Between Two Tiron (14 page)

Lina tilted her head up and shot him an incredulous look. “They‟re willing to kill to

protect their presence here. I didn‟t even know they were there until they started shooting at us.

I‟m sure you know more about the particular hate groups which target shifters and why they

would do something like this than I do.”

“We do know quite a bit about the hate groups, but I can‟t think of a reason that they

would be here. This planet holds nothing of import to them.” Kaleb frowned as he urged her to

her feet.

“That is from our view, Kaleb,” Shard cautioned as he followed them from the Sendar.

“We don‟t know what they seek. Depending on which group it is, it could be any number of

things or reasons. Remember Timbon. There was absolutely nothing on that planet, but they

were there looking for frozen traces of an old disease that they hoped would hurt us.”

Kaleb nodded. He reached out and stopped her as she began walking back to the table

with the other people who‟d been working on the items from the human men‟s camp. He turned

her back to face them.

“We have news for you, Lina.” Shard stepped forward and smiled down at her. “Your

proof is on its way here as are Lido and Jalan. They will arrive at almost the same time.”

“I still don‟t understand why you expect me to apologize to them when
they sued
me.”

She frowned at the two men who wouldn‟t bend on the matter. “They didn‟t even try to contact

me before they sued me. I would have replied.”

“Oh, you answer all queries from people who think that you have used their images?”

Shard raised a skeptical eyebrow.

“There really aren‟t that many people who find a resemblance to themselves in my

games. I read most of the complaints and all those that could cause legal problems are brought to

my attention if I don‟t find them.” She suppressed a frustrated growl and crossed her arms under

her breasts.

“You‟re sure about the fact that you or maybe one of your designers didn‟t accidentally

use their images?” Shard smiled.

She saw the predator lurking behind that all-too-friendly showing of teeth. “It‟s a

relatively small company. I do most of the designing still. I did all the designs on those two

images. They were creations from drawings and my imagination.”

“You‟re sure? It‟s a big company.” Kaleb watched her and saw her eyes narrow.

“I‟m certain. It‟s only the manufacture and promotion end which has grown too large for

me to handle.” Lina forced her hands to unclench. “Those men sued me without any queries and

I‟m expected to apologize.” She rolled her eyes. She couldn‟t understand the logic there.

“We don‟t simply expect you to apologize. You will apologize.” Kaleb‟s brows lowered

over his green eyes as his gaze locked with hers.

She couldn‟t maintain that intense stare for long in spite of the anger and defiance

bubbling within her. Her eyes slid to the side and lowered to the ground. She pushed at the grass

with the toe of her shoe.
Why should I apologize?
They could at least give her a reason.

“You should have found a way to explain the situation to them. You have shown yourself

to be more than inventive when you want something.” Shard‟s fingers lifted her chin until her

eyes locked with his brown gaze.

“Why was it my responsibility to make them listen to what I had to say?” She jerked her

chin out of Shard‟s grasp and stepped back so she could frown at both of them. “They could have

tried asking a few questions before they sued me. Admittedly, I didn‟t stay on Mical for long

periods at that time, but I always managed to respond to queries and complaints.”

“You can ask them why they didn‟t look into it, but as a Santir, you should have done

everything possible to prevent harm to other Santir because of something you created. Thanks to

that lawsuit, they lost legal fees and other expenses.” Kaleb‟s green gaze was intense and hard as

he stepped close to her. “You will apologize.”

Lina growled. Their insistence that she owed an apology for something she hadn‟t done

infuriated her. She tried to turn away, but Shard‟s hand on her shoulder turned her back.

“If you thought that someone had stolen the design for your stealth modifications on the

Sendar, would you just allow it to stand, regardless of what you could prove?” Shard raised his

brows and his mouth tilted in a knowing grin.

“No, but I would get the facts first. Your friends didn‟t even try to contact me. They just

slapped me with a lawsuit.” She folded her arms and stubbornly stared at a point beyond the two

men.

“You wouldn‟t just simply go looking for facts. You would get angry and you‟d want

revenge. You can‟t fool us with that lie. You‟d go after them with everything you have and that

would include your entire arsenal of tricks to remove your property from their grasp.” Kaleb

moved to the right so she was forced to look at him. “You wouldn‟t wait for them to create a

story.”

Silently, Lina admitted that that might be the truth. She recognized the primitive need to

defend what she considered her territory. She wasn‟t about to tell Shard and Kaleb that bit of

information. While they‟d worked hard to get her to see Ardin Lido and Ardin Jalan‟s side of this

issue, they weren‟t trying to see her side at all.

“You will apologize, Lina.” Shard‟s brows lowered and the tone was pure intimidation.

A low growl rumbled in the back of her throat. Although the very idea of being ordered

to apologize incensed her, she wouldn‟t defy them. “I‟ll give them the words.”

“Come here.” Kaleb held out his hand.

She looked up ready to refuse, but responded to the warmth she saw in his eyes. She

stepped forward, placing her palm in his. He tugged her against him. She landed plastered

against his chest. Her legs tangled with his and his cock pressed against her belly demandingly as

he softly brushed his lips over hers.

“Tomorrow, my wild little cat, after you have learned more of Lido and Jalan, the

apology will be more than words.” Kaleb bent and ran his lips over the soft skin at her temple.

“Why don‟t you tell me more of them now?” She rested her head against his chest for a

moment.

“Because that story will be your bedtime story tonight,” Shard chuckled as she clung for

a moment when Kaleb tried to step back. “We still have plenty to tell you.”

She took a deep breath. After the last few things they‟d told her, she felt like flinching.

The information they were so determined to impart had only brought trouble or upset thus far.

She wondered what jewel of news they were going to throw at her now.

“What else did you need to tell me?” She met Kaleb‟s eyes and then Shard‟s after a final

deep breath.

“Not all the men who were sent to get your proof will be returning from Mical

immediately.” Shard smiled and waited until her curiosity lured her into asking for more.

“What? Why wouldn‟t they return?” She looked from one man to the other. They were

being far too cryptic.

“There is the little matter of selling the house on Mical and moving the design portion of

your business here. There are shifters who would be thrilled to work for you.” Kaleb shrugged

and waited for her reaction.

“But…I already have people working for me on Mical,” Lina protested as her brow

furrowed and anger lit her eyes.

“If they don‟t mind the move into Shifter-Protected Space they are welcome to come. Not

many humans would be willing to do that, to give up the cities and constant access to other

humans.” Kaleb gave her a satisfied smile.

“That‟s an offer guaranteed to be refused.” Her hands curled into fists and she gritted her

teeth, fighting the urge to take a swing at him. They‟d already changed her life. Now they were

messing with her business.

“Your work won‟t suffer,” Shard stated, his arm curving around her shoulders and urging

her back toward their shelter.

Lina wasn‟t happy with the two men who were her mates or with herself. Their orders

and unwillingness to see her side of this issue infuriated her. She also didn‟t like the fact that

because she had been so wrapped up in the drama and details of her own life, other Santir might

have suffered.

At the time of that suit, Lido and Jalan had been Ardin over a
thent
which couldn‟t afford

to lose the money required for legal fees.

It wouldn‟t have been difficult for her to discover their money troubles if she had merely

taken a real interest in the case. A small amount of research would have given her that

information. She should have at least looked into where they were staying. They hadn‟t been in

one of the luxury hotels as she had assumed. They had stayed in their ship at the port for the

whole of the trial.

While she hadn‟t used their images, she could have easily afforded to lose the trial. The

loss of money wouldn‟t have hurt her. She wouldn‟t have had to admit to anything. Her lawyers

had suggested using such a no-fault settlement if the trial seemed to be lost. Guilt wrapped

around her.

She lay flat on the branch which overlooked the camp. Her tail twitched in agitation. Two

days had passed since Shard and Kaleb‟s revelations and Ardin Lido and Ardin Jalan were due in

mere hours. Her proof had been brought down to the surface earlier. It had still been in the large,

airtight safe. That had raised her brows. That safe had been embedded in a stone wall.

She couldn‟t blame all the agitation boiling within her on the guilt and anger over the

situation with the other two Ardin. A large part of her anger and unrest was because of the

restrictions which had been placed upon her and the other women since that attack in the forest.

No woman was allowed to leave the camp without a male escort until it was certain that the

unknown group of men had been found and caught. Lina ached to go for a run in the forest.

She watched as Shard stalked into camp. He looked around the area and then pinned

Jaksen with a stare when he didn‟t see any sign of his mate. “Where‟s Lina?”

“In the tree, Ardin.” Jaksen pointed to the high, wide limb that she had chosen as a

vantage point. It hung over two Dura-tents and offered her a view of the entire camp.

Shard‟s eyes locked with Lina‟s defiant, golden orbs and narrowed. “Sulking,
i’ma
?

You‟d better be down and into some clothing before Lido and Jalan get here or you will earn

your first taste of Santir discipline. You had also better not try any cute little tricks such as

wearing a shirt in
tiron
form.”

Lina bared her teeth in silent defiance.

Shard‟s sharp eyes caught the white gleam of her teeth. “Push me,
rao nari
.” The

invitation was delivered in a low growl.

She wasn‟t quite that brave. Being stubborn didn‟t make her a fool. He was quite serious

in that threat and she wanted to know more about this Santir discipline before she blatantly

defied them. As with all other shifters, she knew they would never physically hurt their mate.

That would in no way limit their ability to enforce their rules.

She kept close attention on the incoming messages. When she heard that a shuttle was

coming down to the planet, she slipped out of the tree and into the spacious shelter she shared

with Shard and Kaleb. She shifted and began to get dressed.

She chose a green, sleeveless, scoop-necked top and a mid-calf-length black skirt.

Soft-soled black slippers finished her outfit. Just before she stepped outside, she remembered her

hair. She turned back and braided it, securing it with a thin band. There was no gain in pushing

them over small issues right now. She had done more than enough pushing on the larger ones in

the last few days.

Lina slipped out of the large tent and stalked over to join a group of women gathered at

one of the long, sturdy metal tables. She wasn‟t the only woman angry over the restrictions

which had been placed upon them as a result of the discovery of unknown men on the planet.

The other women were just as angry, but they were far more accustomed to the ways of the
thent
.

They knew what issues they had little chance of getting changed and those that they could. This,

she‟d learned after much argument, was one that wouldn‟t be modified in any way for anyone.

“I thought that you‟d push,” Medina offered Lina a cup of hot
dorin
as she directed a

significant look toward the branch Lina had vacated.

“Not just yet.” Lina lifted the steaming mug and sipped at the fragrant, rich brew.

Marge Larosh laughed snidely. “Still a little cautious because you got yourself pinned,

hmmm?”

Lina lifted her head and locked her eyes with those of the taunting woman. Her lips

stretched into a feral smile, showing four lengthened canines. A low rumble rolled in the back of

her throat.

Marge‟s eyes widened, then skittered away and she lowered her head.

“They can pin me, but I‟ll have no trouble with you,” Lina vowed in a low warning. It

was the only one this woman would get.

“You should talk, Marge. You didn‟t even get pinned, yet you walked around subdued

and submissive for days after Vellis claimed you.” Calla, a woman of almost the same age as

Lina, chuckled as the woman blushed and dipped her head again. “Our Lady isn‟t showing any

such reticence. She is arguing with them openly.”