by Honor James
Beyond the Veil 6
Violet’s Protectors
Violet King has only had two major goals in her life, keep from being killed from those who want her throne, and avoid her mates at all costs. The first is easily achievable, the second is heartbreaking and will leave her to forever walk the Realms alone. There is a problem, though. If she never meets her mates than an entire Race will die out.
Given a task by their new king to bring a friend to the throne home, Viper and Ladon never expected to find their mate at the same time. With trouble coming for her there is only one option, do whatever is necessary to get her beyond the Veil to safety. What comes after will forever alter everyone, and everything—forever.
A prophecy speaking of death is now in play, turmoil between Earth and the Realms has reached an all-new level, and time is beginning to run out for them all.
Genre: Futuristic, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Paranormal, Science Fiction
Length: 59,001 words
VIOLET’S PROTECTORS
Beyond the Veil 6
Honor James
MENAGE EVERLASTING
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting
VIOLET’S PROTECTORS
Copyright © 2015 by Honor James
E-book ISBN: 978-1-63258-350-5
First E-book Publication: January 2015
Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2015 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
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Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Epilogue
About the Author
VIOLET’S PROTECTORS
Beyond the Veil 6
HONOR JAMES
Copyright © 2015
Prologue
September 30, 2035
There was a movement, the slightest flutter of a curtain which told the secrets held within. There was life, there was movement, and that meant that there was a chance that there was a person or persons inside of the home who might be able to shed some light on the mystery.
When the curtain fell back into place, however, there was no dawning knowledge. There was no blinding accuracy in simply knowing. Instead there was silence.
Frustration was the name of the game at this moment, and it was not something that she enjoyed. At all. Frustration was a bitter pill to swallow and one that more often than not got stuck in the craw of one’s throat.
Rubbing the back of her neck, Violet turned away from the conundrum that was before her. She leaned back in the seat she took outside of a cafe and sipped at the cocoa that she had been given and tried to think of what was going on.
Pulling out her old ratty notebook she fished out a pen from the bottom of her backpack and wrote her notes into the old-fashioned notebook.
While there was a presence inside of the home, there wasn’t a response when the bell was rung, nor was there when a delivery arrived via courier. Suspiciously there was another person who arrived to let the delivery in, however from where the party came from I don’t know.
Vi chewed her pen cap and then tapped it to her lip before she continued.
The being inside of the home is not a human. I can tell that much from the sidewalk. I’m not certain just exactly what the race is for this being, however I have to be honest here–the feeling is malevolent and the malcontent that is all but pouring out of the home is nearly blinding.
She had to shiver. She didn’t like it at all. There was something more about this job than just trying to figure out exactly who or what was inside of the home, she didn’t like that.
I keep finding myself questioning this assignment. I keep finding myself wanting to walk away from it, and if not for the plea from the woman on the other side of this equation I would have walked away by now. If a major change doesn’t occur within the next two days I am walking away. I have found nothing as of yet and can’t shake the feeling that I’m being set up for some reason. I just wish that I knew what it was that I was being set up about.
I think that it’s time that the discussion is had with the bosses. I’m ready to turn in my notice and walk away from it all. I think that the ones that hunt me are starting to get close again and that’s why this assignment feels off. I think that it’s time to disappear again.
Words she quickly scribbled out and then pulled the page out to tear into small pieces so that she could dump them into her coffee cup to toss away. Violet sighed and closed her eyes. God, she was not in a good place right now. Not with this assignment and with anything.
Quic
kly Violet shoved her pink and blue hair back behind her ears. The short hair in the back, long in front, a far cry different from what she was born with. The only thing Violet couldn’t change was her eyes. Eyes that denoted exactly who she was, the status and hierarchy that she held. If she wanted it. But she knew that to take the position that she was born to take would mean her death.
Fabulous.
Not.
I believe that this being that I’m chasing, this Luhpyne that is supposed to be harming children and women, is not an actual person, but a set of persons. I don’t truly believe that the being in the home is a human, but I don’t get the feeling that they are Luhpyne either. I truly believe that whatever, whoever is inside of that home is evil and therefore it’s time to turn this case over to the AEDA. I just hope that I can turn this into them without whoever I talk to realizing just what, and worse, who I am.
She hesitated and bit her lower lip. Yeah. That would not be good. She had come to Earth far before the Veil fell. She had hidden when yet another attempt on her life was thwarted. An attempt that had cost the life of one of her oldest and dearest friends. A Draygon.
It was when that happened that Violet went to the only being she could trust, Drakos. King of the Draygons, he realized just who and what she was and realized that she held a secret. One that she kept close. No, Drakos was an honorable and good man and helped her to disappear onto Earth. A land that the Races viewed with disdain from afar.
Violet, however, lost herself on Earth. She had flitted from city to city and watched the humans as they learned, as they grew, and as they finally began to make advances into technology.
“Shit,” Violet grumbled and shoved all of her stuff back into her backpack.
She knew that it was time to turn her files over to the AEDA and disappear. She hadn’t talked to Drakos since he helped her to hide the first time but now that the Veil had fallen, perhaps she should reach out to him again. Maybe it was time to lose herself in one of the Realms since someone had obviously found her here on Earth.
Chapter One
October 3, 2035
The doors opened to the Council Chamber on Earth. Nodding to the guards as he went in against the flow of people, he entered the private and protected chambers of the Council. One of the guards nodded to him and let him go inside.
There was only one person inside, just pulling off his gloves and turning at the sound of the door.
“You wanted to see me?” It was a question, because he honestly had no clue why he was there.
“I did, come and sit.” Going to the door, the large male gave orders to the guards that no one, under any circumstances, was to enter the chamber, the penalty would be severe.
Cocking a brow at that, Drake frowned. “Okay, Dad, you’re kind of freaking me out here. What’s with all the cloak-and-dagger shit?”
“I had a meeting before we went into session that has me concerned. Unfortunately, due to my responsibilities with the Council these days, I’m going to need your help with this. That’s part of the reason I asked you to meet me. I’m sorry I had to pull you from your family,” Drakos said.
He waved it off. “Dad, if it wasn’t important you wouldn’t have. So, just talk to me already.”
Taking a seat after dispensing with the cloak he used to disguise himself, Drakos let out a heavy sigh. “Shit,” he muttered, rubbing his hands over his face. “Let’s deal with the easiest part first. I spoke with the Draygon Council and made this all official. All you’ll need to do is get to them for the ceremony and signing of the documents necessary.”
He was beyond confused. “What are you talking about?”
“I’ve abdicated my position as King of the Draygons. As my rightful heir you will be crowned, within the next week by the by, and take on all those responsibilities. This will keep you home more so you can spend time with Azure and Rain, as I know you want to. There’s not a hell of a lot to the job, you know that, but I can’t keep splitting my attention between our Realm and the Council responsibilities. I’m fucking exhausted.”
Drake knew his mouth was hanging wide open as he stared. “What?” he asked, his voice extremely high-pitched.
“Oh, get off it, boy,” his father said with a glare. “You knew this day was coming.”
“Yeah but—” he stuttered out.
“No buts,” Drakos said firmly. “It’s time, Drake. Besides, you know that shit inside and out. Hell, you’ve been doing most of it for me for the last few years anyway, in some capacity or another. Now it comes with the official title.”
“Yeah, but—” Gods, he was a broken record.
Drakos shot him an unamused look. “Now, the really important part of why I asked you here, and why if anyone interrupts us I’ll flambé them.”
Oh Gods, if that hadn’t been the important part, Drake really wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the “important” part.
“I had a visitor, someone I’ve known for a long time. This person has been assisting me with a few issues. Now, I told this person I’d be stepping aside as King. Don’t worry, like I said, I’ve known this person for a damn long time, no worries about our secret coming out from that end of things. But it also raised a few issues that the Council will be taking into consideration as well. That’s something else entirely, and if we have time, I’ll tell you about it.”
Oh Gods, he groaned. More. “Okay, so this person, what was the meeting about?”
“As you know, we’ve had the issue of no Draygon births for too long. It was a steady decline before you were born. Nothing that was noted right off, but when we went digging back through the records we could chart it. Way too easily. My associate’s been digging into it for years now, decades really, hell centuries if we want to get the nitty-gritty of it all.”
“Does this person know why we haven’t had any births? I mean, besides Rain of course.” The first Draygon baby in too long, and a girl at that.
“There’s definitely some evidence as to the cause, but since my associate’s still digging into things I don’t want to leap to conclusions. The problem is that the probes and investigation have begun to garner some unwanted attention. Nothing specific, nothing in your face, but enough that my associate feels the need to get some protection. This person also needs access to the archives in our Realm, which means you need to provide authorization.”
As King, shit he still couldn’t believe that, he’d be the only one that could grant access. “What sort of access, Dad?”
“Full, uninterrupted access. Doesn’t matter the time of day, doesn’t matter where my associate wished to go, nothing matters. If my associate wants in there, then you give the access for it. Period.”
Snorting, he narrowed his eyes on his old man. Old being the operative word. Drakos still looked damn good and fit, a bit greyer around the temples, but not so much that it detracted from the man’s looks. “Sounds like an order to your King there, old man.”
Drakos pinned him with a look that had him swallowing hard. Shit, his old man still had the look down to a science. “Don’t test me, pup. I fucking brought you into the world.”
“Actually, technically, Mom did that.” Drake grinned. He laughed at the look his father got at the mention of his mate. “Speaking of, I haven’t seen her for a while. Azy is starting to think I was spontaneously created. When the hell is she planning on coming by for a visit?”
“She’s off with Drakon and Victor visiting her sister. I love that woman, but her sister is a fucking bitch. Don’t tell her I said that.”
“Hm, maybe,” Drake teased. He knew his father didn’t like his mother’s sister. Not that Drake could blame Drakos. The woman was a bit of a bitch. “So I’m guessing that Council business conveniently cropped up so you couldn’t make the trip?”
“Pretty much.” Drakos grinned and chuckled. “Damn convenient, that.”
“Yeah, real convenient,” Drake muttered, rolling his eyes. “So, back to your associate. All I have to do is provide this pe
rson with access to the archives?”
“No, I need you to find some guards. Specific ones, actually.” Drakos got up and went to a bag. Digging inside, he returned moments later with a folder. “These two. No others, Drake, just these two. This is beyond important, son. Not just for our race, but for a number of events that are starting to unfold. Depending on what my associate finds, well,” he said on a sigh.
“Dad, give already,” Drake said. Setting the folder on his knee, he waited. He’d look at it later when he was alone.
Drakos leaned forward, his elbows to his knees, and rubbed a hand to his face. “She’s one of the lost Queens of the Spirytes son. Her name is Violet. She’s not actually lost, obviously, but events that occurred at the time instigated her sudden departure from the Spiryte Realm. Because we’ve always had good standings between us, she came to me to help her hide out. Then the birth rate started to decline and, because of her natural curiosity, she started to dig into it. She has been for centuries.”
“Shit,” he wheezed out. “Dad, you were harboring a Queen this whole time? Where the hell is she now?”
“On Earth, obviously, since I just spoke to her.” Drakos shot him a look and rolled his eyes. “Come on, lad, stay with me here.”
“Fuck me, if they find out she’s here…” He couldn’t finish the thought.
“I know, which is another reason I’m passing over the crown now. Things are starting to get volatile here on Earth again. You know that better than most, given the work you’ve been assisting Azure with. That’s the last piece I need to give you. The Council’s been talking about it, and if things don’t start to turn around, or depending on Vi’s report—” Drakos took a deep breath as if he was preparing himself to speak.
