Exposed by the Cyborg

Alyse Anders

Alyse Anders

Exposed by the Cyborg

Copyright 2020 Alyse Anders

ISBN: 978-1-7770382-5-0

All Rights Are Reserved.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this story are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

First edition: July 2020

Cover Art by Amanda @ Razzle Dazzle Designs

Vellum flower icon Created with Vellum

Contents

The Prison

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Acknowledgments

About the Author

The Prison

The Prison had no name. Its reputation far surpassed what any label could adequately capture, the reality far harsher. The Grus and aliens who found their way through the thick metal doors and down the transportation tube far beneath the planet’s surface rarely survived long enough to see the end of their sentence.

Life in the prison was brutish, cruel, and often cut short.

Then the Sholle came.

The prison and its wards were abandoned as the Grus fought for their lives. The Sholle took everything they could, stripping the planet bare and murdering anyone who got in their way.

It turned out that the prison was safest place on the planet.

The Grus fought, fell, but rose once more. The Fallen were born and the Sholle were driven back.

After the war, the Fallen took responsibility for the prison – their cybernetics giving them a survival advantage over the Grus who’d once patrolled the corridors. The gang fights stopped, the chaos contained, and order descended on the prison.

But that didn’t mean things became easier.

The prison beneath the surface of the planet held the hardest of criminals.

All wanting to be free.

Chapter One

Everything hurt and nothing was okay.

Pax couldn’t open his eyes, which only served to make matters worse; his body, which had always been something he’d been able to rely on, wasn’t cooperating. He had the vague impression that he was being moved, but he didn’t have the energy to determine where he was going or who was moving him.

The nanobots in his system were working overtime trying to repair damage that had been done to his cybernetics. Something had happened to him…something that he should be able to remember. Frak, right now he barely remembered who he was.

Okay, what did he know about who he was and what the hell was happening?

Start from the beginning. His name was Pax and he was…dead? No, not dead. He was reborn; he was a Fallen, a cyborg. The Grus used to be his people before the Sholle war that had seen the end of his life. They no longer considered him or the other cyborgs members of their species. No, they’d become something else, something more. A new race that was used as a weapon against anyone foolish enough to attack the Grus. He’d been in prison. No, that’s not right. He worked at a prison? That sounded better but he knew it still wasn’t correct.

He remembered those details, generalizations. But who was he? Why couldn’t he remember what his favorite food was, or what his room looked like? He knew he had a cybernetic matrix that housed all those details, but couldn’t remember the name of the man who’d programmed him.

Maybe he simply needed to rest?

Yes, that’s what he’d do.

Pax let blackness wash over him and drifted into oblivion.

* * *

“What’s going on?” Hallam, the head of the cyborg medical facility on the planet Zarlan, and currently in charge of the stasis tubes of the sleeping human women from the Earth ship, the Kraken, marched into the examination room and the chaos within.

He’d been told of the incoming patient from the prison and the nature of his wounds. Pax was currently taking up a generous portion of the bed in front of Hallam, his body exposed so they had access to the damage he’d sustained in the attack at the prison. What Hallam wasn’t expecting was the arrival of one of the stasis tubes that contained a human woman.

“What is that doing here?” He pointed at the tube before moving to stand beside Pax.

Aerin, Hallam’s assistant and designated contact for the newly woken humans, joined him beside Pax. “We’re experiencing a new phenomenon with the humans.”

“Which is?”

Aerin hesitated in a way very unlike her. “I’m not certain if this is going to pertain to the rest of the humans, or if this is simply our friend here, but the moment Pax was brought into the facility for care, her stasis readings went off the chart. I was concerned that she would die resulting from what was happening, but the moment we moved her in here she appeared to settle.”

They were still learning about the human women and their connections to the twenty-eight cyborgs who were their mates. They didn’t know what had caused these women to board the Kraken and come out to this sector of space, nor how the connection between them and the cyborgs occurred in the first place. Hallam was a doctor, not a philosopher, and he didn’t want to bother with speculation. The here and now, and what was happening to his patients was all that mattered to him.

A glance at Aerin told him there was something else. Rather than speaking, he reached out to her through their cybernetic link. What are you not telling me?

I checked her brain waves. They match Pax.

Of course, they did. She’s his mate?

It appears so. Aerin’s completely relaxed tone underlined her confidence in her response. We should wake her while he’s sedated. It will give us time to properly acclimate her to her new world before he becomes possessive.

It felt strange to have the luxury of time on their side when it came to waking one of the humans. His own experience would have gone easier if he hadn’t responded the way he had to his mate, Ina. Let’s begin the process to bring her out of stasis. I’ll continue to work on Pax and get him healed.

Right away. Aerin turned her attention to the stasis tube, beginning the activation process. I’ll notify Lena that another human is joining them. I’m certain she’ll want to eventually meet with the women as a group to ensure everyone is doing well.

Lena was the human captain of the Kraken, the Earth ship that somehow crossed the galaxy to make it to their planet. Besides being the mate of Rykal, the cyborg leader here on Zarlan, she was involved with the care of her passengers, ensuring they all were properly looked after. It had been a little while since he’d spoken with either Rykal or Lena, and they were due for an update. I’ll contact them as soon as I ensure Pax is well. Wake his mate and we’ll go from there.

Of course.

There was something off in Aerin’s tone, something that caused Hallam to pause. Are you well?

She looked up at him, eyes wide. Yes. Why would you think I’m not?

With the cybernetic link, it was difficult to hold one’s inner thoughts apart from any cyborgs connected with you. Even if those thoughts weren’t in the forefront of someone’s mind, flashes and images would inevitably blink through. It was courtesy to not acknowledge these flashes if they occurred, to preserve the illusion of privacy.

Aerin was lonely.

Hallam turned his attention back to Pax, and the scan of nanobots working inside his body. These repairs are happening quickly. You won’t have a lot of time with the human. Best get to work.

Aerin turned her back to him, and they both ignored the unspoken revelation.

* * *

Sabeen swallowed and immediately regretted it, as a god-awful metallic taste filled her mouth and throat. She let out a groan, but couldn’t help and swallow again, getting more of the taste. Her back was stiff and her neck ached, both a result of the uncomfortable stasis tube she’d been forced to accept. None of the tubes were quite long enough to accommodate her height, though she wasn’t unreasonably tall at six feet, two inches. There were many men who were as tall as her, if not more, so why the Kraken didn’t have a stasis tube that would have fit her comfortably, she wasn’t certain.

At least her uncomfortable slumber was now over.

Sabeen opened her eyes, blinking several times to clear her vision. The room was bright, and the air lacked the heaviness present with every breath she took back on Earth. That made the trip into space worth it right there.

“Take your time. You’ve been in stasis a long while and your body will need time to adjust.” The voice speaking wasn’t familiar to Sabeen, and Earth standard clearly wasn’t the woman’s first language. The fact Sabeen understood her at all was a small miracle.

With effort and some assistance, Sabeen sat up and looked around the room. Her brain must have still been under the effects of stasis, because it didn’t immediately register that the woman standing beside her wasn’t human. But looking up and seeing her glowing brown eyes and what appeared to be cybernetic implants on the side of her face sent a bolt of shock through her.

Snatching her hand away, Sabeen couldn’t help but lean as far back from the woman as she could. “Where the hell am I?”

The woman cocked her head to the side and smiled, though it appeared more for show than anything else. “My name is Aerin, and you and the rest of the passengers on the Kraken safely arrived on the planet Zarlan.”

Okay, that sounded promising. “Where is the captain? Have all of the others been woken?”

“Captain Lena has been notified of your waking and will be arriving soon. You are the seventh human woman to be brought out of stasis.”

“Why haven’t we all been woken at once? Is there a problem?” Sabeen tried to hold her panic in check, but it was difficult.

“Not a problem, but certainly an unexpected complication.” Aerin took a step away from the stasis tube, giving Sabeen some much needed space. “Perhaps we should get you out of the stasis tube first and then I can update you on what has happened since your ship arrived in our sector.”

The discomfort in Sabeen’s legs was more painful that she’d anticipated. She had to take her time standing, using the stasis tube as a prop to keep from falling to the floor. Moving slowly gave her the chance to look around the room and see where she’d ended up. It was then that she realized that they were in what appeared to be a hospital room, and they weren’t alone.

There were several beds and monitors in the room, but currently only one other one was occupied. The man appeared to be sedated, as someone was busy running a scanner across his head and neck. Sabeen couldn’t help but stare at him, curious about what color his eyes were and how his sharp features gave him a regal appearance.

“That’s Pax.” Aerin said, not sounding surprised at Sabeen’s interest. “He was working undercover at the prison when he was attacked during an escape attempt. Our doctor has been working to heal him.”

“That’s good.” Sabeen didn’t understand why, but Pax’s wellbeing was important to her. “I think I can walk a bit.”

Sabeen had been known for her calm demeanor back on Earth. It had been one of the reasons she’d been the main person to interface with customers in the food dispensary. It didn’t matter how upset they were, how angry at the rations or changes to the quality of the produce, she always seemed to know just what to say to the customer to calm them down. It was a gift that occasionally left her emotionally drained at the end of her shift, and sad when she’d return to her small apartment.

She’d loved her job, loved connecting with people, but whenever she’d return home, she couldn’t help but long for something more from her life. She’d wanted to be a part of a community, of something bigger than herself, but there was nothing like that back on Earth. Sabeen had constantly found herself looking to the stars and wondering if there was something more for her in this life.

Then she’d heard about the Kraken and its one-way trip into an unknown sector of space.

She’d been told about the journey from an acquaintance who’d frequented the food dispensary – Carys – and from that moment on, Sabeen couldn’t get the idea of going into space out of her mind. It occupied her waking thoughts, her dreams, everything. When Carys mentioned that Lena was running out of space on the ship, Sabeen knew she couldn’t let this opportunity pass. She let them know at work that she wouldn’t be coming in again, packed her bags and boarded the Kraken for an unknown adventure.

“How long have I been in stasis?”

Aerin hesitated for a moment, helping Sabeen stand straight. “It’s my understanding that you’ve been traveling for just over fifty of your Earth years.”

Sabeen reached out and held onto the side of the stasis tube for stability. “Wow. I knew there was a chance we’d be out for a while. I just…I guess…half a century?” The concept was nearly too much for her. “Shit. Everyone back home is probably dead.”

“Unfortunately, that is quite likely. We’ve been turning our sensors toward Earth to see if we can gain any information on the status of your planet.”

She hadn’t thought she’d miss Earth, given the horrendous state of the place when she’d left. But a lot could change in a century, giving her a bit of hope that perhaps the planet was on the mend. “Thank you.”

Sabeen’s legs ached, but the pain eased with each step. As she moved, she couldn’t help but glance over at Pax, unusually curious about the state of his wellbeing. It felt wrong for him to be unconscious like this, though that was a thought that made little sense to her.

Aerin guided her over to a seat, and quickly went about running some scans. “I’m sure you have many questions about what has happened before your waking. One thing I do need to inform you is that we have nanobots that can be injected into your body. While I have learned your language out of necessity, I am one of the few of my race that has done so. The nanobots act as a translator and can repair minor damage that has occurred in your body. We’ve been modifying them with each subsequent human that’s been brought out of stasis, but there is a chance that they will hurt when injected. It’s your decision if you want them, but we do recommend it.”

“Did the captain get them?” While she didn’t like the idea of alien technology being put into her body, Sabeen was also practical if nothing else. The opportunity to have something that would allow her to understand everyone regardless of their language, well that was really frigging cool.

“She did, though it’s my understanding that circumstances hadn’t allowed for her to have any other choice.” Aerin smiled, this time her glowing eyes going brighter for a moment. “If you’d like to wait until you’ve had the opportunity to speak to one of the other women, we can certainly do that.”

“Yeah, if you don’t mind.” Perhaps it was better to err on the side of caution. “You said there were things you could tell me though?”

It didn’t take Aerin long to take her through a high-level overview of the Grus history with the Sholle, the war that raged between their two species and how the cyborgs, known as the Fallen, had come to be. Her heart broke for Aerin and the others, though she hadn’t met them. Sabeen couldn’t imagine what it would be like to live, fight and die in a war. The fear that must have come with the realization that their lives were about to end and that their world was still in danger.

Sabeen reached out and took Aerin’s hand her hers. “You died in the war as well?”

Aerin blinked, as though this was the first time anyone had thought to talk to her about it. “I did.”

“May I ask what happened?”

“I was part of an emergency team treating wounded Grus. I was tending a patient with my partner when we were attacked by a Sholle shuttle. I…don’t remember much after that. Not until I woke up and realized that I’d been given a cybernetic matrix and enhancements.”

“I’m sorry.” Sabeen gave her hand a squeeze.

“It was toward the end of the war. I was in one of the final waves of cyborgs created.” Aerin pulled away. “Let me contact Lena.”

Sabeen cringed, hoping she hadn’t made things worse for Aerin by bringing up painful memories. Of course, she wouldn’t want to talk about the time that she died. God, she was such an idiot.

Sabeen glanced over at the man lying in the bed, his blond hair slicked back, exposing his perfectly chiseled jaw and corded neck. The doctor had left the room, leaving him alone connected to a medical scanner. She didn’t see any cybernetics on him, not the same at Aerin’s at least. Maybe he wasn’t a cyborg, but either way, she hoped he opened his eyes soon, and recovered from what had happened.

Aerin returned, her expression as neutral as ever. “I spoke with Lena. Rather than come herself, she’s sending a friend to visit.”

“Carys?”

Aerin nodded. “She’ll arrive from the city within the hour.”

Oh, that would make things so much better. Not only would Carys confirm what Aerin said was true, Sabeen knew she’d be able to relax in her friend’s presence. “That’s awesome. Thank you.”

“I’ll leave you here to rest.” Aerin handed her some water and something that appeared to be food. “I’ve been told by the humans that you should find this agreeable.”

“Thanks again.” She waited for Aerin to leave before giving the food a try.

Not too bad. Tasted like slightly salty granola.

Now alone in the medical room with the man, Sabeen couldn’t help but openly stare at him. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was certainly something about him that drew her attention. Drinking her water and finishing up the small snack gave Sabeen the burst of energy she needed to get back onto her feet.

Taking the chair with her, she carefully made her way over to the unconscious man. Surely there wouldn’t be any harm in keeping him company for a little while. She couldn’t go anywhere and Carys would be here soon enough. This was better than staring at the walls.

“Hi there. I’ve just arrived here, on the planet. I don’t even know what’s going on yet.” She sat down in her chair and took a moment to listen to his breathing. “I don’t know what happened to you, but I hope you’re feeling better soon.”

At this closer proximity, she was able to see that there was a burn around his wrist closest to her. His skin was olive in color, and he appeared to be nothing but muscle. She wouldn’t have even looked at a man like him back on Earth, too uncomfortable around someone who was her version of physical perfection.

“I guess you’re a little bit out of my league.” Sabeen impulsively reached out and patted his hand with hers. “I’m Sabeen by the way.”

When she looked back up at his face, she gasped when his eyes were open and looking directly at her.

Chapter Two

When Pax felt someone reach out and touch his hand, he knew something was different. He’d become aware of people buzzing around him, running scans and poking against this matrix. Someone had been reaching out to him through their cybernetic link, but Pax had been too tired and in too much pain to respond.

For the first time in his life all he wanted to do was sleep.

Then something had changed. He wasn’t sure what had happened, but it was as though an electrical current shot through his body to bring his brain back online. Being awake just then was vitally important, so using a sudden burst of energy, Pax forced his eyes open and saw the loveliest woman he’d ever seen.

“Hello beautiful.”

Pax didn’t know how, but this woman was important and her presence here with him was going to mean everything was about to change.

The woman blushed. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand what you said.”

Pax frowned, confusion threatening to overwhelm him. “You should know what I’m saying. What’s wrong with you? Are you broken too?”

She shook her head, sending the short strands of her brown hair flopping with the motion. “Umm, I still don’t understand. Aerin said something about me needing nanobots for me to understand your language. I guess I didn’t realize how important that was because she actually spoke Earth basic to me.”

The mention of Aerin’s name started to slot things into place. He’d been injured at the prison during…something. Perhaps not everything was coming together quite yet. But looking around told him that he’d been brought to the medical facility rather than being treated at the prison itself. That meant his wounds were relatively serious. And while her presence here indicated that she was also injured in some capacity, he could feel that she was fine.

She wasn’t a Fallen or a Grus, so there should be no way that he could know that about her.

Pax knew there was something else hovering on the edge of his memory, something that was important and relevant to his relationship with this woman. Maybe if he rested it would come to him?

Yes, that’s what he’d do.

Turning his hand so her fingers were laced with his, he closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

* * *

Sabeen hadn’t been this confused in a long while. The man had spoken to her in a language that she didn’t understand, but he clearly knew what she was saying. Those nanobots must be quite the translators if they were able to work that quickly, and if she was smart, she’d get Aerin to inject them into her regardless of what Carys or Lena suggested.

Pax had gone back to sleep, though his grip on her hand hadn’t lessened even a little bit, making even adjusting her position on the chair difficult. Well, there were worse positions to be in than sitting down looking at a handsome man while waiting for your friend to come. She could be stuck back on Earth, alone and depressed, waiting for her next shift at the store to come so she had someone to talk to.

No, things could be a lot worse.

Time seemed to slip away from her, because the next thing Sabeen realized, a shout of joy filled the room. “Thank God you’re awake now!”

Carys stood in the entrance of the room, her black hair tucked behind her ears and her hands on her hips. She was nearly as tall as Sabeen, which had been one of the things they’d initially talked about when they’d met back on Earth. Carys was far more street savvy than Sabeen was and cared a ton about the people in her community. Sabeen had occasionally slipped some extra food into the orders that Carys picked up, knowing the other woman was distributing it to those in need.

Sabeen tried to pull away from Pax to get up and give her friend a hug, but she couldn’t break his grip. “I find myself a bit attached.” She held up her hand to show exactly what she meant. “Things have gotten interesting since we left Earth?”

“You have no idea.” Not appearing the least bit confused about Sabeen’s situation, Carys strode over to her, gave her an awkward hug before moving to lean against Pax’s bed. “I take it this is your mate.”

What an odd thing to ask. “My mate? I just found out his name is Pax and that he’d been hurt in some sort of prison fight. The doctor, Aerin, she was going to give me some nanobots to help with translations, but I wanted to wait until I heard from you to make sure everything was safe.”

Mate? God, she’d just met the man and hadn’t even been able to talk to him. How the hell could she have any sort of relationship with him? Craziness.

Carys let out a soft sigh as she crossed her arms. “Okay, I’m going to need you to sit back and listen to something that you’ll immediately dismiss as crazy. I assure you that it’s not crazy, a fake thing, or me being under alien influence.” She cocked her head to the side. “Well, that last bit is only partially true. I’m definitely under an alien.”

“You’re not making even a little bit of sense.” Sabeen knew Carys well enough, but they weren’t exactly best friends. If there was something wrong with her, Sabeen wasn’t certain she’d be able to pick up on subtle changes.

“Okay, let me start from the beginning. Do you remember what it was that made you decide to come with me on the Kraken?”

“It was going to be an adventure. You’d told me about wanting to get out into the galaxy, that you were drawn to it and that really resonated with me. I hadn’t remembered being excited about something in so long. The idea of going out into space without knowing what we were going to find was thrilling.”

Sabeen didn’t know why, but the moment she’d learned about the Kraken’s journey, she knew she had to be on the ship and go along with Carys. Having a friend to be with, to start a new life out on a new planet or space station felt right to her. Not to mention their destination had been weirdly appealing to her.

“It turns out there was a reason all the passengers on the Kraken had wanted to come here.” Carys nodded toward Pax. “There were twenty-eight of us on board, and there are twenty-eight cyborgs on this planet who are our mates. Which, I know that sounds nuts but it really is true.”

“But…how far away did we end up traveling? It’s been fifty years since we left home. Were they even alive when we left? None of this makes any sense.”

“You’re way more logical about this stuff than I was. Darrick didn’t know what he was getting when I showed up in his life.”

“Darrick is your mate?” God, saying that out loud felt weird. “How did you know?”

Carys laughed. “Well, you’re lucky Pax here is unconscious. Well, maybe not lucky. You’d probably be having sex right now if he hadn’t been hurt. They seem to be able to feel our emotions and connect with our thoughts. There’s one of them for each of us.”

And apparently Pax was hers.

“Normally I’d warn you that they can get aggressive with the sex part, but Pax doesn’t appear to be in any condition to do much.” Carys turned and looked over at him. “He’s a handsome one for sure.”

As if on cue, Pax groaned, and his eyes snapped open. He said something and tried to sit up, but Carys held out her hand. “It’s okay! Darrick isn’t here and he knows you won’t do anything.”

Pax said something else, looking between herself and Carys.

Carys stood up and took a few steps away from his bed. “I’m a friend of Sabeen’s here and was telling her about some of the things that have changed since we’ve arrived on your planet.”

“Wait, you understand what he says?” She really was going to have to get those nanobots injected into her if they worked that well.

“I do. Though I didn’t get the nanobots injected into me right away. I’d wanted to try and learn their language myself in case anything ever happened to them and they stopped working. Trust me, they’re far easier than what I was attempting. Though Darrick has been teaching me his language the last few weeks, so I’m getting the best of both worlds.”

Aerin entered the room and came to stand beside Pax. “I see there is lots happening here.” She pulled out an injector from her pocket. “Have you had the opportunity to discuss the nanobots? I’ve made some additional enhancements to them, so you shouldn’t feel the discomfort the others had when they were injected.”

“Lucky bitch.” Carys shook her head and groaned. “I got the full blast of those little assholes and they seriously fucked me up for a little while.”

“I can assure you they’re no longer that way. We now have a better understanding of human physiology and I’m confident that my modifications are effective.” Aerin held the injector out for Sabeen to see. “It’s still your choice.”

One look at Pax and Sabeen knew she didn’t really have any choice at all. There was no way she’d be able to have any sort of understanding of what was going on with him if she couldn’t comprehend what he was saying. She glanced down at her hand joined with Pax’s and nodded before looking up at Aerin. “Okay, let’s do it.”

And one quick press of the injector to the side of her neck later, and it was done.

Sabeen waited for something painful to happen, but the only difference she was aware of was a slight metallic taste that flooded her mouth. She pulled a face and looked around for her water cup. “Could I get a drink?”

“That’s it?” Carys sounded more than a little jealous. “Shit, I nearly threw up and had a headache for what felt like forever.”

Aerin straightened, a small smile on her lips. “I’m pleased I was able to make the experience that much better for you.”

“You’re a wizard, Aerin.” Carys pointed at her with a grin. “I’ll let Lena and Rykal know that you’ve been able to perfect the process.”

“The next phase will be finding a way to control the men so we can wake more than one human at a time.” Aerin suddenly stopped talking and turned her head slightly toward Pax. “I’m going to locate Hallam so he can look at your scans. You should have your memory back by now, given the level of damage that you’d sustained.”

Carys started to leave as well. “I’ll give you two a chance to get to know one another. I’m going to visit Ina and chat for a bit. Sabeen, I’ll let you know before I leave to head back to the city. Okay?”

“Sure. That sounds good to me.”

But knowing she was about to be left alone with Pax and was now able to understand him, she no longer felt as confident as she had moments earlier. When everyone left, Sabeen returned her attention to Pax, and was only mildly surprised to see him staring at her with a soft smile on his lips.

“Do you understand me now?” She hadn’t noticed the rich tone of his voice before, or how it put her instantly at ease.

“I do. It’s much easier to have a conversation with these nanobots inside me.” Her cheeks ached from her awkward smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“I can feel your emotions. I know you’re suddenly nervous about talking to me.” His smile morphed into a small frown. “It’s a strange sensation. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt anything like this on my own.”

“You don’t experience emotions?” God, she couldn’t imagine living a life that way.

“I had before my rebirth, but they’d been taken from us. We have anger and suspicion, useful tools when you’re trying to win a war, but everything else was stripped away so we wouldn’t lose our minds. At least, that’s what I’d been told over the years.”

Sabeen’s heart ached for him and others like him. She couldn’t imagine a life without empathy, love, wonder, any of the things that fueled her spirit. “I’m sorry you’ve had to live this way.”

If that were the case, she couldn’t understand how they were meant to be mates. If he didn’t feel love or any of the other more tender emotions, how could they possibly have any sort of relationship? It was probably for the best if they kept a distance between them while she got familiar with her new surroundings.

The thought no sooner flashed through her mind when Pax gave her hand a hard squeeze. He tugged her closer and Sabeen couldn’t help but move toward him, her gaze locked onto his brown eyes. They didn’t glow like the other cyborgs, which was also strange.

Pax licked his lips. “I’m injured and weak. If I weren’t, I would have you on this bed and claim you as my own. I’ve never wanted a woman the way I want you right now. You’re my mate and I’m yours. I’ll do everything in my power to keep you safe and protected. I won’t ever fail you.”

Sabeen suddenly forgot how to breathe. There was something so intense and yet completely sincere in his face and voice, she knew every word of what he said was true. “Let’s get you healed first. We can worry about everything else after that.”

The problem was, she didn’t know if she could reciprocate his intensity.

She didn’t know if she could love him.

Chapter Three

The pain in his brain was only matched by the incessant itching. According to Aerin, that was a result of his newly forming connection with Sabeen, and that it would ease once they’d finalized their relationship. He couldn’t imagine anything beyond the sensations in his head, or the thoughts that his matrix was struggling to process. As much as he wanted to shut the world out and lock himself and Sabeen in a room where he could lick and touch every inch of her body, he also knew that if he didn’t fix the hole in his memory and figure out exactly what information he’d needed to remember, that something terrible would happen.

He’d never be able to forgive himself if someone else died because of his actions.

Never again.

Still, he was struggling to focus on anything beyond wanting to hold Sabeen in his arms, to bury his cock deep in her body. Wanting to press his nose to her short hair and pull in as much of her scent as he could so he’d never forget what she smelled like. His two obsessions weren’t compatible, yanking him in different directions. He needed to deal with one of them so he could focus on the other.

Hallam had arrived sometime over the past hour, forcing Pax to relinquish his hold on Sabeen’s hand so he could continue his examination. “Your mate isn’t going anywhere.”

A rush of rage surged through Pax when Hallam put a hand on Sabeen’s arm to help move her away. If Pax hadn’t been on the examination table and the restraints activated on his torso, he would have leapt up and attacked Hallam. More behavior so dissimilar what he normally was like.

Pax had been known for his ability to control his anger, to mimic other necessary emotions that he no longer felt, to fit into whatever situation he found himself. It was what made him a good spy. If he lost that ability, he didn’t know what he’d do with his life. All he knew was subterfuge, living in a world of lies. There was nothing in the world other than working in the prison requiring that particular skill set.

Sabeen certainly didn’t.

Hallam patted Pax’s chest and moved to stand beside his head. “I need to remove your lenses so I can run a scan of your optic cybernetics. Don’t move.”

That proved to be difficult when he was aware of Sabeen standing not far away, her curiosity of what his eyes looked like prickling at his mind. “Quickly. I need to get off this bed and move.”

“I know exactly why you want off this bed.” Hallam snorted. “My obsession with Ina nearly caused me to lose several patients. It eases once you’ve mated, but never fully goes away.”

Pax found himself relaxing slightly. “You have a mate?”

“Yes. I became aware of her when they brought the human ship down from Grus Prime. It takes over our matrix in a way I don’t think even Aidric could have anticipated.”

Aidric.

Pax frowned as Hallam removed the first then second lens that covered his true eyes. “The commander is still on the station. Yes?”

“The last that I’d heard, yes. He’d come down not long ago to inform Zee about our mates. There are only twenty-eight, but that’s enough to cause the Grus High Council concern. In order to keep us and the humans safe, he’s taken to passing information verbally, so it’s not easily intercepted.”

Pax had only met Aidric a handful of times over the decades since they’d been reborn. Being one of the last of the initial group of Fallen re-born had made things strangely awkward for Pax. He’d wanted to make amends for his mistakes in the war, and didn’t feel the anger toward Aidric that some of the others had, but was still seen by those who’d been reborn at a later time than him as somehow different. He never quite fit into either group.

Aidric.

There was something he needed to remember about him. Something that Zee and Ingo needed to be aware of to ensure everything was going to be okay.

Hallam let his hands drop but didn’t pull back. “What’s wrong?”

“Something…Aidric is in danger.” But he’d known that earlier, hadn’t he? “I’d asked Zee to let me stay undercover in the prison because I’d heard rumors about Aidric.”

“Good. Your memory is coming back.” Hallam patted him on the chest. “You’d apparently heard about a possible attempt on Aidric’s life. Zee notified Rykal and they’ve put additional security measures in place.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that sooner?” Another burst of rage roared through Pax. “Having all the details I can at hand will speed this up.”

“Having you come to these realizations on your own this quickly indicates that the nanobots in your system are doing their job. I was concerned that they’d been damaged beyond repair when I’d learned the details of what had happened to you. You’re progressing at a good pace.”

Pax didn’t know why, but there was something more to the plot against Aidric than what he could remember. He’d been focused on discovering the source of…something else, when he’d discovered…frak, why couldn’t he remember!

Hallam patted him on the chest one last time before moving away. “I’m still unable to connect with you through the cybernetic link. That tells me that there’s still damage to your matrix that the nanobots haven’t corrected. It will take time.”

Pax let out a frustrated roar that came somewhere from deep inside him. “I don’t have time!”

Sabeen pushed past Hallam and took Pax’s hand. “What’s going on?”

“I believe your mate is annoyed with me for not letting him get up.” Hallam moved away from Sabeen, easing the anger in Pax slightly. “He needs to heal.”

“I need to save Aidric!”

All the sound in the room stopped at once and everyone turned their attention to Pax. Carys, who’d returned not long ago from visiting Ina, joined Aerin and Hallam at the foot of Pax’s bed. Carys frowned as she crossed her arms. “What’s wrong with Aidric? I mean, he’s got a stick up his ass, but other than that he’s been good to all the humans since we’ve arrived. I’d hate for something to happen to him.”

“Someone is going to kill him.” Pax didn’t know the details, he couldn’t remember anything beyond that basic fact, but he knew it was the absolute truth. “I need to remember so I can stop it from happening.”

Aerin shared a look with Hallam that told Pax they were communicating through the cybernetic link. He hated that something he’d taken for granted was no longer available to him. The ease by which they could share information had always served him well, especially with his time spent undercover at the prison. He’d be able to pass details he’d learned over to Ingo during his patrols without Pax needing to ever leave his cell. He’d even been able to have the occasional conversation with Rennick when the mad cyborg was in the mood to behave. Not that conversations happened often or made sense most of the time. Rennick had long ago lost the ability to care for another’s thoughts or situation. Being re-born had changed him, but Pax could never be certain that it was for the better.

“You know Darrick had issues with his matrix when we first met.” Carys looked between them. “He was going into a self-decommissioning state and I ended up using a tool to enter his mind to help pull him out. Aidric helped me set it up.”

“I have one of those on hand.” Hallam shook his head. “The problem is we’re not able to connect to Pax through the cybernetic link. The hardware works on the same principle. We’d need some way to bridge the connection.”

“I’d be willing to try.” Sabeen gave Pax’s hand a squeeze.

“No.” She was his mate, and his desire to make her his was intensifying with each passing moment. He didn’t want her exposed to those unfettered desires.

“We might not have a choice.” Hallam retrieved a data pad and held it out to Pax. “Your brain patterns are already lining up due to your mating bond. As it stands, right now Sabeen is our best option to act as the conduit we need to spark your memory.”

“I know we’re just getting to know one another, but if someone’s life is in danger, I want to help however I can.”

Pax hated everything about this, but if it was their best option to save Aidric’s life, he had no choice but to take it. “How would it work?”

Hallam frowned as he read through the results of the scans. “We would have you both wear the device. Then either I or Aerin would reach out through the link to attempt a connection that would allow us to guide you through the memories, and hopefully trigger your matrix into recalling the information.”

The more he heard about this, the less Pax liked what was involved. “What if we’re unable to retrieve the memories?”

“Then we disconnect Sabeen and we’re no worse off than where we are right now.” Hallam straightened as he picked up the device. “The choice is yours.”

All Pax wanted was to chase everyone out of the room so he could mate with Sabeen. The control he had over his impulses was becoming more tenuous the more he healed. He knew in his heart it wouldn’t be long before being with her was the only thing he’d be able to focus on. Having her connected to his mind was going to end badly for them both.

Sabeen cleared her throat. “Could I talk to Pax alone for a moment?” The others shared a strange look before moving away to give them some privacy. Sabeen watched them go before she turned back to Pax. “Why don’t you want me to do this?”

He should probably lie to her, if for no other reason than to keep her from being scared. “My control over my desires is slipping. I’m concerned that if we’re linked closely that I won’t be able to stop myself from doing something.”

“But this wouldn’t be physical, right? It’s just our minds connecting.”

“That doesn’t mean that something couldn’t happen. It would be worse if I couldn’t stop myself from doing something. I could assault your mind.” No, the thought of things going too far terrified him.

Sabeen stared at him for several long moments before she let out a little sigh. “I think you need to consider that I’ve also now been warned. That means that I can take precautions and ensure that everything is okay.”

“Sabeen –”

“It doesn’t sound like we have a lot of time here. If someone’s life is at risk, I’m willing to take the chance.”

Pax knew she was right, even if he didn’t want to proceed. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t.” Sabeen looked over her shoulder. “Let’s do this quickly.”

Hallam jumped into action and before Pax had time to argue again, both he and Sabeen had the headgear fitted on them both. “I’ll monitor your readings from here and Aerin will attempt to connect to you through the link.”

“Is there anything special I need to do?” Sabeen turned toward Carys. “You did this, right?”

“Yeah, but this is a little different. Darrick was mentally declining, and Pax is aware of what’s going on. I don’t think you’ll need to worry about it, though the entire walking around someone’s mind was weird. My mind manifested things as physical and I experienced touch that way.” Carys blushed. “Yeah, it was unique.”

Pax felt Sabeen’s trepidation and nearly called the whole thing off when she adjusted in her seat and closed her eyes. “Okay then, let’s give this a shot.”

“Engaging the device. You’ll feel its pull immediately. Don’t resist.”

There wasn’t any time for Pax to respond; one moment they were in the hospital and the next Pax was standing in front of Sabeen.

He didn’t know how much time passed from the moment they arrived, to the moment he pulled her into his arms for a kiss. It might have only been a second, but it felt like an eternity before he was able to cover her mouth with his. Sabeen’s surprise washed around him, but it quickly dissipated and morphed into lust. The touch of his hands on her skin – the clothing she’d been wearing mysteriously missing – sent a tremor through his body that nearly overpowered him.

Pax wanted her here and now.

“Yes.” Sabeen moaned softly against his mouth. “Yes, please.”

He didn’t need to ask for clarification about what she wanted. He slid his hand down her back to cup her buttock and press her hard against his erect cock, then in a flash she was gone.

Pax opened his eyes, his chest strained from his panting and let out a guttural noise. “Put us back!”

Sabeen was now standing beside him, looking down at him with her large brown eyes.

“Aerin couldn’t connect to you.” Hallam removed the device from Sabeen’s head. “Neither could I.”

It was difficult for Pax to think straight, his body geared up and aching to make Sabeen his. “Put us back in.”

“I can’t. Not yet.” Hallam looked annoyed, though Pax couldn’t be sure if it was at himself or the situation. “I need to check something first.”

Sabeen shook her head. “It didn’t feel like we were there very long.”

“You really weren’t.” Carys handed her something to drink. “But time is a bit wonky in there.”

Aerin handed him a data pad. “It appears that you’re correct.”

“Correct about what?” Pax despised not being able to connect with the others through the link, hated being kept in the dark.

“When you suffered your injury in the prison, were you connected to someone?” Hallam held up the data pad. “Because I’m getting residual readings of a brain pattern that shouldn’t be there.”

“You expect me to remember that?” Rage roared through him, and Pax jerked hard against the restraints. “Let me up.”

“I can’t.” Hallam stepped past Sabeen. “Who was in the hallway with you?”

Pax blinked, trying to get a hold of himself. “Ingo and Zee.”

“Neither of their patterns match. Was there anyone else?”

Pax closed his eyes, his anger suddenly replaced with dread. “Rennick. We were outside Rennick’s cell.”

“Frak.” Hallam shoulders slumped forward. “That’s what I feared. This is only going to work with him. We need to take the three of you to the prison to try this again.”

Fear slammed into Pax. The only way to save Aidric was to let a murderer into his mind.

Chapter Four

Sabeen wanted to try and remain as calm as she could, especially after Carys pulled her aside and reiterated just how much Pax would be able to feel her emotions. Tensions were high and Pax was visibly struggling to keep himself together. According to Aerin, Pax was physically on the mend, helped by an additional injection of nanobots into his system. Ironically, the healthier he became the worse the situation was going to get. They hadn’t had sex, which was apparently how this whole thing was supposed to help reduce the stress the cyborgs felt through this mating process.

Not that she had any issues having sex with an attractive man, especially one who seemed completely focused on her. But it would have been nice to have more than a few hours to get her feet under her before entering into a life partnership. Because that would be nice.

They’d sedated Pax for the short journey to the prison where he’d spent the better part of the past fifty years. The idea of living out her life below the planet’s surface was a little intimidating, not to mention the thought of Pax’s career as a spy. He lived day in and out in confinement with the prisoners, learning their secrets and helping to keep the peace. That didn’t exactly bode well for them having any sort of lasting relationship, cross-galaxy bond or not.

The shuttle touched down as a surge of lightening cut through the sky. Sabeen couldn’t help but lean forward to try and get a better look through the shuttle’s front screen. “Wow. That’s nuts.”

“Their environment was trashed in their war with the Sholle.” Carys leaned closer as well. “I’ve been fascinated by the storms here on the planet since I’ve arrived.”

“I can see why.” Earth’s environment had been in decline for so long Sabeen wasn’t sure how it hadn’t collapsed before they’d left. “Are we in any danger?”

“No. Apparently things have improved and are continuing to get better. Though I suspect we’ll only have these storms to see during our lifetimes here.”

Hallam landed the shuttle with barely a bump before standing. “I’ve notified Zee that we’re on our way down. I’ll help Pax get settled. You two will need to have your bio signs added into the prison’s AI before we go too far.”

The next half hour was a whirlwind ride that Sabeen found herself caught up in. Long elevator ride down to a maximum-security prison. Cyborg wardens with glowing gray eyes and stern words laying down the law about where she could and could not go. Brief introductions to the other human women who now lived in the prison – Mags, Tara and Darby – none of whom Sabeen had the opportunity to meet before the Kraken had departed Earth.

Mags grinned as she shrugged. “We’ll have lots of time to get to know one another once we get Pax up on his feet. I’m also setting up the medical room here in the prison to be more functional for us. It will save having to call the main medical facility every time someone has a minor wound.”

“Mags is going to put you out of a job, Hallam.” When Zee looked at his mate, Sabeen was surprised to see his entire demeanor change. The hard lines around his eyes softened and a small smile played on his lips.

“Yes, well I appreciate the help.” Hallam turned his attention to Pax who was sitting in a chair, barely conscious. “Have you come up with a plan for how we’re going to do this?”

Zee immediately stiffened as he turned to face Pax. “Are you certain there isn’t another option? I don’t doubt Rennick will attempt something.”

Sabeen still didn’t know who this Rennick was, but based on everyone’s reactions, he was dangerous and not to be trifled with. “Will Pax be safe?”

“Rennick won’t do anything. He wants to help.” Tara stood a short distance away from the others, her expression nearly unreadable. Sabeen knew she was Rennick’s mate, but beyond that she was playing catch-up when it came to the awkward dynamic that was unfolding here.

The muscle in Zee’s jaw jumped. “I know you want to believe that, Tara. But he’s not stable and we can’t count on him.”

“We don’t exactly have a choice.” Hallam ran a hand scanner over Pax. “He’s going to wake up soon, and then we have the additional problem of him solidifying his relationship with Sabeen. If we’re going to do this, we need to start the connection so we can access Pax’s memories and discover who’s attempting to kill Aidric.”

“I have an idea.” Mags turned to Zee, holding out a data pad for him to take. “We bring Pax to the medical room on the floor above Rennick’s level. That should be close enough for him to reach Pax through the cybernetic link, but physically they’ll be removed from one another, and we can also ensure Sabeen is safe.”

Zee shook his head. “The link doesn’t reach that far.”

“It does for Rennick.” Tara crossed her arms. “He’s able to reach further than any of you.”

“How do you know that?” Zee strode over to Tara. “He’s no different than any of the rest of us.”

Sabeen watched as Zee’s mouth snapped shut and he spun around to face Hallam. “Frak.”

Hallam also tensed. “I heard him as well.”

“What’s going on?” Sabeen moved closer to Pax, wanting to keep him safe.

“Rennick reached out to us through our link.” Hallam shook his head. “That answers that question. We can do this anywhere Pax will be comfortable.”

Sabeen took a breath and let it out slowly, hoping it would ease her nerves. “I know I’m new here and don’t really understand exactly what’s going on, but can we move Pax soon and get this started? If time isn’t on our side, then it’s best to move quickly.”

Zee and Hallam shared a look before Hallam moved to lift Pax to his feet. “You’re right. Mags let’s get him down to the medical room. I’ll have you assist me.”

“Tara, I know you’re connected to Rennick.” Zee rubbed the back of his neck, which had him turned his facial cybernetics toward Sabeen. “For your safety I’m going to ask for you to stay up here. The last thing we want is for your mind to somehow get accidently connected to this.”

“I’ll wait in my quarters.” And with that, she turned and left.

“I’ll talk to her after.” Mags came to stand beside Sabeen. “For now, let’s get Pax downstairs and get this started.”

Sabeen had never been a fan of elevators back on Earth, but with three large cyborgs and three anxious women, it was quickly becoming the last place she wanted to be. Thankfully, the medical room wasn’t far from the elevator and it didn’t take long for them to get Pax laying down on a bed. She hated seeing him like this, weak and vulnerable. While she might not have known him for long, it didn’t take a genius to know this wasn’t how he normally was. The brief flash of being in his mind had given her an eye-opening preview of exactly the type of man Pax was – passionate, full of regret but wanting to become more than what he was.

She couldn’t help but be drawn to him even more than she’d been before. She’d been so full of longing for a better life, for wanting something more, that it was easy to recognize the same in another person. Pax’s life couldn’t have been easy for all those emotions to come flooding over her the moment she joined with him. It was something she’d have to brace for when they connected her again.

“Sabeen, if you don’t mind, come sit over here in the chair by the bed.” Hallam held up the device she’d worn back at the medical facility. “This should work the same as before, except this time Rennick’s presence will be there as well.”

Fear crept down her spine like a spider. “And I don’t need to worry about him?”

Hallam glanced briefly at Zee. “No. If this works the connection with Rennick should only be temporary. Once Pax is able to reconnect with his memories then we’ll pull you out and disconnect Rennick from Pax.”

“I’ll be here with you the whole time.” Carys pulled up a chair and sat beside Sabeen, which helped ease her concern. “If anything feels wrong, squeeze my hand and I’ll let them know to pull you out.”

“Sounds good.” She gave Carys’ hand a test squeeze. “I said I wanted an adventure.”

Carys laughed. “Yeah, I think we’re all getting a bigger adventure than we ever anticipated.”

Hallam stood behind Sabeen and placed the device on her head. “I’m going to count back from three. When I’m done, you’ll be connected to Pax. Ready?”

“As much as I’ll ever be.”

“Good. Three, two, one.”

Sabeen blinked rapidly while her stomach churned for a moment and the world shifted from the room she’d been in, to something else. At first everything around her was dark and blurry, as though she’d had too much to drink and was attempting to keep her eyes shut against room spins. But after a moment everything settled, and she found herself standing once more in front of Pax.

His green eyes glowed even in his mind, and they were currently locked onto her. “You’re beautiful.”

The rush of emotion Sabeen had felt in those first few moments they’d been linked together came flooding back. This was Pax in his rawest state. There wasn’t anything hidden from her; his frustration at not being able to remember what had happened before his attack, the lust he felt for her, the fear at having Rennick connect to him, all mixed together and slammed into her. Sabeen couldn’t imagine what it was like to live with such powerful emotions all the time, how it must blot everything else out.

“I don’t feel things like this normally.” Pax was suddenly standing in front of her, his hands cupping her face. “As I mentioned before, nothing but anger and suspicion. They took other emotions from us.”

“You’re feeling much more than anger now.” She loved the feel of his large hands on her face and the way his thumbs caressed her skin. “There’s so much more to you than that.”

She knew he was going to kiss her before he did. There was nothing stopping her from acting on impulse in this place. There was no way she’d be physically harmed, that any of Pax’s injuries would impact them from finally being with one another.

Sabeen had been with a few men in the past, awkward fumblings that left her feeling somehow lonelier then before they’d been together. Being as tall as she was, many men seemed intimidated by her size, not wanting to pursue her as a potential love interest. Even Pax was a few inches shorter than her, but unlike anyone else, he didn’t seem to notice the discrepancy. If anything, it seemed to arouse him.

“Kiss me.” She knew from the touch of his hands that this was going to be different. She’d be not only safe with Pax, but their connection would make things complete. “I want to feel you.”

Closing her eyes, Sabeen leaned in and met his kiss halfway. A shiver of something electric coursed through her body, making every inch of her skin feel alive. His hands slid down her throat and across her shoulders – she was somehow naked – pausing for a moment as his fingers traced a path across her collarbone. Sabeen gasped at the intimacy of the caress, her nipples hardening and her pussy growing damp from such a simple touch.

“You’re perfect.” Pax lowered his mouth to her shoulder and nipped at the juncture.

“Far from it.” But she absorbed the compliment like water thrown on desert ground. “Please, Pax.”

He lowered himself to his knees slowly, trailing kisses down her body as he went. Her breasts were paid special attention as he licked around her nipples. His nose traced along the side of her breasts, teasing the full, round flesh as he continued to move. He nipped at the side of her belly as his hands continued to trace a path around to her ass and down the back of her thighs. Sabeen couldn’t hold in the sigh that spilled from her, as her body swayed forward to press against him. She wanted his mouth everywhere on her. Wanted to feel the press of his wet tongue against her clit, wanted to know how good it would feel to have his cock fill her.

It didn’t matter than this was happening literally all in his head, Sabeen needed to be with Pax.

And she knew that he needed her as well.

While it was surreal, the thought of having sex inside Pax’s mind, Sabeen knew it was every bit as real as it would have been if they’d done this in the medical bay. She knew she’d remember the feel of his fingers as they squeezed her ass, the way her pussy throbbed as he lowered his mouth to kiss the spot just above her pubic hair. She memorized his small gasp of surprise as he moved his hands to cup the inside of her thighs, repeatedly rubbing the smooth skin.

“You don’t have a rondollo. Are you deformed, or is this how all your species are born?”

“No, we don’t have anything on our thighs. Is that what your women are like?”

“Men as well.” He leaned in and kissed the spot where her rondollo should have been. “How do you derive your pleasure?”

“My body’s pretty sensitive. But human females have a clitoris and that usually does the trick.” She opened her legs wider to show him. “You can touch or lick it.”

One moment they were standing and the next she was laying on her back with a pillow beneath her head. She was going to get spoiled in this place. Pax was already pushing her legs wide apart and looking down at her with something that appeared to be wonder. He reached between her legs and circled her clit with his finger. Sabeen kept her pubic hair cut short, hating the way it felt when it got too long. Pax didn’t seem to care one way or the other, as he was completely taken with the look and smell of her.

She closed her eyes as he leaned his face down and pressed a single kiss to her clit. “Yes, that’s amazing.”

That seemed to be all the encouragement Pax needed. He latched onto her clit and sucked just hard enough that when he flicked his tongue across the sensitive nub, Sabeen moaned. The spike of pleasure was instant and nearly the end of her; far too soon for them having just started. She’d never really been a person to ask for what she wanted in the bedroom, normally feeling far too shy for that. If she were lucky, she’d be with someone who picked up on her body language and helped her along toward orgasm.

But here, in this place, she didn’t need to worry about Pax not knowing what she needed. Her thoughts and feelings were as open to him as his were to her. She knew that his cock throbbed and that he wanted her to caress his rondella, the sex organ on his inner thigh that he was so surprised she didn’t have. She simply imagined him pressing his finger into her pussy and Pax responded.

God, how the hell could she go back to reality after this?

Pax pulled his finger from her and moved to cup the inside of each of her thighs. He pulled her legs apart wide as he began to lick and taste every inch of her pussy. It was as though he were devouring a meal and not stopping until he’d licked the plate clean. The vulnerability of how he was holding her made her realize how intimate everything between them was now. She wanted to come so she could make some explorations of her own. Pax moaned as he increased the suction on her clit. Clearly, he was excited at the prospect as well.

The first wave of pleasure rolled through her body, and Sabeen bowed off the floor. Pax held on, refusing to pull away as she came undone. She cried out as her orgasm ignited her skin, her nipples, made her skin sensitive to the air around them. She was aware of everything and nothing at once, pleasure and desire the forefront of her mind. Finally, the waves began to subside and Sabeen was able to relax for a moment.

“Wow.” She chuckled. “You’re really good.”

Pax didn’t respond, instead getting onto his knees between her legs so he could stare at her. She smiled at him as his gaze traveled across her body, taking in the differences and similarities to his race.

“Can I see your rondella?”

He nodded and shifted his position so his left foot was flat on the floor and she could see a large green membrane on the inside of his thigh. It was far darker than anything else on his body, including his large jutting cock, and she couldn’t help but wonder what the skin would feel like beneath her fingers.

“You can touch it.” He said the words breathy, as though he was anticipating what the contact would feel like. “Pressing against it drives arousal toward our pre-orgasm. It’s necessary for procreation.”

“Will I get pregnant?” That wasn’t something she’d even considered before. “I guess not here.”

“I haven’t felt anything there since my rebirth. I…” He shook his head. “Touch me.”

Sabeen sat up and immediately pressed her fingers to the skin she’d been so curious about. Pax immediately groaned, his body shuddering visibly. Oh, that was far more exciting than she’d anticipated. “Why don’t you stand up?”

He did so, and she got to her knees to put her mouth in direct line with his cock. She’d never been one for giving blowjobs, but there was no way she could pass this opportunity up. Leaning in, she sucked on the tip of his cock as she gently increased the pressure on his rondella. Pax’s response was immediate, his hands flying to her head as he kept her in place.

“I’m…” He shivered. “Don’t stop.”

She knew what he was trying to tell her, even if he didn’t have the words. Well, she might not be great at blowjobs, but she was clearly doing it for Pax. With that she doubled her efforts using her hands and her mouth to lick and explore as much of his body as she could reach. With one hand on his rondella, she used the second to tease and stroke his balls and shaft, working them in a way she knew would soon push him over the edge.

Pax’s body shook and his fingers tightened their grip on her hair. It should have scared her, but if anything, Sabeen was becoming more aroused. She was doing this to him, pushing this strong alien male to the brink of his control with her mouth. She’d never felt this powerful before.

“Yes, you are.” Pax said, his voice barely a whisper. “I’m going to – ”

His words were cut off as the first burst of his come splashed across her tongue and filled her mouth. Sabeen let out a happy moan of her own as she sucked him hard, wanted to swallow down every drop of him. If this was what her new life here would be like, she would forever be happy.

Finally, Pax slumped forward, the movement pulling his cock from her mouth. “Enough.”

She closed her eyes and listened to the sound of them both breathing hard. Pax slowly dropped back to his knees and pulled her into an embrace. Sabeen knew that physically, they hadn’t done anything, that once they broke this mental connection they were sharing, she’d have an opportunity to truly get to know his body. For now, she’d savor every touch.

Pax kissed the side of her neck. “I never knew it could be like this.”

“Me either.”

There was a chuckle, but it took Sabeen a moment to realize that it hadn’t come from either of them. In a flash, they were on their feet, clothed and Pax was shielding her body with his. Being taller than him, she was easily able to see another man standing there, his long black hair framing his face and highlighting his gray eyes. There was something else about him, about the way he stood there staring at them, as though he was getting ready to pounce.

Pax let out a growl. “Rennick.”

“Hello, spy.” His grin was wolfish. “We’re going to have some fun.”

Chapter Five

Pax had been dreading the idea of Rennick, a psychotic killer, having direct access to his mind. It didn’t matter than Hallam and the others were on the outside monitoring everything that was happening, there was the possibility that if something were to happen, they’d be too slow to be able to stop it. Not to mention Sabeen was here and vulnerable to Rennick as well.

Now that he was faced with the killer, Pax wanted nothing more than to pull themselves out away from him.

“But you can’t do that, can you, Pax? If you don’t learn who’s after our poor boy Aidric, then the commander will be killed, and you’d be responsible for failing to stop the assassination.”

“If you’re going to be here, then stop reading my thoughts.”

“That defeats the entire purpose of my presence.” Rennick turned his attention to Sabeen. “You’re another one of the humans. I have to admit, your people are all quite fascinating to me.”

If Sabeen feared him, she certainly was able to keep those emotions hidden. “You’re Tara’s mate.”

At the mention of her name, Rennick’s eyes narrowed. “I have a connection with her. Yes.”

“But you haven’t finalized your bond with her?” Sabeen stepped out from behind Pax. “She’s very much been defending you to everyone. She’d be hurt to know that you don’t care for her the same way.”

In a flash Rennick was standing in front of Sabeen, his hand locked around her throat. “You’ll say no such thing to her.”

The impulse to murder Rennick took over Pax and he threw his body against the other cyborg’s, sending them both falling to the floor. Pax repeatedly slammed his fists into Rennick, hitting any available inch of his body. He instinctively focused on the kidney area to quickly debilitate him, despite knowing it would have no effect in this virtual construct. Sabeen screamed at him to stop, but he couldn’t. Someone had tried to hurt her, and he’d stop at nothing to keep her safe.

In a blink, Rennick was back on his feet and at a safe distance, as Pax sat on the floor. “I didn’t mark you as the aggressive type, Pax. You always seemed so calm in our talks.”

“That’s because you were safely behind bars.” Pax got back to his feet. “Let’s get this over with so we can disconnect and get out of here.”

Sabeen placed a hand against his lower back, drawing his attention. “This isn’t going to work if you’re upset. We need to focus your attention on your memories of what happened before your attack so you can get the information you need.”

“You’re right.” He stared at her for what felt like an eternity, wondering how he’d managed to live so long without her. Sabeen’s calm demeanor was a balm to his sudden surge of anger. “I’m fortunate that you’re here with me.”

Sabeen blushed and nodded. “Me too.”

“While I’d like to be a part of this couple’s moment, I think it’s best if we begin. I don’t think Zee will let me be a part of this little show for long.”

Pax knew the history between Rennick and Zee, knew that he’d been responsible for Zee’s death during the war after he’d mentally collapsed and murdered his entire troupe. No one had realized exactly what had happened until after the rebirth of Zee and Rennick, when Zee made the events known. They hadn’t the luxury or resources to not use Rennick and his cybernetic enhancements. But the moment the war was over, Zee ensured Rennick was moved to the lowest cell in the bottom of the prison, with no chance of ever getting out. Pax had spent long enough in the prison as a spy, living in those cells with the others to understand how awful things were for Rennick. How important the brief moments of freedom Pax had outside his cell meant.

While this might not be real, Pax couldn’t imagine Rennick was anxious to return to that cell.

Rennick’s gaze locked onto Pax, his gray eyes fierce. “Let’s begin.”

The blank white space around them was suddenly replaced with the prison’s sterile hallway outside of Rennick’s cell. Pax watched as Rennick walked up and down the corridor, his hands laced together behind his back. “It’s strange seeing things from this angle. It doesn’t happen very often.”

Sabeen left Pax’s side and moved to stand beside Rennick. “This is your cell?”

“All alone in the bottom of the prison. Zee’s worried I’m going to cause an uprising, or else murder everyone who comes across my path.”

“Would you?” Sabeen asked the question with such innocence, Pax’s heart ached for her.

“Oh yes.” Rennick laughed. “The murder, not the uprising. The men and women here are the worst criminals in our sector of the galaxy. They wouldn’t hesitate to stick a blade into me and rip off my cybernetics without a second thought. Why give them the opportunity?”

“That makes sense.” Sabeen shoved her hands deep into her pants pockets. “What about Tara?”

Rennick’s head snapped up. “I’d never do anything to harm her. Ever.”

Pax felt Sabeen’s relief, even as she nodded. “So how do we start this?”

Yes, it was best to get things started, so they could out of this place. “I learned about the plot on Aidric’s life from Cybol during his plans to escape.”

The blue skinned Maytor appeared in the room as the memory changed to reflect the cell Pax had called home for the past six months. Cybol’s head fin stood straight up as he was frozen in a snarl. “Yes, that’s him.”

“Whoa.” Sabeen strode over to Cybol and openly stared at him. “I…he really looks like an alien.”

Rennick snorted. “We’re all aliens to you.”

“Yeah, but your people don’t really look all that different from humans.” She blushed as she looked over at Pax. “Well, there are a few differences. But mostly you’re the same. These guys are…he’s got a head fin!”

Pax chuckled as Rennick shook his head. Sabeen’s excitement was sweet, even if slightly misplaced. “Cybol blew up their government’s sacred circle while they were conducting a ceremony. He killed all but three of their leaders.”

“Wow.” She took a step back. “So, what did he tell you about Aidric?”

Cybol came to life as Pax’s memory took on life. “Once I get out of here, I’m going to find the first brothel I can and fuck every woman I can get my hands on. Then I’ll listen to how they did it.”

“Did what?” Pax asked without thinking; reliving the moment as his brain struggled to pull the thoughts up from the depths of the ether.

“How they killed that fucking arrogant Grus commander.”

“Aidric?” Pax felt the same sense of dread he had back then.

“Yeah. I know he’s your people, but the fucker’s got to go. People have plans and he tends to get in the way.”

Rennick let out a soft grunt. “This is too far back.”

“Why would you say that?” Pax looked around the representation of the cell. “This is where I first heard about the plot.”

“But he knows nothing. You felt it back then and you should feel it now.”

Pax was about to argue with Rennick, but hesitated. There’d clearly been something off when he’d first heard Cybol talk about this, and the reason was just past the edge of his memory, mired in the fog. “You’re right.”

“Can you think of where you were when you learned something new?” Sabeen was fully on board with the investigation now. “If he was only going to hear about it after the fact, then he wasn’t going to be involved with the actual attempt on Aidric. Right?”

“She’s a smart one.” Rennick snapped his fingers and Cybol disappeared. “Time to move on.”

“How did you do that?” Pax didn’t like the idea of Rennick having control of things here in his memories.

“We’re connected in this place. While you might not have full access to the cybernetic link out in the real world, in here I’m able to link with you. That gives me a certain level of control.”

“Don’t you dare do anything that might – ”

“Pax, stop.” Sabeen was between them, her hands flat on his chest holding him back from reaching Rennick. “You need to stay calm so we can figure out what happened.”

“You better listen to your mate. She’s smart and knows what’s going on.” The smugness in Rennick’s tone matched how he always sounded on the occasions when Pax would speak with him across the link. “Cybol put you on the trail, but that didn’t give you the information you needed, Spy. What would you have done next?”

Pax closed his eyes and tried to ignore the fog clouding his mind, and simply think about what he’d normally do in a situation such as this. “I would track down where Cybol got this information. Learn if he had any outside sources and then let Ingo know.”

Ingo, the head of security at the prison, was his main contact when it came to disseminating information out from the cells, to the people who could act on it. If Pax had learned something pressing, he would have caused a riot or other disruption that would have gotten the guards’ attention and given him the opportunity to speak with Ingo without blowing his cover. If he hadn’t done that, either he didn’t learn who the source of the assassination attempt was, or he’d just learned and Cybol’s escape attempt had thwarted his ability to pass that information on.

Sabeen slipped her hand into Pax’s and gave it a squeeze. “Where would you have gone to learn more information?”

“The exercise room during our quadrant’s free time.”

The world around them changed once again, this time to the large square where the inmates used resistance energy to build muscles, and the space to stretch their legs. The space was occupied with an equal number of guards and prisoners, ensuring that there was little chance they would be able to overthrow the guards and attempt an escape. Though many would still try, none would get far. Pax looked around until he saw Cybol off to the side, himself and Cybol’s group of would-be escapees standing around him as they lifted energy weights.

He started to walk toward them, when Rennick appeared in front of him. “Wait.”

“Why? This is what you wanted me to do. I would have come here to find the information I needed.”

“But being on the outside looking in won’t work. You need something that will jolt your memories.”

“What?”

“Participate in the events.” In a flash Rennick was gone, but just as quickly he took Cybol’s place in the memory. “Reliving what happened will help.”

“It might not be a bad idea.” Sabeen hugged herself. “Whenever I’m having problems remembering where I’ve put something, I retrace my steps and I normally remember. It can’t hurt for us to do the same thing here for you.”

“Sabeen, come over here and take this brute’s spot. Though you’re far too intelligent to actually be him.”

Pax growled at the idea of Rennick teasing Sabeen. He already didn’t like the idea of her being here this close to Rennick, the last thing he wanted was for her to be subjected to the hate that came with these memories. “She doesn’t need to be a part of this.”

“I don’t mind.” She walked over to where the prisoner was and moved to take his place. “How will I know what to say?”

“Use your imagination.” Rennick leaned forward and grinned at her, his hair slipping forward to obscure his eyes from Pax.

The sooner they did this and learned what information they needed, the sooner Pax would be able to get Sabeen out of here and free from Rennick’s presence. “If this doesn’t produce results quickly, we’re leaving.”

Rennick turned his head toward Pax, grinning. “I don’t care if Aidric dies. We can leave right now if that’s what you want.”

No. He might be uncomfortable with Rennick being here, but the last thing Pax wanted was to have someone else die because he hadn’t done everything in his power to stop an attack from happening. It didn’t matter that he’d been injured on his way to providing the attack plans to the high command. The fact that he’d died before arriving didn’t matter either. An entire platoon of Grus soldiers had been ambushed because he’d failed to get the information to the people who’d needed it.

He’d failed.

Never again.

Pax took a breath and put himself mentally back into that moment. As soon as he did, the memory came to life; the smell of sweat and alien pheromones washed over him, as the laugher and shouts from the now moving prisoners yanked Pax back. He saw Rennick lifting the weights, knowing it was Cybol standing there, plotting with others.

He needed to be casual, needed to appear interested without enthusiasm – that would draw too much attention to himself. It would be a death sentence for someone who wasn’t a cyborg, and it would be the end of his ability to act as a spy within the prison. While there wasn’t a lot of crossover with the prisoners in different sectors, rumors had a way of spreading despite the thickness of the walls.

Pax casually moved to pick up some of the energy weights and turned toward Rennick, meeting his gaze and throwing him a nod before starting to leave.

“Pax!” Rennick’s shout reached him easily. “Come’er.”

It always gave Pax a small thrill when someone took his bait so easily. Putting the weights down, he made his way over. “What?”

Sabeen leaned against the wall, her gaze locked onto Pax, but there lacked the hate he so clearly remembered from the man whose place she was taking. He ignored her now, the way he’d ignored the man then, and faced Rennick.

“You’re good with computers and AI programming, right?” Rennick’s tone perfectly matched Cybol’s.

“I am. That’s what landed me here in the first place.” He didn’t ask why Rennick wanted to know, that would make the others suspicious.

“I might have a job for you. If you’re willing to take a chance.” Rennick continued to lift the energy weights, his gaze continuously shifting to Sabeen, who was staring at Pax. “Two, if things go our way.”

“What’s the first?”

“Escape. I need someone who can shut down the power to our sector of the floor and take us to the lowest level of the prison.”

“Why the frak do you want to go down if you’re trying to escape?” The only thing on that level was Rennick, and no one wanted to get in his grasp.

“Because that’s where the tunnel that my people made will connect to.” Rennick grinned.

“Tunnel? That would have taken them years to create.” Pax couldn’t believe someone had gone to those lengths to free someone like Cybol.

“Two years. Their security barriers only go so deep into the planet, which gives us an opening. If we can get to the bottom, then my people will be able to reach us.”

Shit, he had forgotten this. Zee needed to be made aware of the tunnel and the people involved. They may have thwarted Cybol that first time, but others on the outside will now know about the weakness in their security. They’d need to act quickly to prevent others from exploiting the flaw.

“What’s the second job?”

Rennick shrugged. “Remember that other thing I talked about before?”

Pax nodded, knowing better than to mention any details.

“They need someone to take out an AI. I’ll make some introductions once we’re clear.”

“Sure.” The only reason they’d need someone to take out an AI was if they were planning on the assassination taking place on Grus Prime. The station’s AI was incredibly possessive of Aidric. Pax had heard stories from some of the Fallen who’d been up on the station about how it threatened and watched over Aidric more than any of the other Grus who lived there.

Rykal had once said that he thought the AI was in love with Aidric.

Sabeen pushed away from the wall. “They wanted you to help kill the commander?”

“No. They wanted me to disable the station’s AI so someone else could.” Pax waved his hand and the memory froze in place. “The attempt will be on the station. To compromise the AI, I would have needed direct access to the station’s central computer, and there are only a few people who would have the clearance to permit that.”

“That means someone with high level access, as well as direct access to Aidric.” Rennick shrugged before moving closer to Sabeen. “Even if you don’t know who specifically it is, that should give them enough information to keep him safe.”

Pax’s body went ridged as he watched Rennick reach out and run a finger down Sabeen’s arm. “Get away from her.”

Sabeen stared at Pax. “It’s fine. He’s not doing anything to hurt me.”

“I’d never hurt your mate. It’s been a long time since I’ve touched anyone. Even in this place it’s a strange sensation to be near another being.” Rennick leaned in, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “You smell nothing like Tara, but there’s a scent about you that I think is distinctly human.”

Pax roared and before he realized what was happening, he had Rennick pinned once more to the floor. It didn’t matter than this was a false reality, someone was touching his mate, she was being put in danger and he had to stop anything from happening. “Get away from her!”

“Pax stop!”

He couldn’t, and continued to punch Rennick, who simply laughed.

“You can’t hurt me here.”

“Pax stop right now!” Sabeen pulled on Pax’s shoulders, pulling him away. “Enough of this.”

Having her voice in his ear was enough to jerk him out of his rage. “Don’t ever touch her again.”

Rennick continued to laugh as he disappeared, leaving Pax and Sabeen alone.

“Where did he go?” She asked as she moved away from him.

“Disconnected from the cybernetic link.”

Sabeen was hugging herself when he got up and faced her. “Are you sure he didn’t hurt you?”

“I’m fine.” Even though everything about her stance told him she wasn’t.

Pax looked down at his hands which were still balled into fists. No, she wouldn’t be okay after seeing him inflict violence on another person – even if that person was a murderer. “The anger is hard for me to control. When I see someone near you, I get…They say once we mate those feelings go away.”

“Yeah, okay.” But she looked far from convinced. “We should leave and tell the others what you learned.”

“Sabeen?”

“You were so angry.” She looked away. “Please, I want to go.”

If he couldn’t keep control of his emotions in a place like this, then how could he expect to keep her from harm in the outside world? Pax and his job were more of a threat to her than Rennick ever could be. She needed to be safe and with her own people. The least he could do for her was that.

He nodded, numbness blocking everything else out. “Let’s go.”

And in a flash, they were awake.

Chapter Six

Sabeen opened her eyes and immediately realized that her entire relationship with Pax had changed while they’d been inside his memories. He’d gone from fine to furious with Rennick after a simple touch, and that was a reaction she hadn’t been prepared for. It was terrifying that his grip on his emotions was so tenuous.

“They’re back!” Carys still sat beside her holding her hand. “How was it? Did you figure out who’s trying to kill Aidric?”

The others came to stand beside them, leaving Sabeen little chance to catch her breath and process what had happened. “Not exactly, but I think we have more information now.”

Pax sat up, and Sabeen couldn’t help but stare at his naked torso. There was little indication that he had any cybernetics at all, which seemed so strange after seeing the modifications of the other cyborgs. He didn’t look at Sabeen directly, but she could feel his focus on her as he tried to get up from the bed.

Hallam pressed a hand to Pax’s chest, keeping him in place. “You’re going nowhere.”

“I need to talk to Zee and Rykal. We have two major problems that need to be handled immediately.”

The doctor shook his head. “I need to run a scan on you first, then you can deal with everything.” Hallam turned to look at Sabeen. “I want Aerin to run some scans on you as well. You’re only the second human to use this device and I want to ensure there aren’t any lingering effects.”

“Okay, that’s fine.” Sabeen got to her feet, thankful for the escape. “Carys, mind coming with me?”

“You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” Carys pushed the chair away, the scraping sound echoing in the room. “Lead the way, Aerin.”

The moment Sabeen left the room where Pax was, it became easier to breathe. “That was intense.”

“I thought it might be.” Carys shook her head. “When I was linked with Darrick that way…there weren’t any barriers between us and having all of his anger and self-loathing swirling around was a lot to handle. Not to mention he was on the verge of killing himself.” Carys shuddered. “What happened to the two of you in there?”

Sabeen stared at Aerin’s back, who was leading them to another room. “It’s a bit personal.”

“Hey Aerin?” Carys moved up beside the doctor. “How long will this take. Not to be a jerk, but I wanted to chat with Sabeen in private.”

Aerin directed Sabeen to a bed and picked up a scanner. “This will only take a moment to run and then I will leave you to talk.”

“Thanks.”

Sabeen sat silently as Aerin ran the scanner across her body, frowning slightly as she went. It was never reassuring to have a doctor frown, especially when looking at test results. “Is there a problem?”

“No. Expected modifications to your brain waves have happened sooner than expected. And they’re far more focused than we’ve seen with humans at this point. Interesting.”

“Is that a concern?” Carys peeked at the scanner readings before looking up at Aerin. “Is she in danger or anything?”

“Not at all. This is more of a curiosity than anything to be worried about.” She smiled at Sabeen, though it was difficult to tell how sincere it was because of her glowing eyes. “I’m going to show Hallam this. I’ll be back in a while.”

Carys watched her leave and the moment Aerin was gone, she turned to Sabeen. “Spill it. What happened?”

The blush heated Sabeen’s face. “We were intimate.”

“Shit, isn’t that crazy? We did too and the positions you can get into when physics aren’t a thing is a whole lot of fun.”

“Of course, you’d do that.” What her and Pax had shared, Carys would no doubt see as boring. “But that wasn’t the problem.”

“What then?”

“Rennick was there and Pax got…crazy angry. Like he was going to kill him if that was possible. He tried to beat him up more than once, and all I could think about was, holy shit, what if he does that to me.”

“Oh hon, I’m sorry. No one wants to witness that.” Carys pulled her into a hug. “We really didn’t drive home how possessive they get before they’ve finalize mating with us.”

Sabeen pulled back. “Has your…has Darrick ever done anything to you?”

“God no. He’d sooner self-decommission than lay a finger on me. From what I’ve seen all our Fallen mates are like that. There’s a transition period though, where they’re lacking control and want to keep everyone away from you. Lena got kidnapped by her mate. Apparently, it nearly started a war, so there’s that.”

Sabeen couldn’t stop her unexpected laugh. “I guess things could be worse with Pax then.”

“Give him time. I wouldn’t tell you to stay with him if I thought for a second that he’d hurt you.” Carys gave her hand a squeeze. “But if you’re uncomfortable, tell Aerin and she’ll make sure to be there for you and keep you safe.”

“I will.”

Sabeen was about to say something else when she felt Pax’s presence. He’d finally been allowed to leave and was heading directly toward her. She knew he was standing in the doorway before Carys did, could feel his guilt and shame.

“I’d like to speak with my mate.”

Carys straightened and Sabeen was shocked at how protective the other woman was acting. “That will be for her to decide. Sabeen?”

After everything that had just happened, her doubts and concerns, she should say no. But she could feel Pax’s regrets, knew that he wouldn’t harm her. She owed it to herself to give this relationship a chance, wanting to feel the love from another she’d lacked for most of her adult life. “Yeah, that’s fine.”

“I’ll be close. Just in case.” Carys gave her a look before leaving.

Turning to face Pax, she looked hard at him, trying to take in everything she could about who this man was. A spy had to be ready to do things that others couldn’t or wouldn’t do. He had to go places that were dangerous to find information that would help his people. And she knew that Pax took those duties seriously.

She swallowed past the tightness of her throat. “Did you get in touch with Zee and Rykal?”

“I did. Zee sent Ingo to capture anyone who might be in the tunnel. They’ll blast it closed and then extend the prison’s security barrier to below the lower level as well. Rykal is going to speak to Aidric about what we’ve learned.”

“That’s good. Maybe it’s enough to keep him safe.” She didn’t know the alien commander, but Sabeen would have hated for anything to happen to him.

“Rykal will see that Aidric has additional security personnel in place until we can figure out the rest of the plot against him.”

Pax stepped into the room, as though he was hesitant to get too close to her. “I’m sorry that I scared you.”

She nodded.

“I’m…these emotions are overwhelming. I’ve only had anger to deal with since being reborn. And that was directed mostly at myself. Jealousy is new and I’m struggling to learn how to contain it. But I’d never hurt you.”

Relief rolled through her as she knew his words were true. “Okay.”

“I’m yours, I would die for you.” He crossed over to where she sat and cupped her face. “I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. Even if that means leaving you behind.”

“No, please don’t do that.” All she’d wanted for years was a family of her own, a place where she belonged and that felt like home.

“You can be with me at the prison. I’ll make sure you have a room and are safe. But I’ll have to keep my distance from you. I’ll be undercover and I won’t put you in danger by being with you constantly. I’ll ask Zee to give me time with you, but I’ll never put you in danger.”

Sabeen felt as though her heart was going to break. He wanted her, wanted to be with her, but circumstances were still going to keep them apart. God, this wasn’t fucking fair. She’d finally got to the threshold of something she’d wanted, and it wasn’t going to be allowed to happen.

“Is there something I can do to prove to you that you’re not in danger?” The pain on his face was more than enough to reassure her. “I’ll do anything.”

If she was back on Earth, she might have greater doubts about his intentions. But given the circumstances, and Carys’ reassurances, Sabeen was ready to trust her heart. Ignoring the ache in her chest, Sabeen leaned in and kissed him.

This was so different from what they’d shared in the memory link. While she’d been able to feel sensations, only now did she realize how hollow those had been. Here, Pax’s touch was far more desperate as he slid his hands down across her shoulders and along her back. The smell of his arousal hit her hard, making her head spin and her heart pound. Her nipples ached and she wanted nothing more than to yank her clothing from her body so she could feel every inch of his skin pressed against her.

But they were in the examination room and someone could walk in at any moment.

Pax broke the kiss and his glowing green eyes flaring bright. “What’s wrong? I can feel your anxiety.”

“Someone might come in.”

The words had hardly left her when he turned and went to the door, locking it with a press of the button. He also hesitated before turning back around. “I’m able to reach out through the link again. I told Aerin to leave us alone.”

Pax’s possessiveness was clearly back, but it was far less intimidating than it had been earlier. Sabeen looked around the room; it wasn’t the most romantic place to have sex, but there was a bed and it would work. She got to her feet and quickly began to remove her clothing. Pax followed suit and within moments they were both naked and panting.

Sabeen let her gaze travel down his body, surprised at the lack of differences between their two races. “Where are your cybernetics?”

He moved closer, presenting his right hip to her. “I have a fake skin covering it. Visually it looks like skin, but you can feel the difference if you touch it.”

Taking her hand in his, he pressed her palm to the spot, giving her the chance to explore. The change was subtle, but noticeable since she was looking for it. His body was warm, but most of his hip and upper thigh was cool, the texture rubbery. “What happened?”

“I was trying to get information I’d learned about an attack to the Grus high command but was caught up in an attack and shot. I bled out before I was able to get the information to who needed it.”

She felt him stiffen beneath her touch. “I’m sorry you went through so much pain.”

She might not be able to change the past for him, but she could certainly do everything in her power to help ease the pain going forward. Shifting her hand, she moved around so she could cup his erect shaft, squeezing it as she leaned in and kissed his shoulder. Pax growled softly, his hips bucking in rhythm to her gentle strokes.

“I haven’t been with a woman since my rebirth. We didn’t think any of the Fallen could have a relationship, have a mate before your people arrived.” He pulled in a shaky breath. “This feels…so different from anything I’ve ever experienced.”

Sabeen had been with a few men in her life, but she hadn’t felt this overpowering connection with another person the way she did with Pax. It wasn’t logical and certainly not something she’d normally associate with herself. She wanted to lick his body, suck his cock, feel him fill her pussy while he played with her breasts. She wasn’t this crazy sexual person, but right now all she wanted to do was fuck, to never leave this room.

Pax pulled her hand away and bracketed her hips. “Your arousal is too much for me. I need to fuck you.”

“Yes.”

She was only caught a little off guard when he spun her around, pressing her hands to the bed and encouraging her to bend down at the waist. She’d never had sex standing like this before, and the thrill of something different shot through her. Sabeen widened her stance and closed her eyes, wanting to enjoy the anticipation, not knowing exactly what Pax would do.

“You’re the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen.” He ran his hands along her back and down to cup her ass, gently squeezing as he did. “I can’t believe the universe gave you to me.”

Sabeen had never been one to respond to possessiveness before, but coming from Pax it felt natural, heartfelt and something she could return in kind. “Please, Pax.”

He dropped to his knees behind her and licked and kissed her ass cheeks and the backs of her thighs. Sabeen groaned as her pussy grew damp and her body shivered from the intimate touch. Pax encouraged her legs wider apart, moved in and licked at her pussy from behind, using his fingers to tease her from the front.

She gasped, letting her head drop so she could press it hard against the exam bed. Pax worked her body magically, his fingers teasing and caressing her clit and her pussy, as his tongue licked and tasted her. Everything from the last few hours spilled over into her arousal and before long, Sabeen’s body began to shake from the cresting pleasure. She knew it wouldn’t be long before her orgasm washed over her; she wanted him inside her when that happened. “Pax, I want to feel your cock in me.”

He got to his feet, one final lick across her asshole as a parting present and lined his cock up with her pussy. It only took a single thrust to have her feeling filled to the brim, content. Sex had never been this way for her before, so electric and yet utterly personal. Even when Pax began to thrust, hidden from her sight, she felt connected to him, knew his every feeling as they were both driven higher and closer to their orgasm.

Pax’s thrusts became pointed as he leaned over her back, his mouth nipping at the juncture of her shoulder and neck. He might not be quite as tall as she was, but he had no difficulty reaching her there, as he slid his hand back between her legs to finger her clit as he fucked her. That pressure on her clit was all she needed to send her over the edge into oblivion. Sabeen cried out, her body clamping down on his cock, shaking as the waves of her release rolled through her.

The press of Pax’s teeth on her shoulder nearly derailed the thrill of her orgasm, especially when she felt the bite clamp down. It was painful, but that pain melted and mingled with the renewed waves of arousal that coursed through her body with the increased force of his thrusts. Pax tightened his hold on her, filling her completely before letting out a roar. She felt his come fill her, leaving her wet and sated when he slumped exhausted and panting against her back.

This was so different from what they’d done when they’d been linked – it was far more visceral, messy, and as close to perfect as Sabeen could have hoped for.

Maybe, just maybe, they’d be able to make a life together when this was all over.

Pax pulled back, but his fingers traced over where he’d bitten down. “I’d just told you I wouldn’t harm you and then I did this.”

“That’s…I don’t know. It’s okay? I mean, I don’t think I’d like it all the time.” She turned in his arms and cupped his cheek. “Is that something you do a lot?”

“Never. I had this compulsion, as though I needed to let the world know that you’re mine.” He looked her deep in the eyes. “You’re my mate.”

Whatever that entailed, she knew it was true.

Pax opened his mouth, as though he was about to say something else, when he stopped and cocked his head to the side.

“What’s wrong?”

“Hallam is talking to me through the cybernetic link. There’s a problem.”

God, they weren’t going to catch a break. “What?”

“Rennick.” Pax frowned. “He’s been shouting for Zee to let him speak to me.”

“Why?”

“Apparently we missed something. Aidric is still in danger.”

Chapter Seven

The only thing worse than knowing Aidric’s life was still in danger, was knowing he’d accidently hurt Sabeen during sex. Pax hadn’t intended to bite her, had wanted nothing more than to keep her safe and protected. But when he knew his orgasm was approaching, he couldn’t stop himself from needing to claim her, wanting to show the universe that this woman was his.

Wanting her to know that he was her mate and would be with her until the end of time.

The small sense of peace he’d slipped into after sex had been blasted away when Hallam told him about Rennick. There was always the possibility that Rennick was trying to use this as an excuse to free himself from his cell; the man had shown little interest in helping others before now. But Pax couldn’t take the chance that he’d missed something and that Aidric would pay the price for his mistake.

Sabeen had quietly gotten dressed as he’d continued to speak with Hallam and Zee about what was happening.

I don’t trust him. Zee’s history with Rennick was far longer and more complicated than the rest of them. But there’s something different about him. An urgency I’m not used to hearing from him.

Is there a chance he’s using this as an excuse to get free from his cell? Hallam was always the voice of reason when it came to these matters.

I wondered the same, but I won’t risk Aidric’s life. Let me go back into the memory link with him and see if we can figure out what’s wrong.

Pax could practically see Zee shake his head, even from half a floor away. It’s risky.

So is relying on half information. If Aidric is killed and there was something I could have done to stop it, I’ll never be able to live with myself. The silence that followed was enough to tell Pax that the others agreed. I’ll go back, we’ll figure out what we missed, and you can update Rykal.

Fine. Zee didn’t sound happy about the prospect, but Pax knew he wouldn’t allow anything to happen to Aidric either. Hallam, I want you closely monitoring everything. We must be prepared for Rennick to try something that would allow him to escape.

Agreed. I’ll go setup the room now. Pax, bring Sabeen and we’ll get started as quickly as possible.

Pax hated knowing that he’d have to ask Sabeen to go into his mind once more. He’d have to do everything he could to keep hold of his emotions, keep his anger in check so he didn’t make her feel unsafe ever again. “Sabeen, I’m going to need your assistance again.”

She ran her hands through her short brown hair, smoothing down the small spikes that stuck out in several directions from their lovemaking. “We need to go back into the link with Rennick.” She nodded as though it was the obvious thing. “Did Rennick say what he thinks we missed?”

“No. I’m not convinced that we have, and this is a ploy for him to attempt some sort of escape. Zee and Hallam will be monitoring all of us to ensure that isn’t the case.”

“We won’t know for sure until we go in and take a look.” She let out a soft sigh as she straightened her shirt. “Okay.”

He didn’t need to feel her trepidation to know she wasn’t looking forward to repeating their earlier attempt. “I promise I’ll have better control over myself this time. I won’t let him get to me, or for my anger to overflow.”

“I know you won’t.” She smiled at him, though he knew she was holding something back. “Let’s do this so we can make sure nothing happens to Aidric.”

They started to leave when he paused. “It just occurred to me that you’ve never met Aidric. You don’t even know the man whose life you’re helping to save.”

“I hadn’t even thought about that.” She shrugged, her face darkening with a blush. “I’m still playing catchup with everything since waking up. It hasn’t even been exceptionally long, and I feel like I’m in over my head.”

It had been a long time since Pax had ever felt that sinking sensation of drowning in the actions of life. “When this over, we’ll be able to be alone. We’ll spend time and get to know one another.”

Sabeen stopped moving and looked him in the eyes. “But then you’ll leave me alone. And you won’t even know for how long.”

“You won’t be alone. The other humans will be here and I’m sure they’ll need help waking those who are still in stasis.”

She nodded before heading for the door. “We better go.”

All Pax could do was trail behind her, confused as to how he could possibly make things better.

* * *

Sabeen avoided looking at Pax as she let Hallam and Carys buzz around her, getting everything hooked up for her to join the cybernetic link. The unit felt heavy on her head, adding to the weight that seemed to have descended upon her shoulders.

The longer she spent in Pax’s company, the more she realized how much she liked him. If they were indeed destined mates, she was thankful that she was supposed to be with someone who she actually enjoyed spending time with. But that was also the problem. She liked his personality, enjoyed how he took everything so seriously and wanted to ensure that everyone was safe and looked after. She’d been surprised by how upset he’d gotten at hurting her, even if the bite during sex had been something unexpectedly sexy. If he were to do it again, she didn’t even think she’d mind, or maybe would even want him to do a little bit more.

And that was something she’d analyze at a later date.

“Are you okay?” Carys kept looking at her, her gaze shifting from Sabeen’s shoulder to her eyes and back.

“Yeah. You did warn me about that.” She smiled at her friend and hoped it would ease any concern she might have. “Too bad we’re back here so soon.”

“Hopefully, things get resolved quickly so we can have a chance to talk properly. I know Aerin is acting as a bit of a welcoming committee for women who are brought out of stasis, but I still think it’s important to talk to some of us who are already awake and can tell you what’s going on in human terms.”

“That would be great.” Because Sabeen could really use the chance to reconnect and feel part of a family.

Everything had changed so quickly that she was finding it difficult to keep up.

“We’re ready to begin.” Hallam pointed to the seat they’d setup across from Sabeen. “Pax sit there. We don’t need to keep you restrained this time and it will be easier to monitor you both this way.”

Sabeen adjusted in her chair but kept her gaze from meeting Pax’s. “How long do you think this will take? Don’t we need to get this information to Aidric’s people sooner than later?”

“It depends on what Rennick wants to show us.” Pax sat straight, his gaze on her face. “Not too long.”

“Are you both ready?” Hallam pressed several buttons on the computer before shifting to stand beside Pax with a data pad in hand.

“Yes.”

“Ready.”

“Good.” Hallam nodded. “Close your eyes. It will help with the transition. Let’s begin in three, two, one.”

There was the whooshing sensation that had washed over Sabeen previously, but this time it was far less disconcerting. Opening her eyes revealed the prison gym that they’d previously visited while in Pax’s mind. Rennick hadn’t been linked in yet, giving them a brief moment alone.

“I’m sorry if I’ve upset you again.” Pax reached out and took her hand.

“You haven’t.”

“I have. There’s no hiding your emotions from me, especially in this place.”

“There’s the happy couple.”

Pax dropped her hand and turned to face Rennick. “What was so important that you made us come back here. I’m going to warn you if this is an attempt to escape from prison, both Zee and Hallam are monitoring the connection and will stop you.”

“Why would I want to escape?” Rennick’s entire demeanor shifted. “I have everything I could possibly want at my fingertips. Food, shelter, companions to torment whenever they get too close to me.” He moved toward Pax and for a moment Sabeen thought he might attack him. “You think because I’ve been locked in a cell for fifty years that I’d want to go outside into the air? To feel the storm winds, whip across my face instead of the carefully processed and temperature-controlled weather on my floor? Why would that ever cross my mind?”

With each successive word, Rennick’s voice dropped, the venom dripping from each syllable. Sabeen couldn’t imagine what it was like for him to be alone in a cell. “What did you do to warrant that treatment?”

When Rennick turned to face her, she was surprised to see the anger she’d just heard in his voice was nowhere to be found in his expression. If anything, she would have sworn that he looked sad. “I killed my fellow soldiers. I then shot my best friend in the head. I was planning on killing myself as well, but the Sholle took care of that for me.”

Sabeen’s stomach sickened when she realized that his best friend was Zee. She should have known that they wouldn’t have locked him away without good reason, but there still seemed something wrong about the situation.

“We don’t have time for this.” Pax moved to her side and she knew he wouldn’t leave. “What did we miss, Rennick?”

Any hint of vulnerability in Rennick flashed away as he straightened. “There’s a blank spot in your head.”

“No there isn’t. Not any longer.” Pax cocked his head to the side. “My matrix doesn’t detect anything wrong beyond the few minor repairs that remain.”

Rennick didn’t say anything else, only stood and stared at Pax. Sabeen wanted to encourage him to listen to Rennick, otherwise what was the point of them being here. Pax jerked his head, turning around in spot to look at what was around them. He let out soft grunts and Sabeen could feel his frustration coming off him in waves. “There’s nothing here.”

“Just fraking listen.” Rennick laced his hands in front and closed his eyes. “It stuck in my head when I was back in my cell. I hadn’t realized at first what it was I’d heard.”

Sabeen closed her eyes and did what Rennick requested. She didn’t know what she was supposed to be hearing, these weren’t her thoughts, but making the attempt might be enough to help Pax solve this riddle. She felt Pax stop and she knew he was looking at her, even if she couldn’t see him. Doing her best to ignore the weight of his stare on her, she focused as best she could on the sounds.

“Wait.” She cocked her head to the side. “Is that…there’s nothing in that spot.”

“Your mate is a smart one.” Sabeen looked over at Rennick who was now grinning. “There’s a hole in your memory that hasn’t been recovered.”

Pax frowned but closed his eyes as well. “How do you hear nothing amidst noise?”

“You have to let yourself go.” It was hard to explain to another person when she didn’t have a common reference point. “Don’t focus on it and you’ll be able to hear it.”

It took Pax a moment, but she knew the moment he became aware of the spot. “There.”

The environment shifted, gone was the prison gym, to be replaced with a hallway that appeared to fade off into darkness. Pax approached the void, stepping cautiously closer. “Why hadn’t I noticed this before?”

“Your matrix had been damaged by the electrical shock.” Rennick leaned against the wall. “I’m surprised there aren’t more neruo disruptions.”

“Can you have it repaired?” Sabeen didn’t want to pretend she understood exactly how their cybernetics worked, but it seemed this should be the sort of thing they could fix. “Can Hallam help?”

“I’m not sure. He hadn’t said anything about a damaged area or indicated that there were any additional concerns.” Pax leaned toward the darkness. “He might not even know.”

“That means you need to conduct your own investigation.” Rennick nodded toward the void. “There’s a piece of information you need to save Aidric hiding in there.”

“How could you possibly know that?” But Pax took another step closer to the dark.

“Look at where we are? What happened here?”

Pax straightened and looked around. “I saw Cybol talking to someone here.” The vaguest outline of Cybol appeared beside Pax, but there wasn’t anything else. “I…don’t know who though.”

“That who is important.” Rennick pressed the back of his head against the wall. “I don’t know how I know, but I do. You need to figure out who that is or else you won’t be able to save Aidric’s life.”

Sabeen knew what Pax was going to do before he acted. Casting a quick glance in her direction, he squared his shoulders and stepped into the void. She wanted to call out and beg him to stop, but Sabeen knew there was no point. Pax would do whatever he needed to in order to save Aidric.

This is what being his mate would always be like. She’d be left behind watching and waiting, hoping that he’d emerge from whatever assignment he was tasked with still alive and in one piece. When she’d wanted to be a part of a family, to have someone to care and worry about, this wasn’t exactly what she’d hoped for.

“He needs you to be strong.” Rennick’s voice pierced through her thoughts.

“I’m not sure I know how to do that for him? I’ve only just woken up after being in stasis for fifty years. I’m barely aware of my new surroundings before I’m being told that I have a mate who I apparently had been drawn to from across the galaxy, for a reason that no one seems to be able to identify.” Her chin dropped and she stared at the floor. “How I can help a man deal with his demons when I haven’t had the chance to get to know him?”

“Because you don’t need time for that. You know who he is and what he needs from you.” She heard him swallow hard. “It’s like that with Tara.”

“She’s your mate.” It was easy to forget that he was also with a human. “I can’t imagine how the two of you are managing.”

“It’s…challenging.” He smiled. “But she’s been willing to take a chance on me, to listen when I speak. That’s more than Zee has done for me in a long while. It’s what you’re going to have to do for Pax.”

“What?”

“Put your heart on the line. Risk everything you thought you wanted so he is given a chance to get past his foolishness and see what’s important.”

“Which is?”

“You. Your happiness. It will take him time, but he will come to his senses.” Rennick chuckled. “We all do in the end.”

Was it as simple as that? Take a chance to see if they can be what one another needs? Sabeen couldn’t image that everything would work out that easily, not with everything going on. And yet, Rennick said the words with such confidence she couldn’t help but believe him. At the very least, he believed what he was saying; that alone spoke volumes.

Sabeen turned to where Pax had entered the void. “I guess I better go see if there’s something I can do to help.”

“I’ll be here.”

She moved forward toward the edge of the void. The darkness didn’t feel cold the way she’d assumed it would, another expected difference in this strange new world. Letting out a little huff, she stepped forward into the dark.

Chapter Eight

Pax knew Sabeen had entered the void the moment she crossed the threshold. It was as though he’d gone from being peripherally aware of her, to a spotlight and sirens highlighting her presence. He could smell her, practically taste her skin, and feel her body heat without her being close to his side.

This place made everything more immediate, and yet he still couldn’t see exactly who this person was.

“Pax?” He felt that she was nervous, but not afraid. Her control over her emotions was impressive. “Are you okay?”

“You shouldn’t be here.” Not that he didn’t want her help, but he’d already put her life in danger by involving her with this investigation, potentially putting her in the line-of-sight of whoever was after Aidric. The further away he kept her from anything to do with the details of this case, the better. “It’s safer for you back with Rennick.”

Words he never thought he’d ever utter.

The strange thing was the closer Sabeen got to where he stood, the clearer the outline of the person standing in the void became. She hadn’t been with him for this event, there was no reason her presence should clarify the memory. If anything, she should be a distraction to him and his ability to solve this.

He finally looked over to where she stood opposite the shadow figure. She was staring at the form, a frown pulling at her lips and wrinkling her forehead. “Is this the person you need to remember?”

“It is.” His frustration was threatening to overwhelm his ability to reason through this. “I don’t remember how I know him.”

“Well, you know it’s a man, so that’s a good start.” As soon as she said that the outline of the man solidified more. “Oh cool.”

Perhaps he was being too hasty. Pax let out a sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “This is going to take a while.”

“It might. I’m here to help.”

There was such compassion and hope in her voice, Pax couldn’t help but be encouraged. “I…that would be good.”

Sabeen beamed. “Okay then, let’s talk this through. You know it’s a man, and someone who knew Cybol. Where would Cybol have been located for a conversation like this to happen?”

“This is outside the exercise area on the way back to the cells.” The area around them solidified, details pulled and placed slowly from his matrix. “This is a spot where some of us chat quickly before being forced to go in different directions. The guards don’t monitor us as closely here.”

“Us?”

Pax shook his head. “I’ve been undercover so long that I sometimes forget that I’m not a criminal.”

“I can’t imagine how difficult that must be for you. Never able to be yourself, to show the people around you who you really are.” Sabeen’s touch on his arm sent a chill through him. “I know other than Carys, I didn’t really have a lot of friends back on Earth. It was hard being alone most of the time.”

He didn’t realize she’d moved so close to him until she wrapped her arms around his body. Time seemed to stop and the only thing he cared about was how this kind person was giving him love and attention that he’d never received from another living creature before now.

Turning in her arms, he pulled her tight against his chest. “Thank you.”

They stayed that way for several minutes until Pax knew he’d do anything in the world to keep Sabeen safe – even if that meant leaving her behind. He’d never want her to be subjected to his world and the dangers that it held, couldn’t risk her life being put in danger. But that was something they’d discuss once they got out of here. Once they figured out who Cybol had been speaking to.

Pax let Sabeen go and turned his attention once more to the shadow form in front of him. “Cybol didn’t talk to many people. It was one of the reasons it was such a big deal for me to become a part of his group that tried to escape. He didn’t let just anyone in. It was too dangerous for that.”

“So, this had to be someone he knew, but maybe not someone who would have been around very often?”

Pax turned to look at her. “Why would you say that?”

“Well, if this were someone you knew, another prisoner, you’d probably have an easier time remembering who this was. There’d be something familiar about him that would stick in your head and it would eventually come forward.” She moved opposite him, looking intently at the man. “Though I think you know what color his hair is?’

“Why would you say…” He stopped and looked at the man’s head. “Black. Definitely black. He’s also Grus.”

The form solidified a bit more, and it became easier to get a sense of the man’s body. Sabeen grinned as she continued to move around. “And he’s tall, but not as big as you or me. So now think about how many people are shorter than you that are Grus and you don’t see very often.”

That narrowed the list down, but certainly not enough to pull his face from Pax’s memory.

“I bet he’s a guard.”

Pax stiffened, and his gaze was unable to move from the shadow. “Why would you say that?”

“It fits the scenario?” She came to stand beside him. “I don’t know. The way he’s standing, I get the impression he’s the one in charge. Look at Cybol’s stance and how he’s turned just a bit away. Like he’s ready to run at a moment’s notice. This guy, he’s squared up and standing tall. Cybol’s not a pushover, right? There wouldn’t be many other prisoners who’d treat him that way.”

She was right. Of course, she was right. There were only so many Grus guards in the prison, though there were some who’d rotate in and out from Grus Prime. It wouldn’t take them long to figure out who this might be, and who he was connected to.

“This is helpful.” He leaned over and kissed her softly against her temple. The contact caused a surge in his libido. Pax sucked in a breath and closed his eyes, trying to keep his desire for her under control. “I need to talk to Zee about who this might be.”

What he needed to do was strip her naked and fill her with his cock, but that wasn’t going to happen. Pax was determined to keep her safe, while doing what needed to be done to save Aidric. And that meant putting his own needs behind everything else. He couldn’t give in to his desires, despite the pull from every fiber of his being to do nothing else but steal Sabeen away and never come back. She’d crossed the galaxy to be here, risked her life to take a chance on finding a world that was better than the one she’d left behind. As her mate, if he did nothing else but show her a place where she was free and safe to live her new life, then Pax knew he was doing the right thing.

“Are you okay?” She reached up and cupped his cheek, concern shining in her eyes.

“Yes.” No, I want to be selfish and run away with you. “We need to disconnect so I can tell Zee what I’ve learned.”

Sabeen seemed hesitant but nodded and let her hand drop. “Okay. Do you need to do anything with Rennick?”

“No. He helped refocus me and for that I’ll be grateful.” Rennick had changed since meeting his mate. If nothing else, that bit of good that came from their arrival was worth everything. “I’ll speak to Zee about possibly giving him a bit more freedom. Perhaps he’ll be allowed some personal time with Tara.”

“I’m sure they’d both appreciate that.” Sabeen cocked her head to the side, as though she were considering something. “Do you think they’ll ever be allowed to have a life together?”

“I’m not sure. I’d like to think so, but Rennick did some truly horrific acts. That’s a hard thing to forgive.” Stepping away from the shadow, he gave in to his longing and took Sabeen by the hand. “Let’s go.”

That simple contact brought a smile to her face. “Okay. I’m looking forward to getting out of your head and spending some time with you in person.”

The stab of guilt Pax felt was swallowed as they passed through the threshold of the void and back into his memory where Rennick waited.

“I was getting worried that the two of you had gotten lost and I’d be stuck all alone here.” Rennick’s smirk spoke volumes. “But now you’re back and we’ll have to wake up. Me in my cell and you two with an assassination attempt to try and stop. I assume based on the look on your face that you’ve discovered the identity of the mystery man?”

“No, but we know that he’s a Grus guard. There are only so many of them here in the prison, so it should be easy to narrow down who it might be.” Pax dropped Sabeen’s hand and moved over to Rennick. “I’ll make sure Zee knows how helpful you’ve been with this matter.”

“Thank you?” Rennick rolled his eyes. “You can’t think Zee is going to start treating me any different because I helped with your little brain issue.”

“I do. It’s been a long time since you were put into your cell. You’ve earned the right to some freedoms.”

Rennick pushed away from the wall and stood directly in front of Pax. He then fashioned his fingers into the shape of a pistol and held it to Pax’s temple. “I shot Zee in the head.” He pressed his fingers harder against Pax’s head. “That’s not something you forgive.”

He stepped away, and in a blink Rennick disappeared.

“Where did he go?” Sabeen sounded breathless.

“They must have severed his link.” Yet another reminder that the world wasn’t a safe place for anyone. “We better do the same if we’re going to have time to stop whoever is after Aidric.”

It took more effort than Pax assumed it would, but he focused his attention on the link and reached out to sever it, forcing them to wake. From one breath to the next he went from looking at Sabeen in all her beauty standing in the memory corridor of the prison, to sitting quietly with her eyes fluttering open in the chair opposite him.

When their gazes met, she smiled at him. Something in his heart melted, even as his chest tightened. He’d do anything, anything to keep this woman safe. Without trying, she’d become one of the most important things in the universe to him.

Hallam removed the head unit from Pax. “Was there something you’d missed?”

“There was. Rennick showed me a blank spot in my memory. There was a Grus guard speaking to the prisoner who informed me of the attempt on Aidric’s life. I don’t know who he is, but it shouldn’t take long to figure it out.”

Hallam nodded. “I’ll notify Zee. He’s still down on Renick’s level monitoring the situation there. We won’t have a lot of time to work.”

  Pax got to his feet and instinctively reached out to put a hand on Sabeen’s shoulder. “You should go with Carys.”

“Sure. I don’t want to get in the way.” She got to her feet, glancing at her friend. “We can take some time and she can catch me up on everything I’ve missed since the Kraken arrived. You and I can meet up later.”

The pit of Pax’s stomach soured and for the first time since his rebirth he felt as though fear would overcome his senses. “I think it best if we don’t.”

The buzz of noise in the room died as everyone’s attention became focused on the conversation unfolding beside them. Carys stepped away from Sabeen, no doubt to give them privacy, but Pax knew she was listening to everything said.

For her part, Sabeen appeared confused. “What do you mean? We’re mates, right?”

“We are. And as your mate it’s my duty to do everything in my power to keep you safe. The best way I can do that is to send you somewhere I know you won’t be hurt. Somewhere away from me.”

Sabeen blinked several times as confusion crossed her expression. “I thought that as mates you couldn’t be away from me? That you’d do everything in your power to be by my side and love me.” She stepped back, her eyes now rimmed red. “Did I do something wrong? Am I…wrong?”

“No. You’re perfect.”

“Apparently not.”

“Sabeen – ” She held up her hand and he immediately stopped talking.

“I want to be in your life, no matter what kind of life that happens to be. You say you’re trying to protect me. Don’t you think I’m able to make decisions about my own life, to choose to go and do what I want, to be with the people I want to be with?” Her face scrunched up for a moment, and she looked away.

Pax wanted to offer her comfort but knew his words would sound hollow. Instead he stood there until she finally looked back at him. Her expression was blank, but he could feel her turmoil. He tried to ignore the feeling that he was making a terrible mistake.

“I’ll go with Carys.” She clearly wanted to say more but didn’t. “Bye.”

Carys shot him a death glare as she wrapped her arm around Sabeen’s shoulders and led her from the room. Everyone else went back to work, except for Hallam who stood there looking at him, shaking his head. It won’t work.

What won’t? If felt good to be able to use their cybernetic link once again.

Trying to push them away. Hallam tapped his finger against the data pad. I felt the same, wanting to keep Ina safe and not wanting anything bad to happen to her. She was nearly blind and still managed to help save her people and fend off a potential Sholle attack. These women are stronger than you realize.

I don’t care how strong they are. We’re stepping into the middle of an assassination plot against a Grus commander. Pax pushed down the dread at feeling Sabeen’s hurt emotions radiating from her. Until we solve this, I’m not going to actively put my mate’s life in danger.

Hallam let out a small sigh and nodded. I’ve told Zee and Ingo to meet us here. The three of you can determine what you need to do to stop this. Aerin and I will leave and head back to the medical facility.

Pax nodded. Thank you for helping me. I wouldn’t have survived without you.

It’s my job. Hallam reached out and clamped his hand on Pax’s shoulder. Some advice. Listen to your mate and to that feeling you’re ignoring deep inside your chest. And with that, Hallam turned his attention back to cleaning up his equipment in preparation to leave.

Was this a mistake?

Pax closed his eyes and tried to reconcile the feelings he hadn’t experienced since his rebirth with the logic of his thoughts. He couldn’t afford a distraction, not now. He’d been distracted during the war and that was why he’d been slow in getting the information the Grus command needed to help stop a Sholle attack; countless paid for his mistake with their lives. No, he wouldn’t make that mistake again, not when he had it in his power to do something.

Sabeen would come to understand in time why he did what he did.

She’d have to.

Chapter Nine

“Who would have thought that a cyborg could be such a selfish asshole.” Sabeen wanted to cry, but the tears refused to fall. Instead, she ignored the feeling as best she could while she sat down on the couch in her room. “Arrogant asshole.”

Carys was getting them something to eat from the food generator in the corner of the room. “Darrick tried to self-decommission when his matrix thought I was a virus or a glitch or something. They’re not exactly the brightest when it comes to these relationships.” She brought over a plate of something that appeared to be nuts. “These are protein nibs. Well, they have a different name, but I can’t say it and it doesn’t want to translate with the nanobots. According to Darrick they’re a luxury for the Grus on the space station. I think they taste like corn and look like peanuts.”

Sabeen took a handful and shoved them into her mouth. “They do taste like corn.”

Chewing gave her a momentary distraction from having to come up with something else to say about a relationship she was still trying to wrap her head around. She hadn’t set out on the Kraken to find love, nor had she expected to be paired with someone who thought leaving her alone was the best way to keep her safe. Sabeen had always wanted to belong to someone, to a greater community and for the first time in years, she felt as though she had an opportunity for that here on Zarlan with Pax and the others.

All she needed to do was convince him that being with her was worth the risk.

Groaning, Sabeen let her head press back against the couch. “I’m not experienced enough to deal with this.”

“What?” Carys lightly hit her shoulder. “I saw how you handled all sorts of people at the store back on Earth. You diffused fights when there were shortages, you talked down the authorities when they were on the hunt for someone. Everyone came to the store when you were there because they knew they would be safe.”

Sabeen could only stare at Carys as she spoke, the realization of what had been around her that she hadn’t even noticed. “Did I leave behind what I’d been hoping to find out here?”

“I don’t know. You had a community around you but that was clearly not what you’d wanted. So tell me, do you think, regardless of what you’ve been told about him, that Pax is your mate? Do you think you can find the happiness you need with him?”

While Sabeen hadn’t been with Pax long, she knew that there was something special about him, about the way she felt when she was around him. The way her heart raced whenever he touched her or smiled. They might be mates, but there was more to what was going on between them than fate or biology.

Sabeen was certain she’d already fallen in love with him.

“Yes, I think I can. I’ve only seen the prison and the medical facility, but the people I’ve met so far seem nice. We can build a community here, have lives, and get to explore a part of the universe that others on Earth haven’t.” And she’d get to do all of that with Pax.

Carys beamed at her. “Well then, there’s your answer. Now we just need to shake some sense into Pax so you can go about living your happy ending.”

That probably was a bad idea but confronting Pax, making him see that no matter how much he wanted to put her in a box to keep her safe, the reality of the situation was she needed the freedom to live her life. It was the only thing she could think of to do.

“Why don’t you sleep on it and you can talk to him in the morning.” Carys got to her feet, giving Sabeen a quick hug before she left. “I’ll check in with you then.”

“Thanks.”

Finally, alone for the first time since she’d woken up from stasis, Sabeen felt her body relax. She needed time to rest and reset. Only after would she have a clear enough head to figure out what to do next. Stretching out on the couch, she closed her eyes and dropped into sleep.

* * *

“What do you mean Aidric is coming here?” Pax spoke the words aloud, he was so shocked by Zee’s revelation.

He was trailing behind Zee and Ingo, on their way to the transportation tube that led to the surface of the planet. Zee’s frustration radiated out through their cybernetic link. I just found out myself. Another matter that he could only address while he was here. I told him to stay on the surface and we’ll talk up there. If we do have a compromised guard, the last thing I want to do is bring him into the mouth of the beast.

The trio entered the tube, filling up nearly all the space. Pax couldn’t shake the feeling that everything was about to go seriously wrong.

Lightning cut across the sky as the transportation tube door slid open and they stepped out. Pax’s role as spy had him normally keeping to the shadows, letting Zee and Ingo do what they needed to in any given situation. There was no reason for him to move to the forefront now. I’ll wait here in case you need me.

Zee nodded as Ingo fell into step beside him on the way to the landing pad. Pax watched as the shuttle touched down and the door opened, revealing Aidric. The Grus commander wasn’t as tall as either Ingo or Zee, but he had a presence to him that was immediately apparent and acknowledged by those in his presence. Even Zee, who’d overseen the prison for decades and wore his authority like a second skin, physically responded to Aidric as though he was a god.

In a way, Aidric was.

He was their creator, their father, the one who’d brought them back from death. Pax knew some of the others had hated Aidric for what he’d done, but Pax wasn’t one of them. He’d been given a second chance at life, the opportunity to redeem himself and correct the mistakes he’d made all those years ago. For that reason alone, Aidric had a special place in Pax’s matrix.

The conversation between them appeared calm at first, but quickly grew heated. Ingo straightened as he shook his head. Zee’s hands were braced on his hip as he leaned forward toward Aidric. The commander didn’t seem intimidated by either of them, stepped past them and strode toward the tube and where Pax stood in the shadows.

Well, then.

He’s coming down. Zee’s annoyance was obvious. Pax, call the tube.

It’s here still. I’ll open the door for him and will go down after the three of you.

“Pax.” Aidric stopped in front of him, his blue eyes shining with concern. “I’ve been told you went through a lot to discover who is trying to kill me. Thank you.”

“I would do it for anyone.” He would, but that didn’t make Aidric’s gratitude any less special. “We need to get you inside where we can control the environment.”

“He’d be better off going back to Grus Prime.” Zee pointed to the transportation tube. “But seeing as he’s stubborn, we’re heading down.”

Aidric held Pax’s gaze for a fraction of a second longer than Pax had expected, before following Zee’s lead into the tube. Ingo hesitated before moving as well. “Come down with his guards.” Take a look at them and see if anything seems off. I don’t like this many unknown people coming into the prison without properly vetting them.

“I will.”

Ingo headed inside the tube and the door slid closed, leaving Pax alone with three Grus guards. There was a time before his death and rebirth when he would have been intimidated by having so many armed men around him, especially with his job being to stay out of sight and collect information. Sometimes though, being invisible meant acting normal and blending into the environment around him. Pax had learned how to smile, how to fake emotions he hadn’t felt since dying to the Sholle, while being undercover in the prison. It came easy to him now and served to put everyone at ease.

“They’re fraking clueless.” Pax shook his head. “Running after their tails.”

The guards shared a look, and one smirked. “Aidric is so stiff, a laser blast would bounce off him.”

“You think he’s bad, Zee’s as cold as the ground this prison is buried beneath. Makes working for him…interesting.”

The third guard hovered toward the back of the group, not engaging in their conversation. He either didn’t agree with what they were saying and didn’t want to participate, or he had much stronger opinions and knew better than to share them. Either way, Pax made note.

The transportation tube eventually returned for them to take them down. Having all four of them in the tube would prove tight, but doable. When the guard who’d engaged with Pax the most stepped back, he was surprised. “There’s not a lot of room and I don’t think you need all three of us there. I’ll wait on the shuttle.”

“I’ll let the Commander know.” Pax let the other guards go first before entering the tube and turned to see the third guard walking back toward the shuttle.

As the door slid shut, something niggled at the back of Pax’s brain and his matrix began to process additional information. “How long have you both been with Aidric?”

“I’ve cycled in and out of his protective duty over the ten years.” The younger looking of the two said, looking more than a little smug. Being assigned to guard a member of the High Council was an honor.

“Since before the war.” The quiet guard stiffened as he spoke. “He’s a good man.”

Ah, so he hadn’t liked them making light of Aidric’s nature. Good to know.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the bottom of the prison and exit out to the annex where the additional security measures were in place. If anyone made an attempt on Aidric’s life here, they wouldn’t live to regret their actions.

“I still don’t understand why you felt it necessary to come here with this information.” Zee stood facing Aidric with his hands on his hips, the light from the cybernetics on the side of his head shining bright. “We could have processed this through normal channels.”

Aidric glanced over toward Pax and the guards, before shaking his head. “This came from a member of the Grus high command themselves. The prisoner transferring in could potentially start a diplomatic fight if not handled properly.”

Pax might not have been privy to the rest of this conversation, but he was an expert at reading others. Aidric, a man who did everything with confidence, who publicly accepts when he makes a mistake, appeared to doubt his own actions. Seeing that concern was unnerving, an emotion shared by Ingo as well.

He’s not normally this way. Ingo crossed his arms. “I’ll ensure the transfer happens properly and will send an encrypted report back to Grus Prime the moment it’s complete.”

“Have you considered that this was an attempt to get you off the station by someone who wanted to kill you?” Zee’s voice rose. “We can’t keep you safe if you’re constantly on the move. It opens up too many opportunities for someone to attack you when you’re moving between locations.”

Aidric cocked an eyebrow. “It’s not your duty to keep me safe. You’re in charge of the prison and all who live and work within these walls. I have my guards who do an excellent job keeping me protected. Besides, if someone does kill me, there’s always others to pick up my mantle.”

The hair on the back of Pax’s neck went up. “No one is going to kill you.” Why is he speaking this way?

I’m not sure. Zee narrowed his gaze at Aidric. “Do we need to speak in private?”

“Not at all.” Aidric turned toward his guards. “I’ve done what I was ordered to do and now I can return to Grus Prime.”

“I think we need to speak in private.” Zee motioned for Aidric to go to his office. “Please, Commander.”

Aidric didn’t say anything, but there was a clear emotional shift between them as he moved toward Zee’s office. Ingo trailed behind them, leaving Pax alone once more with the guards. He was about to engage them in conversation when he saw Sabeen walking down the corridor alone.

Every logical part of his brain short circuited at seeing her, and he moved to go to her. He still felt the upset and hurt directed at him from pushing her away last night, and to make matters worse, he’d spent the evening alone wanting to do nothing else but go to her and beg forgiveness.

“I’ll be right back,” he said to the guards without looking at them and marched over to Sabeen.

She saw him coming long before he reached her. She stopped in place and scanned around as though she were deciding to walk away, or stay and have the conversation that they so clearly needed.

“Pax.” Her voice was clear and calm, but he could feel her nervousness. “I’m sorry if I’m distracting you. I…needed to get out of my room and clear my head. I didn’t think there’d be anything going on here.”

“Never. You’re never a distraction, or a burden.” He took her by the face and kissed her hard. “I’m a fool. I should never have pushed you away.”

In that moment, everything felt as though it had slotted into place. Sabeen was here with him and nothing else mattered. He could do what needed to be done to keep her safe with her by his side. It hurt less than keeping her away from him.

Wide-eyed, she smiled at him when he finally pulled back. “All I want in life is to belong to a family. To have someone I care for and who cares for me, be in my life.”

“I can be that man for you. I’m…not used to this. Being out in the light for someone to see. I’ll make mistakes and you’ll have to be patient with me.”

“I can do that.” She kissed him hard and Pax relaxed. She stepped away once the kiss ended and peeked over his shoulder at what was unfolding behind him. “What’s going on?”

“Aidric is here. We’re trying to determine if there’s something more going on or if this is simply bad timing.”

Sabeen bit down on her bottom lip. “Is that him?”

“No, those are the guards.”

“Weird. The one on the right looks familiar. I thought it was Aidric because you’ve been talking so much about him.”

“The younger one?” Pax went completely still, his focus solely on Sabeen. “What do you mean? They’ve never been to the prison before.” At least, not that he’d been aware of.

She narrowed her gaze and he could feel her confusion. “I don’t know. There’s something about the way he’s standing there that seems like I’ve seen him before. The way his feet are placed, stuck out to the side at an odd angle. I don’t know.”

Zee’s voice echoed in Pax’s head across the cybernetic link. We’re coming out. He’s going back to Grus Prime.

Pax turned as Zee, Ingo and Aidric left the office, giving him a full view of all five men. It was then that his matrix filled in the blank and the guard who’d laughed with Pax about Aidric turned and lifted his laser blaster up nearly imperceptibly and pointed it at Aidric.

The memory void was filled, and the face of the Grus guard snapped into focus. It was him, the one who’d spoken to Cybol, the one whose position allowed him unfettered access to Aidric. Pax didn’t have time to think, instead bolting toward the guard, while putting his body in the path between the blaster and Aidric.

Get Aidric down!

Pax let Zee handle that, while he felt Ingo move quickly up behind him toward the guard. The young Grus man hadn’t realized what was happening, due to the speed by which Pax and the other cyborg were able to jump into action. Pax threw himself into the guard and threw aside the weapon. Ingo was immediately by his side and within moments, they had him restrained.

“Pax?” Ingo kept a firm grip on the guard’s shoulder. “I take it your memory came back?”

“He was the one talking with Cybol. I don’t remember him being here before, but I don’t know all the guards either.”

“I do.” Ingo pulled the Grus’ chin up so he could get a better look at his face. “But I didn’t approve your arrival or work shift here. How did you get into the prison?”

“My shift was approved on Grus Prime.” The guard’s body trembled, but he didn’t look away from Ingo.

“By whom?” Ingo’s voice dropped to a level that sent a chill through Pax.

The guard lifted his chin but said nothing.

Aidric stepped away from Zee and stood before the guard. Pax was once again in awe of the calm authority he was able to project without appearing threatening. “You’ve been a part of my detail for years. Why now and why here?”

“The AI…they couldn’t get past the security measures in place to keep you safe on the station. I…they threatened my family.” The guard’s mouth tightened into a line and Pax felt him shake as his gaze dropped to the floor. “I had no choice.”

The muscle in Aidric’s jaw jumped. “Who told you to do this? I can’t help you if I don’t know who’s threatening you.”

The guard shook his head. Whoever it was, the fear of what that person would do to him far outweighed the threat of being in the presence of three cyborgs.

That said something.

Aidric shook his head. “I have no choice but to leave you here for Ingo to interrogate. He can inform me of what he learns later.” Aidric, glanced at Ingo. “Private channel. Let’s keep this from official reports until we know what’s going on.”

“I’ll keep you informed.” Ingo picked the guard up by the shoulders and shoved him hard. “This way.”

Aidric turned to Pax. “I believe I owe you thanks. Not only for saving my life just now, but for the injuries you sustained trying to retrieve that information.” He smiled then, so small Pax nearly missed it. “I’ve been told your mate has also been woken from stasis. I’m sure you’d rather get back to being with her, so Zee can manage the rest.”

Sabeen.

Pax turned and yes, she was still standing there. Her brown eyes were wide, and her lips had parted, as though she’d been caught in surprise and still hadn’t recovered. Without really trying, she’d been the one to fill the hole in Pax’s memory, and helped save Aidric’s life.

“Yes, I’d like to go now.” He stepped toward her but stopped. There was something more that he owed her, something he owed himself. “Zee, permission to leave the prison.”

“Of course. For how long?”

Pax smiled at Sabeen, who blinked before smiling back. “Forever.”

Chapter Ten

Sabeen hadn’t been this confused in a long time. First, she’d woken up on an alien planet and told she had a mate who would become fixated on her. Then, she’d been thrust into an operation to stop an assassination attempt on the life of a man she’d yet to speak to. And now, she was being told to pack her few possessions and get ready to leave once again. Though only a week out of stasis, she’d lived more in these few days than she had most of her life back on Earth.

At some point, she really hoped she’d be able to stop moving and catch her breath.

She fixed her grip on the bag strap that dug into her shoulder as she followed Pax from the prison toward the waiting shuttle. “Where are we going again?”

“Cimacha. It’s our capital city and where most of the human women will eventually move.” He smiled at her from over his shoulder. “Carys and Darrick live there now. I believe Lena and Rykal also have a home, but I doubt we’ll see much of them.”

“It will be cool to see one of your cities.” It was one of the things she’d been looking forward to the most when she’d dreamed of what life would be like out in space. Alien planets with alien cities, welcoming her to a better life.

Sabeen realized that she was one of the lucky ones; she didn’t have responsibilities the way some of the other women did. Lena might have been the one who’d been out of stasis the longest, but as captain of the Kraken it was her responsibility to ensure the humans under her care were all taken care of and settled safely. With most of the women still in stasis and their mates unaware of their presence, it would be awhile before she’d be able to relax.

Sabeen on the other hand, well, she was starting to think that maybe her life was about to truly get started.

Pax had been acting smug since they’d gathered their things and left the prison. She’d caught him smiling, mostly to himself, more than once over the past hour but he wouldn’t tell her why. It didn’t seem like him to be so secretively amused. Secretive, yes. Amused? Not so much.

Mind you, she was still getting to know him, so perhaps there was a lot more to him and his emotions now than what she’d originally assumed. “What are we going to be doing in the city? Is there someone you want me to meet or a site you want me to see?”

He ushered her into the shuttle and waited for her to place her bag and climb into the co-pilot’s seat before joining her. “Yes.”

“That doesn’t tell me anything.”

“I know.”

Sabeen rolled her eyes and gave up the fight, instead letting her frustration at the lack of information bleed away. Clearly, he wanted to show her something specific and he wanted it to be a surprise, so she’d give him that. Even if not knowing was killing her.

Sabeen hadn’t been had the opportunity to take in much of the landscape of Zarlan since her arrival and finally felt as though she was able to lean back and simply look. The planet had clearly been ravaged by the war with the Sholle; the surface hostile and sparse while lightning cut through the sky above them.

“The atmosphere has been like that for decades.” Pax looked up as he engaged the shuttle’s engines. “Though the scientists have said that things are slowly starting to recover. It simply won’t be repaired in our lifetime.”

“How long is that?” It wasn’t something she’d even stopped to consider before now. “I mean, how long do cyborgs live?”

Pax frowned. “I don’t know. Natural death of a Fallen is not something we’ve ever witnessed. Since our rebirth, the only way one of us has died was through war or decommissioning.”

“So, you could live forever?” She couldn’t imagine what life would be like, stretched on for eternity.

“I don’t think so.” He glanced at her as he navigated them up to travel altitude. “I don’t know why, but I have the impression that your people coming here maybe influences how that goes?”

“Why would you think that?”

“I…” He shook his head. “Something deep in my matrix. It feels like the right answer. That’s a question to be answered by smarter Fallen than I.”

“Maybe Aidric will figure it out?”

“Maybe.”

They fell into comfortable silence while Pax navigated the shuttle over the barren land toward the rising structures of a city that appeared on the horizon. “This is Cimacha. It’s mostly only other Fallen who live here now, but it was once a metropolis of Grus life. We have some species from other planets who stay here, but not many. Eventually, this is where all of the humans will come to live.”

“We’ll have our own little pocket of Earth here.” A rush of excitement rolled through her. “That will be amazing.”

“Your own community.”

Pax landed the shuttle on the rooftop of one of the buildings, giving Sabeen an amazing overview of the city. “Wow.”

The shuttle door opened, and Pax helped her out. The wind slammed against them and the temperature was far colder at this height than it had been on the surface. He leaned in to shout near her ear. “Transportation tube over here.”

She let him pull her along to the tube and inside before she let out a laugh. “I’m not going to get used to that.”

“This isn’t an authorized shuttle pad, so let’s keep this between us.”

“Breaking the law?” She smirked at him, only to smile when he rolled his eyes.

“I’m a spy. Knowing all the hiding spots is my job.”

A job. Having a sense of purpose here on this new planet was something she needed to discover. There would have to be something that she’d be able to do once things were settled. For the first time in her life, Sabeen was free to choose anything she wanted.

So why did having options feel entirely overwhelming?

The transportation tube finally reached its destination and the door slid open, revealing a large open room that appeared to have been some sort of market or store long ago. “It’s empty now, but I believe there is a lot you’ll be able to do with it.” Pax took Sabeen by the hand and led her inside. “This building isn’t too far away from where the others have residence. It’s likely that the other women will want to have a place where they can meet up or maybe stay connected with the other humans. At least, that’s what Carys told me earlier.”

Sabeen should have known that Carys was involved somehow. “She’s smart and I’ve found her to be right about most things.”

Letting go of her hand, Pax stood back while she looked around the space. “I can get you anything you’ll need to make this place right.”

“What do you mean?” She straightened as she turned around. “Right for what?”

“You said you wanted to build a community. Your people will need a place to come.” He frowned and she could feel a burst of fear. “Did I misunderstand? You don’t want a place like this?”

“Wait, this is for me?” Her confusion melted into overwhelming love.

“You and your people.” He took a few steps closer to her, a smiled spreading across his face as he did. “And I’m going to help you.”

Sabeen lost the ability to speak, and instead only stared at him with tears in her eyes.

“I told Zee that I was leaving the prison. I’ve…done my duty. I’ve saved the people I needed to save and served the time I needed to serve. It’s time I’m finally selfish and do something for myself. To live the life that I want to live.”

“You’re not going back.” She had to say the words again, hardly believing them. She could have everything she wanted – Pax, a community, love. “We can stay here.”

“Well, I’ve put in a request to have proper accommodations. It’s not something I’ve had to worry about before now, basically living in the prison in a cell.” He closed the distance between them and cupped her face, leaning close enough to kiss her, but holding back. “I’m tired of hiding underground.”

The tears spilled from her eyes without her realizing. “That’s good because you deserve to be in the light.”

She didn’t know who initiated the kiss, but she was thankful one of them had. The press and warmth of his chest against hers sent a shiver of longing through her body. This was what she’d wanted her entire life, the feeling of connection with another person. And Sabeen was selfish enough to want more.

Breaking the kiss, she held his gaze for a beat before begging. “Please.”

Pax growled and they moved as one to strip her shirt and loosen her boots so she could pull her remaining clothing off. She stepped out of her pants just as Pax tossed his shirt aside. “You’re the most handsome man I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

“You’re mine. There’s never been another woman, nor will there ever be.” He picked her up and carried her over to a countertop. Setting her on her feet for a moment, he stripped his pants off and set them on the counter before placing her on top of them. “Always mine.”

She could only watch as he dropped to his knees and pressed his mouth to her pussy and licked a swipe up across her clit. Sabeen gasped as she clung to his head, holding them both in place. “I’m not going to last long.”

He moaned, clearly not caring one way or the other.

The press of his tongue against her clit, teasing as he circled the bud and slipping a finger into her pussy had Sabeen stretch, her back arching as she did her best to move closer to the pleasure. Her nipples were hard, and the cool air of the room seemed to electrify them, making them even more sensitive to everything happening. Balancing on one hand, she reached up and pinched her nipple, gasping at the force of the sensation and how it made her clit pulse.

Pax groaned against her as he began to fuck her with his hand. She was slowly becoming aware of his emotional state, somehow aware of how aroused he was, at how desperately he wanted to stand up and press his cock into her body but not wanting to do anything before she orgasmed first. He wanted her to touch the spot between his legs that would move him closer to his orgasm, his rondella, so he could feel as he had before he’d died and been reborn.

Well, that was something she could help with.

Sabeen pushed at his head, forcing him from her pussy, even as she was dangerously close to coming. “I want to try something.”

“Why am I suddenly concerned?” He chuckled. “What do you want?”

“Get our clothing and make a bed on the floor, then stretch out.”

He cocked an eyebrow at her but didn’t argue and did as she asked. Sabeen tried to get her breathing under control as she watched him bend over and arrange the articles into something that would if nothing else, keep the dirt from them. “We’ll need to find a mattress big enough for the two of us if we’re going to stay here.”

“No. I won’t let you sleep here.” Turning to face her, his glowing green eyes flared. “Is this sufficient?”

“It will do. Now lay down.”

He didn’t hesitate and stretched out on the clothing. Sabeen waited a beat before jumping down from the counter and moving to stand over him. She then smiled, turned around and got into the sixty-nine position, something she’d never once done before in her life. “This way, we don’t have to wait.”

“I love you and your mind.”

Pax wrapped his arms around her ass and pulled her down to his face as she lowered her mouth to his cock. The dual sensation of having his tongue flicking her clit while his cock was in her mouth was nearly enough to send her over the edge. Being in this position had the added benefit of giving Sabeen access to his rondella. She used one hand to steady herself while sliding the other down his body to the inside of his thigh. Pax moaned against her as she pressed against the flushed and full membrane.

The tip of his cock throbbed in her mouth as she tickled and teased the head with her tongue. Her body shook from being on top, of needing to hold herself in place as she matched his pace; their mutual arousal rising closer to the precipice. Sabeen closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on her approaching orgasm. Her body shook as her nipples rubbed against his stomach, her pussy pulsed as he pressed his finger back inside her.

She wasn’t going to be able to hold out much longer, could feel her orgasm rolling up. Pax’s cock pulsed in her mouth again, only this time she tasted a sweetness as he let out a moan. He hadn’t come, but he was really fucking close. Letting everything go, she cleared her mind as the sensations rolled through her.

The first explosion of her orgasm had her screaming around his cock. Somehow, she had the wherewithal not to bite or hurt him in any way, even as the pleasure short circuited the rest of her brain. She only became aware of his orgasm when he tightened his grip on her ass and began to thrust hard up into her mouth. Come filled her but spilt from her and coated his shaft when she gasped as he bit down on her ass cheek. The pleasure and pain mixture sent another wave of orgasm through her body, leaving her with little ability to think.

Finally, everything ceded, and they were left a panting heap, sprawled on the floor. It took her a moment to catch her breath, wipe his come from her face and turn around so she could lay in his arms. Pax ran his hand through the short strands of her hair, adjusting them both so she was comfortably nestled in the crook of his shoulder.

They stayed that way, silent for a while, listening to the wind howl outside. Sabeen became more aware of the throbbing on her ass the longer they stayed that way, until she finally glanced up at him. “So the biting thing?”

“I’ve been told we stop.” He sounded embarrassed. “It’s not something the Grus do. We don’t know why we Fallen do it to our mates.”

“A weird way to say you care?” She smiled as patted his chest with her fingers.

“Perhaps a way to say we love you.” There was something serious in his gaze, and it took Sabeen’s breath away. “I do love you. I’ll never leave your side.”

“I…” She swallowed hard. “I love you to. I’ll never leave your side either. Not by choice at least.”

He nodded and closed his eyes, a smile still on his face. “You can tell me what you want here in this place and I’ll get it for you. You’re my life now and I’ll do whatever it takes to make you happy.”

“Being with you makes me happy. Everything else is just a bonus.”

And that was when Sabeen knew she’d finally reached the place in her life that she’d always wanted to be – happy.

Acknowledgments

Thank you everyone for reading, EXPOSED BY THE CYBORG! I hope you’ve enjoyed the cyborgs who live and work at The Prison. This brings us to Rennick and Tara’s story, and if they will get their happy ending in REDEEMED BY THE CYBORG, available August 2020.

Want to read the book that started it all? CONSUMED BY THE CYBORG is available now from Amazon and KU!

Chained to the Cyborg

Freed by the Cyborg

Exposed by the Cyborg

Redeemed by the Cyborg – August 2020

About the Author

Alyse Anders is the author of the Cyborg Protector series of erotic sci-fi novellas. When she’s not sitting in front of her computer with her imagination stuck in a far away nebula, she’s at home with her husband and two dogs, usually eating far too much chocolate for her own good. Check out more of Alyse’s books on Amazon and KU or visit her website www.alyseanders.com.

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