My Commander (Bewitched and Bewildered #1) (28 page)

"Yes." The Elder hissed.

"Dagger? Rapier? Gun? Martial arts?" Meryn continued.

"Yes of course! What does that have to do with anything?" He demanded.

"Because that makes you more able to handle a feral attack than most of the city. Now shut your fucking mouth and get out of my way before I assign you to a unit for patrol." Meryn's insides were shaking she was so mad. How dare he insult Aiden!

The vampire Elder's mouth moved but no words came out. Just when she thought his head would explode he turned and stamped down the hallway. When the slamming door echoed through the hall Meryn turned back to Sascha.

"Sascha take Gamma and two units of your choosing and set up an outer perimeter. The other two units set up patrols in the city. Alpha stays here to guard Aiden. Check in with each other on your handhelds every ten minutes." When she finished no one moved.

"
Today
gentleman and someone find me a motherfucking map!"
 

Sascha smirking, snapped his heels together and gave her a salute, the men followed his example grinning from ear to ear. They dispersed. Meryn exhaled.

Byron pulled her into a hug. "That's my girl!"

"I think they were scared of my gun." Meryn held up the tiny revolver.
 

Byron nodded and with a straight face agreed. "I'm sure that's why."
 

Meryn put her gun in the holster and looked up at Ryuu. There was pride shining from his eyes that warmed Meryn. She rubbed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I will definitely need another cup of coffee."

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

It was after five o'clock before they had an unused treatment room across the hall from Aiden's set up as their command central. Colton handed her a map and she laid it out on a gurney.

"Mark where the attacks have been." She handed him a pen. He circled two locations almost directly across from each other. She picked up the handheld.

"Gamma Kitten One, Gamma Kitten One, come back, over." Meryn released the button.

"Is this really necessary?" Sascha replied.

"Yes, and you didn't say 'over'. When Aiden gets up I'm going to go over how ridiculously lax your security is when it comes to technology. Anyway, assign a heavier concentration of men north and south of the city, they have already hit east and west. It looks like they are trying to keep the warriors on the outskirts of town. Tell the two units in the city to keep their eyes open."

"Roger that, over and out."

"Normally six units are more than enough to keep the city safe, now we're stretched so thin." Byron observed. Meryn looked up and realized if anyone, he should be in charge.

"Dad, I'm so sorry, you should be doing this." She indicated to the map.

He shook his head. "You're doing just fine. You've done everything exactly as I would have done. Have you studied battle strategy?" He asked.

"No, but I do play World of Warcraft."

"Sounds useful, you'll have to show me later."
 

Meryn smiled slyly. "Sure, I bet you would love it."

Meryn looked up and saw Adair sitting with his mother, her eyes then went to Colton. She looked back to Adair then back to Colton again.
 

Colton pushed himself off the wall and stepped forward. "What?"

"Adair, the training academy is located in the city right?" She asked.
 

Adair looked up. "Yeah, why?"

"How many trainees do you have?"

He looked confused for a moment before answering. "Thirty, five for each unit."

"Maybe..." Meryn pulled her laptop out. She started accessing the city's wireless feeds. She looked around.

"Where are Darian and Gavriel?" She knew Keelan was assisting Adam in the infirmary with healing spells. In addition to Aiden, two members from Gamma had also been injured, one with a head injury and the other with a broken leg.

"Outside I think." Colton said.
 

Meryn put her laptop on the map. "Be right back." She sprinted out the door. For her plan to work she would need Gavriel or Darian. She was about to open the door when she heard Darian's elevated voice. Not wanting to disturb them she eased into the room beside the exit and stood next to the cracked window, their voices were easily heard.

"Whatever you're doing it's not working Gavriel."

"I've got it under control."

"Bullshit! Aiden is in there hurt right now because of you. You couldn't keep up and we had to double back for you and got caught between two groups." Darian's voice sounded more frustrated than angry.

"Do you think I don't know that?!"

"Then do something about it! Vampiric transition is nothing to be ashamed of, so you're weaker than normal and need more blood, it's not like you slacked off training. How much longer do you have?" Meryn heard a heavy sigh.

"At least another month."

"A month? Gavriel you've been in transition for nearly two weeks now."

"I know."

"The longer the transition, the older the vampire; I've never met a vampire who needed six weeks for transition, just how old are you?" Darian's voice had a trace of fear.

"Old enough. I'll get the additional blood I need, but it's taking a while. I can't order all from one center or the Elders get suspicious. I have to do a lot of smaller orders."

"Shit. Okay. Listen, you do what you need to do, I'll do whatever I can to help cover for you." Darian promised. Meryn tiptoed back to the exit door and banged it open.

"There you two are. I need your help. Darian, can you go see if Adam needs anything? He's been in with Aiden since I got here." Darian nodded and went inside. Gavriel looked at her amused. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Six weeks my ass." Meryn watched him, she didn't know how she knew he was lying but he was.

"Meryn it's very important that the Elders don't find out how old I am."

"I don't care if you have to make one massive order and tell the Elders to kiss your ass, what happened tonight, Aiden getting hurt, don't let it happen again."

"I promise."
 

Meryn felt like shit, he seemed so sad. "You're okay right?"
 

His face brightened. "Yes, I'm okay."

"Good. I have a job for you to do that may cover your ass until this transition thing is over."

"Do tell."

"Come on I'll show you." They went back to command central. Darian had already checked in with Adam and was waiting on them. Meryn went to her laptop and started her program. Smiling she picked up the handset.

"Gamma Kitten One, Gamma Kitten One, come back, over."

"Gamma Kitten One here, what's up Menace?" Meryn was going to kill Aiden for giving her that nickname.

"Reassign the two units in the city to the perimeter, over."

"But Menace, that will leave the city empty, over."

"Menace is good, Menace is wise. Trust the Menace, over."

"Aiden is right, you don't speak English, over."

Meryn stared down at the handheld then around the room. All she saw were blank expressions.

"Come on! That was
Twister
!" She stamped her foot. More blank stares. She pressed the button on the handheld.

"Just redeploy the men at the perimeter, over."

"Roger that, over and out."

"What in the hell do you think you're doing!" Meryn would have been relieved to hear Aiden's voice if he weren't yelling at her.

"I'm helping, I..."

"I am the Unit Commander, not you. These men are my responsibility and I won't allow them to be killed because you wanted to play around!"

"But I..." Meryn felt tears prick her eyes. Why wouldn't he listen?

"No! I've had enough of your antics Meryn, just go home and wait for me, at least then I'd know you're safe and not meddling." Aiden leaned against the doorway.

She handed the laptop to Gavriel and pointed to what she had wanted to show him. His eyes widened. She picked up her backpack and walked towards the door. She stood in front of Aiden feeling like he had stabbed her in the heart.

"And I was worried about you! Asshole!" She pulled her foot back and kicked him as hard as she could in the shin.

"Ow! Dammit Meryn!" She walked away; she didn't want to hear him complain about her anymore. She made it to the end of the hallway before the tears started falling. She stopped mid-step and covered her eyes with her arm. Felix patted her cheek trying to comfort her. Ryuu wrapped an arm around her shoulders and steered her into an examination room. He picked her up and sat her on the edge of the table.

"He didn't mean it."

"Yes he did!"

"No, he didn't, not really. He had just woken up after being critically injured, he doesn't know if his men survived or where they are and he hears your voice. You're not at home safe behind locked doors, you're here with minimal guards. It was his fear talking not his heart." Ryuu explained. Meryn buried her face in his chest.

"He hates me! I never used to care if people hated me, because I didn't like them, but Aiden can't hate me, because I love him." Ryuu held her close and kept drying her cheeks. A grunt at the door had them both turning. Aiden leaned heavily against the doorway before he walked into the room on unsteady feet.

"He's right Meryn, I was scared to death when I realized you were here. I'm not one hundred percent and wasn't sure I could keep you safe." Aiden was holding his side tightly.

"I'll be right outside." Ryuu walked out closing the door behind him. Aiden leaned against the back of the door.

"You're a fucking asshole."

"I know."

"I had everything under control, your dad said that I was doing things the way he would have."

"I know." Aiden winced as he took a deep breath.

"You're a fucking asshole."

"You said that already."

"You were such a huge asshole I had to say it twice." She couldn't stay mad at him. He looked so damn pitiful. She walked over until she stood in front of him.

"Does it hurt?" She pointed to his side.

"Not as much as my damn shin."
 

"You deserved that."

"I guess I did." Aiden cupped her face with both of his hands, pride shining in his eyes.

"Gavriel called me every type of idiot and told me to beg for forgiveness on my hands and knees if need be. He said that you had singlehandedly doubled our resources. He showed me what you did on your laptop. By hacking into the city's cameras we can monitor the city streets and send reinforcements the second one of the trainee units got into trouble. This allows us to put all seasoned warriors in the field without splitting our resources between the city and the perimeter." He kissed her gently.

"Please forgive me. I love you and your antics. The thought of life without you scares the hell out of me." He placed small kisses all over her face. Careful of his injury she wrapped her arms around him, he held her close.

"Forgiven, though gifts of chocolate later won't go unappreciated."
 

"Duly noted." When he leaned forward and captured her lips, she felt it all the way to the center of her being. He made her soul sing. She squeezed him tight and he grunted.

"Oh my gosh, sorry!" She stepped back and he fought to catch his breath.

"Let's head back to the others." Aiden took her hand.

When they walked back into command central Adelaide looked relieved.

"I am forgiven." Aiden announced to the room.

"Good, because we were about to kick you out of Alpha and put her in charge." Colton teased.

"Does this mean you'll show me how to use grenades?" Meryn asked.
 

Colton paled. "Maybe not."

Aiden laughed then groaned.

"You should be in bed." Adam admonished.

"I'm fine. Meryn has set up everything so that I can keep track of everything from here." Aiden eased down next to Gavriel and watched the cameras.

"Your brother is an idiot." Gavriel pointed to the laptop. Meryn looked over Aiden's shoulder and saw that Adair was in front of one of the cameras in the city with a trainee unit. He was twerking against a light pole. Aiden laughed and moaned, caught his breath and kept laughing holding his side. Meryn was laughing when a huge yawn overtook her.
 

Aiden pushed her towards the door. "Head to the barracks, get some rest and feed Jaws. I'll be there soon."

Meryn hesitated. "Are you sure?"

He just looked at her.
 

Meryn pecked him on the cheek. "Okay, okay, I
guess
I'll let you be in charge for a while." He swatted her on the butt.

"Hey, not in front of your family! They don't need to know how much of a sexual deviant you really are." She rubbed her bottom. Aiden's mouth dropped and he began to blush. Darian and Colton started to crack up.

"Wait until I get you alone." Aiden muttered.

"Promises, promises." She winked and turned to the door.
 

Colton threw a set of keys at Ryuu. "Just follow the road, it's the huge house on the right. Can't miss it."
 

Ryuu bowed. "My thanks."

Once they were in the SUV Meryn closed her eyes. It had been a draining day. She never wanted to get news that Aiden was injured again. A few minutes later they were pulling up to the barracks. As she hopped out she got the evil eye from Ryuu. He didn't like that she didn't wait for him either. She stuck her tongue out at him. He unlocked the door and walked in, she was right behind him. All she wanted was to feed Jaws and go to bed. Before she was even in the house enough to shut the door Ryuu stopped directly in front of her.

"What?"
 

He held up a hand to silence her. He turned facing her, looking for something. Suddenly he brought two fingers up to his lips and produced a high pitched whistle. Meryn watched in horror as a man shaped object appeared behind Ryuu, she opened her mouth to warn him when he was struck from behind. A tiny light flew from her shoulder and out the door. She felt a spurt of hope when she realized that Felix had gone for help.

She turned for the door and was grabbed by the hair and thrown to the floor. "No!" She kicked at the slightly amorphous hands and managed to get to her feet as she unholstered the gun and gripped it tightly.