Meryn opened her mouth then closed it. She stayed quiet a moment then looked up at her. "So if Gavriel has been in transition for nearly two months, he is probably going through that five thousand year transition and a need-based transition since ferals are going bat shit crazy, then what?"

Elizabeth swallowed hard and leaned back in her chair. "Then we could possibly be living with the most dangerous creature on earth, at least until his transition is over."

Meryn grinned. "That is so cool. Gavriel was badass before, but now, he's like Chernobyl badass."

Elizabeth looked at her and blinked. "You're not scared at all are you?"

Meryn shook her head. "He's surly and grumpy now, but when I first met him when his transition was just starting he was charming. He's always been nice to me."

"I kind of like him grumpy," Elizabeth admitted.

"Aiden is like that, I know what you mean," Meryn said running a finger along her laptop skin.

Elizabeth stared at the blue Tardis and smiled. "I like your laptop skin."

Meryn's eyes narrowed. "Do you know the Doctor?"

"Of course."

"Who was the first Doctor?" Meryn asked eyeing her with suspicion.

"William Hartnell. Why?" Elizabeth asked confused.

Meryn let out a breath of relief. "Some people 'say' they love the Doctor, but then when I ask them, 'Who was the first Doctor?' they say Eccleston and I want to scream. You pass." Meryn beamed at her.

She has to be the cutest little thing.

"You're adorable. I'll let you in on a secret. I'm old enough honey, that I watched Doctor Who when it originally aired. My family was visiting London at the time and I became instantly hooked." Elizabeth almost laughed out loud at the reverent expression on Meryn's face.

"That is so fucking cool!" Meryn exclaimed.

Elizabeth laughed. She had never met anyone quite as open and guileless as Meryn. She was childlike and refreshing. "I've been a sci-fi fanatic as long as it's been around."

"I tried to talk Aiden into going to DragonCon but he said no, that it would be a 'logistical nightmare'." Meryn made air quotes.

"I'll take you next year. I have a standing reservation at a hotel downtown for DragonCon. I can show you the secrets of the Con that most tourists never see." Elizabeth offered.

"No fucking way! I love you!" Meryn bounced in her seat.

Elizabeth had never before met anyone who liked the things she did. In Noctem Falls, science fiction was considered immature or ridiculous. She found herself sharing Meryn's enthusiasm.

"So what do you all do around here to keep from losing your minds? Colton was going to take me into the city, but somehow I don't think that is going to happen now." Elizabeth propped her feet up on the ottoman.

"I'm an internet security expert..."

"Hacker," Elizabeth interrupted.

Meryn nodded, grinning. "I've been working with Adair, that's Aiden's brother who runs the training academy in the city. I'm trying to convince him and the council that it would be more beneficial to assign the trainees to units for more hands-on training than to leave them languishing at the academy until an opening pops up. If my proposal goes through, all thirty of the current trainees will be assigned out to the units here in Lycaonia and Adair and his trainers can start on the next batch. If it's successful here, they will adopt it in the other three cities effectively tripling the defense force. They're supposed to be making a decision either today or tomorrow," Meryn explained.

"That's actually a very good idea." Elizabeth frowned and wondered why they hadn't done this earlier.

"Don't sound so shocked," Meryn mumbled.

Elizabeth chuckled. "Sorry I didn't mean to imply you weren't intelligent, it's just that it makes so much sense I was wondering why we haven't adopted this practice before now."

"Oh. That's easy. That's because nobody around here likes change. I swear they wouldn't change their underwear if they didn't have to. Everything is tradition, tradition, tradition. Most of them have forgotten why they originally decided to do things a certain way. A lot of practices need to be hauled into the twenty-first century," Meryn said sounding thoroughly disgusted.

"Tell me about it. I was raised in Noctem Falls, they practically worship the Victorian era there. I still get stares when I wear jeans around the city when I visit my dad."

Meryn's eyes widened. "You were raised in Noctem Falls? I so want to go there. I heard that the vampires carved their city into the cliff face of a deep canyon."

Elizabeth nodded. "I distinctly remember the first time my father took me outside to play. Noctem Falls is actually an underground city. It's a network of caves and caverns deep in the earth."

"Like the dwarves in Lord of the Rings?" Meryn whispered.

"Actually, that's a very close representation of Noctem Falls. But instead of dwarves, there are vampires."

"Now I don't know which city I want to visit first. I thought for sure that I wanted to go to Éire Danu first, but now Noctem Falls sounds magical." Meryn chewed on her lower lip.

"Not just anyone can visit Éire Danu. The fae are very protective of their city," Elizabeth warned.

Meryn waved a hand in front of her. "I was invited by their queen. Elder Vi'Ailean is the younger brother of her consort. The Elder likes me." She grinned at her.