Briar's Saviors [Beyond the Veil 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Honor James

  “They will in time, but you need to remember that those of the races are very protective of women,” he said with a smile. “They know you were hurt by one of ours and want to keep you safe from it happening again. But they also know we are your mates, they just want you happy and are keeping an eye out all at the same time. Ignore them. They will eventually give this up.”

  “Okay.” It was all that she said, and she continued to eat at his side. She tried to ignore the looks, pulled the paperwork closer and began to work on it while eating. She had to do something or she was going to seriously hurt someone for the looks that they were casting their way.

  Danel ran his hand up her back and rubbed at her neck lightly, massaging her stiff muscles. “Deep breath, babe,” he said softly. “They don’t matter, only we do. Their thoughts and concerns don’t need to touch us.”

  “I agree,” she whispered and leaned into him. He was her rock, and she leaned upon him now. Taking many deep and calming breaths, she finally opened her eyes and smiled up at him. “Thank you. I needed that. I don’t think that I will ever grow out of needing your touch so please never stop?”

  “Couldn’t even pay me enough.” He smiled. Pressing a kiss to her lips, he nipped at her bottom lip and tugged gently. “Finish up your muffin and then we have a lot of paperwork to get through.” Giving her another kiss, he drew back and dug into his own plate of food once more.”

  She alternated between paperwork and her muffin, mostly because if she tried to eat her muffin all at once, the sugar high would be gone before they were done and she would be ready to curl up and sleep somewhere, Danel’s lap most likely, so instead she paced herself. She talked to him as she worked on filling out the forms, and to those that stopped by just to chat from time to time. Finally, however, they were done and she was able to lean against the chair back with a heavy sigh. “I think I have writer’s cramp,” she teased.

  He was flexing his hand and nodded. “I know I definitely do. I haven’t written that much in a very, very long time.” He began to collect all their papers and organize them into a neat pile on top of the data pad they’d used for referencing.

  “I can’t believe that at one time this was the only way that people could file reports. Heavens, even now I hate filing reports on the data pads.” Because she had to take time to type them out. “I know, I’m weird.” She just hated filing reports, period.

  “We got you to change many things, including eradicating the homeless situation. Paperwork is just another challenge. It won’t happen overnight, we know that, but we will work it a little at a time until it is no more.”

  “That was amazing, by the way. The way that you were able to show them just how to ensure that everyone was working and housed. Addictions are also down, which is just amazing.” She had been a small child when this had all begun, but she recalled the homeless and that they were able to help them. It was humbling and wonderful.

  “We’re working on it, though I really shouldn’t say we since I’m not doing a hell of a lot. Our people are doing all the heavy lifting while we work at keeping the peace. I suppose we’re doing our part in the grand scheme, though there are days I have to wonder why we’re doing it.”

  “Yes I know what you mean,” she teased with a grin. Bumping her shoulder to his, she looked up at him. “And my people just keep dragging their feet. Sometimes I swear that my people, the ones in charge, are a bunch of babies that refuse to change.” She sighed and then added, “And you are doing it because you know if you don’t we will destroy ourselves. One day hopefully we will thank you.”

  “You thank me enough. You don’t really need to. The rest of humanity, though—” He made a sound in his throat and rolled his eyes. “They are definitely highly resistant to change. Especially when the change benefits everyone and not just the elite class.”

  “No kidding there. For too long the elite one percent had ruled our world. Then the Veil dropped and everything changed. Sure there is still an elite, but now they are scrambling more to be a part of the other side of the Veil and the royals that live there. Weird I know, but humanity has never been exactly on the page of helping all as a whole.”

  “So we’ve noticed over the years of watching you, it’s why they are not permitted to pass through without escort and the laws are as they are. We know just the sort they are and we also know that not all our people of the races are as upstanding as we’d like. We each have our trouble children as it were.” He smiled, a little sadly.

  “Met them and have the scars,” she muttered. “Believe me, I know that your side isn’t perfect. My guys are though,” she said, tossing it in there because, well, dammit because she could. “So do you think that Byrne will come back now that we have finished all of the paperwork?” She was teasing, mostly.

  “He’s still off tending to things. He had to go off-site to get at the recordings for the last month. Apparently there wasn’t anything on the recordings for the day of or prior to the explosion. And since they are all dumped to the holding site at the warehouse and erased from here, he’s over there tracking back a few more days to see if he can find anything.”

  “Oh I will have to kiss that man if he is able to pull up the recordings.” She frowned then and asked, “Wait, do you mean security? How could they have been erased? What in the ever-loving name of hell is going on around here?”

  “Security does a dump every forty-eight hours, and then the local recordings are automatically wiped. It’s a safety precaution to avoid tampering or people trying to use previous recordings to create feedback loops. There’s nothing nefarious, but with it being more than two days ago that means he missed the explosives or they got in around the security feeds.”

  “Good point.” She sighed and nodded. “Well, let’s hope that there is something on the tapes that show us who did this to us. We have to find them. We can’t allow this to continue.” Something that they both knew all too well.

  “We will find them, all of them and end them. This won’t be allowed to go unpunished,” he said. “For you and for Lilly, we have to end this nightmare. They’ve been allowed to run around and do whatever they want for much too long. Uncaring of who they hurt in the process.”

  “Thank you for that.” She did worry for Lilly, a great deal. The poor woman had been through the wringer and now was pregnant. She didn’t need stressors in her life. “How is she doing by the way? Her guys keep her pretty close so I wasn’t sure how she was doing lately.” She was glad that they kept her close, to protect her and the child.

  “She’s complaining that she’s fat, that everyone hates her and that all her clothes are designed to not fit, including the maternity ones. I think she’s at the point where she’s ready for that baby to damn well come out, one way or another. Ansell caught her having a stern talking to the child about getting his, or her, ass out now.”

  That had Briar laughing and she shook her head. “And she has another what, month to go?” At least. “That poor woman. Actually, those poor men. They are likely going to kill her before the child is born.” She was teasing, he could tell by the grin on her lips. “Or they will beg the child to be born early while she sleeps.” Again with the teasing, something she felt comfortable doing with Danel.

  “Actually, they both seem to be pretty relaxed at the moment. Neither is overly upset or worried, they just keep trying to keep her as calm and relaxed as possible. Not sure how that’s working for them given the rumors I’ve been hearing.” He chuckled.

  “Pregnant women are never calm or relaxed in their last month. They are miserable and in pain. Tell them to take her to a spa. I have one I can recommend that specializes in pregnant women. They will put her in a healing mud that will be marvelous for her. That should help her relax a small bit at least.”

  “Can do.” He nodded. “I think they come to work just to get some sleep. At least, that’s my guess, given I’ve caught both of them napping in their office over the last couple of weeks. I have a feeling t
hey are all a little stressed out over this, but they are trying to keep her calm so are acting all relaxed while with her.”

  “I’m sure that they are stressed when it comes to her because she’s their world. We both know that. She means everything to those men and to be able to have their child on the way, I’m sure that it’s even more.” She shrugged and gave him a smile. “She will be fine once the baby comes around. It’s just going to be waiting until she gives birth.”

  “Hopefully they all survive that wait,” he said with a laugh. Shaking his head, he leaned back in his seat and toyed with her hair. “The Gods know I don’t think I’d be in half as good of shape if it was us instead.”

  Briar snorted. “I’m sure that you are right. I’m positive that you boys will be remarkable when and if we ever become pregnant. I really hope that one day we will have a child, but if we don’t, we don’t. I want one and I hope we have one but you know how things go.”

  “We’ll get there I’m sure.” He smiled at her. “The universe will give us what we need when we are ready for it. So be ready, you could get surprised any day. Especially with a Luhpyne in the mix. They are rather potent little shits.”

  Briar laughed and shook her head. “Well, all that I know is that whatever happens, happens. I hope that we will be able to have a family one day.” Which was the truth. “However, that’s then and this is now. For now we will simply go on with life and do what we need to do.”

  “Good philosophy. Which means, right now, we should take all this paperwork upstairs so the captain can start approving it. The sooner he does the sooner we can hopefully get you up and running again. In the meantime, we should get some of the others and do the cleanup. If the scene’s been fully released of course, something else to check with the captain on.”

  “I couldn’t agree more.” Sighing heavily, she looked to her men and then smiled. “The sooner we get this to him the sooner that we will be able to go home. Right? We will be able to go and spend some alone time at home while they clean up the mess that was made?”

  “Absolutely. When we leave, if Byrne isn’t back, remind me to text him so he brings your pizza home. Be a shame to leave it here for the riffraff to enjoy,” he said to her. Getting to his feet, he picked up the stack of papers and handed her the pens. “All right, let’s get this show on the road. I really don’t want to keep you here any longer than necessary.”

  “That’s very, very true.” Briar was starving, oddly enough. She had just had a massive blueberry muffin and now she wanted more. She was hungry. “The sooner that we are out of everyone’s eyes, the better I’m sure that it will be for us. Besides, the sooner we are home the sooner we can get nekkid, right?”

  “That is very, very true.” He nodded. “As soon as we get home we can get nekkid and wait for Byrne to join us. So, let’s get moving,” he said. Tucking the paperwork to his chest, he wrapped an arm around her waist and walked with her to the elevators.

  This was what she needed, what she wanted. To be able to be with these men. A happy smile crossed her face, an eager grin to once more learn what was what and to be able to spend any time at all that she possibly could with them. “I think we should hurry. One never knows just exactly what it is that I might need or want at any given moment in time.”

  “Don’t I know it,” he muttered, shooting her a quick grin a second later. Hugging her close, he just held her as they rode up to their boss’s floor. “In and out, quick as can be and then we can get the hell out of here. Don’t meet his eyes. If you do he’ll reel you in for something that involves hours of sticking around here.”

  “Good point,” she said with a smile. “He does tend to want to speak a great deal if you meet his eyes doesn’t he? I think that it’s because so many of us steer way clear of him because he has that air of don’t fuck with me down to sheer perfection. He’s better at it than any other has ever been, don’t you think?”

  “Mm, maybe. There are a couple others, one human and a couple of the races, who have it down to a fine art. The captain is quite good, I will give him that, but he’s still missing some key component. Not sure what it is, but when you meet the others, should you ever, you’ll see just what I mean.”

  “Right, well, I think that I would rather not meet them if you wouldn’t mind. The captain is more than enough for me.” The captain wasn’t a bad man, at all. She just would rather not deal with him if she didn’t have to because they clashed far too much, likely because they were very alike.

  “It’s doubtful you’ll meet them,” he said with a shrug. “We’ll, maybe,” he muttered and grinned at her when she eyed him up suspiciously. “Oh look, the captain’s floor. Gotta get this paperwork signed. Let’s go.” He grinned at her, a little too many teeth.

  That had her laughing. “Oh you are so bad,” she teased him but moved right along with him to the captain’s office. Once they were there she stood back and allowed Danel to turn the paperwork in for them. When it was turned in, she winked at him and then slipped her hand back into his and tugged him along with her. Okay, so she was more than a little eager to get home.

  Chuckling softly, he squeezed her hand gently. “Don’t think I didn’t notice you practically hid behind that ficus, woman. He saw you, though, and said to say hello, so, hello from the captain. Now, let’s get home and get you naked.”

  Briar laughed and shook her head. “Well, I tried,” she teased. “I really did. I like the man, but he gives me that look. You know the one that I’m talking about right? He gives me that look that all but asks me if I’m okay and that look of pity or sometimes anger when I bitch at him,” she said with a shrug.

  “Well, he worries about you, darling, a lot,” he said with a smile. “Just like everyone else does. You’re our Briar, amazing and talented. Sweet, generous, and just too adorable for words. Sorry, darling, but there it is.”

  Briar moved up to him and gave him a huge hug. “I love you, too,” she whispered to him and then squeezed his hand. “Now then, let’s get home.” She didn’t do compliments well, never had. “I’m yours. I will be for the rest of time,” she assured him.

  “Aw, are you blushing, babe?” he asked, a huge shit-eating grin on his face. Chuckling when she glared his way he clicked his tongue. “That is just too damned cute. I’m sorry though, I didn’t mean to embarrass you, love.” He hit the button for the elevator and hugged her close, giving her a good squeeze before loosening his hold a little.

  “It’s okay as long as you are holding me.” She heard herself grumbling, well, sort of grumbling. “As long as you are holding me I think that I could survive just about anything and everything,” she admitted happily. “So just keep that in mind from here out. If I become embarrassed or upset, just hold me.”

  “Oh, all right,” he said, rolling his eyes dramatically. “I suppose I could do that, if you twist my arm enough. It’ll be such a hardship but I might manage it.” He heaved a massive sigh. Then he grinned at her. “Like you need to ask, babe. All you have to do is shoot me a look and I’ll wrap you up in my arms as long as you need.”

  She simply smiled at that. “Well, I will keep that in mind because we both know just how much that I love having you hold me.” Now that she had given up and given in, she loved having this man holding her. He and Byrne were her everything.

  “Good.” He chuckled. Squeezing her in close, he kissed her gently. Stepping into the elevator, he kept her close for their ride down to the garage. Though his hand did stray down to her hip and rubbed lightly.

  Briar looked up at him with a smirk. “You do so love touching my ass don’t you?” Leaning in a little closer, she added in a near whisper, “That’s okay though because I like it when you touch me there, too. Heck, I love when you touch me anywhere at all possible. I love your hands on my body. Hip, butt, breasts, doesn’t matter as long as you are touching me.”

  “Well, you have one hell of a body. It’s damned hard not to touch,” he said, chuckling softly. His hand slid down l
ower, tucking into her pocket and squeezing. “But your ass is pretty damned sweet and I love having a hold of it.”

  She felt her whole body shiver in reaction to his touch. “And I love having you holding it, so never keep your hands from me. I need you too much.” Blunt, that was Briar since she came out of her shell. “I just plain need you. I always will. Forever more I will need you,” she whispered honestly.

  “Not going anywhere, babe,” he said, softly and sincerely. Winking, he stepped out of the elevator with her, but she felt him tense and his attention was on their surroundings. Completely and totally focused on the space around them. He kept her closest to a wall as he walked with her, his body always just a little in front of hers as he shielded her. Just as protective as any Luhpyne toward their mate.

  Briar was amazed by these men. Even though Danel was an Anjhel and just as deadly as any being alive, he was acting more and more like a Luhpyne every day, and that made her grin. Her hand on his shoulder, she looked up at him and winked. “I think that if we ever do become pregnant I will need a vacation.” Because she had a feeling that these men would go over the top with protection, far more than anyone had seen before because of the pain she had suffered once upon a time.

  “Vacations are always good,” he said, shooting her a quick grin. Rounding the truck, he helped her up into the passenger seat before going around it again and sliding in behind the wheel. Shooting a quick look around, he started the engine and got them moving. “So, you going to tell me what that look is for you your face?” he asked softly.

  “Because of the way that you were acting. I just thought it was cute. You are acting just as a Luhpyne would with a mate. Not that I’m complaining, because I love it, but I just found it rather odd. That’s why I said what I did. I see how the Luhpynes treat their pregnant mates and it seems that the Ahnjels are just as protective, if not more so.” Good lord, would she survive? She looked up at him and grinned. Yep, she would and in the best of ways possible, too.