Mated (The Sandaki Book 1) Read Free

this happens?”
    The girl shrugged. “Why? There is nothing we can do about it. I can never go home, so I must go where the Silarin tell me.”
    “Why can’t you go home?” Laira asked.
    “My planet is water, and I was a water dweller. The Silarin have made me an air breather and have taken my beautiful fins away…” she trailed off. “It is done,” Isha finally said. “We cannot go back. From what I understand, once the process is finished, it is permanent.”
    Tears once again gathered in Laira’s eyes, but not for herself. This girl had gotten far worse treatment. “I am so sorry.” Laira hesitantly took one of Isha’s hands. “If I can figure out a way, I’m gonna make these jerks pay for everything they’ve done to us. They are going to be so sorry they ever kidnapped Laira Marshall.” She huffed out a breath and rubbed the tears from her checks. “So, we’re stuck looking like this? No matter what happens, we’ll never be ourselves again?”
    “I am sorry. Come, let us go and you can meet the other people here.”
    Laira nodded. No sense sitting alone. Isha was right, there wasn’t anything she could do right now. Ever. The two of them left the room, Isha helping Laira walk. Damn, she ached. She likened the pain to shin splints, but it was bone deep and everywhere. Her body felt unnatural, gangly, and hard to control. The longer she struggled to walk, the angrier she got. It wasn’t like she’d been a raving beauty or anything, but it was her body, her face, and she liked them both the way they’d been. Now, a stranger stared out at her from the mirror, and she hated it.
    A few short steps and around a corner was a large room filled with women of every size, color, and style. At least, Laira assumed they were all women. Whatever they were, there were a lot of them.
    Isha led her to a small gathering of couches to sit with two other people, one a burnished copper and the other with flowing tentacles for hair. Laira tried not to stare but couldn’t help herself. It was better than the cantina scene from Star Wars .
    “Who is this?” copper girl asked, cocking her head in a bird-like way.
    “Laira,” Isha replied. “Chal”— she pointed to copper—“and Tarin,” went to tentacles.
    Laira gave a brief smile. “Hello.”
    Both women studied her then Tarin spoke, “So you are the new stock the Silarin are so excited about? I do not see why.”
    “I do,” Chal replied. “The Silarin have offered nothing like her before.”
    “Yes, but she is so pale and uncovered,” Tarin shuddered.
    “And I so don’t like being talked about as if I can’t hear.” Laira cut them both off. “I may be new, but I’m not dumb. So either talk to me, or change the subject.”
    Isha smiled when both women turned to look at her. “Normally, Laira, the young ones are still overwhelmed by indoctrination. They are unable to speak or respond in any way.”
    “Oh well.” She shrugged. “I guess the Silarin ran out of luck with me.”
    “You have spirit,” Chal said. “You will bring much at the markets.”
    Laira grimaced. “Believe me, that isn’t what I have in mind.”
    “You are not thinking to do something foolish are you?” Isha widened her large eyes even more.
    “I told you, I plan on making them pay for ever bringing me on board. I’m going to show them that they need to stay far away from Earth women. Because, dude, we so ain’t easy.”
    Isha patted her hand. “I understand you are upset.”
    “I’m not just upset; I am pissed.” Laira shook her head. “And confused. So, anyway, tell me how this place works? What do we do?”
    “This is our communal space. We do everything here together—sleep, eat, relax. On the far side of the room are cleaning chambers, and over there”—she pointed—“are pallets and pillows for when you get tired. Guards come in and out, but they do not speak to us.”
    “Good, because I want to observe the Silarin. I at least want to know what my