Etain tilted his head to one side. "What is smexy?"
"It means smart and sexy," she explained.
"Then I'm smute!" Meryn declared.
"Smute?" Vivi questioned.
"Yeah, smart and cute."
Vivi eyed the small human. "Are you sure about the smart bit?"
Meryn glared at her. "Are you sure about the sexy bit?"
Vivi stuck out her tongue and Meryn reciprocated.
Etain wrapped an arm around her. "So dignified," he chuckled.
Meryn pointed to her belly. "Congratulations on Vi-three two-point-oh."
"Huh?" Vivi asked.
"Well your name is Vivian, but you go by Vivi. Then you changed your last name to Vi'Aerlin, so that's like three 'Vi's. So your kid is Vi-three two-point-oh." She gave her a sly smile. "Or maybe Bella, if she turns out to be a sparkly fae vampire."
Vivi's mouth dropped. "That's low."
Meryn giggled. "Fine. No sparkly vampires."
Vivi rubbed her temples. "Great, now that image is stuck in my head."
"At least she isn't calling your baby a jackalope," Beth said.
Vivi couldn't help but laughing. "A bunny with fangs," she looked from Beth to Gavriel. "That's too much."
Beth sighed. "I know."
Vivi turned to Gavriel. "Any word as to what may have happened at the entry door?"
Gavriel shook his head. "No one saw anything. Marek said one moment he heard the commotion coming from Level Six when you were attacked then nothing. He woke up on the floor, his head splitting and the Grand Hall door was open. We are doing a level by level head count, but that will take some time."
"Yeah, because there are a shit ton of people on the census," Meryn added.
Gavriel gave her a droll look. "It is a pillar city Meryn."
Meryn rolled her eyes. "I keep envisioning people hibernating in little caves like bees in a beehive. Stacked up in little tubes."
Beth laughed. "When the virus has been cured, I will take you on a full tour of the city. There are whole towns on each level you haven't seen yet."
"Nah. I think I'll just stay in my bat cave. People irritate me," Meryn said shaking her head. Beth rolled her eyes.
Etain leaned down. "I'll be right back."
She looked around and noticed that Adriel, Micah, Grant and Declan were waiting by the door. "Be safe," she whispered.
"Always."
Vivi watched her mate walk out with his fellow unit warrior and smiled. Whatever they were up, to she'd find out about later. For now, she had a midget to torture.
*****