Mated (The Sandaki Book 1) (17 page)

Strangly, he wasn’t furious. He was outraged that someone would insult his mate, but there was no killing fury. The beast was calm, and this is what a mate did for a Sandaki warrior. She calmed the furious maelstrom inside and allowed rational thought—cold, rational thought.

“Is there anything else?”

“The Silarin asked for their slaves back. The ones that didn’t sell.” Kavich forced the words out in a rush. “They claim they had no knowledge of the ship invading our space. They agreed with our decision to destroy the ship, but want the slaves since they are considered Silarin property.”

Rakin shook his head. The Silarin dared to ask for anything from the Sandaki? The idea was ludicrous. He needed to speak to Dev, and he needed to hold his mate. “I will speak with
Taj
Dev and formulate an appropriate response to both requests.” The ice in his tone reached Kavich. The man did not look up, nor did he rise.

“I will wait for your command,
Taj
.”

Rakin walked out of the office, leaving the other man still kneeling on the floor. Entering his cabin, he stopped when he found Laira wrapped in a sheet, sitting at the table. The two of them watched one another for a long moment until he stepped over and knelt beside her. Solemnly, he took her hand and pressed his lips to it.

“
Talla
,” Rakin said, unsure of what to say next. There was so much he wanted to share with her. So much he wanted to relate, but didn’t know where to start.

She ran her fingers through his hair as he placed his head on her lap. Her touch eased the anger and uncertainty raging through his body. If he could, he would sit here for as long as she would allow and just have her touch him.

“What’s going on?” she finally asked. “Since the first moment I met you, it’s been insanity. I’ve had this cloying need that doesn’t go away, no matter what happens. After we had sex it eased, but didn’t go away. Then Dev shows up and it’s even worse. Now, I’m…okay. The need is still there, but I can live with it. So what does this mean? You say I’m your mate, all I can see is fuck buddy. Now, all of a sudden, I’m supposed to be Dev’s mate, too. I can’t do this, Rakin. Every time I think it’s done, I get pulled back in, and it’s worse. It’s more intense. Fuck, I don’t even know what I think or feel anymore. I’m tired.”

“That is my fault.” Rakin forced the words out. “I have put so much on you and have never given you the regard you deserve. You are my mate, my
talla
, and you are Dev’s mate and his
talla
. You are the
Taja
Katan
of the Sandaki Empire, and I will destroy anyone who does not treat you with respect. Yet, I did not treat you with the respect you deserve—that you are owed. Can you forgive me?”

Rakin stared into her beautiful face and let her see the feelings he had for her. The feelings he could never put into words, although was sure she could sense. Emotions overwhelmed him, and he let them roll through without attempting to study or catalog. He knew this woman meant as much to him as Dev, possibly even more. He prayed she understood, because he could not lose her, and he would not let her go.

Laira was stunned, never imagining another person could feel so much for her. She closed her eyes to better concentrate on this moment between them. There was no more doubt in her. She knew this wasn’t her imagination. She was experiencing Rakin’s emotions for her, and they were beautiful and amazing and awe-inspiring and scary. To know that someone cared so deeply for her was a first for Laira. She wondered, truly, what she’d done to deserve this kind of regard.

At the touch of his hand, she opened her eyes. Dizziness washed over her as if she’d stood too quickly, then disappeared as Rakin leaned in and kissed her gently. His lips were soft and coaxing, and she sighed into his mouth. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, but still kept the kiss so light, so gentle. He held her as if she were delicate and precious.

Tears pricked her eyes and began to slide down her cheeks. Rakin leaned up and kissed them away as she combed her fingers through his hair.

“I’m confused. How is it that I feel everything from you? Before, it was just a…hint?”

“I think,” Rakin said, “it’s because we are finally all together in our mating.”

“Is that what’s happening?” Dev asked from the doorway.

Laira held out her hand for the other man, and he came over to take it. The three of them gathered, and for the first time in never, she knew she was home. She had to get kidnapped, remade, and almost sold in slavery to finally discover where she truly belonged. If it hadn’t happened to her, she wouldn’t believe it.

“Now what?” she asked the men.

“Now we tell you about the Sandaki,” Rakin said. “To be Sandaki you must understand where we come from and the struggles we’ve had.”

“And?” Dev prompted.

Rakin shook his head. “And I will tell you of the messages we received from the Silarin and the Nahlas.”

“Silarin?” Laira practically spat the name. “What the hell do they want? Oh wait, I know, they want their slaves back. Right?”

Rakin raised his eyebrows at her. “That’s exactly what they want.”

Dev snarled and Laira spoke over him. “How did they know you didn’t blow us up on the ship? I mean, from what I’ve heard, the Sandaki aren’t warm-hearted givers. So how did they know you rescued us?”

“That’s a good question,” Rakin said. “They must have sent a message before we took control of the ship. I’ll have Kavich check the transmissions we took.”

“Who are the Nahlas, and what do they want?” Laira asked.

“They are a people who deal in pleasure,” Dev said. “Their planet is set up to take advantage of the naturally beautiful landscapes and favorable weather. There is no set planet-wide government, so a governor runs each territory. These governors gather periodically to make decisions about trade and relationships with other worlds.”

“One of the governors participated in the slave auction,” Rakin said. “He has apparently appointed himself spokesman for the group who had already paid for slaves. This group wants what they paid for and thinks we will give it to them.”

Dev laughed, and Laira knew it had nothing to do with humor. He was pissed, and, obviously, so was Rakin. Laira had to admit she was, too. “Who the hell do these people think they are to believe women should be bought and sold like merchandise?” Laira burst out. “It’s fucking ridiculous. And, to top it off, the Silarin sneak into your territory and you catch them. Then everyone wants some kind of recompense? Well, hell no.”

“First, mate, it is
our
territory,” Rakin said, as he leaned forward and captured her lips in a heated kiss. “You are the
Taja
. Second, we will very much show these worlds that they do not interfere with what belongs to us.”

“I’m one of the slaves they want, aren’t I?”

Rakin nodded. “Apparently, the Nahlan governor bid on you.”

Dev bared his fangs. “We will show him what happens when he insults our mate and our people.”

“Let us talk about the Sandaki,” Rakin said.

“Can we do it someplace more comfortable?” Laira asked. “This chair kind of sucks and the two of you need to be able to sit, too.”

“The only place is the bed,” Rakin said with a smile.

“I think we can manage to sit on the bed without falling on each other.” Laira put as much confidence as she could into the words but wasn’t sure. Could she snuggle between these men without wanting to touch them? It would be a test, she decided. A way to test her willpower since eventually the three of them wouldn’t be together all the time. She couldn’t see them ruling an entire empire from the bedroom. How awkward would that be?

Rakin led them to the bed, and all three sat. At first, it was weird since they hadn’t all slept together so they didn’t know where and how to sit. Finally, Laira scooted to the center and leaned against the headboard, patting the mattress on either side of her. The men complied and settled themselves, putting their arms around her so they enfolded her. Yeah, if she had to hear what she thought was going to be a really crappy story, this was the way to do it.

“There was a race that had great minds,” Rakin said. “They developed technology that could help worlds. Instead, they wanted to conquer. So they created the Sandaki. We were not their first creations, but we were the success. The ones before us were apparently either too wild to control or could not think so the creators destroyed them.”

“We were grown in large vats”—Dev took up the story—“and the growth was accelerated to ensure we would be ready to fight. In the beginning, only males were created. They learned nothing but how to battle. Then they were released on the enemy and won, not the way the creators wanted though. So they went back and adjusted the process. The Sandaki became more animal-like, and this is where the beast was born. Each Sandaki carries this within, and it must be contained, monitored at all time. If we allow this beast to escape, there would be wholesale slaughter. We’ve seen in happen to warriors who were not strong enough.”

“The creators wanted to see if it was possible to breed the Sandaki,” Rakin said, “so women were created. It took some time, but finally one got with child. Once this child was born, it was taken away and experimented on. They wanted to see how it was different from what they had created. This was the end for the people who created us. A child is sacred, and to take it and butcher it was something we could not continue to allow. So we rose up and destroyed those who’d done this. The Sandaki were free, but none knew what freedom was.”

“There was fighting amongst us,” Dev said. “No matter what though, if the whole was threatened, we came together and defended ourselves.”

“How long ago was this?” Laira asked, her head whirling with all the information.

“Hundreds of
liyat
,” Rakin said. “This is why some of us do not know the stories. The Priestess just told me that in the beginning, many males mated the same female since there weren’t enough women.”

“Is a mate chosen, then?” Laira asked, confused now. She was sure Rakin told her it was something a Sandaki couldn’t consciously choose.

“Our beasts know our mate by scent. This is when the hunt begins. You did well, mate, by running.” Rakin smiled at her.

Laira laughed. “I don’t know if I had a choice. It was like something in me kept screaming at me to run. So I ran.”

“And we appreciate that, since running stirs the beast even more.” Dev leaned forward and pressed his lips tentatively to hers. The man was so big and aggressive, yet he was so hesitant in his affection. Laira cupped his face and deepened the kiss. He rewarded her efforts with a deep, rumbling growl, which caused her toes to curl.

Laira pulled away so she could catch her breath and focus on the story. “So, this race, did the Sandaki kill them all?”

“No, there was a small group who’d protested against the creation and subjugation of the Sandaki.” Rakin slid down so he could lay his head in Laira’s lap. “The ones in power ignored them, when others started joining in, the group became outlawed.”

“When we rose up, the group joined us, doing what they could,” Dev put in. “So we protected them as they had us. Once it was over, we gave them a choice. Either they could continue to live with us, or we would offer them safe passage out of the territory. If they chose that, they could never return. We had made the decision to close down our space.”

“I don’t blame you,” Laira said. “You needed to get things in order, and if you had people coming and going it just wouldn’t work. Besides, I’m sure there was mass confusion when the Sandaki took power.”

“Very much so,” Rakin agreed. “Once we had won, many decisions needed to be made. Fighting broke out to decide who would lead.”

“Civil war,” Laira said. “My country went through the same thing. Though, it was well after we had won our independence. Still we fought ourselves. No one wins a fight like that.”

“You are correct,” Dev said. “After the fighting ended, a group stepped forward to lead. At first, things were good. They made decisions based on what was needed and wanted, then things began to change. This group passed power down from
isa
to the first-born male offspring. They began to rule for themselves and forgot what it meant to be Sandaki.”

“How did you two come to power?” Laira asked.

Dev and Rakin stared at one another a long moment until Rakin spoke. “A small group of us did not like how we were being ruled. Those at the top had everything, and there was nothing left for anyone else. People were starving. There were arrests and disappearances. If anyone spoke out against what was happening, he or she was executed. This was not what the Sandaki had fought so hard to gain. We’d become slaves to ourselves.

“They’d even developed a hierarchy. The closer the beast was to the surface the lower down you were. You weren’t allowed in certain places, couldn’t hold positions, couldn’t speak or be seen. We would not stand for this.”

No, Laira thought, you wouldn’t since all of this would have hit so close to home. “So what did you do?”