Mated (The Sandaki Book 1) (14 page)

“You’re right. I need to get my shit together and knock off the whole drama deal. I’m not some angsty teen in a night time soap.”

“Right,” Isha said, even though Laira knew she didn’t understand. “So what’s the plan?”

“I’m going to run,” Laira said to her. “Do you want to go with me?”

Isha looked around the same room. “I do not believe we have the room here.”

Laira laughed. “No, not around the room. Around the ship. My pal, Zarak, is still hanging around, so he can lead us.”

“You will need something to wear,” Garja pointed out, walking over. “I do not believe running naked would be wise.”

“I will find you something,” Chal said. “We all received extra clothing and the material has much give.”

“Okay,” Laira said, as Chal walked off to talk with the other women in the room.

“Do you think it will be safe?” Garja asked.

“Yes, no matter what, I don’t think Zarak will let anyone kill us or whatever.”

Isha nodded. “I have missed our runs. We need our routine again. Sitting around here worrying is not doing us any good.”

“I was just thinking the same thing,” Laira said.

Chal came back over holding a gray catsuit. “One of the girls who is about your size said you could have this. The next time Haldise comes we will ask her to get you some of your own.”

Once Laira had dressed, she walked up to where Zarak stood by the door. “We want to run. Can you take us?”

He looked confused enough that he didn’t drop to one knee when he addressed her. “Run from what?”

“For exercise. We started running on the Silarin vessel, and now we want to run here. Is there someplace we can do this?”

“I suppose we can use the corridors,
Taja
.”

“Don’t call me that,” Laira said. “Remember, you either call me Laira or nothing.”

He dropped to one knee and bowed his head. “I am sorry.”

“And I don’t want you kneeling either. There’s no reason. I’m just a girl from Earth, nothing more. So, stand up, and let’s run.”

Without another word, Zarak rose and escorted them from the room. The four women stretched and warmed up in the hall then started off with Zarak in the lead. At first, he walked quickly, until he realized the women were serious. Laira smiled as he picked up his pace, and soon all five of them were running along. The people they passed in the corridor stared at them. Laira ignored them. As she fell into the familiar rhythm, everything dropped away as it always did. She concentrated on her breathing and the warmth of her muscles. This was real. Hell, it was the only reality she could deal with right now. That was okay. Take one moment at a time, and let everything else go.

Zarak guided them through a doorway and into a huge open area. Parked in different places were large black vessels, and Laira figured it had to be some kind of docking bay. She hoped like hell nothing came in while they were running and sucked them out into space. Now that would be a huge pisser to end the already fucked up life she was currently having.

As they rounded a turn, Rakin came into view. He was standing next to another man who was dressed in an identical black kilt. She tried not to look, really she did, but the intensity of their stares—one topaz and the other a rich sapphire—brought her to a halt. The man standing next to Rakin was bigger, if that was possible, but still had the intricate tattoo on his face and over his torso that Rakin bore. Where Rakin’s face was perfection though, the other man had a scar that ran down the right side of his face, which didn’t detract from his handsomeness. In fact, it added a dangerous edge. His golden skin was also covered in a light dusting of black fur that she longed to touch and pet and feel move over her body.

Laira jerked at the thought. Shit, she had trouble enough with one male. She didn’t need to add lusting after another to it. No matter what she told herself, she couldn’t look away. It was as if the unknown male’s eyes held hers prisoner. He raised his head and sniffed the air like the jungle cat he resembled. Was he smelling his mate? She wondered which of her friends would end up with this luscious male. And, ultimately, which of them would have their hearts crushed.

Growling filled the air as the unknown Sandaki started pacing toward them. No way, she thought. No way, this could happen again. He was coming for someone, and she did the only thing her mind screamed at her to do.

“Run,” she yelled to her friends and took off.

All of them burst into action. As a group they turned and fled back the way they had come. Once again, the urge to fall to the ground and let him mount her was almost overwhelming. No, her mind screamed. This wasn’t for her. She had a mate, for what it was worth, and she so didn’t need more trouble. Perhaps, since she and Rakin were still at the beginning stages, the whole crazy mating thing from another couple was messing with her?

She ran along the corridors, turning left then right, until she was totally lost. A tiny portion of her mind told her she could quit now. Separated from her friends, she was safe, right? While there was no one after her, her feet still wouldn’t allow her to stop. It was as if her body was on autopilot because running was important. The chase was important.

As she dodged a group of men, one of them reached out to grab her arm. A loud roar from behind caused the men to immediately drop to the floor. Laira chanced a look behind her, expecting to see Rakin in pursuit. Instead, it was the male with the blue eyes closing on her heels, and he looked furiously sexy. At her thought, she rolled her eyes. Jeez Louise, no one could be furious and sexy at the same time. She looked behind her again and saw the male was gaining.
Yep, furious and sexy. Shit.

She shoved through a doorway expecting to find a corridor; instead she’d ended up in a large room that was probably used as a mess hall. Tables and chairs were scattered about. The far wall was a huge window allowing her to see the black velvet of space. She would have been impressed at any other time. Now she just wanted a place to hide. Frantically, she searched the room as the door behind her swished opened. She turned to find him standing in the entrance. The scent of him washed over her, and Laira’s body reacted to his nearness.

“I think there’s some kind of mistake,” she said as he stalked toward her. “I’m not—”

He pulled the kilt from his body, exposing his huge erect cock. Laira scrambled back from him, skirting around tables and chairs, attempting to keep them between her and the unknown man.

He bared his fangs in what looked to be a feral smile as he stalked her. Laira shivered, as something in her begged to give in to him.
Let him have you. You want him. He’s yours.
Nope, not going to happen, she thought.
He’s not mine.
He’s just confused.

Laira shoved chairs at him as she sprinted toward the exit, but he was on her. He pushed her over a table, pinning her down. At least, she wasn’t wearing the Silarin tissue anymore. He didn’t seem to notice as he ripped the material from her body, exposing her ass and pussy to his gaze.

As he leaned over her, his rich scent enveloped her, and she moaned. He smelled intoxicating and right. She didn’t know how else to interpret her feelings, other than, she knew he belonged to her because his essence was right. She cocked her knee up onto the table to give him more room as he thrust his cock into her body. He tore her clothing at the shoulder and bit down, driving his teeth into her flesh. Instead of pain, she instantly flashed into an orgasm.

The table shuddered under the two of them as he rocked her to another climax. She sobbed out a breath. He was big and filled her as if created for her pleasure alone. He positioned his large hand on the table next to her and she placed her smaller one over it. He turned his palm over, and the two of them clasped hands as he began to come in great heaving streams.

Laira tightened her vaginal muscles around his penis as he groaned and licked at the bite wounds. The gentle caress brought a faint smile to her lips, and instead of feeling anger or confusion, she was calm. Whole. She was whole. Just a few days before, she’d cried from the emptiness in her heart and soul; that was now gone.

She rubbed her face against his arm, and he made a sound that, to her ears, resembled a purr. Hopefully, this was a good thing since his cock was deep within her. Thoughts of Rakin intruded, and she tried to shrug them away. She didn’t understand how this event affected her mating with him. Maybe he wasn’t her mate. Maybe this man holding her wasn’t, either. Rakin was going to be pissed, she was certain. He emphasized that she was his, she certainly didn’t want a fight. She’d have to talk to him, that was all. Besides, all he truly wanted her for was sex, so why should he care? And why should she care what he thought?

Rakin stepped into the room. His
Kalkan Arkadasi
had mounted his
talla
. They had obviously just finished mating since Dev was lapping the teeth marks on her neck. The rational part of his brain told him he should instantly kill the other man. Sandaki law stated that any man who dared to touch another’s mate was dead. Usually, though, execution never occurred since the offender committed
rituuali itsemurhaa
. However, there was no fury. In fact, seeing Dev and Laira together was right. He knew in his gut they should be just like this.

Did it mean that he and Laira weren’t truly mates? No, he knew that wasn’t right. She was his mate. And, somehow, she was Dev’s mate, too. Or was Rakin reaching and just wishing all this was so?

Dev looked up and bared his fangs. A newly mated Sandaki was dangerous, especially when he perceived a danger to his female.To Dev, another male represented the most extreme kind of danger. Rakin didn’t move, but he didn’t back down, either. If Laira was
their
mate, Dev had to understand that Rakin wouldn’t turn away.

Dev came to his feet, placing himself between Laira and Rakin, and roared. Rakin roared back. Dev flexed his hands, and razor-sharp talons slid out of each finger. Rakin crouched, knowing he had to be faster to avoid those deadly claws.

Laira pushed herself off the table and shoved her hair off her face. The lovely afterglow of sex drowned beneath the testosterone that flooded the room. Hell, men could ruin a mood faster than a shitty song on the radio. She watched them roar and bare fangs at each other, until one did a Wolverine and cranked out scary looking claws. Since she was obviously far from finished with the two idiots in front of her, she climbed to her feet, put her fingers to her mouth, and whistled. Loudly. Both men turned to face her as she stepped between them.

“Laira back away,” Rakin spoke softly. “He may hurt you though he would not want to.”

Laira turned to face the other warrior. Damn he was big and the tattoos, braids, and nakedness only made him seem more foreign. More dangerous. The light came on in her brain, and she knew who this was, who it had to be.

“Dev,” she said, moving to put her body in contact with his, “can you and Rakin knock it off so we can talk?”

He blinked, cocked his head, and the claws retracted. Slowly, he put his arms around her and pulled her against his hot body. “How is it that you know who I am?”

Laira shivered at the growling quality of his deep bass voice. It moved over her skin just as his fur did, and she went wet at the thought. She pressed her face into his chest and breathed deep. Where Rakin’s scent was complex and spicy, Dev had a rich earthy fragrance that made her think of an ancient forest filled with mystery.

After a long moment, she finally spoke. “Who else could you be? You carry the same markings as Rakin on your face and over your chest, though you have more tattoos. The braids and the beads are the same. Oh and the kilt color, too. I’ve only seen the two of you wear pure black.”

“Laira is right,” Rakin said, “we need to go someplace so we can talk.”

“Talking is not what I want,” Dev said, as he nuzzled her throat. “I long to mate my
talla
again, and from her scent she wants the same.”

Rakin breathed deep and growled. “Her scent calls, but we must speak.”

Dev glared at Rakin. “My mate—”

“Our mate,” Rakin interrupted. “I don’t know how it is possible, but she is our mate.”

Hastily, Dev stepped back from Laira. “She is your mate? I touched your mate? I have offered you grievous insult.” He dropped to one knee in front of Rakin.

Laira wearily rubbed her face. “For fuck’s sake, so first both of you want me, now what? Neither of you do? I’m so tired of this shit. Have you thought that maybe I’m not either of your mates. Whatever. When you figure it out, let me know. I’m going someplace to clean up and sleep. I’m about sick to death of you people.”

Rakin stepped in front of her to block her path. “You are not leaving without us,
mate
.”

He made sure to put emphasis on his last word, and she rolled her eyes.

“Excuse me? Look, dude, obviously you have super-secret Sandaki stuff to talk about and, since as you pointed out, I’m not Sandaki, you don’t need me. So I’m gonna go on down with the other slaves.”

“You are not a slave,” Dev said as he rose.

“You didn’t tell him?” she asked Rakin. “Sorry to burst your bubble.” Laira turned to Dev. “I’m a slave. Fresh off the Silarin assembly line and, apparently, made for everybody’s satisfaction.”