My One and Only (Bewitched and Bewildered #10)(40)

Meryn shrugged. "I don't know them, or their parents. I'm not a nurse and I kinda don't like kids in general. Penny is the exception because she's a Whovian."

"But you're pregnant," Serenity pointed out.

Meryn looked down at her belly in surprise. "I am?? How'd that happen?" she asked sarcastically.

"You know what I mean," Serenity said gently bopping her on the nose.

Meryn's scrunched up her face and rubbed her nose. "Aiden wanted an ankle biter. Besides I think my kid is going to be kick ass, so of course I'm going to love him or her."

Pip smiled at Meryn shyly. "I think you will an amazing mother." The twins nodded their agreement and Meryn blushed furiously. "Beth said I just gotta make sure they aren't starving, hurt or rocking themselves in a corner. That doesn't sound too hard and I'll have Ryuu with me."

Micah ruffled her short brown hair. "You can do it, my delicate little flower."

She smiled up at him. "I love your nicknames. At home they just call me Menace. Yours are nicer."

Micah swept his hand to his chest. "Don't hate them because they aren't me," he said in a tragic tone.

Serenity crossed her leg in front of her and gently kicked the inside of Micah's knee making him wobble. The twins laughed, and Micah turned his head to wink at her.

"Goofball," she said warmly.

"Your goofball," he corrected.

"Told you he was nice," Meryn pointed out.

Serenity smiled at her. "You did, and you were right. Fate gave me the most perfect mate in the whole world."

Micah straightened and pulled her into his arms so that her back was flush against his chest. He wrapped his arms loosely about her waist. "I'm the lucky one."

"Awww y'all are so cute," Meryn said looking happy for them.

"Meryn, if you want time to eat you better head up now," Neil said pointing to the time on the monitor. "I know how you can get to talking with Mr. Culpepper."

Micah pulled his walkie-talkie from his waist. "Ryuu, we're heading up to Level Six with the midget."

A moment later Ryuu responded. "One moment, I am on my way."

Meryn tilted her head. "Why'd you call him if you're my guard?"

Micah reattached his walkie-talkie. "Because that man isn't skinning me alive on the off chance something was to happen to you. If it were just you and I going I may not have called him. But since my one and only is coming with us, I know my focus will be on her."

"You have no idea how happy I am to hear you admit such a thing," Ryuu said, walking through the door. "It eases my mind knowing that you take such things into consideration when you are guarding my denka."

Micah grinned impishly. "And I don't want to end up electrocuted by blue light."

Ryuu's mouth twitched. "And there's that."

Meryn turned to the boys. "Y'all have fun and make sure the net is in place before you practice with Pip."

"Yes, Meryn," the twins said in unison.

Meryn stepped beside Ryuu. "Let's go get some food."

Serenity took Micah's hand. "And check on the children."

Meryn shrugged. "Yeah, them too."





*****





When they got to Level Six Meryn surprisingly stayed with them as they headed toward the hospital.

"I thought you didn't like kids?" Micah asked.

"Doesn't mean I want them sick either. Maybe I can fluff pillows or something."

When they walked into the hospital Ryuu immediately took a protective stance in front of Meryn. All around them the kids were thrashing, hissing and attacking their guardians.

Serenity turned to Ryuu. "Get her out of here. We'll meet you by that vendor she likes." Ryuu simply nodded and steered Meryn back out the door. The second they were gone Serenity and Micah sprinted to different beds to help the parents.

Behind her she heard both Hawthorne, Kendrick and Micah casting the Immobiles spell in an effort to get the children secured. Serenity immediately went to Ellie. "What can I do?" she asked as she approached.

Ellie was struggling to pin the arms down to one of the girls. "Anything you can to calm them down!" Ellie shouted.

Serenity looked around the room. Laelia had already extended her magic on the left side of the room and Radclyffe on the right. Instead of trying to reach each child she used her best friends as conduits and began send her power into them.

In her minds eyes she concentrated on activating the parts of the brain that regulated sleep. She gradually started increasing the melatonin levels. "Dormite, dormite, dormite," she whispered urging them to sleep.

It took over ten minutes of concentrating on regulating her power flow before a hand caressed her shoulder.

"They're asleep, my one and only," Micah said softly.

As she pulled back the last bit of her power her knees buckled and she was swept up in her mate's arms.

"We're heading to the Culpepper stand," Micah whispered.

Serenity struggled to keep her eyes open. "Laelia, Radclyffe?"

"We're here," said a soft voice at her side. Serenity turned her head and smiled at her friends. Laelia's face looked pale but otherwise she seemed fine. "Thank the gods you came when you did. We just finished up their snacks when they started to get out of control."