Colton groaned. "Don't remind me."

Anne kept her left hand wrapped around Kendrick's and picked up her coffee with her right. For the first time in a very long time, she felt like she had a family again, cussing, jokes, and all.

CHAPTER SEVEN

After breakfast, everyone lingered over coffee. Anne suspected that no one wanted to leave each other's company just yet.

Meryn was tackling her second stack of pancakes when she turned to Kendrick. "By the way, Keelan-From-the-Future, you keep showing up wearing different clothes, but you didn't have any luggage. You've set up a lab, but didn't have anything delivered, how did you get all your stuff?"

Kendrick smiled and detached a small pouch from his belt. He held it up swinging from his fingers. "It's bigger on the inside."

Meryn dropped her fork and stared. "Can I see?"

Kendrick nodded, and Meryn ran around the table. He set the pouch in her hands and watched as she opened it.

A look a disappointment bloomed on her face. "It's empty."

Kendrick winked and cupped his hands around hers and whispered a word.

Meryn's eyes widened. "Holy shit balls! It's like a whole castle in here. Wait! Go back! Was that a library?"

Kendrick nodded. "It's called the Bag of Wishes. I can place anything I want inside, regardless of shape, size, or weight."

Meryn looked at his clothes. "So you have a closet in here too?"

He shook his head. "No, these" he plucked at his blazer, "are the Gentlemen's Garments. I received them as a present from the queen of the fae."

She smiled. "Like my dress."

Kendrick tilted his head. "You're the new owner of the Gown of Éire Danu?"

She bopped her head yes and kept tilting the pouch side to side.

"Interesting," he murmured.

Elizabeth snorted. "You have no idea."

Meryn placed the bag in his hands and turned to Aiden. "I want one."

Aiden's mouth dropped. "Baby, I can't just go out and buy you one. Enchanted fae items are extremely rare."

Meryn walked back to her chair and sat down. "I need it in my life."

Aiden turned to Darian who was chuckling. Darian nodded at Aiden. "I'll see what I can do."

Meryn smiled brightly at Darian. "Thank you big brother-cousin."

Darian looked around the table. "We never really stood a chance, did we?"

The men all shook their heads. Kendrick laughed. "Never has a truer statement been spoken. Women always have the upper hand, always."

Meryn pumped her fist in the air. "Because we kick ass!"

Kendrick smiled slyly. "It's because you have the magic bean."

Meryn frowned as Aiden choked on his coffee. "What magic bean?"

Elizabeth blushed. "Oh, dear."

Anne had to suppress a giggle.

"I only know of two magic beans: the cocoa bean and the coffee bean," Meryn insisted.

Kendrick clucked his tongue. "Commander, you have been remiss in your duties."

Around the table, the other men were trying not to laugh and failing horribly.

Finally, Gavriel took pity on the confused Meryn and leaned in to whisper what the third magic bean was. Meryn's reaction caught Anne by surprise when she erupted into giggles.

"Ha, ha, ha, magic bean! Hey baby, want to swallow my magic bean later?" Meryn leered up at her mate.

Aiden smirked and shook his head before leaning down to nip Meryn on the neck. "Only if you're very, very good," he promised.

Meryn reached over her head and traced a halo before folding her hands in front of her as if in prayer. "I'm always good."

Colton chuckled. "Hey Meryn, did you have to get a custom-made halo to fit between those devil horns?" he teased.

Anne lifted her hand and tapped her lips. "What do you think Meryn? We could sew his lips shut in his sleep."

Meryn's eyes brightened, and she turned to Rheia. "You don't need to kiss him for a while do you?"

Rheia shrugged. "I could go without."

Colton's mouth dropped as he cuddled his mate. "Darlin', you wouldn't let them do that to me, would you?"

Rheia just winked at Meryn and Anne.

Meryn leaned back in her chair. "Face it gentlemen, you're no longer the baddest motherfuckers in the room anymore."

Aiden kissed the side of Meryn's head. "Don't let the other warriors find out."

Anne smiled. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with us," she promised, and the other women laughed. Anne finally felt like she belonged in this house with these people.

Kendrick cleared his throat. "Not to put a damper on things but..."

Colton smiled ruefully. "But we still have some pretty serious allegations against us."

Kendrick set his empty cup down. "Thanks to Anne's suggestion, I may have a plan for that. But that wasn't what I was talking about. I was talking about the perimeter."

Aiden blinked. "But the perimeter is the one good thing that came from this whole mess. The ferals haven't been able to breach it since it went up; we're safe."

Kendrick twisted the cup in his hands. "Maybe I'm being pessimistic, but when something looks too good to be true, it usually is."

Amelia turned to him. "How can the perimeter be a bad thing?"

Kendrick stopped turning the cup. "What if the perimeter wasn't designed to keep you safe by keeping the ferals out. What if it was designed to keep the ferals out to keep them safe?"