by Alanea Alder
Etain turned their bodies so they faced the room. "How was the idea of a blood drive received?" he asked.
Rheia nodded slowly. "Good and bad. Nearly everyone over three thousand years old lined up to donate. But there were some grumbles about ensuring that no bonding would take place. Ellie and Anne are still up there drawing blood." She stretched her back. "I'd like to lie down for a bit in our room."
Colton began to rub her shoulders. "You should have said something earlier," he admonished.
Rheia sighed. "I'm used to being able to do a lot more. I had no idea being pregnant took so much out of you."
Colton paled. "It does," he agreed. His eyes glazed over, and he shivered.
Rheia glared at Kendrick. "If he passes out during delivery, I am going to use surgical glue and glue your dick to your leg."
Kendrick's eyes widened at her threat. "Seriously?"
"Dead serious." Rheia pointed to Colton, who was shuddering at his own memories. "This is your fault. You and that stupid video."
Kendrick held up hand. "Can I use magic to ensure he doesn't pass out?"
Rheia laughed. "I don't care what you use as long as he is conscious."
Kendrick exhaled in relief. "He'll be fine. I promise."
Colton blinked. "What type of magic?"
Kendrick looked at him with a droll expression. "Something considerably less scary than a glued down dick that's for sure."
Colton nodded then his eyes narrowed. "Wait, that's pretty scary." Kendrick shrugged.
Etain looked between the two of them in horror. "How does the Alpha Unit function?"
"Meryn updates their routines, Anne and I patch them up. Amelia mothers them and Beth keeps them organized," Rheia replied.
Vivi enjoyed the feel of being in Etain's arms. She tilted her head back. "So I'm pretty much done in here. What did you want to do today?"
Etain unwrapped his arms and took her hand. "I have an idea."
Rheia stood. "I could use a nap." Colton looked relieved. "Good idea. You and the baby need rest."
Gavriel leaned in to kiss Beth's temple. "How are you feeling?"
Beth went to answer then yawned. She looked surprised. "Actually, a nap sounds like a great idea." Gavriel was immediately all business. "Should we have Tarragon check you?"
Beth stood from her chair. "I'm fine, but I could close my eyes for a bit."
Gavriel and Colton exchanged looks and herded their mates toward the door. Vivi and Etain walked with them as far as the entrance to Magnus' quarters. Etain held her back when she went to follow.
"Hal should already be there."
"Where?"
Etain led her past the transport tunnel to the other side of the level. Vivi felt an odd sense of familiarity as Etain walked her up to a dingy looking wooden door. The poor thing had seen better days.
Vivi looked up at him. "Do we knock?"
Etain chuckled. "Welcome home Vivian DuCoeur."
Vivi frowned. "You mean Vivian Vi'Aerlin," she stopped sentence. "Home?"
The door creaked open and Hal filled the doorway. He had a handkerchief wrapped around his head and was wearing a full-length apron. "About time you two showed up. I was about to be carried off by spiders. Sebastian was able to unlock the quarters for us and added me to the hand sensor so I could get started. He said he would swing by and get the two of you added later."
"These are the DuCoeur quarters?" Vivi asked. No wonder she kept wanting to turn right coming off the transport tunnel on Level One. How many times had she been carried down that hallway as a baby?
Etain nodded. "Hal and I figured you would choose this one over the DuSang home."
There was a loud bang before a billow of dust emerged from the open door across from theirs. Moments later, Adriel, Eva, Pavil and Bree ran out coughing.
Vivi stared at the four. "The Ambrosios quarters I assume?"
Etain nodded as he watched his fastidious unit leader pull cobwebs out of his hair. Without looking away he pointed to the left. "The DuSang quarters are next door." His eyes began to dance with mirth as Adriel spun in circles trying to get something off his back. Finally, the unit leader shed his jacket and threw it on the floor shuddering.
"Problems sir?" Etain asked jovially.
Adriel froze and looked up. When he saw the three of them his cheeks flushed. "There are an indecent amount of spiders in there."
Vivi pulled out her walkie-talkie. "Kendrick can I borrow you for a moment?"
"Sure. Where are you?"
"Come out of the lab and head toward the transport tunnel. Walk past the Rioux quarters and head right."
"Got it. Be right there."
Bree picked up Adriel's jacket and popped it out before folding it carefully.
Kendrick walked up to them waving the dust away from his face. "You rang Princess?"
Vivi jerked her thumb towards the open door of the DuCoeur living area. "Is there a spell that will get rid of dust bunnies and spiders." She paused and thought about it. "And maybe fix any damage due to neglect or age?"
Kendrick rolled up his sleeves. "My secret specialty. Having raised Keelan, I quickly mastered a myriad of mundane cleaning spells. The little devil could attract every spec of mud and grime within a five-mile radius. Give me about twenty minutes." He walked inside past a disgusted looking Hal, who threw his dust rag on the floor.
Adriel looked no less disgruntled. Etain was laughing his ass off, pointing at his unit leader. "Wait until I tell Declan about your spider dance."
Eva began to crack up. "Spider dance!" Adriel gave them both a frosty look, but his mouth twitched as he fought a smile.
Vivi turned to Hal. "Sorry about that."
Hal looked over at the others and shrugged. "At least I wasn't the only one who forgot that we could ask the witches to help."
Vivi nudged Etain. "How will we set it up the way we want if the city is locked down? It's not like we can go shopping."
Eva turned to Adriel. "You remember when the pack was getting set up in their new houses, how the vendors all donated items? What if we let it be known we're moving in and looking for new stuff. I bet some of the older vampires would appreciate some of this antique, gold junk better than me. We could do a swap."
Adriel winced at her description of the Ambrosios quarters. "As long as we check with Gavriel to ensure we do not get rid of anything he may want to keep. I say that is a wonderful idea."
Vivi looked up at Hal. "How bad?"
Hal nodded. "There is a fair bit of gold overlay."
"We need to get in on that swap. Because as much as I love my golden mate, I don't want to live surrounded by the stuff." Vivi liked a more minimalist style. She and Hal had gotten used to moving every ten to fifteen years, which meant they tended to pack light.
Eva pointed to the large area in front of the three royal quarters. "What if we just set up stuff out here? We can put Sebastian in charge of making sure the swap is fair while we go through everything."
"Step up ladies and gentlemen! It's the deal of several lifetimes. Our trash could be your treasure," Vivi pretended to be speaking into a megaphone. Bree giggled, and Eva got in on it. "Is your toilet looking a bit drab? Why not upgrade to a new gold covered model? Guaranteed to impress your friend and freeze your ass."
Etain and Adriel leaned against one another laughing uproariously as Vivi continued. "Don't let your decor, bore, the neighbors. Everything is on the gold standard."
Kendrick walked from the DuCoeur quarters. "We have gold, silver and even jeweled mosaics! Literally blind your friends with a golden shower," he leered at them. "Pun intended."
Vivi wiped her eyes. "It's going to take us forever to make this a reasonable living area."
Adriel kissed his mate before he headed back into their home. He came back out carrying his iPad. "I will organize the swap. You ladies just tag anything you want gone," he paused. "On second thought, tag what you want to keep. It will probably turn out to be less items." He winked at
Vivi. "I am calling in the cavalry. With our fae and witch warrior brothers, it should not take us long to gut both homes."
"Work smarter, not harder," she quipped.
Adriel looked at Kendrick. "Could I ask that you assist us as well?"
"Of course. We're all on a hiatus while we wait for the next batch of treatment to finish. Point me in the direction of your dust bunnies," Kendrick replied with a sweeping bow.
Eva nodded toward the open door. "That-a-way. Help yourself." Kendrick disappeared into the Ambrosios' quarters.
Adriel turned to Hal and Pavil. "Since most of the major cleaning is done. Could the two of you work with Sebastian to see if you can secure items we may actually use?" Hal and Pavil both nodded then together they walked back to the Rioux home to recruit Sebastian.
Vivi was dying to get inside and see where her mother grew up. She tugged at Etain's hand while walking toward their new home. "We'll be going through stuff," she called over her shoulder.
"Take your time," Eva replied. "We still have to get with Gavriel about the Ambrosios antiques."
Feeling like a kid at Christmas Vivi crossed the threshold and entered her mother's home for the first time in her adult life.
*****
"This place looks like something out of museum," Vivi couldn't believe the ostentatious decor.
Etain stared at the large tapestry and shook his head. "Maybe we should start in your mother's bedroom where the more personal items may be? I have a feeling everything else can go."
"Good idea. Now, we just have to find it."
After opening several doors Vivi walked into the room she knew had been her mother's. "This is it."
"How do you know?" Etain asked.
Vivi felt her eyes fill. "Because it smells like her. Gods! I remember this smell! This is my momma," Vivi covered her face with her hands as a lifetime of yearning overwhelmed her. Etain was beside her in an instant, rocking her back and forth.
"Shush my love, it is okay."
"What if we get rid of things and I lose that smell? I can't lose it! It's the only thing I remember."
Etain pulled his walkie-talkie out. "Kendrick, can you come over here please?"
"On my way... again," Kendrick replied.
It didn't take long before there was a knock on the doorjamb to the room. "You rang?" he asked. He looked at Vivi, and his features softened. "This was your mother's room wasn't it?" She could only nod.
Kendrick's eyes became sad. "I know exactly how you feel. Is it her things or something else?"
"Her smell. It's going to go away," Vivi sobbed.
Kendrick walked over and rubbed the top of her head. "Not if I can help it." He swallowed hard. "It was my mother's smell too, that got me when I returned to their home for the final time."
He turned to face the room and began to look around. He walked over to the bed and picked up a small, cream satin pillow and began to whisper softly. There was a rush of air then everything quieted. He handed her the pillow. "That will never lose her scent."
Etain clasped forearms with the witch. "Thank you. This means more than you know."
Kendrick opened the pouch at his waist and pulled out a small sachet. "Trust me, I know." He kissed it and tucked it back in his pouch. He looked around the room. "Good vibes in here. You should make this a nursery." Without saying another word he walked out.
Vivi clutched the pillow to her chest. "I don't even remember what she looked like, but I can remember this smell."
"You were very young when she was killed. Your whole world was probably centered around being held in her arms. It makes sense that you would recall her scent more clearly."
Vivi wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "Let's get started."
Etain kissed both of her eyelids. "Did you see anything walking through that you wanted to keep?"
"The books, the china, that amazing tapestry," she grinned when Etain shuddered. She knew he hated it, but she thought the attention to detail was mesmerizing. "Oh, and the dining room furniture. It looks custom-made for that space. I don't think we'll find much better." She nodded. "That's it for me. Be sure to ask Hal if there's anything he would like to keep. He'll be living here too." She looked around. "I want time to go through everything but to be honest there isn't much here I would change. My mother had amazing taste." It was true. The room looked almost utilitarian in comparison to the rest of the living quarters. It was decorated with a simple design that evoked a sense of calm. Everything about the space spoke of the owner's character from the creams and dusty pink colors to the small statues of horses. Evidently, her mother had been an equestrian. It made her patchwork pony doubly precious. She wondered if Magnus had chosen it with her mother in mind.
"I think that is an excellent idea. If you need me, I will be with Hal doing most of the heavy lifting." He kissed her again and headed toward the door.
Vivi was admiring the view as he walked away when an off thought struck her. "Etain?"
He turned. "Yes?"
"Both the DuCoeur and Ambrosios quarters haven't been used in centuries right?" He nodded. "Then they probably didn't run any electric or internet down here did they?" Etain cursed under his breath. Vivi looked around panicked. "Do we have running water?"
"I will find out and if not, I will get the witches to run new lines. You take your time here." He blew her a kiss and shut the door behind him.
Vivi took her time going through her mother's belongings. There wasn't much that she was going to be getting rid of. Her dresses were works of art and to her delight, she fit into them perfectly. Had her mother lived, they would have been the same size. Vivi grinned when she realized she knew that much more about her mother.
Her jewelry was so intricate and jewel laden Vivi was scared to touch most of it. She could see empty spaces in the jewelry case where her mother had chosen her favorite pieces to take with her when she fled the city. Those pieces were currently tucked away in her luggage. She would bring them back and put them where they belonged.
She felt herself begin to tear up again when she came across a half-finished embroidery piece with her name on it. Her mother had started it to give to her. Maybe she could learn how to embroider and finish it?
Overall, she would move the clothing and jewelry into whichever room they made the master, but everything else could stay here. Kendrick was right. This room had peaceful vibes, and it would be a shame to redecorate and disturb it. She closed the door behind her when she left to look for Etain feeling closer to her mother than she had in her entire life.
When she walked into what used to be an opulent parlor she was floored. It was nothing short of a miracle what the men had accomplished in a few hours. "Is this the same room?" she asked her mate walking up behind him.
He turned, a smile brightening his face when he saw her. "Looks amazing doesn't it? We took down a few walls and opened up the space." He pointed to the cream-colored walls. "When the witches changed the wall color, the room looked twice as big." Everywhere she looked the space had been transformed from gaudy gold overlay and black lacquer to creams and neutrals. They had gone from museum relics to Pottery Barn. "How?" she kept spinning as she took in every detail.
Etain chuckled. "When the citizens found out we were getting rid of most of what was in here they flocked down to Level One. Poor Pavil, Hal and Sebastian were a bit overwhelmed until the warriors corralled everyone. What even Adriel hadn't realized when he made the announcement is that most families buy a surplus of home items to keep in storage since it can be difficult to run to the Council Estate to go shopping for as mundane as a set of sheets. It's easier to keep a few backups." He pointed to the room. "That includes furniture as well. We were able to get nearly everything we need." He showed her the new dining room. The long wooden table had been polished to a glass-like finish, and the bone thin china had been replaced by a simple white everyday dish. "Oh! I love that set," she exclaimed.
"We know. Hal said you picked this one out for your last
home." Etain took her to the kitchen where they found Hal humming and putting things away. It struck Vivi that her squire was nesting.
Because she had so many issues about going in the sun, her 'illness' stayed in the minds of the humans they met, which meant they had to move more often than most paranormals. This was the first time since Hal had met her that he could call a place home. "Oh, Hal," she whispered.
He looked up his easy grin disappearing at her distress. "What is it baby girl?" he asked walking around the expansive island.
"You gave up so much to take care of me. You could have found your mate and had children of your own, but you were stuck with me." She waved her hand about the kitchen. "You couldn't even get comfortable in your own kitchen knowing we would be moving."
Hal stared down at her frowning. He reached out and thumped her on the forehead with his middle finger.
"Oww! Dammit Hal, you know I hate it when you do that," she complained.
"Then don't say foolish things. If it came down to a choice between having granite countertops or you, I would choose you every time. Yes, I could have found a mate, but I didn't miss having children." He smiled down at her. "I had you."
She wrapped her arms around his waist. "I love you Hal."
He held her close. "I love you too baby girl. I don't regret raising you for a second."
Vivi used his shirt to wipe her eyes and nose. Hal looked down at her and raised an eyebrow. "Really? You know I hate it when you do that."
She giggled. "Then don't thump me." She ducked behind her mate and looked around the kitchen. "I take it we have running water?"
Hal nodded. "Thank the gods you mentioned something about having power. We probably would have realized it after all our volunteers left. I swear those witches were like little genies. I would no sooner ask if something could be done and I turned around and it was finished." He walked over to the stove. "Look Vivi, a gas range! I love cooking on gas." He beamed at Etain. "They said I have you to thank for it. Something about having to run a major gas line to the master suite for your fireplace."
Vivi looked up at her mate. "Master suite?"
