by Alanea Alder
"When does she eat?"
"Since we don't eat dinner until eight p.m. she eats earlier so it doesn't affect her bedtime. Colton and I will grab a snack and sit down with her in the kitchen while she eats her dinner. She loves getting our undivided attention. We're trying to indulge her as much as possible before the baby arrives," Rheia explained.
"You're pregnant, too! Congratulations!"
"Thank you. I have to say, it happened quicker than I thought," Rheia admitted.
"We had a lot of practice," Colton teased. Rheia turned pink as everyone laughed.
Meryn was served first and she immediately began to inhale her food. When Ryuu started to place something different on her plate, she swallowed, quickly frowning. "Ryuu, what the hell are these?" Meryn asked pointing to the newest addition as Ryuu continued to place dark green crispy leaves on her plate.
"Kale chips denka, they are high in iron."
"I hate kale." She pushed the chips to the far side of her plate.
"Try them, I made them special." He winked at her.
Meryn chose the smallest one, and with her nose scrunched up, she popped it into her mouth and began to chew. A delighted expression crossed her face. "They're good! More please!" She held up her plate.
Amelia watched in wonder as Ryuu filled half of Meryn's plate with kale. "Okay, I have to ask. Are they really good?"
Meryn nodded. "They taste like salt and vinegar. They're perfect!"
"That sounds heavenly. I love salt and vinegar."
"Me too!" Meryn agreed.
Ryuu smiled. "I hear you also have the same taste in ice cream."
Amelia turned to him. "Yes, it's really cool to have found someone else who likes bubble gum ice cream."
Ryuu nodded his agreement and made his way around the table. As Amelia waited to be served, she thought of something. "Does Alpha unit have a squire because y'all are Alpha?" she asked.
Aiden shook his head. "No, Ryuu serves Meryn. He was a gift from my mother for the day that Meryn will take over as Lady McKenzie."
"Lady McKenzie, huh? Doesn't seem to fit." She eyed Meryn.
Elizabeth sighed. "We're working on it."
"Elizabeth, are you doing a census for just Lycaonia or all of the pillar cities?"
"All of the pillar cities and please, call me Beth, Elizabeth is so formal."
"I call her Bunny." Meryn said between bites of her taco.
Beth turned to Amelia, a pained expression on her face. "Once you get a nickname, you have it for life."
"So, I guess I'm Bubbles then." Amelia smiled around the table.
Keelan laughed. "It suits your personality."
Meryn frowned. "The guys call me Menace."
Keelan nodded. "And that suits your personality."
Beth and Rheia laughed. Meryn scowled.
Gavriel ruffled Meryn's hair. "Admit it, it fits."
Meryn ducked away from his hand smiling. "Only a little bit."
Jaxon took a sip of his water and turned to her. "So Amelia, what do you do?"
"I'm a cosmetologist," she announced proudly.
The men looked around confused expressions on their faces.
"She does hair and makeup." Rheia explained.
Beth clapped her hands together excitedly. "I could do with a makeover! I've been wearing the same look for decades."
Meryn bounced in her chair. "Could you show me how to look sexy? I'm tired of everyone saying how cute I look. I want to be a femme fatale."
Aiden rolled his eyes. "You're already a femme fatale."
Meryn shook her head. "No, I'm not."
Gavriel cleared his throat. "By definition, a femme fatale is a beautiful woman who ultimately brings disaster to the man she is involved with. I think you qualify."
Meryn pouted and pushed her kale chips around her plate. "Y'all know what I meant."
Amelia jumped to her defense. "Don't worry Meryn. I have just the makeup tutorial for you. It will show you how to get the perfect smokey eye," she promised.
Meryn looked up, excitement back on her face. "Really?"
"Yup! We can break out my makeup case tomorrow. You can try any look you want."
Meryn turned to Aiden. "Ha ha! Be prepared to be wowed by my sexiness."
Aiden's face softened as he leaned over to kiss the tip of Meryn's nose. "You can wow me anytime, baby."
Amelia smiled at the teddy bear of a Unit Commander. If her brothers could see him now.
Ryuu stopped behind her. "How many and what type of taco for you itoko-sama?"
Amelia frowned up at him. What did he call her?
He held up the platter of tacos. Hurriedly, she looked over her choices. "One beef and one chicken please."
Carefully, he placed them on her plate. With a bow, he moved on to her mate. She opened up the shells and added cheese, sour cream and jalapeños. When she saw that someone had put a jar of banana peppers on the table she helped herself.
"Gods, they are alike," Aiden said looking worried.
Meryn was giving her a thumbs up and pointed to her own tacos.
Amelia looked around the table; everyone was staring at her choices. "Don't judge. They go perfectly together."
Rheia elbowed Colton. "You have no room to talk, sandwich master."
"So, is Storm Keep like Hogwarts?" Meryn asked.
Beside her, Keelan began to choke on his taco. Laughing, she pounded on his back. She turned back to Meryn. "Actually, kinda. The city of Storm Keep is named for the castle that was built by the only royal family we witches have ever had, the Stormharts. The different units live in estates like this one outside of city limits and maintain a perimeter around the city. There is a tall outer wall that surrounds the city proper, which is connected by four stone towers located at each directional point. The poorer section of the city is located close to the castle walls; it's the cheapest place to live since they are closest to danger. If we were ever attacked, that section of the city would be the first to fall. After that, in the event of an attack, everyone falls back behind the Inner City wall. The Inner city is where the middle class and merchants live. They have the best eateries and shops on the west coast. The different types of magic you can buy there is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Moving toward the center of the city, you reach Storm Keep itself. The castle is huge and is home to the ruling houses, our council members, and the Academy of Magic."
"Hogwarts," Meryn whispered, entranced.
Keelan shook his head smiling. "My brother, Kendrick, works in the archives located in the lower levels of Storm Keep."
Amelia turned in her chair to face him. "You look just like your brother, only he's... older and grouchier."
Keelan laughed out loud. "He is a bit grouchy. He always said it was because he was forced to work with idiots all day." He smiled at her. "I was surprised you knew my brother. He never mentioned becoming an Athair."
Amelia frowned. "When was the last time you were home?"
He shrugged. "Maybe forty years ago, every once in a while we talk on the phone."
"Keelan!" Meryn exclaimed.
He blushed. "My brother and I had a disagreement before I left, so I haven't really felt in a hurry to visit. He can be very domineering."
Amelia shook her head. "The only time I ever saw him smile was when he said your name. You should visit."
Keelan looked pleasantly surprised. "Really?"
"Of course," Aiden interjected. "No matter how mad I get at Ben, he's still my baby brother."
"I can't wait to tease him tomorrow." Colton rubbed his hands together. The men laughed.
As everyone continued eating dinner, Amelia thought about the man beside her. Darian hadn't said a word throughout the meal. He ate with a cardboard smile on his face. She desperately wanted what she observed with the other couples. Someone to laugh with, to comfort, a lover and a friend.
"Itoko-sama?" Ryuu said, getting her attention.
"Yes?" She looked up at the squire.
; "I just wanted to let you know that I have taken the liberty of carrying your luggage to the guest suite upstairs." Ryuu bowed.
"Thank you, Ryuu."
Darian turned to her. "You can't stay here," he said harshly.
Aiden stood, drawing all eyes to him. "Darian, I need to know. Is she or isn't she?"
Darian turned his head away from her to stare at the opposite wall.
"Well?" Aiden demanded.
"Yes," Darian said, clenching his jaw.
"Then you need to take care of your mate." Aiden crossed his arms.
"That's what I'm trying to do!" Darian bellowed, shocking everyone.
Aiden's eyes narrowed. "Is there something you want to tell me?"
Darian stood, knocking his chair back. He squared his shoulders, facing his commander. "I don't need a mate."
Aiden raised an eyebrow and jerked his head toward Meryn. "I remember thinking the exact same thing. Sometimes you have to accept the gifts Fate gives to you."
Keelan glared at Darian before turning to her. "I'll show you up to your room, it's right next to Darian."
Darian stared blank faced at Keelan. "Leave it be, Keelan," he warned.
Keelan smiled wide. "No, don't wanna," he said in a singsong child-like manner.
Darian looked down at her. "Do what you want." He turned away from the table and walked out the door.
"Will he be okay?" Amelia asked nervously.
Gavriel nodded. "We all went through something similar upon finding our mates. We will talk to him later. This is your home now."
His words sank in. "Good Gods! I live here now. How will I get my makeup orders?" She tried to keep the conversation light. She hated it when everyone worried or got upset. Living her life as an empath made her a human barometer for emotion, the happier people were around her the less anxious she was.
Meryn waved a taco at her. "Don't worry about deliveries. All the mail for Lycaonia goes to an outside post office box. Assigned teams go and collect the mail every day and bring it into the city where it is sorted into post office boxes here. Ryuu gets ours for us. It's how I get the Nerd Block subscription boxes Aiden got me for Christmas."
Amelia heaved a huge sigh of relief. "Thank the Gods; I was close to calling this whole mating thing off if I couldn't get my makeup."
Meryn nodded. "I could see that impacting life. I'd die without my geek stuff, especially since I'm trying to decorate the nursery with cool gear instead of typical baby stuff. Do you know how much baby boy stuff is decorated with bears? It would just be weird."
"You mean like giving little girls human like dolls?" Rheia asked sardonically.
Meryn paused and laughed. "I guess that's kinda the same, I never thought of it like that."
"What are you decorating in?" Amelia asked.
"It's going to be a Star Wars, Doctor Who mashup."
"That sounds cool."
"What if you have a girl?" Rheia asked.
Meryn frowned. "It would be a Star Wars / Doctor Who mashup, why?"
Beth carefully bit into a taco, careful not to get anything on her fingers. "Don't try to make sense of it, Rheia, it's Meryn."
"Girls can like Star Wars and Doctor Who," Amelia argued.
Beth nodded. "Of course they can, but I don't think a two-month-old will be able to operate the interactive Death Star she ordered."
Amelia laughed. "That is awesome."
"Don't encourage her," Beth laughed.
Meryn popped another kale chip into her mouth. "Are you okay? I mean about Darian."
Amelia dug into her dinner. "He won't be able to say no forever. I'm just as stubborn as he is."
"Maybe we should meet tomorrow and come up with a plan of attack," Meryn suggested.
Amelia nodded. "Good idea."
The men exchanged concerned looks.
Beth buried her face in her hands. "Two of them; there's two."
Gavriel rubbed her back. "There, there dear."
Amelia looked over at Meryn and winked, and Meryn winked back.
"Gods help us all," Aiden muttered biting into his ninth taco.
*****
"Here you go," Keelan said, indicating the room next to Darian's. Now that she was up here, it hurt knowing that they would be in separate rooms, without saying so much as 'goodnight' to each other. Keelan opened the door and showed her around the two-room suite.
"Did you need help with the suitcases?" he asked, pointing to the large, silver rolling case.
Amelia laughed. "That's my makeup."
Keelan blinked. "And?"
"Just makeup."
"Wow. You promised Meryn and Beth makeovers tomorrow; would you like me to float this down for you and put it in Aiden's office?"
"Why Aiden's office?" she asked confused.
Keelan laughed. "It's actually Meryn and Beth's office, but Aiden would be in a foul mood for hours whenever we called it that, so we just call it Aiden's office to keep everyone happy."
"That would be great. I've never really mastered floating."
"What is your gift?" Keelan asked, sitting on the bed.
"Well, besides the generic stuff like candle lighting and fire balls, I'm an empath. I can use earth magic, though I haven't used that since I was a kid. I almost triggered a major earthquake when I was two. Caiden had to bind my powers since we lived close to a fault line." She sat next to him on the bed.
"Two powers, that's impressive. I have two as well. Premonition and air magic. I can float things or harden the air to create a shield. My brother, Kendrick, has four," he said proudly.
"You have the same powers as my eldest brother, Caiden. I knew Kendrick was powerful, but had no idea he had mastered four. I don't think anyone back home does either." Amelia was shocked. Even the elders usually had only mastered three.
"The guys here know and now you. He's very secretive about his powers. He said all he wants to do is record our history and read the archives."
"We need more men like your brother. Council politics are obnoxious. To use Meryn's Hogwarts analogy, it's like all the elders do is stand around whipping out their wands, trying to see who's the most powerful." Amelia had seen politics at work back home every time Caiden tried to get something for the unit warriors. Their first question was always how many prestigious bloodlines served in the units.
"So that hasn't changed, huh? The politics was one of the reasons I left Storm Keep. I couldn't live there anymore and keep my mouth shut. Kendrick is fine. He can just bury his head in some dusty manuscripts from a thousand years ago about the disadvantages of using water magic in an arid climate, but when it comes to people living in the here and now, he just doesn't care."
"You said you got into a disagreement with Kendrick before you left, what was it about?" Amelia turned and sat crossed-legged in front of him.
Keelan leaned back on his hands. "He didn't want me to join Alpha."
"You mean he didn't want you to be a unit warrior?"
He shook his head. "No, he didn't want me to join Alpha. He said he had a dream and that I would die as an Alpha Unit warrior, but here I am nearly two hundred years later, alive and kicking."
Amelia nodded enthusiastically. "Tell me about it! My brother Caiden practically ordered me to come back to Storm Keep because he saw me quote fall into darkness unquote."
Keelan laughed. "Premonitions are so vague, they might as well be useless. Well, for the most part they're vague." His voice got quiet and his expression became serious.
"What is it, Keelan?"
"I'll have to remember to thank Fate later for bringing you here, not just for Darian who has been like a brother, but for me as well."
Amelia raised a brow.
He smiled softly. "No, not like that. You're a witch who isn't a unit warrior. You've lived in Storm Keep and know how it can be there. Hell, you even know my brother. You'd understand..."
"Understand what?"
"The frustration our magic can cause."
"I take it y
our frustration is around premonitions?" She leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees.
Keelan nodded, and his eyes became unfocused. "I've been having the same nightmare every night, and every night, I try to change what happens in different ways, but nothing helps. I just wish that whatever or whoever is trying to send me a message would just come out and say it."
"You mean instead of 'fall into darkness', 'avoid assholes running stop signs'?" she asked.
Keelan laughed, his eyes coming back into focus. "Exactly! I knew you'd understand."
"All we can do is what we can, when we can. We'll face whatever it is to come, and if we get stuck, we can always call our brothers." She winked at him.
Keelan stood and stretched. "You know what? You're right." He turned to leave and paused. He turned back to her. "Darian really does care, you know?"
"I do know. Empath, remember?" She tapped her temple.
He winced. "Gods, that has to be awful. Remind me to kick his ass later."
"It wouldn't be so bad if we'd just met, but I've been dreaming of him my whole life. What if he just doesn't want me?" That was her biggest fear, that she wouldn't be enough to make him want to live, that her shortcomings would destroy his soul.
"Don't think like that. When I first moved in, I thought he was the noblest man I had ever met. You think Gavriel is courtly? Darian outshone him the way the sun outshines the moon. But over the years, it's like he just got tired. Nevertheless, I refuse to believe that who he is at his very core has changed. In his own way, he is protecting you. It's so ingrained in him to keep you safe that he won't risk you, not in any way, not even to save himself."
"I won't lose him, Keelan."
"We won't. I'll do anything I can to help. It's my hope that we can be friends as well."
She got up off the bed and gave him a hug. "I think we already are."
Blushing, he smiled. "Get some rest. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a long day."
"Premonition?" she joked as he walked toward the door.
He turned around and winced. "Darian is denying his mate, Meryn has vowed to help and I have a feeling you'd encourage her antics. Tomorrow is going to be a long day," he repeated. He walked over, grabbed her makeup case by the handle, and wheeled it toward the door. He turned and gave a wave.