Page 7 of My Haven (Bewitched and Bewildered #16)

Caiden turned and looked at his unit and brothers. “They’re on their way.”

Kyran laughed. “Yeah, we heard. We’re about to get our baby sister, that acts like mother here for a visit and to help you with your mating.”

Caiden chuckled nervously. “It won’t be that bad…right?”

Tristan and Kyran just stared at him with sympathetic expressions.

“It’s not too late to leave,” Zev suggested.

Tristan laughed and Caiden glared at him.

Kyran answered for them both. “If he leaves knowing little Meryn was coming our mother could gut him.”

“Gut who?” his mother asked, walking into the family room with their father.

Kyran pointed to Caiden. “You’d gut him if he left knowing Meryn was coming.”

Lily Camden eyed him, and he held up his hands. “I’m not.”

“That poor child has lived a lifetime without family Caiden Ironwood, why would you abandon her?” she asked, crossing her arms.

“Because he would be going to meet his mate,” Konstantine said, meeting his eyes.

Caiden turned so his parents couldn’t see him and he mouthed the words, ‘ thank you ’.

Konstantine inclined his head slightly, smiling.

Lily rushed forward to take his hand. “You’ve met her?”

Caiden nearly sighed in relief that his mother wasn’t thinking murderous thoughts anymore. “Sort of. I saw her on YouTube , in a local feature.”

His father frowned. “ YouTube ? She’s human?”

Lily whirled on her mate. “Is there a problem with that?”

Marshall was instantly all smiles. “Of course not, I got lucky with you, didn’t I?”

The sound of car doors closing heralded the arrival of their company. Moments later the doorbell rang.

Caiden looked to Kyran. “Why is she ringing the doorbell?”

Zev clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Because they don’t live here, sir. It is considered the polite thing to do.”

“Nonsense,” he grumbled and went to the door.

When he swung it open, he looked down at the tiny person who he had only seen in pictures.

“Yo wassup!” Meryn said, flashing him a weird ‘V’ hand symbol.

“Why did you ring the bell?”

“Because Aiden told me to.”

Caiden pulled her to his side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “You’re family, family doesn’t ring the bell.”

She beamed up at him. “I’m gonna like you.”

“I certainly hope so. Let’s get you settled. They can carry in the luggage,” he said, then turned, leaving the door open behind him. “Mother, father, she’s here!”

Behind him he heard the others follow them inside and the door shut.

“Where is my mate?” a male voice demanded.

“Oh, is this one yours?” Caiden asked, still holding on to his new baby sister.

“You know damn well she is,” Aiden grumbled reaching for her.

Caiden twisted then passed Meryn off to Tristan who danced her away to stand between him and Kyran. The adorable little thing was laughing.

“Dammit!” his commander cussed.

“Oh, she reminds me when Amelia was smaller,” Kyran said, running and hand over Meryn’s curls.

She batted at his hands making him laugh. “I’m not that much younger than her.”

Tristan smiled and looked up at him. Caiden knew what he was thinking. “Meryn, Amelia is the light of our life, but even she seems more adult-like than you.”

“It’s the tee-shirts, isn’t it?”

Kyran shook his head. “Amelia is like a light fairy, just glitter and rainbows. You’re like a mischievous little pixie; that kind of child-like fun, along with your impossible shortness, does make you seem way younger.”

“I am not impossibly short! Y’all are just overgrown, like weeds.”

“Ignore them darling, come sit down,” Lily said, steering her to the kitchen and into a chair at the counter island.

“Aiden, maybe some introductions are in order?” Marshall suggested, trying not to laugh.

Aiden watched as first Pip, then Kyran stole the seats next to his mate. He sighed shaking his head. “You and your brothers I could pick out, without introductions, along with that one,” he said, pointing to Konstantine.

Meryn turned her head and stared. “You got the pretty genes!”

Zen cracked up as Konstantine actually blushed.

He bowed and nodded. “Javier and Marie are my aunt and uncle. My father is Javier’s younger brother.”

Meryn studied his unit. “So, a Bellerose, Caiden as unit leader, an Armstrong, a Liordon and a shifter I don’t know.”

The men stared. “How did you know that? Did you check the roster?”

She shrugged. “I’ve seen the roster a couple times but come on. Konstantine is rocking silver and amethyst. Hunter looks like he could be Graham’s twin. Aeson is my bestest bud from éire Danu, so Aedan was easy to spot and all three of the Ironwoods have Amelia’s silver eyeballs,” she explained.

“Viktor was always nice to me,” Pip said smiling at Konstantine.

“I have heard of how much you have done to help our people Pip, it is an honor to meet one so accomplished, so young,” Konstantine said.

“I have a new goal in life. To emulate my older brother and become best buds with our princess,” Aedan said, bowing to Meryn.

Meryn ducked her head a bit. “Do y’all do snack parties?”

Caiden shook his head. “We do whole recipe parties.”

“Kick ass!”

Caiden pointed. “For those who haven’t seen our names due to constant uploads in a warrior database, I am Caiden Ironwood, brother to Kyran, Tristan, and Amelia, and son to Marshall Ironwood and Lily Camden.

I am the unit leader for Nu. My unit warriors are, Hunter Armstrong, bear-shifter, Konstantine Bellerose, vampire, Zev Frasier, wolf-shifter and Aedan Li’Liordon, fae. ”

He turned to his unit. “The larger-than-life individual is our Unit Commander, Aiden McKenzie, mate to my baby sister, Meryn. Their squire is Ryuu Sei and Pierce Alamarez, leopard- shifter is Meryn’s guard.

The young men accompanying Meryn are Nigel and Neil Morninglory, earth witches and Pip Maverick, vampire.

Behind Aiden is Bryok Vi’Erdolin, recently reactivated warrior, promoted to the Alpha unit. ”

Aiden looked surprised for a second, then asked. “Amelia?”

He nodded. His sister always kept him up to date on anything going on.

Meryn pointed to her shoulder. “Felix, introduce yourself.”

Caiden watched as the air twinkled around Meryn’s ear before a small red-headed sprite appeared. He was clutching at his necklace. “I Felix Skysong. I protect Meryn. Nice to meet you,” he said, then did something to the necklace and disappeared again.

Everyone followed his example and was exchanging hellos when a throat was cleared.

Caiden eyed the man glaring at him. “Oh, and one tall, red-headed, sarcastic witch and the poor lovely soul mated to him, Anne Ashwood.”

Kendrick reached for him, and he sidestepped him.

Anne pulled her mate backwards laughing. “He obviously missed you.”

Caiden blew kisses at his oldest friend.

Kendrick bared his teeth at him.

His father looked pale as he stepped between them. “Remember what I told you,” he said, jerking his head over to Kendrick.

To be honest, he had nearly thrown up when his father had sat him and his brothers down and told them Kendrick’s true identity.

But, that was a while ago, and ultimately didn’t change anything.

Kendrick was still his best friend, and nothing would change that.

He wasn’t however, going to waste the opportunity to torture either his father or Kendrick.

“What do you mean father? Kendrick is still the same asshole who used to pollute my kitchen when I made breakfast for Amelia.”

His poor father looked like he was one second from apoplexy.

Kendrick stared, then smiled. “You can cook a mean breakfast,” he admitted. Admiration in his eyes.

Caiden knew then, his message had been received. Kendrick may be his king, but he was his best friend first and that mattered more.

“I thought only Thane calls Kendrick an asshole?” Meryn asked.

Caiden winked at her. “I learned most of my best habits from our older brother.”

Meryn tilted her head. “Why aren’t y’all freaking out about your mom being missing? Thane was about to blow a gasket earlier.”

Caiden froze. His brothers, as one, turned to him. Marshall placed a hand on his arm. “We’re doing everything we can to locate her.”

Kyran and Tristan pushed their way to his side. They may have not been triplets, but he couldn’t imagine being closer. He wrapped his arms around their shoulders and pulled them close. “What do we know?”

“Fucking dick all,” Meryn grunted. “If Law can’t dig shit up, my job is going to be tough.”

Caiden turned to him. “Your job?”

“Yeah, I’m gonna find your mom.”

“You are going to do what my older brothers cannot?”

“I do that shit all the time,” she rebuffed.

Kyran stared. “Really? Name one thing you can do, that they can’t.”

Meryn pointed to her mate. “I can fuck Aiden.”

Caiden dropped his hands and stared. He knew that wasn’t what Kyran meant, but his heart felt a bit lighter at her answer.

Aiden sputtered and looked up at the ceiling.

Lily came over and pulled all three of them into a hug. “That girl can work miracles with that laptop of hers. Between you, your brothers and her computer skills, we’ll find Abrielle.”

“Are you cool with her Aunt Lily? Since she tapped Uncle Marshall and all?” Meryn asked.

His father turned pale as he watched the conversation between his mate and his niece.

His mother turned to Meryn smiling. “That woman could have me switching teams. She’s like steel wrapped in lace and power. I consider the boys true blessings from her. Besides, she was tapping Marshall before Christ was born, so I think I’m in the clear.”

“Whoooa. Wait. How old are you Caiden?” Meryn asked.

Caiden flushed. “I little over thirty-five hundred.”

“Fuck dude. I thought witches didn’t live that long,” she asked.

“We’re tied to our power, so the stronger we are…”

“So, some witches live as long as shifters and some die early like humans?”

Caiden nodded. “It is why we are considered the most human-like.”

“I would have thought the not being like eight-feet tall and golden, with fangs or turning furry would determine that,” she countered.

Pierce pointed. “She’s not wrong.”