My Cyborg Savior (Crimson Romance) (11 page)

“We don’t plan to run the government. We have people loyal to us among the senate. Not everyone wants us killed.”

She rolled her eyes. “Now that shocks me.”

He gazed deep into her eyes like he was trying to read her, while revealing nothing of himself. “You don’t really want me dead. Or any of us. You think it’s as much of an injustice as keeping the genetically engineered in ghettos.”

“This is different. You’re ten times more of a threat than the Gens are. You have a brain rivaling a computer. You have reinforced skeletons. I’m sure you know your fair amount of government secrets, and you’re stealing their ships.”

“You still don’t think we should be stuck out here, rotting in space under threat of death if we’re caught. Admit it.”

She glared at him. She wasn’t going to say it. He was right of course. No one deserved this. But when they behaved as they were, who could blame the government for wanting them contained.

“Fine. Don’t say it, but I know you believe it. Your actions prove it.” He turned and stormed away from her. “Keep up, or I’ll assign you another guard and be done with you.”

She’d pissed him off. She couldn’t help it. She refused to insinuate that it was a good idea to overthrow the government. She didn’t agree with that. It would get many more people killed. He said they had friends in high places, but there was no way to ensure that their favored leader would get the position, and despite their belief that he or she was on their side, he probably couldn’t even get laws passed to save them.

She looked around the ship as she followed closely behind him. It all seemed so familiar. Like she’d been here before, or …

She stopped and her jaw dropped as she stared at the walls around her. There was only one ship this size that had been stolen in the past decade. “This is Vengeance!”

Galen turned around and smirked at her. “Yes, yes it is.”

She gaped at him. “But how? It was state of the art. Guarded by half the military and then there was its crew. How did you do this?”

“Well, with a whole strike force it would have been impossible, but with one man? It was easy to slip in unnoticed. I hid in the repair tunnels, and started wreaking havoc on their systems. It took me days, but I found environmental controls and alerted them that the ship was going to be flooded with neurotoxic gases. Everyone made a mad dash for the exits, when really all I did was hold my breath and slowly vent the atmosphere. I can hold my breath for twenty minutes. See, I’m still human. I didn’t even break any records. Then I released a life pod of people who didn’t quite make it out.”

He grinned. “It turned out that stealing it was the easy part. Piloting it with one person? Significantly harder. More than one system tends to require your attention at once, and multitasking can be dangerous while flying a ship alone.”

She shook her head. “But you made it.”

“That I did. I managed to use autopilot, which while not preferred, was a huge help because I had to maintain the ship’s systems and yank out the fucking tracking system in it. It also had a remote self-destruct. I guess they were reluctant to use it though. Now if they do, they’ll blow up a chunk of asteroid and send it careening toward the capitol building. It took some math, but I think I got the trajectory right.”

“You’re big on bragging, aren’t you?”

“Pfft. Kiss my ass. I am male, after all. We do our fair share of gloating. I am still unmatched for thefts of government vessels. Though I’m hoping Kyle does better. I don’t mind losing my title of Reigning Theft Champion for a new ship.”

She couldn’t help laughing. “There’s a title?”

“Yep, with a trophy.”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh, that I have to see.”

He leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Well, I’m sure I can arrange that. It’s on a shelf above my bed.”

She shook her head and stepped away from him. “You know that won’t happen. You ruined your chances. I can’t ever trust you again.”

His gaze turned solemn. “I suspected as much. A shame. You’re a beautiful, special woman and I want you. But it will be worth it if we can get what we need. Besides, I don’t intend to stop trying to seduce you. Follow me.”

He turned and walked away while she glared at his back. Couldn’t he just let it go? But it
was
a shame. He was just as incredible to her. She’d thought he was a wonderful person. He had legitimate reasons for what he’d done, but he’d still taken her from home into a dangerous situation. She trailed behind him, and couldn’t help but notice the scowls of the other cyborgs as they passed. They didn’t like her. It was another tally in the danger column. She couldn’t forgive him, no matter what his reasons.

The door in front of them slid open and they stepped inside. It was the mess hall. Several cyborgs were sitting around chatting. A few were women, but there were mostly men. Everyone’s eyes shifted to her and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Every single gaze held hostility. She edged closer to Galen. No matter what he’d done, he hadn’t physically injured her. She felt safer near him.

He stuck his hand out behind him as if he sensed that she needed something to give her strength. She grasped it and he pulled her through the room to sit at an empty table.

“I’m going to get us some food. Sit tight. No one will hurt you, and I’ll be right over there.”

He pointed to the line across the room.

She nodded. She could sit here for five minutes while he got food. She glanced around at the enraged faces as he strolled away and hoped he came back soon. Instead of glancing at him with apprehension, she closed her eyes and massaged her pounding temples. Nothing helped when she got migraines like this. It was going to hurt until he gave her pain meds to knock her out. Hopefully she could keep food down. It was a problem occasionally, if the agony got too intense.

“Hello, human.”

She opened her eyes, and gaped at the Amazon standing over her. Jamila was tall, but this woman would have rivaled Galen. She was ripped too, like a female body builder. Were cyborgs built that way or did they spend time bulking up? She smiled at the woman, and prayed that being polite would help with any hostility. Judging by the woman’s deepening frown, it wouldn’t.

“Can I help you?”

“You’re awfully scrawny for one of our men. A few were wondering if you would survive them taking you.”

That had occurred to her too. Galen was always gentle, but if he lost control it wouldn’t end well for her.

“Honestly, I don’t know, and I don’t intend to find out.”

“Why? Too good to fuck a cyborg?”

“If you’re going to put words in my mouth, I’m going to nap, and you can have this conversation by yourself, okay?”

It sounded rude, even to her ears. Damn the migraine. It made you go for the throat every time, even with people you liked.

When the woman smiled, a little chill went down Jamila’s spine. “Well, I’d love to know if you can take one of them. They’re rather aggressive in bed, and they don’t seem to like you very much.” She turned and shouted to the men in a language Jamila didn’t understand. They laughed, and some eyed Jamila with obvious lust.

“What did you say to them?”

“Nothing, little human. I’m sure you’ll find out.”

Her hands flashed out so fast Jamila didn’t see them coming before they were tangled in her hair. The woman wrenched her neck back and she couldn’t contain the small gasp of pain. “By the way, Galen is mine. I’ll make sure you pay if he fucks you.”

“Ann! Let her go, now,” Galen shouted from across the room. His long legs ate up the distance as he came to her aid.

She met Ann’s gaze. “He’ll beat you bloody if I tell him you’ve threatened me. He already knows what you said to the room. I’m guessing it was unkind, dirty, or threatening. Do you really want to wait around for him to make it over here?”

Ann released her, and fear darkened the woman’s features. She turned and stalked away. Jamila took a breath in relief and rotated her neck. Ann had pulled it so hard that it would be sore for days. If she could only go back and start today over.

Galen reached her side and thumped two prepackaged meals on the table. He cupped his hand over her neck and massaged gently. “Did she hurt you? What did she say?”

“Yes, she hurt me, but not much. And she threatened me. Said you were her fuck buddy and I should keep my distance.”

He snorted. “I’m hardly hers. We had sex before I left for my mission, over a month ago. I can’t believe she hasn’t found someone else.”

“Whatever. You’re not mine. Keep her away from me. What did she shout to the room?”

His knuckles cracked as his hands clenched into fists. “That you wanted to be fucked by one of us. That you couldn’t wait. Don’t worry. I’ll have a talk with them after I take you to your room. I won’t let any harm come to you.”

She was starting to think he couldn’t prevent it.

• • •

He watched as she ate. She grimaced with every bite. It wasn’t the kind of food she was used to. This was only a little better than what she’d given the orphans in the Haven district. It was for survival, not to invigorate your senses with decadence. He was sorry he couldn’t offer her more. Though surely she’d traveled and eaten similar food.

She pushed away her half eaten meal and massaged her temples. This headache worried him. Her little bump on the head shouldn’t have caused such a powerful migraine. Cyborgs didn’t get headaches. Was something wrong with her? Surely if there was it would have been detected by her doctors and removed. It was time to take her to lie down.

“Are you done?”

“Yes, it tastes horrible.”

“Sorry about that; the meals aren’t going to get any better either. We’re searching for a planet to settle on, but the search for a habitable one is difficult. Until then we have to deal with the rations we steal.”

She sighed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude.”

He snorted. “I think you have every right to be. It’s not a problem. I can handle one crabby, small woman.”

She glared at him. “Yeah, until I rack you.”

He arched a brow. “I’m pretty sure I could grab you before you managed that.”

He stood and held out his hand and helped her up. They quickly exited the dining hall while he glowered at everyone who dared to stare at her. This was one problem he had to deal with. It had taken him quite a bit of restraint not to injure her by accident. If one of these men went near her … he didn’t even want to think about what would happen. Especially if someone decided to have sex with her. He knew she wouldn’t consent to that and it would probably get her killed. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. He loathed putting her in this situation. She’d proved to be a good person, despite her upbringing. She didn’t deserve to be threatened by his people.

Ann’s reaction puzzled him. The sex between them was casual. No strings. It often was among cyborgs. And yet she acted like she possessed him. He’d have to set her straight. He belonged to no one, and right now, the only person he wanted to fuck was clutching his hand like a lifeline.

He glanced at Jamila. She still trusted him, even though she said she never would again. He was the lesser of evils. Not a compliment, but it wasn’t hopeless to try and wiggle his way back into her good graces. Well, if he didn’t have to maintain the act that he would kill her if they didn’t get what they wanted from her father. If they let her communicate with her father at all, she had to believe her life was in danger. It put an unfortunate kink in his plan to seduce her. Nothing he couldn’t get around but he regretted causing her stress.

He arrived at the door to his chambers and it slid open. He pulled her inside and sat her on the bed. “Why don’t you shower while I get you a painkiller?”

She nodded and he left, silently locking the door behind him. He couldn’t bear watching her get undressed. Not while she was in his room, and would be sleeping in his bed. He shook his head. He was a grown man. He could handle a beautiful woman sleeping next to him. He snorted. No he couldn’t.

He turned the corner a few feet from the infirmary and spotted Ann sashaying toward him. “Do you want her, Galen? Don’t deny it. I’ve seen the way you stared at her. Held her hand.”

Just what he wanted to do right now; arguing with Ann was annoying at best. “If you know the answer, why ask the question? I want her, but I can’t have her, so it’s moot. She doesn’t want me back.” He was positive that wasn’t true, but he wasn’t about to share that with Ann.

Ann trailed a finger down his shirt. “Why don’t you come with me then, and work out your frustrations. We had incredible sex.”

It had been alright. She was a little too fake for his tastes. He got her off, but none of her responses were genuine. Not like Jamila. Every time he touched her, he could see exactly what she was feeling. Exactly what he did to her. It was intoxicating.

“No, thank you. I have to keep an eye on her. I don’t have time to fuck you. If I don’t get back, she may try to escape.”

“Then tie her up. You should put her in a holding cell anyway.”

“She’s not a criminal, Ann. She’s not even dangerous. But she is resourceful. By the way, don’t ever threaten her again. Stay away from her. She’s not a threat to you, and she’s a good person who doesn’t deserve anything we’re doing to her. If you hurt her, I’ll make sure you suffer.”

She snarled. “She’s human. They deserve whatever they get.” She turned and stalked off. He ground his teeth. She wasn’t going to stop. He was going to have to watch Jamila and keep her far away from Ann. He finished his walk to the infirmary and grabbed a painkiller.

When he made it back to his room, Jamila was face down on the bed in one of his shirts. It rode up, and didn’t cover her ass all the way. He bit back a moan as his cock hardened in a rush. Her long legs hung over the edge of the bed, and all he could imagine doing was spreading them and plunging into her wet, warm cunt from behind.
Stop. Her head aches. And she’s still angry with you.
No matter how much he repeated that mantra, his libido refused to listen.

“Jamila, are you asleep?” he whispered.

“No. Head hurts too much to sleep.”