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Anne was thankful for the interruption. She had to concentrate on Keelan now. After all, they told her that Keelan had said she was his mate.

She turned around and looked Kendrick in the eye. "What can be done for my mate?"

He flinched, and the muscle along his jaw tensed.

"Heika, ladies, I have brought refreshments," Ryuu announced as he carried in a large tray.

"Impeccable timing, as usual, Ryuu," Kendrick muttered.

"Of course, Heika." Ryuu set the tray down on the round table in the middle of the room. "I took the time to make another of your favorites, but if you prefer, I can take them back downstairs..."

Kendrick peeked over at the tray, his eyes betraying him. "Is that taiyaki?"

Ryuu nodded. "I have red bean paste and cheese filled."

"Anko?" Anne and Kendrick asked at the same time.

Ryuu smiled. "It's so refreshing having the two of you here. Yes, anko."

Anne stepped forward. "I'd like one of those, please, and more of that green tea if you have any."

"I'd like two of the anko and one cheese filled, Ryuu," Kendrick said.

Ryuu turned to Rheia. "None for me thanks, my tummy is a bit on the wobbly side lately. Just some tea would be great."

Kendrick turned to her. "How do you know what anko is?"

"How do you?" she asked him in response.

"I have traveled all over the world, including a nice long stay in Japan. You?"

Anne looked down at the floor. There was no way in hell she was going to admit to being the biggest otaku in the state, especially not to him or Ryuu. "I must have seen it on the travel channel or something," she mumbled.

"She speaks with a perfect accent. She must have seen many programs with native speakers for her to speak so well," Ryuu volunteered.

Kendrick smiled at the squire. "Thank you for making another one of my favorites. I won't scandalize you again by offering sexual favors."

Anne felt her eyes nearly pop out of her head. Kendrick was flirting with him? Ryuu not only knew his favorite foods, but made them for him as well? Could they be mates? Maybe the dreams she saw was showed an older version of Keelan after all.

Rheia sipped her tea. "While you two snack, can you tell us what spells you'll cast?"

Kendrick had just taken a huge bite of one fish-shaped treat. He went to answer and nearly choked. Laughing, Anne handed him his tea. When their fingers touched, she felt a jolt of electricity run down her arm. He gulped down his tea, his eyes never leaving hers. Finally, she looked away and picked up her own snack.

Unfaithful hormones!

Kendrick cleared his throat. "I'll be casting a stasis spell, which will prevent muscle atrophy. I have material that can be used as a diaper that is self-cleaning and a set of garments that will not only become whatever type of clothing you require, but will also keep him clean."

Anne turned to Rheia. "That would eliminate the need for a catheter or rectal Foley, which can cause necrosis." She turned to Kendrick. "Your stasis spell, would that also prevent bed sores?"

Kendrick nodded. "Yes, it will preserve the body exactly how it is now. Considering the fact that there is no current physical damage, it will keep him in ultimate health."

Anne ran through the mental checklist for coma patients. If she didn't have to worry about bathing, turning or changing Keelan, then there was little need for most of their equipment. "How does that self-cleaning diaper work?"

"I'll put it on Keelan in the same way a mother would diaper her baby. Any form of elimination is immediately disposed of and the body cleansed. It requires no maintenance or monitoring," Kendrick explained.

"I can do that for you if you'd rather not," she offered.

Kendrick shook his head. "It wouldn't be the first time I've put a diaper on Keelan. I raised him after our parents died."

Rheia sucked in her breath. "Kendrick, I didn't know. I'm so sorry. It must be hitting you twice as hard since you had to be both a brother and a parent. I can't imagine Penny being..." She stopped and swallowed hard. Ryuu wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"Is he on any type of medications?" Anne asked Rheia gently.

Rheia shook her head. "As Kendrick said, he wasn't hurt physically so there was no reason for antibiotics or painkillers."

"So the only thing he'll need is a feeding tube and an IV for hydration?" Anne asked out loud.

Rheia thought for a moment and nodded. "Kendrick's spell and magic items will actually help Keelan tremendously."

Anne looked over at Keelan. "Kendrick, Rheia, whenever the two of you are ready, let's get our boy comfortable."

CHAPTER FOUR

Anne, Rheia, and Ryuu left the room while he stripped Keelan and got him into his new clothes and diaper. Anne was Keelan's mate? His mind was racing. Anne was the woman from his dreams. The one he was sure was his own mate. What kind of mind fuck was Fate trying on him now? The way Anne had looked at him, he was certain that she had recognized him, too, but she had made it a point to call Keelan her mate.

He carefully buttoned up the pajama top and pulled the blanket up the way Keelan had liked it as a child.

All the way to my chin Ken-nick, so the monsters won't get me.

Do you think that there are monsters out there dumb enough to hurt you with me watching over you?

No, but just in case there are real, real, real dumb ones, tuck me in tight.


Tags: Alanea Alder Bewitched and Bewildered Romance