I shook my head, I couldn’t grasp what he was trying to say.
He seemed to see it. “I think that’s enough for tonight.” He looked over my shoulder. “Will you boys help me put the lid back on, please?”
The guys walked around me and hefted the lid into place. Louis replaced the roses on the foot of the stone box. I turned and walked out of the mausoleum.
Asher reached out to touch me, I hunched in on myself, dodging his hand as I passed. I stepped out into the cooler air and didn’t stop walking. The guys caught up quickly as we headed out of the cemetery. My stomach rolled, my heart ached. Mostly, I was still disgusted with myself for wanting to play with the zombie.
We reached the car. I climbed in front, this time because I didn’t want anyone near me.
The car was silent on the way back. My skin was clammy, cold sweat ran down my spine. That zombie… I wanted to touch it, play with it as if it never had been a person… My stomach lurched.
“Pull over,” I bit out as saliva filled my mouth. Louis found a spot and pulled the SUV over. Before he could stop, I opened the passenger side door, shoved my seatbelt off me and threw up. I heaved and heaved until I had nothing left. Someone snagged the waistband of my shorts so I didn’t fall out since the car was still moving. When I was done, I sat up, wiped my mouth and shut the door. We drove off in silence again.
When we arrived at the safe-house, I got out and walked inside. Still hugging myself, I ignored everyone and climbed the stairs to the sixth floor. I found my room. I slipped my sandals off and sat at the head of the bed in the middle against the wall. Asher wrapped Miles’s hoodie around my shoulders as I stared off out the windows at the lights in the distance. The image of the zombie ran through my head. I pulled my knees to my chest and focused on breathing.
Miles
When we reached the large common area, I watched the guys go with Lexie upstairs. She had been pale as snow, sweat on her forehead, her eyes wide. Shock, most likely. While I wanted to be there for her there was something else she needed more.
“Louis,” I called. He stopped on the first step. “Tell me the rest.”
He turned to me and eyed me. “The rest?”
“What you were going to tell Lexie before you realized she was struggling?” I tried to keep the cold from my voice but I doubt I succeeded.
He nodded then led the way into the empty meeting room. He took a chair and gestured for me to sit. I took the chair across from him.
“As I was saying, relationships are important. Family, friends, children, they all help anchor me here,” he said.
“Can you explain that more?” I asked, trying not to be impatient. I wanted to be upstairs with Lexie and the guys, making sure she was alright.
“I had three wives once,” he said. “We lost Juan and Emilia’s mother to a rare brain tumor.”
“I’m sorry for your loss,” I said automatically.
He gave me a small nod in thanks. “The point is, more relationships, whatever kind they are, will keep her safe.”
My mind raced through options and probabilities. “Is that why you have two wives? They keep you anchored?”
He sighed. “No, I found three amazing women I fell desperately in love with.” He smiled a small smile. “And they were incredible enough to agree to trying a polygamy family.”
“It’s not a tradition in your family?” I asked.
He laughed. “My parents were catholic, what do you think?”
I chuckled, he had a point. The idea of a poly though… “How does it work?"
Lexie
The guys were spread out around the room. Zeke and Ethan sat on the edge of my bed. While Asher was at the window and Isaac sat on the dresser.
It had been about an hour since we got back when I finally found my voice. “I don’t want to become a monster.” I wanted to cry but I was so sick of fucking crying this week.
Ethan moved to my side and wrapped his arm around me. “You won’t.”
I leaned my head on his shoulder as I tried to believe him. Everyone had a dark side, I knew mine was a violent one but… this was a dark I never expected to feel. Ethan’s body heat helped me loosen my hold on my knees. “How?”
“He said something about anchors.” Zeke’s voice had my gaze meeting his. “We can ask him to explain in the morning. Right now, you need to get some sleep.”
An image of that zombie walking popped back into my mind. I shook my head.
“Beautiful,” Ethan whispered.
I looked up and met his eyes.
“Just lie down, okay? We’re right here,” Ethan tried again. “You don’t even have to sleep, just lie down.”
I stared at him for several heartbeats before I realized what I was doing. Okay… yeah, lying down would be good. I shifted and laid down on my side facing the door. A hand stroked my hair, a voice began humming that soothing tune. On the third note, a warm honey-like voice joined in. My eyes closed soon after.
Miles
When I got all the answers that I needed, I headed up to her room. The door was closed. I knocked softly. Isaac opened the door then stepped back. I came in and closed the door behind me. Lexie was curled up in the middle of the bed, out cold.
I walked over to stand next to Zeke and look down at her. The pale pallor of her skin made it hard to concentrate. “How is she?”
“Scared,” Zeke stated.
“I called Rory and told him we weren’t going to make it tonight.” I turned away from her to them. “And I spoke to Louis about anchors.”
“And?” Asher demanded as he turned and joined us at the end of the bed.
I looked at each of them then summed up what Louis had explained.
“So, we can keep her grounded?” Asher asked.
I nodded, my gaze on her sleeping face. “And I may have a solution to our problem.”
Zeke eyed me. “What?”
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “She could date all of us.”
Everyone looked at me like I was insane.
“What?” Asher asked, stunned.
“It’s the same set up Louis has with his wives, only…” I looked at each of them. “With us and Lexie.”
“Let me get this straight.” Asher started rubbing the back of his neck. “She’s… she is going to have to date more than one guy at a time?”
“No, she doesn’t have to. Louis was very clear on that,” I said. “She just needs relationships, they don’t have to be romantic.”
“Then why the hell would we agree to this?” Zeke snapped.
“Lexie cares for all of us. Do you really want to break her heart by making her choose?” I turned and met each of their eyes. “Can you be happy knowing that the rest of us are in pain while the one she picks is happy?”
“That’s never going to work,” Isaac scoffed.
“Why not?” I asked directly.
“She’s not like that,” Isaac countered. “She’s not the kind of girl who cheats. Hell, she doesn’t even use cheat codes on games.”
“This wouldn’t be cheating,” I began, turning to Isaac. “We’d all be agreeing to it and be upfront with each other about it.”
“You’re seriously suggesting that we share Lexie?” Ethan bit out.
“We’re not fucking passing her back and forth,” Zeke growled.
Lexie whimpered, then buried her nose into her pillow. The room was silent until her breathing became deep and even again.
“As if we would ever treat her that way,” I bit out, my voice cold. “The fact of the matter is that there are five of us. I’m going to assume all of you are in love with her too. Can you honestly say that you can watch her be with one of the others, and not have it affect your relationship with either of them?”
Everyone was silent for a full minute.
“No,” Zeke admitted. “But I don’t think this has a chance in hell.”
“It’s never going to work.” Isaac shook his head
“It can
,” I countered. “Louis’s family has been doing it for the last fifteen years.” The room grew silent again, the tension thick enough to see it in the air. “The big question that each of us need to ask ourselves is, can you… share Lexie?” I cursed. “I despise that phrase but I can’t come up with another one right now.”
“That’s fucking insane,” Isaac said, his voice boiling.
“Agreed,” Zeke muttered.
“She doesn’t want to destroy our family,” I was brutally honest. “It’s this, or she dates those who agree and the rest will need to be alright with not being with her. Or she chooses one of us and the rest need to deal with it and move on. Or, she’ll run.”
“We’re forgetting one thing. Ally.” Asher drew our attention. “Ally hasn’t said she’s doing this. So, there’s no point in discussing it.”
Isaac snorted. “Yeah, she’ll probably say ‘fuck that.’”
“And run out the door,” Ethan muttered.
“Maybe, maybe not,” Zeke met my gaze. “If having friends and relationships will keep her from becoming what Louis described… she’s going to choose to stay.”
Asher cursed. “He’s right. Whatever pull she felt back there, scared the shit out of her.”
“We’re all going to have to take some time to ourselves and really think about it,” I said. “Examine what each of us need from a relationship, what we are willing to work on, what is a deal breaker for each of us. And decide if we can do this.”
“Again, Lexie hasn’t agreed to do this,” Isaac snapped loudly.
Lexie shifted on the bed drawing everyone’s attention. She opened her eyes and found me. “Wha’s wrong?” She rubbed the sleep from an eye before she shifted to sit up. Everyone else cursed.
Isaac went to the bed and tried to stop her from sitting up. “Nothing. Go back to sleep, Red.”
Her eyes found me then dropped to my hand tapping against my thigh. I stopped. Too late, she noticed.
“Miles?”
I sighed. There was no getting around it. “I talked with Louis about anchors and what they are.”
“Nice going, blue hair,” Zeke grumbled. Isaac got to his feet, cursing himself.
“What did he say?” she asked as she sat up and crossed her legs underneath her. Her copper hair was pulling out of her ponytail, long curls were everywhere.
I glanced at the others before I went to the bed and sat down facing her. “Relationships are the key to keeping you grounded in the living world. Any kind of relationship. Friends, family, romantic, it doesn’t matter.”
She tucked some of her loose hair behind her ears. “Yeah, I got that part.”
I swallowed hard, my chest burning. “Lexie, I asked Louis some questions about some other things. Mostly about his polygamous marriage.”
“What? Why?” she asked, her brow drawing down.
“Because I think it might be a solution for our situation,” I stated.
She blinked at me. “You guys want to date other…wait, huh?”
“No, it’d be the reverse,” I fumbled, I wasn’t explaining this well. “Lexie, it’s possible that you could date all of us.”
“What? Take turns?” she scoffed. “Everyone gets alternating weekends?”
“At the same time,” Isaac bit out.
She grew as still as a statue. “What?”
“For men, it’s called polygamy. For women, it’s called polyandry,” I explained as neutrally as I could when all I wanted was to go for a run or swim laps.
Her face grew pale.
“Ally, there are five of us who care about you,” Asher said, drawing her attention. “Everyone needs to think stuff through but…”
“He’s saying we could all date you at the same time. Without secrets, and work through any shit that comes up,” Zeke finished directly.
“If everyone decides that’s something they can and want to do,” I added quickly.
She gaped at us. Then slowly started to shake her head. “No.”
I started tapping my leg again.
She looked up at us, her face growing angrier. “I’m not going to trap you guys like that.”
Trap? What did she mean?
“Trap us? What the hell are you talking about?” Ethan asked.
She shook her head as she looked down at the comforter. “You guys are amazing, and sweet.” She looked up, her eyes running over each of us. “And protective as hell.” I suddenly understood what she meant but she wasn’t done. “I’m not going to let you just… sacrifice so much just to stop me from getting hurt.”
“Lexie,” I began. She turned to me. “No one has decided on anything. This is something everyone needs time to think about. Including you.”
She nodded, her shoulders sagging.
“Alright, everyone needs to get some sleep,” Asher stated. “I’ll stay with her tonight.”
“Why you?” Isaac snapped. My head started throbbing.
“Because I don’t want to leave her alone,” Asher countered.
“Don’t I have a say?” Lexie asked sarcastically.
Zeke turned back to her. “Pick someone then, I want someone in here with you too.”
She sighed. “This is ridiculous.”
Everyone but Asher said good night to her and filed out of her room and down the hall to our own rooms. I doubted I’d sleep tonight either, there was just way too much to think about.
Lexie
A massive explosion rocked the building, glass shattered. Everything jolted me awake. A heavy weight covered me as something cascaded down with a strange tinkling sound mixed in. Not understanding, I fought against the weight over me
“Ally, it’s me!” Asher shouted over a strange roar. Asher dropped back over me, covering me as another explosion rocked the building, the windows shattered, glass flew everywhere. My ears rang as smoke started to fill the room.
“What…?” I got a whiff of smoke.
“Are you okay?” Asher demanded as he moved off me.
I nodded and sat up. The two huge paned windows were blown out, the glass covered everything. Smoke came from somewhere below.
“We gotta go, Ally,” Asher told me.
I nodded. He handed me my sandals then shoved his feet into his shoes.
“What the hell is going on?” I asked as light flashed over the walls. I turned to find the source. The building rocked again, Asher covered me with his arms as much as he could. I elbowed him. “Cover yourself, you shit.”
Asher coughed as we got up and headed for the door. He checked the knob and opened the door. Smoke was high against the ceiling; the hallway was dark. The room across from mine was destroyed the door gone. Brick and splintered timbers were falling into the hallway. My heart raced.
“Louis.” I hurried down the hallway and found his door. I shoved it open and went still. The outer wall and part of the floor above were just gone. There was a groan. “Louis! Where are you?” We started to search for him, the room was a disaster.
“Here,” Louis grunted. Asher changed his direction and began to clear bricks off a section of floor. I rushed to help him. It was only a few moments before we uncovered his head and shoulder. He was on his back, blood running down the corner of his mouth. We started working harder to uncover his upper body.
“Don’t,” he groaned.
“We’re getting you out of here,” I snapped.
He opened his eyes and met mine. “Be… there for… Juan.”
Shocked, I looked him over again. A large timber beam had dropped high on his chest. I turned back to him and realized he wasn’t going to last long. Hoping to hear differently, I looked up at Asher. His face was pained as he shook his head. Fuck.
“Louis…” My throat closed. The building shook again. A large crash sounded in the hallway. Shouts and screams echoed everywhere.
“Promise… me…” he gasped.
“I promise,” I said, my heart breaking.
“Get… out,” he gasped.
I shook my
head. “I have to cross you.”
“No… time…” Louis’s lips twitched to a grin. His eyes unfocused, his pupils dilated. His breath left him in a sigh.
My chest burned. Asher grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet. “Come on, Ally. We need to be alive to keep your promise.” We went out into the hallway and found it pitch black with smoke. We dropped to our hands and knees. I pulled my shirt over my mouth and nose then started crawling with my shoulder against the wall. Asher kept brushing my foot to let me know he was there. Was this really fucking happening?
“How many doors until the stairs?” I asked, as adrenaline pounded through me.
“Seven, I think,” Asher said. I kept count as we moved along the floor. Oh, God, don’t let us die. Please, don’t let us die. Let us get out. Please, please… The wood was warm under my knees and hands.
My right shoulder finally hit air. I reached down and found a step. “We’re at the stairs.” I coughed as I tried to grab the banister.
“Don’t go down, sweetheart. That entire floor is on fire,” a man’s voice said in my ear. I went still. Was that…?
“Who’s there?” Asher called then coughed.
“This floor is going to buckle. Go up. Now!” The voice barked. I didn’t think, I just followed the order.
“We’re going up,” I told Asher as I found the first step.
“I heard,” he coughed. “Go!”
We scrambled up the stairs on our hands and knees so it was a little easier to breathe, the roar was less but I didn’t know where to go. We hit the landing. I froze. Where…? There was a loud crash, wood splintering. The smoke and sparks billowed up from the now collapsed stairway. The heat increased, the air was hot in my lungs.
“Left of the stairs,” a woman’s stern voice came out of the smoke. “All the way to the end, the fire escape is just outside the window. Move faster!”
I wasn’t going to question it. I followed her instructions as I felt my way through the darkness to the brick wall. Asher continued to tap my foot to let me know he was still with me as we made our way. Please, please, please….
Secrets From the Grave (The Veil Diaries Book 6) Page 31
