by Honor James
He stood with his back to her for a long time, the lines of his back tight under his shirt. “I know you won’t break, Briar,” he said softly. Turning, he moved to her, his long legs devouring the small distance between them. “I know just how strong you are, little mate. But neither of your mates are human. The hungers we have for you may well scare you, which we do not want. So we will take care, we will go at whatever pace you set, but know this. One day, sooner or later, we will have you and you will see all that’s been pent up since the day we met.” One of his hands came up to cup her cheek in the lightest of holds. Then he bent in closer and brushed his lips to hers very lightly, very slowly, giving her time to pull away if she chose.
She didn’t pull back as he had expected. Instead Briar lifted her hand and wrapped it around his neck, fisting her hand in his long hair and tugging him closer to her body. Opening for him, she let him kiss her, really kiss her. She needed this. She needed this connection to him, to her mates. She had to have this. She craved these men, and if they really knew the true depth of what she needed they would likely run.
The growl he gave could have rivaled a Luhpyne’s. But even though his hand slid to her hair, he was careful not to trap her or box her in. She could feel his other hand on her hip, sliding up and down slowly. He teased her lips open and then devoured her mouth, his tongue teasing hers, taunting and driving her slowly insane.
When she pulled back from him, she was panting. Licking her lips, she nodded. “I liked that. A lot,” she whispered against his lips, her nose lightly brushing his and then pulled back fully. “You had someone to interview?” Her hand still was on his shoulder though, his hand still on her hip, and she wasn’t ready to move and it seemed neither was he.
“I do have someone to interview,” he said, his voice huskier than normal. His eyes were dilated, his breathing ragged, and he didn’t appear to be all that concerned. “They can wait a moment more though. And if not, too bad,” he whispered. He kissed her again, slower, softer but no less intensely. Drawing her in a little closer with a light hand, he sucked on her lower lip and nipped gently.
Wrapping herself around him, Briar kissed him back. She was like a woman drowning and he was the life preserver. She clung to him as tightly as his jeans did and kissed him back with the pent-up desperation, need, and hunger that she had always had for this man in that kiss.
Groaning, he drew back. It wasn’t until she sucked in a couple of breaths that she realized he was on the phone. “I’ll be there in twenty,” he said to whoever was on the other end. His eyes were on her and practically glowing. “I said I’ll be there and I will. Sit tight and don’t move,” he ordered before he disconnected and slipped the device into his pocket. Ahnjels were one of the few races that had never had the implant put in behind their ears. A quick press to her lips and he drew back a little further. “I have to go, little mate. Forgive me?”
“Always,” she whispered and smiled. “Go. Go and do what you need to do.” She touched her own fingers to her lips and sighed. “Man, you can kiss like crazy though.” She watched him leave and shook her head. “Wow.” It was all she could say before walking backward toward her office. She no longer turned her back on the doors. Not anymore. Not unless they were locked.
Ten minutes after Danel left, Byrne came wandering into the morgue. He stopped at her office door with a smile. “You ready to head down?” he asked her. He had a pile of files under his arm and a small smirk on his lips. He looked like he knew something, something juicy perhaps.
“I’m ready. So”—she approached him with her data pad in hand and grinned—“what’s that look all about, mister? You have the look of the cat that ate the canary, or in your case the dog that ate the cat that ate the canary.”
He shrugged and tipped his head. Then he inhaled deeply, adding a couple quick sniffs at the end. His smile only got bigger as he stepped out of her path. “Oh, nothing much, little mate. Nothing much at all.” He chuckled softly.
“Well, you are looking awfully smug,” she said and moved closer to him, reaching out and grabbing his arm. “Well, come on.” She hesitated at the door and then asked, “You did bring a weapon, right?”
He snorted. “Besides the fact I am a weapon you ask this? But yes, I have two guns and a number of blades in very interesting spots that no one could find. I wasn’t looking smug, just a little happy. Which you should be as well, given what you and Danel obviously got up to in your offices, darling.”
Briar blushed but nodded. “We kissed. A lot,” she added with a grin. “And if you play your cards right you will be kissed, too. A lot. Because I have to tell you, I really liked kissing Danel, and I think that I will really like kissing you as well.”
Chuckling, he took her hand in his and kissed her fingers. “Oh, there will be kissing, much kissing. After all, we’ll be down there, all alone, just us and a bunch of dusty boxes and files. So much time to do so many fun things.”
“Good.” She squeezed his hand and looked up at him. “You aren’t looking at me as if I’m going to fall apart. Thank you for that.” He was looking at her with hunger in his eyes, need, and she respected that because that’s how she felt as well. Hungry, needy, hell, she was desperate and knew it. “I will tell you as I told Danel. Yes, I went through hell, I’m still trying to come back from it, but I need to have you helping me. I need to have something good to cling to, and that’s this mating bond that I feel pulling at me each time I see either of you. Help me?”
“Anyway you want,” he said, gently pulling her closer. “You won’t fall apart, Briar, even if we weren’t here. You are strong. You have a spine of steel and a will of pure titanium. You may have low moments. We all do, little mate, no matter how strong we are. But we all get up again, stronger and better than ever before.” Byrne slid his free arm around her waist so she was in a loose hold. One she could break easily if she wanted to. “We are here, though, and we don’t mind when you lean on us. You tell me what you need, Doc, and I’ll find a way to see that it happens.”
“Thank you for that,” she whispered softly to him and then turned to lean into him, more, wrapping her arms around him and holding onto him. “Right now, for this moment I just need you holding me, Byrne. If only for a minute, I need it, please.”
“Whatever you need,” he said, his arms coming around her body. He held her possessively but with care. Then he began to rub her back slowly, long strokes up and down.
“Oh, sorry, I just need to…Briar?” Zhubin’s voice was right there. “Uh, is everything all right here?” he asked, watching her closely. When she nodded, he shot a look to Byrne and then looked to her. Holding up a bag, he smiled. “As per my mate, your next set of books to read. I didn’t peek, because I promised, but given what Lacey has been reading of late, I’d have the AC cranked when you get into these, Doc.”
Briar grinned and took the books greedily from one of the AEDA agents, and a good friend. “Thanks, Zhubin,” she told him and then looked to Byrne. “Be right back.” Without waiting, she took off for her office, stashed her books, and then returned. Going back to Byrne’s side, she nodded. “Everything is fine, Zhubin. I’ve come to terms with my past and laid it to rest. I want to focus on the future now,” she admitted.
The Luhpyne watched her for a little longer and then nodded. “All right. You have our numbers if you need anything, Doc. And call Lacey later. She’ll be dying for gossip after I tell her about all of this.” He waved a hand towards them. Grinning, he turned and headed off.
Byrne growled softly and huffed out a breath. “I never realized just what gossips everyone is in this place until this very moment.”
“Trust me, I know just what gossips they are. I’m honestly surprised that security didn’t storm the door when Danel kissed me, or when you came closer to me. Not that I mind. Honestly it’s been good having them there for me, but it would have been a wee bit awkward.”
“Danel wouldn’t have kissed you where the cameras could see. And I
waited until you were out of the shot before I got close,” he murmured. “We don’t want anyone gossiping about you, Briar. You are ours to protect, always and in all ways. While we’re not ashamed to be caught on camera with you, we don’t care one way or another. We know you don’t need that pressure.”
“Thank you for that,” she replied softly. “It means a great deal to me to know that you mean that.” She let out a sigh and nodded. “And wait, you mean there are blind spots? Here, in my office, my, oh God.” She felt sick. All this time she had felt safe, felt as if they were always watching her and now she was being told that there were blind spots.
“Two, both ones that Danel and I set up. But only from the security guys. We have cameras in place that we can tune into whenever you’re alone. We have your whole office and the morgue covered with our own cameras, ones the security guys know nothing about,” he said softly.
“Oh.” That had surprised her. “So that’s why I never felt alone, always felt safe?” she asked softly. “Because I did. I always felt safe in here. While working. After the incident, I only felt safe in here once I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I would be protected.”
Nodding, he stared down at her. “Whenever you were with someone we trusted, we turned the cameras off. We weren’t spying, but we had to keep you safe even if it was from a distance. I know it sounds a little creepier than we meant it to be, but we couldn’t get close to you so we did what little we could.”
“No, it actually doesn’t sound creepy at all. I’m actually very, very thankful that you had it there for me. I’m glad that you boys were looking out for me even if I hadn’t been able to look at you for very long at a time without feeling that pressing need to run.”
Leaning in, he pressed a kiss to her cheek gently. “Let’s get down there and get to work. The sooner we’re done the sooner I can take you for something to eat. Unless, of course, Danel pisses off another cat and then we may need to change our plans a bit.”
Briar laughed and she shook her head. “Well, let’s hope that doesn’t happen. But yes, let’s go down there and find what I need so that you can take me and feed me. I am starting to feel the beginning pains of hunger. Nothing too big, but it will be all good okay?”
“That’s okay, I brought snacks.” That said, he pulled a breakfast bar out of a pocket and handed it to her. “I always come prepared. I even have a couple of bottles of water sitting on a chair in the hall we need to snag. Then we can get down there, you can find what you need, and I can try and get through these damned files.”
“Oh you are very good,” Briar said with a laugh. “I love it. Too funny. You are always prepared. That’s a great thing, but it reminds me of Boy Scouts. Were you some kind of Boy Scout as a kid?” she asked with a smile.
He tipped his head and frowned. A moment later he chuckled and shook his head. “No, we didn’t have anything like that beyond the Veil. Luhpynes, though, learn to track and live off the land at an early age. It’s partially training for when we change the first time, so we can handle the stress of it. But it’s also early training for many career paths we might choose later. Whether the military or, as I and others do, working here with your people in various capacities. I suppose it is a bit like the Boy Scouts, but there are no bonfire cookouts and no merit badges.”
“A lot rougher, yeah. You boys certainly play hard.” She had watched the “games” that they would play, friendly games, and it made football look like a dancing competition. “I’m just glad that you are here with me. I’m glad that you have become who you are so that you can protect me and I can protect you.”
He took her hand and they started to walk. “And what are you protecting me from, dearest?” he asked. They paused for a moment so he could collect the bottles of water before continuing to the elevator. Inside the car he watched her, clearly still waiting for her answer.
“From every able-bodied female out there that looks at you and knows just how beautiful that you are. From every horny human woman that wants to be able to say that they ‘fucked a wolf’ or some other crazy nonsense like that.”
His eyebrows went up so far, so fast she was amazed they didn’t hit his hairline. “Say what?” He looked shocked by her words. “What in the world are you talking about, Briar?” Okay, he genuinely appeared confused and more than a little lost.
She stopped and turned to look at him. “What? You don’t know?” she asked with a whisper of a sound. “There are women, humans, that want to do anything and everything that they could in order to sleep with someone from the other side of the Veil. They live for the chase. It’s as if they have to have you in order to feel like they are really a woman. I don’t get it.” She wanted them for one reason, because they were hers.
“Oh.” He rolled his eyes at her. As the elevator reached their floor he stepped out first then waited on her. “The groupies. Yes, I’ve seen them. Throwing themselves at anyone and everyone from the other side of the Veil. They are rather forward. But they usually only go for those that are open to the idea. Some of us are not. They tend to pick up that vibe and avoid those of us who want nothing to do with them and their ideas.”
“Oh, well, that’s a good thing then,” she said with a nod. “Because I would really hate to have to hurt someone because they tried to force one of my guys to do something they don’t want to do.” She turned down the hall and then swiped her wrist at the reader for the catacombs. When the system activated, she stated her name and position, allowed it to scan her retinas, and walked in when the door opened. “Come on.” She, however, stepped in just a bit closer to Byrne. She hated the catacombs. They were spooky as all get-out, and the lighting sucked down there. It was a thing from an old scary movie, and she was just waiting for something bad to happen. Luckily for her though she had Byrne and he could handle about anything thrown his way, she was certain.
His large, warm hand settled on her back, and he smiled at her when she looked up. “There’s no one down here, little mate. The last person was down here about three days ago from the scent. And at a guess, I’d say it was Lacey and Ansell. Plus—” He paused and inhaled audibly. “They weren’t down here to work,” he added with a chuckle.
Briar’s face flamed up, and she shook her head. “Good heavens. I swear that they go at it like bunnies in heat.” However, when she looked up at Byrne she felt that same need, the same desire, and she muttered. “Damn. Are we going to be just as bad as they are?”
“At least,” he said with a shrug. Grinning, he slid his hand up her back and rubbed her shoulders lightly. “Come on, let’s get to work so we can get out of here. I don’t know what it is about this place, but I always feel like a ghost is going to pop around the corner at any moment.”
“Thank God that it’s not just me,” Briar muttered. “Because I truly think that this place has some serious spirits hanging around. Okay, let’s get this over and done with before I decide that I want to just get ourselves out of here and figure it all out another time.” She smiled at him and winked. “Now then, let’s get this done. And you are helping.”
“Uh, no.” He shook his head and hefted his pile of files. “I’m working on this crap while you dig around in the boxes. I’ll move them for you, but you’re on your own since you at least know what you’re looking for.”
“Sounds like a good plan to me. By help, I meant for you to move boxes around and stuff.” She had asked him to help her, but she hadn’t meant it in any way other than he was going to move the big stuff for her and help her track down codes on the outer boxes that she asked him to. Easy peasy.
“Uh-huh,” he said with a chuckle. “All right, where the heck do you want to start?” He set his files down on a table and looked to her. Cocking a brow, he smiled slowly. “Unless you dragged me down here for some other nefarious reason, Doc. Did ya? Huh?” He batted his lashes at her as he fought not to laugh.
Briar laughed and shook her head. “I thought that we had to wait to consummate our mating, as a
threesome?” Oh she couldn’t lie, she wanted her big wolf, very much so, but she had to wait. “So instead I will have you moving boxes.”
“We do,” he muttered with a very definite pout. Sighing heavily, he waved her on. “Show me which ones you want first, darling. Pick enough to get a good start, Briar. I sadly really have to get to work on those files. The captain probably expects some sort of report at some point today.”
With a nod, she pointed to the boxes she wanted pulled down. “Start with getting those down. You can stack them around the table for me and I will start going through them. I should be fine. I just need you to do this for me okay? And thank you,” she said and gave him a kiss on the side of his cheek. “I am very happy to have you as mine.”
He looked at her for a time and nodded slowly. “You’re welcome.” Moving toward the boxes, he yanked them down and carried them to where she wanted them one by one. “That it?” he asked, arching a brow. At her nod, he leaned in and kissed her gently. “Let me know if you need something more.”
“I will.” Briar turned to the boxes and let out a breath. This was going to be a hot-fired mess. Oh well, sometimes it was best to get your hands on the actual reports instead of the electronic ones. God only knew that the electronic ones were far too easy to tamper with.
Chapter Six
Byrne looked like he was dozing, his head back, a folder loosely held in hand, and his body relaxed. One leg propped up on the table, a very thick, powerful leg, and the other was sprawled out under the table. But his mouth was closed and his eyes were squinted up at the ceiling. If she had a guess, he was thinking.
The assumption was proven fact when his head snapped up and he sat up in the chair, both feet on the ground. Muttering to himself, he grabbed a few random files and stacked them next to each other. “Son of a bitch,” he bit out before shooting her an apologetic look. “Sorry.” He smiled, his cheeks getting a pink tinge of embarrassment to them. He and Danel were always so careful about swearing around her. It was kinda of cute, definitely sweet, and highly amusing.