Chapter 6 #2
But the other woman was shaking her head.
“Mistake. Confuses the brand identity, sends the wrong message. Here for the next eight weeks you need to be the Beast Lady through and through. Let them come to see if you can make good on your boasts. Which I’m sure you will, given your ranking at home.
Too late to undo the dissonance you’ve created on Porter Three but we need you to have a clear consistent message here. ”
“I can handle that,” she said confidently, choosing not to take offense.
“The documentary crew will be filming off and on during this training period and of course during the season. They’ll expect to have at least one candid interview with you—you can be yourself there, not the image since the trideo will come out after the season is over.
They’ll be doing after-fight quick sound bites so be prepared for that as well.
Kelly Geffenmer is the lead interviewer and she’s an ally of Kyden’s so there shouldn’t be any big drama.
No secrets to hide, I hope. She used to be an investigative reporter for a major network and her instincts come to the fore if she gets a whiff of any scandal or secret. ”
Samyra spread her arms wide. “What you see is what you get. Bring it on.” No secrets at all, barring her Lajaran’s Syndrome condition and a few other things about her House’s business safely hidden at home.
Falayla’s eyes were narrowed and Samyra knew the consultant wasn’t buying her innocent act but she didn’t follow up on the issues. “I’m out of here then. You can get in touch with me if any issues arise. I’ll be back with my assistants for the fitting in a week.”
As the training days wore on, Jamirr found himself eagerly anticipating the chance to spend time with the other Badari.
His grasp of the language was becoming more and more fluent and he’d even ventured a few attempts at telepathic communication.
His dreams were full of places and people he knew were important to him and during the days memories came back in bits and pieces.
He hadn’t seen much of Samyra, which left him a bit melancholy, but she was on her own training track.
Benet had worked her into the exhibition routine Kyden and the others were going to perform to open the first arena program and since she wasn’t Badari she had to practice intensely to manage the split-second timing.
Jamirr worried about her Lajaran’s, which flared up under pressure and stress but when he did catch glimpses of her she seemed animated and going full out.
He’d heard ugly remarks in the barracks from some of the other gladiators about how she was getting special treatment and an unfair advantage.
He’d come close to fighting one man who’d acted especially bitter but the others had intervened, reminding Jamirr and his target this opportunity was too important to screw up in a barracks brawl.
Kyden wouldn’t stand for such a lapse in discipline.
Every morning he checked on the three animals they’d brought from Porter Three and spent time with them. Finally one day he found Samyra there as well, cuddling with Tazur. The cat was purring, eyes slitted, as Samyra scratched her chin.
“The two of you look so perfect together I wish I had a holo camera to record the moment,” he said.
“I dodged the damn documentary team,” she said, giving the cat a final pat and rising. Dusting off her pants, she added, “I deserve some time to myself in this place and I miss my girl and my boys.”
“I spend time with them every day,” he told her. “Kyden’s servants are doing a fine job but I know the animals miss home and their routines.”
“So do I,” Samyra said with fervor and a smile. “But this is only for eight weeks—we can endure, right?” She joined him outside the enclosure and looked him up and down. “Are you doing all right? No one is pressuring you or trying to force you to fight?”
Instinctively he guarded the secret of how much time he was spending with the other Badari and gave a reasonable answer that shaded the truth.
“I’m scheduled for a lot of training time but no, no one has said I’m to fight.
I want to be prepared in case you…need me.
” He raised one eyebrow, hoping for an update on her illness.
Samyra rubbed her bad arm, which was a tell maybe things weren’t going as well as she’d hoped but he didn’t see a tremor. “I’m managing fine so far. Of course the arena will be the true test, won’t it?”
“The staff here measured me for a new uniform,” he said, unsure if she knew about it or not. “With Kyden’s badge. But also our badge in a smaller dimension, below it.”
She sighed. “Yes, I’m getting a new outfit as well and I did know about the badges. That damn fine print!”
They walked out of the kennel area and Jamirr said, “Have you seen Dmitri’s horses yet? They’re beautiful animals.”
Shaking her head, Samyra said, “I haven’t although I’ve heard about them of course.”
“Let me introduce you then.” He led her into the spacious stable and took pleasure in her delight as she spoke to each horse and became acquainted.
He was sure she’d love them and would probably consider getting a few for their zoo at home.
Maybe she’d even learn to ride, which could add a new dimension to her Beast Lady role.
Not to ride them in the arena of course but at other times, in trideos or parades perhaps.
And then he could ride, because horses required a lot of exercise.
Dmitri had allowed him to mount one of his sturdy horses and take a few turns around the paddock and Jamirr had been entranced with the whole experience.
He and Tazur were deeply bonded, in part because the alien predator in his DNA was feline, or so he’d learned from the other Badari.
The knowledge explained a lot and opened more doors to memory for Jamirr.
He was getting a much better idea of who he really was, not merely a confused and abused slave rescued by Samyra.
But the feeling of riding a horse and being in tune with the animal and it obeying his signals was a distinctly happy one he deeply desired to repeat.
“I’d better be getting back,” Samyra said reluctantly as they emerged from the stable. “I’ve got interviews to do today. I’d rather fight a three-armed Mesotanian with one hand tied behind my back but the press is important to the success of this season.”
“And it’s in the fine print?” he asked with a grin.
“Oh yeah.” Her smile was rueful.
Jamirr wanted to kiss her more than he wanted his next breath so, greatly daring, he drew her into the office alcove, which was deserted, and took her in his arms. She raised her face to his and they kissed, the embrace getting more and more passionate the longer it went on.
His cock lengthened and pressed against the fastening of his cargo pants to the point of pain.
When he touched her breast through the thin material of her silken top, she gasped and drew away.
“We can’t do this here,” she said. “We can’t do this at all. Just because we’re not on Porter Three right now the power imbalance between us is the same as it always was.” Turning on her heel she strode away.
But he’d seen the glimmer of tears in her eyes and knew she wanted him as much as he was craving her. With a muttered curse he headed for the private Badari running track, determined to work out his emotions on the obstacle course.