CHAPTER FOUR
When Etain woke he honestly thought he was dying. It was a physical effort to peel one eye open. The other one was beyond him. He looked down and froze. Where were his clothes? What happened with his mate last night? He had to suppress a groan. Though he was still in the process of waking up, his body was raring to go, he was harder than he had ever been in his entire life, and mate's rounded backside was pressed against his overly enthusiastic groin sending shockwaves of pleasure through him.
His traitorous arm was wrapped around her waist and was cupping one of her full breasts in his hand. He closed his eye and rested his cheek against the back of her head.
"I'm awake you know." He pried both eyelids open as his mate turned in his arms to face him. "You alive?" she asked grinning.
"I am not quite sure." He turned his head sharply to one side and sighed in relief when it cracked.
There was a knock at the door. "Wake up! Rise and shine kiddos! If you don't hurry you won't get any of my cinnamon rolls."
"Your squire is a sadist," he grunted.
She snuggled in under his chin, and he kissed the top of her head.
"Did you try to keep up with him?" she asked.
"Yes, though I do not believe I did a very good job. There was drinking, singing and..." He winced. "I think I may have promised to name our first child Hal."
She giggled. "Have you seen my squire? What on earth made you think you could keep up?"
"I could not say no." Even to his own ears his explanation sounded pathetic. "I am sorry about ruining our first night together. I assure you I usually never overindulge like this," he whispered his apology feeling as though he had ruined their mating.
She pulled back to look up at him. "You took the first steps toward building a relationship with a man who has been my like a father to me all these years. I could never hold that against you. I know you made an impression. He doesn't make cinnamon rolls for just anyone." She kissed his chest.
He felt a renewed sense of hope. Maybe he had a chance after all.
"How did things go in the lab?" he asked, forcing his eyes to focus. He could have sworn he had perfect vision before the whiskey.
She frowned. "The virus is no longer visible, so we will be trying a method I developed using vampire blood to help treat the sick."
"You found a way around the bonding?"
"Yes, though I've never tried it on shifters." There was trepidation in her eyes.
He kissed the tip of her nose. "If anyone can figure it out it is you. I have the utmost faith in your abilities."
"You have no idea what the process entails, and you believe in me?" she asked.
"Of course I do. Even without Broderick and Ellie singing your praises, your dedication to helping to eradicate this sickness was proven last night when, before resting, you insisted on seeing the lab. Ellie called, and you got here eight hours later. That speaks volumes to me, and I am sure to others," he explained.
There was another banging on the door. "Ten minutes! Breakfast is in the prince's quarters, in the dining room."
Etain felt his heart begin to race at the heated look in his mate's eyes.
"Ten minutes is plenty of time," she said huskily.
His hangover was immediately forgotten. "What did you have in mind?"
She pushed him on to his back and straddled his waist. Smiling seductively she easily pulled her shirt off over her head tossing it to the floor. "I'm hungry."
Etain stared up at the siren above him. Her gorgeous red hair seemed to float about her shoulders to drape over her pale breasts. Her normally stormy grey eyes were edging a ruby red that matched her hair beautifully.
He wrapped his hands about her rounded hips. "I am all yours. From this moment forward I will be all you need. I am your mate. It is my right and my duty to feed you. I offer all of myself to you." He recited the words he had learned upon moving to the city; the words that would allow a vampire to truly relax and get the most of their feeding from their mate.
The hungry look in her eyes softened at his declaration before she bent over him slowly. "Thank you, my mate," she whispered. Slowly, as the tips of her nipples teased his chest he felt her lean in toward his neck. He thought he had been hard before, he was wrong. Her slow seduction had him feeling like his cock would shatter.
She licked and teased his neck until he was panting heavily and gripping at their covers. "You're killing me," he gasped.
He heard her chuckle before her fangs sunk deep. "Gods above!" he shouted as pleasure so intense rocked him to his core. Every time she swallowed it felt as if she were milking his cock.
Without thought he bucked his hips desperate for any type of friction. She continued to feed, but one hand snaked down his body. When her soft fingers wrapped around him, he detonated.
He shouted from the intensity of the orgasm as it reduced him to a shuddering mass. When she finished she daintily licked his neck and sat back looking like the cat that ate the canary. There was a slight hint of red at the corner of her mouth. Where her mound rested against him, her liquid satisfaction seeped onto his body telling him exactly how much she had enjoyed her feeding as well.
Etain was still trying to remember how to breathe when she hopped down and padded toward the bathroom. She looked back and smiled. "That was one of the most pleasurable moments of my life." She gave him an evil look. "You have six minutes to recover, shower and dress." Chuckling she made her way to the bathroom.
"Of course she is a sadist. She was raised by that damn squire," he muttered as his heart remembered how to beat. Inside the bathroom he heard her laugh. Smiling, he stretched his body reveling in how good he felt. As far as hangover cures went, that had to be the best one he had ever experienced.
*****
Vivi watched in fascination as the tiny human ate one cinnamon roll after another. Where was she putting them?
Hal assisted Ryuu and Sebastian in serving breakfast. There was a satisfied smile on her squire's face as Meryn whimpered and groaned over his cinnamon rolls. He met Vivi's eye. "This is the first new food she has indulged in since arriving in the city. Evidently, she's been living off of pudding, meat pies and meat kebobs," he preened.
Meryn swayed back and forth in her seat eyes closed engrossed in her foodgasm. Between Meryn and Aiden, her favorite breakfast treat was disappearing quickly.
Hal set a platter of fresh rolls in front of her. He smiled at her. "I know they're your favorite."
"You spoil me," she breathed and reached for the platter. She piled her plate high with six rolls. When she looked over at her mate he was watching her with a surprised look on his face. "Are they that good?"
She took a bite and paused. They were better than usual. She chewed quickly. "Hal, why are they different?"
Hal gave her a sly smile. "Good different? Or bad different?"
"Definitely good different. Damn, Hal, these are amazing!" she quickly polished off her six and reached for more.
She glanced over at her mate's plate, which was still empty. Frowning she picked it up and stacked the fresh rolls one on top of the other. She handed it back to him. "I am sharing these with you because you are my mate."
Etain looked down at his plate. "I don't think I can eat all these."
Moans from the other end of the table had both her and her mate turning. Declan and Colton looked to be in the midst of convulsions. Etain looked down at his plate and picked up a roll. He took a healthy bite and his eyes rolled back in his head. Vivi snickered. She had seen that expression not twenty minutes ago.
Etain would chew, then take another bite, then chew. Somewhere in that process he swallowed and reached for more rolls. He looked over at Hal. "I forgive you for trying to kill me last night." He chewed slowly. "Is this that Ceylon fae cinnamon Ryuu has been using?"
Hal nodded. "When I saw it in the kitchen, I had to try it. It's impossible to get in the human world."
"It's exactly what Meryn needs as well," Marjoram added. She turned to Vivi. "I knew it was only a matter of time before the two of you showed up."
"You have worked wonders here Marjoram, but I expected nothing less when I heard you and Ellie were here," Vivi said giving the woman a warm smile. Marjoram was her adopted grandmother, and she couldn't help mothering her whenever she visited Ellie. Vivi soaked up the attention like a flower reaching for the sun.
Vivi looked around. "Where is Ellie?"
Marjoram placed a single roll on her plate. "She and Rheia are upstairs doing a morning sweep of the hospital. They should be here any moment."
"I want to live off of pudding and cinnamon rolls and coffee," Meryn leaned back in her chair patting her distended stomach.
Ryuu smiled fondly at his charge. "I am sure that we can add a few more things to that list denka."
"I think I have hurt myself," a dark-haired young man groaned. "It was worth it though." He looked at her and gave her a goofy smile. "Not the best way to present myself as an Alpha is it?" he joked.
She smiled her reassurance. "I think under the circumstances it's understandable."
"I'm Stefan Bolivar, the Alpha of the Wolftown pack. I've been spoiled by being able to come down here for some meals when we do updates. I swear I've gained five pounds in a week." He looked over at Meryn. "By the way. I spoke to my brother Cristo about you, how I couldn't place your scent. He's very curious, not much gets past a wolf's sense of smell. He said he would swing by to meet you." He frowned. "I'll wait until he's here to update him on some of the more complicated details regarding this sickness."
Meryn shrugged. "Whatever floats your boat."
"Speaking of updates," Kendrick began. He spoke softly as the air pressure changed while he soundproofed the room. He stood and looked around the table. "We ran into a bit of a snag last night."
"Snag?" Magnus asked leaning forward.
Kendrick nodded. "For some reason all traces of the virus have disappeared from our prepared samples." He held up a hand as he saw Adriel and Aiden gearing up for questions. "They were not tampered with, even all traces of magic are gone."
Stefan sat back looking pale. "What are we going to do? Nearly a quarter of my pack are ill."
Vivi mimicked Kendrick and stood. "That is where I come in. In an effort to improve upon my people's food source, I have been studying human blood and disease for as far back as science allowed. I think I may have a way to use vampire blood to help heal the sick, without the typical bonding taking place."
Gavriel blinked. "How?"
"By using the best of science and magic, though, in an effort to keep everything transparent, I have never used this method on shifters before, only humans."
"Success rate?" Magnus asked looking hopeful.
"Once I was able to figure out the correct balance of methods using a bespelled stone and a mixture of different donors for vampire blood, one hundred percent."
Magnus sat back exhaling. "Thank the gods!"
Vivi shook her head. "Don't thank them yet. Shifters metabolize much faster than humans. Last night, we prepared donations from three warriors. They should be about ready for trial runs. I am confident this method will help, but I cannot guarantee any results."
Magnus shook his head. "You have given us hope, that means more than any guarantee." He looked at her then Kendrick. "When can we start administering?"
Kendrick was about to respond when Colton's walkie-talkie crackled startling everyone. "Colton! I need you, Aiden, Gavriel, and Beth up here now! We just had three vampires show up sick! I also need Anne desperately! Shit just hit the fan!" Rheia's voice called out frantically.
Vivi didn't know the woman well, but she didn't seem the type to get hysterical. Judging from the way the men practically leapt to their feet she knew she was right in her assumption.
Colton, Anne, Kendrick, Aiden, Gavriel, Beth, Adriel, Eva and Stefan bolted from the room. Declan hurried out with Grant and Micah. He was speaking into his walkie talkie to the other unit warriors coordinating their efforts to station men on different levels to prevent mass panic. Magnus along with Rex, Kari, Caspian and Broderick headed to his office to start fielding questions. Vivi stood unsure of what to do. She was medically trained, but she didn't have much experience in hospitals working directly with the sick. She was much more comfortable behind the scenes, sequestered in her lab.
Marjoram wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Get to the lab and start the first batches of the treatment. When they are ready, call out directly to me on those walkie-talkies, I will be listening for you. I will come down here and take them to Level Six to be administered."
Vivi sagged in relief. "Thank you."
Marjoram kissed her temple. "You are our best bet in beating this thing. Your place is in the lab dear heart." She turned to Sebastian, Ryuu and Hal. "Okay gentlemen, we will need a lot of easy to eat foods of two varieties for our loved ones. Spicy dishes to pique their tastebuds and get them hungry and blander food that will sit well."
Sebastian nodded and turned to the other two squires. "I have a few ideas if you are able to help."
Hal had already started to clean up after breakfast. "You just try to keep me out of that kitchen. I have a few dishes I need to make for my Vivi too. They will help with eye fatigue and anxiety."
"You're too good to me," Vivi blew him a kiss.
She looked at Meryn who was still munching away on a cinnamon roll. When the room got silent Meryn looked up. "What?"
Vivi frowned. Shouldn't the small human be doing something? "What are you going to do?" she asked.
Meryn laid out a cloth napkin in an empty basket and started placing cinnamon rolls in its center before folding the sides up. "I'm going to my bat cave to give the twins some cinnamon rolls and let them know their morning lessons with Kendrick are cancelled. He can swing by to get them later for lab work." She scrunched up her nose. "Then I'm going to see what I can do to create a PA system. I'm sure Magnus will want to put out some sort of general announcement fibbing about how everything is 'under control' and those pin message boards they use now on each level suck."
Vivi blinked. She hadn't expected for her to have thought that far ahead. "You're doing very well in staying so calm."
Ryuu coughed and Meryn snorted before giving her a droll look. "I'm not really a people person. I don't know anyone who is sick, so why would I be upset?"
Vivi had no idea what to say to that. Usually, people weren't so blunt about not caring about their fellow man. She found it surprisingly refreshing. "Good luck," she finally said. Meryn waved and headed out the door.
Ryuu turned to Sebastian. "As long as Meryn stays in her bat cave, as it were, you can count on me in the kitchen. I need to prepare her a more healthy snack for later to balance out the obscene amount of sugar she ingested for breakfast."
Vivi turned to Etain. "Can you stay with Meryn on guard duty? If Kendrick makes his way back to the lab he may need Law."
Her mate frowned. "I would rather stay with you, but, unfortunately what you suggest is the best course of action." He turned to Law. "Nothing better happen to my mate under your watch."
Law gave Etain a flat look. "You mean I shouldn't hand her over to the ferals with a bow wrapped around her neck?" he asked sarcastically.
Vivi smiled when her mate's face darkened. When he moved toward the witch, she intercepted him. Wrapping her arms about his waist, she stepped up on tip toe to kiss him. His arms tightened around her, and she enjoyed his embrace for a moment before stepping back. "I'll be perfectly safe in the lab," she paused. "Though I can't say the same for you with the little human. If she throws anything...duck."
Behind her Law chuckled as Etain leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I will do my best to stay out of her way." Reluctantly, she stepped away from her mate and headed toward the lab.
Once in the lab, she went immediately to the refrigeration unit where she placed the previous night's donations. When she opened the door, she was disappointed to see that the stone was only a dark gray. The blood would be ready when the stone turned pitch black. After the stone was finished processing she would remove the bags, and it would need to recharge. They would have to wait until it lightened from black to light gray for it to be used again.
She turned to Law. "We still have some time. By the look of the stone maybe another hour or so. Then we'll have to slowly bring the blood up to temperature."
"Does it normally take this long for the blood to be processed on the stone?" he asked.
"No, at least it has never taken this long before. I can only assume it's because we are using older blood. There's a lot more potency to it."
"So, what do we do in the mean time?"
"We can prep the injectors. I use jet injectors because they are needle-free, so we should be able to administer quickly once the blood in finished processing."
"Sounds like a plan."
When she checked the blood a half an hour later, the stone was ink black. "We're good." She pulled both the bags of blood and the stone from the refrigerator. She carefully returned the stone back to its case to recharge.
She placed the bags of blood into a water bath unit and set the temperature to one hundred degrees, hotter than a human, but just about right for a shifter. It would cool in a bit in transit, but should still be warm enough to be used.
Placing a sample of each donor on a slide, she observed them carefully under the microscope. In vampire blood, older red blood cells were slightly larger than their younger counterparts, but not by much. In fact, she discovered that it was nearly impossible to measure the differences from a scientific stand point. She was simply going by decades of experience to ensure that no one blood strain overpowered the other causing a bond to form. It was a tedious process, but a necessary one.
Together with Law she filled the long cylinders of six injector guns. When they were done she stepped back. "Time to call Marjoram."
Law handed her his walkie-talkie. She looked at it. "Do I just press the button?"
He shrugged. "The little genius gave us call names and said we should use proper walkie-talkie etiquette, but I think you'll be fine if you just call out for Marjoram."
Vivi pressed the side button. "Um Marjoram?"
Moments later, she had a response. "Is it ready?" she asked, with no preamble.
"Yes, I have six injector guns here ready for distribution."
"Injector guns? Really? My, aren't we fancy? That should make this entire process, quick and painless. Thank the gods you were called in. I'll be right down."
"Hey guys, are you heading up to Level Six?"
Vivi turned around was surprised to see her mate and Meryn coming through the door. "We hadn't planned on it why?"
Meryn held up a bag. "I need these installed on Level Six. They are bluetooth compliant speakers. I should be able to get them set up using an iPad, but they kinda have to be in place. I figured we would need to make announcements there first."
Vivi reached for the walkie talkie. "Never mind Marjoram, we're heading up."
"Okay dear, see you soon."
Meryn frowned at her. "You didn't use her call sign."
"That's because I don't know it."
"Oh. Yeah. I should make a list or something."
"Come along Tiny, we'll go with you up to Level Six."
"I know you are but what am I?" Meryn retorted.
Vivi reached out and ruffled Meryn's hair making it stick up in every direction. "Let's go Frodo."
"I swear I will glue your eyelids shut. I have practice!" Meryn threatened.
Etain wrapped an arm around Vivi's waist. "Please do not antagonize the genius." Meryn half turned and stuck her tongue out at her.
"I can't help it. She's like a bratty kid sister. It's fun."
Law stayed next to Meryn as they floated up the tunnel.
"I am not a brat," Meryn protested as they reached Level Six.
"Whatever Frodo." Vivi grinned when Meryn glared at her through narrow slitted eyes. "I have lash glue, and I'm not afraid to use it."
"Bring it on. I have needles at my disposal."
Meryn pursed her lips. "Good point." She turned in the direction of the hospital and groaned. "Not you again."
The tunnel escort glared at her. "I hope you are happy. I hear vampires are sick now. You and your human ideals have brought us nothing but trouble. It is not enough that you are an embarrassment to your mate, but you have also somehow put our prince under your spell."
Vivi watched as all the color drained from Meryn's face. "I'm a what?"
The tunnel escort turned his nose up at her. "You are too stupid to know what a laughingstock you are. Everyone feels sorry for your mate. The once great Unit Commander brought low by a worthless female. He would be better off without you."
Vivi felt an icy calm spread through her body. Before either her mate or Law could react, she was standing in front of the tunnel escort. He blinked once before she drove the tips of her fingers into his throat.
"Didn't your mother ever tell you that if you didn't have anything nice to say, to not say anything at all?"
The escort dropped to his knees gasping. Behind her she heard Law speaking to Etain. "I never even saw her move."
"Neither did I," Etain admitted, sounding astonished.
"You...you... feel as I do. I heard you calling her names," the escort choked out the words.
Vivi stared down at the insignificant man. "My mate adores her. My best friend trusts her, and my squire has been enchanted by her. That makes her like family. I can call her a bratty little hobbit. You can't." She kicked the escort in the face sending him sprawling on his back. She casually walked over and placed her foot on his throat. She smiled when his eyes began to bulge.
She had never felt so calm in her life. The detachment she felt as his lips began to turn blue was almost liberating. "You would do well to remember to never, ever cross me."
There was stark terror in the escort's eyes as he tried to nod with her shoe under his chin.
Warm arms encircled her from behind pulling her against a muscled body. "I think he understands now my love," her mate whispered into her ear.
His spoken words seemed to sift down over her like a golden mist, chasing away the cold darkness. "Good." She managed to keep her voice even as she removed her foot and watched him scramble on all fours. He crawled to the tunnel and pitched forward out of sight.
Vivi turned to look at Meryn. She was shocked to see that the small human was somehow diminished. She seemed even smaller than before.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
When Meryn looked up, her eyes were without light or personality. "Yes. I am fine." She looked up at Law. "I can show you where to put the speakers."
Law turned to them as if unsure of what to do. Etain stepped beside Vivi and took her hand. "Help her install the speakers then take her directly downstairs to her squire. We will drop off the injectors and join you later."
Law nodded, concern still clearly written on his face. "I am yours to command Red Queen, show me where you want me to float your speakers." He followed Meryn when she turned and left without another word.
Etain looked down at Vivi. "I am worried about her," he sighed. "Ryuu will probably slow roast me over a spit for letting this happen. I assured him that I would keep her safe when we let him know we were coming up here to install those bloody speakers." His eyes searched hers. "Are you well? You didn't seem like yourself for a moment," he asked rubbing his thumb over her lips.
"I would be lying if I said yes. I don't think I've ever been that mad before in my life. I do care for Meryn, but it was more than that. His words echoed a thousand different men over the years. 'You're just a woman.' 'You're worthless.' 'Give up.' 'You'll never get a man acting like one.'." She swallowed hard. "I think seeing the devastation on her face was just the last straw."
Etain cleared his throat. "Would it be entirely inappropriate if I told you how incredibly sexy you looked with your foot on his throat like that?"
Vivi felt the protective ice that had formed during the altercation begin to melt. Her lips twitched as she tried not to smile. "Is that right?"
He leaned down and began to nibble on the side of her neck. "How about after we drop off the treatment, I escort you down to the Unit Level and show you my home."
Vivi tilted her head to give him more access to her neck. "You mean where there aren't any squires to interrupt?"
"Exactly," he breathed into her ear sending shivers down her spine.
"Lead the way my love," she pointed toward the hospital.
Etain pulled back and met her eyes. "Love?"
"I meant it, did you?"
His golden eyes darkened to a burnt amber color. "Once we are alone, I will show you how much I meant it."
"Deal."
She hadn't grown up around mated couples, so she had no idea if the flood of emotions she felt for this warrior were true, but, she found she didn't care. She was going to dig her fingers into the swirling mass of desires and outright need and never, ever let him go.