Lilly's Torment [Beyond the Veil 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Honor James

  Reaching out, he touched her back lightly as they moved into the building, through security and to the elevators. “It will be all right,” he said softly as they rode up. Pulling out his phone, he typed a moment before showing her the screen. Just a quick message to Zhubin to find out if he and the others were available for a frank discussion about mating. He hit ‘send’ and then pocketed it once more as they reached their floor and moved to the captain’s office.

  “Thank you for that,” Lilly said softly. “I truly do appreciate you doing that. I know you didn’t have to. But it really would make me feel better to talk to someone who’s already been through a mating or bonding or whatever it is called and knows what to expect.”

  “They won’t be able to tell you everything. Each mating is different, after all. But hopefully they can give you some idea of what to expect. Though, they are Luhpyne, so you can only take so much of what they say to heart.” His hand on her back kept her moving toward the captain’s office. “Did you want a drink before we go in?”

  “Yes please, water, and why would I only be able to take so much of what they say to heart?” she asked with a frown. “I guess I don’t understand. Why wouldn’t we be able to take anything that they say to heart?”

  “Because the mating practices are different between the races. Ask questions, but remember it may be different for us. As long as you don’t hold everything as written in stone, it will be fine.” Ax touched her cheek gently. “I just don’t want you getting upset over something that may not hold bearing on us.”

  “Okay, I think I can handle that,” she said with a nod. “As long as you know that I will ask questions. We need to find more people like you and Gav that have gone through mating before so that we can figure out what to expect from the two of you. I don’t want to be in the middle of it and something happens that scares the bejesus out of me. Please.”

  “I will see what I can do, Lilly,” he said softly. “But I can’t promise I’ll find anyone. It’s rare for a cross-race mating to occur. I will try and locate a few people from both the Vhampire and Spiryte races, at the very least. Though, Vhampires are apparently very tight lipped about what occurs during the mating and bonding rituals. Even I don’t know what happens. But since that is something the father is supposed to share…” He shrugged.

  “What do you mean? A cross-race mating? God, I feel like I’m such a freaking idiot right now. You must look at me and shake your head every single time that you look at me. I feel completely out of phase here, or something. I’ve never thought about mates, mating or any of that. Ever.”

  “Shh,” he said softly. His thumb stroked slowly over her cheek. “Look, let’s get through the meeting first. Then we will go and meet Zhubin, Ansell, and Lacey. Once you ask your questions, we’ll sit and talk. I’ll tell you all I know, which isn’t much, and we’ll figure this out.”

  “It’s everything, because you will be there and hopefully, soon, so will Gav. I know that, with you two helping me, we will get through this together. We will also come out stronger, right?” They would be a team, and God, she prayed she could find out more information about being mated to a Vhampire and Spiryte.

  “Absolutely.” He smiled. “Won’t be more than a moment,” he said. Stepping away from her, he went into the lunchroom. Moments later, he returned with two bottles of water. Passing her one, Artaxias looked at her. “Ready to hear what the boss has to say?”

  Taking the water, she unscrewed the cap and took a drink. After that, she took a deep breath, looked at Artaxias, and in her best voice said, “I think that I am as ready as I am going to get. Let’s go and see what the boss has to say. Let’s just hope he’s not firing me already.”

  “He’s not going to fire you, little mate,” he said quietly. Once more, he pressed his hand to her back and guided her into the captain’s office. Closing the door, he waited until Lilly had sat down before taking the other chair.

  “Thanks for coming in you two, you feeling okay, Agent Webb?” The captain was looking at her with concern.

  “As okay as I guess I can feel, knowing that there is something or someone out there trying to control me. From what I understand, it’s like a subconscious demand on me to do this or that and it really, really irritates the hell out of me. Pardon the language, sir.”

  “So I’ve heard,” he said, drumming the fingers of his left hand on the desk. “I know that Artaxias and Gavriel will keep you from giving into those urges. But if you need anything, let me know.” He tapped his hand to the desk and then sat back. “All right, so what did you find out about the metal scrap you found? I read the report, but I would love to have it in layman’s terms. I have the gist, but most of it went right over my head.”

  “The metal is coated in something that is actually deadly to those that live on the other side of the Veil. I encountered this once before.” She rubbed her temples, head suddenly hurting. “I think that it was a group of people that wanted to kill as many from the other side of the Veil as possible to send a threat?” Her hands shook. “I think.” A frown crossed her features, pain making her eyes want to water. “I’m sorry, I don’t think that I can talk about this,” she whispered. “That doesn’t make sense.”

  “Same thing happened yesterday,” Artaxias said. Leaning over, he pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Lilly. Focus on me, Lil. I’m right here,” he whispered. His lips moved down her neck, his teeth nibbling gently and carefully.

  Lilly leaned heavily against Artaxias and then buried her face against the crook of his neck. “I don’t like this. At all. I want to find whoever did this to me and pull their teeth out through their backside. Promise me that we will find them and we will make them hurt?”

  “I swear it, Lilly,” he said softly. Wrapping his arm around her, Ax hugged her close. “I will make them pay and then unleash you on them. You have my word.” Another kiss pressed to her temple that time, before he drew back. “Captain, the compulsions are keeping her from telling us all she really knows. I need to see just what it all does, but I can’t do that until later. I would like to get her out of here for some fresh air, though.”

  “Go,” the captain told him. “Do what’s needed, but keep me apprised. If she’s a threat to this investigation, I need to know. Unintentionally of course,” the man added, likely because of the tension she felt thrumming through Artaxias at the mere suggestion she’d compromise an investigation. Her mate had been offended.

  Lilly moved with Artaxias when he rose. Keeping a tight hold to his hand, she was shaking slightly. “I think we should just go to the clean room and try to get to the bottom of this. I hate any weakness in myself and right now, that is how I feel, weak. Can we please just try to go and get this all sorted?”

  “As you wish, little mate,” he said quietly. His arm was tight around her, keeping her pressed to his side as he led her through their floor. He took her to the elevator and they rode up, a ways up. Stepping off after a few minutes, he led her through a blank slate of a room. There were many doors, no windows and everything was pristine white. Not a stick of furniture either, but lots and lots of cameras.

  He stopped before a door and ushered her inside. There was a coffee table, sofa, and a file waiting. Not much else beyond a jug of ice water and a couple glasses. “Take a seat, Lilly. Ditch the jacket and get comfortable. You need to be as relaxed as possible when we begin.”

  Doing as instructed, Lilly took a seat after pulling off her jacket. Grabbing the weapons she had on her, she piled them onto the jacket and leaned back on the sofa. Pulling a throw pillow close, she wrapped her arms around it and sighed. “You might want to get rid of all of our weapons before we start, don’t you think?”

  “Was planning on it,” he told her. Collecting hers, he took them to the wall and when he touched a spot, a panel slid open. His fingerprint opened a safe, where he deposited them. Then he started pulling off all of his. About thirty blades, three guns, and what looked like throwing stars. After he locked it down tig
ht, he moved toward her and sat. “Come here, Lilly.” He held his arms open to her.

  She didn’t hesitate in the least. Lilly was up and moved across the couch until she was in his arms again. Settled on his lap, she rested her cheek to his shoulder and let out a breath of a sigh. “What happens now?” she whispered quietly. “Because I have to tell you, I’m more than a little nervous about all of this.”

  “I know, Lilly, so am I,” he told her quietly. “We are going to start looking at photos. I’m going to show you a full-body photo. Well, mostly a full body. Briar insisted on the hanky over his penis for propriety’s sake. Then we will go to quarters and then little pieces, one at a time. You will stare at them and tell me what you see, and what you feel with each. We will go slowly, I’ll record everything, and once we find the trigger and get you back to yourself, you’ll listen to the recording and give me your impressions.”

  “All right. Well, I think that I am as ready as I am going to get.” She looked to Ax and leaned in, her forehead to his, and whispered. “No matter what I might say, just know that I care for you. Even if I say bad things to you, know that it’s whatever this is that’s talking, and not how I truly feel for you?”

  “Do not worry about what you may say. Just speak, Lilly. We need to know what is going on inside, and I think this may be the key. But first, did you need to eat anything, take a shot? Because we are going to be in here a good while. Bathroom break, maybe?”

  “I ate this morning and had a shot. I should be good. Just make sure that there is juice in here, too, for later? Maybe have someone bring us lunch if we are still here in a couple of hours?” Her health was something she couldn’t take for granted. “And I will talk. Just help me if I try to clam up?”

  “I will, on all counts.” He stood up and shrugged out of his jacket. He tossed it to the far end of the sofa. Sitting again, he lifted her into his lap and held her tight. “Are you ready to begin?” he asked quietly. He brushed a kiss to her cheek. “And I will be right here the entire time, Lilly. You are never alone, not now, not ever again.”

  “Thank you for that. I don’t think you can possibly understand just how much that means to me,” she whispered softly. “Okay, let’s do this. I’m ready to get this over and done with so we can figure out our next step. Show me what you have to show me, Ax?”

  He gave her a quick kiss, and then settled her at his side on the sofa. Leaning forward, he flipped open the file. Pulling off the top photo, he held it so she couldn’t see the image. He hit a button on the coffee table. “Agent Lilly Webb reviewing the photos of the deceased, case number six-two-alpha-nine. First image for review is a full-body shot from the right side.” He passed her the photo in a way that she’d have to flip it over to see it.

  Lilly looked at the photo and frowned. “This poor man,” she murmured quietly. “He had to have suffered terribly. I feel so badly for him.” She looked to Ax and shook her head. “So far, nothing, Ax. I’m good so far.”

  “Second image for review is a full-body shot from the left side.” He handed it over. She squinted at it, tipped her head and then, same thing. Nothing. “Third image for review is the right leg, and the fourth image for review is the left leg.” Ax passed her both images and sat waiting.

  Lilly shook her head. “Nothing,” she said quietly. “I guess it’s time to show me the ones you keep shuffling to the back of the pile?” She had noticed, he kept shuffling some of the images to the very back of the pile, not that she could blame him at all.

  “We’ll get there,” he told her softly. He dug out a couple more. “Fifth image for review is left hip, sixth image for review is left arm,” he said. Passing her the photos, he watched her again. When it was another negative, he handed her two more. These were the left torso and the left shoulder and neck area.

  Lilly’s hands began to shake as she looked at the tattoo on the man’s left shoulder and neck area. Sweat beaded her brow and she literally began to shake as if she were a drug addict on withdrawals. “I need a phone,” she whispered, her eyes glazed. “I need to make a call.” She was going crazy, that was what kept going through her mind. “I think that I need to go back to DC. I’m sorry, but I need a phone. Now.” She got up and began to pace, trying to find a door and unable to.

  “Photo eight has elicited a reaction from Agent Webb. She’s shaking and sweating. Her eyes are darting around and she appears unable to sit still. She is also demanding a phone.” Artaxias put the photo down and moved toward her. “Lilly, why do you need a phone, love?”

  “I need to make a phone call. I think that I’m starting to revert. I need to have them come get me,” she whispered and began to stand, pacing as she did so. “I need to make that phone call, Ax. Please don’t keep me here. I have to call them. I have to make sure that they come to me. Come for me. Don’t stand in my way. I have to make that call.”

  He moved to her, trapping her. There was a door, she had to get to the door. His hands were on her face and her gaze caught in his. “You don’t need to do anything of the sort, little mate. All you need to do is kiss me.” He leaned in and kissed her, not giving her a chance to reply. His tongue slid in, stroking and tempting hers.

  She kissed him back. With a soft sigh of surrender, she gave in to him and truly kissed him back with all that she had in her. A low moan came from her lips and she wrapped her arms around him to pull him closer. When they parted, she smiled up at him. “I love your kisses,” she whispered softly.

  “I love kissing you.” He smiled. He slid a hand over her cheek to her hair. “Do you remember what just happened, Lilly? Do you remember why I kissed you as I did just now?” His eyes said it was important, even though his face and body language said “relaxed.”

  “Because we are about to start looking at the photos. You wanted to give me one last kiss before we started?” she asked with a frown and then felt the hurting in her head. “No. That’s not right.” She began to tense up, her mind trying to work out what was happening and her head pounding stunningly as she did so. “What’s happening?” she whispered and looked up at him.

  “Shh,” he breathed out. Kissing her again gently, he drew back. “Come and sit, listen to the recording.” Tugging her down next to him on the sofa, he hit the “stop,” “rewind,” and then “play” buttons for the recorder. He turned and watched her as his voice started to speak. Hers came in, as counterpoints, with answers until the moment she demanded a phone.

  She was pale, completely pale when he allowed the recording device to play back. “Well, does this at least give us an idea of what it is that sets me off?” she asked suddenly. “Can I have a drink, please? I’m feeling more than a little ill right now,” she admitted quietly.

  Nodding, he popped up and moved to a wall. He tapped on it and a section slid open to reveal a bar. He dug out a bottle of water and a juice, bringing them both to her. He went back and grabbed another water, as well as a box. Returning, he sat and handed her the crackers. “It’s the markings on his shoulder and neck that set you off. You were staring at the image hard right before you started to shake. Your eyes glazed over and then you started to sweat. A few moments later you began to mutter and then demanded the phone.”

  “So that’s the only part? If so, I should be able to go into autopsy as long as that area is covered, right?” She took a drink of the water and cracker to nibble on. “God, my head is totally killing me right now,” she whispered. “I feel as if it’s about to explode. I know it won’t, but lord, it’s hurting.”

  “It’s the pressure from the compulsion. You’re resisting reporting to them, whoever they may be. Because of that, the compulsion is striking out at you, hurting you, because you are resisting.” Artaxias lifted her into his lap as he leaned back, his arms around her. “I’m sorry, Lilly. I don’t want you hurting, but I also don’t want you giving them anything. Not yet.”

  Taking a deep breath, Lilly nodded. “All right,” she whispered quietly. “I trust you. I believe in you. If you
say that something needs to be done, we will do it. I don’t know how we will do this, but I trust you and I believe in you. Together we will get through this, right?”

  “Absolutely,” he said, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “Drink more water, it seems to help you as well. Then I want to go and see the Luhpynes and get their take on the photo that had you ready to dig through the walls to get out.”

  She nodded and reached out to him again. Her hand closed over his wrist and she asked, “Stay with me, please? Don’t, leave me even for a moment. I hate to beg, but I will if I need to. Just, please? Stay with me? I don’t know that I can face anything without you here with me.”

  “I’m not going anywhere, Lilly,” he said softly. Wrapping her tight in his arms, Ax kissed her cheek gently. “Drink your water, sweetheart. We’ll just sit here for a moment, and then we’ll go find the mated group. Do you have all your questions ready?”

  “I have no idea,” she said honestly. “I really have no idea what to ask them. I know that I want to find out about what to expect and how it will work when we all come together. I’m not all that, well…experienced, I guess you can say? Meaning, I’ve never had two people at once. Ever.”

  “Well, I’m slightly ashamed to admit this, but I’m glad you haven’t. Your first time should be with your mates. And then only with your mates after that, for the rest of our lives.” He leaned back into the sofa, one hand rubbing over her thigh. “Well, hopefully they’ll answer any questions you may think up as we go.”

  “I certainly hope so, because, while I don’t mind going in blind, I would rather us have as much information as possible for your sake. I know that it is something that is weighing heavily on you, and I really don’t want that, love. I need to ensure that you are comfortable with this.”

  “I know, and I appreciate that, little mate.” He brushed back her hair gently, his other hand still moving rhythmically up and down her thigh. “It will be fine. Most of it’s instinct, from what I understand. My biggest worry is that because I’m a Vhampire, I’ll hurt you during the process. I have to take your blood to complete the bond, and you need to take a small amount of mine. But I don’t know how much is enough, what’s too little, and Gods help me if it’s too much.”