"Meryn, Meryn! Are you okay?" Aiden's worried voice brought her back. He was bent down peering into her face.
"Sorry about that. Sometimes my brain needs to process stuff quickly and I have a moment." She blushed. She knew she was odd, she just hated that he kept seeing her weird side.
"A moment? A Meryn Moment. Got it. You're okay though, right?" Aiden took her hand again. She was starting to feel naked without his large, steadying hand wrapped around hers.
"Meryn Moment? I like that. Sounds better than 'Psycho Seconds' or 'Freak Meltdown'."
"Who called it that?" Aiden frowned.
"My first boyfriend and my second boyfriend." Meryn sighed. She had stopped dating after that.
"Humpf. Don't mind them Meryn, they were only human." Aiden swung their hands. Meryn felt her heart soar. That's right! They had only been human, she was swimming in a much bigger, freakier pond now. Aiden accepted her for who she was. It felt amazing. Meryn frowned and stopped dead in her tracks. Aiden glanced back concerned.
"I think I'm falling in love with you." She said flatly. His eyebrows shot up and he stared at her. People passed them on either side as they stared at one another.
"Well, I think I'm starting to love you too." Aiden grumbled his cheeks the color of the red apples for sale in the basket next to them.
"Good. Coffee now?"
Aiden cleared his throat and nodded. Meryn noticed that his hand as it gripped hers had gotten moist and trembled slightly. Her silly bear.
"Why do you have cameras on the roofs?" She asked pointing at the roofline. "The entire city is rocking this cool Victorian Steampunk vibe and then you see those cameras and it kinda ruins the atmosphere."
"Kids. Last year it became the cool thing to 'tag' locations of the city with a spell or in the shifter's cases urine. We spent a lot of time chasing teenagers and speaking with parents. With the cameras, we just send the parents the captured video of the delinquent kid and bill for cleanup. The vandalism stopped almost immediately. I think the new thing now are vanishing ink tattoos."
"I guess kids are kids no matter where you live." Meryn took a deep breath and beyond the smells of jasmine, myrrh, freshly baked bread and cinnamon was the crisp smell of autumn. As they walked Aiden pointed out the training academy and the local school. He walked her down a narrower street that was lined with small eateries. She caught a whiff of something familiar and began to smile.
"I hope they have pumpkin flavored drinks."
"I'm sure they do." Aiden stopped and held the door open to a smaller shop. The second the door cracked she could smell heaven. Freshly ground coffee beans lured her in off the sidewalk.
"Welcome to The Jitterbug! Come on in!" A voice called from behind the counter. Meryn looked at the smaller man and smiled. He was shorter than any of the other men she had met so far. She figured he was about five foot eight. But what he lacked in muscles he made up for in beauty. He had strawberry blonde curls and bright teal colored eyes. The man at his side who was gazing at him adoringly was his antithesis. He was taller at five foot ten, his hair was dark and pulled back in a long braid. His brown eyes had flecks of gold in them.
"Commander McKenzie, this is a surprise. You never come to visit. What brings you in?" The smaller man called.
They walked up to the counter.
"My mate demanded coffee, so I brought her to the best in Lycaonia. Meryn I would like you to meet Sydney Fairfax and Justice O'Malley. They own The Jitterbug. Gentlemen, my mate Meryn Evans."
"Oh my goodness the rumors are true. Elder Airgead's spell worked. The warriors are starting to get their mates!" The smaller man, Sydney, began to laugh. "That will make a lot of the single women in the city very unhappy. You've been voted the most Eligible Bachelor in Lycaonia for the past five years." Sydney wiped his eyes.
"Thrice welcome to Lycaonia Meryn! What have you seen so far? What can I get you? It's on the house." Justice offered.
"This is the first shop we've gone into, but everything looks amazing. Do you have anything with pumpkin?"
"Of course! It's fall, isn't it? Now, not to brag, but my Pumpkin Apple latte is to die for." Sydney blew on his fingertips and brushed them on the front of his shirt.
"My man is bragging, but he's right. It is amazing." Justice leaned in and kissed the back of Sydney's neck before returning to the espresso machine. Sydney sighed happily.
"You two are so cute! How long have you been together?" Meryn leaned on the counter.
"Five years now, but he keeps things fresh. I don't know how I was lucky enough to be mated to a man like that, but fate knows best right?"
"I think so. Well, I hope so, evidently she brought me here."
"I think she's doing just fine." Aiden wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Awww! I never thought I would see the day that hardcore, military Unit Commander Aiden McKenzie would act so damn cute! Girl, what is your secret?" Sydney asked. Meryn leaned in. Sydney bent down to hear.
"I beat him with his toilet." She whispered. Sydney stood back up and stared at Aiden in shock. Aiden sighed and covered his face with his other hand.
"Oh my Goddess, you're not lying. Ahhhhhh!" Sydney grabbed his stomach, he was laughing so hard. Meryn couldn't help but giggle with him. He had the type of laugh that was contagious.