by Honor James
Digging out his phone, he held it up and frowned. “Hmm.” Getting to his feet, he began to wander around, the phone going up and down in the universal language of trying to find a signal. “Be right back, darling. I won’t be far but I’m pretty sure the signal’s better near the elevator. You need me, holler in that sexy-ass voice of yours.”
She watched him leaving and she couldn’t deny that she felt immediate fear. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms to ward off the chill that she got when he left. It was as if he had taken the heat with him. Shaking her head, she went back to work, sorting through files until one caught her eye. She pulled it out and began to read it.
“Holy shit,” she muttered and put it back into the box and covered it. They would take the whole damn box with them because if this one was wrong, well, hell. She might have just found what they were looking for. That proverbial needle in a haystack.
Byrne came wandering back in and stopped when she stared at him. “Briar, you okay, love?” He moved to her side quickly. A hand rested on the small of her back, lightly, light enough she could shake it off if she wanted.
“I think I found it,” she whispered and flipped from paper to paper and pulled out the images that were taken with a camera. “There was a case like the one we have now when the Veil first dropped. I thought I recalled it because it was under the old ME and I recall him talking about it. Holy shit.” She passed off an image. “Look familiar?” she asked quietly.
Blinking, he picked up the page from her hand and tipped his head with a frown. Handing it back to her, he went to his stack of files and dug through, pulling out a page here and there. Then he snagged the one from her again and stared down at everything. “Son of a bitch,” he breathed out. “We have a fucking serial.” A moment later he flinched and looked at her. “Sorry about the language.”
“Don’t be. I’m feeling the same way right now,” she whispered. “But here is the weird.” She leaned against the table. “He’s been dormant for nine years. Why? What has he been doing? Has he been other places?” she asked quietly. “I’m afraid to put these images out because what if there is someone else pre-programmed like Lilly? Sadly we don’t know just how deep this visual programming goes and how many people might have been pulled into this insanity like Lilly was.”
“Maybe he hasn’t been,” he said, shooting her a look. “Think about it, love. After the Veil fell, things were chaotic and a mess for a while. Perfect time for a serial to be out hunting. The human police forces were ineffective, and your military was more concerned about killing us than anything else. We were a little more concerned with staying alive and getting the guns out of the hands of the idiots in control at the time. Once we stepped in and got things running smoothly, there was still a time where the lack of communication between cities, states and countries was still causing issues. And, after all of that, when things were back in full control, that’s when he started to get caught. But the kills are all unique except for this.” Byrne touched a photo and then the next and the next down the line. “That’s his signature, the way that he brands his victims in a certain area. That’s what we need to be looking for to identify the kills. If we can find that on more bodies and figure out where they all came from, we could be able to track him down. Thankfully all those killed during the war had to be photographed before the cremations took place.”
“Which is a very good thing. Now we just need to go through the photos one body at a time.” Good lord, it was going to take them for damn ever. “I am not sure that the computers will catch what we are looking for, so I think we might have to recruit more people in to help us. Those we can trust,” she added quietly.
“Danel, Zhubin, Ansell, Artaxias and Gavriel would help, so will Lilly and Lace. That should be enough eyes and if we need more we’ll get them. I know several others that we could trust to help out and will keep their mouths shut. For now though, we need to build a profile so those we do ask to assist know just what they are looking for. But we will need the computers, to a degree, for a general sweep of the last few years when law and order settled. Once we have a discernible pattern then we’ll have to go in with just our eyes to search for other cases.”
“I think that it should be enough as well. I’m not sure that I want Lilly looking at them because we still don’t know what exactly triggered her reactions. Well, her mates pretty much know but we both know that they won’t put her into the danger that might come with seeing that again. So she will just have to be our filer perhaps.” She sighed and rubbed her temples. “I’m not a profiler. I’m the ME, Byrne. I have no idea how to even build a profile for this psycho.”
“I know the basics. It’s part of our training, but we need a professional. Let’s take this stuff upstairs and lock it away. Then I’m going to make a call and we’re going out for something to eat. You need food, I need food, and we need someone that knows just what we’re looking for. That will be sometime tomorrow so we’re done for the day.”
“That sounds good to me. I am more than ready for the day to be done. I’m ready to get home, to get back to a place to be able to be alone with you and Danel.” She was ready to get to know her mates, to get to know the men that she was trusting with her life.
Smiling he brushed a strand of her hair back, his touch light and fleeting before his hand was falling away. Gathering everything up he grabbed a box and put it all inside. “Let’s go,” he said softly. Taking her hand in his free one they walked toward the elevator.
Briar grabbed his hand and squeezed it. When they were in the elevator she looked up at him. “It’s getting easier to be with you, to be close to you. Just don’t pull back from me, please?” she asked quietly. “I will tell you if it is too much, but I trust you. Strange, I know, but I do. I trust you, Byrne, as long as you don’t pull from me.”
“I won’t pull away unless that’s what you need,” he said. “But I won’t pressure you either, Briar. You’ve been through too much and I won’t cause you any more pain.” He turned to face her, blocking the camera, she knew, leaning in closer so his breath brushed over her cheek. “I will never hurt you, little one. Not now, not ever. To hurt you would be to cut out my own heart.”
“I know.” And that was healing her far more than he could possibly know. Her knowing, understanding that he would never do anything to harm her, made her feel far more comfortable with him and had her craving more of his touches, looks, and him.
“Good.” He smiled at her. “I know what it means that you’re letting us this close to you. Trust me, the beast inside knows it, too, and won’t rush either of us. He feels your hurt and only wants to help you heal. But, if I do anything you’re not happy about, say something. Even if it’s touching your hand or looking at you, if that’s not what you need in the moment say so.”
“Will you kiss me?” she whispered as she stepped in a step closer to him. “I feel him, you know, the beast inside of you. It’s like he’s reaching out to me,” she confessed quietly. “And I like it. I like the warmth that I feel when you are close to me. So, please?”
Byrne’s eyes changed, just for a moment, and she saw the beast that lurked within peeking out at her. The slide of his tongue to his lips, though, drew her attention down to his mouth. And that’s where she was focused until he leaned in and kissed her. A light brush that got a little deeper and with more contact when she pressed closer to him. His hands were on her hips, holding her back just a little as he kissed her slowly, taking his time and giving her time.
Briar kissed him back. She found herself stepping a step closer to him, her arms slipping up and around his neck even as she pulled him closer. The files they had liberated from the catacombs having fallen to the floor of the elevator and forgotten in this moment of clear need that she had. A moment of surrender to the feelings she had inside for this large male.
A low growl rumbled against her chest and filled her mouth as he took the kiss deeper. He still didn’t wrap his arms around her, but his han
ds did tighten on her hips for a moment, likely because he wanted to but was resisting the urge to. Still thinking over her and her needs, taking care of and looking out for her.
When she finally pulled back, it was to look up at him with need all but rolling off of her body. Licking her lips, she simply watched him. She didn’t say a word, but she didn’t pull away from him either. That in and of itself told him so very, very much more than any words could.
He was watching her with hungry, not quite human eyes. The slide of his tongue over his lips had her breath catching for a moment. “Let’s put the files away and then get out of here. I think we need some time away from the prying eyes of everyone in this building.”
Her face burst into flames. She hadn’t even thought about anyone watching them. She wasn’t ashamed of kissing him though. Nodding, she licked her lips and stepped in closer to him. “I think that sounds like a very good idea. Perhaps put them in the safe,” she whispered softly, only after starting to talk, bending to pick up the files she had dropped in her desire to be closer to him.
He was right there with her, crouched at her side to help her gather them up. Taking them from her, he helped her to her feet. “I’ll put them in my office safe. Only Danel and I know the combination for it. So no one, not even the captain, can get to anything we don’t allow.”
“Good. I think that might be best.” Especially since these were the only copies of the files that they had. She moved at his side until they got into his offices and leaned against the door to watch him. When he turned back to her, she smiled. “All right. I’m ready. Where are we going?” she asked quietly, moving from the door and toward him.
“The choice is yours, my dear. It doesn’t matter where as long as you feel safe and we can speak freely without anyone overhearing us. So choose,” he said. Grabbing up a jacket, he shrugged into it and waved her back out toward the elevators.
“Anywhere.” She heard herself saying it. “I trust you.” Her voice held her trust, the way she spoke told him far more than the words could. Those three words were ones she hadn’t used in a very long time, but with him and Danel, she trusted them. Very odd. But very true.
He looked at her so quickly he nearly plowed over another of the workers on the floor. Only Luhpyne reflexes and the human’s natural inclination to stop dead saved them both. “Apologies,” he said to the man who let out a relieved breath. Yeah, she wouldn’t want to be plowed over by all that hard, wonderful muscle either. He looked to her again. “Are you truly sure, Briar?” he asked, his voice hesitant.
She looked up at him with wide eyes and finally nodded. “I’m very sure, Byrne. I do.” She stepped in that step closer to him. “I trust you. It’s taken me time to soothe the fear, but when you or Danel are close it’s not as intense, not really beating at me. Instead I find myself wanting to be petted by you, of all the silly things. I find myself wanting to have you touch me.” She was weird and she knew it.
“A Luhpyne response,” he commented quietly. Herding her into the elevator, he hit the button before anyone else could join them. “When we get where we are going, I will pet you if you’d like. As long as you return the favor, quid pro quo here just so I’m clear. And, if it’s too much at any time, you say the word and walk away if you have to. I’m not about to pressure you into anything, Briar, ever.”
“I will gladly give you whatever I can, and I promise you that I will tell you should there be anything at all that bothers me,” she assured him and moved to slip her hand into his. Now that she had touched him, had kissed him, she wanted to touch him more. It was truly weird, but she was going with it.
Nodding, he squeezed her hand and they rode the rest of the way to the parking levels in silence. Once there he stepped out in front of her and did a visual sweep of the area. And something else, but she couldn’t tell what, not from her angle. Once he was satisfied, or she assumed, he walked with her toward his parking spot.
Briar didn’t even try to talk him into using her vehicle. For one he was far too large for her Smart car, and for two, honestly, she had to admit that she liked giving up control. She happened to truly adore being in the backseat and trusting the driver, so to speak. This was a first for her and one she wouldn’t have been able to see to fruition if her mates hadn’t been as patient as they had been.
Opening the passenger door for her when they reached his truck, he lifted her up into the seat. Passing her the seatbelt, he shut the door before moving around the vehicle. Climbing in next to her, he shot her a look and smiled. “What? You have this odd expression on your face, so what gives, Briar?”
“I’m a woman who always has to be in control. Of my work environment, my surroundings, everything. I’ve always been like that, however.” She paused and turned to look at him. “With you I am willing to give that up. For you I’m willing to be led.” She hoped he would understand just how significant that was.
Frowning, he leaned over toward her, his arm on the back of her seat. “I’m not leading, Briar, I’m just guiding. If you ever want something different just say the word. I will not hurt you, little one. I couldn’t any more than I could cut out my own heart. You are too important to me. Besides, I like the fact that you are a strong and independent woman who just happens to like my kisses enough to hang off of me panting after receiving one.”
Fanning herself, she grinned. “Oh yeah. I do very much enjoy your kisses. Guiding is always a good thing. But the point is. I trust you, Byrne. I trust you. I trust Danel. But honest to goodness you are the only two males in existence right now that I fully trust, that I am willing to give over control to. That should tell you everything you need to know there.”
“That our infinite patience has finally paid off?” he asked, his tone cautious. “It wasn’t easy. I will admit that freely, as will Danel. We were tempted to just grab you up and take you away so we could sort it all out, together, as a team. But, no matter how amazing it worked in our heads, we knew it would only push you further away. And it hurt enough without doing that,” he said softly, brushing a finger lightly down her cheek.
She sighed and with her eyes closed nodded. “I hate that you are right, but you are. That would have sent me running for the hills faster than anything else could. I think that it would have caused me to have very bad feelings for you, feelings that I do not want to ever have for you.”
“And ones I hope you never feel for us, ever again. I know we weren’t on your favorites list for a while there because we were of the male gender. Not that I blame you, at all. You had every right to hate us as a species as a whole. I am glad you are willing to make an exception for us though,” he said softly. Brushing a kiss to her lips, she felt him pull back. The sound of the engine starting came a moment later.
“Only for you two,” Briar put in there. “Every other male of the species still wigs me out, and I’m sure that I will still have days where you two scare me, but I know to talk about it now. I know to work through it all. I know that you would never hurt me, and that’s the key to it all. I trust you.” She shrugged. To her it was that simple. She didn’t trust easily, and to give these men her trust was giving them the keys to her everything.
He didn’t comment until they were on the road. When he did he gave her a smile, warm and just for her. “You seem to be all right around Zhubin and Ansell. Not saying they are going to be your bestest friends in the whole wide world and go shoe shopping and to the spa and stuff. But, you don’t back into a corner or shy away like you once did. Are you more comfortable with them or just better at hiding the fact you don’t like them?”
“I’m a lot better,” she admitted. “Plus, I treated Lacey so that makes me feel just a smidge more comfortable around them. Besides, I’m the only one Lace will let near her in her pregnancy. I swear that woman has lost her ever-loving mind with it.” She shrugged and leaned her head back against the headrest. “She swears it’s because she’s carrying a Luhpyne, what do you think?”
“It’s possible
,” he said as he drove them, well, wherever he was taking her. “Luhpyne pregnancies do create a greater hormonal imbalance, as you well know. Where Vhampire pregnancies cause lower body temperatures and Ahnjel pregnancies cause an odd euphoria. There are all sorts of different side effects dependent on the baby being created and carried. I wouldn’t say she’s crazy or losing her mind, but things may seem more important or dire to her because of that unusual balance. Unlike a human mating, sorry, marriage.” He shot her a grin. “And pregnancy with regular hormonal shifts, a Luhpyne pregnancy definitely causes things to be much more interesting. That and it’s her first pregnancy. Those are always much worse than the second ones.”
“Wonderful, so these are the things that I get to look forward to one day?” She looked to him and reached out. Her hand sliding over his. “One day. Future. Far future, that is what I would like. Please? I want to get to know you both far better before we start thinking of making little Byrnes and Danels, please.”
“Only if I’m your primary mate,” he said. “In Luhpyne matings, even mixed ones with another of the races, it’s all in the details at the initiation of the mating. If you choose Danel as primary, you’ll only ever be able to have his children. The Luhpyne genetic makeup negates my sperm at that point. Whereas if I’m primary then there is a chance you could have one of each, though you’d have to work harder to have a child with Danel.”
“Why would I have to work harder to have a child with him? There is so much about mating that I don’t know. For example, I didn’t know anything about primary and secondary mates until I learned from Lacey and her pregnancy.” She watched him carefully, realizing she would want a child with him. One day. “And what about you? Is that something you would want? To be a father?”
“Honestly, until I met you, I would have said no. Then I did meet you and something, well, changed I suppose. The idea wasn’t quite so horrifying in my head anymore. It actually seemed like it could be all right. But then again, I’ve heard tell from other mated males that meeting your mate changes your perspective on a great many things you thought were firm beliefs.” He shot her a grin and a quick wink. “As for the first, Luhpyne genetics are pretty damn strong. Think of them as the top rung of the ladder that won’t take shit from nobody. The other races all have their strengths and whatnot, as we all have our weaknesses. But in the genetic lottery, Luhpyne sperm are the top dogs. Pun not intended.”
