"Yes, this is true and all of that, but it's my sex life that we are discussing," Lilly said softly. "And I've not had much of one before these two men dropped into my life, so I don't know how to handle this. I appreciate the bluntness, I truly do, but you have to give me some slack, too."
"Do you really think I like sitting here discussing your sex life?" Zhubin asked her. "I may be open-minded about it, but seriously?" He made a face. "Anyway, back to the subject at hand. I would talk to Gavriel when he returns, after he's rested, of course. Figure out the Spiryte mating practice and what all exactly it entails. That will give you the information you need to know for who goes where. Now, unlike in Luhpyne matings, when it's one of the other races it doesn't matter much who goes where. For us, the one that takes front spot is the father of the children. For the other races, as long as there is no Luhpyne involved, both or all the men can potentially be fathers if they choose to be."
"Really?" Lilly looked up at Ax and smiled. "So you could potentially become a father one day? Would the child be a Vhampire, or would it be human? I guess I'm a little unsure how that would all work. Would I stay human or would I become as you are? Lacey, are you human or Luhpyne?" Blunt, she knew, but she was curious.
Lacey laughed. "I'm all human. Don't get me wrong, if I could be like my amazing men then I would in a moment, but I think that my family would have fits if I did, so I'm human, just with a longer lifespan."
"We can't change you to be like us," Artaxias said. "Unlike your movies and books, we don't have that ability. If I bite someone and give them my blood, they get a boost in energy and their senses kick up for a time. And their"-he waved toward Ansell and Zhubin-"saliva didn't change you into Luhpyne, now did it, Lacey? Because it's just not possible. At least not through a bite and swapping of bodily fluids."
"But will I be as long lived as you are? I don't want to go into this knowing that in forty or fifty years you will lose me. I don't want you to ever face that possibility. Would it be better to have that small time or would it be easier to not do this? I'm so lost. I'm so confused." And it was just getting muddier and more confusing as she rattled on. Turning into Artaxias, she hugged him close, her face against the crook of his neck, and tried to match her breathing to his.
"You're not going to lose us in forty or fifty years, Lilly," he said softly. His arms wrapped around her and hugged her to him. "When you mate to us, you are tied to us completely. That includes taking on our life span. Your aging will slow to match ours. You'll still be fully human, but you'll have a very long life ahead of you."
"I will?" Lilly's eyes went wide, and she gave Artaxias a hug. "I love that idea. The idea that I will be able to be with you not only for this lifetime, but many more. I love that idea." Repetition seemed to be her thing when she was excited, he noted. "So how long do we have to get our bond formed?" she asked quietly.
"That's a little tricky," Zhubin said. He shifted to lean forward, elbows on his knees. "It totally depends on those involved. With a Luhpyne, you need to be mated within a month. Preferably before the full moon, or close to it. Two full moons can't pass, otherwise the Luhpyne begins to break down, mentally, that is. With the other races, you could, in theory at least, go an indeterminate amount of time. Rule of thumb is, within the year. Any longer than that and, well … Things can happen when the Gods are thwarted in their pairing choices."
"Which is why my furry lovers here were more than a little antsy and ready to go feral. You see, I was very, very bad. I kept them at arm's length for five long years. It was far too long, for all of us. Don't do that. I say get it done so that you can all enjoy life together, because there is nothing like being mated to two men that love you fully and completely."
"She also shouldn't feel rushed," Ax said to Lacey. "If she wants to wait a while, that's fine by me. Just not too long, Lilly. My patience isn't infinite, unlike those two Luhpynes, who apparently should be up for sainthood."
"That's what I say." Ansell grinned. "But she"-he meant Lacey obviously-"thinks that we should have just jumped her bones."
Artaxias clicked his tongue. "No one of the races would force a woman. No one that isn't a Rogue, that is."
"Oh, if they had just made their intentions clear from the start, I wouldn't have made them wait five minutes. Hell, just looking at my men made my panties wet, something very hard to hide from Luhpynes, by the way," Lacey said with a grin. "But I love them, they love me, and in the end, it worked out. We worked out. We are stronger now as a team, stronger as a unit, than we ever have been before."
"That we are." Zhubin nodded. Grinning at his mate, he turned his eyes to Lilly. "Any more questions?" he asked her softly. "Or even rumors you want cleared up? Anything at all. Cause, if you hadn't figured out, we're not exactly shy when it comes to discussing our sex life. Or others' sex lives." He chuckled.
"Yeah, no, I don't think that I want to know anything further. I really don't. I happen to want to try to look at you without seeing you all naked and doing things that I want to do with Gav and Ax, thank you very much," Lilly muttered. "Ax, ready to get out of here?"
Chuckling, he nodded. "Yeah, I'm good to go. Up," he ordered, his hands on her waist. Standing, he shook the Luhpynes' hands and bowed slightly to Lacey. Walking out with Lilly a moment later, he took her hand. "Well, we've accomplished our goals for the day. I think we should get you home so you can get some sleep."
"I think that sounds like a good idea. We will wait for Gav to join us, and we will all have dinner together and discuss where we are to go now. Sound good?" She wanted to be able to have this with them. She wanted everything, and life was too short to wait for happiness.
"Sounds good," he told her quietly. Squeezing her fingers, he led her through the building. It wasn't long before they were in his car and on the road. "How are you really doing with all this, Lilly? The mating and all that will come of it, I mean?"
"Actually I'm far better about it than you might think I am. I've always been one of those people that grabs ahold of life and lives it, come hell or high water. I've been through a lot in life and have learned that when there is something I want, I need to grab it and hold on. You and Gav, I want. I want happiness and I damn well deserve it, too."
"Of course you deserve it," he said softly. "Everyone deserves to be happy. " He drove along in silence for a time before he shot her a quick look. "So you're okay with the living-practically-forever part of it?"
"Only as long as I have you guys. And chocolate. And cake. I love cake." She laughed at his look, "I'm teasing," she assured him. "Diabetic remember?" She shook her head. "That's going to be a true bitch to deal with, having diabetes and living with it for the rest of time. That part sucks monkey balls."
"Mm." His lips were sealed tight as he hummed. He shot her another quick look before making a face. "You likely won't have to, you know. There is sort of a cure. Not on the market or really in development, since it's … well, kind of not what one would exactly call legal or ethical."
"Are you serious? That would be wonderful," she admitted. "But wait, I don't want to do anything that would somehow alter me so that I would no longer be mated to you two. Or something that would end my life, if it is in the experimental stages. I would love a cure, I truly would, but not at the cost of my life and yours."
"It's not like that, it's-" He seemed to be struggling with, whatever it was. He thrust a hand through his hair and let out a heavy sigh. "It would be my blood. We can't change humans to be like us, it's just not possible. But Vhampire blood, in the right doses and over a certain period of time, can cure most of the human diseases. We don't tell your people that mainly because we really don't feel like being on the most wanted list by the medical community."
"Oh goodness, no kidding. They would hunt your people down and drain you all dry." She shuddered. "I would like that," she whispered. "I want to be healthy, I want to be safe, and I need to have a full and complete life with you. Will you be okay with doing that for and with me?"