"What pregnant? Technically ... yes. You never did pick up condoms when you raided the grocery store for tampons. Maybe, but I don't think so," she stopped and looked down at her hands and counted. "Yeah, maybe. But if you want to explore the possibility of getting me pregnant, I won't wear the amulet. That is, if you go buy condoms."
"We can have a baby if I go buy condoms?" Aiden asked breathlessly.
"That's kinda contradictory, but yes." Meryn nodded.
Aiden looked the other men.
"Ryuu, I'm leaving my mate with you. Come on, men." He bolted for the front door.
Gavriel kissed her cheek then joined the other men as they followed Aiden out of the room.
Ryuu shook his head as he stacked the plates on his arm. "Meryn, you are terrible."
Grinning, she popped the last bite into her mouth. "That should keep him busy for a while."
Elizabeth chuckled. "Won't you have to get pregnant now?"
Meryn shrugged. "I think I may already be pregnant, it's why I haven't put the amulet on. I'm not sure what it would do to Meryn 2.0."
Elizabeth and Ryuu stared at Meryn. Finally Ryuu asked the question bouncing around her own head. "Then why did you tell him to get condoms?"
Meryn shrugged and spread her hands. "Because it will be funny watching him try to use them later?"
Elizabeth grabbed her stomach and laughed so hard she thought she was going to wet herself.
"Meryn, I think you're my hero," she said gasping for air.
"I know. I kick ass!"
Laughing, Ryuu leaned down and kissed Meryn's forehead before carrying the plates to the kitchen.
My little sister is very kick ass.
CHAPTER NINE
Gavriel leaned his head back against the headrest as his commander drove at break neck speeds towards the Duck In. What he really wanted was to be snuggled up with his own mate, but he knew that this was important to Aiden. The bear shifter had been dreaming of a family for centuries.
"Okay men. You heard her. We need to buy condoms; I think it may help her to get pregnant," Aiden said, laying out the mission.
"What are condoms? Do paranormals use them?" Keelan asked.
Darian shook his head. "I've never heard of them. Have you Gavriel?" Darian, Colton and Keelan turned to face him.
"I have a vague idea of what they are. I know the practice of using them started amongst humans hundreds of years ago," Gavriel said. Beyond that he didn't know much.
"Is there a human handbook? Ever since Meryn has moved in, I'm discovering that I don't know as much as I thought I did about their daily lives. It's humbling," Darian complained.
"We don't need a handbook. We have Bart. He's the older gentleman we met at the grocery store the last time we went. He is a great source of knowledge." Aiden said.
"What if he's not there?" Colton asked.
"Good point. Keelan use your phone and go to The Google and see what it has to say about condoms," Aiden ordered.
Keelan took out his phone and his face was lit up by its soft white light. As the miles flew by Keelan's frown grew deeper and deeper. As they were pulling into the parking lot Gavriel noticed that the young witch was blushing and his ears were scarlet.
Aiden turned off the ignition and turned around in the driver's seat to face Keelan.
"Report," he said.
"Umm, sir, can we just go in and check something?" Keelan stared down at his phone unable to meet his commander's eyes.
"Didn't The Google have anything?" Aiden asked.
"Sir, it's awfully hot in here. I'm going inside." Keelan opened the door, practically jumped out and slammed the door behind him. Aiden stared at the now empty seat, a surprised look on his face.
"What's wrong with him?" Aiden pointed out the window where Keelan waited for them by the sliding entrance door.
"Aiden, according to Meryn, condoms deal with pregnancy, maybe he's embarrassed. He is young after all," Gavriel suggested.
A look of sympathetic understanding crossed Aiden's face. "Of course. Okay, men. Just like last time. Call out when you find them my future son depends on us and the success of this mission," Aiden said in a passion-filled voice.
Darian crossed his arm over his chest in salute. "You can count on us, sir."
Colton nodded. "Let's do this." He reached behind him and pulled out his nine millimeter. He checked the chamber, secured the safety and returned it to the holster.
Aiden hesitated before saying. "Colton, I don't think we'll be attacked at the Duck In."
Colton raised an eyebrow. "And until today I wouldn't have thought that ferals had balls big enough to approach Gavriel of all people next to the Alpha estate either. Things change."
Aiden nodded after a moment. "You men always help me to think when I'm distracted."
Colton grinned and opened his car door. "No extra charge."
Gavriel waited for Darian to get out before he climbed out of the third row passenger seat. He liked sitting back there; it was like he had the entire back of the SUV to himself.
They met up with Keelan who was still the color of a tomato and went inside. They walked in and from across the store they heard a familiar male chuckle.
"I see all your boys are with you now. What'da do this time?" Bart chuckled.
"Nothing, my woman asked me to pick something up," Aiden announced across the store.