My Protector (Bewitched and Bewildered Book 2) (20 page)

"Of course. Do I send them to you for discipline?" Ryuu asked as he began to place bowls in front of everyone.

Aiden shook his head. "If they are doing something that merits discipline go ahead and administer it, then send them to me. Then I can discipline them again. Most are old enough to have outgrown those kinds of hijinks, especially considering they are now assigned to a unit. If I'm not available you can send them to any Alpha Unit member," Aiden said.

"I'm sure there won't be any issues," Ryuu said grinning.

Aiden groaned. "You just jinxed us."

Ryuu shrugged. "Be that as it may, I will make sure they understand that while they reside in this house they are to respect my rules."

Aiden just nodded. "I trust your judgment."

When Ryuu set the bowl down in front of her, she breathed in the savory aroma. She picked up her spoon and dug in. There was a burst of flavors in every bite.

"Ryuu, this has to be the best stew I've ever had!" she exclaimed and wasn't lying. Growing up in a noble court she had always been exposed to the world's best, but nothing compared to this simple meal.

Ryuu bowed. "Thank you. I am happy with it."
 

The table was quiet as everyone devoured their lunch. Elizabeth smiled up at Ryuu when he placed a second bowl in front of her, taking the empty one. When she looked around everyone except Meryn was working on their second bowl.

With a full stomach she leaned back and looked over to Aiden. She had waited until everyone was nearly done before bringing up the conversation with her uncle. "Aiden, I called my uncle today. I told him about what Meryn has shown me regarding the missing persons. As I suspected he had not been informed."

The men stopped eating and looked at her.
 

Aiden frowned. "That can't be right. Meryn and I took that to the council almost a month ago."

"Aiden, if my uncle had known that so many shifters had disappeared around Lycaonia I would still be sitting in Noctem Falls." She raised an eyebrow at him. He sat back frowning.

Gavriel turned to her. "What did he say he was going to do?"

"He was going to call Elder Evreux as soon as he got off the phone with me. I imagine it was a one sided conversation," she grinned at the thought.

Colton looked at Aiden. "Can we not even trust our own Elders anymore? What in the hell is going on?"

Aiden shook his head. "I'm sure this is just another gaffe of Evreux's. He probably didn't think it was important to mention since it was shifters being taken and not vampires."

Darian nodded. "I bet you're right, that sounds like him."

Aiden looked at them all. "For now, let's not mention it outside of this room."

The men nodded. Elizabeth noticed that she wasn't the only one who wasn't nodding. Meryn and Ryuu hadn't either.

Aiden stood and clapped his hands together. "Okay people, those rooms won't clean themselves. Let's get started."

Groaning the men stood and began to head upstairs.

Meryn met her eyes. "It's just Evreux being a jerk."

Elizabeth nodded. "I'm sure it is."

They looked at each other. Elizabeth could see it in her eyes. Meryn didn't believe it either.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Elizabeth shared glances with Meryn as they watched the men walk back and forth carrying boxes to the attic. Even at his weakest Gavriel was toting weights she would never even attempt. Aiden and Colton were competing as to who could carry the most and Keelan was using spells to float the more awkward sized pieces up the stairs.

Darian had to stop going to the attic as he kept hitting his head on the rafters, so he was carrying boxes from their respective rooms to the base of the attic steps for the others to carry up. Elizabeth and Meryn's eyes followed their mates as they walked by again, bicep muscles bulging.

"Yum," Meryn murmured. Aiden looked at her suddenly and stumbled. Gavriel got caught up in Aiden's legs and he too went down. Both men sat up looking disgusted with themselves.

Ryuu picked up the boxes that Aiden and Gavriel had been carrying effortlessly. Gracefully he stood and without saying a word headed towards the attic.

"Seriously. Damn." Meryn stared.

"You can say that again." Elizabeth nodded.

"Seriously. Damn." Meryn repeated.

Aiden growled and Gavriel hissed low, both men got to their feet and walked over to the women.

"That was your fault," Aiden mumbled rubbing his chin on Meryn's head.

"You don't want me to be sexually attracted to you?" she asked.

Aiden kept his chin on her head and chomped his teeth causing Meryn's head to bounce around. She tried to get away but his quick hands reached out and tickled her ribs. Laughing she begged for mercy.

Her mate had a much more direct approach. He pulled her into his arms and dipped her back. The second he captured her lips she was lost. He teased her until her entire body was vibrating. When he righted them his grin was satisfied and thoroughly wicked. Damn the man, he knew exactly what he did to her.

"Sneaky vampire," she murmured into his chest.

"I have to make sure I keep your attention." He kissed her temple.

"Oh you have it."

"Are you guys done playing? We have more boxes to carry," Colton called out.

Aiden kissed Meryn before stepping away. "Coming!" he yelled back.

Elizabeth looked at her mate. "Where are all your things?"

"I maintain a home in the city where my things are stored. I like it better here though. Be right back," Gavriel whispered and walked towards their suite.

She shook her head. Her mate had a whole other house and it didn't occur to him that she would want to see it. She stopped. What kind of space did he have there for a closet? Smiling, she continued to count the sheet sets in the linen closet with Meryn. After a few minutes they noticed the men had been gone a while.

Meryn looked at her. "Where'd they go?"

Elizabeth shrugged and was about to answer when she saw Gavriel walking down the hallway with something large in his hands that was draped with a sheet. The men walked behind him smiling mischievously.

Meryn frowned. "Okay guys, what are you up to?"

Darian stepped forward as spokesman. "We decided to go ahead and do this now, before the trainees got here so they wouldn't expect to be spoiled."
 

Before either of them could ask what he meant, he carefully lifted the sheet.

She heard Meryn gasp and couldn't blame her. Gavriel was holding a very detailed miniature dollhouse. Inside each room were chairs, tables and other furnishings.

"It's for Felix. Gavriel got the idea after you moved in. Poor Felix always has to eat from a saucer. Nothing in the house fits him, poor little guy didn't even have a chair to sit in, so we made one. Well, Aiden did. He was in charge of furniture." Darian jerked his thumb to his commander.
 

Aiden blushed and frowned. "No one should have to sleep in a damn shoebox," he mumbled.

Elizabeth noticed that the faint twinkling she normally saw around Meryn was growing brighter and brighter.

Darian continued. "I called a friend that lives in Éire Danu and told her how heroic our Felix had been, braving the cold to come get us when Meryn was attacked. The sprites couldn't do enough for him. They sent sheets, blankets and practically a whole new wardrobe. Of course our local sprites didn't want to be outdone. Elder Vi'Ailean has told me that they felt terrible that Felix had to move because he wasn't fitting in. They'll be sending over seedlings in the spring for our own greenhouse that we're building so that he has access to plants year round."

Keelan stepped forward with a small box and opened it. Inside a tiny necklace lay nestled on white velvet. It was a simple green stone set in silver that hung from a silver chain. Blushing he lifted it up indicating to Felix that it was his. One second the necklace was there the next it was gone as Felix put it on.

Keelan cleared his throat. "I've been working with Ryuu to create a perimeter that would make unseen things seen. If you turn the stone in its setting we'll be able to see and hear you, turn it back and you'll go back to being invisible," he explained.

Elizabeth and the men all stared as the air in front of them shimmered for a second before a small, red haired sprite was revealed. His translucent wings veined in greens and purples beat furiously, keeping him hovering between them. Felix was crying silently, his bright green eyes rimmed red. He brought his forearm up to cover his face as he cried.

Elizabeth dabbed at her eyes. Behind her Elizabeth heard Meryn sniffling as well.

Felix uncovered his eyes and looked at the men. He swallowed hard.

"Thank you. Thank you so much." His tiny voice was clear but conveyed the depth of his feelings. Elizabeth noticed that the men's eyes looked suspiciously misty.

Felix hid his face and fumbled at the necklace, a second later he was gone again.

"There, there sweetheart it's okay. You have to stop crying or I'll keep crying, Felix, and when I cry my nose gets stuffed up," Meryn complained, wiping at her own eyes as she comforted the small sprite.

Ryuu stepped forward reaching for the house to take it to its final location but Colton stepped in front of him.

"Even though you said you didn't need anything, we came up with an idea." Colton reached behind him and took out a blue leather journal from his waistband. He held it out to Ryuu.

"We know that you have been working very hard to master western style cooking so we all asked around and got some of Lycaonia's best cooks to contribute their favorite recipes, including my own mother, Adelaide and Marius."

Ryuu, looking shocked, took the journal and very carefully began to flip through the handwritten pages. He closed it solemnly and held it to his chest. "This has to be the finest gift I have ever received. I will cherish it all the days of my life." He bowed low to the men.

Colton laughed and clapped a hand to Ryuu's shoulder gently pushing the man upright. "It's not like we're not getting anything out of it. I can't wait for you to make my mom's pecan pie, it's my favorite," he said, winking.

Ryuu straightened. "Then I shall attempt to make that first."

Without saying a word Aiden held out a box to Meryn, his face was bright red. "We got distracted yesterday. I got this for you to say I was sorry for ignoring you, but I guess this can be your welcome to the Alpha Estate present instead."

Meryn just stared. Aiden walked over and physically placed the box in her hand.

Gavriel set the house down in the hallway and walked over to wrap an arm around Elizabeth's shoulder. "I didn't have time to prepare anything, but the men have all agreed to help me tomorrow to give you the closet of your dreams as your welcome present."

Elizabeth turned in his arms, grabbing the front of his shirt. "Really?"

"Yes, really. Whatever my mate wants, she gets." Gavriel kissed her forehead.

Behind her Meryn squealed and began to bounce up and down.
 

"I love it! I absolutely love it! Look, Bunny! He got me a charm bracelet! It has a tiny laptop and coffee mug on it!" Meryn kept jumping trying to kiss Aiden's face. Laughing, he finally just lifted her up so she could reach him.

Gavriel leaned in. "I told him to leave room for more charms that way he knows what to get when he messes up later."

"Hey!" Aiden protested.

Everyone laughed. Aiden set Meryn down. She put the bracelet on and kept turning her wrist back and forth. She looked up at her mate.

"For a second when I saw the dollhouse I thought you had found out about Meryn 2.0" She spun the bracelet on her wrist.

"No it was for Felix, we... Meryn 2.0? What in the world is that?" Aiden asked, his eyebrows snapping together. "You better not have hacked something else," he warned.

Meryn laughed. "It's not software! It's our daughter." She grinned up at him.

"Oh dear," Elizabeth murmured. The men grinned at each other.

Aiden's mouth worked like a fish, his face previously bright red face quickly draining to become milk white.

"A ... a ... a ... " he stuttered.

Ryuu picked up the dollhouse and headed towards his own suite. "Felix, I think you may prefer to have this with me for a while," he said his mouth twitching. The small light flickered as if Felix were chortling and followed Ryuu.

"A ... a ... a ..." Aiden clutched at his chest and swayed.

Meryn frowned. "I think I broke him."

Colton and Gavriel moved to stand on either side of their commander, laughing. Aiden bent at the waist, wheezing and put his hands on his knees, gulping in air.

"Ten bucks says he faints," Darian teased.

Darian's words had Aiden's back straightening. He stepped forward placing his hands on Meryn's shoulders. "Are you certain?"
 

Smiling, Meryn nodded. "Meryn 2.0 is under development," she said patting her belly.

Aiden turned to them beaming. "I'm going to be a father!" he announced, as if they hadn't been standing there the whole time.

Colton was the first to thrust his hand at his commander. "Congratulations my old friend, I wish your child a lifetime of happiness." The other men stepped forward to congratulate the couple.
 

"Brightest of Blessings on you and your child," Gavriel said, hugging Meryn.

Elizabeth hugged Aiden. "You're going to make a wonderful father."

"You'll be next." Aiden said.

Gavriel whipped around to stare at her looking startled.
 

Elizabeth frowned at him. "Next year it is a distinct possibility you know."

"I never thought about it." Gavriel walked over and pulled her away from Aiden to hold her close.

"Get condoms. They work extremely well," Aiden bragged. Elizabeth had to hide her smile. Meryn just giggled uncontrollably.
 

"Gods above, we better start stocking up on diapers!" Colton said, grinning from ear to ear.

"I don't do diapers," Meryn informed her mate. Aiden just smiled.
 

Elizabeth had a feeling that Meryn could have blown up their house just then and he would still be smiling.