Luna's Lovers [Beyond the Veil 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Honor James

Lilly began to giggle and then laugh. She couldn’t seem to help herself. “Oh I’m so going to like being your friend.”

  Ax let out a sigh, one that sounded exhausted. “You would, love. She’s just like you,” he grumbled, though the small curling of his lips in a little grin said he didn’t seem to really mind. “I can see we’ll need to keep the two of you separated at all times.”

  Both women looked at Artaxias and both wore matching frowns. Luna however was the one that said, “I don’t think that I would like that very much and with having Kristjan and Volker as my mates I think that I would win any arguments that might arise. I like Lilly and think that I would like to know more about her and befriend her. I would like to ask that you not stand in the way of that.”

  Both her mates snickered and looked toward Ax who was just sitting there blinking.

  “Yeah, Ax, what do you have to say about that?” Gavriel asked, sounding amused. When she looked at him he was grinning and shot her a wink. “Methinks the ancient know it all has dug a hole he can’t get out of.”

  Artaxias sighed and got up from the table. “I was merely joking. Apparently I still have yet to master it. I will continue to work on it. But since I’m getting a lot of hate at the moment I think I will attend to some phone calls with people who actually fear me.” Leaning over he kissed Lilly and smacked Gav on the back of the head in a move she nearly didn’t catch before leaving the kitchen.

  Lilly shook her head and sighed. “Don’t worry. I have this.” Luna watched as the woman moved slowly from where she had been seated and to the Vhampire. It was shameless but Luna listened to the woman telling him, “If you want to I am more than happy to kiss any boo-boo you have right now and make it all better.” There was a moment of laughter and then the two were kissing.

  Luna grinned and shook her head. “Does that always work? If so.” She looked to her mates. “I think that I need to employ that often. The kissing part, a lot.”

  “You can kiss us whenever you have the urge, we won’t even whimper,” Volker told her with a chuckle. Shaking his head he looked to her and shrugged. “As for the rest of it, who knows. He’s always had trouble with humor, at least with portraying it in the form of a joke.”

  “It’s that stick up his ass,” Gav muttered.

  “I heard that Gavriel,” Ax’s voice held a warning to it.

  “Keep saying he’s got the hearing of a bat,” Gavriel said with a smirk. “Proof positive right there. But seriously, he was an assassin for centuries before being blessed…”

  “Cursed more like it,” Artaxias cut in.

  “With me in his life,” Gav kept going like he hadn’t been interrupted. “I’ve been trying to loosen him up since I met him. He’s a work in progress obviously.”

  Luna grinned. “I like him.” She liked how stuffy he was, but more than that she adored the way that he looked at his mate. It gave her great hope for what might be in her future with her mates. “And it’s likely me. I don’t get out much and really don’t talk to people much so humor goes right over the top of my head,” Luna plowed along. “Before today I had assumed it was because I shocked everyone and their brother but now I find out it’s because I’m some missing royal person who’s been hidden in plain sight by the Council and the people at the AEDA.” She stopped there and sighed. She had to get a grip on her emotions because she was feeling quite sad. “I just wonder how often they laughed it up because I had no clue who I was.” Not to mention the loss of her brothers.

  “No one was laughing at you,” Volker said, tugging on her hair gently until she looked at him. “They were protecting you until you could regain your memories, Luna. The fact they moved so fast to get you into protection shows how serious they are about keeping you safe.”

  “I hope that you are right.” She had a very fragile sense of self, which came from being alone for so long. “Because if not then I will have you two beat them up.” She knew that sounded completely silly, but that was her, full of silly.

  “Done.” He nodded and smiled. Leaning in he pressed a kiss to her cheek. “But I am serious, no one was ever laughing at you, sweetheart. Worried about you I would bet on, but never a single laugh came out of your situation.”

  “I hope that you are right,” she said softly. “It would bother me a great deal if people were laughing at me or whatever. I want to believe you,” she admitted with a nod. “So I choose to believe you. That’s all that matters. Period.”

  “If I find out that someone has laughed at you I swear to you that I’ll rip his throat out,” Volker told her quietly. He looked absolutely, deadly serious too.

  Gavriel cleared his throat and gave her a look when she glanced over. “He isn’t kidding either. Damn Vhampires are weird about that kinda shit and he’ll actually do it. Just a heads up in case you hear a rumor or something.”

  “Well I happen to love him just as he is. Just as I adore my Kris for being just as he is as well. I like them being grumbly at times because that just saves me from having to be grumbly to others. And I can. I know that you don’t see it but I totally can be very grumpy if the case arises.” Dammit she needed to learn to curb her tongue!

  “Uh-huh,” he said and grinned. “Like a little cuddly teddy bear,” he told her, leaning forward a bit.

  “Don’t fuck with her, Gavriel,” Kristjan said. “I’ll kick your ass if you upset her. Plain and simple. And you know how that will all go from there, don’t you.”

  Luna smiled and reached out and put her hand on Kris’s shoulder. “It’s okay,” she whispered and looked up into Kris’s eyes. “He’s picking and I understand that.” She leaned into Kris and rubbed her cheek on his shoulder. “However if he starts to give me true trouble you can totally beat him up.”

  Hugging her close he pressed a kiss to her hair. “Deal,” he said softly.

  “Quit picking on her, Gav, or I’ll beat you up,” Artaxias said. “And since you are done with eating I think it’s time you got the poor girl unclogged. I’m sure she’d like to get back to where they are staying at some point tonight and get some sleep.”

  “Yes please. Especially since I still can’t even keep my voice from telling everything in the world that I want to tell. So yes please.” She was repeating herself she knew, but Luna couldn’t seem to help herself. She looked at Gavriel and nodded. “Do we need to do this outside?” she asked quietly.

  “Probably best, Lilly likes the house the way it is and if your abilities go wonky I’d rather have a bit of earth around us to hopefully ground us all.” He got up from the table, wiping his mouth and fingers with a napkin. “Come on. We’ll get out into the yard and get you grounded before I do anything.”

  Luna nodded and looked up at Volker and Kristjan. Slipping her hands into theirs she gave them both a squeeze. “I need you both close, please?” she asked quietly. “I just need for you both to be there for me should I need you?”

  “Like we’d be anywhere else,” Kristjan said. Smiling he got to his feet and moved her chair for her when she stood. Taking her hand again in his he walked at her side, Volker at the other, following Gavriel out into the backyard.

  Flipping a switch as they walked past a post, the backyard lit up like a fairytale setting. Lights followed pathways and little ones were entwined in the trees in various soft colors of yellows, blues, and white. It was quite pretty.

  “We’ll go out on the other side of the pool to the grassy area,” Gavriel explained as they walked along a pathway. He led them out to the spot he’d mentioned and then looked to her. “First things first. Anything on you that has any metallic content or electrical conductivity?”

  “Uh.” Luna looked down herself and shook her head. “Shocks a lot here, do you honestly think that I would have metal on or around me? I had thought that I had a metal plate in my head but I have found out that I don’t. So, nope.”

  “Had to ask, it’s standard procedure,” he said and shrugged. “All right, next thing. Ditch your shoes and your socks, bar
e feet on the grass and wiggle your toes in to get a good base. Ditch your jacket as well, you’ll be plenty warm soon enough and that’ll just constrict your movements.”

  Luna did as instructed and she sighed when she wiggled her toes in the grass. Closing her eyes she smiled. “I’ve always loved that feel. The feeling of the grass under my feet. Weird I know, but true all the same. I love the feeling of nice thick grass under my feet.”

  “Good to know, you’ll need to focus on the sensation of the grass later, on each of the blades under and around your feet. It will help to balance you when this gets really rough so think about it for a few minutes while I grab a few things. We’ll get rolling in about five,” he told her. “Kristjan and Volker, you can stand behind me, where she can see you but you can’t get between us at any time. And disruption or interruption or loss of concentration could make this all a hell of a lot worse. Artaxias will tackle your asses if you so much as twitch, and you know he can do it so resist the urge to leap to her rescue.”

  “I’m thinking she won’t need rescuing once you unlock whatever’s got her plugged up,” Kristjan said. “She’ll kick your ass all by herself and we’ll be the cheer squad.”

  Luna blushed and said, “I hope that I don’t, but we will see. I will try to keep it in the forefront of my mind that you are trying to help me and not hurt me.” She hoped she wouldn’t hurt him at least. She didn’t think that she would hurt Gavriel because it would be him helping her, right?

  “Oh, you won’t hurt me. At least not during the process. I think they are referring to after the fact when you are through it all. And they are idiots, ignore them and focus on the grass,” he advised. Shooting her mates a dirty look he wandered off toward the tree line and what looked like a little cottage. “Feel the blades of grass and the texture against your skin,” he called over his shoulder.

  Luna did just that. She closed her eyes and simply breathed in and out, focusing on the grass beneath her feet. “Nature has always called to me. It’s something that I have always enjoyed. Being able to be out of doors is something that’s always calmed me.”

  “Good to know,” Volker commented. “We’ll have to get you outside from time to time I think. No reason to keep you all cooped up constantly,” he said.

  She opened her eyes just in time to see Gavriel returning with a giant metal ring, one that he dropped down around her and then adjusted to an equal distance from her body. “This will help rein in any excess energy that you can’t channel directly into the earth. All right, ready to get this party started?”

  Luna felt her heart racing but nodded. She couldn’t and wouldn’t say anything else. She had to do this. She needed to have everything unblocked so that she could find her brothers. She needed to find her brothers and ensure that they were safe. “I’m as ready as I am going to get.”

  “Okay.” He smiled at her. Stepping closer he stayed just outside of the ring of metal and she randomly noticed he’d removed the boots he’d been wearing earlier. He closed his eyes and she could actually feel him drawing on his power, the hair on her body standing straight up at the sensation of energy rushing around her. When he opened his eyes she saw the colors were swirling madly, twisting and drawing her in. “Just touch the back of my hand and keep your fingers there until I step away. I need a read on you before I do anything otherwise I could fuck you up worse than you are now.”

  “Yeah because that would be bad and I don’t think that anything or anyone would save your hide if you did that. I have a feeling my mates would have to hurt you.” She was teasing, mostly.

  “Pretty much.” He nodded. “And I’d likely feel bad for a time which really sucks.” Grinning at her he held out his hand to her. “Just your fingertips and let yourself relax. Focus on the grass under your feet and let your mind just drift. It’ll make it easier for me to get a read.”

  Taking a deep breath Luna did just that. She began to focus on the grass under her feet. She allowed her mind to drift. She allowed herself to simply let go. She closed her eyes and just simply let go of everything and trusted her mates to watch over her and keep her safe.

  The first hint that Gavriel was doing anything was a small tingle in her fingertips. One that tickled its way up her arm, shoulder, neck and into her head. But it also spread down her torso, down her other arm and down her legs to her feet and toes. “Good,” he breathed out. “Just keep nice and loose, just looking around, feeling ya up a bit if you will.” He chuckled.

  “None of that shit, Gav.” Volker growled, but he was laughing too.

  “Yeah, feel me up and I might just have to kick you,” Luna grumbled honestly. “I mean it.” She forced herself to calm once more. “I’m okay, Volker,” she told one of her mates quietly. “I am good, promise.”

  “I know you are, Luna, just relax. Keep breathing nice and slow,” he said quietly.

  “Shh,” Gavriel hissed out. “Luna, you’re tensing up, don’t. Feel the blades of grass under and around your feet. They are moving ever so slightly with the breeze, feel the caress on your skin. Good, that’s better. Not much longer now so just keep relaxed.”

  “Right, blades of grass,” she whispered quietly and closed her eyes. She focused on the nature that was around her. The feel of the grass, the wind as it kissed her face, the intense feeling of happiness as the scents of her men reaching her as well. That was a scent she loved.

  The tingles withdrew, a little quicker than they’d invaded, but still slowly. Draining all out her fingertips on his hand. “Okay, you can relax now,” Gavriel told her. “Well, you are definitely jammed up pretty good but it’s fixable. For this next part you are going to want to sit down in the ring. Don’t touch it with any part of your body and, if it’s comfortable, keep your feet flat on the grass. Also, put your hands on the grass too, we need to ground you as much as possible.”

  Luna nodded and took a seat inside of the circle. Placing her hands palm down on the grass and her feet on the grass she looked up at Gavriel. “Like this?” she asked with a frown. “And are you sure that you can do this?”

  “Of course I can do it.” He glared at her. “And yes, you are nicely positioned. But the real question is—” He grinned, not a pretty grin either. Then he began to rub his palms together before spreading his fingers and shaking out his hands at his sides. The wind began to pick up and the power in the air was now more like during a thunderstorm, practically crackling off everything around them. “Can you hold it?”

  Not that he gave her a chance to answer and not that she likely could have. The next sensation of his power hit her and hard, arching her back as she gripped tight to the grass. It felt like he was tearing her apart from the inside out.

  Luna screamed, the pain seemed to roll through her like lightning. She felt hot tears rolling down her face as she felt Gavriel moving inside of her mind to undo whatever was done to her. Her nails dug into the ground, her back arched and her toes dug into the ground as well. Pain unlike anything she had felt before raced over her entire being.

  “What the fuck!” she heard being yelled from one of her mates. She didn’t know which one but there was definitely the sound of a scuffle.

  Just breathe. Gavriel’s voice slid through her head, or maybe he said it aloud but it felt like it was in her head. She could feel him peeling away the stuff miring her mind. And then she really felt pain, something had just been unlocked and was more than ready to break free.

  She couldn’t take another moment of the pain. A sob tore through her as he unlocked everything inside of her. She fell over to the side, her eyes closed and body twitching. Her last conscious thought was of her mates. She could have sworn she felt Volker picking her up and the scent of Kristjan close to her as well. “No more,” she whispered quietly. “Home. Please. No more.”

  “Get her home and let her sleep,” Gavriel sounded hoarse and exhausted. “Lots of fluids and keep the room dark and quiet for her. Should take about two, maybe up to four hours to recover. Any longer than
that you call me. And by recover I mean she can hold a conversation for more than a second and can open her eyes and focus on you. She won’t be ready to go bouncing around for at least a solid twenty-four hours, but she should be able to answer basic questions and have some knowledge of where she is.”

  “Don’t know whether to thank you or beat the shit out of you,” Kristjan said, not sounding happy about the indecision.

  “Thank me when she’s doing what she was thinking about doing to you earlier,” Gav snickered and then groaned. “Fuck me that hurt,” he muttered, his voice moving away.

  “Hold on, Luna. We’ll get you back to the house and into bed,” Volker said. She could feel him brush a kiss to her forehead. “Sleep, baby, just sleep.”

  “Sleep.” Her voice was a whisper, the sound nearly lost in the wind but she knew her Vhampire caught it and held that close. Snuggling closer to him she pulled his jacket up and over her eyes with what she felt like was Herculean strength and simply nuzzled closer to him and letting the darkness of the leather and scent of Volker lull her into a deep and sound sleep.

  Chapter Nine

  “Hey, it’s okay, easy,” Kristjan’s voice was soft. Good thing given how she was sure the army of little men banging on the inside of her skull with their large hammers were attempting to break free. “Keep your eyes closed, Luna, and take slow breaths. We’re back at the safe house and you’ve been asleep for just about three hours now. Well, three and a half if you include the time it took us to get back here without causing you more pain.”

  “Put this on the back of her neck,” Volker’s voice was on her other side.

  The sound of crinkling plastic and something else caught her attention. “I’m going to slip this ice pack under your neck. It should help lessen the headache you have if your pinched up face is anything to go by. Just relax, we’ll do all the work lifting you,” Kristjan said gently. And he was good on his word. They lifted her head and shoulders slightly, keeping her in the same position and lowering her down so the coolness of the pack began to seep into her neck and the base of her skull.