My One and Only (Bewitched and Bewildered #10)(14)

Serenity nearly stumbled turning to Rheia in a panic. "She's human!" she exclaimed.

Rheia laughed holding up a small stone. "The twins made these for us. Meryn calls them her floaty stones. They allow us to navigate the tunnels without waiting for an escort."

Serenity clutched at her chest. "I think I had a heart attack," she complained.

"Pull on your big girl panties because you're about to experience a brain storming session with someone who creates chaos as naturally as she breathes," Rheia looped her arm through Serenity's.

Serenity looked up at Micah feeling a bit out of her depth. He shrugged. "My delicate little flower is an experience all her own."

"What the hell have we gotten ourselves into," Radclyffe muttered.

"Sounds exciting," Laelia teased.

Serenity followed her colleagues to the tunnel wondering indeed what the afternoon had in store for them.





*****





An hour later Serenity simply stared at the small human who kept spinning in circles in her chair. Everyone around them ignored her and began the meeting, starting at the very beginning for their benefit.

Serenity sat next to her mate around a very impressive looking wooden conference table along with Rheia, Anne, Vivi, Ellie, Marjoram, Kendrick, Law, Laelia, and Radclyffe. Meryn's squire Ryuu stood quietly in the corner watching his charge a soft smile on his lips.

"She'll make herself sick," she warned.

Meryn stopped her spinning. "I do this all the time, it helps me think."

Radclyffe turned to Kendrick. "So, we know that DeLaFontaine is the one who distributed virus?"

Kendrick nodded. "We found a very intricate delivery system built into his cufflink. We can only hypothesize that he took advantage of both the welcome bar-b-que for the wolves and the fair to get to his victims."

Meryn began spinning again. "That may be wrong," she said to no one in particular.

Kendrick chuckled. "I did say it was a hypothesis Meryn. It does make sense he would use that opportunity to reach as many people as possible, the timing is right as well."

Meryn kicked out her foot halting her spinning. "That's not what I meant. DeLaDouchebag would poke people and they would get sick right? It's how Magnus got it."

Kendrick nodded. "Exactly. He used his cuff after dinner to infect Magnus."

Meryn tilted her head. "Then why isn't Aiden sick? He got nicked too."

Kendrick froze before turning to Ellie, who looked Law who nodded. "She's right."

Vivi stood her hands shaking. "I need his blood!" she bolted from the room.

Meryn sighed, picked up her walkie-talkie and unclipped it from her backpack. "Work smarter not harder people." She pressed the button. "BooBear, come in BooBear"

"Are you okay?" Aiden came back immediately.

"Yup I'm good. But can you meet Vivi in the lab she needs you."

"Sure thing. Love you."

"I lurves you too, catch ya later." She clipped her walkie-talkie back on her bag.

"I am really loving my call sign right now Meryn," Micah said grinning. Serenity raised an eyebrow. "Casanova," he replied.

"Of course, it is," Radclyffe said rolling his eyes.

"Serenity needs one," Meryn said tapping the table. She grinned at her. "You have the same name as my car."

Serenity eyed the small human. "Firefly or Sailor Moon?"

"Firefly," Meryn admitted. "Though, thanks to Anne I have a whole new appreciation for anime. One of the furries in my cult suggested something called hentai, I can't wait to Google it."

Ryuu stepped forward looking concerned. "I would not suggest that denka."

Meryn eyed her squire. "Why?"

"It's a lot of tentacle porn," Anne explained. When all eyes swung her way, she blushed and ducked her face into Kendrick's chest.

"Well, well, well," Kendrick murmured.

Anne popped up and flicked his ear. "Whatever you're thinking, just no." He continued to grin as he rubbed his ear.

Serenity turned back to Meryn. "Wait. Furries? Cult?"

Rheia put her pen down and leaned back in her chair. "She means her shifter friends on Facebook and her Facebook group." She stood. "Okay, let's work under the assumption that Aiden was infected, what could be possible reasons why he's not sick?"

"Grant isn't sick either and he has every reason to be. He's been around the kids from day one and has been coated in just about every substance you can think of. He's fine," Ellie volunteered.

"Could it be because they're both Alpha Born?" Kendrick asked. "I haven't studied how their physiology differs from regular shifters."

Serenity spoke up. "I have. There were multiple volumes dedicated to Alpha Borns in the Water Temple. From what I've read, they are stronger and faster, but they are physiologically the same as any other shifter. Most changes seem to be metaphysical rather than scientific."

Rheia pursed her lips. "There goes that theory. We also have to keep in mind that none of the witches or fae are sick either."

Serenity shook her head. "Witches are more susceptible to sickness than the fae."