by Laurie Roma
With her hunger mostly sated, she looked up to find the entire table watching her. Extremely uncomfortable with their attention, Raven curled into Savitar’s side. His arm immediately came up around her.
“Did I do something wrong?” she asked Savitar through their bond.
“Nay, mate. They are but curious about you. And perhaps a little surprised that one such as small as you can eat so much.”
He let out a grunt as her elbow jabbed into his side as she pulled away from him. She heard him chuckle as she turned to find Kadan watching her with a small smile on his perfect lips. “Sorry. I was hungry.”
“We could see that,” Selina all but sneered, causing both Kadan and Savitar to growl at her. Kell and Damos glared at their sister as well, adding to the tension in the room.
Selina’s head quickly lowered. “Forgive me, my Kings, it was but a jest.”
“Our sister meant no insult to your mate,” Koreth replied with an arrogant grin. “It is just a wonder that you have not trained your mate properly yet.”
Trained? What the hell was he talking about?
“Where she is from females sit on their own and feed themselves,” Savitar growled back, the anger clear in his tone.
Koreth held up his hands in a placating gesture. “Calm, my friend. You know how proper my sister is. There is no need for such anger.”
Raven cringed inside. Seriously? Women were supposed to sit on the laps of their mates and let them feed them like trained pets? Oh, hell no. And she didn’t think a proper female would eye-fuck someone else’s mate either, Raven thought as she stared down Selina until the other woman looked away. “I can feed myself.”
“Perhaps it is better she does or neither of you would get a chance to get much sustenance for yourselves. She does pack away a lot for such a small…thing,” Brynt said with a laugh.
“Brynt!” Kell snapped.
“She is not a thing!” Kadan growled.
“But she isn’t Arcadian,” Koreth replied belligerently.
“She is your queen!” Kadan snarled, only this time with more menace, making Nyla bury her head in her mate’s neck and Selina cower against one of her brothers in fear. All of the men at the table lowered their heads in submission.
“Control yourself, Koreth,” Damos growled. “Or I will remove you from her presence myself!”
Apparently family members were a pain in the ass on Arcadia, too, Raven thought with a sigh. So far Kell and Damos seemed okay, but she watched Koreth and Brynt with a discerning eye and decided she didn’t like them. She didn’t like them one bit. Before the conversation could continue, Raven laughed, trying to counter the strain. Kadan turned to her with wide eyes and she shrugged.
“Yeah, I know I can eat a lot. But that’s what happens when you burn a lot of calories.” Raven opened the pathway in her mind to both Kadan and Savitar. “I don’t like them.”
“Neither do we,” Kadan responded back.
She smiled back at him.
“What are calories?” Nyla asked, her voice shaking with fear. At the first growl she had curled into Kell’s lap, shying away from the confrontation. Kell rubbed her back soothing her as she was obviously shaken up by the aggressive display.
Raven smiled at the other woman trying to put her at ease. “Calories are things that you get from food that help give you energy. I tend to stay pretty active in my job so I usually have to eat a lot.”
“What did your mate do on her home world, King Savitar?” Damos asked.
What the hell? Why was he asking Savitar when she was sitting right there? Raven frowned at him and answered before Savitar could say anything. “I’m a cop back home.”
“Your home is here now,” Savitar reminded her quietly.
Raven struggled for patience. “I know that. I’m just irritated he didn’t ask me directly. Why is he acting like I’m not here?”
“What is a cop?” Damos asked Kadan, making Raven grit her teeth together in irritation.
“Have I suddenly become invisible or something? If you want to know something ask me,” Raven snapped.
The others at the table gasped, increasing Raven’s irritation. Clearly she had screwed up again, but she didn’t know how.
“They mean you no disrespect, my love. It is customary that males do not speak directly to a mated female. It is a show of respect,” Savitar explained as he squeezed her hand.
Not for the female it wasn’t, Raven thought bitterly. This was just another fucked up difference that was simply ridiculous. Like the damn stripper dresses and being fed like a pet. She held back a curse as Savitar and Kadan both stiffened at her sides. Damn, she’d forgotten the connection between them was open.
“It is our way,” Kadan said. Raven could hear the hurt in his tone that he tried to hide, but before she could say anything he turned to his friend. “Ask her directly, Damos,” he ordered softly. Damos’ eyes went wide as he turned to Raven and gulped.
She sighed. Okay, so now Kadan was hurt and Damos was too freaked out to speak directly to her. But she was hurt, too. Why were there all these rules that made it seem like women were treated like they had no brain? It was time to clear a few things up. “Listen, I understand you guys might do things differently here, but where I’m from it is rude not to speak directly to the person you are asking a question about if they are right in front of you. Male or female.”
“Perhaps you need to be reminded you are no longer on your home world,” Selina said with a sweet smile.
Oh boy, did Raven want to punch that woman in the face. It was a struggle to hold back, but somehow she managed. “I don’t think I can forget that. The thing is I can speak for myself, just like you seem to be able to. The only difference is I’m capable no matter who is talking to me, male or female.” Raven was satisfied when she saw the blush staining Selina’s cheeks at the veiled reprimand.
Good. Maybe that would shut the bitch up.
“I meant no disrespect, my queen,” Damos said quickly.
Raven smiled at him. “No problem. You didn’t know.”
She could feel Savitar and Kadan’s irritation over her smiling at Damos and quirked a brow at them both in turn. “For the love of…seriously? You guys have that stupid rule because you’re jealous? I don’t even know this guy and certainly don’t want him. He’s mated to your cousin!”
“We know that,” Savitar replied with a sigh. “But we still don’t like him speaking to you.”
“Deal with it.” This whole meal had been uncomfortable and it was very clear she wasn’t what the people at the table expected from their queen. She made sure both Savitar and Kadan could hear her when she spoke again through their bond. “Clearly I should have just eaten in our room or something where I couldn’t embarrass you until I learned all the rules of this place.”
“You didn’t embarrass us.” Kadan rushed to say.
She wanted to laugh, but had a sinking feeling if she did she would end up crying. And she hated to cry. “Look, this is hard enough for me as it is being here in this strange place and I’m trying my best. I’m sorry I ate too much and that it bothers me to be fed by you. And I hate that your friend would talk about me like I’m not even here. I find it demeaning and it makes me feel like some pet or something you own instead of a person you’re supposed to care about.”
“You are our queen, mate,” Savitar said softly. “There is no rule that is more important than your happiness.”
“Savitar is right.” Kadan added with a look of remorse. “This is new to all of us, but we will learn together. Have patience with us, sweetling.”
Raven smiled at him and Kadan leaned down to press a soft kiss on her lips as Savitar squeezed her hand in comfort. Kadan turned back to the rest of the table, who were watching them with curiosity.
“Our mate was wise enough to point out that the reason males do not speak to mated females is because of the jealousy her mates feel,” Kadan explained. “We may have been wrong if the female does not f
eel respected by the practice. From now on Raven wishes to be spoken to directly and should be accorded her request.”
Raven was touched that Kadan had explained her wishes to the men at the table. “Not that my mates have anything to worry about,” she said quickly. She appreciated them making it clear to their people that she wanted to be treated equally, but she didn’t want to make it seem like she welcomed attention from other men. Males. Damn it, she had to remember to get the terminology right from now on.
The males at the table nodded and Damos took a deep breath before speaking directly to her. “What is a cop, my queen?”
Raven smiled at him. “A cop is like a warrior where I’m from.”
“A warrior?” Koreth laughed. “How can this be? You are no bigger than a youngling!”
“And you are female!” Brynt burst out.
Selina frowned. “This is all very strange.”
“But exciting!” Nyla exclaimed. “Do you come from a race of female warriors then?”
“No, where I come from men and women are equal.”
“Impossible!” Brynt burst out, making Kadan and Savitar growl again. Brynt cast a leery glance at Savitar who had started to rise out of his seat.
Raven placed a gentle hand on his arm so he settled back down then eyed the idiot sitting across from her. She remembered him now. He was one of the males that she had managed to allude during her frantic escape upon her arrival. Amused now, she couldn’t help but smile sweetly at the stupid male. “Impossible? Really? It didn’t seem so impossible when I flipped you over yesterday.”
Brynt’s nostrils flared with anger, but the heat in his eyes had more to do with just resentment. Disgusted with him, Raven leaned into Savitar. When his arm came around her again, she felt safe and protected. Yeah, maybe she shouldn’t have baited Brynt, but it was hard not to when the stupid guy all but asked for it.
Selina cleared her throat and shot Raven a fake smile. “Queen Raven, perhaps you would like to visit with Nyla and myself today so we may…help you learn about female Arcadians.”
Oh, hell no. There was no way in hell she was spending any more time with this viper. “Thanks, but I was hoping to spend the day with Kadan.” Raven turned to see Kadan’s golden eyes glowing with warmth at her announcement. “If that is all right with you?”
“It would be perfect, mate.” Kadan growled softly. “What is it you wish to do?”
“Well,” Raven hedged. “I would like to see some of the city. But before that I was hoping I could see where you guys train.”
Kadan’s eyes narrowed. “You wish to see the warriors training?”
Idiots. The flash of jealousy she felt coming off of both of her mates had her rolling her eyes. “I don’t want to ogle your men,” she said through their bond. “I just wanted to see your training facilities. Remember? I was a warrior, too. I’m used to exercise and stuff.”
“Keep your mate in bed and that will be enough exercise for her,” Koreth said with a laugh.
On a deadly growl, Kadan reached out and with a casual display of strength, picked Koreth up by his shirt and flung the large male away from the table. Koreth landed in a heap several feet away. “You will want to stay away from me and our mate for some time,” Kadan warned in a savage snarl. “Until I no longer have the urge to kill you or until you learn to hold your tongue.”
“Forgive us, King Kadan,” Brynt said as he quickly stood, obviously knowing they had pushed them too far. He then held out a hand to Selina. “Come, sister. We shall take you home.” Selina and Brynt hurried away from the table, all but racing from the room to catch up to Koreth, who had already left.
Kadan turned sad eyes to Raven. “Do not fear me.”
His jaw dropped as she laughed. She reached out, cupping his face in her hands, and smacked a hard kiss to his lips.
“This may be inappropriate, but that was totally awesome!”
Chapter Seven
Raven walked out into the sunlight holding both Kadan and Savitar’s hands. The sun was a bright white against the light-pink sky, making it difficult to see until her eyes adjusted to the change. Nyla and her mates walked with them as they made their way across the courtyard.
There were people milling about that stopped to bow as Kadan and Savitar walked by. It made Raven feel weird, but hey, they were kings. It was going to take her a lot longer to get used to the genuflecting being directed at her. She could tell that the others were curious about her by the way they stared, but she tried not to notice them and kept her head held high even though she wanted to burrow into Savitar’s side to avoid the scrutiny.
“Queen Raven—”
“Ah, do you think you could drop the title and just call me Raven when we are among friends?” Raven asked her mate’s cousin. “We are related after all…sort of.”
“I would be honored.” The other woman smiled and her eyes glowed bright with pleasure. “I am so pleased my cousins have chosen such a beautiful and kind mate. It has been many long years that I have waited to see Savitar, Kadan, and Tristan so happy.”
“Speaking of…” Raven began. “I thought you guys were all born as triplets. Are Kell and Damos your only mates?”
“Nay, our other brother Malik is guarding King Tristan while they hunt,” Damos said.
“Ah. And by hunting you mean…”
“They hunt the rogues that hide within our region,” Kadan explained. “Malik is Tristan’s personal guard, just like Damos is mine and Savitar has Kell. About that, we will need you to have guards as well. One of us will try to always be with you, but for the times when we cannot, you will need to be guarded.”
Well, that made sense. There would always be threats against the rulers of any land and as the Queen of the Iron Palace it would make sense she would have to have guards to keep her safe. “Okay.”
Kadan nodded. “Good. We shall choose a trio that you feel comfortable with. Two of them will always be with you and they shall rotate on a schedule.”
“Why two when you only have one?”
“Perhaps it is because we believe you will cause twice as much mischief?” Savitar quipped, shocking the others at his lighthearted mood.
Raven could tell that this was not how he normally was in front of others and that he was making an effort, for her. She could also sense that he was worried she would be angry with the added protection. They only wanted to keep her safe, so she would have to suck it up and deal with two guards.
She sighed. “You’re probably right. But if I have to have two bodyguards I reserve the right to tell them to get lost if we need…private time.”
Savitar’s eyes brightened with lust. “We shall send them far away.”
“Deal.”
She felt Kadan’s sorrow at her and Savitar’s easy banter. He believed it would be a long time until she was comfortable enough to joke with him, but he was also pleased that she treated Savitar well and accepted him for who he was.
Still, she had decided to start fresh with Kadan and that was what she was going to do. Knowing their thoughts was confusing, but very helpful at times. She turned to Kadan and batted her lashes up at him, making him stiffen in shock. “Although, I thought it was your job as my mates to guard my body personally,” she said in what she hoped was a seductive whisper.
“Every inch, mate,” Kadan growled. She slowly smiled in response.
Kell cleared his throat. “The guards will mostly be necessary when you leave the palace, Queen Raven. It is essential that you let your guards know whenever you are venturing out into the Citadel.”
“I will. But I’ve also been trained on how to defend myself,” she reminded her mates.
Nyla smiled shyly. “Cousin Raven, were you truly a warrior where you were from?”
Raven nodded at the taller woman who shivered at the very thought. Savitar had told her earlier that Arcadian females didn’t like violence and it was clear by the expressions of the others that they couldn’t imagine a woman doing a warrior�
�s duties.
“I mean no offense, my queen. But you are as big as my sword. How is it that one such as small as you are able to defend yourself?” Damos asked cautiously.
Raven laughed. “Well, considering people from my world aren’t as big as you guys, it’s a lot easier. But besides that, I carry a weapon when I’m on duty.”
“Is that what that toy was you held last night?” Kell asked.
“Toy?” Raven asked.
Kell nodded. “The small metal object that you held in your hand at the festival.”
She laughed. “That was my gun. It’s not a toy, it’s a weapon.”
Kell frowned. “I do not understand.”
Savitar’s head tilted to the side. “I would like to see this weapon of yours.”
Uh oh. The rest of the group stopped walking as she slowed to a stop. She nibbled at her lower lip as she thought about how to approach this. If she showed them how her weapon worked, what would be the effect on this new world? She could be the cause of mass destruction if they chose to replicate it. Thousands of lives could be destroyed. Jesus, they would end up calling her the Queen of Doom or something if this went bad.
“We would not allow you to be called that,” Kadan said to her privately. “Is this weapon of yours something to be feared?”
The easiest way to help them understand was to show them. Raven made sure the link was open between her and both her mates as she thought of the latest gun fight she had been part of. She had been investigating a murder that had ended with a large drug bust on the south side of Chicago in an old abandoned warehouse. The tactical team had stormed the building, taking down several suspects who had fired at them. She had been part of the team and had to take down two of the drug dealers herself.
Both Savitar and Kadan stiffened as they relived the scene with her. The tightening of their jaws and the burning rage in their eyes had her watching them warily.
Shit, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.