My Commander(58)

"Your pupils are dilating so I don't think you have a concussion." He ran a hand over her hair.

"No, but I sure did see stars."

"When you screamed I thought ..." His voice broke. She remembered that they had been having the same dream up until their meeting. In their dream, she was stabbed.

"I'm okay. In that dream I had long hair, things change." She snuggled up on his chest and yawned.

"I didn't use to take so many naps before coming here."

"You probably weren't assaulted and traumatized on a daily basis before either." Aiden growled.

"No, but I'm having more fun now."

"Let me hold you for a while. You don't have to nap, I just need to feel you in my arms."

"I can do that." She closed her eyes and fell asleep listening to him breathe.





*****





When she woke up she was back at Aiden's parents' house. She must have been out cold not to have woken up in transit. She sat up and looked around. Aiden was on his laptop in the chair in the corner.

"What are you doing on that thing?" He closed it and stood up.

"Playing spider solitaire."

"Why are we back here? I liked your room better." She lay back down.

"I had Adam check you out at the barracks. He said you were okay, no visible signs of swelling. I was supposed to wake you in thirty minutes if you didn't wake on your own. After he checked you out we woke you up around six to see if you wanted dinner and you said no. So I brought you back here to get settled for the night." Aiden lifted the covers and got in next to her.

"What time is it?" She immediately rolled onto her side and he spooned in next to her.

"One am. Go back to sleep." There was something about his voice that had her turning to face him.

"What happened?"

He sighed. "Can I tell you in the morning? You've been through so much already."

"Nope. I'm a big girl I can handle it."

"Body parts were delivered to the barracks. We think they belong to Eleanor Canter. We brought you back here since this house is more easily defended." He sounded so defeated.

"Okay, let's pretend you didn't tell me that. Let's just go to sleep and pretend that there isn't a psycho out there hacking and slashing." Meryn buried her nose in his chest.

"Anything you want, sweetheart. Get some rest. We have the ball tomorrow."

"I'm kinda looking forward to it." She wrapped her arm around his waist and squeezed tight.

He rested his chin on her head and rubbed her back.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow would be a better day.





CHAPTER ELEVEN





"Meryn you'll be with me today. I need to go to the Alpha barracks to meet with the other units and make sure everyone knows where they are supposed to be for tonight's ball." Aiden said pouring another cup of coffee.

"Sure. From what Lady Fairfax told me about this 'super dress' it won't take me very long to get ready." Meryn sipped her cappuccino. She looked down at the single muffin on her plate and swallowed hard. She wasn't hungry at all. Her stomach was doing cartwheels. Every time she thought about walking into a huge room full of people she didn't know she felt like she was going to be sick.

"You need to eat." Aiden put a spoonful of greasy potatoes on her plate next to her muffin. She watched the steam rise off her plate. The second the smell hit her nose, she stood. Covering her mouth, she bolted from the room. She nearly knocked Marius over before she made it to the downstairs bathroom. Since she had only had coffee for breakfast she was dry heaving by the time Aiden caught up with her.

"Oh baby, it's okay." He got a washcloth out and wet it with warm water. When her stomach stopped trying to turn itself inside out, she sat back against the wall. Aiden handed her a tiny cup of water. She swished the cool, clean water around her mouth and spit it out in the toilet. She leaned back again and the warm cloth was placed over her eyes.

"I can't tell if you being sick is from your nerves or an after effect of getting hit yesterday."

"Nerves. Trust me, it's nerves." She removed the washcloth and got to her feet. Aiden helped steady her and they made their way back to the dining room. She was relieved that her plate had been replaced and the greasy potatoes were nowhere in sight. Marius placed a small plate of saltine crackers next to her tea.

"Thank you Marius. I hope my squire is half as wonderful as you." The older man blushed a little.

"I thought that more of my colleagues would show up for your interviews, but I am afraid they have been swayed by idle gossip."

"That's not your fault."

"I was hoping that my nephew would be able to come, but he has taken a position in Belgium."