DeLaFontaine's face drained of color. "Gods, what has that idiot escort done now?"
"Five minutes I will wait. After that I will assume everyone on this level has nothing to say. After I leave this level all bets are off," Aiden looked at his watch. "Four minutes and thirty seconds."
DeLaFontaine scrambled away from the door and a moment later runners were heading in every direction.
Aiden cracked his knuckles. "While we wait, fetch your mouthy tunnel escort, I am challenging him directly."
DeLaFontaine nodded. "Of course."
Etain had never been more proud to call himself a unit warrior. Aiden McKenzie through action and deed had proven over and over again through the centuries how deserving he was of his rank. It was moments like this, not his bloodline, that earned him the respect and admiration of every unit warrior across the country.
Etain knew he would never forget this moment for as long as he lived. He knew he was witnessing something that would live as legend throughout his long lifetime. He would do anything and everything possible to ensure that Aiden saw this through to the end.
DeLaFontaine dropped a struggling man at their feet. "Commander, he is all yours. I hope that this small show of support on my part helps to prove that I do not share this worm's feelings."
Aiden simply nodded before kicking the escort in the teeth, much in the same way Vivi had earlier that afternoon. "Get up you sack of shit. I am going to remove my mate's name from your mouth physically. When I am done with you, you will never again look in her direction. You won't even stand in the same proximity as her, stealing her air."
Etain stood feet spread, hands clasped behind his back and watched as Aiden McKenzie beat the living hell out of the man who had hurt his small mate. Now he understood what he had meant by Level Five first. The commander was only getting started.
*****
"Do you think they're okay?" Vivi asked for the third time.
Anne snorted. "I think they are just fine. I would hate to be anyone standing in their way."
Ellie's eyes were huge. "I've never seen a shifter that close to third form before. He was hanging on by a thread."
Anne sighed happily. "That's how much he loves her."
"I would tear apart continents for you my love," Kendrick interjected.
The three women looked over at him, and Anne nodded. "Of course you would." They exchanged looks and laughed.
"I am feeling very left out over here," Kendrick said pouting.
Anne popped up off her stool. "My poor mate." She walked over and kissed his face repeatedly.
Vivi relaxed against the lab counter. Rheia and Marjoram were doing another sweep at the hospital seeing if there were any major changes with the children. So far, the children were doing well. According to Ellie, they looked better than she had ever seen them.
Rheia was also responsible for securing three new donations for further trials. Per Magnus' request, the second batch of donated blood would be coming from the citizens on Level Six. He didn't want the warriors contributing to the point of being pulled from their normal duties. His reasoning was that there was plenty of vampire blood in a city of vampires.
Vivi watched as Anne placated her mate when the book he was holding caught her attention. It was black with blood-red lettering. "Kendrick, what's that book?"
Kendrick held up the heavy volume. "A gift from our little midget. She saw it in Magnus' treasure trove and picked it up for me. She said and I quote, 'It's black and looks like it's written in blood, I thought of you.'" He glanced down at the book. "I am very glad she brought it to me. I hate to think what this could do in the wrong hands."
"Black magic?" Vivi asked.
He nodded gravely. "It makes your stone look like a fidget spinner."
Vivi winced. "I wonder what else she got."
Kendrick's answering grin was terrifying. "Something for Felix."
"I don't even want to know," Anne admitted.
"Did she get anything for herself?" Ellie wondered out loud.