Lilly's Torment(6)

Lilly frowned, "Wait, huh? What do you mean? Keep in mind, I'm totally  lost. Literally, I was put on a plane and told to come out here and had  folders on the races. I lived in DC and there weren't many of the other  races there. They typically stay fairly close to the Veil for some  reason, so what do you mean, you were his bodyguard?"

"Before the Veil fell I was a mercenary, as are most of my people.  Vhampires are very territorial, like Luhpynes. Which means either they  need structure, or space. The clan I was born into were all fighters,  mercenaries, guns for hire and so forth. I was hired by Gavriel's mother  when he was maybe six summers old, just after his birth father's death.  She still resides with her other mate, but the bond isn't quite what it  should be with the missing piece. Anyway, there was an attempt on his  life as a child, and she figured he needed continual watching. So she  hired me to trail him and watch him, and in time we became friends. I  have many a story I can share with you that will completely and  thoroughly embarrass him until his dying day."

She grinned at that and nodded. "That's too cute. Is it like that?"  Lilly's mind switched gears on the fly. "If something happens to one  mate, the other remaining living mates aren't quite right after? If so,  that's very sad. I dislike that immensely, so please never let anything  happen to you guys."

"We're not mated yet so if anything did occur now, you'd never notice.  But yes, when one of a mating is killed or dies, it changes things. The  balance is thrown off and while they can still be happy there is usually  some anger, resentment and other emotions," he explained. He slowed the  vehicle and spun it onto another road, speeding up as he took them down  the ramp to the highway. "He hates the fact that I don't seem to forget  anything he's ever done. He claims I have faulty memories or am taking  creative license in the telling. I've never once done so, which I  believe really irritates him."

That had her smiling and shaking her head. "I like it," she admitted to  him. "Well I hope that when we all get to know each other, we will all  figure out just what life might hold for us, and we will be able to see  if we think that a mating would be a good thing or a bad thing between  the three of us. I'm just curious, though. How would that work? Would  you guys trade off nights or something?"

"Not sure what you mean." He shot her a frowning look once he'd changed  lanes. "What are you talking about, Lilly?" he asked with a curious  tone. He shot her another look and smiled. "I think I missed something  there, so clarify it for me if you would."                       
       
           



       

"You know." Lilly was blushing again. Dammit to hell and back again. "In  the bedroom," she mumbled and suddenly found her jeans really damn  fascinating. "That's my question, when we … well, you know. How would that  work?"

He burst out laughing and seemed to be having trouble getting himself  under control. After a time he got himself sorted out. "Sorry. I had a  feeling you meant that, but I had to hear you say it." Artaxias shook  his head. "As mates, we'd be together at all times unless you wanted  specific time with one of us. Does that adequately answer your question,  or should I go into much more intimate detail?"

"Please don't. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that two  such hot guys want me. I mean, it's a lot for this wallflower to take  in." She knew she wasn't ugly, but she wasn't exactly the first girl  asked on a date or to dance or any of that fun stuff.

"You are hardly a wallflower. Yes, I know the term, though I will admit I  had to look it up when I first heard it. If the human males here cannot  appreciate you for the beauty you are, then it truly is a shame. You  will find that the males of the realms are not as stupid as your human  males appear to be, Lilly."

"Well, I don't care about the others of the realm, just you guys," she  said with an honest shrug. "I think it's going to take some getting used  to, though, to be honest. So bear with me? Be here for me when I need  and want and need you?" She knew she'd said need twice, but damn it was  worth saying.

"You're repeating yourself." He looked her way with a smirk. He knew  what she was thinking again. "But we will be there for you through it  all. So you needn't worry, Lilly. Just ask questions when you have them.  Be blunt and straightforward with us and we'll be the same. We don't  lie and will expect the same courtesy from you. So whatever you ask,  know you will always get the unvarnished truth."

"Oh I know that I am, but you boys are totally worth repeating," she  admitted bluntly. "And don't worry, I know no other way to be than  blunt. Well, there is shy and backward, but you seem to understand that  mode for me as well, and I appreciate the hell out of that. As for that,  I don't lie. I will tell you like it is, like it or not. Sorry but  that's how I'm built."

"Good." He nodded. He turned onto an exit ramp. "We're about ten minutes  from the scene. Anything you want to know before we get there?" he  asked. "Any questions you want to throw out now so you don't suddenly  spout them off in front of witnesses?" His lips were curling up, blast  that man!

"Yeah, what kind of kill are we looking at?" She wouldn't lose her  composure. She might seem like she would with how she had been acting,  but Lilly was actually very, very damn good at what she did and had  earned herself a name for being as stoic as one could be.

"It was a little unclear from the reports. And since Briar, the ME,  won't go near the body until one of us is between the Veil and the  body … " He shrugged. "Best guess is that the body was shredded, but we  don't know if it's one of the races or another one of those human whack  jobs with the metal claws."

"God, I hate those," Lilly mumbled. "All right, so why do I have a  feeling that I'm here to deal with the ME? Is he afraid of you boys?"  She hadn't met Briar yet, she had nothing to go on. "I mean, yes, you  guys are like whoa holy hell huge, but still it doesn't seem right that  they would be afraid of you."

"She," he emphasized, "was attacked by one of the Luhpynes a number of  months back. She's still shaken and doesn't like getting near the Veil  line. She doesn't trust any of us much further than she could throw us.  You're here, so she'll talk to someone about her findings since she  won't even look at any of the races. And Vhampires she really has a  hate-on for, I think. She always gets this creeped-out expression  whenever I'm around. I am the wall between her and the other side.  You're here to chat." He turned the vehicle off the pavement onto a dirt  road and slowed. "Don't mention anything about the attack. Very few  people know about it, less than a dozen total."

"That poor woman," Lilly whispered. "Has she been to a counselor? What  happened to the one that did it to her? Please tell me that he's been  punished," she whispered and licked her lips. Damn, suddenly she didn't  feel so safe, and fear began to roll off of her because all of a sudden,  she had no idea who she was dealing with. Not the two men she was with,  but the Veil.

"Hey"-Artaxias reached over-"there's no reason to be afraid. The Veil  line isn't to blame for this, but a sick, sadistic Luhpyne. He was  caught and is currently standing trial before the Regents of the  Luhpynes. I don't know if she's seen or talked to anyone beyond Lacey.  You'll meet her later. Nothing is going to happen to you, Lilly, I swear  it."                       
       
           



       

Lilly relaxed immediately and sighed. "I know. Weird, isn't it? I've  just met you, but I know that the safest place for me is right here with  you. I know that with the two of you near, there will be no more  getting shot, stabbed or beaten. It's a good feeling. One I like a lot."

"Obviously I need to read your file," he grumbled. Pulling to a stop  next to a marked vehicle, he stopped and turned off the engine. "That's  Briar." He pointed out the windshield before he slid out of the truck.  "Coming?" he asked her before he shut the door.

"Why would you need to read my file?" Lilly asked and then nodded.  Looking to the ME, she nodded again. "I'm ready." She got out of the  vehicle, adjusted her weapons, and approached the woman, trusting the  man with her to stand guard between the women and the Veil.

"Get to know you better," he said with a wink. Then he left her and  moved toward the body, giving it a wide berth, and stopped between the  line of the Veil and it.