* * * *
Lesaro Anderson stared at the couple in front of him. Samantha Liu stood rigidly before his desk with her ex-husband. They'd united against his quest to 'claim' their daughter.
"What do you mean Jagati is not mine?"
"I've spoken with my husband, Lesaro. He assures me Jagati ran because he made a deal with you. A deal so objectionable Jagati ran from it. She didn't want to marry you, Mr. Anderson. So, any deal you've made with Aakil is done. And without my permission, you know you can't legally marry her. So leave her alone. I want my daughter home." Samantha turned and left. When Kurlack turned to follow her, Lesaro stopped him.
"Aakil, you're going to let her talk to me this way? You assured me she wouldn't be a problem. You swore you'd get her to sign the affidavit to allow the marriage."
"Whatever deal you had with Aakil is done. Samantha is her own woman and I'm surprised he promised this to you. Leave her daughter alone."
"Why are you talking about yourself in third person, Aakil? You promised me!"
"Because I'm not Aakil. What I am is a man who will kill you if you do not leave Samantha and her daughter alone. Aside from that, do you really want to take on her protector? Whom ever you send after her will end up dead. Bas will protect her with his last breath. Do you want another's death on your conscience?"
"Do I look like I care? I'll have Jagati or else!"
"What is it with you humans? I'm supposed to say, or what, right?" Kurlack leaned over and placed his hands on Lesaro's desk, towering over the seated man.
"I'll go to the press about Bas. You know as well as I, placing a computer into a humanoid body without permission from the Genetics Council is against the law." Lesaro leaned back in his chair.
"So what?"
" You're bluffing. Your precious reputation means more to you than your daughter. You'll deal. I know you!" Lesaro knew how important his former partner's reputation was to him.
"You're threatening me with a dead man's reputation?" A burst of laughter escaped Kurlack's throat. Lesaro shifted uncomfortably in his chair.
"Your answer Aakil? I assume you'll convince your 'ex' of the errors of her ways and find my future wife."
"I'm going to find Samantha's daughter for my reasons alone. You're no longer part of this equation. The only reason I came here today is because Samantha asked me to. Don't make the mistake of pushing me, Mr. Anderson. A Starklinian warrior is not a man you want to cross."
"Have you lost your mind, Aakil?"
"No, he didn't loose his mind, just his soul and I'm what's replaced him. The man you knew as Aakil is gone and I deal with problems much differently than he did. So, don't become a problem for me, Anderson, or I'll have to take care of you, permanently. Do you understand?"
* * * *
Bas watched as Jagati moaned softly in her sleep. Sitting on the edge of the other bed in the hotel room where they'd stopped for the night, he fought with the urge to crawl into her bed. He only wanted to hold her but knew he couldn't trust himself. She was his mate and his body was screaming for him to take what belonged to him. The need for closeness was tempting his hunger and he was afraid he would act on his desire for her. He was at a loss on what he should do. The flood of memories that swamped him earlier during their fight had nearly sent him to his knees. And when she'd scoffed at his chosen role as protector, he'd responded without any thought and shocked himself in the process.
How do I convince my mate, she's destined to be the completion of the Aathi Chhetri, and not have her run from me?
He was jerked from his thoughts when she kicked her blankets off and exposed her dusky skin to his gaze. Surging to his feet, he looked for an escape from his overwhelming desire. He either needed to take her, or find some other way to relieve the need which was slowly driving him mad. After their earlier encounter, he'd tried to keep his distance from her. He should surely have more control over this. It'd taken all his willpower to not take her earlier. As a
chhetri
, it wasn't in his nature to loose his cool. He was expected to be in control at all times, while others around him fell apart.
How did one small woman manage to crawl under my skin so quickly?
A long ago memory came to him, of he and his master...
He was sweaty and breathing hard from his master's last exercise. Kneeling in front of the alter beside his master, he fought to regain his breath.
"You were very good in training today, Chhetri. Your control of your sword and emotions are both excellent."
"Thank you, Master."
"I know you feel your control is an inner part of you. Today I tried to push you to the point you lost control. But alas I have failed, so this training exercise is a failure.
"Why so, Master?"
"Because you know how to handle yourself while in control, Bas'awn. What I was trying to teach was how to deal with loss of control."
"With all due respect, Master, why would I need to learn that?"
"Because no warrior can be in control all the time. Just remember that when it finally happens. You're a chhetri but you are still also a man..."
He swore when she moaned once more and rolled over. Confronted with the softly rounded globes of her ass, he squeezed the pillow he was holding. Tossing it aside, he made his way to the small bathroom, quietly shut the door behind him and met his reflection face to face. The floor-length mirror beside the sink showed him exactly how he must look in to Jagati when he was in the grip of his ardent desires for her.
It showed a heavily muscled man with shoulder length hair, whose golden eyes burned with desire. It gave them an inner glow, tempting all those within seeing range to want to be the person he desired. If that wasn't enough to scare off most normal woman, the thick, long erection tenting his boxers would give many a serious reason to pause.
Mumbling to himself, he jerked open the glass shower door and twisted the cold water on, then stepped into the shower letting the icy water drench his boxers. He shivered and waited impatiently for his desire to subside. It would take more than cold water, he realized when his erection remained rigid despite it's icy embrace.
