Mated in Treason

by Christa Paige

  “The phenobarbital will ensure he takes a nap while the medicine enhances his blood. When the time comes, I harvest the cells and feed them to the leeches. In the meantime, you go get ready.”

  A surge of excitement simmered in her stomach. This could be it. The last step before Gunnar became hers, forever. “So where do I go, exactly?”

  Pavel backtracked to the wall where an old rotary phone perched by the cracked door frame. He stabbed in a few numbers and waited. “She’s ready. Uh huh, we’re waiting on a sample. I’ll update you when I know.” He hung up and rolled his shoulders as if a great stress weighed heavily on him. Nadia hardly cared about his worries. He worked for the bad guy, chose to live in the shadows as part of the faction. Pavel didn’t deserve her curiosity.

  “Kirli is coming to get you. She’ll take you to the female’s quarters and they can help you to get ready for the mating, if you are compatible.”

  Well then, that was a step in the right direction. She paced back to the couch and sat on her knees beside Gunnar. Taking his hand in hers, she held it to her lips, kissing his knuckles gently and watching him sleep.

  Hopefully, the next time she saw him it was as she walked toward the altar where a goblet of his blood would be situated. And she’d be tasting him for the first time.

  Yep, she was beyond ready.

  »»•««

  She was a little disappointed when Kirli slipped through the doorway and indicated Nadia should follow. Pavel had prepped the first leech and was about to begin the harvesting procedure. She wanted to stay and watch—to witness the compatibility. Kirli’s face fell as Nadia tried to bargain for a few more minutes. Those sad blue eyes filled with a hint of anxiety as Nadia stalled.

  Loathe to leave her mate, she glanced over her shoulder at Gunnar who sprawled on the couch, one arm tossed over his face, snoring in deep sleep. Okay, maybe she could go. She leaned over and kissed his cheek, memorizing his handsome features and promising herself when all this was over they’d take a long vacation to somewhere quiet and peaceful. A sort of Kan Asma honeymoon. Of course, that broke even more of their traditions because a newly-mated couple never went anywhere but to the bedroom. Once the bond had been firmly established, they endured a family meal and celebratory party. After that, life got back to normal, except now they were united for eternity.

  Eternity with Gunnar sounded incredible.

  Renewed determination helped her to pull away from him. She pointed to the door. “Lead the way.”

  Kirli turned and ducked her chin walking toward the corridor. Nadia caught up, following her through the threshold.

  “When you’re done, female, get back in here and deal with this mess.” Pavel’s order held a palpable superiority. Nadia cringed at the supercilious tone.

  Kirli didn’t reply. She didn’t look back or nod or do anything except keep on walking.

  “Do the males treat all the females in this compound like they’re subservient?” Nadia grimaced, talk about going backward in these modern times. For everything Kane spouted off about liberties and free choice, if they treated females like chattel again, it benefitted no one but the males.

  One slender shoulder lifted in a half-hearted shrug. This female needed something to eat, STAT. Probably could do with some high calorie shakes, some French fries and ice cream, too. Poor thing looked like a bedraggled waif.

  “Are they forcing matings?” Nadia couldn’t stop the question. This whole faction had a horror story vibe to it.

  Kirli shook her head, biting into her lip so hard the flesh turned white. “There’s an Adak. She services them. They wouldn’t mate most of us anyway. There aren’t a lot of us who carry strong genetics. They’re waiting for the unsanctioned matings to happen so they can choose females who’re from better hereditary lines.”

  Confused, Nadia furrowed her brow and considered what Kirli revealed. Kane’s platform for this uprising always relied on the need for diverse matings. He promised to do away with genetic matching to keep power within the upper-class. Yet, here in this compound, females continued to endure rejection due to the DNA in their veins. Sickening! “What about you?”

  The female’s steps faltered and she pressed her palm to the scar on her cheek. She bowed her head, eyes plastered on the littered ground. “We’re almost there,” she whispered on a shaky breath.

  God, that poor thing. Nadia mentally kicked herself for prying. Changing the topic, she asked, “Where are we going, exactly?”

  “They chose the old staff lounge for us to use as a dormitory. It has running water and some electricity. It isn’t as nice as şefi’s quarters, or his second in command.” Kirli twisted the button on one tattered sleeve, her face paling impossibly whiter. “Nikolai’s room has a shower. I think it’s where the conductor rested between shifts, long ago.”

  Grime clung to Nadia’s skin and blood dried on her in itchy patches. She’d give a whole day’s pay for a hot steamy shower. “Can we use it?” Eagerness laced through her question.

  The female’s steps faltered and she shook her head in jerky motions. “No, it’s not a good place to go.” She smoothed the tight hair against her skull as if a piece came loose. “You can soak in our makeshift tub.”

  Why did Kirli warn her from Nikolai’s room? Perhaps it had spiders and rats. Or piles of dirty laundry. The female’s pace slowed as they turned to the right and walked a few yards down a tight hall. A rounded ceiling and narrow walkway ended with a heavy wooden door. The plaster around the doorframe had chipped, leaving pieces on the ground. Kirli moved in close and rapped on the door in a serious of long and short knocks. She stepped back and waited.

  Nadia chewed on her cheek, watching the whole thing unfold. They had some sort of secret knocking code? Interesting.

  After a moment, the sound of something dragging across the floor followed and a deadbolt twisted. On a creak, the door opened a sliver of an inch.

  “Is it clear?” a female whispered through the small crack of the open door.

  “I’ve brought the female,” Kirli replied in a low utterance.

  The door swung open wider and a female waved them in. Nadia followed Kirli into the larger room and noticed the boxy hope chest next to the door. So that’s what had been dragged aside. They were using it to block entry. Nerves shimmered in her belly as she recognized the females had fortified the space obviously to keep out unwanted people.

  “You’re the one getting mated,” the new female declared while scrutinizing Nadia. Her short brown hair, cut in a bob, drew notice to her sharp chin. Distinct cheekbones and almond-shaped, dark eyes highlighted her exotic lineage. A diamond stud twinkled at the side of her nose. The heavy eyeliner and pink gloss on her lips added to the ethnic vibe. She was stunningly gorgeous. Her toned frame was more than obvious even though she wore ripped jeans and a slouchy cropped sweater.

  “Yep, hopefully. Still waiting for the compatibility results.” Nadia held out her hand in a greeting. “I’m Nadia. I’m hoping you can help me look a little less disheveled.”

  The female scrunched up her pert nose and made a disgusted noise in the back of her throat. “Melara, but just call me Lara. And, honey, you’re a hot mess.”

  “Well, I looked better before I got here, but Andros, well, he…” Stinging tears burned her eyes, and she tried focusing on something in the room to keep them at bay. She took in the boxy space and allowed the décor to distract her. The room held at least a dozen cots, some in bunk beds, and others as IKEA cast-offs with rolling drawers underneath. Curtains hung along the far wall but there wasn’t a window to block the light. Instead, chalk drawings of stars and flowers took up the space between the purple swags.

  Along the opposite wall from the beds, there hung a rail holding a variety of clothing. Below the clothes sat shoes tucked in a straight line. Next to the makeshift wardrobe were three tallboys with full drawers stuffed to the brim. A few even had clothing items sticking out. Female necessities, like deodorant, perfume, and lotion, s
at on top of the dressers. A vanity tucked into the back corner had a cracked mirror and several hair styling items. A thin door with the sign Women’s on it must be the restroom. Next to that, a wash basin with two spigots had a long tube running from one into a standard garden tub. The rusted metal lip had a washcloth draped over it.

  “That happens a lot down here,” Lara shut the door with a loud click as she set the deadlock. The scrape of wood on cement followed as she dragged the chest into place blocking the door. “Good thing it’s hard to teleport in here.”

  “What do you mean?” Nadia could hardly breathe. Were these poor females being subjected to the worst type of treatment possible? There were many beds in here but only the two females present. “Are they all out being abused?” She pointed to the empty beds.

  Lara giggled and shook her head. “Andros is an asshole. Ever since he’s been back, he’s tried to get one of us alone.”

  “I took care of him in the hospital. He’s slimy. So the males in the faction aren’t hurting you?”

  “Some of us are untouchable. Şefi has plans for us. Others aren’t as lucky. Since they brought Victoria in to service them, they haven’t been as grabby. Most of them are too afraid of being stuck with a mate to do anything stupid. Andros and Nikolai don’t seem to care.” Lara crossed the room to the washbasin and turned the spigot. The rush of water through the tube followed and the metallic echo of it hitting the basin dissipated as it filled.

  “Do you like jasmine or vanilla?” Kirli grabbed two bottles from a dresser and held them up for Nadia to choose.

  “Jasmine,” she replied awkwardly.

  “Where’s everyone else?” she asked as she inspected each bed, noticing the different bedspreads and pillows. Each seemed to have a unique personality. Some had stuffed animals, others celebrity gossip magazines, and a small cot had a laptop with textbooks piled at the foot.

  “They work or take classes.” Lara turned off the faucet, yanked the tube from the spout and reattached it to the other one. “And Victoria probably has fangs in her throat right now.” She chuckled sarcastically. With a sharp twist, she turned on the other spigot and continued to fill the washbasin as Kirli squirted a capful of bath gel into the steaming bath. “Same as most of the males. We all contribute. Like a co-op.” Lara turned and flashed a smile, then hooked a finger in Kirli’s direction. “Except her. She’s like a fixture here.”

  “You don’t work?” Nadia watched the female as she seemed to fold in on herself. Painfully shy and peculiar didn’t adequately describe her. She was also skittish and a wounded soul.

  “I don’t like it outside.” Kirli deposited the bath gel on the sink and retrieved a towel from the shelves built into the wall, setting it on the closest bed.

  Lara whistled. “That’s putting it mildly. She doesn’t like humans.”

  Kirli squinted her eyes and her chin jutted forward. “I don’t like men.”

  “Good thing you’ll never be mated. Kan Asma males are even worse.” Lara snickered.

  Hugging her thin arms around herself, Kirli shivered. “No, thank you.”

  “How did you end up here as part of this rebellion?” Curious, Nadia hoped one of the females would explain the origin of the uprising.

  Melara scowled and twirled the ends of her bob between her fingertips. “Şefi rescued us from the labs. Well, first, he broke Nikolai out. The rest of us were in the south compound. Mostly slated for termination.” She shivered and rubbed her hands up and down her arms. “The scientist kept the prisoners who were viable.” She made air quotes around the word viable. “We weren’t.” Lines creased the sides of her eyes. She clenched her teeth and shook her head. “I always thought the Komutani would come back and save us. The soldiers killed him, though. It was only after we were safely hidden in Russia when we found out Aleksi Komar ascended to the position. Of course that bastard didn’t do a damned thing to help us. He was going to let us die.”

  Tears shimmered in Kirli’s eyes and she brushed them away with a rough swipe. “You can’t know what it’s like to be expendable.”

  Nadia’s stomach twisted. No matter how poor she was or how challenging her life had been in the United States, at least she’d never had to endure something so horrific. One look at the thin, broken female, who stood there with an agonizing expression, confirmed the worst. She’d been hurt, and badly, at the hands of the scientists. “Oh my God. I’m so sorry.” Truly she was. She took a deep breath and exhaled. “It must’ve been terrifying. I’m glad they saved you.” No wonder Kane’s followers were so entrenched in this insurgency.

  “Yes, sefi took care of everything—our paperwork, our plane tickets and our new life in the States. Once we got here, some of the survivors met with their families and word spread. We’ve grown in numbers. There are many of our people who’re tired of the old ways. The archaic leadership must end. We want freedom not tyranny.” Lara propped a tight fist on her hip.

  Nadia understood now. These people, this faction, felt betrayed by the leaders of the Kan Asma for abandoning them. Allegiance to the male who’d risked everything to free them made absolute sense. Except for the fact that Kane was an egomaniac and a murderer and had his own agenda. He’d kept the people from re-integrating into their community and instead painted a target on the backs of the kraliyet.

  “So, that’s our story. We owe everything to şefi. Lara pointed at the tub. “It isn’t very warm down here. You’d better wash before the water goes cold.”

  Nadia recognized the change in subject and didn’t press any further. Quickly, she took off her ruined clothes and climbed into the tub. She had to bend her knees and skoosh close to even fit into the basin. The hot water felt good, though, and the jasmine scent wrapped around her in a soothing way. Dunking the washcloth, she wetted it and dabbed her forehead, wiping away the sweat and dirt. At least, she’d be clean when she did the blood-rites.

  “Not all males are jerks, you know.” For some reason she needed to assure them. She scrubbed her arm working her way to a dark smudge, but the second the cloth touched her skin, she winced. Nope, not dirt, but a bruise. Actually, Andros had left handprints on her arms. She blocked the sudden rush of emotion barreling through her thoughts and made herself focus on the two females instead. “They really aren’t all bad.”

  “Says the female running in the Komar circle,” Lara chided. “I’d like to knee one of those kraliyet assholes right where it counts. How did you even manage to hook up with Gunnar Nakani?”

  Defensive, Nadia wrapped an arm around her knees and drizzled water down her shins with her fingers. “He was my patient.”

  “Good thing you fell for him and not Andros, then.” Lara rummaged through the clothing, pulling dresses from the rail and inspecting each one before she’d make a face and put it back. “Ugh, none of these are going to work for a mating ceremony.”

  “I don’t care what I’m wearing.” Neither would Gunnar. All that mattered was being forever bound as one. Nadia shivered as the water cooled and the warmth vanished. She stood and grabbed the towel wrapping it around her. “I’d be happy in yoga pants and a T-shirt.” She stepped out of the tub onto the tattered bath mat and proceeded to dry off.

  Kirli sat on a cot in an ethereal motion and crossed one delicate thigh over the other. She folded her hands in her lap. The tip of her tongue peeked out and moistened her lower lip as she seemed lost in thought.

  “Şefi cares a whole lot.” Lara said. “He’ll use it to further the cause.”

  Of course, the cause. Nadia ducked her chin to hide her scowl. “Guess I have to look my best.”

  “Uh huh,” Lara pulled out a violet dress and held it up to Nadia’s body assessing the fit. She shook her head. “We can’t dress you like you’re going clubbing or something. God. We need to upgrade our wardrobe.”

  “Victoria might have something.” Kirli interjected as she leaned back on her palms and watched them.

  “Right, she serviced that dickhead Komar for so
long. He’d bought her a ton of couture fashion. He was a bit kinky, too.” Lara shook her head and sneered. “Found himself a pretty mate and dumped her like she was trash. Now she’s got nothing but us.”

  Suspicion welled in Nadia’s thoughts but she didn’t say anything. She could think of only one recently mated Komar male who’d fired an Adak: Traian. Which meant Victoria was actually Tory, the same blood-host who’d personally landed Gunnar in the hospital by blowing up Tray’s penthouse. Biting her tongue to keep from saying something stupid, Nadia playacted antipathy, “That’s horrible. She must have been so upset.”

  Lara snorted. “Oh, she showed them.”

  “I suppose he deserved it.” No, he didn’t. And, neither had Gunnar. Don’t say a damned thing, she ordered herself. “Do you think she’ll have something I can wear?”

  Lara nodded sharply. “Wouldn’t that just be poetic justice? You can wear one of her outrageously expensive gowns bought by the Komars while you are mated by their enemies.” She strode to the bed with the computer and flopped down, the springs bouncing her sharply. “We can’t use cellphones down here. All we have is the old intercom system. Luckily, we do have a range extender and some decent Wi-Fi. I’ll inbox her and see what she’s got.”

  While Lara typed out a message, Kirli hopped up and grabbed a terry cloth robe. “Here, put this on. If you’d like, I can do your hair. I’m pretty good at some of the old ceremonial designs.”

  Nadia slid her arms into the robe and nodded. “I’d like that. Thank you.”

  Okay, she was going to get ready and look beautiful.

  And, she’d keep it together.

  She would.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  His own scream still echoed in his head. It had been over an hour since Pavel withdrew a sample from his marrow. Sixty plus minutes later and Gunnar wanted to destroy something from the pain he’d endured. God damn, he’d been glad Nadia left and didn’t witness the procedure or his guttural reaction. But endured, he did. The leech got fat and happy, too. He’d sat there and watched it digest. Stared at it. Hard. Waiting for anything to go wrong, praying nothing would. And that bloated tiger-striped bloodsucker simply flopped over like a glutton after Thanksgiving dinner and survived.