Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Several weeks later, Kyden was again in his office, doing the work he hated but his mate-wife Elara was at his side and that made the situation much more tolerable.
His desk was clear, mostly because they’d had satisfying sex on it less than an hour ago and he’d swept everything to the floor before he laid Elara down.
She was laughing so hard at his impatience it had taken him several ferociously devoted minutes to distract her and remind her how much she craved him.
If the cleaning staff at the House of Badari wasn’t used to the way Kyden dealt with the things in his office that frustrated him, they should all resign and he’d start over with new people.
It wasn’t an issue, however, as his House Manager Arinna ran a well trained operation and she was indulgent of his every whim and quirk.
The com chimed. “Samyra the Beast Lady,” he told Elara with a raised eyebrow. “She must have read the contract you sent.”
“Oh this will be interesting,” his mate responded with a grin. “Let’s hear what she has to say.”
Kyden flicked the accept button and Samyra’s holo sprang up on the desk. “Samyra! Congratulations again on being selected as the first female gladiator in the House of Badari.”
She blinked and seemed a bit rattled by his enthusiastic greeting but after a brief hesitation, she said, “Thank you. It’s quite an honor. I’ve been going over the contract and I have a few questions and counter proposals.”
“Always happy to negotiate,” Elara said, which was true. She loved to get into the details with the other side of any deal.
“I don’t believe you’ve met my mate-wife Elara,” Kyden said with pride.
“We’re looking forward to having you here,” Elara said graciously. “Now what were your concerns with the contract?”
“You’re asking for Harton, which I understand, since you said you were also evaluating potential recruits for the House of Badari,” Samyra said, launching into her issues.
“But I see you’ve also listed Jamirr and I’m sure I told you he isn’t actually a member of my gladiatorial team.
He only fights when I decide to put him in. ”
“But as you yourself just said, we’re keeping an eye out for new talent as part of this eight week special season,” Kyden kept his tone calm.
“I don’t think there’s any point in his coming. I have no plans to sell him.”
Forcing himself to keep his fangs retracted, Kyden drummed one talon on the desk. “The contract is for all three of you or none of you. Take it or leave it.”
Glancing at him and putting her hand over his, Elara added her input.
“Surely there’s no harm in bringing the man?
He can enhance his skills for whatever you plan for his future.
I had my heart set on you being our first female gladiator…
” She let her voice trail off and then added, “We do have a backup in mind of course, you might have heard of her—Helene of Trantomere? But you’re clearly the top choice.
And exposure to our audience in the Five Systems is priceless for any gladiator.
I have a whole slate of public relations events and interviews set up.
We’ve got a top-drawer PR person with contacts in all the major media markets and influencers. ”
Kyden admired the way she wielded the carrot and the stick.
Samyra looked as if she’d bitten into a lemon but nodded. “Of course. If you’re willing to bear the expense of his travel to the Five Systems with Harton and me then I’m agreeable. But you must be clear on the point Jamirr is not for sale.”
Tilting his head as if to acknowledge her point, Kyden stifled a chuckle. He already knew that from his previous efforts to acquire his brother though puppet bidders. Let him come to the Five Systems, let him remember he was a Badari and everything would change.
“Fine then,” Elara said brightly. “We’re in agreement. Were there any other points at issue or can we expect the signed copy today?”
“I travel with my pets,” Samyra said. “They’re my signature, part of the brand. I need their expenses and arrangements for their care and housing written into the contract.”
“Surely not all of them?” Kyden asked. The thought of her bringing two hulking tusked tantoreans for instance was appalling but he’d pay for it if their presence advanced his efforts to rescue Jamirr.
“Of course not. Many of them travel quite poorly as a matter of fact. I can make do with Tazur and my two Baradian dogs.”
“No problem.” Elara made a note. “I’ll have the House Manager set up the proper space. Send me your requirements.”
“That’s another thing—you expect me and my two men to live in your House?” Samyra asked. “I’m sure I can rent a suitable place of my own there for two months.”
On this he would not budge. “All my gladiators—anyone under the banner of the House of Badari—live within the compound,” Kyden said, aware there was a hint of a growl in his voice and uncaring. “No exceptions are made.”
“The place is huge,” Elara rushed to assure the other woman.
“You’ll have a suite of rooms and all the privacy you require.
And no rent to pay, nosy neighbors or utilities to worry yourself about.
We find it’s better for the security of all the House members to have one location to guard.
On occasion the fans can be a little extreme, as I’m sure you’re aware.
The gladiators you’re bringing will of course have rooms in the barracks wing with the other men. ”
“You have an answer for everything.” Samyra didn’t sound pleased. “Very well, I’ll make my annotations on the contract and sign it.”
“Wonderful,” Elara replied. “I can’t wait to meet you in person. Safe travels.”
The com ended.
“I think she’s having second and third thoughts,” his mate told Kyden. “But the potential opportunities our sponsorship can unlock for her outweigh any concerns she may have about the Jamirr issue.”
“It’s a well crafted trap,” Kyden said. “Thank you for your part in designing the specifics and talking her through her qualms today.”
“She’ll genuinely benefit,” Elara replied.
“Unless she gets here and completely fails, which no gladiator of her skill and standing would do. She’s way past stage fright.
And if she and Jamirr aren’t mates then she really has no claim on him, does she?
Other than legal mumbo jumbo. I want your brother to be free as much as you do. ”
“We’ll have to walk carefully nevertheless.
Prince Pargen was explicit in warning me to be circumspect in how I rescued this Badari brother.
” The knowledge rankled. Any other time he’d already have freed Jamirr and brought him to the Five Systems as a free man to take his place in their pack.
Only the knowledge Samyra wasn’t an abusive owner and the fact Jamirr was in a confused state over his true nature gave Kyden any comfort.
Jamirr had appeared content enough with his situation and his work with the exotic animals.
The Five Systems was everything Samyra expected and nothing like what she was used to.
She and her two gladiators were met at the spaceport by Benet and whisked into a luxury groundcar for the trip to the House of Badari.
The city through which they drove was bustling and busy and built on a scale that made her planet’s capital seem like a village.
Once Samyra arrived at the mansion that was Kyden’s home base she had to fight not to be overwhelmed.
The building stretched away on either side of the main entrance and rose six stories into the sky.
As they were driven to the private, family entrance she saw other buildings in the compound and a training field, with gardens beyond.
Kyden and his mate Elara were there to welcome her and her small team.
Feeling perilously out of control in this situation, Samyra instinctively objected when Benet began to walk away with her two gladiators. “I need to see where my men are to be housed,” she said pugnaciously.
“Of course, totally understandable,” Kyden replied. “Benet will show you and then when you’ve had the tour of the barracks he’ll bring you to the main house and Arinna the House Manager will show you to your suite. In the meantime we’ll have your luggage taken there.”
“And my pets?” she asked, tired of holding the leashes, although all three were behaving themselves quite nicely at the moment.
“We built a kennel to your specifications,” Elara said. “Dmitri volunteered to take them there if necessary. He has his own equestrian unit and is very good with animals. I’ll call him now if you’re ready.”
“I’ll have to view their accommodations as well,” Samyra said.
She was awed at the way these people spent credits, building a special kennel for her three animals when she’d only be here eight weeks.
Unless of course she was invited back for the regular season.
Yes accommodations for the pets had been in the contract but clearly the House of Badari went above and beyond on everything.
The sheer wealth and power on view here were breathtaking.
A silver-haired Badari appeared from inside the house and made his bow to Samyra as if she was truly a queen instead of holding the title from the arena.
“Pleased to meet you,” he said. “I look forward to talking with you at more length about your animals when you have time. For now let me promise to take good care of these charming ones.”
Jaxur and the canines seemed perfectly willing to walk away with him so Samyra concentrated on Benet. “I’m ready to see the fighters’ quarters.”
She could find nothing to complain about or object to in the barracks wing of the compound.
It bothered her to have Jamirr treated as a gladiator when she kept stressing over and over that wasn’t his main occupation, but there wasn’t anywhere else to properly house him here.
She did comment to Benet about the doors having no locks and he gave her a reproachful look.
“Lord Kyden keeps no slaves,” he said flatly. “One of the first things he did after taking over the House was to free all of us and he continues the practice with new gladiators. Do you wish us to place locks on the doors of your men?”
In the face of his obvious disgust and disapproval, Samyra decided not to make an issue of it.
She trusted Jamirr and Harton was too intensely focused on his chance to impress Kyden to take advantage of the freedom and attempt an escape.
Harton was currently living every Hinterlands gladiator’s dream, having a shot at a place in a major Five Systems House.
“No,” she said mildly. “We’re here and will abide by your customs. I was merely commenting.”
The kennels were amazing, with plenty of room for the canines to run and in Jaxur’s enclosure there was a variety of climbing opportunities and places for her to curl up and nap, as well as toys. The food and water dispensers were modern and the whole place was immaculate.
At long last she allowed herself to be conducted to the suite set aside for her as an owner of her own House.
She had a sitting room, an office alcove, a huge bedroom and a bathroom with all the amenities even nicer than the one she had at home.
Arinna the House Manager assured her if anything was lacking, it would be fixed.
When the door closed behind Arinna, who meant well but hovered too much for Samyra’s taste, she went to the bed and flopped onto the mattress, which was firm the way she preferred it.
She tried to imagine Jamirr in the bed with her but it was highly unlikely they’d end up here.
It seemed pretty obvious the gladiators didn’t mingle with the other members of the House for social calls and nothing had changed between the two of them.
He was still her slave and not free to make his own choices.
Her handheld chimed and she found a schedule for meals in the main dining room, a training schedule, an invitation to have dinner with Kyden and his mate in three days and notice of appointments for her with one Falayla, who she inferred was their PR specialist. And the House physician for her physical.
She hoped he’d never heard of Lajaran’s Syndrome and wouldn’t think of screening for it.
Traveling had made her condition flare up and she’d have to fake her way through tomorrow’s training.
She adjusted the appointment with the doctor to the following week but didn’t see any reason not to keep the one with the PR person.
She’d been basically doing all her own media relations and social media for years so she didn’t expect much from this meeting except perhaps a slate of interviews and guest spots on the Five Systems publicity channels.
Samyra hoped this wasn’t a mistake on her part but the chance to be the first woman fighting for Team Badari, even in this limited engagement was too good to miss. She was sure to reap huge benefits from bringing her skills to this much bigger market.
Eight weeks, she thought. I can survive anything for eight weeks. And plainly she was going to live in the lap of luxury for the two months.