"Oh you!" she laughed.

"Meryn, I met Viktor BelleRose tonight. He's the unit leader for Iota, and if all the BelleRose men look like him, you'll want to go, trust me." Eva winked.

Meryn sat forward. "Really?"

"Maybe you should stay here," Aiden grumbled, walking back into the room and sitting down.

"No way! What did he look like?" Meryn asked.

"Long, silver hair and amethyst eyes, the most gorgeous smile, and impeccable manners," Eva described.

"All the BelleRose men are stunning," Beth said, ignoring her mate's growls.

"Totally going, but I may still pretend to be mute." Meryn rubbed Aiden's arm. "Is everyone still in one piece?"

Aiden sighed. "For now. I had to make Colton promise not to get retribution."

"Do you really think he won't?" Meryn asked, looking skeptical.

"No. I know he will, but I did tell him if the men weren't alive and in working condition when I got back, I was making Kendrick our son's athair."

Meryn winced. "Ouch. How'd he take it?"

"He promised they'd all be able to do patrols and then hung up."

"How much do you want to bet he is planning on doing something to Sascha that does not impair his ability to walk?" Gavriel asked.

Aiden rubbed his chin as a slow smile began to form. "I'd take that bet."

Meryn clapped her hands together. "So. Tomorrow we set up Wi-Fi, get Eva to Beth for girl stuff, and then go meet the hot vampires?"

Beth pulled out her planner. "I'll be in meetings with Uncle tomorrow morning." She looked up at Stefan and Demetrio. "I'd like for at least one of you to sit in on the early afternoon meeting I'll be setting up to go over housing requirements."

Demetrio nodded. "I can do the meetings, which will leave Stefan free to stay with the pack. They'll be more settled if the Alpha is with them."

Beth chewed on her lower lip. "How is Micah going to show the twins how to create the stone houses if he's guarding Meryn?"

Micah sighed dramatically. "Alas, duty pulls me away from my true loves. The lovely warrior goddess will be guarding my delicate flower in my stead. Such bittersweet goodbyes."

Declan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Adriel, do we really need him?"

Grant patted his shoulder. "Now, now. He's useful every once in a while."

Micah sniffled. "I'm unappreciated in my time."

Declan looked at Adriel, a pained expression on his face. "Do we really want Romeo here influencing the twin demons?"

Her mate chuckled. "I think they will be just fine. Unless you are volunteering to go with them?"

"No, sir," Declan answered quickly.

Meryn smiled. "I can't wait to meet them."

"Gods help us all," Declan, Grant, and Etain said in unison.

Eva threaded her fingers behind her head and tilted her chair back.

Buckle up, cowboys.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Later that night, as they were getting ready for bed, Eva kept waiting for awkwardness to set in. In truth, she had known this man less than twenty-four hours, and even though they had claimed one another, there were so many things she didn't know about him. He turned out the light, but she could make him out clearly from the nightlight in the bathroom.

"What has you looking so serious?" Adriel walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He had changed into a pair of loose pajama pants, but his chest was wonderfully bare. She leaned back against him, enjoying the feel of his skin against hers.

"What side of the bed do you sleep on?"

"That is what you were frowning over?"

She stared up at the ceiling. "No, not exactly." When she didn't elaborate, he simply held her. "We don't know each other that well."

"Ah, now we are getting somewhere. Of course not, we just met."

"And here we are about to climb into bed, turn off the light, and say 'goodnight dear'."

"We could jump on the bed, leave the light on, and say bonne nuit if that makes you feel better."

"Are you teasing me?"

"Maybe a little. Do we have to sleep? Yes. Do we have to share a bed? No. If you prefer, I will sleep in one of the guest rooms."

Eva spun quickly in his arms. "That's not what I meant."

He kissed her nose. "I know. So, mate of mine, would you like to join me in this bed to sleep for the night?"

"I like to stretch out."

"Okay."

"I toss and turn a lot."

"Not a problem."

"I've been alone for centuries; I don't know how to do this. What if your breathing keeps me awake? Or what if you wake up every time I get up to pee?"

"I have been alone just as long, but tonight is different from every other night that has gone before." He steered her to the bed and pulled back the covers. She shook her head and climbed in. He got comfortable behind her and held her close.

"How is tonight different for you?" She held his forearm against her chest like a stuffed animal.

"Because unlike the thousands of nights before I met you, I know how beautiful my mate really is. So many things I thought of, but it is the things I did not imagine that make me want to drop to my knees and thank the Gods you were chosen for me."

"Like what?"

"I did not think you would be a shifter. Living here, I always assumed I would have a vampire as a mate. But having touched you once, I know that would have been a travesty. I crave the warmth of your body. If I had mated another vampire, I would have been in the cold for the rest of my existence."