Aiden raised an eyebrow at his mate. "Please don't call our child a parasite."
"A parasite is an organism that lives in other organisms and benefits from the nutrients of it's host. A baby is just a parasite," Meryn explained.
Aiden frowned. "That's not right."
Rheia chuckled. "Technically, she is correct, though it sounds terrible to say it like that."
As Ryuu and Sebastian began serving the dinner's first course Vivi cleared her throat. "Could someone get me up to speed so I can get started in the lab before laying claim to my mate?"
CHAPTER THREE
Vivi glanced up to see if she embarrassed her mate. He winked at her and calmly continued to sip his wine while drawing figure eights on the back of her neck. Did he have any idea the effect he was having on her? She looked back over to him and saw a self-satisfied smile. Yup, he did.
As they ate their dinner Ellie went over the timeline she established from the moment she was called, with Rheia adding bits and pieces from her perspective after her arrival a few days ago.
"So you're saying you didn't see evidence of a possible virus at all until Clara's passing?" Vivi asked.
Ellie nodded solemnly. "Her heart defect is the only reason we were able to see anything at all."
"Shifters do heal quickly," Vivi swiped through the notes on the iPad that the squire Ryuu handed her. In it, were observances from nearly everyone involved. "Whoever put the notes in a group share was a genius."
Meryn nodded. "I know."
"Maybe when you grow up you can go into computer work," Vivi said without looking up. She knew full well that the little imp was an adult, but her smirk was practically begging for teasing. Vivi had to fight a smile when she heard an indignant gasp.
"I am grown up!" Meryn insisted.
Vivi just smiled at her indulgently and ignored her protest. She turned to Ellie. "I know you must have had a long day," she glanced over at her mate and sighed. "And the gods themselves know how much I'd like to retire with my mate, but I really would like to get to the lab tonight."
Ellie chuckled. "We'll make it quick."
"I won't," Vivi murmured.
Across the table, Declan laughed. "I can't wait to see her ruffle Etain's feathers. He's always so calm and proper."
The brunette at his side smacked his arm. "Leave them be Declan."
Declan nuzzled his mate. "But Kari, I am happy for my brother. I have to torture him to show him I care."
Kari shook her head and sent her a sympathetic look. "The boys think they are clever sometimes. It comes and goes."
"Ahh. Good to know," Vivi said playing along.
Declan frowned. "I am always clever."
Kari patted him on the arm. "Yes, dear."
Vivi turned to Hal. "Are you okay settling in here?"
"That depends. You are coming back here tonight aren't you?" her squire asked raising an eyebrow.
Behind her Etain leaned in closer. "We'll both be sleeping here tonight. I believe that it is imperative for Vivian stay on this level to work in the lab and I, as her mate, of course will be with her." Hal glared at her mate.
"Don't worry Etain, the twins soundproofed the new guest quarters so you can get your freaky deak on without worrying that the red giant will kill you in your sleep," Meryn announced grinning.
Vivi looked over and met Meryn's eyes. The little midget had gotten her back for the 'being grown' comment. Meryn stuck out her tongue.
Hal heaved a great sigh. "I suppose he can stay with us."
Vivi felt a moment of unease. Her squire sounded like he was saying goodbye. When he looked at her his eyebrows shot up. "What's the matter my little love?"
"I've dated before now, why would meeting my mate be any different?"
Hal waved his hand about. "They were, how would you describe them? Temporary? An amusement?"
"A fuckboy?" Meryn volunteered.
Hal nodded. "I like that term." He looked back at her. "I knew they would come, then go. No pun intended." She gave him a flat look, and he continued. "Etain will stay. You won't need me anymore."
Vivi felt her mouth drop open as her eyes immediately filled with tears. Without thought to decorum, she launched herself at the man who raised her and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I will always need you!" She buried her face against his chest. She looked up as tears trailed down her cheeks. "Am I not your little girl anymore?"
Hal settled her on his lap as he had done a million times before in the past. To him, it didn't matter if she was five or seven-hundred and five. "You will always be my little girl, no matter what. However, you have a mate to tend to you now."
Vivi looked over her shoulder at her mate who watched them patiently. There was no censure or anger in his gaze, only acceptance. She begged him with her eyes. "He's my only family. He is both mother and father to me. I can't lose him."
Etain moved over into her chair and rubbed her back. "Who said anything about him leaving? He is also your squire is he not? I don't know about you, but I'm not the best when it comes to being domestic. I pay a nice motherly citizen from Level Five to clean my home once a week and to do my laundry. I either eat with the men on the Unit Level or grab something from Level Six. If anything, Hal is needed now more than ever." He paused before his face lit up with a huge smile. "Especially if we have children right away as seems to be the pattern lately."
Vivi held her breath as Hal's muscles tensed under her hands. She looked up at her squire, and he stared down at her mirroring the shock she felt. Suddenly, he was grinning from ear to ear. "A baby?" Gently he passed her over to her mate. He was still smiling like an idiot when he poured himself a half a glass of the whiskey that the prince had gifted him. He raised the glass to the ceiling. "May the gods be willing." He shot back the liquid and laughed.
Vivi looked up at her mate with a sour expression. "You seduced my squire."
Etain shrugged a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "It seems that he and I agree on something."
She sniffled suddenly feeling embarrassed. When she looked around the table all she found were varying degrees of affection and understanding.
"Sorry about that display," she said ducking her face against Etain's chest.
"Nothing to be sorry for at all my dear. Your world has just changed significantly. If we can help in any small way, it would be a privilege. There is nothing as sacred as the bond between a girl and her loved ones," the prince said smiling at his niece with nothing but affection shining from his eyes. He nodded at Hal. "And nothing more anticipated than a grandchild or grandniece."
Beth smiled. "It could be a grandnephew."
Prince Magnus shook his head. "I do believe your child will be the most perfect little girl, just as you were."
Beth blushed. "Oh, Unky."
Sebastian set a huge slice of cake in front of Hal. "When the time comes, I can show you all the places I ordered from for our Bethy. The things they have for babies now! I could spend all day looking at things online." He sighed happily before leaning down. "Personally, I like the baby duck theme."
Hal chuckled. "I need to order some fabrics right away to get started on baby clothes."
Across the table, Meryn began to choke on her pudding. Immediately Aiden and Ryuu were at her side gently pounding on her back. Looking up she stared at the huge squire. "You make baby clothes?"
Hal nodded and jerked his head toward Vivi. "Granted not for a long time now, but yes, I do sew."
Meryn's eyes were wide. "I know she said squire, but I was thinking more like bodyguard."
Hal rubbed a hand over his bushy, red beard. "I do that too."
Meryn's face contorted. "So you're like a Viking Martha Stewart?"
"Meryn!" Aiden exclaimed.
Hal burst out laughing. "That sums it up nicely. But Meryn, most squires cook, clean, sew and act as a bodyguard. Does yours do any differently?"
"No, but he doesn't look like he eats trucks either," Meryn answered.
"Not in this form at least," Ryuu murmured under his breath as he set a fresh bowl of pudding before his charge.
Vivi relaxed against her mate as her squire laughed uproariously. She could tell that he was taken with the tiny, blunt human. She was glad to see that the doubt and fear were gone from his eyes, replaced with love and hope. With a few simple sentences, her mate helped her only family smile again.
"Thank you," she whispered into his ear. His arms tightened around her. "There is nothing I would not do for you," He kissed her temple and held her close.
"Vivi, whenever you're ready, we can head to the lab. I'm anxious to see what you make of the magic." Ellie said smiling.
"Magic?" Vivi frowned.
Ellie grimaced. "Using a of process of elimination we ruled out a bacterial infection leaving us with a virus as the culprit. That was pretty standard. But what makes this whole thing even trickier is that there is magic in the virus. The only reason we could see the virus at all, even using Clara's blood, was due to the sparkling light the particles of whatever spell was used were emitting. I may have missed it altogether otherwise."
"Now's good. Though, I don't have much experience with magic." Vivi stood and cracked her back. If there was magic in the virus she needed to get started right away.
Around the table, Ellie, Rheia and Kendrick also stood. Kendrick kissed his mate before walking over to the door and opening it for them. "That is where I come in. After you ladies."
Vivi looked down at her mate and blushed. "I guess I will see you later?"
He nodded. "I will be in your quarters getting to know your father figure better. He is family now."
"I'll bring the whiskey," Hal offered gruffly.
Vivi looked between the two men of her life. "Have fun." She walked around the table to join Kendrick by the door.
Rheia kissed Colton before snagging a couple of cookies while Ellie kissed both her mate and son. "Don't wait up for me. I'll be along as soon as we're done."
Grant nuzzled the side of Ellie's neck. "Call me when you're ready to come home. I'll come down to meet you."
Ellie kissed him. "I'm sure Emeric can escort me. It is kinda his job."
Grant grumbled under his breath. "Fine, but if anything happens, I won't be happy."
Vivi looked between the two. "What could possibly happen?"
Ellie blushed. "So telling you about the virus was part one of my story." She looped her arms with Vivi's. "As we walk to the lab I'll tell you part two."
"Walk slow so I can eat my cookies," Rheia said.
Ellie nodded.
When they reached a long hallway Ellie smiled up at her. "So there may have been a few murders and attempted murders I forgot to mention."
Vivi stopped in the middle of the hall. "What?"
*****
Etain waited until Hal had another drink before telling him about the recent murders and the current security concerns.
The large man stood and began to pace from one side of the room to the other before turning to look at him. "You mean to tell me there's a feral on the loose that can mask its scent due to a necklace made from the souls of poor murdered unborn babes, and both Kari and Ellie were almost killed?"
Etain grimaced and nodded. "In addition to that, we believe the virus was engineered adding a new level of sophistication to the ferals arsenal."
Hal reached for the bottle and poured himself another drink. "I knew we shouldn't have come here. This city has always been nothing but a cesspool of corruption and death." He took another drink. "No wonder the prince looks haggard. The city is about to implode." He looked at Etain. "Where are the Elders?"
Etain stared into his own glass. "They had just moved back to the city when things started to get bad. Prince Magnus practically had to order them back to the City Estate to keep them safe. Declan still hasn't convinced his brother to leave as of yet. I personally doubt he will, as Kari is with child. She carries the next generation of the Lionhart line. Rex would sooner chop off his legs than leave her here."
"Why not evacuate the women?" Hal suggested.
Etain raised a brow. "Have you met them?"
Hal chuckled. "Stubborn, intelligent, strong and feisty. Just like my Vivi."
Etain smiled. "She is amazing. You did a wonderful job raising her."
Hal puffed out his chest proudly. "She is pretty wonderful isn't she?"
Etain set his glass down. "So, do you feel like telling me how a bear shifting squire ended up with a baby girl vampire?"
The scruffy squire eased into one of the recliners. "She'll tell you when she's ready. It's her story and hers alone."
"I'm her mate," Etain pointed out.
"Exactly. And when she's ready to talk about it, she'll let you know. You'll not get a word from me." Hal shook his head.
"Can you at least tell me that nothing from her past can hurt her? That there is nothing I need to prepare for?"
Hal turned his attention to his glass. "Like I said, it's her story to tell."
Etain collapsed back in his chair. "Marvelous, just what we need. More complications."
Hal shrugged. "Life is full of em." He turned to him a sly grin on his face. "You know, she started her fertile cycle last week."
Etain inhaled just as he was taking another sip and ended up choking on the whiskey. He set the glass down quickly and pounded on his chest. When he looked up Hal was grinning broadly at him. "So, a girl or a boy? Personally, I'd like one of each to keep me busy. It's been too long since Vivi was a baby, and I miss taking care of a little one."
With a shaking hand Etain downed his drink and reached for more causing Hal to laugh. As his glass was refilled his mind wandered to that childbirth video their commander had shown them. He had been joking when he suggested a child, now that it seemed to be an actual possibility, he was scared out of his mind.
Hal clinked their glasses together. "It's the will of the gods."
Etain nodded. "I'll drink to that."
*****
"So why does a scientist have a squire?" Kendrick inquired, raising an eyebrow.
Vivi shrugged. "They're useful. I may have starved otherwise." She looked down to read over the lab notes Ellie handed her. She turned to her friend. "Ellie, could I see the samples?" she asked, ignoring Kendrick's pointed gaze.
Ellie indicated to the counter where Rheia was finishing up the microscope set up. "She's just about done."
Vivi walked over to the long counter. Rheia moved to one side, and she stepped in front of the microscope. Vivi looked down and frowned. Using the dials she moved it left and right before adjusting the magnification. She looked up. "Are you sure this slide contained a sample?"
Ellie walked over. "Of course I'm sure! I labeled them myself." Vivi stepped aside as Ellie stood in front of the microscope and looked through the eyepiece doing exactly what Vivi had just done. She moved the slide about for a minute before turning to Kendrick, a panicked look on her face. "It's gone!"
Swearing in different languages Kendrick stalked over and took Ellie's place at the microscope. He peered through the eyepiece before straightening. Frowning fiercely he looked at them. "The magic is gone as well."
He pulled the slide from the metal clasps. Under his breath he recited a spell making the slide glow for a moment. With his eyebrows knit together he looked at them. "The slide hasn't been tampered with. There's no evidence it was wiped clean or sanitized."
"Some viruses cannot live outside the human body for long. They need the environment the body provides," Vivi suggested.
Kendrick shook his head. "If that were the case the organic part of the virus may die but some trace of magic should be left no matter how minute." He pulled his walkie talkie from his belt. "Frick, Frack, I need you down in the lab."
A few moments passed before a voice answered. "Be right down, just have to save our game."
Kendrick sighed. "Just hurry." He re-clipped the walkie-talkie to his belt. "Gods they make me feel old."
/>
"You adore them and don't try to tell me any different," Rheia said teasingly.
Kendrick shrugged. "They look too much like Keelan for me not to adore them." He chuckled. "And I've been watching over them since they were children. They were so damn adorable at times I couldn't tell them no, when I should have."
"Like when?" Vivi asked curious.
"Like when I was working on dangerous spells, I almost blew them up a time or two. It's why they remember me bellowing at them a lot. I was scared to death that I would accidentally break them down to a molecular level."
A few minutes later two, tall red-headed men practically fell through the door. Breathing heavily they immediately went to Kendrick. "What's up?" one asked.
Kendrick pointed to her. "This is Dr. Vivian Mercy, she has come to Noctem Falls with her squire Halbjorn Bergson to help Ellie with the sickness. Vivian, these two rapscallions are Nigel and Neil Morninglory, technically they are unit warriors, but they need a bit of polishing." They grinned at her looking very young indeed. She waved, and they waved back. Kendrick cleared his throat. "She discovered that the virus is no longer visible, so I'd like for the two of you to amp up your magic as much as you can and pass it through me like last time," he paused. "I see no trace magic either."
The boys' eyes widened and without being asked twice lay one hand each on Kendrick's arms as he stood in front of the microscope.
Kendrick frowned at their hesitation. "Well?"
The one introduced as Neil gulped. "All of our power? Are you sure?"
Kendrick chuckled. "Yes, I'm sure. I can handle whatever you two can produce."
Nigel's eyes lit up. "Wicked!" He turned to his brother. "We never get to play with all of our magic," he said excitedly. Neil nodded then the two of them closed their eyes. Moments later, Kendrick exhaled slowly through his nose as both of his arms began to glow an emerald-green color. He cracked his neck and leaned over to look through the eyepiece. Cursing he stepped back and the boys moved their hands. He turned to them. "There isn't the slightest trace of magic now." He rubbed his arms where the boys ran their magic through him. Scowling he looked from one twin to the other. "I'm adding more lessons to your daily schedule." He let his hands drop. "Where have you two been hiding that much power?"