Aisling: Lighthouse Magic

By Eileen Sheehan

In a world filled with magic, Aisling's life takes a sudden turn when she unearths the shocking truth about her parentage. Banished from the land of witches, she finds herself thrust into the human realm, a place overflowing with chaos and danger.

As Aisling teams up with Toby to battle the menacing vampires plotting to conquer humanity, she becomes entangled in a web of mystery. The enigmatic presence of Milo's doppelganger sends shivers down her spine, forcing her to confront her deepest sorrows. As she tests out her magical abilities on the human realm and fights the vampires alongside her allies, Aisling unravels a mystifying conspiracy that lurks in the shadows of their own ranks. Who can she trust, and who is working against them?
Amidst the turmoil, Aisling must navigate living under the roof of a resentful Melissa, a woman consumed by jealousy and pent-up anger. After foolishly divulging her troubles with the mean girls from her past leads to Melissa, the woman secretly forms an alliance with the treacherous witches. The repercussions are devastating, as a spell cast by the vile witches plunges Aisling and Toby into a whirlwind of betrayal and heartbreak.

Yet, amidst the trials and tribulations, love blossoms. Aisling's connection with a slayer who follows their policy of hiding his identity behind a mask for safety's sake grows stronger, providing solace in the midst of their harrowing adventures. But can their relationship withstand the obstacle that stands between them—the mystery of his hidden face? Time is running out, for Aisling's journey takes an unexpected turn when Minnie, her mentor, rectifies the situation in the land of witches and calls her home. Will she discover her love's true identity before their worlds are torn apart forever? Epic battles, forbidden romance, and jaw-dropping revelations await in this captivating tale.

Join Aisling as she navigates a world teetering on the edge of darkness, her heart torn between loyalties, and the ultimate quest for her own destiny.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Earth Wise Books
• Release date: Dec 5, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215127926

Eileen Sheehan

Eileen Sheehan is a best selling author who primarily writes hot, steamy romances (mostly New Adult) with a sexy male and strong female. A few are steamier than others (see their description). The majority of her novels are paranormal, but some are just plain novels about people in love (contemporary or historical with the author name of Ailene Frances). ALL of her stories have a bit of naughtiness, some excitement, a few thrills, and maybe a touch of mystery mixed in with sometimes naughty, sometimes sweet lovin'. She strives to write a novel length that will allow the busy woman to be able to sit down in an evening or two and be taken on a romantic journey without having a week go by before she gets to the end of the story.An incurable romantic, she has a love affair with at least one of her characters... one book at a time. She hopes the same thing happens to you.***Eileen Sheehan started out as a freelance writer for periodical magazines and newspapers. From there, she tried her hand at writing screenplays. Her screenplay, "When East Meets West" was a finalist in the 2001 Independent International Film and Video Festival at Madison Square Gardens, NYC. Finally finding her niche, she lets her imagination loose with new adult/paranormal romance/thrillers (some are steamy and some are tame) with the author name of Eileen Sheehan. She creates steamy historical and contemporary romances with the author name of Ailene Frances. Seeing how far out of the box she could stretch, she crafted an alternative romance with the author name of E. F. Sheehan and has a few self-help books under her work name of Lena Sheehan.Her stories can be found in eBook, Paperback, and Audio formats.Some comments from readers about her novels:"I found this very well written the plot and story as well as the flow of events were perfect in this book I liked both main and second characters Casey and Geo I liked the suspense mystery action twist and turns it kept me on my toes and surprised the whole time I liked and enjoyed the end as well awesome work I recommend this to everyone.""I loved this book! The characters are engaging and have depth. This book draws you in and absorbs you in the story...""I thought the book was very well written. Characters are well developed. The story moves at a decent pace very intriguing...""This book was so good! From the first page I was hooked and it only got better. The romance was sweet and a bit forbidden. The story was intense and fast paced and kept my attention the entire time. The characters were very well developed and relatable. I just really enjoyed this story and highly recommend it.""I love PNR and this book has all the right ingredients. Especially the characters... it makes a very fun read. I have a weakness for strong heroine and the author delivered on that. And the fact that it's a contemporary settings is a bonus for me. Also, the suspense added to the mix makes it even more enjoyable! To read!""Being an avid book reader means that I nearly always suss out the plot before it unfolds, I, therefore, was delighted that I didn't see the twist coming. This is a sweet romance vampire/superhuman thriller! That's quite a mix, but it actually works beautifully, Eileen unfolds the story with really good pacing, I often skip pages if I think I know whats coming, but I had to read every word of this gripping tale. I simply loved it.""There was plenty of mystery, action, drama, and lore in this book. ...This is definitely a great paranormal romance!""Well written book, loved the twist the author gave in the story to reveal the bad guy. The romance was good, there was enough action to keep one turning the pages"

Book preview

CONTENTS

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Epilogue

About the Author

Other Books by Eileen Sheehan

Sneak Peek

1

Between the exertion of the battle with the vampires and the induced miscarriage that immediately followed, it took much longer for me to heal than my patience level was prepared for. The immediate healing after ingesting the vampire blood had spoiled me.

My body was completely back to normal within a few weeks, but, admittedly, my mind was still a mess. I could not close my eyes without seeing Milo’s bodyless head with its lifeless eyes staring at me. Whenever I had a quiet moment to reflect, my mind would immediately pull up the sex scenes, both the cruel rapes and my erotic, blood induced wantonness. I alternated between being horrified by my behavior and traumatized by what I’d been forced to endure for hours at a time, day after eternal day.

I was deep in my tortuous memories while cleaning vegetables for soup when Minnie entered the kitchen.

That is one serious expression, she said with emphasis. What are you thinking about?

I can’t shake the memories, I said as I visibly shook my shoulders for emphasis.

Placing her aged and work worn hand on my shoulder, she sympathetically said, Give it time. You experienced more than one horrific ordeal. Two weeks is not long enough to recover.

It should be, I complained.

You witnessed the love of your life being killed, she sympathetically reminded me. Beheaded, before your very eyes, no less. People generally mourn for a year over the death of a loved one. Heaving a sigh, she added, My heart breaks daily for him and I was not his soul mate.

It is more than the loss of him, I confessed.

Of course, it is, she firmly said as she picked up a carrot and a knife and started to vigorously clean the outer skin from it. I know fully what torture the vampires are capable of. It is bad enough for a witch, but for an elf?

I scowled as she blew out a puff of air for emphasis.

I do not understand, I said with furrowed brows. Why would it be worse for an elf.

Not to get too personal, she said as she began to chop the cleaned carrot into bite sized pieces with the oversized knife that she’d also used to scrape off the outer skin, but the vampire gets a type of special orgasmic high from the magic of a witch.

So, Garth mentioned, I grumbled.

An elf’s magic has a different feel than that of a witch. I am told that it is stronger in many ways, she hesitantly said. It was clear that she was uncomfortable with the topic, but she braved on by adding, They say that it not only makes the vampire high, but it acts as a powerful aphrodisiac that actually adds to the already lengthy time that it takes for the vampire to reach sexual satisfaction. Add that to the effects of the vampire blood in you and I can imagine things went on for hours on end. They probably pumped you full of their blood to make sure you were able to tolerate it, as well as be willing to participate unincumbered.

Oh, I mourned with mortification.

On top of that, she persisted, I have no doubt that they sold you for sex to other vampires. That lot is famous for sex trafficking. You were not their captive long enough for them to grow tired of you. Even so. With the aphrodisiac effects and the high that your magical field gives them, I find it hard to believe that they would not try to make a bit of coin off you.

Curious over whether my magic only affected the vampire, I timidly asked, Did sex with me affect Milo in that way?

With a slow nod, she said, We never broached that topic, but I think it did. Maybe not to the extent as with the vampires, but, since witch magic effects everyone -including humans- to some degree, it stands to reason that elf magic would as well.

I was instantly devastated. It felt as if my heart had tumbled from my chest and rolled across the floor.

Is that why he said that he loved me? I dejectedly asked.

Absolutely not! she said with forceful indignation as she slammed the knife onto the tabletop and moved to stand next to me. Taking my chin in her hand, she firmly argued, Milo was a fine, upstanding man. He would never let sex rule his life. My nephew loved you with all of his heart.

Unexpected tears burst forth from me.

I don’t know how I can go on without him, I cried. I never thought that I would ever love like that, and I know I never will again.

You go one day at a time, my sweet girl, she said as she held me close.

They fed me blood and I did things, I murmured into her shoulder.

I have no doubt, she said as she gently massaged the center of my back.

No, you don’t understand, I cried as I vigorously shook my head while keeping my face burrowed into the softness of her flesh. I did things with his dead body lying next to me. His lifeless eyes stared at me the entire time.

I heard a mournful moan travel from the depths of her throat, but she continued to hold me.

With the confession that I’d been holding back finally purging whether I wanted it to or not, I continued with, With the blood in me, I didn’t care about what they did or what they wanted me to do. All I wanted was to be taken away from the pain and the reality of where I was and what was happening. I encouraged Willoughby to come to me so he would give me his blood to make me oblivious to what was happening. After taking a deep breath, I added, The greater the amount of blood that I was given, the more surreal my existence and the more willing and agreeable I became.

I could feel her body stiffen. I waited to hear the words of accusation and beratement that I was certain would flow from her mouth. After all, I’d just confessed to having wanton sex with her nephew’s murderer while next to his headless body. If she threw me out of her home and never wanted to set eyes on me again, I could not blame her.

Instead, she said, You need to forgive yourself. It is a miracle that you survived. I dare say that if you were an ordinary witch, you might not have. Placing her hands on both of my shoulders, she gently pushed me away from her so that she could look into my tear-stained face. I am not certain, but, if the magic of the elf has an effect on the male that far surpasses the witch, I am tempted to believe that the blood of the vampire does the same to the elf.

Do you think so? I asked as I wiped at the moisture on my cheeks with the palms of my hands.

You need to forgive yourself, she said with a tone that sounded remarkably close to a demand. You did what needed to be done to survive. You are alive. That is all that matters.

I am, but Milo isn’t, I pouted.

You are allowed to mourn your fiancé, my dear, she said as she walked back around the table and picked the knife back up so that she could continue with the vegetables. I will allow that, but I will hear no more of this lamenting over having had sex -be it forcibly or willingly- with the vampires. You are young, strong, and resilient.

It only happens when I find myself alone and able to think, I confessed.

Then, we will have to keep you busy, she said with a smile.

2

If my heartbreak over Milo’s death was not enough, I had to suffer the fact that a memorial had been held for him in the land of wolves to which both Minnie and I were not invited.

No matter, Minnie said while comforting me out of the outrage that I felt. We will hold our own memorial for him. The wolves are a funny lot. I doubt you would have approved of their methods of saying farewell to their loved ones anyway. I have never attended one of their funerals, but I hear rumors that they eat the flesh of their dead.

This was a memorial, not a funeral, I complained.

Perhaps, she said with an odd tone.

How did they find out about his death? I reluctantly asked. It isn’t like any of them kept touch with you or me.

You would be surprised over how much they know, Minnie replied. They have been keeping an especially close eye on Milo’s activities since he announced his intention to make you his bride. The resistance was so great within his people that, had the vampires not done him in, the potential for one of his own doing it was very real.

They would have killed him rather than let him marry me? I gasped. That is not only hurtful, but also shocking.

Now you know why I kept my marriage to his uncle a secret, she replied. Things were even worse back in the day.

Do you think that, maybe, they held a little more resentment over Milo and me because of Lizzy? I asked.

With a weak nod, she replied, His actions were not only unlike him, but I do not recall anyone imposing such shame upon another in that way. When I sucked in air, she quickly said, Don’t get me wrong. I completely understand and support his doing what he did. It is just that, looking at it from Lizzy and her family’s point of view, I can see where they would have taken affront by it all. As would the majority of his people. I imagine that the witches would feel the same had the situation been reversed and he replaced you with Lizzy.

Providing he was a witch and not a werewolf, I pointed out.

That goes without saying, she said with a hint of annoyance between pursed lips.

I hate that we didn’t collect his remains, I pouted. I was aware that my behavior was wearing at her nerves, but I was too involved in self-pity to stop. If there were any, that is.

There were, she announced with obvious sadness.

You know for sure? I said with surprise.

His mother is my sister-in-law, as you might recall, she offered with what I guessed to be forced patience. At the time, I was completely oblivious to the fact that she too was in mourning and, perhaps, was not up to our conversation. She contacted me to let me know that a small band of wolves went into the land of vampires and brought back the bodies of their dead.

It should have been me doing that, I moaned. I should have gone to search for him before we came back here.

We would have come up empty handed, she quickly assured me. As I mentioned, he was being closely watched. As soon as word got back to the village officials that he’d taken a few of his men into the land of vampires, a small search party was sent out. From what I can tell, they were just a hair’s breadth too late to help you.

What makes you say that? I asked with confusion.

Apparently, his and the bodies of his men were still warm and fresh, she replied.

Tears flowed down my cheeks as I said, If only they’d been a bit earlier. They could have helped him fight.

She looked away as she wiped away the tears that welled within her eyes.

I am broken hearted over his death, but equally furious with the wolves, she admitted.

Because they omitted you from the memorial? I asked. Not very many knew of your relationship to him, did they?

Shaking her head, her sad eyes looked up at the ceiling while she heaved a sigh.

I could hear the tears in her voice as she said, You have suffered so much. I have debated and debated over whether it was right to tell you this, but, since you are taking the conversation in that direction, I will go ahead and take the chance. Clenching her fist and slamming it into the palm of her other hand and with a mixture of bitterness and outrage, she continued with, They witnessed you being raped by those vampires, as well as your cooperative response once given the vampire blood. Rather than help you, they stayed hidden and watched while their king lay, headless, next to you. The story of your sexual aggressiveness with Milo’s killer is the talk of the land of wolves.

I could feel the blood draining from my face as the shock of her words hit home.

You knew all along? I managed to choke out.

I am the only one who does, she quickly insisted. The only reason Brianna told me was because she felt it was important that I knew that you were still alive, and that Milo’s body had been collected and given a proper wolf king’s funeral.

I could hear my voice, but it sounded far away as I asked, Brianna?

Milo’s mother, she clarified. She understood his love for you and holds no ill feelings toward you. She made sure to tell me because she was eager to make sure that someone helped you.

Even if her people would not, I softly said.

She slowly shook her head as she said in a low tone, I am sorry to say that their hatred for you runs deep.

Still stunned, I muttered, He had a funeral and not a memorial.

He did, she confirmed with a nod. We will hold the memorial for ourselves. If you wish to invite Brianna, it would be a nice gesture.

I nodded my head as if to agree, but, in truth, her words barely registered with me. The shock that I felt over what I’d just learned occupied my thoughts as it slowly shifted to rage and anger.

They actually watched from their cowardly hiding places while I was raped and bitten by those vampires? I said with an elevated tone that hinted of my change in mood.

It is shameful, she offered. I was not sure if I should have told you, but I worried that you’d try to interact with that lot at some point. As you can see, other than his mother, that would not be advisable.

Do you know who was in the party that brought Milo’s and his men’s bodies home? I vehemently asked.

If I did, I am not entirely certain that I would share that information with you, she warily said. From the look in your eyes and the tone of your voice, I fear what action you might take.

I looked at her long and hard before vehemently asking, If you knew that there were people who could have saved you from being captured and tortured by the vampires when they took you and you learned that not only did they not lift a finger to help you, but they watched you being tortured and then took the story back to share with anyone who wanted to revel in it, what would you do?

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

My dear girl, she began. I believe that I would want to do exactly what you desire at this moment. I can’t even say that I think it is wrong action. What I feel, though, is that some revenge is better dealt cold. They are in mourning for their king, and you are the one that they are blaming for his death. We do not want our people to know about all of this, so, if you went up against them, it would be you and me against an entire kingdom. I say let things calm down. Trust me. I make this promise here and now. I will get the identities of those wicked bastards who watched your humiliation and abuse and then returned home to laughingly tell the story. When the time is right, the revenge can be served and served right.

Are you just saying that to appease me? I asked.

Milo was my nephew and held a place in my heart, she explained, but, I look at you as my daughter. Yes, I say it to appease you for the moment, but, believe me when I tell you that I eagerly await the time when we can dish out a good dose of revenge onto those four bastards who took such delight in your misfortune and didn’t lift a finger to save you.

3

Minnie’s idea of keeping me busy while we waited for the right time to serve the werewolves who left me to suffer at the hands of the vampires a good dish of revenge worked well enough for me to slowly shift my attentions to the rigors of daily living amongst the witches. The realization that I was an elf, or, at least half-elf, brought with it new trials and challenges. With the concern and disapproval of my intermixing with a wolf out of the way, they now focused their efforts on the fact that I was a member of their hated nemesis. Although Gia and Minnie were attentive and supportive, I missed my soul mate, Milo and my best friend, Kristen.

True to her word, Minnie organized a lovely memorial for the few of us in the land of witches who knew and admired Milo. Brianna was invited and graciously attended. It was my first meeting with the woman. As I’d expected by the way her son behaved, I found her warm, attentive, and loving. Even though I was grateful for her generosity toward me, she reminded me so much of him that my heart was so laden with sadness over missing my love that I felt physical pain in it. So much so, that I questioned if it might stop beating.

It took me a few weeks of moping over my loss before I was able to function well enough to, once again, pull my weight around the cabin. I was deep in thought, wondering about Kristen’s situation and worried as to whether or not she was surviving being amongst the vampires, while collecting mushrooms at my favorite spot when I heard footsteps coming my way.

Even though I could still see the smoke coming out of Minnie’s cabin’s chimney, I had technically crossed over the territorial boundary and was harvesting mushrooms in the land of wolves. In fact, I was in the very same spot that I’d been in when I first met Milo.

You are trespassing, witch, growled a young man who I’d never seen before. This is wolf territory.

I was just collecting a few mushrooms, I nervously said as I stood up and turned to face him.

His eyes went wide as he bellowed, It’s you! Cupping his hands before his mouth so as to help amplify his words, he yelled out, Mitch! Come quick! It’s the whore witch!

I was so dumbfounded by his words that, for a moment, I was frozen in place. When, his buddy, -who I assumed was Mitch-, appeared before us with werewolf speed, I quickly came to my senses.

My chest heaved with fury as I said between clenched teeth, What did you just call me?

Jacob here and me saw you fucking that vampire with our king’s headless body laying right next to you, Mitch snarled. He’s probably rolling over in his grave at the thought of almost marrying the likes of you.

Even though I’d already been made aware of the fact that Milo’s people had stayed hidden and watched me being tortured, rather than help me, I still could not help gasping, You watched?

Embarrassed are ya, bitch? Jacob taunted. You should be.

The new king ain’t gonna be taken in by the likes of you, Mitch warned. He’s already been made aware of what you had done with those vampires and how much you liked it.

Shaking his head, Jacob interjected, There’s no denying ya liked it, before he mimicked the sound of someone having a sexual orgasm while saying, Fuck me more. Fuck me hard.

That is enough! I roared.

I might have been mortified and actually agreed with them about the shame that I should have experienced over my actions that day had I not been acutely aware of the fact that my behavior was not my fault and that these two had the power to prevent it from happening. Instead, they chose to remain hidden and watch my shame as well as the degradation of their king’s dead body.

That’s not what ya was telling them, Jacob continued. More, do more! was what we heard.

You had the manpower to stop them from doing that to me, I complained. Yet, you allowed them to force their vampire blood into me while raping me next to your king’s headless body. What kind of monsters are you?

We’d planned on killing you ourselves before we’d allow you to marry our leader, Mitch admitted. We were sort of hoping that the vampires would have done it for us. Heaving a sigh, he added, Now, since you are trespassing, we have reason to take you before our new king and see what it is he wants to do with you.

Maybe he’ll fuck ya to see what the fuss was all about, Jacob taunted as he reached out to grab my arm.

Whirling away as fast as I could, I escaped his grasp as I warned, Stay away from me.

Or what? Mitch grumbled as he lurched toward me.

My mind wrestled with both post traumatic panic as memories of what happened to me when I was captured by the vampires flashed through it and rage as I reminded myself that these two played a role in making sure that it happened.

It took them lurching at me and my barely escaping their grasp a few more times before rage came to the forefront and my magic activated on its own. Without warning, bolts of energy shot from my hands. Remembering the fire that I’d produced while in battle, I waited for that to appear as well, but it didn’t. Instead, I blasted both men in the center of their chests with bolts of energy that resembled lightning. The impact was powerful enough to stop their hearts.

I stood in silent dumbness and stared at the lifeless bodies of the two wolves who had only recently tried to capture me to do... what? I could only guess what they had in mind to do with me had they managed to get hold of me. After my time as a captive of the vampires, what I imagined was not good.

Minutes of silent contemplation passed before I was myself again and able to take action. Unsure of what to do with the bodies of my two adversaries, I decided to leave them where they lay and fetch the assistance of my guardian and mentor.

4

This is not good, Minnie complained. Her face was pinched in worried contemplation as she paced back and forth across the floor of her cabin’s great room. We have enough to deal with right here in the land of witches without having the wolves come knocking at our door for retribution over the death of their own.

My voice trembled with worry as I quickly explained, I didn’t mean to kill them. They were trying to grab me, and my magic just activated on its own.

That is because we have yet to get a good handle on your magic and how to control it, she offered. Now that I know that you are part elfin, I have a better idea of how to approach that. Unfortunately, that does not help the here and now.

Do you think that they will really come looking for retribution? I asked with dismay.

They replaced Milo with a new king named Olyphant, she thoughtfully said. I know little about him except that he’s young and hot headed. Taking into consideration all of the fuss over Milo dumping Lizzy and wanting to marry you and now, two of his people killed by you, I can’t think why he would sit back and do nothing. The death of those two men has given him a prime opportunity to show his feathers to his people.

I’ve collected mushrooms from that spot ever since I arrived, I regretfully moaned. If only I’d stayed on our side of the boundary.

It is unusual for the wolves to be this close to our edge of the boundary line, she mused. It is almost as if they were looking for an opportunity to start up with us.

It’s all my fault, I muttered.

I will not listen to your pity party, young lady, she scolded. Now is the time to hunker down and decide what to do about the situation. It is not a time to crumble and feel sorry for oneself.

Deep in the recesses of my thoughts, I had hoped that her comeback for my declaration of it being all my fault would be to say that it was not. When I didn’t hear that statement, it felt like all of the life slipped out of me. My body felt heavy with guilt and disappointment. I allowed myself to wallow in it for the briefest of moments before I mentally chastised myself to pull out of it. She was right. We needed to think about what to do to keep one step ahead of the wolves. Not having a friendly and working relationship with their king was definitely detrimental.

I recalled when Milo was first introduced to me as the pack leader and then, later referred to as their king. Because of the stories and films that I’d been exposed to in my world, I was under the impression that there were many packs. Each with its own leader. It was not until I’d questioned him on this that he clarified that the entire populous of the land of wolves was considered a pack. Within the pack were villages with leaders, but there was only one pack leader. He was equal to a king in other worlds. It was a different name that held the same duties.

Since the pack leaders were all from the same genetic line, Olyphant was, in some way, related to Milo. Unfortunately, he was not aware of the familial connection that Minnie had with his predecessor. Even if he had been, we doubted that it would have made a difference. As far as Olyphant and his people were concerned, the land of witches was not the friend of the land of wolves. Because of me, the witches, who were already disliked and resented by the wolves, had rapidly become their enemy and the target of their anger.

After pacing so long and so aggressively that I feared for the welfare of the great room’s floorboards, Minnie finally stopped and said, I am going to have to call an emergency meeting of the village elders.

Seriously? I moaned.

Although Gia was an avid and loyal supporter of me, I was not all that sure that any of the others appreciated my presence in their community.

I’d heard mixed whispers since it became known that I was elfin. Although they unanimously appreciated my assistance during the battle with the vampires, there was uncertainty about having an elf living amongst them. They especially questioned the fact that Minnie still had intentions of declaring me her successor.

There’s a strong possibility that the wolves will come and demand retribution, she insisted.

What kind of retribution? I foolishly asked.

I knew very well that they would more than likely demand my blood. They might even go so far as to demand my life. Why I asked such a dumb question was beyond me.

I do not intend to find out, she replied as she grabbed her cape from the peg