Meryn shrugged. "I think practicing will help, but how much practice can they possibly get to override centuries of association? It's the Prince of the Vampires we're talking about."
"Good point. Listen, I will call the head of security myself this afternoon. Since most of the security that works for me are paranormals, they should be able to get here right away. They just have to go to the closest portal."
"They will report to me right? Not Magnus or Adriel or Aiden. To me," she asked.
"Yes. That is the way it works. If you enter into the contract, they will belong to you. You can have them protect you, Bethy, Aiden, anyone. They will report to you and do as you ask."
"Good." Relief filled Meryn's eyes.
They had just walked past the transport tunnel when Kari began to feel dizzy again. She called out to Meryn, but then looked down. She watched the floor move under her feet, and suddenly, she was looking down the Transport Tunnel.
"Kari?" she heard a voice ask.
She blinked, and it seemed like the blink took forever. She blinked again; the dizziness overwhelmed her, and just before she lost consciousness, she heard a scream.
*****
When she woke up, she looked around and groaned; she was back in the infirmary.
"I am really beginning to hate this place," she muttered.
She opened her eyes and looked over to see Tarragon at her side.
"If I didn't know any better I would say you had Bethy's luck."
She looked to her left where Declan was clutching her hand with a sick look on his face.
"I am okay," she assured him.
He just shook his head, unable to speak.
She swallowed hard at the desperate look in his eyes. "Please tell me someone broke this to Avery gently?" she asked, noticing her brother's absence.
Tarragon winced. "I had to sedate him. I think he has had too much thrown at him in the past couple days. Warrick is watching over him. He promised that they would spend a relaxing day in Avery's room, followed up with a quiet dinner."
She looked down at Declan. "How bad?" she whispered.
"If it weren't for Meryn, we would have lost you," he replied, his voice cracking.
She frowned and looked past Declan to see Meryn looking pale sitting in Aiden's lap. She had her arm in a sling.
"Are you okay?"
Aiden shared Declan's sick look. "She jumped in after you."
"I used my stone," Meryn said, smiling weakly. "I think it reacted to my sense of urgency. I was able to fly down the tunnel after you, but I'm not that strong so my arm got pulled a little."
"Denka reacted very quickly to your fall," Ryuu said, his voice tight. Fear and anger was coming off of him in waves. Kari knew that the fear stemmed from almost losing Meryn. She was willing to bet that the anger was directed at himself for not stopping her.
"Oh Meryn, you should not have put yourself in danger like that." Kari felt terrible. She tried to sit up and groaned. Her head began to pound. "What exactly happened?"
Declan gently ran a hand over her hair. "Don't you remember?"
"I remember feeling dizzy, looking down the tunnel, and I think I fell." She looked over at Meryn. "I think you screamed."
Meryn nodded. "Your face got a funny look, and then you literally turned around and walked back toward the tunnel. I don't think you fell; it looked like you jumped in."
"How did you catch me?"