Laura Jo Phillips (25 page)

“Had you already asked her to be your mate?” Saige asked, her face numb with shock.  If they had, then she was the
other woman
and had no right to be in bed with these men.

“We did not,” Faron said quickly, noting the sudden paling of Saige’s face.  “Nor did we give her any reason to think that we would.”

Ban shifted uncomfortably and all eyes swung to him.  “I did ask her if she was agreeable to mating with a Jasani male-set,” he admitted.  Faron growled softly and all eyes swung back to him.

“I did not indicate that we intended to mate her, or even that we were considering it,” Ban explained.  “It was a general question only.  I thought that, if we did decide to ask her, it would be best to know ahead of time whether she would be agreeable to the idea.”

Faron stopped growling and leaned his head back against the headboard with a thunk that caused Saige to wince. 

“It is difficult for Jasani male-sets when they decide to mate a human female, and then have to watch her run away screaming when she learns that we are shifters, and that they will have only male children who will also be shifters,” Faron explained as he stared at the ceiling.  “We have waited over four hundred years for an Arima, and believed that it was a futile wait.  Darleen Flowers made it plain that she had interest in us.”

Saige cocked her head, a gesture they were becoming used to and which seemed to indicate a flash of intuition or deeper understanding on her part than they were used to seeing in females.  “No,” she said softly.  “Faron wanted to wait for an Arima.”  She looked at Dav, then Ban.  “You two are the ones that wanted to mate with a human.”

Dav and Ban nodded their heads.  “That is true,” Dav admitted.  “We became impatient, especially after seeing Lariah swell with the Dracons’ babes.  Instead of giving us hope, as it should have, it made us more impatient.”

“On the same night that you were rescued by the Bearens, we told Faron that we no longer wished to wait,” Ban said.  “He told us that he wished to continue the search for our Arima, but after so many years, he would not continue to stand in the way of mating with a human woman.  We suggested Darleen Flowers as she had indicated an interest and willingness to mate, even though she knew the things that scare off most women.  Faron refused to mate with her, agreeing only to search for another human woman to mate with.”

Saige sipped her coffee as she considered her own feelings before speaking.  “Do you have feelings for her?” she asked.

“No,” Ban replied.  “Our decision to mate was based solely on a desire to have a family.”

“Well, I don’t want you to take this wrong, and I admit that I do not know Darleen Flowers, but I can almost guarantee you that she would never have agreed to have children.  She is not the maternal type.”

Ban and Dav stared at her for a long moment, considering.  “Why then would she wish to mate with a Jasani male-set?” Dav asked.  He did not doubt Saige’s intuition, and now that she had mentioned it, he realized that she was right.  There was nothing maternal about Darleen Flowers, nor had she ever expressed any desire for children or family, even though she had made it clear that she wished to mate with them.

“I have no idea,” Saige replied. 

“Because she wants to remain young,” Faron said.

“If you knew that why did you not tell us?” Ban asked.

“I did not understand that until just now,” Faron replied.  “Saige is correct, though I did not know it until she said it, but Darleen Flowers would not agree to have children.  Perhaps that is what I disliked about her.  Aside from that, the only reason a woman such as she would wish to mate with a Jasani male-set is to gain the ability to regenerate so she would not age.”

“Mating with Jasani men means you no longer age?” Saige asked.

“Yes,” Faron replied.  “We are shifters, and as such our bodies must be able to regenerate quickly in order for us to be able to shift from one form to another.  The ability to regenerate is passed to the female as a result of our mating ritual, whether it is a human woman or a Jasani woman.”

“I’m sorry if its rude to ask, but how old are you guys?” Saige asked curiously.

“We are 414 standard years old as of last spring,” Faron replied.

“Wow,” Saige said solemnly, “You don’t look a day over 300.”

“Yes well, we eat right,” Dav replied, deadpan. 

Saige grinned and shook her head, but she would not be diverted from the subject of Darleen Flowers just yet. 

“Well, that would certainly be a good enough reason for Darleen Flowers to want to mate with just about anyone,” she said.  “I do not believe I have ever in my life met a woman as vain as that one.”  Saige blushed with embarrassment. 

“Sorry guys, that was not a nice thing to say and I know you must have some feelings for her.”

“We have no feelings for her
lorea
,” Dav said.  “Please believe that our desire for family in no way indicates affection for her.”

Saige nodded.  A small part of her did not want to admit that she believed they had no feelings for the woman, but she could sense their real emotions quite clearly, and she knew better.  She could not use Darleen Flowers as an excuse.

“I understand how much you want family,” she said, staring hard at the coffee in her cup.  “But as you know, I am unable to provide that for you.”

Ban opened his mouth but Faron shook his head, silencing him before he uttered a word. 

“We understand that,” Faron said.  “However, the reality of you is far more important to us than the dream of children.”  He did not miss the slight hunching of Saige’s shoulders.  She did not believe him, and he was uncertain how to convince her.

“Are you hungry?” Dav asked.

“A little,” Saige replied, relieved by the change of subject.  “I prefer to work out before eating though.”

“
Work out
?” Dav asked curiously.

“Exercise.”

“Yes, we prefer to move our bodies before breaking our fast as well,” Faron said, though he had no idea that women did such a thing.

“What manner of exercise do you prefer?” he asked.

“
Tiketa
,” she replied, naming an obscure form of acrobatic kick fighting developed on Tlaket.  It required speed and great agility, which made it popular among females. 

Faron was shocked.  He had expected her to say something like walking or stretching.  Remembering her long, lean limbs with delicately defined muscle, he realized that she must do something more strenuous than walking.  He grinned appreciatively.  A combat art.  She was so right for them.

“We are only slightly familiar with
tiketa
, but I am certain that we will be able to pick up on it quickly enough to serve as suitable opponents,” he said.  “We are proficient in many combat forms.”

“Excellent!” Saige exclaimed.  “That sounds like lots more fun than kicking a bag.  I need to return to the Dracons’ home to get some clothing though.”

“No need,” Dav said.  “Suly laundered your clothing and brought over many items she thought you might need this morning.  She also brought us a large feast for breakfast.”

“Lariah called into town and ordered a list of things to replace what you lost in the fire,” Ban added.  “Shampoo, toothbrush, things like that.  We placed them in the bathroom for you.”

Saige smiled.  “Thank you,” she said, wishing she could think of something better to say.

“We will leave you in privacy so that you can dress,” Faron said, climbing out of the bed.

Saige could not prevent herself from staring at his beautiful body as he crossed to the bathroom, completely unselfconscious of his nudity, or his obvious state of arousal.  She blushed when she realized that Ban and Dav were smiling as they watched her watch Faron.  They stood up and bent to give her a quick kiss before they left the room, Dav wearing jeans and t-shirt, Ban as naked as Faron.  He stopped to grab some clothes from a drawer before leaving the room and closing the door behind himself.

Chapter
22

“Za-Queg.”

The voice was soft, indolent, and for Za-Queg, instantly riveting.  He spun around and hurried to the vid screen mounted on the wall in his quarters.  Part of his mind was cringing at the knowledge that his superior had learned of his failures.  Not only was he ultimately responsible for the loss of the
berezi
, but also the loss of the prime controller.  That they had both fallen into the hands of the Jasani was bad enough.  That they had fallen into the hands of the Jasani Princes was adding insult to injury.

Another part of him was nearly panting with the intense arousal that always flooded him at the sound of his ruling female’s voice.  It was typical for any male to feel aroused and enthralled at the sound of a superior female’s voice, or even a whiff of her scent.  But for Za-Queg, the sound of Xaqana-Ti’s voice was enough to send him into near paroxysms of joy.

“Xaqana-Ti,” Za-Queg breathed into the mic after his shaking hand finally hit the correct button on the console to accept the call.  “It is an honor to hear the divine notes of your voice with my unworthy hearing organs.”

The sound of her soft, musical laughter filled his mind with such erotic images that it took long moments for him to return to his senses enough to speak.

“You are such a lovely little male Za-Queg,” Xaqana-Ti sang, the high quality speakers on his vid system failing to do her voice true justice.  “It is with some regret that I inform you that your failures have made an unpleasant mark in my web.”

Za-Queg froze.  To blemish the vastly complicated network of status, obligation, rank, and position that governed the Xanti ruling class was a crime with only one punishment.  Za-Queg shuddered.  No matter how much Za-Queg adored Xaqana-Ti, he had no desire to be slowly devoured by a brood of younglings.

“How may I remove such a mark, my Beautiful Lady, Xaqana-Ti?” he asked, using his brightest notes, his most carefully crafted tones to add apology, regret, and a desire to please to his question.

“Ah, Za-Queg,” Xaqana-Ti replied, her tone filled with innuendo and promise.  “Should you retrieve the misplaced
berezi
, and the controller, I shall be disposed to forgive the mark.  Should you retrieve the Dracon princes’ Arima, I am certain I will feel disposed to do much more than forgive.”

Za-Queg sighed, a long soft sound of understanding and pleasure at the idea of fulfilling his First Ruler’s request.  He carefully hid any hint of sound that might indicate his curiosity of what would happen to him should he fail to fulfill her request.  But, as always, Xaqana-Ti understood him better than he did himself.

“Should you fail in this,” she said, her voice so soft it was but a whisper of notes, “I may need to reorganize my brood.”

“I understand, most glorious one,” Za-Queg replied.  Though fear raced through his veins, he put all of his effort into making his voice as beautiful for her as he could possibly manage.  Xaqana-Ti graced him with her soft laughter once more, and then the connection closed.

Za-Queg lowered himself to the floor where he stood, wishing only to spend a few moments memorizing every word and note of the conversation.  After a long time, he rose to his feet and left his quarters, wandering slowly through his ship.  The under-officers and crew bustled here and there, pausing to bow or salute him as he passed, though he did not bother to return their greetings.  Had one failed to acknowledge him appropriately he would have sliced them into gravy, but none did. 

As his body wandered his ship, so too did his mind wander.  He wondered whether Xaqana-Ti somehow knew that he had already ordered Lio to abduct the Dracon’s Arima.  He was an expert in surveillance technology, as were all Xanti, and he always, as a matter of course, checked his surroundings for listening devices.  Even when visiting Lio’s office on Jasan.  He could not find a reason, or a meaning, for her to order him to do something he’d already done, so eventually he set that puzzle aside and moved to the next.

He had intercepted the vid between Lio and his Terien worker concerning the human female of course.  And he knew that Lio would find a way to make the female aid them.  The question was, should he take personal action in the abduction or should he allow Lio to handle it?

If he allowed Lio to handle it, and the human failed, he, Za-Queg, would be held responsible for his underling’s failure, as was right.  If he personally went to the planet to take possession of the females, and failed, again he would be held responsible.  The only difference between the two methods was that if he did it himself, he at least had some control over the outcome.  Also, if successful, such a daring undertaking would certainly earn him high praise from Xaqana-Ti.  High praise from one’s First Ruler was always worth high risk.  Not to mention the opportunity to remove the mark he had made in her web.  He would rise to no higher rank or position so long as that mark remained.

Za-Queg sighed inwardly.  There really was no other option.  He must go to the planet himself and take possession of the
berezi
and the Arima.  If he failed, it would at least be his own failure, not that of some squishy little human.