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

Aiden looked down at his mate. "Just two weeks. I'd like to get Meryn back home as soon as possible."

"Whoo hoo! Vacation!" Meryn threw her tiny arm in the air.

Bethy looked from Meryn over to Adriel then at her Uncle. "Oh dear."

It was just one tiny human, what trouble could she possibly cause?

CHAPTER THREE

Adriel stood in the back of the large meeting hall where members of the Founding and Noble Families gathered to hear Aiden's speech informing them of the new dangers the ferals posed and asking for their support in opening up the city to save as many paranormal lives as possible.

In every word, Adriel could hear Bethy's influence. She, more than most, understood the politics of their city. Aiden had proven his leadership skills when he asked for her assistance in writing the speech. Very few people with power ever realize that they aren't all-knowing and all-powerful. For Aiden to have learned that lesson at such a young age gave Adriel hope for their future.

Grant leaned in on his left. "So you are getting a mate huh?"

On either side of Adriel, all thirty members of Noctem Falls six units lined the back and side walls of the room, lending their support to not only their Unit Commander, but also to their prince.

Adriel kept staring straight ahead but gave a slight nod. "Evidently."

On his right, Declan growled. "As am I."

Adriel turned to his second in command. "You have been having nightmares?"

Declan just nodded.

"Why did you not say anything?"

Declan raised an eyebrow. "Why didn't you?"

Adriel turned back to face the room. He knew why he had not said anything, sharing the death of the woman of your dreams was not high up on his things to do list. Was Declan seeing the death of his mate too? "How bad?" he asked.

Adriel could hear Declan grinding his teeth. "She dies, trapped in a fire. You?"

"Femorals cut, hung from a meat hook, and drained." Adriel shuddered at the memory.

"Gods!" Grant whispered harshly, sounding shocked. "I am making it a point to beat the shit out both of you in training tomorrow for keeping secrets like that. You know we would never let that happen to either of your mates. We can't help if you do not tell us."

"I'm tempted to cast a spell to make you cluck like a chicken for a week," Micah threatened, sounding pissed. Adriel leaned forward to look at the witch; for once, the jovial man wore a serious expression.

"What?" Micah demanded. "I'm angry because you didn't come to us. We're your brothers; who else are you going to turn to?"

Adriel straightened and refused to answer, Micah's honest words touched his heart. As the leader of all the units in the city, he maintained a certain distance from the men, even his own unit. He believed that was the only way to keep their respect, but watching Aiden today, seeing him joke and smile not only with his second in command, but with others, he started to wonder if maybe he had the wrong idea.

After Aiden wrapped up his speech, there was a smattering of unenthusiastic, polite applause. As predicted, no one overtly opposed the plan, but Adriel was willing to bet that they would somehow find small ways to sabotage their efforts. He watched as Jourdain Régis made his way over to where Bethy stood with her mate.

"Declan," Adriel hissed.

"On it." Adriel watched in amusement as the crowd parted for Declan. The shaggy redheaded shifter was one of the largest men in the city. He made even the haughtiest elitist think twice before tangling with him.

Declan grinned evilly as he stepped in front of the odious man. Jourdain Régis had been dogging Bethy's steps since before she was legal by their standards. Adriel was surprised and a bit disappointed that Magnus had not had him killed before now. Jourdain had made his interest in Bethy known, and he always managed to make her uncomfortable, pushing the limits of polite behavior. Tarak had almost lost it and challenged Jourdain when he found Bethy shaking in a corner in an attempt to steer clear of the Founding Family member. Bethy was only sixteen at the time. Jourdain's father had to step in, using his rank to keep his son in one piece. He assured Magnus that his son would leave Bethy alone until she was of age.

Now that she was mated, Adriel had hoped the man would give up, but Jourdain was proving him wrong. Declan simply stepped left and right, blocking Jourdain's path to Bethy. Jourdain's mouth twisted, and he said something under his breath.

Adriel could not hear what was said but knew it was bad when Declan smiled wide, showing off his perfect pearly whites.

"Etain," Adriel barked. But the man was already moving. Seconds later, Etain laid a friendly hand on Jourdain's shoulder, and with a tightened grip, steered the offending vampire away from the angry grizzly-shifter.

"Would you
please
let one of us kill him?" Grant asked in a congenial manner, as if they were not discussing cold-blooded murder.

"We will have too much on our plate in the next few months, dealing with new people in the city without the headache of facing a tribunal for killing that waste of blood." Adriel looked at his clipboard.

"Micah, are you comfortable being assigned as Meryn's guard while she is here?" he asked.

"Absolutely. That woman is hilarious. I can't wait to see what she does next." Micah's eyes sparkled with laughter.

Grant shook his head. "Better you than me. Women confuse me, and she is baffling even for a woman."

Micah sighed happily. "Women make this life worth living. They add color to these gray walls and perfume to the air."

Grant scratched his head. "I have paintings in my quarters and air fresheners, I am good."

Micah looked around. "Speaking of my little firecracker, where'd she go?"

Adriel studied his roster and, without looking up, pointed to the far side of the room where Meryn was standing next to Aiden, practically behind her squire as her mate greeted a line of Nobles.

"How do you do that?" Micah demanded.

Grant snorted. "Adriel has a built in trouble detector."

"He is just amazing at what he does," Bethy said, walking up with her mate and Declan in tow. She leaned over and looked down at his plans. He watched her read over his lists, nodding. She looked up. "Sorry, old habits die hard." Her cheeks flushed.

"Not at all. In fact, I was going to ask your opinion regarding unit assignments. You may have learned your organizational skills from me, but you learned just as much from watching your father anticipate Broderick in the lab." Adriel handed her his clipboard.

Bethy's mouth formed a small 'o'. He never let anyone handle his clipboard. With her eyes gleaming, she accepted it and started skimming his meticulous notes. As she was flipping through the pages, Etain returned.
 

Gavriel clapped the man on the back. "Many thanks. I saw what you and Declan did; I owe you."

Bethy looked up confused. "What did they do?"

"Nothing," all three of them said together.

Her eyes narrowed. She looked at them for a few more seconds then returned to his notes. "I think you should split up the units by level. We don't know how many people we'll be getting, but I have a feeling we'll have fewer "accidents" if we have warriors visible on every level." She handed him back his clipboard.

He nodded. "Excellent. I agree. Let us not give them an opportunity to make mischief."

Gavriel pulled Bethy under his arm. "What kind of mischief are we talking about? Should Aiden know?"

"Should Aiden know what?" Their commander walked up to them with Meryn and Ryuu. The hall was empty now except for the unit warriors. All of the Founding and Noble families had returned to their levels.

Adriel gave a half shrug. "You saw their lukewarm reception of the plan to open up the city. I do not believe they will stage open protest; do not be surprised if supplies for any newcomers go missing, we experience an unexpected level escort shortage, or if suddenly all of the bed and breakfasts and hostels on Level Six are filled."

Meryn raised her hand.

Adriel stared at her. "Meryn, you do not have to raise your hand to ask a question."

Meryn shrugged. "It's your clipboard; you remind me of my eighth grade math teacher."

"I am sorry?" Adriel asked, unsure if that was a good thing.

"It's cool. Anyway, what's a level escort?"

"Of course, you would not know that term. My apologies. A level escort is a low ranked vampire who transports persons between levels. They are usually used for citizens who do not have the ability to fly, young vampires who have not learned how or sometimes by the Founding Family members as a service, so they do not have to."

Meryn turned to Bethy. "Is that how you got around?"

Bethy blushed a bright red.

Meryn's eyes brightened, and she grinned. "Tell!"

Bethy cleared her throat. "Either Tarragon, Tarak, or Kuruk would escort me between levels."

Declan snickered, and Bethy shot him a dirty look. Declan held up his hands. "Come on, it was adorable!" he protested.

Bethy crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot.

Meryn poked Bethy in the side. "Tell."

Bethy threw her arms in the arm in exasperation. "Fine! When I was little, I wanted to be like my Papa and Uncle, so I thought that if I tried hard enough, I could fly, too."

Meryn's eyes widened, and she winced. "How deep is that tunnel?"

Tarak sighed. "Deep. When Bethy was five, Prince Magnus had us install a huge net fifteen feet below Level One after she ended up in the healers' quarters with two broken legs and a concussion. We had to fish her out of the net twice a week until she was eight and at least once a month after she was eight."

Meryn turned to Bethy. "Why did you keep trying after you were eight?"

Bethy's shoulders sagged in defeat. "I kept falling in."

"Oh." Meryn turned her head to look out of the door to the hall that led to the transport tunnel. "How safe is that net?"

"No." Aiden shook his head.

"But..."

"No, Meryn." Aiden firmly wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Okay," Meryn said quickly.

Aiden looked down at her. "Really?"

"Yup." She nodded and smiled up at him.

Adriel looked over at his second in command. No words were needed. Declan walked away to ensure the net was intact. Between Meryn's sense of adventure and Bethy's luck, one, probably both would end up in the net during their stay.

Gavriel rubbed his nose up and down Bethy's neck until she giggled. "I have even more reason to stay glued to your side," he murmured.

Bethy turned to Adriel. "If you assign all the units out to monitor each level, who will be with your trainees?"

Adriel frowned. "What trainees?"

"What?" Aiden asked.

"What?" Adriel echoed.

Aiden looked around. "Don't you have an academy?"

Adriel shook his head. "Not for some time. We contact Adair when we need replacements for shifter and fae warriors, and we contact Storm Keep directly for new witches. Last year, when the council approved Meryn's idea to move the trainees to the unit estates so that Lycaonia's academy could take in new cadets, the compromise was that the other cities did not have to maintain their own academies. Since the program has done so well, there have been talks at council level to permanently remove the academies in the other cities and reappropriate the funds to other programs."

Meryn looked shaken. "That wasn't the plan! Each unit was supposed to get five trainees, and the academies would take in thirty new cadets per city. It was supposed to triple your manpower!"

Aiden clenched his teeth together. "I bet Adair and Father didn't mention anything because they didn't want to upset you in your condition."

"Fuck my condition! Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I'm suddenly weak or stupid. Just wait until we get home," Meryn fumed.

Bethy rubbed a hand across her forehead. "Oh dear."

Micah clapped his hands together to get the women's attention. "I know just the thing to help you de-stress."

Grant cuffed him upside the head. "Micah! They are mated!"

Micah rubbed the back of his head and frowned up at his friend. "I didn't mean sex, you insensitive clod. What I was going to say is that it's getting late, and I'm sure these two beautiful goddesses are getting hungry. I know for a fact that Sebastian has been cooking up a storm in our absence, and I'm pretty sure I smelled cinnamon wafting up from Level One." He winked at Bethy.

"He remembered!" Bethy was now all smiles.

Micah snorted. "As if that man has ever forgotten a single thing about you. He started stocking up on your favorites the second he learned you were returning to the city, and that means lots of cinnamon and vanilla."

Meryn licked her lips. "What'd Sebastian make?"

Bethy spun to face Meryn. "It's the most wonderful dessert I've ever had. He creates this masterpiece with graham cracker layers, homemade vanilla pudding, cinnamon, and whipped cream. Gods, it's divine!" she gushed.

Meryn looked around. "So, we're done here right? Good. Let's go." Meryn grabbed Bethy's hand, and they practically began to run toward the transport tunnel.

"Meryn! Wait for Ryuu! Do not jump into that net!" Aiden yelled after them.

She was just one human female; there was nothing she could do that his units couldn't handle. Right?

*****

Adriel looked around the large dining table. He had never been invited to dine with Magnus before; the prince was usually too busy hosting dinners for the Founding and Noble families, keeping them placated.

So he had been pleasantly surprised when Bethy invited the entire Eta Unit to dinner. Aiden had been given the seat at the end of the long table opposite Magnus. Adriel sat to his left and Meryn to his right. To Adriel's left were Declan, Etain, Broderick and Caspian. Across the table, Micah sat to Meryn's right, then Grant, Gavriel and Bethy. The four corners of the room were filled with Tarak and Kuruk on opposite sides acting as guards and Ryuu and Sebastian across from them.
 

For once, Magnus looked relaxed, as if he was truly enjoying himself. Adriel knew more than most how difficult the past couple months had been on their prince. He hoped that Aiden would be able to provide the support needed to get their people to safety.