"You're lucky I don't go anywhere without that stone. It's the one component that would be almost impossible to replace." She looked around. "If you can find me three different vampires to donate, I can start tonight. I just need a flat surface in a refrigerated unit for the bags of blood to sit on. Preferably, the plate and the blood will be the only items in the unit."
Ellie turned to Kendrick. "Can you call some warriors down? Rheia and I can clear out one of the smaller refrigeration units we have."
Kendrick gave them an evil grin. "I'd love to." He unclipped the walkie-talkie again. "Tree Beard, come in."
Whoever Tree Beard was, he took longer than the twins to respond. "Do you have any idea what time it is?" A surly voice responded.
"I need you, Godard and Viktor to report to the lab as soon as possible," Kendrick ordered.
"Bloody fucking hell."
"Carefu
l, women are present," Kendrick barked. He gave them a shit-eating grin that belied his anger.
"My apologies. We will be right down."
Kendrick was humming as he reattached the walkie-talkie.
Vivi stared. "Why did you derive so much pleasure from torturing him?"
Kendrick just gave her a sly smile. "Godard and Dimitri were in charge of Nigel and Neil before I got here. From what I heard they let the twins practically overdose on cookies then used them to create the hospital. Turnabout is fair play."
Vivi couldn't argue with that. "Good for you." She started looking around the lab until she saw a familiar silver and red case with her tags on it. Her lab equipment arrived before she did. She walked over and using her thumb, she unlocked the case. "What the hell?" Kendrick exclaimed leaning away from the case." Carefully she lifted the stone from its custom-made foam insert.
"May I?" Kendrick asked. He held out his hand.
She gently set it down on his palm. He swallowed hard looking a bit ill. Frowning he turned the innocuous gray stone over in his hands before passing it back to her. "Nasty piece of magic that. Who did you say created it for you?"
"I didn't." She held up a hand when he went to continue his questioning.
"Don't bother grilling me, I have no idea who it was. It was literally a back-alley transaction at the turn of the century. I never even saw their face."
"Damn," he muttered.
"Look at it this way, we know that this stone is used to help and heal people, not harm anyone," she pointed out.
"True," he said and straightened when a knock sounded at the door. Ellie was walking over to open it when Emeric moved between her and the door. "Why don't you let me open that chér?" He blew her a kiss and went to the door. "Who is it?"
"Godard, Dimitri and Viktor here to see Kendrick Ashwood," a male voice answered. Emeric opened the door and let the three warriors enter.
Vivi stared at the tall silver-haired warrior, when he smiled at her, she noticed he had violet eyes. "Are those contacts?" she asked.
He shook his head. "No, they run in the family." He looked her up and down. "It is rare to see red hair that deep on a vampire. You are a true beauty." His words were polite, but his eyes were flirting.
Kendrick cleared his throat from where he sat on his stool. "Dr. Vivian Mercy, this is Godard Kipling, Kappa's unit leader. The pretty boy with the freaky eyes is Viktor BelleRose, Iota's unit leader and Dimitri Romanov, Theta's unit leader. Gentlemen, this is Vivian Mercy, Etain Vi'Aerlin's mate." Kendrick stressed the word mate.
Viktor's eyes widened and he involuntarily stepped back. "My apologies doctor, I had no idea you had found your mate."
She smiled. "It's no problem."
Kendrick snorted. "Maybe for you, but I bet Etain would find it interesting to know that Viktor found his mate to be a rare beauty."
Viktor swallowed hard. "I do not see any reason to share that little piece of information with him."
Vivi laughed. "Etain is gentle and kind. I know he won't hold it against you."
Viktor, Dimitri and Godard stared before Dimitri shook his head. "Gentle and kind with you of course, you are his mate. However, he is one of the fiercest warriors the fae have ever produced. I would rather face down raging, bloodied berserkers than your mate when angered," he admitted.