"Come on, we don't want them thinking we are talking about her," Anne said pulling Kendrick toward the door. He frowned. "But we are." Rolling her eyes she walked beside him through the doorway.
Colton looked down at Rheia his eyes shiny. "I want our Meryn back. Fix her," he pleaded.
Rheia bit her lip. "This may not be something I can fix, my love." Growling under his breath, he escorted his mate to dinner.
One by one, the couples made their way into the dining room. No one spoke. The silence was overwhelmingly oppressive. Everyone grasped for something to say and all efforts at small talk fell flat, creating an awkward miasma. As the courses were served everyone ate quietly. No one was laughing at some silly prank or story.
Across the table, Vivi watched Meryn closely. When she wasn't eating she sat with her hands folded in her lap. Her manners were impeccable to the point of being too proper.
"Uh... We've made some progress today," Ellie started, unable to take the silence anymore.
Magnus turned to Vivi. "Yes, please update us on the results of your trials." Even Vivi could tell he was trying to get a conversation going based on Ellie's cue.
Vivi cleared her throat. "We chose to inoculate half of the children with the first batch of donated blood from the warriors. Under the microscope, we are now able to see reactions from the virus as it fights off the vampire blood. I am estimating that the blood is able to destroy at least sixty percent of the virus before it begins to replicate itself."
"Sixty percent on the first trial? That is wonderful news." Magnus exclaimed sounding overly enthusiastic. He turned to Meryn. "Is that not joyous news Meryn?" he asked.
She nodded primly. "Yes, Your Highness, that seems to be felicitous news indeed."
"That is it!" Law growled. "Meryn, what in the hell is wrong with you?"
She gave him a frosty look. "I don't know what you mean."
Law waved at her. "You, all of you. It's not you," he fumbled.
Kendrick patted his shoulder. "Good job."
"He's just worried about you baby," Aiden said. He reached over to pull Meryn into his lap as usual when she slapped at his hands. "Don't act childish, it's embarrassing," she snapped.
Aiden recoiled back in shock looking sick. "What?" he whispered.
Suddenly, everything made sense. Meryn was acting the way she thought she should, so that she wouldn't cause problems for her mate. Something in the way she said the words 'childish' and 'embarrassing' sounded as though she were channeling someone else.
"Etain, my love. Why don't you tell Meryn what Aiden spent the afternoon doing," she suggested.
Frowning he looked down at her. She saw the moment of realization dawn in his eyes when he figured out what was going on. He nodded and squeezed her hand under the table. "Today I was privileged enough to witness something that will become legend. The retelling of this afternoon's events will be passed on from generation to generation for thousands of years to come."
Meryn looked at him. "What did you see?"
"Your mate, the Unit Commander, Aiden McKenzie challenging every level of Noctem Falls."
Meryn's head spun around to Aiden. "Why on earth did you do something like that?" she asked sounding more like herself and less like the wooden doll she was trying to be.
Aiden looked down at her, his wounded soul shining in his eyes. "Because I was tired of the people in this city hurting the most important person in my world."
Meryn's mouth dropped. "You fought an entire city... for me? Why! They're just gonna hate you now, and it's all my fault!" she buried her face in her hands.
Aiden couldn't bear it a second more and scooped her into his lap. She thrashed around, but he didn't let her go. "What makes you think I care if they hate me? They're a city of douchebags right?" he asked.
She stopped wiggling and looked up at him her eyes narrowing. "Are you seriously quoting me back at me?"
"I'll do whatever it takes to protect you," he growled. "You are mine, made perfect just for me! What makes you think I want a mini version of Daphne Bowers?" he asked shuddering. "I want my tiny, mouthy, crazy, quirky, brilliant mate to throw things at me, accidentally shoot me and beat me with my toilet!" he roared breathing heavily.
Meryn's mouth twitched and a moment later the air around her shimmered until she was wearing her Cheeto stained Pikachu pajamas. "I knew you were a mannequin."
Aiden rolled his eyes. "Masochist baby. The word is masochist."