to kiss her again, a flash of green light reflected in her eyes. He blinked in amazement and before he could form a thought, a crack of thunder echoed forcefully across the adjacent lot of the shopping center.

  Startled, Sam jumped back, and they stood speechless, then both grabbed for their phones and tried to get them to start up even faster than normal. Both phones instantly produced a series of text tones and multiple messages from the rest of the members of the group.

  The final one was from Iris, Meet at the warehouse as soon as possible.

  Chapter 45

  Michael and Sam were the last ones to arrive at the warehouse. The mood inside was a mix of excitement and nervousness. Iris sought to calm them down but the unknown dangers of Amund’s impending arrival proved too much. Even Stefan looked apprehensive and his feelings were easy to read for the group.

  A text tone alerted Iris, “Ok, everyone, he’s here.”

  She read the text and raised an eyebrow, “This is where it gets interesting.” She went to the warehouse door to let him in. Annika stood up, her face beaming in anticipation, “I have missed him so, I know he can…” Her voice trailed off as Iris escorted the once again old Mr. Goodmund into the lounge.

  Parker just rolled his eyes and blurted out, “Oh great, he can just beat the bad guys with his cane.” He put up his hands, “I’m sorry, that was tacky,” shaking his head.

  Goodmund looked at him calmly, “It’s ok to be nervous, Parker. It will keep you focused.”

  He seemed to be walking slower than usual and Iris had to cover her mouth to keep her smirk under control. He walked over to Michael but instead of addressing the young man, he spoke directly to Sam. “You must be Samantha.” He held out his hand to her.

  She clasped it gently, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He gave her hand a little squeeze and looked at Michael and winked at him. Michaels puzzled expression matched Sam’s. They both looked at Iris to fill in the missing information. Iris continued the introductions with Allie and Mac and then Katie. That brought him to Annika. She had remained speechless since his arrival. He looked the expression on her face, “Don’t worry, child.”

  He took a step back and winked at Iris, she in turn, moved a step away from him and sat n
ext to Stefan. She looked over at Parker with a sly grin, “Focused?” she asked him.

  Goodmund traced the glyph in the air and again, as before, placed a wrinkled hand on top of his bald old head.

  The crackling began as the green light shone over the top of his head. Annika’s eyes grew wide. First with shock, then recognition as she began to recognize the man he was becoming. She raised her arms but Stefan stopped her from touching him. Goodmund’s now younger eyes focused on her as the transformation continued and winced slightly as if he was trying to speed the process along.

  “Oh my God,” exclaimed Samantha as the change came to an end. Michael slowly rose to his feet still holding Sam’s hand. Alec again traced a hand sign to end the metamorphosis and Stefan nodded to Annika as Alec smiled broadly to her.

  “Alec,” she cried as she threw her arms around him. “I have missed you so much.” He spun her around in a circle, his strong arms and muscular back now lifting her effortlessly.

  Katie’s mouth hung open as she regarded the much more youthful man in front of her, “Seriously?” Her tone was almost indignant, she looked at Sam and then Iris, “I mean seriously, you bring in an old man to defend us, and yes it freaked me out, and then, he turned into a freakin’ biker version of George Clooney right in front of me? Sorry, I’m rambling,” she burst out laughing, “Jesus, I so need a beer right now.” She walked by a still stunned Parker, “And you,” she grinned, “Cane boy, Boom.”

  Michael walked up to Alec, “Mr. Goodmund?”

  Alec reached out to shake Michael’s hand, this time with a much stronger grip, “I’m sorry for the theater all this time, I believe this situation calls for a bit less theater.”

  “I understand,” was Michael’s reply, “I think, anyway?”

  Alec shrugged and smiled and called after Katie, “Hey, make that two, please.” She just grinned and walked over and handed him a beer, shaking her head, “Did not see that one coming.” He just grinned at her and continued to talk to Michael. Katie just looked him up and down and then walked across the lounge area and sat next down next to Iris. She whispered luridly, “Wow. Impressive.”