Chapter 274: The Saalistaja Elder
I looked up at the camera in the corner of the conference room and made a slashing motion with my hand.
The screen cut out, and I slumped down into my chair. There was silence as Da’kea turned to look at me.
"I’m sorry," I grunted out after a few minutes. "That’s a lie. I’m really not sorry, but I think I should say it simply because you are looking at me like that."
Da’kea let out a low chuckle and pulled my chair close enough so he could pull me out of it and place me onto his lap. He wrapped me in his arms and rested his cheek on the top of my head. He was in full armor, so not overly comfortable, but it was almost easier on me since I couldn’t see his face.
"I understand that you think this is important," I said before stopping myself. Okay, that was not the best way to word it, but my brain wasn’t working right now. "But I need to hurry up and move on."
"Okay," replied Da’kea simply, not letting me go.
"Okay? That’s it?" I asked, stunned. There was no way he would give in that easily. This was what Da’kea lived for, negotiating with people. Why was he suddenly just giving in?
"We can all tell that there is something on your mind," he explained. "And it has stressed you out to the point where your scent has changed. I know that I pressed these meetings on you, so you can deal with them as you please. But understand that you can always talk to any one of us. We are here to support you."
His words made me want to cry, stupid hormones. I nodded my head and looked down, refusing to let him see my tears.
"We get the next two meetings done, and I’ll tell you what is stressing me out," I promised him.
"Deal."
The next call was to the Dryadalis, and if I thought the Sisalik took the news of the Alliance’s downfall badly, it was nothing compared to how the Dryadalis reacted.
I kid you not; he actually stated that the universe would collapse if they weren’t left in charge of everything. How a species got like that, I had no idea, but it just reinforced my belief that everyone was better off without the Alliance.
Luckily for me, Da’kea wasn’t in as much of a mood to negotiate as he was before. Taking a page out of my diplomacy book, he threatened them into compliance, promising swift and brutal retaliation if they chose to form another Alliance or kept trying to intimidate the other species.
When the link closed that time, I gave him a big kiss on his cheek, so happy with the way he handled things. Did I think I was better than the Alliance? Not at all. I was more than aware that I was doing what they used to do: threaten and manipulate people to get what I wanted. But all I wanted was for the different species to be able to choose how they wanted to live without being subservient to anyone else.
Same tactics for a different result.
"One last meeting. Are you ready for it?" asked Da’kea as the link on our end started beeping.
"No," I groaned. He chuckled and smoothed down my hair.
"It will be fine. It’s the Saalistaja. They will be more receptive to us," he assured me. I just couldn’t see it happening.
However, I wasn’t willing to argue with my mate right now, so I simply kept my mouth shut and nodded my head.
Soon. Soon, I would be nestled deep under furs where I could sleep for the next few days.
"Da’kea," came a deep voice from the overhead speakers. "I didn’t think you would be brave enough to call."
That statement made my eyes open, and I turned my attention to the monitor in front of me. No one and I mean no one, spoke to my mate like that and got away with it.
I watched as Da’kea retracted his armor so that the other male could see his face as they talked.
"Athadodh," he said, tilting his head a fraction of an inch in acknowledgment. "How have you been, old friend?"
"Old friend?" scoffed the other male, and I watched his outer mandibles clicking together in irritation. "I don’t have a friend like you."
Yup. I was done.
"You will not speak to him like that," I hissed as I stood up and glared at the male. "He is doing this as a courtesy because he respected you. But I don’t see why."
Da’kea reached up and pulled me back down into his lap. His outer mandibles opened so that he could place them on my head as the inner ones gently scratched my skull. It was his way of getting me to calm down, and I would have to admit, it normally worked.
But not this time. This time I was pissed.
I glared at the male Saalistaja, refusing to back down for any reason.
"You are not one of us. I suggest you hold your tongue before I take your head," sneered the other Elder, making me smile.
"Sure," I responded, the half smile on my face only becoming bigger. He wanted my head, by all means. "I’ll even give you my coordinates to make it easier on you. Come, take my head."
The male looked at me, stunned, before turning his attention back to Da’kea. "What are you doing?" he demanded, seemingly upset that my mate was paying more attention to me than to him.
Da’kea didn’t bother to answer, both of his mouths more than a little occupied with my hair. He tightened his arms around me as he hit a particularly good spot that made my eyes roll back in my head.
"You are the ones that contacted me," sneered the Elder representing the Saalistaja species. "The least you could do is answer my questions."
"I am sorry," said Da’kea, raising his mouth just enough that he could speak. "I am trying to calm my mate down so that she doesn’t declare war on the Saalistaja because you insulted me."
