by Alanea Alder
"You must know what they do to me." She backed up until the back of her legs hit the bed.
"Aiden ..." He went to kiss her and she pushed him away.
"We can't yet." Meryn felt lightheaded all the blood in her body was boiling in her cheeks. He froze.
"What do you mean we can't? We're mated. You just claimed me as your mate in front of my entire family. Give me one good reason why we can't!" He bellowed.
"Because I started my cycle this evening." She blurted out the words and sat down on the bed. When he didn't respond, she looked up. He blinked. Then blinked again.
"What does that mean?"
"What do you mean, what does that mean?"
"It means I have no idea what you're saying. Again!" Aiden threw his arms up in the air.
Meryn thought about it. He had been raised by a warrior father and had three brothers. When he left the house he moved in with other men in a military type barracks. She didn't really see Adelaide as the type of woman who would explain these things to her sons, those things were probably never discussed back then. It hit her like a ton of bricks, he really had no clue what she was talking about.
"Right. Do you remember when you told me that paranormals can only conceive one time during the year?"
Aiden nodded.
"Okay, for humans, we can conceive every month of the year. For a human woman if we don't conceive our wombs shed their lining in preparation for pregnancy for the upcoming month." She looked at him and he was staring at her, waiting for her to continue.
"So basically every month my womb contracts, ripping the lining away from my uterus and I bleed and discharge that lining for about three to four days all while in excruciating pain." In fact, all the bouncing around had kicked her cramps up in high gear, she could tell this month was going to be a bad one for cramps, it figured.
"You mean to tell me that you are bleeding internally, right now?" Aiden's face drained of color. She nodded. He picked her up and put her in the center of the bed.
"What do I do? Should I get a doctor, my mother?" Meryn almost felt bad at his level of panic, but her cramps were making her more evil than usual.
"I'm okay for now. But I noticed when we were packing that I only had one tampon left and I used that this evening, can you run to the store and pick up some more?"
Meryn you are going to hell!
Aiden nodded quickly, a shell shocked expression on his face.
"Will they help? Should I leave you alone? Maybe I should have my brother examine you." Aiden paced beside the bed nervously.
"You want your brother to examine up inside me?" Meryn asked amused. His head snapped to her and he growled.
"No! Of course not!"
"Aiden, this is a natural part of being a human woman. The pain should subside in a day or two, then I'll be just fine. Until then I'll be very, very cranky." At least he couldn't say he hadn't been warned.
"Okay. Right. Okay. You stay right there in bed. I'll have Marius bring you up a snack. Do you need an extra blanket?" Aiden's concerned face hovered over her. She shook her head.
"No Aiden, I'm fine." She smiled up at him.
"Okay. Be right back. Don't move!" Aiden was almost to the door, he paused and ran back to the bed. He kissed her gently as if she would break and then raced from the room. When the door shut Meryn smiled to herself and curled up into a small ball as another wave of cramps started. Somehow, knowing that her badass mate was going tampon shopping made enduring her cramps a little easier than normal.
CHAPTER SIX
Aiden ran down the stairs, heart pounding. He skidded into the dining room and all eyes turned to him.
"That was quick brother." Adam teased.
"Alpha Unit move out. We have a mission." Aiden barked and turned on his heel and headed out the room. Behind him, he could hear chairs being pushed back quickly and footsteps racing to catch up to him. He grabbed the keys to the SUV from the foyer table and went to the start the car.
Minutes later his men were in the car checking their sidearms and pooling their weapon stashes together.
"Aiden what's the target? Did you get a call while you were upstairs?" Colton asked.
"No I ..." Aiden didn't know where to begin. The idea that his mate was upstairs in pain and bleeding internally made him feel ill. Whatever she asked for she would get. Clearing his throat, he continued, "Did you know that human women have the ability to conceive every month?" He asked. Around him the men shook their heads.
"Well evidently, when they don't conceive their wombs turn inside out and shed their lining. It's extremely painful and causes internal bleeding." Aiden took a shuddering breath.
"Do you mean to say that Meryn is going through this now?" Colton looked shocked.
"I could barely tell she was in any pain, she's very brave." Aiden appreciated the level of admiration in Keelan's voice.
"Human females are truly mysterious beings." Gavriel added.
"They are. She does this every month. How does she survive? Wouldn't she die from blood loss?" Aiden gripped the steering wheel and turned the car onto the main highway. At their current speed they should be at the human city of Madison in little under twenty minutes. He was sure he could find tampons there.
"Since it happens every month I don't think she'll die from blood loss. What's the mission?" Darian asked.
"She needs tampons. Evidently it helps with this process. We have to secure the location of where they are being sold, acquire them and then get them back to my mate post haste."
"You can rely on us Aiden." Colton's hand appeared from the backseat to clap him on the shoulder. Suddenly he didn't feel quite so panicked. He wasn't about to let anything happen to his mate and he knew his unit had his back.
Not soon enough for his liking, they parked at the local grocery store, Duck In.
"Everyone ready?"
"Yes Sir!" The men sounded off. He nodded and they exited the vehicle. When they walked into the store the cashier stopped what she was doing and stared. Aiden glanced behind him. Darian had walked in with a crossbow strapped to his back.
"Darian, maybe you could leave the crossbow in the car."
Darian shook his head. "No sir, you're distracted with concern over your mate's health. We need to be hyper vigilant."
Aiden thought about it for a second then nodded his approval. He clapped Darian on the shoulder.
"Good man."
Together the five men walked up and down the aisles. Everywhere they went eyes followed them.
"We're being watched." Colton whispered.
"I know. Just keep looking, maybe we'll get out of this without injury." Aiden's eyes scanned each shelf that contained medicine.
"Sir. Found them!" Keelan yelled. The other four men converged on his location. Together they started scanning boxes.
"Sir, I don't mean any disrespect to your mate, but they way these are shaped, do they go ..." Keelan couldn't finish the sentence. Aiden understood what the young witch was saying.
"I think you're right Keelan, it must help with the pain in some way." Understanding filled Keelan's eyes.
"Of course."
After a few minutes Aiden felt his head spinning with confusion.
"Sir, I don't know if these are safe. There is a warning about Toxic Shock Syndrome. These things can kill!" Keelan dropped the box he held and wiped his hands on his pants. The other men immediately dropped the boxes they had been holding.
"This is what she asked for, so maybe she knows of a way to avoid that." Aiden didn't like the idea that these things could kill, but if she needed them he would take them to her.
"What do you think Super Plus means? She didn't say anything about pluses or minuses." Aiden held up two similar boxes except one said Plus and the other said Super Plus.
"Sir, I saw a chart on the side of this one, I believe that has to do with the absorbency capacity." Darian explained.
"Absorbency you mean how much blood ..." Aiden shuddered. His poor ma
te!
Darian paled, "Yes, sir."
Aiden felt panicked. Did it matter? What if he got one that didn't absorb as much as she needed, would it hurt her in the long run?
"Sir, I like this one. It says here it has an antigravity leak guard braid." Keelan held up a blue box.
"Antigravity, really? That has to be one of the best ones right? Is it a Super?"
Keelan checked. "Super Plus sir."
"We'll take that one."
"How many boxes do you think?" Keelan asked. Aiden looked around at the men. They all shrugged.
"How many are there?"
"About fifteen."
"Grab them all."
"Yes, sir!" Keelan and Darian grabbed every box on the shelf. Together they made their way over to the registers. Instead of the young, pretty cashier, there was now a grizzled looking older human. They placed their boxes on the belt and Aiden approached the older man.
The older man took one look at the fifteen boxes on the conveyor belt and then eyed the five men in front of him.
"Son, your woman sent you out?" He asked in a lazy southern voice.
"Yes, sir." There was something about this old human that made Aiden want to salute.
"Newly married?"
"Yes, sir."
"Never been shopping for these before I reckon."
"No, sir."
"You have no idea what you're doing, do ya boy?" The old man regarded him with pity. Aiden slumped forward.
"No, sir."
"I heard your discussion about these things with your men here. Military?" He asked as he rang up each box slowly.
"Yes, sir."
"I ken tell. Anyway, y'all done good. These ones sell pretty well, most of the lady folk like 'em. Now, 'iffn you don't mind some advice from a man who has been married for forty seven years and has raised six girls?" He paused.
"Of course not! Any advice you give will be welcome." Aiden heaved a sigh of relief. No wonder he felt the need to salute this man. He had lived around women all of his life and lived to tell the tale.
"Now, like I was sayin', these right here sell. But if you're just learning your lady's cycle I recommend the box that has all kinds in it. Some days women bleed lighter than others. With a box that has a mix, she'll have whatever she needs."
"Keelan!" Aiden barked. The old man jumped a bit as Keelan raced back to the aisle, he returned with five boxes that held a variety of capacities.
"Another thing. My wife most days is as sweet as pie. But on the days when she was ahavin' her cycle, she gets downright ornery. Threw an iron at me once."
"That doesn't sound too bad." Darian commented.
"She had just been ironing, so it was still hot." The older man clarified. Darian flinched.
"Sir, you say that under normal conditions your wife was sweet and good natured?" Gavriel asked. The older man nodded. Gavriel turned to Aiden concern on his face.
"Meryn is violent and crazy under normal conditions." Gavriel looked as sick as Aiden felt.
"Dude, you're so fucked." Colton whispered.
"If that's the case, I was only going to suggest a chocolate cake, but if you have a feisty gal, you might want to grab some of the brownies too. Chocolate eases their pain and makes them loving again. Well, most times." The old man explained.
"Darian, grab three chocolate cakes and five pans of brownies." Aiden ordered.
"Yes, sir!"
"Son, how violent is yer woman?" The older man asked sounding curious. Aiden leaned in and whispered.
"She knocked me unconscious once with the back of my toilet." The older man's eyes widened.
"Better get you some chocolate bars. You can throw those from a distance." Aiden nodded.
"I like the way you think." Aiden grabbed the entire box of chocolate bars from the shelf next to the register as Darian returned with the sweets. The old man rang up his items and gave him a total. Aiden paid and the men grabbed the bags. They went to leave and Aiden paused. He went back to the register.
"Thank you very much for your insight. You are very brave and wise to have lived through so much." Aiden offered him his hand. The older man chuckled and shook Aiden's hand.
"Sounds like you have a firecracker on your hands son."
Aiden grinned wide. "Yes sir, I do, and I wouldn't have it any other way."
"Good for you son. Come back any time for advice."
"Thank you, sir."
Aiden knew that he had found an ally and a valuable source of information on how to take care of his human mate. Feeling better than he had since Meryn explained her condition he got in the car and drove back to Lycaonia.
*****
"So where is he now?" Sydney asked.
"Out getting me something from the store. I'm not sure how long it's going to take him so you'll have to talk fast." Meryn adjusted her cell phone on her ear. As soon as Aiden left, she remembered the café owner's offer. She decided that while Aiden was out she would give him a call.
"Girl, I can talk fast. Now. Most of the ladies, despite their paranormal selves, are sheep pure and simple, or should I say simpleton. I swear they share brain cells. There's a real mob mentality with that bunch. Imagine every single catty, hateful, backstabbing bitch you hated when you read a regency romance novel and put them in one room and you have the Daughters of Lycaonia Sewing Circle."
"How did you know I read regency romance?" Meryn interrupted.
"Hasn't everyone?" Sydney asked.
"Good point. Continue."
"Anyway. Most of the women are harmless little sheep, unless they are following someone's example. In most cases it's either mimicking Adelaide because she really is perfection dah-ling, or they become backstabbing heifers when they are trying to stay on Daphane Bowers's good side to avoid retribution."
"So Daphane is the one to watch out for?"
"Yup. Rumor has it she practically had a meltdown when she heard that Adelaide convinced the council to do that spell to call the warrior's mates to them. She felt like Adelaide was upstaging her daughter-in-law who just popped pregnant."
"I heard that's like a real important thing." Meryn murmured.
"Girl you don't know the half of it. In our society, it's a huge deal when a woman gets pregnant. They see each pregnancy as a blessing from the Gods, like literally. There's no proof, but I would bet money that Daphane was the one that spread the rumors about Adelaide using black magic to get pregnant seven hundred years ago when she got pregnant with Aiden. Daphane's husband had just petitioned the council to say that Byron had held his council seat for too long and that they needed fresh ideas. They were leaning in his favor when Adelaide got pregnant. Everyone took that as a sign that the Gods were favoring House McKenzie and Byron was able to keep his council seat. Of course that was reinforced later when Adelaide got pregnant again with Ben."
"Wow. Womb Wars."
"No lie. Makes me glad to be a gay man."
"So my being there is going to seem like Adelaide is trying to one up Daphane?"
"Absolutely."
"They'll probably be really passive aggressive and cruel to me, huh?" Meryn asked feeling depressed.
"You can count on that."
"So why am I going again?" She asked.
"Because if you don't it will look bad for Adelaide." Sydney's voice sounded sympathetic.
"This is gonna suck."
"Sorry hun, if you survive swing by the café and I'll make you something special." Sydney offered.
"You're sweet. Thanks."
"Anytime. Listen I gotta run, Justice is giving me bedroom eyes if you know what I mean. Good luck tomorrow."
"Thanks again Sydney, goodnight."
"Night." Sydney hung up and Meryn stared at her phone. A knock on the door had her jumping.
"Little miss, I've brought you some chamomile tea to help ease your cramps." Marius set the tea cup down on the nightstand. She stared up at him.
"How did you know?"
"I'm much older than L
ady Adelaide and have a mate of my own. Plus ..." He cleared his throat.
"A female smells different when she's begun her cycle." Marius's eyes twinkled.
"Just how old are you anyway?" Meryn sipped the tea and sighed. It was sweet, just how she liked it. She was starting to understand what Adelaide meant by needing a squire. Marius was comforting to have around.
"Older than I look. What did you tell Master Aiden? He ran out of here a bit wild eyed." Marius raised a silver brow.
"I didn't lie." Meryn said quickly.
"Of course not. I think it will do him some good to think about the more practical things in life. He's a mated man now, these things come with that responsibility."
Meryn felt her eyes grow heavy.
"You rock, did you know that?"
He smiled."Yes."
When a yawn caught her off guard she became suspicious.
"Did you put something in my tea?"
He nodded. "Yes little miss. You've had a very exciting past couple of days, plus your cycle started today. You need a good night's rest." He pulled the covers up to her ears.
"Sneaky squire." Meryn yawned again.
"Of course. Goodnight, sweet Meryn."
"Goodnight Marius, thank you." Meryn felt his warm hand push back her hair in a fatherly gesture before she surrendered to the darkness.
*****
When Meryn woke the next morning she sat up and glanced around the room in shock. Boxes of tampons, cakes and brownies covered the surfaces of the nightstands and dresser. She hopped out of bed, grabbed a box and headed to the shower. After washing up, she opened up a suitcase and almost danced in delight at being able to put on different clothes. Today was that sewing circle thing. She held up her tee-shirts and sighed. She didn't have anything even remotely feminine. Nothing like the exquisite dresses Adelaide wore. She put a hand over her lower stomach as her cramps started back up. Fuck it. She was going to be comfortable. She pulled on her socks, jeans and boots. Instead of a pretty lace bra she put on her favorite white cotton one. When she reached for her tee-shirt she hesitated. Thinking of how welcoming Adelaide had been she chose the pink Strawberry Shortcake shirt. It was at least pink. She fixed her hair in a spike or two and used her pressed powder compact to take down the shine of her nose. She checked the mirror and shrugged. This was as good as it was going to get.