My Guardian (Bewitched and Bewildered Book 6) (3 page)

Adriel cleared his throat.

Micah rolled his eyes and continued. "Each of the residential levels is ruled by a single Founding Family and the two Noble families that report to them. For example, Level Five is ruled by the Founding Family of DeLaFontaine; their quarters are the closest to the transport tunnel. Then we have the Noble families DuBois and LeBeau. DuBois outranks LeBeau, so they are located in the quarters after the DeLaFontaine residence making LeBeau the innermost located ranking family. After the LeBeau quarters are your everyday people, or citizens. With me?" he asked, pausing his explanation.

Meryn had her eyes closed and was tracing lines in the air with her hands. She nodded. "Yup. Keep going."

"Right. The next level is Level Four. The Founding Family is Géroux. The Noble families are Fabre and Tremblay. After Level Four is where we lowly grunts live. It's not a numbered level, as we were not given such a distinction, but as luck would have it, we're located right in the middle of the city, so it makes patrolling pretty easy. Under us is Level Three, the Founding Family is Régis; the Noble families are Evreux and Delacroix."
 

"Yikes!" Meryn's eyes popped open as she grimaced.

"What darling?" Micah asked.

Bethy waved her hands frantically. "We'll explain later."

"You both tease me mercilessly, I find myself loving your tortuous ways," Micah sighed.

"Get on with it," Declan growled.

Adriel watched as Micah winked at Meryn before continuing.

"Level Two, the Founding Family is Belle Rose. The two Noble families are Voclain and Richelieu. And last, but certainly not least, is the much-coveted Level One. That is where the Royal Families, as leaders of the Founding Families, established their residences. At the time of the city's creation, there were four royal families. After much tragedy, there are now only two. Level One is divided into four quarters. House DuCoeur and House DuSang are now extinct. But House Rioux and House Ambrosios, as you well know, exist today. That's where we are heading, Level One. Prince Magnus is most eager to see his niece."

Meryn's eyes narrowed into little slits. She turned to Bethy. "Prince?"

Bethy grimaced. "It's a lingering title. Outside of Noctem Falls, he's more recognized as the vampire Elder."

Meryn turned her attention to Gavriel. "Prince?"

Gavriel shrugged. "The House only became active again when I stepped forward to be a member of the Alpha Unit. I gave up such titles a long time ago. I happily leave that to Magnus."

Meryn tilted her head. "Which level are the council members on?"

Etain stepped forward. "The fae, witch, and shifter council members maintain a residence in the Noctem Falls estate in the human city of Albuquerque. They use a portal to travel here for council meetings."

"I'd like to see the estate later." Meryn smiled at Aiden who just nodded. "Good idea."

Micah extended his arm and pointed to the transport tunnel. "Now, if you don't have any questions, I'll joyously escort you to Level One."

Meryn scrunched up her nose. "How do you poop? Where does it go? If you get more prestigious as you go down, aren't you shitting on the upper classes?"

Micah froze and then blinked. No one seemed to breathe.

Behind them, the meat pie vendor began to howl with laughter and beat on his counter. "She got you with that one did she not, pretty boy!"

Adriel winced. Maybe a public explanation hadn't been the best idea. Beside him, Bethy had her face in her hands.

"I... uh... Adriel?" Micah stammered.

"Come back up here to visit, girlie; I will show you how the common folk live and how the city really works," the vendor promised.

Meryn turned and gave him a thumbs up. The older man just chuckled.

"Micah, let us escort our guests to the prince," Adriel suggested.

Micah nodded and shook his head. He smiled, and the flirt was back in action. "Come, my turtle dove, I'll escort you down."

Meryn walked with Micah and Ryuu back toward the transport tunnel.

As Adriel walked behind them, he heard a snort. He turned to find Declan grinning like an idiot. "What?"

"I have been here for over six hundred years, and I never thought to ask how shit works." Declan began laughing uproariously.

Adriel gave him a flat look before turning to Etain. "I will escort our commander, you deal with the laughing hyena."

Etain's mouth twitched. "Yes, sir."

Adriel moved over beside their commander. Aiden shot him a sympathetic look. "I have one just like him. Can't kill him since he's my best friend."

"So what did you do?" Adriel asked curiously.

Aiden gave him a slow grin. "I left him in charge."

Adriel nodded. "Not a bad idea. Maybe a few days in my shoes will give him an appreciation for decorum."

Aiden stared down the transport tunnel. "Or the men will kill him."

Adriel sighed and agreed. "Or the men would kill him. Ready, sir?"
 

Aiden swallowed hard. "No, but let's go."

*****

"Uncle! Uncle, I'm home!" Bethy called out, swinging the large wooden door open.

"This is not her home." Adriel heard Gavriel mumble under his breath.

Aiden patted his second in command on the back, and they walked into the opulent residence quarters for House Rioux.

"Bethy!" Magnus Rioux came barreling toward them, a huge smile on his face. He swept up his niece and swung her around as she laughed.

"Gods girl! I have missed you!" He peppered her face in kisses.

"And I've missed you!" Bethy laid her head on her uncle's shoulder.

Adriel smiled at the pair. Growing up, Bethy had spent more time with her uncle than with her fathers. The man spoiled her outrageously, but not with material things. He had spoiled her with attention and unconditional love.

Magnus set her down and kissed her cheek one last time.

"Where's Daddy and Papa?" she asked, looking around.

"We were not expecting you quite this early. I believe they are working on a surprise for you. I sent my secretary, Cheryl, to Broderick's lab to let them know you had arrived." Magnus kissed Bethy's temple.

Gavriel cleared his throat loudly.

Bethy shook her head. "I'm so sorry my love." She walked over and grabbed Gavriel by the arm before she dragged him over to her uncle. "Unky, this is my mate, Gavriel."

Magnus eyed Gavriel then grinned. "I know who the bastard is."

Gavriel rolled his eyes and extended his forearm. They clasped arms in a warrior's greeting before stepping back.

"She made it all the way through the city, and she is not bleeding. I commend you." Magnus said smiling.

"It was not easy," Gavriel admitted.

Magnus shook his head. "Tell me about it." He turned to Bethy. "Tarak and Kuruk Géroux have insisted on being your guards again."

Bethy's eyes widened. "I thought you sent them to the Caribbean to recuperate after my last visit."

Magnus nodded. "I did, but when they caught wind you were returning, they made it back to the city in record time. They are adamant that no one except for them can keep you safe."

"It is true," a deep voice rumbled from the doorway.

"Tarak!" Bethy squealed and ran toward the huge vampire smiling at her.

She was almost to them when she clipped her shin on the coffee table and started to go down. Before Gavriel could react, both vampires had Bethy in their arms holding her above the floor.

She gave them a goofy grin. "Thanks!"

Kuruk shook his head and looked at Gavriel "She always seems to trip or fall at the exact same points throughout the city. If you stay close, we can teach you where they are."

Gavriel nodded with a tight smile. "Perhaps you can let her go now?"

Meryn giggled and poked Gavriel in the ribs. "Your eye is twitching."

Tarak chuckled. "No need to get riled up, Your Highness; we have been watching over Bethy since before she could walk. Kuruk and I would rotate with a witch healer to keep her safe."

Kuruk nodded, an absent look on his face. "Remember the time she almost suffocated in her crib by wrapping herself up like a burrito?"

Tarak shuddered. "Gods, yes. That was just the beginning."

Gavriel's eyes widened in surprise. "You have been with her that long?"

They both nodded.

Gavriel walked over and extended his arm to Tarak in greeting. He clasped arms with both of them. "Thank you. Thank you for keeping her alive."

The men exchanged looks, and each clapped a hand on Gavriel's shoulder. "We know your pain." The three of them seemed to share a moment.

"I'm right here!" Bethy exclaimed.

"Now, now angel, you know they are not exaggerating." Magnus wrapped an arm around Bethy's shoulders.

"It's embarrassing," she admitted.

"They love you. They've watched after you since you were a baby. That's not embarrassing," Meryn said quietly.
 

Bethy stepped away from her uncle and pulled Meryn into a hug. "You have us now."

Meryn nodded then turned her attention to Magnus. "Yeah, the human runt is here."

Magnus winced and then turned to Micah who nodded. Micah began whispering a spell. "Tarak, the door."

Tarak walked over and closed the door as Micah was finishing the soundproofing spell.

Meryn crossed her arms. "Okay, spill it. What in the hell is going on?"

The joy from Bethy's arrival seemed to drain out of Magnus. He looked at the group before turning to Aiden. "My people are disappearing."

Meryn sat down on one of the couches. "Well, fuck!"

Adriel couldn't have said it better himself.

CHAPTER TWO

"This sounds vaguely familiar," Ryuu murmured.

Aiden nodded then tuned to Magnus. "What have you heard about what happened in Lycaonia?"

Magnus shot a look to Meryn who crossed her eyes at him. He smiled. "I heard you are mated to a walking disaster who destroyed the city square and leveled the Council Manor."

Meryn gasped. "That's so not fair! Kendrick leveled the Council Manor; I just coated everything in flour glue."

Magnus continued. "I also heard that you started taking in paranormals around Lycaonia since it was not safe for single families to be alone, that they were being hunted down and killed by a new faction of ferals."

Aiden nodded. "Did you get the report on the necklaces?"

Magus walked over to a polished wooden sideboard and picked up a file. He began to flip through the pages. "According to the last report I got from your father and René, the necklaces are being created by using the souls of unborn shifters to house the abilities of their shifter parents and also halt the decay process, which eliminates the foul odor we have used over the centuries to track and find ferals. Amongst those hunted to near extinction are chameleon shifters, which give these new ferals the ability to become invisible."

"Gods help us!" Tarak whispered.

"Reapers." Meryn corrected.

Magnus paused. "I am sorry darling, what?"

"Anne helped us name the super ferals. We're calling them reapers, like the Grim Reaper, because they take souls," Meryn explained.

Magnus blinked and then picked up a pen. He wrote down the word on the paper. "That is a very apt name."

Meryn shrugged. "We liked it."

Adriel felt as if his blood was about to boil. "And why were the units not told?"

Magnus winced. "At the time, it was believed that this was confined to Lycaonia. Recent events have proved that assumption false. I am counting on you to get the men up to speed."

Adriel clenched his teeth together to keep from being disrespectful to his prince. "Yes, sire."

"Well, that's fucking bullshit!" Meryn exploded.

All eyes turned to the small human. Adriel wanted to throw his fist in the air in support, but knew that would be considered inappropriate.

"Now, Meryn," Aiden began.

"No. No more keeping things from me because I'm pregnant. I can't keep y'all from being stupid if you don't tell me things." She began to pat down her jacket. "Where's my phone?"

Ryuu stepped forward and handed her the small cellphone. "Here you go
denka.
"

"Thanks Ryuu." Meryn looked down and frowned. "No service?"

"Meryn..." Aiden stepped forward.

Meryn held up a hand, silencing her mate.

Ryuu pointed to the wooden table in the corner of the room. "
Denka
, there is a land line."

Meryn put her phone away and walked over to the black phone. She lifted the handset and reached out to dial. "Dammit!" She had to pull out her phone and scroll through her numbers.

"You don't know the number?" Aiden asked.

Meryn gave him a sour look. "I haven't memorized a phone number since like nineteen ninety-eight." She carefully dialed the number and lifted the handset up to her ear.

Adriel watched the entire process in fascination. He looked over and saw that Magnus had a shit-eating grin on his face. He knew his prince loved the fact that the small, wacky human was going against every protocol established since the pillar cities were created. Adriel knew Magnus had been dying to do something similar for decades.

Adriel loved protocol. He loved established sets of rules; they were comforting. He always knew what was the right thing to do. But even he had to admit, the processes they had now were broken, and people were getting hurt because of it.

"Amelia. Hey. No, I'm fine. Listen, can you get a message out to your friend in Éire Danu? You need to tell her everything we have discovered about the ferals and make sure she tells the units. No, I don't know exactly what they've been told. Evidently, the council has been sending out bits and pieces and didn't think it was important enough to let the men guarding the cities know that they could be facing a new, souped up, invisible enemy. I know right? Make sure your brother knows too. Okay. Lurves you, too! Bye-bye." Meryn slammed the handset down on the phone. She looked up grinning. "I've totally missed being able to do that." She walked back over to Aiden. "We need like a new phone tree or something. Because leaving it up to the council isn't working."