"Exactly." He nodded. "The only suggestive tattoos you should be looking at are any your mates might have on them. Other than that, no others. We'll stop all this so that you can enjoy your life with your mates. One way or another, we'll stop this."
"I know. I have faith in you." Leaning on her elbows, she watched him and then grinned. "So do you? Have any suggestive tattoos, that is? If so, can I see them? I would really like to see far more of you, and if you do have tattoos, what they symbolize to you."
"I have no others beyond the mating mark. I've never felt the need to get any tattoos. Though, I'm sure you could talk me into a couple. As long as they are tasteful, of course. The process necessary for any of the races to have a tattoo is a little more involved than for a human."
That had her smiling and she shook her head, "They aren't necessary. I actually kind of really like that the only mark on your body is the one that represents me. I need to get one for each of my guys, however. What do you think of that?"
"Marring your flesh for us is unnecessary Lilly, as you well know. We love you just as you are. But if you want to get something, I won't argue too much. It is your body, after all," he said with a smile. "But don't get anything too extravagant, darling."
"That was not my intention, to go to over-the-top. I would like something, however. Something to show the world that I am loved by not one, but two men, and I love them back." Well, at least she was sure she would love them both back. She already had intense feelings for Ax, but she hadn't spent a great deal of time with Gav, sadly.
"He'll be home soon," Artaxias told her. He reached out again for her hand and squeezed. "You will get to spend time with him and get to know him as well. Try not to worry so much, Lil, it makes your forehead wrinkle in a most disturbing manner."
"Gee, thanks." She snorted and then added, "And how do you read me so well? Is it the mind reading thing you do, or do you just know me that well?" At this point, she wouldn't be surprised with either answer, honestly.
"A little of both. You occasionally project your thoughts. Especially if you're worrying or upset. Plus, I would like to believe that I'm starting to learn you a bit. Not as I hope to know you in the future, but"-he shrugged-"I think I know you a little."
"I think that you do as well, and it makes me all kinds of happy. I happen to really and truly adore you as well, and I'm very happy that you are mine. You make me happy and I really hope that I can make you happy as well. I think that together we will all be able to do this. Somehow and some way we will figure out our course in life, right?"
"Of course we will." He gave her a genuine smile. Leaning in, he pressed a kiss to her fingers and let her have her hand back once more. "Finish your meal, and then we can go sit in the other room. Get comfortable and relax. Hopefully we'll hear something from Gavriel sooner rather than later."
"I hope so as well. I hate thinking that he is out there without us to back him up. I need to be there for him, I want to be there for him and yet can't be. I think that is what is bothering me more than anything at all. The fact that I can't be there for him when he's been there for me."
"You will be there for him when he comes home. That's when he'll need you most, Lilly. Not now, while he's dealing with everything and everyone. Not while he's being bombarded with questions and demands. But when he slows down, pauses, and everything hits him, that's truly when you being his mate will come into play. Being there for him when he's overwhelmed by thoughts and memories."
"I certainly hope so. I hope that he will turn to me," she whispered with a sigh. "I truly do. I want to be able to be the one that he leans on. I want to be the one that he turns to in all things, I truly do. I want him to lean on us. Not just me, but you and me."
"He will turn to you, Lilly, more than me. You're much softer than I am, and he'll need that." He finished his water and pointed to her plate. "Finish up. I'll let you pick what you want to watch as we wait to get some news from Gav."
"I hope that you are right," she whispered and nodded. Finishing her food because she knew she needed the fuel, she leaned back in the chair and sighed. "That was actually delicious," she told him with a smile. "How long do you think that we will be able to see him again?"
"No idea," he said, grabbing up her plate. He stood and took everything to the sink. Turning, he hit the main lights, the ones over the sink providing the only light. "Let's go and sit in the living room. That way, you can stretch out and be comfortable."
"Sounds good. Will you come and be with me soon? I don't want to be alone, please," she whispered softly. "I need for you to be here with me. I know that when you are with me I'm safe, and I also know that he will likely need us both to begin with."
"I'm going to go right in there with you. The dishes can wait. You are more important than a few dried-on crumbs." Taking her hand, Ax pulled her up from the chair and into his arms. "It will be all right, Lilly, promise."
"Thank you." Lilly let out the breath that she had been holding and sighed. "Thank you for coming with me. I can't tell you how much it means to me that you are willing to be with me, that you are willing to let go of all that you need to do, for me."
He pressed a kiss to her hair and gave a squeeze. "You are my mate, Lilly, I'll do whatever you need me to do. Come." He drew back. Taking her hand, he led her out of the kitchen toward the living room. In there he turned on a lamp, but left all other lighting off. Sitting down on the sofa, he pulled her into his lap.
She moved right along with him, and when they were settled she sighed as she curled up against him. "I'm happy. Here in your arms, while we are waiting for everything to happen. Hopefully when he comes home, he will have some sort of answers about his mom, or she will at least be back to normal." They could pray, at least.
"We can hope," he said softly. He rested his cheek to her hair. "I just hope that he's not hurt by whatever happens there. He's a kind soul, feels too much sometimes. Makes him good with victims in our line of work. He's got a big heart and knows the right things to say. Unlike me." He gave a snort. "Probably why the captain keeps me away from the victims and sets me after the killers. It's what I'm good at."
"I know. Same here." She sighed and shook her head. "You have been nothing but kind and generous to me. You are amazing. You have such a kind and generous soul, well at least where myself and Gav are involved," she added with a grin. "Admit it, you have a soft spot for him, too, or your guys' working relationship wouldn't have survived this long."
"Don't you mean he wouldn't have survived this long?" he grunted. Leaning back, he stared at her from under lowered lids. "I like the kid, and yeah, I suppose I have a soft spot for him. He's got heart and balls of steel. 'Course his mother having my number and being able to nearly make my head explode does make me less inclined to allow him to continue breathing without assistance."
"I just wish that there was some way we could block her from doing that to you. I really hate that you have to hurt for it to happen. I truly do. I want there to be a place where you are able to have pain-free times, ya know?"
"Most of the time, I have no problem with it. Though, I will admit, it is one of the few times I regret our seemingly ingenious leap in technology. It's also one of the reasons I'm damn well having it removed. I've got an appointment in about a week and a half to go and get it out. It will mean resorting to a cell phone, but I'm all for it. I'm done with having my head split open like an egg every time she gets it into her mind to call."
"I can't say I blame you." Lilly frowned and cocked her head to the side. "We were told that they were irreversible. That once they are in, they are in for good. Is that not accurate?" she asked. "Because there are days I could do without the one that I have. Even though I rarely use it, likely because I do rarely use it." Typically she was so scatterbrained that she forgot about ninety-nine percent of the things she did.