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Lilly's Torment(13)

By:Honor James


"But if we mate won't you have to be a part of it all? Why wig yourself  out over something that you will be a part of?" she asked curiously.  "Because I have to tell you that I would like to be with both of you,  very much so. Will you be able to handle that, then?"

"Mating is different," he told her as he started the car and got them  rolling toward the exit ramps. "Mating is all proper, by the book, and  very strict. Or so I've heard. It's all the after-the-mating sex that  gets wild and kinky. Like I said, ask Ax about the whole Vhampire bit,  I've never asked and I'm not entirely sure I'll ever be old enough to  know those answers."

Lilly laughed and shook her head. "Oh God, but you and I both know that  you are older than I am." She giggled, couldn't help herself. "And yet  you aren't old enough to know those answers? How are you going to be a  mate if you aren't going to be able to know those answers?"

"I'm a Spiryte, I don't need to know the answers to Vhampire sexual  antics. I figure I'll worry about my performance and Artaxias can worry  about his. No way am I going to get all up in his face in regards to  sex. That's a little too much like asking a brother or relative about  their sex lives."

"I really would like to find out about how this will all work. I really  would. I very much want to be able to know about as much of everything  as I possibly can before we get in the middle of all of this and well,  you know," she said softly.

"Well then, we will sit down at the house and talk, figure it all out.  Speaking of which-" He hit a button on the steering wheel. "Call  Artaxias," he told the unit, and they waited as a ringing began. "Ax,  I'm with Lilly on the way to her place. We're going to get some of her  insulin and such. After that, we'll be at the house. Do we need to get  any food, or is there enough there that she won't starve?"

"I did a shopping trip after my meeting." Ax's deep voice filled the  car. "Unless she has specific cravings, we should be good for a few days  at least."

"No not really. I am actually pretty easy," she said with a grin. "And  yes, I can cook." She spoke into the car's microphone. "So if you aren't  able to cook, you don't have to worry about it, because I really can. I  had to learn to cook for my disease so that I didn't kill myself in the  process," she teased, mostly.                       
       
           



       

"I can cook, I just don't bother any longer," Artaxias's voice told  them. "I used to make meals for Gav when he was little, but once he was  older I stopped, since he was able to fend for himself one way or  another."

"Seriously?" Gavriel sounded shocked, and looked it, too, when she glanced over. "I didn't know that."

"There's a lot you don't know, pip, get used to it. I will always be  older and wiser than you can ever hope to be. Which, if you don't call  your mother tonight, likely won't be beyond the dawn. She's pissing me  off with the four hundred messages a day. So be a good little snotbag  and call her. Because if she asks me to kill you, I just might. For  free," Ax snarled before disconnecting the line.

Lilly laughed and shook her head. "I really think that you need to call  your mom. Why are you putting off calling her, anyway?" she asked with a  frown. "She's your mom, why in the world would you put off talking to  her?"

"I just talked to her three days ago," he muttered. "If she's calling  Artaxias without calling me, then that's just plain bad news. It means  she's gearing up for a rant, since she knows that Ax won't take her  calls without a certain code put in."

"Why would she be gearing up for a rant? I'm a little lost," she  admitted. Why would a mother rant at another when the son was right  there? "Does she do that often? Get on Ax about something that you have  done or something that she thinks you might have done?"

"Usually only when she's drinking heavily and realizes that I'm wasting  away my life protecting mere humans," he said. Gavriel shook his head  and gave a heavy sigh. "She thinks that I should be home, taking my  place and ensuring that me and my mate pop out lots of children. She  doesn't know that Artaxias and I are fated for the same woman. And since  you weren't here yet, she doesn't know about you either."

"Oh boy." Her eyes were wide at that pronouncement. "I'm sorry," she  said and reached out to touch her hand to his. "And what are you going  to tell her about me?" she asked softly. "Or are you? I couldn't blame  you if you didn't, because she would likely want to move things far  faster than what we are moving, I would imagine."

"I haven't decided yet," he admitted quietly. "I know if I tell her,  then we'll be in for a whirlwind of absolute hell. But if I don't tell  her and she finds out, hell will rain down on us all. I don't know, I'll  have to take to Ax about this, and you, of course."

"Are you and your mom estranged?" It sounded that way to her, but she  didn't want to say anything if they weren't. "Why would she still be  trying to run your life? You are old enough to make your own decisions,  right?"

"I'm more than old enough, have been for a long time," he said with a  shrug. "She suffers from a mental disorder, it's rare among my people,  but it pops up now and again. It's a lot like the disease you humans  have, or rather had, dementia. Unfortunately, it's something in the  magic that causes it, there's no rhyme or reason to it. It's not genetic  or hereditary. She's completely clear for days, weeks on end, and then  suddenly she goes off the deep end and starts to drink heavily. Then she  starts treating me like I'm barely out of my short britches."

"Oh heavens, that's just not good." She couldn't imagine the heartbreak  that he had. The feeling that he couldn't do anything at all for his  mother. "And there is nothing that you can do at all?" she asked softly.  "I can't even imagine how hard that is for you," she whispered. "Is  there anything that I can do to help you?"

"There's nothing anyone can do. Because it's rooted in the magic, it  attacks on a level that all our advances in medicine can't touch.  Hopefully she'll be lucid in a few days and able to talk rationally.  It's why Artaxias doesn't take her calls without a code first. She can't  recall the code in this state, only when she's lucid. But since she  calls directly to the chip, it gives him a headache." Gav gave her a  small, sad smile. "She was amazing before the illness. Still rode me  about finding my mate, but it was that fun way parents have of poking  you and pointing out that they aren't getting any younger. Now … " He  shook his head and sighed.

"I'm so sorry." Lilly felt for the large man. For both of them,  actually. She didn't know what she would do if she had someone she loved  that was in that kind of position. "I wish that there was something  that could be done for her."

"We're ever hopeful, but as of this moment"-he shot her a look-"the  spells only last a few days, and then she's fine again for a good  stretch. I hired her a few ladies-in-waiting. They are actually medical  professionals, but she thinks they are there to keep her company."                       
       
           



       

"Well, I'm glad that you are proactive in getting her help. It's not  always an easy thing to do, but it seems as if you have pulled it off  well. Hopefully, when she learns that you have found a mate, she will  find some comfort in that?"

"You mean before she steamrollers you into the wedding of the  millennia?" He grinned slightly. "Yeah, she'll go through the roof and  begin planning within thirty seconds of landing. But I can't tell her  anything without talking to Ax." He leaned forward as he pulled up to a  stop sign. "That building, right?" He pointed toward her place.

"Oh dear god, seriously? I don't want a huge shindig. I really don't. I  don't like huge crowds. I'm sorry, but I really think that I would not  look good in hives, hyperventilating and passing out at your feet. I  would really rather not do that, please."

"Artaxias would likely be right there with you," he said, pulling into  an empty spot at the curb. Turning off the engine, he undid his belt and  twisted in his seat to mostly face her. "I don't want a big thing  either, but my mother … " Gav rolled his eyes. "That woman gets something  in her head, and it takes an act of the Gods to get her off course."