by Honor James
“But they are your parents,” she said with frustration clear in her tone. “That’s huge, Zhu. I want and I need their approval because they are such important parts of your life. Yes, we could always have a life without it but it wouldn’t be nearly as enjoyable.” She looked at the Veil and added, “And I am about to go through the Veil for the first time. I think I deserve to hyperventilate.”
“She’s right, Z,” Ansell said on her other side. “Let her hyperventilate if she wants. It’ll definitely leave a lasting memory with your parents. Her all blue, sweaty and practically passed out.” He smiled at her and snickered evilly. “Come on, darling. They are great people, generous, open, and you’ll love them. They will also adore you so quit already. Because if you pass out from all this heavy breathing you’ll be thrown over one of our shoulders. Do you really want them to see you ass in the air at the first meeting?”
“Ansell,” Zhubin growled. “Mom is nervous to meet you, too, Lace,” he said, looking her in the eye. “She wants you to only think the best of her. She’s worried that you won’t like her.”
“She is?” Lacey asked in awe, stopping the panic to look up at Zhubin. “Why would your mom be nervous? I adore the woman already because she birthed you, she raised Ansell. To me she’s the best person on this planet, well besides the two of you that is. Why would she be nervous about meeting me?”
“You’re essentially going to be her daughter-in-law,” Ansell said with a strange look her way. “She’s terrified you’ll hate her on sight. That you’ll have nothing in common. That it will be like some human marriages where the daughter-in-law feels the male’s mother is in his life too much. According to Thorin she’s been pacing nearly non-stop. When she’s not pacing she’s cleaning. When she’s not cleaning she’s rearranging every piece of furniture they own. Apparently he’s tried to distract her but that hasn’t lasted long at all. He’s very annoyed.” Between the shit-eating grin and the merriment on her face Lacey knew just how Thorin was trying to distract Zhubin’s mother.
Zhubin snickered. “Serves him right. He’s got it way too good with Mom, she needs to make him appreciate her more. If her going on a sex strike works, then hell yeah. Not that he doesn’t love and adore her, or worship the ground she walks on. He does. But those two are…” He frowned.
“Sickeningly mooshy and all gooey and”—Ansell gagged—“our sex education didn’t come in a classroom like yours likely did. Ours was in horrifying real-life panoramic 3D viewing.”
Lacey began to laugh. She couldn’t help herself. She laughed so much she began to snort and slapped her hand over her mouth, eyes dancing with mirth and delight. “Oh God. That’s too funny. I happen to really like her already. All right.” She took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay, let’s do this before I fail completely and am not able to walk through the Veil on my own. That’s not something that I want.” She squeezed the men’s arms with hers and nodded. “Let’s go, shall we?”
“Absolutely.” Zhubin nodded. He hitched the bag over his shoulder higher and slid his hand down to catch hers. “Skin to skin contact works best for a first trip through. So grab Ansell’s too, darling. Then we are going to walk straight ahead. We’re not going to pause. We’re just out for a stroll. You will likely feel the fine hairs on your body reacting but just keep moving. You never, ever want to stop partway through or let go of our hands.”
“Right, well I don’t think that will be an issue,” she grumbled as she took their hands and held on for dear life. “All right, let’s go through, shall we? I want to meet my future in laws or whatever they will be called so that we can put your mum at ease.”
Squeezing her hands, they tugged on their arms and started to walk. Zhubin gave a nod to the Luhpyne parked next to the Veil and they went through. On the other side they took a few steps before stopping. “Well?” Zhubin asked, looking down at her. “You’re still breathing so that’s a good sign. You still want to do this more often?”
“I think that we should only do this when we have to,” she grumbled and looked around. Taking in her first look at the area she gasped, “Wow,” she whispered. “This place is. God, this place is spectacularly beautiful. Why in the world would you want to go to the other side when this place is so amazing?”
“Because that’s where you were,” Ansell said with a shrug. “Besides, it’s home, it’s…” He waved a hand and shrugged again.
“What our ever-so-eloquent companion is likely trying to say is we were born here, raised here so we don’t see it as you do. It’s like growing up in a house, you know all the rooms but you don’t see them after a time because it’s all so familiar,” Zhubin told her.
“It is spectacular,” she whispered softly. “Truly this place is amazing. I hope that one day you will be able to see this through my eyes, see the beauty of the world like I do. It’s a special place that you live in, this place on the other side of the Veil.”
“Of course it is,” Ansell said with a grin. “But we’ve lived here our entire lives. We know it rather well. Now, I believe that’s our ride pulling up.” He pointed. A silver vehicle came along the road, much like a car but silent, smooth and appearing to have no windows.
“Wow,” she whispered again and shook her head. Grinning, she looked up at her men and said, “I think that I’m going to like it here. We might end up spending a great deal of time here.” If only for the sake of being completely and fully safe. Here she didn’t have to worry about the bastard that wanted her dead and instead she could simply relax and enjoy her men.
“We can come here any time that you want, love,” he told her, squeezing her hand. “But we need to ensure that the one after you is stopped. We can’t have him going after someone else out of anger because you’ve thwarted him.”
She sighed and nodded. “I know and damn if I don’t hate it. I don’t want to go back. I know how cowardly that sounds but I really would rather just hole away with the two of you somewhere and let the world pass us by. Silly, I know. Really, I know how that sounds but it’s how I feel at times.”
“And that’s fine, Lacey,” Zhubin said quietly. “You’ve been under stress for five years now from this guy. Take this time that we’re here and just let that life go for the time being. We’ll go back, refreshed and ready to look at this from a new way. We will find him. We will make him pay. And then we will get on with our lives without his interference.”
“Good. That’s what I needed to hear, I think. I needed to know that we would do whatever it took for us to all be together. We will find a way. Somehow and some way. We will figure this all out. I just know it.” Hopefully at least.
“Absolutely.” He smiled, lifting her hand to kiss her fingers. “Come, it’s just a short ride to the house and then we will meet the parents. No panicking. Slow, deep breaths and remember, mom is likely more terrified of you than you are of her.” He let out a laugh at that and shook his head.
“All right.” She looked into Zhubin’s eyes and sighed. “Whose vehicle is this?” she asked with a frown. “The one coming for us? Is it one of your parents?” She wasn’t a typically trusting woman at all and they would know that.
“It’s one of theirs, yes,” he said, letting her hand go. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a hug. “It’s likely Sam coming to pick us up. He runs the household and tries to keep my father on a schedule. Sometimes it works, most times not so much, especially if Mother is around.”
“Sounds like someone else I know.” Only it was more them trying to keep her on a schedule. She was notoriously late, always had been and likely always would be. If not for these two men she would never make it anywhere on time. Hell, likely not even her own funeral.
The vehicle slid to a smooth stop and a slim male stepped out. “Master Zhubin, Master Ansell.” He clicked his booted heels slightly and tipped in a bow. “Welcome home, sirs.”
“Hiya, Sam.” Ansell grinned and move to the back of the vehicle to toss in his bag.
“Sam, this is Lacey. Lace, this is Sam. You need anything and can’t find me or Ansell, you ask Sam. Even weird shit this man can find. I don’t know how and I do not ask any more,” Zhubin told her.
“A pleasure, miss.” He smiled at her and gave another slight bow.
“Nice to meet you,” Lacey returned with a smile. “How long have you known Zhubin and Ansell, and would you be willing to give me some nice wonderful details about their lives? I would very much like to know any and everything that you would be willing to tell me.”
“I’m sure that I have no idea what you could mean, miss,” he said. But his lips were twitching and the glint in his eyes said he knew a lot. “I’ve known them both since they were quite young. I’ve worked for the Lady and Regent for a number of years. I’m sure that if you ask the Lady she will gladly tell you everything you’d like to know. She may even have video of some situations.”
“Oh but you see, a mom would never give up the really, really good stuff on her sons. I would love to be able to get the really and truly good stuff on them,” she teased happily. “And who better than an impartial third party?”
“He’s hardly impartial,” Ansell said, coming up behind her. “Especially after that thing we did when we were, like, fourteen. I’m amazed his eyebrows grew back, actually.”
Sam frowned at that. “That story I don’t think should ever be repeated. You two were a menace to all of society until you finally matured. Or pretended to mature, I suppose would be the better description for you two delinquents.”
“Oh now see I want to be able to hear that story even more now. You can’t say something like that and not tell me the story. I mean it. Really, come on. I very much would like to hear at least this story. Please?”
“I will tell the story,” Zhubin said with a chuckle as he shut the back of the vehicle. “But we should get moving. I’m starting to feel hungry and knowing what Mum will have ready for us I’m definitely more than ready to roll. So let’s all load up and I will tell you all about the day Sam lost his eyebrows and most of his hair.”
Laughter poured from Lacey and she leaned back in the plush seats of the vehicle. “Well then I very, very much look forward to hearing all about that day then. Please don’t leave out any details, no matter who it might incriminate.”
Ansell settled next to her with Zhubin across from her in the limo-like backseat. Sam got behind the controls with a mutter and they were moving. “Oh it incriminates me and Ansell a lot. We were bored, as boys tend to get when forced to stay inside on nice days doing schoolwork. So while our tutor was droning on we started to plan.”
He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “We had it all figured out. Big bang, lots of noise, light and screams. But no one would get hurt. After our lessons we gathered everything up. Ran out and got it set, someplace where nothing could burn and where no one was supposed to be.”
“Notice he said ‘where no one was supposed to be,’” Ansell put in with a shake of his head.
“Yeah, that didn’t work too well. There were people around but well away from the area. We were in countdown when Sam comes wandering out. He goes right up to it, we’re at T-minus ten and he leans over to see what’s on the ground. We’re both huddled behind a tree terrified this is about to go horribly wrong.”
“I jump out and call to him he looks up, straightens and boom!” Ansell throws his hands up.
“Sam went flying ten feet back and the light show is going off. Everyone is watching that as we”—Zhubin pointed to himself and Ansell—“go racing over to Sam. He’s lying there, no eyebrows and his hair gone and the top of his head smoldering slightly.”
“We got in so much shit over that,” Ansell muttered, leaning back. “I still flinch any time I think about it. We were on kitchen duty for two months, helping the maids for another three and still had to do whatever Sam wanted of us for a further six months.”
Her hands covered her mouth, laughter danced in her eyes as she looked from man to man and then when Sam looked back and caught her eyes she couldn’t help herself. Lacey burst out laughing. She laughed so hard that her sides hurt from the great gasps she was taking to draw air into her lungs to laugh some more. “Oh God.” She breathed those two words out in her laughter. “That’s utterly priceless. I can so see it too.”
“Sadly, Sam wasn’t as amused, neither were Zhubin’s parents. Oh, the shit we got from that. And we pretty much lived in full terror for a month. We didn’t know what Sam would do to us but we were resigned. It actually wasn’t all bad,” Ansell admitted.
“And what did he end up doing to you? How did he punish the two of you?” Lacey asked curiously and moved so that she was settled back against Ansell once more, his arms wrapped around her and keeping her close just as she liked.
“He turned us into his bitches for the six months,” Zhubin said. He gave a huge grin and chuckled. “Whenever he said to jump, we asked how high. If he said to do something we had to do it, no questions asked. We went where we were told, when we were told and did whatever he asked. It was absolute hell.”
Lacey laughed like mad. She couldn’t help it. Shaking her head, she looked at the men. “Oh God, I love it. I hope he made you boys do a lot of things for him to make up for that. Poor man.” She snickered. “I feel for the guy, and I’m glad that your punishment fit the crime. Sorry boys, but there it is.”
“Our punishments always fit the crime. Though we did get a lot better at ensuring we didn’t get caught after that. We were actually pretty good at staying clean on our capers,” Ansell said. He gave a chuckle. “They suspected but since there was absolutely no proof, they couldn’t point the finger.”
“Oh lordy. We are in for a world of hurt when we have a family aren’t we?” Her grin was clear even in her voice. “I look forward to it though.” Lacey spoke as she cuddled up closer to Ansell. “And I really look forward to reminding you boys of your ‘capers’ and what you did in the past.”
“You can remind us, but it really only works if we feel shame. Other than the one with Sam there is no guilt associated with any of them,” he said with a shrug. His fingers began to stroke up and down her arm. “So if you want to bring them up, go ahead, just be prepared for the consequences that may come of it.”
“Right, well I will make sure that if I do bring it up I am ready to deal with the consequences. But really, what are you going to do? Spank me?” Her tone was one of pure suggestion and desire. “Please?” she added.
Zhubin threw his head back to laugh. “Oh darling, little mate,” Ansell said on a very definite growl. “We thought you’d never ask.” His teeth snapped next to her ear. A moment later the vehicle changed direction. “We’re coming up the drive to the house. You ready, Lacey?”
“Damn,” she muttered, and licked her lips. “Okay, well I guess I am.” She had actually been more ready to jump them than anything. “You totally owe me a spanking,” she all but purred. “Because I really, really like that by the way. Spankings. Being tied up. Blindfolded. I’m not your average gal.”
“We already know that, Lacey,” Zhubin said, smiling at her. “But let’s worry about the mating first before we work on all your sexy little kinky fantasies, shall we?” The vehicle slid to a smooth stop and he got out holding a hand to her. “Sam will take the bags up to a room so all you need to think about now are the parents.”
“Oh crap,” she muttered. “I had really and truly thought that maybe we would have some time before we had to do that.” Taking a deep breath she nodded and sighed. “Okay,” she murmured and placed her hand trustingly into Ansell’s. “Let’s go and meet the ’rents, shall we?”
Chuckling, Zhubin squeezed her hand. Tugging, he led her up the walk toward the house. A large male, obviously his father, stood with a smaller female who was fidgeting. “Mother, Father, I’d like you to meet Lacey, our mate. Lace, this is Thorin and Gennette, my parents.”
“Hello, Lacey Rose,” Thorin’s voice in person was deeper than over the
feeds. Odd thing to notice, but she did. “It’s a pleasure to meet you finally in person.”
“Thank you. It is a pleasure to meet you as well.” Lacey leaned into Zhubin, and twined her other hand with Ansell’s. “So I heard a story about these boys burning off poor Sam’s eyebrows and part of his hair, were they always that rotten?” When she looked up at Zhubin and then Ansell however there was no doubting her emotions for the men.
“Most of the time,” Thorin muttered.
Gennette smacked him and moved closer. She came to a stop though, a foot from Lacey, her hands clenched tight before her. “They were not always so rotten. They were high-energy boys who didn’t like being stuck indoors. I hope that you don’t think it’s a reflection upon us my dear.”
“Not at all.” Lacey let go of her men and impulsively gave the woman a hug. “Thank you for giving me the two men that I love more than life itself. I hope that we can talk later? Just the two of us? I have so many questions.”
Gennette’s arms came around Lacey quickly. “We can talk all you want, Lacey. You are to be my daughter, a most precious gift. Whatever you wish to discuss I will freely and gladly give voice to. I only hope I have all the answers to the questions you hold, my dear.”
Lacey smiled and nodded. “I like that idea. A lot. I like the idea of being able to talk to you. Thank you,” she whispered and gave the woman another hug she nodded. She moved back to her men’s sides and smiled. “Can we go in?” She knew she was the one who was keeping them from going inside.
“Absolutely.” She smiled and turned to her mate. “Well, why are you still standing there, Thorin? Get inside. I’m sure the girl would like a good stiff drink about now. I know I need one to help settle these damned nerves.” She moved up the steps and pushed Thorin through the door. “Bring her along, boys. Now!”
