Lacey's Luhpynes [Beyond the Veil 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) by Honor James

the need a long time Lacey, but if you’re sure.” He stepped back and held out his hands. Pulling her up to a sitting position, his eyes were focused on her like a laser. Finally he nodded, obviously satisfied with whatever he saw there. “Weapons back on and let’s go. We have to hit lock-up and see what they managed to save. Then we should go and talk to the coroner, see what she’ll tell you about the bodies.”
    “Let’s do this.” She began to pull on her weapons and before they left the room, took his hand in hers. “Thank you. Seriously, thank you for everything. Now, let’s go and talk to her and then we have to track Ansell down so that we can talk to him. I want this to all begin so that we can figure out just what we are going to do with our lives, and if there is a ‘we.’”
    “There is definitely a ‘we,’ Lacey,” he said softly. Helping her back into the weapons, he pressed a kiss to her cheek lightly. “Come on, you get to talk to her since she pretends I don’t exist. I think she doesn’t like me.” He chuckled rolling his eyes at her.
    Lacey laughed. “I think that is only because you scare the hell out of her.” She paused and then frowned. “Wait, you mean I know something that you don’t know about someone? Seriously? You really don’t know why she’s so afraid of you, do you?”
    “I didn’t know she was,” he said, staring right back at her. “She’s always around a body so I can’t pick up scents like I normally would, Lace. It’s hard enough blocking out the smell of the dead let alone picking up other scents. Why the hell is she scared of me? I’ve never done anything to her damn it.”
    “You didn’t but one of the officers from north attacked her about a month and a half, two months ago? If you notice she’s still walking with a limp. He forced her, hurt her during that and it hurt her, physically and mentally. She’s not in a good place right now and all of you guys terrify her.”
    “Why didn’t she report it?” he asked with a horrified look on his face. “I would have heard about it if she had and I know for a fact she didn’t love. Fuck.” Zhubin ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. “I’ll stay as far from her as I can, damn it.”
    “I don’t know why. I just know what. Thank you. I know that you would never hurt her, you know that you would never hurt her but she’s not in a good place right now, Zhu. I will go in and see her, get my clearance and so that you can hear all that’s happening, I will keep my comlink to you open, okay?”
    “You don’t have to do that,” he said, shaking his head. “I’ll go and look at the remaining evidence while you talk to her. Come find me when you’re finished there,” he muttered as they walked to the elevator. Leaning in, he kissed her forehead. “She can’t avoid me forever Lace. If you get a chance ask her why she never reported it, she really should, even now.”
    “I will ask. But what if…” Lacey chewed her lower lip and thought over the question in her mind before she finally asked it. “What if she didn’t report it because he was her mate? He forced the mating between them? Is that even possible?”
    “No.” He took her hand in his. “A mating bond cannot be forced. She might be his mate but unless she goes into it with an open heart and mind and is willing, it won’t form. If he was her mate all he’s done is damage any potential future they might have. But talk to her Lacey, find out the why’s of it all and whatever he said to her. That could give us more clues than anything else, but do it in private where you’re not watched by everyone.”
    “People have gotten really good at sliding out of a room when I walk in.” Lacey hated to admit it but it was the God’s honest truth. “I think that they are all afraid of me or something,” she said with a laugh. “I don’t know why. Why they would be afraid of me and all that.”
    “They aren’t reacting to