"Hot damn girl, why didn't you say so sooner, let's go." Eva herded everyone downstairs and out the door.

Meryn looked around and scrunched up her nose. "It's okay, but I like the Alpha estate better."

Eva bumped her with her hip. "Of course you do, you live there." Eva marched toward the tunnel with the single-minded purpose of getting her cup of coffee. When she saw Ryuu waiting for them, two to-go cups in hand, she almost cried. She walked up to him and took her cup. "Gods bless you, Ryuu."

Ryuu nodded with sympathy and handed the other cup to his charge. She and Meryn sighed happily at the same time after their first sip.

"I think I'd be okay with the world ending as long as I had coffee," Meryn admitted.

"Agreed." Eva took another sip.

Ryuu bent down and picked up a large cooler bag. "Ladies, after you." He bowed and motioned them to step into the tunnel. Unlike when the twins floated her up, Eva actually felt something solid under her feet. Looking down, she couldn't see anything, but it was if they were on a moving platform. The five of them arrived at Level Six and made their way to where the loud noises announced the housing project in progress.

She saw her mate talking with Beth. They were both bent over his clipboard, which now sported a pretty stone on the metal clasp. When she asked, he told her it was an alert stone in case Beth hurt herself. She was amazed that the girl had lived as long as she had if she had to pass out alert stones to ensure she got help. Beth pointed to the house in front of them, and they both nodded. Adriel looked over and saw her. His face transformed into a smile. Beth turned, and seeing them, walked over with Adriel.

"Looks like you lived," her mate teased kissing her gently.

"What in the hell was in that wine and why didn't you warn me?" Eva demanded.

Adriel winced. "It was not technically wine, more like a fruit flavored whiskey. The fae and the vampires discovered the recipe for it when attempting to create an alcohol that would not burn off with paranormal metabolisms. They call it Forbidden Fruit."

"I was drinking glass after glass of whiskey? No wonder I felt like dying this morning. You should have warned me." She poked him hard in the chest.

"I had no idea that you had never had any. You do own and operate a bar in a shifter town, my love," Adriel pointed out.

"Well, we don't stock that. Kinda glad now, I would have spent more time rolling drunk wolves out of my bar than pouring drinks."

"Forgive me," he asked, kissing her neck.

"I guess. But only because the twins pulled me back from the brink of death. Thank them. Because of their spell, I didn't spend the entire morning planning your death while trying to keep my head from exploding."

Adriel turned to the twins. "You have my thanks. When you are not pulling pranks, you have proven to be quite useful."

"Sugar!" Beth hissed, turning toward them.

Eva looked up and saw a vampire walking toward them with a smarmy smile on his face.

"Behave," Adriel murmured.

"I aim to misbehave," Meryn said, and the twins high-fived each other

"Elizabeth, darling! How good to see you again! Your efforts to supply homes for those poor wretched refugees does honor to your uncles' house," the man said, spreading his arms wide as if to greet Beth with a hug.

Meryn stumbled and wrapped her arms around Beth. "Sorry!" she said, her eyes wide and innocent. Beth kept her arms around Meryn, effectively evading the newcomer's embrace.

"Ivan DeLaFontaine, I'd like you to meet Meryn McKenzie, she is my adopted sister and the Unit Commander's mate." Beth smiled as she introduced Meryn.

It wasn't lost on Eva how she introduced Meryn's tie to a vampire family before her mating with the Unit Commander. Meryn was right; Beth was a master politician.

Ivan's oily smile turned to Meryn. "Oh! Isn't she delicious?"

Meryn stepped back, looking scared. "You want to eat me?" she exclaimed loudly. Her voice carried over the workmen's noise, and heads turned in her direction. Eva watched as her pack edged closer to where Meryn stood.

Ivan shook his head. "Of course not, darling. I was referring to the fact that you're pregnant. New babies are such a joy!"

Meryn gasped and wrapped her arms around her midsection protectively. "You want to eat my baby!"

"Here now, what's going on?" Stefan demanded, walking up to stand directly behind Meryn.

Ivan's polite facade began to crack. "Nothing, she is deliberately misinterpreting my every word."

Meryn sniffled and turned her face into Beth's shoulder. Beth patted her on the back. "She is in a delicate condition. You, of course, understand how frightening it must be for her to be in a strange city and have a new threat hanging over our heads. Even in the most peaceful of times, being with child is difficult." Beth kissed the top of Meryn's head.

Ivan was instantly repentant. "You're absolutely right. I'll just check on the housing project and then return to my Level. Give your uncle my regards, darling." He waved at them and walked over to where the unit witches were organizing for the day.

"I don't like him," Stefan growled.

"Me, either." Meryn said, pulling her head out of Beth's chest.

"You two almost gave me a heart attack," Adriel said, rubbing his chest. "I am too old for shocks like that. Do you know how hard it was not to laugh?"