Elizabeth paused. "I'll be moving in?" She thought that Meryn was the exception to the rule about mates living in unit estates.
Meryn blinked. "Yeah, why wouldn't you?"
"It just isn't done, Meryn."
Ryuu chuckled. "You'll soon discover that Meryn often does things that 'just aren't done'." Ryuu poured their tea carefully before stepping back to stand against the wall.
"I do, don't I?" Meryn picked up a small plain cookie and popped it in her mouth before placing one on a napkin on the table. Elizabeth watched in fascination as the cookie lifted all on its own and tiny bite marks appeared.
Meryn caught her staring. "That's Felix. He's a sprite that decided to adopt me. He's super sweet, but not everyone can see him," she explained.
Feeling as if she had stepped into an episode of the Twilight Zone, Elizabeth nibbled on a cookie. What had she gotten herself into now?
CHAPTER TWO
"So what do you do, you know, to support yourself?" Meryn asked.
"I'm a personal assistant. I help high level executives stay organized and keep their day running smoothly." Elizabeth was very proud of her work. While working in the background she had helped many men and women achieve wonderful things.
"Oh my gosh, Aiden needs you! This is so awesome. I have been trying to help, but organization isn't really my thing. I've gotten especially lazy now that I have Ryuu. I swear I don't know how I made it through a day without him. He remembers things like lunch and clean clothes."
Elizabeth laughed. "Those are important things, Meryn. What exactly does Aiden need help with?"
"Everything."
"Really?"
"Yup, really. I think he still hand writes his reports, it'd be a miracle if we found out he was using a ballpoint pen and not a quill and ink." Meryn shuddered.
"It can't be that bad?" Elizabeth scoffed.
The sound of a throat clearing had her turning to look at Ryuu. Elizabeth met his gaze and he nodded. He was a kindred spirit, serving others as she did, but he served on a personal level, where she served on a professional one.
"You mean to tell me that the man responsible for the defenses of the four pillar cities and the running of all our warrior units still hand writes his reports? How in the hell does he get anything done?" Elizabeth set her cup down.
"Hmmm. Remember what I said about tradition? Routine helps the men remember what to do. If everything is always the same it's easier to remember," Meryn explained.
Elizabeth stared at Meryn in horror. She stood. "Where is his office?"
Meryn's eyes widened before a grin appeared. "I'll show you."
"Meryn, remember what Aiden said about interrupting unit work?" Ryuu warned.
"It's not me this time," Meryn said happily and stood. She led the way out of the room and down the hall. Without even knocking, she turned the handle to a heavy looking wooden door and walked right in.
"Baby, what did I tell you about interrupting?" Aiden growled.
"It's not me. Elizabeth wanted to see your office." Meryn stepped aside and indicated for Elizabeth to walk in.
Not wasting any time, Elizabeth walked in and began to look around. One desk. No computer visible. No wires. No filing cabinets. Surely they had to be somewhere.
"Where are your files?" she asked.
With a confused look on his face, Aiden pointed to a stack of papers in the corner. Elizabeth walked over. Sure enough everything was handwritten, calligraphy style. The papers were tied together with twine in stacks covered in grime.
Aiden blushed as the finger she ran down the center of the papers came away with a layer of dust. "I don't get to clean much in here," he admitted.
"Computer. Where is your computer?" Elizabeth demanded, feeling a growing panic. She felt like the defense of her people danced precariously on the edge of a sword.
Aiden pointed to a huge laptop on the bottom shelf of his bookcase. Meryn started to snicker behind her. She powered it up and clutched at her chest when the Windows 95 logo greeted her. Meryn by now had collapsed into giggles. Sputtering, Elizabeth stepped back then spun to face Aiden and her now concerned looking mate. This could not be happening. Her people's safety now lay in her hands.
"Where are the personnel rosters? Training schedules?"
"I've memorized them," Aiden mumbled.
She stared. "I don't know whether you're a genius or an idiot."
"Hey!" Aiden protested.
"Out!" she screeched.
"What?" Aiden asked. He and Gavriel stared at her as if she had lost her mind.
"You two out, now! Ryuu, I'll need you to take down the list of supplies I'll need to make this office functional. Meryn, I'll need your help in establishing a secure network and databases for personnel management." Elizabeth rolled up her sleeves. The men just stared at her in shock.
"Get out! You can come back in after I turn your sorry excuse for an office into a proper management center. Scoot!" Elizabeth made a shooing motion.
Gavriel walked over and pulled her close. Before she knew what he was doing, he gave her a kiss that scorched her down to her toes. Pulling back, he growled low. "You're sexy when you're being feisty."
"You haven't seen anything yet," she challenged.
"Good. I'm feeling better today; I'm going out to help Aiden direct the men. If you need me, I'll be just outside," he whispered before kissing her one more time.
"What about me? I need some love before we go outside for drills," she heard Aiden grumble trying to kiss Meryn who was turning her head back and forth giggling. Finally, Meryn let him capture her lips.
After both men had gotten their kisses, they moved towards the door.
"Oh, Aiden," Meryn called.
He turned to her. "Yes, baby?"
"You better read up on how to use a Mac," she warned.
Groaning, he turned back and both men left to start drill practice.
The rest of the afternoon flew by. By the time she was done she had racked up quite a shopping list, but damn, the man didn't even have paper clips! Both she and Meryn were exhausted when Ryuu interrupted them letting them know it was time for dinner.
"You know, when the new desk gets here and everything gets set up, I may take over his office for myself. This is going to be sweet." Meryn shoved her laptop in her little backpack and turned to face her.
Elizabeth thought about it for a second. "Let's order a second desk for you. Let's face it, you'll be in here more than Aiden, there's no reason why the two of us can't share this space while we're getting these cavemen organized."
"Yes! I'll tell Ryuu to order a new monitor and docking station too."
Elizabeth cracked her back. It felt good to be working. She had been afraid that she wouldn't be able to find any projects to work on while in Lycaonia; little did she realize that Fate had a way of giving you exactly what you needed.
"We better hurry. The men won't eat without us and if we make them wait they get snarly." Meryn walked out into the hallway. Together they walked to the dining room. When they entered five men stood from where they had been sitting at the table. Aiden pulled out the chair next to him for Meryn and her mate did the same for her.
Smiling she sat down and he scooted her chair in for her. One of the things she always missed when she lived amongst humans was the courtly manners preserved by her people. When Gavriel sat down she boldly reached over and took his hand. Without changing expression, he turned to look at her. Under the table, he rested their joined hands on his thigh and gently massaged her knuckles.
She had always wondered how matings worked. Whenever she asked her father he always said, 'You'll know when you find your mate. There's no stronger force on this planet than that of two mates coming together'. He had been right. It wasn't instant love, or trust or intimacy. Just a deep-seated sense of belonging. She had been in a few long-term relationships in her life, but none of those had ever developed the level of comfortability that she already had with Gavriel. If she felt this
way in the first twenty-four hours, she couldn't imagine how her parents must feel having been mated over one hundred and fifty years.
"You look so serious, what were you thinking?" Gavriel's voice broke her train of thought.
"I was actually thinking about how incredible the mating process is. We were strangers this morning, yet I can't imagine tomorrow without you. Then I thought, if I feel this way in just the first day, I wonder how my parents feel having been mated for over a hundred and fifty years now," Elizabeth explained.
The men around the table smiled at her.
Aiden laughed. "My parents have been mated for over a thousand years. From what they tell me the bond gets more intense."
Elizabeth swallowed hard. "I may not make it," she muttered.
Gavriel leaned in and nuzzled her neck. "We'll be just fine."
Meryn nodded and looked over at Aiden. "I know what you mean. With all the sex it's almost like I don't get anything else done."
One man dropped his fork. The other turned his head, his shoulders shaking and the one she recognized as Colton laughed outright. Aiden just stared at his mate blushing.
"Meryn!" he exclaimed.
She looked around confusion on her face. "What? I said 'almost'. I do get a lot accomplished. I'm not sure about you though."
From their intertwined fingers she felt a tremor. She looked over to see her mate's mouth twitching furiously, but being the conservative vampire he was, he tried to hide his emotion. Elizabeth giggled at Aiden's expression. When Gavriel turned to look at her with a sardonic expression on his face, she couldn't hold back her mirth any longer. She covered her face with her other hand and laughed heartily. The men around the table joined in.
When they settled down Meryn looked around the table. "I don't know what was so funny."
Elizabeth held her stomach. "Don't Meryn, please, it hurts to laugh so much."
Ryuu smiling, set two large bowels of pasta on the table. "They were amused at Aiden's reaction to your words Denka, nothing more. Laughter is good for the soul," he explained.
"Oh. Okay." Meryn held up her bowel and Ryuu served out a generous portion. He then served Elizabeth before moving on to the men.
"Elizabeth let me introduce you to my fellow unit members. You have already met Aiden McKenzie and Colton Albright." Gavriel pointed to the two men.
Grinning sheepishly, Colton waved.
"On either side of them are Keelan Ashwood and Darian Vi'Alina. Keelan is our resident witch and Darian is our fae brother," Gavriel completed the introductions.
"Hello, I'm Elizabeth Monroe. I just moved from Washington DC, but I was raised in Noctem Falls," she introduced herself.
"Monroe. You wouldn't happen to be any relation to Broderick Monroe would you?" Gavriel asked apprehensively.
"Yes, he's my father," she said frowning. "Why?"
Growling Gavriel sat back in his chair.
"What?" she demanded.
"That means your other father is Caspian Rioux, younger brother of Magnus Rioux, the current vampire Elder of Noctem Falls." Gavriel's tone was aggravated.
It dawned on her. Her mate was a vampire and she had ties to the ruling vampire family. Awkward.
"Wait. Fathers?" Meryn asked, leaning forward her expression intrigued.
"Yes, fathers, as in two of them. My mother and my biological father were best friends. She wanted a baby but hadn't found her mate yet so my father agreed when she asked him to donate sperm. He figured it would be the only way he would ever have a child. Surprisingly enough she got pregnant with their first attempt. She was killed in a car accident before I was one. My father was heartbroken, so he moved us to Noctem Falls where he could focus on his research in creating an artificial blood source. There he met his mate, my other father Caspian. Caspian became devoted to my father and it was by watching him act as a lab assistant that I learned how to be a personal assistant. He was always anticipating what my father needed whether it was more tea, his notes or just being a sounding board. My Uncle Magnus is the vampire Elder. He is somewhat overprotective of me," she said wincing.
"Wonderful," Gavriel exhaled.
"My dads were so busy in the lab that most days I followed Magnus around like a lost puppy. I probably know more about the nobles in the ruling vampire houses than anyone, with the exception of Magnus, of course. The vampire court was an interesting place to grow up," she smiled at the memory.
"I need to call your uncle," Gavriel muttered.
"That might not be the best idea."
"It will be fine. I can handle myself. I'm not worried, it's just an inconvenience," Gavriel reassured her.
"If you're sure." The more she thought about it, the more she didn't like the idea of Gavriel butting heads with her uncle.
"I'm sure. I can handle Magnus." Gavriel picked up his fork and spoon and very elegantly began to twirl his pasta. Though his features remained harsh, his actions were gentle as he held out the fork. She leaned in and accepted the bite.
She chewed and swallowed. "Don't say I didn't warn you."
"We definitely need to visit Noctem Falls now," Meryn said looking up at Aiden.
Aiden paled. "Are you kidding, I'm staying out of Noctem Falls until the fallout of this mating settles."
"But the vampire elder is her uncle, we totally have an in," Meryn protested.
"He might blame me for letting his niece get mated to one of my unit warriors. No. Thank. You." Aiden shook his head.
"E-Liz-A-Beth, you'll take me to Noctem Falls won't you?" Meryn begged giving her puppy dog eyes.
"Of course I will. We can go there after DragonCon next year," she promised.
"Oh no. She talked you into that convention thing." Aiden glared at his mate.
"It's perfectly safe. Think of it this way. It's an event where thousands of people just like Meryn get together for a couple days and live it up," Elizabeth explained. All five men paled.
"Thousands of people," Colton whispered.
"Just like Meryn?" Keelan asked.
Elizabeth looked around. The men had that deer in the headlights looks. "Maybe not just like her."
"Thank goodness. One Meryn in the world is enough," Colton teased, looking relieved.
"It's because I'm a 'Limited Edition'. Y'all should be grateful for even knowing me," Meryn huffed.
"We are, my love. We are." Aiden scowled at his men over Meryn's head.
"We wouldn't trade you for a sane version any day," Colton reassured her.
Meryn smiled then frowned. "What do you mean 'sane version'?"
Ryuu walked in holding two baskets. "Here's the bread, fresh from the oven." And just like that Meryn's attention was diverted. Elizabeth had to hand it to Ryuu, he knew exactly how to handle his charge.
Out of the corner of her eye she began to see a faint twinkling glow. Without saying a word she cut up a portion of her pasta into tiny pieces and put them on her bread plate. She pushed the plate towards the little light. Seconds later the tiny pieces of pasta began to disappear. She watched the entire process in fascination
"I thought life in Lycaonia would be boring," she said under her breath.
"Never, zain'ka moya, never," Gavriel said before dropping tiny rolled up bread balls onto the plate next to the pasta. Elizabeth smiled up at her mate as they too began to disappear.
*****
After dinner the men made their way to their own suites to settle down for the evening. Gavriel, ever the gentleman, offered her his arm. He escorted her as far as the foyer before pausing.
"I had Ryuu get your suitcases and take them to my room. I wasn't being presumptuous, but I figured that would be the one place I knew where it wouldn't be a problem for them to be. I have also arranged for a guest room for you, if you prefer." His tone was frosty and his body was tensed.
Her heart turned over. As a little girl she had dreamed of a handsome prince with courtly manners. Between her own fathers and her uncle, very few men had lived up to her very high expe
ctations. Gavriel had smashed through that glass ceiling and raised the bar infinitely higher.
If she said no, she would have more time to herself. Probably only to think about him and second-guess her decision. If she said yes, she would have to face the fact that she was a mated woman now. She looked up at her mate. His eyes were unreadable. He wasn't pressuring her one way or the other. Not one to shy away from a difficult situation she realized she knew what she wanted to do.
"I want to stay with you, only..." she hesitated.
"Only what my mate? Anything you ask for, will be yours," Gavriel assured her.
"Don't expect too much," she blurted out blushing.
He gathered her in his arms and held her close. "Just being here is more than I deserve. There is no way you would fail to meet my expectations, they have been shattered in the face of the beautiful reality that is you."
And there goes my heart, where did it go? Oh yes, in his pocket to carry around for all time.
She sighed and clutched the back of his shirt. He pulled back and kissed her forehead.
"Come, zain'ka moya, I'll show you to your new home." Gavriel took her hand and led her up the stairs.
"I can stay here too?" she asked.
"Yes. That was the topic that Aiden and I were discussing before you commandeered his office," he said, sounding faintly amused.
"How could you let your commander function like that? Really? He didn't even have a filing cabinet," she shuddered.
"Now we have you to keep us in line. Between you and Meryn, the unit will be better than ever."
"Are you teasing me?"
"No, my mate, I am sincere. Things have only gotten better since your arrival."
Yup, right there in his pocket.
He led her down a long hallway and turned. They walked until they reached the last door. He opened it and stepped aside to let her walk through. She walked into the dark room and he shut the door behind them wrapping them in total darkness.
"Gavriel..."
"Shh. It's okay," his voice sounded further away, as if he had crossed the room.