Here is the next chapter of my little baby... it does feel like a child to me so please be nice!!!
This is a little shorter than normal but if i added anymore it would become silly so you will just have to stay tuned.
read, review, eat some easter chocolate!!!
Thats all folks!!
KeroaucinaHackney
(Hayley you know what I am going to say.)
I lay in the tiny, freezing bedroom that this house possessed ... wallowing. When had my life turned into such a big mess? I had no money, no status and nothing that would get me back what I had lost. I wanted to go back to Dublin, go back to my nice house and fancy car and lunches in the best restaurants. Instead I was stuck in a dingy little town, filled with people that aren't even worth anything!
Well apart from one: Hunter Niall. Who would have thought that I would meet a most eligible bachelor here? He would be perfect for my second husband, stunningly good-looking, a powerful witch and he was a founder of the New Charter. He would be able to show me a glamorous lifestyle and it wouldn't be too hard to steal him away from Morgan, sure she was a strong witch, but nothing special to look at. I wondered what held my cousin in such captivation; she obviously wasn't interested in him. Why would she be when Hunter was wrapped around her, I hated to admit it but I was jealous of her then. She was defiantly a good little girl; Hunter would be in need of a girl who knew her way around the bedroom.
Morgan hadn't been what I expected. I thought she would be a suave New Yorker; instead she was just as dusty as the rest of the country folk. She hadn't even grown up in New York City; she lived in a small town. Two minutes into our conversation tonight I realised that she would be in no way a suitable companion, though her man would be. I had thought him good looking when he arrived last night; far surpassing anything I had seen here. But I had only pegged him as my little country fling, then I hears those two odious women, the twins hat own a tea shop, talking about him. He was high up in the New Charter and travelled a lot. So he wasn't a country bumpkin.
After the circle had finished I tried to go and talk to him, I even planted a thought in Colm's head to get them to come over and talk to me, I was having too much fun selling my sob story to the rest of the coven and it was sure to ensnare Hunter's sympathy if he heard the injustice, that I had been through. Morgan and Hunter however stayed together, I wondered what she had done to snare him, and I huffed. Men normally flocked to me! The fact that I had every man in this town on tenterhooks, they were too easy, I hardly had to use any of the persuasive tactics I normally had to. So I decided to go and talk to them.
He was completely wrapped up in Morgan it was rather sickening, my cousin was sulking in a corner because Morgan wasn't throwing Hunter away and running into his arms. I didn't feel a bit bad about interrupting them; once Hunter saw me he would give a toss about Morgan. Well that hadn't turned out well; he looked at me as if I had a sign over my head screaming typhoid. He also looked at Morgan as if she was Queen of the world. He had completely rebuffed my advances and couldn't get away from me as if I was repulsive. Well he would come around, they always do.
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"We could phone my Da first, ease us in; he won't jump up and down and scream." Hunter and I were sitting on my couch, my legs across his lap, debating what order we should phone our families in to tell them our big news. "Maybe we should leave him till last; you know a little quiet congratulation after the screaming and yelling." Hunter considered it, his lips thinning like they did when he was worried. "We could always send an email, that way we would be able to avoid going deaf." Hah, yeah he was never going to get away with that, "Sorry, mister we have to phone, if you email, they will just get on the first plane over here and heckle you. "Phone Alwyn first ... she won't immediately start planning." I passed the handset to him and he looked as if he was about to tell a priest that the devil was telling him to dance around the altar singing KISS songs. He tapped his knee waiting for her to pick up and I got distracted by tracing the threads in his jeans. "Alwyn?" he rolled his eyes, Hunter and Alwyn had a very strange relationship, it was two parts sarcasm and one part camaraderie. No one apart from themselves could follow their conversations. "I'm going to call you Polly from now on, how did you get attacked by a parrot?" see what I mean. "Why was there bird seed in your hood?" He shook his head. "I swear one of these days you two are going to end up killing each other. It's the only way this can end. Anyway I have news." His lips pursed, "No. I have not decided to declare a law that states all wiccans must listen to Annie Lennox while learning gemstone properties." I heard some distinct muffling from the phone, "Alwyn? ... Alwyn! ... Oh for Christ sake Alwyn will you bloody well listen!" his expression became pained, "All right, I'm sorry for yelling now will you listen! Good... Morgan and I are engaged." His hand traced down my back, as he said it and I couldn't help the happiness that bubbled in my stomach when he said the words, the goofy grin reappeared on my face. I laughed when I heard Alwyn's yells from where I was sitting and couldn't help but laugh, Hunter also couldn't contain his as he held the phone away from his ear. The line suddenly went dead, another trade mark Alwynism, she got so excited she generally fell over or dropped the phone or threw it out the window, by accident. "Well that's one down. I feel like I need a nap after doing that." He put the phone back on its cradle and gathered me up into his arms, placing a kiss on my forehead, "I defiantly like telling people though. In a very Donna Reed way I like people knowing that I will be your wife." I kissed him quickly, "It is a nice feeling, everyone knowing that we will always be together." I smiled like a five year old with their first ice lolly of the summer. I could hardly believe that Hunter and I were going to be together, I saw everyday for the rest of my life with him and it all seemed as if it would all be bathed in sunlight.
"I suppose I should call my parents now," I checked my watch and calculated the time difference, "It's just after dinner time so now would be good." He handed the phone to me and kissed me quickly, not making me too distracted. "Hey Mom." I said when she picked up, "Morgan!" she sounded happy to hear from me, I missed my family quite a lot and I made a point of calling at least twice a week to check in. "How are you?" I wanted to get caught up with them first before I told them. "I'm good, honey. Your Dad and I are trying to convince Mary-K to come home for the summer but she has become quite stubborn." I smiled Mom and Dad had been suffering from empty nest syndrome this year as Mary-K had left for collage. "She'll come and visit and I'm planning to come over sometime in the summer; so I'll phone and see if we can co-ordinate." It would be nice for the four of us to be together again. "Mom, I have something to tell you." Suddenly I was nervous, what if she though t I was doing something wrong. "Well, what is it Morgan?" I took a deep breath and Hunter rubbed my back to try and soothe me. "Hunter and I have gotten engaged." I bit my lip waiting for her reaction. "Oh Morgan! That is such fantastic news! When did it happen? When are you going to get married? Is he coming to live with you in Cobh? Will you be getting married here or in Ireland or England?" I had to laugh at her enthusiasm. "We haven't discussed any plans yet, mom! We have only been engaged for four days." Hunter and I grinned at each other like silly teenagers. "But he is going to be staying with you isn't he? He's cutting out the travelling?" typical Mom, always worrying. "Yes Mum, he's going to be working in Dublin from now on so I get to keep him." I beamed at him, locking my hand in his. "Well that's good I'm so happy for you both. I have no doubt that you will be happy together." I wanted to give her a hug; obviously I couldn't because she was thousands of miles away. "Thanks Mom." I heard her doorbell ring. "I'm sorry Morgan someone is at the door, I will call you later and we can talk properly okay?" I smiled, "That would be great Mom, I'll talk to you later." I hung up and turned to Hunter, who was still smiling like an idiot. I shifted so that my legs where either side of his. My arms around his neck allowing my fingers to feel the soft hair on his neck. His gorgeous eyes, the colour of jade, were filled with love and happiness and lust and an entire world of hope in them, which made my own eyes well up with tears. It was as if our love was almost too much and I needed an outlet before it welled and consumed me, so I kissed him. Fully and swiftly and without any reserve he kissed me back. We had kissed so many times before but there was something else in this one. It was almost as if this was our first kiss, the first kiss of our life together. I got lost in him. Not just his hands pulling me closer on his mouth, hot, on mine. But I could feel his love and his want for me and I felt filled with love for him, need for him. I broke away from him, breathing extremely heavily, "Bedroom" I demanded hoarsely. He picked us up, my legs wrapped around his waist as he carried us into the bedroom, kicking the door shut behind us.
"I don't think I'll ever want to leave this bed again." He sounded exhausted as we lay entangled in my bed an unknown time later. "Mmmhhhmm" was all I could reply, my head still to foggy to even contemplate speaking in coherent sentences and far too considered with memorising the pattern of freckles on Hunters stomach. His arms where wrapped around me tracing his hands up and down my side not helping with my coherency issues. I looked out the window and saw the dark clouds that had hung over the heel guilty about hills and the rain was hammering against my window. "At least we don't have to worry about wasting a nice day in bed"; I snuggled into the crook of his shoulder. He peppered kisses on top of my head, "Well I certainly wouldn't consider this wasting." His hands coasted down my back, causing fire to erupt all over me, "Good point. This is definitely not a waste." I reached up to slant my Mouth across his and kiss my way back into a blissful lusty oblivion. One of Hunter's hands slid up and tangled itself in my hair making sure I stayed right where I was. I loved being madly in love, it gave you license to act like a harlot and a thirteen year old giggly girl. I would never, ever get enough of Hunter Niall and I certainly wasn't going to complain about it.
When I woke up a while later, it was dark outside and I was alone. I shot up in bed and sent out my senses to find Hunter. I let out the breath I had been holding, when I realised he was in the kitchen. I climbed out of bed, stretching my exhausted aching muscles and wrapped myself in Hunter's shirt, handily scrunched at my feet. "Hey Sleepy." He greeted me with a kiss as I entered my tiny little kitchen. I looked around my kitchen which had been decimated, pots where everywhere, my chopping boards covered in food and the sink piled high with unwashed items, Hunter may be a fantastic cook, but he was a messy one, but his Aunt had trained him well, he even cleaned up afterwards. "What are you doing?" I asked him. "I'm summoning the tooth fairy." I just glared at him and swatted him, "Smart arse!" I grabbed a spoon from the counter and stole some of the creamy sauce he was stirring; it was knee-weakeningly good. "Hey!" he swatted me away, "No pre-tasting, you'll ruin your appetite and it isn't finished yet." I liked my lips, "Well it already tastes delicious." I stole another spoonful as he went and got something out of the fridge, unfortunately he caught me. "Am I going to have to ban you from the kitchen?" I shook my head, smiling sweetly, "Nope, I promise I will act like an angel from now on." He looked sceptical, "Somehow I don't believe you; just keep those hands where I can see them." He leaned down and kissed me again, I swear my lips must have swollen to twice their normal size with all the kissing we had been doing. I was really craving another spoonful of the sauce and I took my chance when Hunter was looking for an un-used tray in one of my cupboards, "Morgan!" caught again. I pulled my spoon out of my mouth and looked at him. His arms were crossed across his chest, making his all ready toned biceps look more pronounced and making me drool. His eyes where glowering playfully at me and I decided to take the innocent route, "Yes?" I asked, batting my eyes and everything, he just rolled his eyes and took a few steps towards me and placed his hands on my waist. I was caught by the look in his eyes, desperate to have his lips on mine. He leaned a little closer and his hands tightened on my side. Then the next thing I knew I was being lifted up and dumped on the counter. "Hunter!" I squealed. But his hands kept me in place as I tried to wriggle free. "Nope, I'm not letting you down and you are going to stay there until I have finished cooking or you're not getting any dinner." Now it was my turn to cross my arms, "Mean!" I exclaimed but he only smirked, "But you love me." I did the only thing a mature and responsible woman could do in that situation: I stuck my tongue out at him.
There was something ultimately fascinating about watching a man cook; it was like an exercise in my self-control. How long could I go without wanting to jump him? But he did look delicious in his jeans and his face was intent with concentration even though he could probably cook in his sleep. I let my eyes roam indulgently over him; it was unbelievably good to check him out without the fear of anyone catching me. "Am I allowed to talk?" I asked him. "Yes, you can talk." He turned around and flashed me the sexiest grin I have ever seen. I ignored the desire that had just flared to life in my stomach, "Good, because we have to talk about things." He nodded, "I know, we do have to figure a few things out." I knew Hunter, he would probably already have a plan figured out, but I couldn't guess the content of them and I also knew that he would want my input. "Okay then, first thing ... this flat is far too small for two people." We had literally been falling over each other for the past week, not that we had minded too much but in the long run we would end up tearing strips off of each other. "True we do need a bit more space. I've been living out of a suitcase for three years so as soon as Aunt Shelagh finds out I'm stationary; she is going to demand that I move all of my stuff out of her loft." I bit my lip thinking about all the boxes I knew were stashed in Shelagh's house, "And that will include your vast CD collection right?" He nodded, "And I'm not putting my CD's in storage." His lip jutted out as he thought of his beloved collection lying in some damp storage room, his protectiveness of the collection was only surpassed by his protectiveness of me. "We can't afford to buy anything in Dublin and it's too far away from here for you." I nodded I didn't want to move too far away from Cobh. "We don't want a big house do we? Only something small and cosy." Dagda came into the Kitchen meowing for his dinner, I looked at Hunter questioning id I could get down, he nodded but guarded the stove astutely. I hopped down and started opening a can of cat food, "We'll need a place with lots of mice around for that mogget." I glared up at him, he could never be nice to Dagda, he was more of a dog person. "And it will have to have a big garden." He turned back to check on dinner. "Do you want to get a house or get married first? I don't think that I could handle the two at the same tome. Do you want me to set the table?" He nodded thinking about my earlier question. "I think we should get a house first. We would be more secure and it takes a while to plan a wedding and if we stay here it may all end in tears." As usual, he was rational and well thought out, it made me smile, he would always be intense and precise.
Hunter plated up the food and placed them on my small kitchen table while I filled glasses of wine for us. "So house hunting before wedding planning, sounds good to me." I finally got to tuck into Hunter's cooking, which turned out to be Chicken in Honey Mustard sauce with baked potatoes and lots of veg. Perfect sustenance food and the two of us needed energy desperately what with the sheer amount of bedroom activity we had indulged in the last week. "When do you have to head up to Dublin?" I wasn't looking forward to not having him here all the time but I had been neglecting, my work as well and at some point we had to rejoin the real world. "The day after tomorrow." He replied, looking a little sad. "I'm going to have to stay up there for a week or two just to make sure everything can get set up properly." I nodded; I had known this but wasn't looking forward to it. I had been completely focused and lost in him for a week, now he had to leave; even if it was only an hour away my heart ached a little. "I know I hate it to, but I won't be that far away and if you want to ... you can come up and we can spend the weekend in the city together?" that was a fantastic idea ... we could go to cosy fabulous restaurants and the big city markets, filled with hundreds of different stalls and sights. I imagined us hand in hand strolling through the cobbled streets at night soaking in the atmosphere. "Yeah, I'll come up and visit. It will be wildly romantic to be in a city together. We never got to do New York properly, so we will do Dublin properly." Hunter laughed at me, "Yeah well I'm not letting you out of my sight, I still don't think that my heart rate has returned to normal yet since the last time." I shivered trying not to remember what had happened that night; Hunter reached over the table and took my hand firmly in his. "Morgan. Stop it, don't go there. Ciaran is a miles away, powerless and guarded by lots of witches." I nodded but couldn't help the fear that consumed every nerve in my body. Hunter got out of his chair and knelt next to mine, wrapping his arms around me, rubbing my back in comfort, willing me to relax. I tried to focus on him and his voice whispering to me, the light of the room and the sound of the rain outside.
Eventually my breathing returned to normal and flung myself into Hunter's arms. He tightened his arms and I could feel his relief that I had regained some of my sanity, "I'm sorry I brought it up." He apologised to me. I hated it when he took all the blame upon himself. It wasn't his fault my biological father was clinically insane and power hungry, but Hunter always blamed himself for putting me in danger. He couldn't help it if my power made me a beacon for the power craving lunatics of the wiccan world. Despite that I still snuggled further into his arms, "It isn't your fault. Don't apologise." He peppered kisses on every inch of me that his mouth could reach. "That's beside the point I am going to apologise for bringing it up. Now to make me feel a tiniest better you are going to go and sit on that miniscule couch and wrap yourself up in a blanket and watch trashy T.V while I fill up two bowls with massive amounts of ice cream." He pulled my chin up with his hand kissed me quickly and lifted me up bridal style. "I can walk Hunter!" His chest reverberated with laughter, "Yes you could, but this way I make sure that you actually do as you are told." I knew it was pathetic and I knew that by now I should have been able to deal with this on my own by now. But tonight I wanted Hunter there for me, to comfort me and hug me and tell me everything was going to be okay.
We sat curled up on my couch, eating ice cream, we forego-ed the bowls and just eat it straight out of the tub. He even put up with watching my favourite T.V cop shows and stayed silent. I loved him but he really was annoying when he could figure out who the murderer was within five minutes of the programme beginning. I could feel him cringing at the sheer ridiculousness of the programme, he didn't seem to realise that the ludicrous plot and terrible acting was all part of the fun. He had gotten me sufficiently distracted; I was happily wrapped up in a blanket and my boyfriend's arms. I was drowsily numb and comfy and Hunter had nodded off behind me so I was being lulled into a haze by the rise and fall of his chest, which I happened to be using as a pillow. My eyes were drooping and though I was smushed and cramped I wasn't going to move. It was the first time since we had gotten engaged we hadn't ended the night in the throes of passion. That wasn't what either of us needed tonight; we just had to take comfort from being close.