Breathing Vapor (10 page)

Thrasher stepped into the chamber.

Mira squeaked and grabbed the remnants of her fabric wrap. “I’m naked.”

Vapor glanced at her, his forehead furrowing. “He won’t touch you.” He didn’t appear at all concerned about his own nudity but he was a male and a cyborg. Cyborgs spent much of their lifespans naked.

“You smell like him.” Thrasher wrinkled his nose. “I don’t want to touch you.” He shook his head, dismissing that notion. “You’ll need these.” He tossed a black flight suit to Mira and another one to Vapor. “And these are for you.” He lobbed boots in her direction.

She caught them also. They were massive, double the size she normally wore.

And they were black. Mira hadn’t donned any color other than white since her mom died. Looking like the other Humanoid Alliance females had decreased the questions she had to answer, the lies she had to tell.

Her fabric wrap was bloodstained and torn. She had to wear the outfit. “Turn around.”

Thrasher exchanged a puzzled glance with Vapor. Her cyborg shrugged.

“Please,” Mira added. Thrasher sighed and did as she asked. She dressed quickly. The flight suit was as large as the boots, the fabric hanging from her shoulders. She rolled up the sleeves and pant legs. “Is the fighting over?”

“Yes.” Vapor’s friend faced her. “I increased my kill rate by thirty-two—twenty-one insurgents and eleven Humanoid Alliance would-be warriors.”

“You shot Humanoid Alliance warriors?” She gawked at him.

“They wouldn’t listen to reason and wanted to enter the tunnels.” His shoulders lifted and fell. “That would have put you in danger.”

Instead, he put himself in danger. “You won’t share that information with any other being.” She looked at both of them. “The battle’s over. I’m assuming the Humanoid Alliance was victorious?”

Thrasher nodded.

“Then my life is no longer at risk.” She stuffed her feet into the huge boots and fastened them. “I’ll do the talking. You’ll follow my orders.”

“You won’t put yourself in danger.” Vapor’s flight suit barely contained his fit form, the fabric stretching tight over his shoulders.

“I won’t put myself in
unnecessary
danger.” Some danger was necessary.

He grunted and filled his pockets with weapons. “In the future, I’ll be by your side whenever you leave the compound. You’ll go nowhere without me.”

“That’s not possible.” She rolled her eyes. Vapor couldn’t be her permanent guard. He was the Humanoid Alliance’s top warrior.

“You’re the Designer’s daughter. You’ll make it possible.” Her cyborg wasn’t backing down. He opened the door, gestured for Thrasher to lead the way.

He was an obstinate ass and would escape his keepers, risking reprimands or worse to protect her. She had to find a way to appoint him as her escort.

Mira followed Thrasher. Walking in the large, heavy boots was like striding in knee-deep water.

The tunnel was pitch black. Unable to see a thing, she slowed her pace, reached out her arms and grasped air. Oh fuck. She was lost.

“You’re a stubborn female.” Vapor swung her into his arms. She gasped and clasped his neck, holding onto him. “Your vision system is inadequate.” He rushed forward, moving at cyborg speed. “It requires an upgrade.”

“I’m human.” Had he forgotten that fact? “I can’t be upgraded.”

“It also isn’t possible for you to tell the truth.”

Mira lifted her chin. “You know why I lie.” He was the only being who did, the only being she’d told about her mom. “Would you rather I be honest with every being and face the consequences?”

“Not with every being. With me.”

She touched his face, his skin warm under her fingertips. “Why would I do that?”

“Because you want me to trust you and there’s no trust without honesty.”

She did want his trust. She was tired of being alone, misunderstood and hated. “I’ll try. It’ll be difficult for me. I’ve spent my entire lifespan hiding the truth.” Openness with another being was a scary prospect. “I might fail you too.”

As she’d failed her mom and others.

“When you fail, I’ll reprimand you.” Vapor squeezed her ass.

She might enjoy those reprimands. Mira gazed up at him, relieved that he didn’t expect instant total honesty. “I won’t relay any information that will put you in peril.”

“Talking to us now puts us in peril.” Thrasher’s voice originated somewhere in front of them. “Beings are above us.”

She listened, heard nothing. “Can they hear us?”

“A wise warrior doesn’t take unnecessary risks,” Vapor answered.

They traveled through the tunnels in silence. When they reached the opening to the building, Thrasher hauled himself up the rope some being had dropped downward, a dagger clenched between his teeth.

She looked upward into the light. “I can’t climb the rope.” It shamed her to admit that. Her arms didn’t have the strength to support her curves.

“I’ll carry you.” Vapor’s head bent toward hers. “But first, you should know,” he lowered his voice, murmuring the words into her right ear. “She’s waiting for us on ground level.”

She didn’t have to ask whom he was referring to. Lydna, her mom’s former friend, was alive. Mira’s brief respite from the deadly game she was playing was over.

“I understand.” She fixed a cold expression on her face.

Vapor gazed down at her and nodded. “I see that you do.” He straightened. “Move to my back.”

She obeyed him, straddling his waist, clinging to his shoulders.

“Don’t let go.” He curled his fingers around the rope and pulled them upward.

She didn’t plan to.

Chapter Nine

His female’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. Vapor watched Mira as she greeted her enemy. She kissed the air by Lydna’s cheeks, embracing without touching.

“You look ghastly.” There was a gleam of satisfaction in the older female’s eyes.

She was alive. Vapor pressed his lips together. Many beings weren’t. The chamber’s ceiling, floor, walls were coated with blood.

“No offense, Lydna, but this wasn’t one of your better parties.” To the outside observer, Mira appeared bored. Vapor, however, knew she wasn’t. He saw the faint signs of worry, the twitch of her fingers, the stiffness of her spine. “My garment, an original design, was destroyed. If the machine hadn’t brought me this.” She plucked at her flight suit. “I’d be naked.”

The machine
, Thrasher grumbled.

That’s how many humans see us.
How much of Mira’s act was the role others expected of her and how much was her true self? Vapor didn’t know.

“The machines were helpful during the incident.” Lydna’s gaze slid to Vapor and to Thrasher. “I was told that one of them threw its body on top of yours, protecting you.”

“It crushed me.” Mira’s bottom lip curled. “I was most displeased and will reprimand it later.”

Vapor looked at his female. She’d be the being reprimanded. He’d redden her ass until she couldn’t sit. She avoided his gaze, pointing her nose in the air, looking like the Humanoid Alliance elite she was.

“I’ll have to reprimand many of my human guards.” Lydna glanced at the males around her. “They were a disaster during the incident, leaving me exposed, not following my instructions. One of them had the gall to tell me to shut up.”

“No.” Mira touched her chest. “I hope you had him executed.”

Was this the same female who had cried because she thought she’d caused the bombing, who asked him to spare criminals sentenced to die?

“If he hadn’t been killed in the fighting, I would have.” A male died, likely protecting her, and the older female showed no remorse.

“Cyborgs never talk back.” Mira patted Vapor’s stomach. Her mere touch shouldn’t arouse him. They’d had multiple breeding sessions. Yet it did. He struggled to control his inappropriate reaction. “They’re programmed to obey our orders.”

Lydna studied them. “You mentioned they were available for private purchase?”

“There’s a limited supply. The Humanoid Alliance wants most of them sent to the front lines or to a planet or wherever. I don’t pay attention to all of that boring stuff.” Mira waved her hands. “Now, with your
eventful
party, I suspect every female will want her own cyborg.”

Red crept up the other female’s neck. “It wasn’t only my party. The entire city was attacked.”

“Oh, how tedious.” Vapor’s human examined her fingernails. “Then my father will be overrun with requests.”

“But you’ll save two cyborgs for me, won’t you?” Lydna stepped closer to her. “Because we’re dear friends?”

“Hmmm…” Mira glanced at Vapor and Thrasher and then back at her enemy. “We
would
look stunning, the two of us, surrounded by four big males.”

“The other females would be envious.”

She nodded. “I’ll handpick two for you.”

She’s selling cyborgs
, Thrasher’s words were weighted with disappointment. His friend was losing faith in Mira.

It appears that way.
But appearances with Vapor’s female were almost always deceiving.

“I require cleaning.” Mira sniffed. “And this horrific garment has to be discarded before some being sees me in it. Black. Who wears that ghastly color?”

Warriors wore black. It allowed them to fade into the shadows.

“Your ship is waiting outside.” Lydna led the way, stepping daintily over debris.

Vapor scanned the surroundings. Armed males were positioned outside the structure. They were humanoid, appeared non-threatening.
Thrasher, position yourself in front of my female.

Your female?
His friend did as he requested, sliding between the two humans.
She’s selling our brethren.

If she’s telling the truth, she’ll be the human chosen. And she will die. By my hand. No other.

There was a long pause.

Do you think she’s lying?
Thrasher slowed, creating more of a gap between them and Lydna, protecting Mira from her enemy.

I don’t know what to think.
Vapor had never faced a being like his female. She lied about everything.

They stepped into the light. A ship waited. The structure to their right was rubble. Fires burned to their left. The downward ramp had a massive hole blasted in it. A layer of ash covered the ground.

There wasn’t a mark on the ship’s gleaming white hull.

“It hasn’t been touched.” Mira sounded pleased.

“Yours is one of the few ships still functional.” Her friend navigated around the hole in the ramp. “If we had known, we would have sent all of our transports back to the cyborg manufacturing compound during the party.”

“Who would have guessed that the locals would act so foolishly?” Vapor’s female shrugged, the movement jiggling her curves. “The Humanoid Alliance will destroy them and rightly so. They’re ungrateful heathens.”

Thrasher opened the door to the ship. Mira entered the vessel and sat primly, her knees pressed together. Vapor and Thrasher claimed the seat across from her.

“Don’t forget my units, Mira.” Her enemy’s smile chilled Vapor to his frame.

“You’re being tedious, Lydna.” Mira swept the air with her fingers. “What are you waiting for, machine?” she snapped at Thrasher. “Close the door and input our destination.”

Is this part of my duties now—opening and closing doors for her?
Thrasher obeyed her commands and the ship moved.
I’m a cyborg, a warrior, not her servant.

“Female,” Vapor rumbled.

She held her right index finger up to her lips. “Ship, has any being, other than myself, accessed your controls?”

“One unidentified female has accessed my controls, adding recording and tracking programs.”

His female had reason to be careful. She glanced at Vapor. He nodded, indicating that they’d take care of it.
Thrasher, can you remove those?

I’m on it.
His friend placed his palms on the panel and closed his eyes. He broadcast the feed to Vapor, the images scrolling too fast for any human to process.

What he discovered enraged Vapor. In the past, the ship had been programmed to stop at the most dangerous districts at the most dangerous of times. His female took too many risks.

“The ship is now clear.” Thrasher returned to his seat.

“Good.” Mira visibly relaxed, her shoulders lowering, the warmth returning to her face. “There’s no need to say who accessed my ship.” She gazed out the viewing panel. “I already know it was Lydna.”

“Yet you’re
selling
cyborgs to her.” Vapor couldn’t get the disgust out of his voice. “To your enemy.”

“Yes, I am.” She met his gaze, holding it.

“Are you lying to me, female?” He didn’t know anymore.

“I’m not lying to you. The cyborgs will be sold and delivered to their new mistress by the end of this planet rotation.”

That despicable act would seal her death sentence. The other cyborgs would choose her as the target and Vapor would have to kill her.

He couldn’t allow that to happen. “You will
not
sell any of my brethren.” He pulled her across his lap, facedown, ass up. “Agree to this or face the consequences.”

“Let me go.” She wiggled, kicking her legs, punching his thighs with her tiny fists.

“I’ll release you when I have your agreement.” He swatted her ass. The sound of skin hitting fabric-covered skin rang through the ship. She jerked and cursed under her breath.

His stubborn female didn’t yield.

“Agree, Mira.” He could be as stubborn as she was.

“I’m selling them.” Her voice was strained.

“You are
not
.” Vapor whacked her generous curves a second time, using only a portion of his strength, wishing to shock her, not hurt her. She cried out, her spine bowing, but she didn’t say the word he wanted to hear. “Agree.”

“Never.”

She wouldn’t break easily. “Agree.” Smack. “To This.” Smack. “Obstinate.” Smack. “Female.” He rained blows down on her squirming ass.

Mira shrieked and fought. Vapor pressed one hand between her shoulder blades, pinning her to his thighs, holding her easily, and continued to reprimand her.

He was careful to vary his blows, not hitting the same expanse of warm female twice. He might have been too cautious. Her musk filled his nostrils and she lifted her ass, meeting his descending palm midway.

The spanking was arousing his female. She wanted this. Vapor’s cock hardened. Excitement and need surged through his circuits.

Punishment, he reminded himself. This was supposed to be a punishment.

Her legs trembled. If she came, he’d take her, lose himself in passion, and she’d learn nothing from the experience.

He also wouldn’t gain her agreement.

Vapor needed her agreement. He didn’t want to kill her.

He forced himself to slow and then stop the spanking. Mira tilted her ass upward, offering her body to his hand.

Stars above, she tempted him.

Vapor gazed at the ship’s far wall, fighting for control, his fingers twitching to finish what he’d started, to give her the satisfaction she craved.

“Vapor.” Her voice was thin with need.

“Tell me you won’t sell any more cyborgs.”

Mira said nothing, her head hanging downward, her blonde curls covering her beautiful face.

“I’ll give you release if you give me your agreement.” He rubbed his palms over the curve of her ass, accentuating the burn, reminding her of the pleasure he could grant her.

“Fuck you, cyborg.” She wiggled. “I’ll obtain my own release.”

“No, you won’t.” Vapor caught her wrists and extended her arms, taking that option away from his clever female. “Stop fighting me. You won’t win and you’re hurting both of us by not capitulating.”

She twisted, trying to pull her arms free. He held her easily.

After several moments of useless struggle, she calmed but she didn’t surrender. “I’m selling your friends,” she muttered against his thighs.

She wasn’t selling cyborgs. She was selling his friends. Vapor’s lips flattened. “If you sell any of my friends, I’ll be forced to kill you.”

“I thought you’d already decided to do that.” She turned her head and gazed up at him. Tear tracks glistened on her cheeks and he felt a twinge of guilt. He was partially responsible for her distress. “You marked me.”

He had. “Agree to stop this foolishness and I might not have to kill you.”

“Some things are worth dying for.”

“Like what?”

She didn’t answer. His closed-mouthed female wouldn’t tell him anything.

She’d put him in the position of having to end her life. When he did that, the light in her eyes would dim, her heart would stop beating, and any chance of happiness for him would cease to exist.

Vapor sighed. “We’re warning the others about your plans.”

“No, you’re not.” Mira stiffened. “You vowed that you wouldn’t relay the activities of this planet rotation to any being.”

“We made that vow last planet rotation.”

“What?” Her eyes widened. “You can’t wiggle out of it using a technicality, Vapor.” She pushed against him, and he released her, needing the distance, knowing she couldn’t move far from him. “You understood what I meant.” She scurried to the opposite seat.

“A machine follows commands, not meanings.” His tone was dry.

“But you’re not a machine. You’re a cyborg.” She crossed her arms underneath her breasts, as though she was trying to protect herself.

From him.

From his betrayal.

You can’t trust any being, she’d told him, and he’d prove her right if he didn’t relent. She’d look at him as she looked at the others, her eyes cold and her beautiful face frozen.

Vapor didn’t want that. He wanted to be the male she relied on.

We understood what she meant,
Thrasher contributed, his friend’s response solidifying Vapor’s decision. Saying nothing was the right choice.

“I
am
a cyborg.” He nodded. “And cyborgs, unlike humans, have honor. We’ll extend the original agreement to this planet rotation and won’t relay your conversations or actions to any other being, including our brethren.”

She blinked once, twice. “You won’t betray me?”

Her shock that they’d maintain their silence squeezed Vapor’s heart. His little human had been surrounded by enemies for too long.

“No, we won’t betray you.” His voice softened.