Page 2 of My Haven (Bewitched and Bewildered #16)

“ Denka , you wanted to be up before Amelia arrived,” Ryuu said, as he gently shook Meryn’s shoulder.

“Lies!” Meryn grumbled.

“Of course.”

Meryn sat up and rubbed her eyes, then smiled. It was wonderful waking up in her own bed for the past couple months. After leaving éire Danu, they came back home to a few surprises.

Magnus had taken the liberty of ordering a new addition built onto the Alpha estate, just for her.

She now had her own command central, complete with a separate address, thanks to Rex, and an Elder Guardian tree growing in her new garden.

It had its own kitchen, antechamber, gaming room and more importantly, rooms for her boys.

“Fucking love Magnus,” she said, hopping out of bed.

“He would be happy to hear that…again,” Ryuu said, drolly. He helped her stand. “Thinking of your ‘secret base’?”

She nodded. “Amelia hasn’t seen it yet.”

“Would you like for tea to be served there, when they arrive?”

“That’d be awesome.”

She stretched, putting her hands on her lower back, then grunted.

“Is all well?” Ryuu asked immediately.

“Yeah, just trying to pop my back.”

“Please don’t pop things. I’ll call for Adam,” he said, hurrying from the room.

Meryn sighed, then turned to Pierce. She’d never admit that she loved having him as a guard. Like never. “Can you do the thing?”

He chuckled lowly, then moved behind her. She wrapped her arms around herself, and felt him firmly, but gently roll her backward. The almost instantaneous cracks heralded much needed relief. “Thanks, Pierce.”

He let go of her hands and pat her on the head. “I never thought I’d see Ryuu this rattled, but in his defense, you look super pregnant. Are you sure you’re not having like a small litter?”

“And, fuck you.”

He laughed. “Meryn, I bet your circumference in inches matches your short height.”

Meryn opened her mouth to retort, then paused. “Fuck, you may be right.” She looked down, all she saw was belly. “But, like cute preggo right?”

“Sure.”

“I take back all the nice things I thought about you.”

He shrugged. “You thought them, so I have no idea what has been retracted.”

“She’s in here,” they heard Ryuu say from the hall.

Seconds later, both Adam and Ryuu walked in.

Adam was frowning fiercely. “Sit down, let me check you out.”

She sighed and sat. There was no arguing at this point. She learned these past couple months that if she fussed, Adam would get Aiden. Once that call was made, Adelaide and Byron would stop in. It was easier to just get looked at. Though, it happening every other day was getting old.

He took her pulse and blood pressure. “Ryuu said you were having pains in your back, any pressure?”

She shook her head. “No, just normal, been laying in the same position for too long, kinda pain.”

“Nothing across the abdomen?”

“Nope.”

“Okay, as usual, drink as much water as you can and rest.”

“Damn, I was planning on boozing it up with Amelia later,” she teased.

Adam grinned. “You think we’re bad? I’ve fielded multiple calls from Darian since you all left éire Danu. The entire city is mother henning your cousin.”

Meryn sighed in relief. “Better her than me.” She struggled to her feet as Adam offered her his hand. Once upright she began to move toward the stairs.

“Wait,” Ryuu said, frowning. He turned to Adam and Pierce. “Should she be using the stairs regularly?”

Meryn didn’t wait for the answer, she walked out the door, down the hall and carefully made her way down the stairs. She cut through the kitchen to the back door, through the new corridor that led to her ‘secret base’.

She heard the boys before she opened the door.

“No, not those. Cheetos got put on the ‘no no’ list last week. Noah, what is she craving this week?” Jaxon asked.

“Steamed pork buns. Ryuu has dozens frozen in the kitchen, I can steam them real quick.”

She heard rustling, then the door opened. Noah smiled brightly at her. “Hey, lil’ mama! I’m going for your snack now, get comfy.”

He kissed her cheek, then sprinted down the hall behind her.

She walked into one of her favorite places on earth. The antechamber where she and the boys hung out. Jaxon had a laptop in his lap, Nigel and Neil were working on some plants in the corner and Pip was playing with his Switch .

“Hey guys.”

“Hey!”

The guys all turned and moved to sit around her. She had found a cream, oversized leather recliner that the boys placed center to the TV and near the fireplace.

Nigel offered her his arm and helped her wiggle into her chair. Once settled, she smiled at them. “How much time ‘til people invade?”

Jaxon looked at his watch. “Infiltration is imminent.”

The door opened and a grinning Noah, carried a basket, while behind him Ryuu easily managed a tray of tea and drinks. Aiden and Pierce followed, Aiden scowling at her. “Please stop using that terminology. I walk by and think we’re about to get attacked.”

There was a beep and Jaxon pointed to the far wall with built in marble pillars. “Incoming.”

Moments later a golden light flashed and Darian, Amelia, Brennus, the queen, and Cord walked through.

“Auntie! Uncle Bren! Amelia! Welcome to my secret base!”

Her uncle strode over and kissed the top of her head repeatedly. “It feels like we haven’t seen you in years! Why don’t you move back to éire Danu?” he suggested.

“Because we live here,” Aiden grumbled.

Brennus made room for the queen, as she bent down and kissed Meryn’s cheek. “How are you and the baby?”

“Fucking jellerbean made me hate Cheetos !” she complained.

The queen’s expression turned sympathetic. “You poor thing. We brought you some new treats from Peter.”

“Hell yeah! Gimme gimme!” she held out her hands.

Brennus was about to place a box in her lap when Ryuu intercepted it. “Let me check the sugar content first.”

Ryuu examined the brownies. “One per day. You’ve been sensitive to sugar these past couple weeks.” He passed the box to Meryn.

“I know, in the logic part of my brain, you’re doing this because you care, but damn it all! I’m feeling bullied!”

Ryuu knelt down beside her. “I would give you the world if I could. Just a few more weeks, then you can have whatever you want.”

The queen pulled Brennus to sit down next to her, both wore concerned expressions. The queen turned to Ryuu. “She didn’t have any restrictions when she was in éire Danu, what has changed?”

Amelia rushed to her side and sat down in the closest chair, Darian not far behind.

“Meryn, are you okay?” she asked.

Ryuu stood and exchanged looks with Aiden. He turned back to the queen. “We are taking extra precautions as denka is at the end of her pregnancy. Some things are affecting her more.”

Meryn nodded absently as she opened her box and carefully selected a brownie. “Yeah, without Ryuu, I probably woulda died.”

“What!” Brennus roared.

“Why were we not told?” the queen demanded.

Amelia simply reached over the chair’s arm to wrap her arms around Meryn’s neck. “She’s okay right?” she said, sounding shrill.

Darian stood and rubbed her back soothingly. “She’s okay, my love. You know Ryuu takes excellent care of her.”

Meryn calmly broke a brownie in half and shoved it in Amelia’s mouth. Her big-sister cousin, sat back, a surprised expression on her face while she chewed.

“Evidently my genius fae-human DNA and his fuzzy bear stuff made a high maintenance kiddo,” Meryn explained.

Ryuu sighed. “Low iron, so anemia. We’ve also been managing the start of sugar sensitivity and fluctuations in blood pressure, which Adam thinks may be the start of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. So far, we’ve been fortunate to avoid anything serious from actually developing.”

Meryn smiled at her squire. “He feels terrible for being the bad guy all the time, but it’s kept me healthy. I don’t know where I’d be without him.”

Brennus stood and began pacing. “If returning to éire Danu is out of the question, then I want every healer we can find camped out on your front lawn.”

Meryn watched her uncle’s agitated steps and she felt something like butterflies around her heart. This is what she had missed growing up. “We have Rheia and Anne here, that’s a doctor and nurse in house.”

Brennus looked toward the door. “Both are excellent at what they do, but you need specialists and probably machines.”

Aiden sat down nodding. “Gavriel wants an army of doctors here too, as does Colton. Rheia and Beth are also with child.”

Meryn fought the urge to roll her eyes. Up until her recent issues she had been perfectly healthy.

Beth and Rheia looked way better than her in their pregnancies.

The heifers. “We’re fine.” She eyed the room and decided to turn the conversation back to why they were there. “Where are we with Storm Keep?”

The queen turned from watching Brennus pace and ignored his antics.

“Geon is reporting business as usual from within the city. It’s almost like the citizens either don’t know or don’t care about the broken alliance.

The only change is the now normalized patrols from the council enforcers.

They seem to be more impossible to deal with than ever before.

It is like pulling teeth to work with them for the simplest of things. ”

Meryn wracked her brain. “Geon? Who dat again?”

Her aunt smiled. “The fae Elder Council member for Storm Keep. Geon Vi’Ilrey.”

Meryn looked around and Pip handed her, her laptop.

She opened it up and started scrolling through her notes.

“Geon Vi’Ilrey, fae elder, Uncle Marshall is the witch elder, Arnaud Barrat is the vampire elder, and Kal Galloway is the shifter elder.

” She looked up. “I know Uncle Marshall went back when we left, any news from him?”

Brennus finally sat back down next to his mate. “More of what we already know.” He sighed. “You may want to send your uncle antacids and Prozac. I can’t imagine working with a ruling body in your city that doesn’t respect your Elder status.”