by Anna Hackett
So many different alien species. While studying astrophysics, she’d dreamed about what making contact with an alien species would be like. She snorted mentally. She didn’t recommend getting abducted by alien slavers, but this method was certainly immersive and fascinating.
One tall alien walked by with a flying creature on a lead that followed, skimming just above her head. Jayna stared.
“Here.” Mace held out an energy bar to her.
“I’m not very hungry—”
“You need the energy.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re still underweight and need the fuel.”
“Fine.” She snatched it off him. God, did he have to point out her weaknesses. She munched on the bar, and glanced covertly at the confusing cyborg. She knew he was angry at her for coming on this trip. And she knew that he wanted some distance between them.
But then, at the same time, he did these nice things for her. Could the guy be any more confusing?
“How was it?” Mace said.
She glanced up at him. “What?”
“Talking with your parents.”
She bit her lip, tears instantly threatening. “Tough.”
He pulled her to a stop, his fingers brushing her jaw.
Dammit, he was going to really make her cry. “I…I can’t talk about it right now.”
He nodded, and urged her forward again. After a while, the buildings they passed changed and the crowds began to thin. The streets were dirtier, the structures more worn, shabby. The looming shapes of large factories and warehouses appeared ahead. Around her, she sensed the cyborgs’ attention sharpen.
Finally, they stopped in front of one large, stone building.
“It’s unguarded,” Magnus said. “I’m not detecting any biosigns.”
“Heavy security on the doors,” Jax noted.
Magnus pointed, and they circled the large building. At the back of it, Magnus scanned their surroundings, then bent his knees and jumped, landing easily on the roof of the warehouse.
Holy hell. He flew higher than she’d ever seen anyone jump before. Openmouthed, she watched Acton and Toren follow suit. Jax wrapped his arms around Quinn and propelled them both into the air.
Mace circled an arm around her waist.
“You can do that too?” she asked.
He nodded, then pushed off.
They flew upward, and Jayna gasped.
As their boots touched the metallic roof panels, she dragged in a breath. “You don’t have obvious enhancements like the others.”
“My species is naturally strong, and my enhancements are beneath the skin. Most of my organs are synthetic.”
She frowned, trying to imagine what had happened to him in the past that led to synthetic organs. But before she could say anything, he released her, and they moved to join the others.
She stared at Mace’s back. Just how badly injured did someone have to be to need new organs?
Magnus knelt down, gripped one of the roof panels, then tore it open like it was aluminum foil. The hole led directly into the warehouse below.
A second later, the imperator leaped into the building. God, did Magnus ever take a second to think things through before he dived in? Or maybe he was just quicker at assessing the odds than she was.
Mace wrapped his arms around her again, and they jumped through the hole. Jayna held her breath, her heart leaping into her throat as they dropped.
They landed in the center of the factory with a small thump.
It was dark, and she glanced around, her eyes slowly adjusting to the dim light. She froze.
Long construction lines with conveyors and robotic machines filled the space. Lasers whizzed around parts on the conveyors, glowing green in the dim light. The metallic clank of metal on metal was loud, and crates nearby overflowed with scrap parts.
Her heart started pounding. For a moment, she was back in the Edull’s domain.
“Jayna? Jayna?”
She swallowed and blinked rapidly. As Mace cupped her cheeks, she looked at him.
“You’re safe,” he said.
She nodded. “I know. Just a few bad memories.”
Shadows flickered in his eyes. “Those memories will never go away, but they’ll become dull over time. Just remember, they can’t hurt you anymore.”
She nodded again. He grabbed her hand and they walked between two rows of conveyors, watching the lasers dance.
“They’re making robots,” Magnus said.
The Edull were experts at constructing robots out of scrap metal. While their creations weren’t beautiful, they were strong, and worked well.
Jayna eyed the robots being created on these assembly lines. They were humanoid in design, with huge pistons for arms. Her heart pounded in her chest. She’d seen similar creations during her captivity.
“For work in construction, or a quarry,” Mace said, as though he were reading her thoughts.
“This way,” Jax said.
They kept moving. On a nearby bench, Jayna spotted several strange devices and screens. Suddenly, a loud noise broke the quiet hum of the machines. The sound of something rolling across the concrete floor.
The cyborgs swiveled. Quinn took a step forward, scanning the space.
Magnus lifted a hand. “Any biosigns?”
Jax shook his head. “None.”
“Then keep moving.”
They entered a section of the factory where the conveyors arched overhead, a series of robots dangling from them. As she walked, Jayna studied the machines. They looked complete. She stared at one in particular, which moved along at the same pace as her.
Lights were blinking on its chest panel.
She glanced up. It had no mouth or nose, but a sleek row of lights blinked where eyes would normally be. It almost felt like it was…watching her. Goose bumps broke out on her skin.
Then suddenly, the robot jumped from the conveyor and landed on the floor between her and Mace.
The Rone cyborgs all started shouting.
Jayna stared in horror as the robot turned to look at her, lifting one of its piston arms.
Cursing, Mace watched the robot slam a piston into the floor. The concrete shattered under the blow. Jayna stood there, frozen.
“Jayna! Run!”
Mace launched himself at the robot. He rammed his fist into the machine’s gut and met hard steel.
The robot barely moved. It was rock solid.
Another robot jumped off the conveyor, right near Jayna.
Drak. The first robot spun, lifting an arm. A metal panel on the machine’s chest opened and a weapon slid out.
Laser fire lit up the space.
Mace dived.
“Watch out!” Jax shouted.
“Take them down,” Magnus ordered.
Mace gave the mental command for his shield to form. His skin morphed, changing from the center of his chest and flowing out over his skin. It left him coated in silver metal.
He rose and heard Jayna scream.
He had to get to her.
Nearby, Jayna dodged one robot. She yanked out the laser pistol that Quinn had given her. She fired on the second robot as it advanced on her.
Mace rammed into the first robot. Its weapons swiveled, taking aim on him. The laser rebounded off Mace’s metallic skin.
He heard the rest of his cyborgs behind him. Acton leaped on one robot, punching his cybernetic arm through the construct’s head.
“They’re strong,” Acton yelled.
There was a crackle of electricity, followed by a flash of light. Magnus and Jax had both electrified their arms. Jax’s tattoo glowed with the power, and Magnus’ cybernetic arm shimmered silver-blue.
Nearby, a weapon rose up from an implant on Toren’s shoulder. He turned, his weapon swiveling as it took aim at the robots. A ricochet bolt hit one robot, before bouncing onto another, then another. The scent of burning metal filled the air. Quinn leaped into the air, her staff whirling as she attacked anothe
r robot.
Mace tried to shoulder past his opponent, but the robot sidestepped, pounding its piston arm into the floor. Beyond it, Mace saw the other robot stomping closer to Jayna.
She stumbled backward, still firing. But her small laser weapon wasn’t making any impact.
Magnus and Jax jumped in on either side of the first robot. They both touched it and the robot jerked and shuddered.
But it threw out its arms, knocking the cyborgs back. Magnus and Jax hit the concrete and rolled.
Mace curled his hands into fists, readying to attack.
Then he heard Jayna scream again.
No. He turned and saw that she’d fallen. The robot’s giant piston arm was coming down at her.
She rolled and the piston hit the ground. She rolled again, and the piston smashed into a conveyor with a crunch of metal.
Mace had to get to her.
“Go,” Magnus ordered. “We’ve got this.”
Magnus jumped high. He landed right beside one robot and punched his fist into the machine’s side. He punched again and again.
Metal dented, but that was it. The machine was still upright.
Scowling, Mace ran toward Jayna. He watched the robot in front of her raising its piston arm again, and as Jayna tried to get away, Mace realized she wasn’t going to be fast enough.
And her body would be crushed.
Mace threw himself forward. He dived in between the robot and Jayna.
The piston slammed into Mace’s gut.
It was like being hit by a transport at full speed.
The blow lifted Mace off his feet and he flew backward, ramming into the side of a conveyor. His head smacked against something hard and his ears rang.
“Mace!” Jayna’s screamed.
He shook his head, trying to find his balance. He saw that the robot was converging on Jayna again. She was still firing her pistol.
“Don’t you hurt him!” The robot got closer, and he could see there was no fear on her face. She aimed straight at the robot’s head.
Mace blinked. Did she mean him? Apart from his fellow cyborgs, no one worried about him. And even they didn’t worry about him in a fight.
With a bellow, Mace charged in. He landed hits and kicks on the robot’s back. The machine swiveled and slammed a piston into his gut. Pain shuddered through his body.
And anger.
“Watch out!”
Jax’s warning had Mace swiveling. Lasers from the assembly line were moving off the job, and taking aim at the cyborgs.
Drak. Acton and Toren were dancing their way through the deadly lasers.
“We need to retreat.” Magnus’ voice was grim.
The robot in front of Mace turned. It threw a punch. Mace dodged. It punched again, and this time, slammed into his shoulder. Agony shuddered through him. It felt like all the times he’d been hammered and beaten in the underground fight rings.
With a roar, Mace gripped the robot’s piston arm and yanked with all of his strength. With a screech of metal, he tore it off.
Then suddenly Jayna was there, jumping on the robot’s back. She pressed her laser to its head, point-blank.
She fired, and Mace felt an unfamiliar mix of fear and pride.
Smoke poured out of the robot’s damaged head. It staggered like it had imbibed too much ale.
Mace launched forward and snatched Jayna off the robot. Then he ran, dodging the lasers. He bent his knees and jumped up through the hole in the roof.
They landed on the roof and Mace ran toward the edge, wanting to put as much distance between them and the robots as he could. He leaped off the side of the building, and spotted Magnus and the others below.
He landed with a bend of his knees, still holding Jayna tight. His metallic skin retracted, morphing back to flesh.
“You got me out.” She pulled in a breath, her gaze on his face.
Mace nodded. “No one will ever hurt you again.”
Then his knees collapsed from under him.
As they dropped to the ground, Jayna cried out. “Mace!”
Chapter Eight
Oh, God, oh, God. Jayna’s pulse thundered in her ears. Mace had always seemed invincible, but seeing him on his knees, his face dazed, left her unable to breathe.
She dropped to her knees in front of him and cupped his face. “Mace?”
She sensed movement, and Magnus knelt beside her.
“He’s hurt,” she said.
She slid her hand down his side and spotted horrible, purple bruising appearing on his abdomen.
“Something…ruptured,” Mace pushed out. “Internal bleeding.” His brow was sheened with sweat.
Ruptured? Bleeding? Jayna could barely contain her fear, it knocked around in her chest like an enraged fighter. She stroked his rough cheek. So big, so strong. She’d seen his silver skin. Like a living shield. He couldn’t be hurt. He’d been protecting her from the moment he’d found her.
“He needs the healers,” she said.
“Reroute and block the pain,” Magnus ordered Mace.
“Trying… Damage too severe.”
Jayna swallowed back a sob.
“Let’s get you to Avarn.” Magnus rose.
Jax and Acton shifted in on either side of Mace. They lifted him to his feet, and then started moving down the street. Jayna broke into a jog to keep up with them as they hurried back to the House of Rone.
She barely remembered the journey. All she could see was that with each step, Mace’s face twisted further with pain.
God. God. She had to hold it together. He’d been her strength when she’d been hurt and lost, now she’d be his.
At the House of Rone, the guards pushed open the doors. Moments later, they strode into Medical.
“Over here.” Avarn and his team moved around them. The head healer’s face looked grim.
As the cyborgs laid Mace on the bunk, Jayna sensed the urgency in the room, and panic fluttered and threatened. He’d be okay. He had to be.
She stayed out of the way of the healers, moving close to Mace’s head. She stroked his dark hair.
“You’ll be fine.”
His eyes opened and locked with hers.
“The healers are taking care of you.”
He didn’t respond, and when she glanced up, she saw that Avarn was cutting open Mace’s abdomen. Jesus. She quickly averted her gaze and looked back at his face. She was terrible with blood.
“Can’t stop…looking at you.”
His words made her heart go pitty-pat. “I can’t stop looking at you, either.”
“Not…handsome.”
“Handsome often hides a lot of not-so-pretty things.” She thought of some of the guys she’d dated. “I prefer strength. A strong jaw.” She stroked his jaw line. “A strong nose.” She stroked her finger down the blade of his nose. “Far-too-sexy lips.” She brushed her thumb over his mouth.
“Jayna—” All of a sudden, his body jolted, his teeth grinding together.
She barely held back a cry.
“Cut off the pain, Mace,” Avarn said. “Shut it down.”
Mace gritted his teeth even harder. “Trying…”
“I’m going to sedate you.”
“No.”
“Yes.” Jayna tightened her fingers on him.
“No.”
When she glanced at his stomach, nausea swelled inside her. His middle was opened up, and Avarn was holding a clear, blood-slicked organ in his hand. Flashing lights blinked inside Mace’s body cavity.
“Synthetic organs,” she murmured.
“Better than the real thing,” Mace muttered.
“You must’ve been hurt badly.”
He shut his eyes. “Forced to fight. Weeks on end.”
Oh, God. She’d been so caught up in her own ordeal, she hadn’t stopped to realize that the others around here had survived terrible things as well.
Mace had been forced to fight, been injured, but they’d essentially tortured him with endless fights. Bas
tards.
Leaning forward, she pressed her forehead to his. He grimaced again.
Avarn frowned. “You need a sedative—”
“No drugs.”
“Yes.” Jayna used her best bossy tone. “Please, Mace. If it stops the pain, it’s worth it.”
“Don’t…” His words trailed off.
But she knew. He didn’t like being vulnerable. “I’ll stay with you. The entire time.”
His gaze locked with hers, and she sensed Avarn moving around, holding a pressure injector.
“For you,” Mace murmured.
Avarn injected him, and it only took seconds for Mace’s eyes to drift closed. Her shoulders sagged.
“Thank you,” Avarn said. “He is one of my most stubborn patients.”
She nodded, holding on tightly to Mace’s hand. It felt like time was dragging on forever, but finally, the healers relaxed and closed Mace up.
“He’s going to need the regen tank for a little while,” Avarn said.
Jayna stepped out of the way, as two burly healers cut the rest of Mace’s clothes off him and then lifted his huge form into one of the big tanks of blue healing gel.
Once Mace was floating inside it, Jayna pulled a chair up to sit beside the tank.
“You’re going to be okay.” She pressed a palm to the glass. “And I’ll be here when you wake up.”
Mace woke in a regen tank. It wasn’t his first time, and it wouldn’t be his last.
He shifted his body and he felt no pain.
Sitting up, he gripped the side and looked around the room. His chest went tight.
Jayna was asleep in a chair, her head tipped to one side, and her chin in her palm.
Emotion tightened his throat. No one had ever sat by his bed before.
One of the healers came over and helped him out of the tank. After a quick check of his now-healed wounds, the healer handed him a drying cloth.
Mace rubbed it over his skin, wiping off the last of the blue healing goo. He pulled on some loose, black pants that had been left for him.
Jayna finally stirred and her eyes opened. When she spotted him standing, she scrambled up.
“How do you feel?”
