Mated (The Sandaki Book 1) (11 page)

Haldise bowed. “This will not take long,
Taj
. Then you can rejoin your mate.”

Rakin nodded, not even bothering to blink at her ability to read his thoughts. It had been this way since he and Dev had taken over control of the Sandaki.

“What did you find on the Silarin vessel?” Though he may not have the gift, he was leader for a reason. Whatever she found on the other ship worried her.

“I have discovered that the Silarin put each slave through something they call Indoctrination. Basically, they tap into each being’s genetic code to manipulate it to produce the best product.”

Rakin bared his teeth and growled. What she was describing sounded like a gentler version of what the Sandaki’s creators used to make them. “Where did the Silarin come by this technology?”

“I’m not sure,
Taj
, but I know it is not their own. The equipment aboard the vessel looks very much like the labs used to make the Sandaki. It wasn’t nearly as complex; however the basic design is the same. Unfortunately, I also do not know if this was the only ship that has this machine or if they all do.”

Rakin narrowed his eyes as he remembered a comment Laira had made. She’d told him she couldn’t ever go home since she didn’t look like herself anymore. At the time, he’d brushed the idea aside since she was his, and she wouldn’t be going anywhere without him. Now, considering what Haldise discovered on the Silarin vessel, it made perfect sense. Anger coursed through him as he thought of what had been to his
talla
. How many other people did the Silarin manipulate? Could he allow them to continue down this path? How long before they came upon the idea to create a race of warriors to buy and sell?

“I will speak with Dev about what you have discovered. Have you told anyone of this?”

“No,
Taj
, but Kavich saw the equipment.”

He nodded. “I will talk with him, also.”

“
Taj
, are we going to war?”

“Once Dev and I talk, we will make that determination.” Although, Rakin already knew what Dev would say once he found out about the Silarin. His immediate reaction would be to crush them into dust. Rakin, usually the calmer of the two, would have to agree. There was no way they could ignore the Silarin now, especially since the race attempted to use Sandaki space.

Laira trailed after her guide through endless hallways. When they finally stopped at a door, she was almost ready to leap in the air and cheer. Unfortunately, it opened into a small room and Laira stepped in when motioned to do so. Elevator, she realized when it began to move. Of course, it didn’t just go up and down, but also side to side. At an incredibly fast pace. She braced a hand on the wall, hoping the ride was brief. She certainly didn’t want to throw up on her escort’s boots. She doubted he’d have a good sense of humor about it.

The door opened, and once again they were in a hallway that looked just like the one they’d come from. The man she followed stepped out, and she trailed along behind. They passed a few Sandaki, and the men instantly averted their eyes from her. She wondered if they thought she’d turn them to stone or something. Hell, if she actually had that skill, the Silarin never would have caught her.

They approached a door and it slid open exactly like the doors in
Star Trek
. Laira instantly heard low female voices and smiled. The large room the women were staying in was nothing like the comfort of the Silarin vessel. The walls and floor were the same beige as the halls, and in precise rows were approximately fifty cots.

“Laira.”

She turned to find Isha hurrying toward her followed by Garja and Chal. The tension she hadn’t realized she carried instantly fled when she saw her friends. She hadn’t grasped just how much she’d grown to depend on them being there for her. They were the best friends she’d ever had, and she’d make sure, no matter what, that they were taken care of.

The four women hugged excitedly, and tears pricked Laira’s eyes when she understood they’d missed her as much as she’d missed them.

“Are you being treated okay?” she asked them.

“Quite well,” Isha said.

“Quite respectfully,” Chal chimed in. “No one has treated us as slaves.”

Garja nodded. “In fact, the man that brought you in is the first male we’ve seen since we’ve been on board.”

“Good,” Laira said. “I was worried about you all. Have you eaten? I see they’ve given you clothes.”

Chal stepped back and modeled the new gray ensemble. It resembled what Laira would call a catsuit, but actually looked more comfortable. Every woman in the place wore exactly the same thing. They no longer looked like a troupe of strippers, but instead, burglars from a Hollywood movie.

“Wow,” Laira said, “you all look awesome.”

“They are comfortable,” Isha replied. “A woman named Haldise came and took us to an area where we stood in front of some kind of scanner. All we had to do was turn around slowly, and out popped new clothes.”

“Okay, now that is cool.” Laira shook her head. “What will these people come up with next?”

“Also, we are no longer under threat of being sold,” Garja said.

“The only thing we miss is the music,” Isha said. “It often gets too quiet in here.”

“Let me see what I can do,” Laira replied. She hurried over to where the man who brought her stood. “Hey, I have a question. So the last ship we were on let us pick music to play by just saying what we wanted out loud. Can we do that here? I know all the files were downloaded because Rakin told someone to take care of it.”

As soon as she’d started speaking, he dropped to one knee in front of her so she found herself addressing the top of his head.

“I believe so,
Taja
,” he replied after a long moment. “Let me check.”

“Okay.”

When he didn’t move, Laira backed up from him and looked over her shoulder at her friends. They all exchanged a look, and she shrugged, unsure of what was going on. When he didn’t speak, she slowly eased away. She certainly didn’t want to piss him off. Up until now, he’d been pleasant, almost deferential in his treatment, still she certainly didn’t want to push him.

“
Taja
,” he finally spoke, still from his kneeling position. “It is as you wish.”

“Okay, so can I just say what I want to hear?”

“Yes,
Taja
.”

She hadn’t seen him do anything, but he said it was ready, so what the hell. “I want to hear ‘Sexy and I Know It’ by LMFAO.”

After a brief hesitation, the song thrummed out in the room. Laira burst out laughing as all the women cheered. She did a fist pump and began to dance around. Damn, it was good to hear music from home and be back with her peeps again. Garja, Chal and Isha leaped up and joined her in the dance of joy, which probably looked exactly like the Peanuts dance from Charlie Brown. As she leaped around, Laira glanced over and found her Sandaki escort watching all the craziness with a stunned look on his face. Yep, the Sandaki so needed to loosen up and have a good time.

“Where’d you pick up your friend?” Chal nudged Laira as she motioned toward the warrior trying not to stare at them.

“In the hallway outside Rakin’s cabin. I snagged him for directions, and he brought me here. He keeps calling me
Taja
. I know it has to do with Rakin since he’s the
Taj
, but I’m not sure what it means. Maybe, captain?”

“I told you she wouldn’t know.” Chal spoke to the other two women then turned back to Laira. “
Taja
is your title, Laira. You have mated with the
Taj Katan
—”

“I get that,” Laira said, cutting her off. “

Chal rolled her eyes. “Let me finish. The Taj Katan is the title of the leader of the Sandaki Empire, which makes you the
Taja
.”

Laira slumped on the nearest cot, stunned. Had he told her he was the supreme ruler? Had she even asked? Hell, who knew what he had said, especially when she’d first arrived. All she had cared about was him plowing her with his huge cock, anything else was incidental.

“You look as if this news surprises you?” Isha prodded.

“Yeah, it sort of does. I mean I knew he was the
Taj Katan
. I didn’t know what that was. Do you get me?”

Garja laughed. “It is, as you say, as clear as mud. How could you not know? Did you not ask him?”

“Well that’s kind of the funny part.” Laira smiled. “We haven’t talked a whole lot. Mostly we’ve…” She trailed off.

“Had sexual relations?” Chal supplied.

“That’s it. Whatever this whole mating business is, it’s intense to say the least.”

“So you have no idea where we’re headed or what’s going to happen to us when we get there?” Isha asked.

“Haven’t talked about it,” Laira reminded her, “haven’t talked about a whole lot. When I see him, I’ll ask him.”

“After you fuck him?” Chal asked.

“No, well, maybe,” Laira said impatiently. “Look, I can’t help it. When I get near him, it’s just like this thing. And he’s so damn hot. You all saw him.”

The other women nodded as Laira tossed in, “So, see? Now you know why I forget. I swear I’ll ask him what’s up so I can let you all know. I bet he would take you home if you want. I mean, I can ask him.”

“I cannot go home,” Isha said sadly.

“None of us can,” Garja said. “The Silarin have changed us too much to fit into our home worlds.”

“I’m sorry,” Laira said. “And I know it doesn’t help, but it needs to be said. At least, the assholes that did this to us are gone. Rakin ordered their ship destroyed.”

“Good,” Isha said, “they can’t be allowed to run around and do this with no consequence.”

Rakin rose to leave Haldise’s rooms when his internal communicator signaled. He wanted to ignore it since the urge to rejoin his mate was overwhelming, but he knew his responsibility. “
What?”
he growled. Responsibility didn’t mean he had to be happy for the interruption.

“Taj
, I wanted to let you know that the
Taja
is out with young Zarak
,” Kavich’s said..

“
Has she been harmed?”
Anger quickly spiked as he imagined anyone laying hands on his mate.

“No, she is, in fact, with the freed slaves and quite safe. No surprise, since she happened to pick your stole of office to wear as clothing. Even if she didn’t carry your scent, the stole would instantly identify who she is.”

Rakin had to fight a smile as the image of what his luscious mate would look like wrapped in the formal signifier of his rule. He couldn’t wait to get her back to their cabin and take the cloth from her body. First though, he had to talk to Dev.

Rakin entered his quarters and immediately went to the com. He placed his palm on the console, and it lit up. Rakin wanted to speak to Dev so he could go and collect his mate. The need for her was like a fever in his blood, and he didn’t want to wait to claim her.

“What has happened? Are you well?”

Rakin’s shoulders eased as Dev’s face filled the screen. He hadn’t realized just how much he missed Dev until he didn’t see him each day. Gods, what was with him? He’d found his mate, and now he was becoming maudlin and emotional.

“The Silarin ship had similar technology used to create the Sandaki.” Rakin related the news matter-of-factly. He already knew the information would infuriate Dev, better to tell him quickly. Rakin watched his
Kalkan Arkadasi
’s eyes go from a rich blue to ice and his already prominent fangs lengthen. Rakin could do nothing but stand and watch Dev attempt to gain control of the beast that rode so near to the surface. This was why people feared him. Though each Sandaki carried the creature inside, Dev’s was more visible.

“We will destroy them,” Dev finally growled out. “Send your coordinates, and I will bring the rest of our war ships to meet you.”

“You must stay there,” Rakin replied. “If the Silarin offer a fight and get lucky, our people will need you.”

“No!” Dev pounded his fist on a table. “You are the
Taj
they respect. You are the
Taj
they need. You are the
Taj
with a mate. I will take our people into battle.”

Rakin drew in a deep breath. “I will send the coordinates, and we will meet to discuss this. There is no sense our arguing when we’re both filled with anger. We need to have cooler heads so an effective plan can be made.”

Dev growled long and low but nodded his agreement. Without another word, both men signed off. Rakin stood for a long moment, staring at the blank screen. What to do? If both of them went into battle and managed to die who would lead their people? Though he now had a mate, she wasn’t Sandaki and he doubted anyone would follow her. Their people would fall into civil war as they fought to find the next ruler.

Without a thought, he turned and slammed his fists onto a table. Instantly, it collapsed to pieces. Rakin stared down at it in disgust. He needed to gain control. Normally, he was the one with the clear thought and plans. He had to figure out what to do before they rendezvoused with Dev. No matter what Dev thought, the Sandaki couldn’t afford to lose either one of them. And, if pushed, Rakin would admit he couldn’t afford to lose Dev. They had been together too long and been through too much.