Nightmare nodded and straightened his back. “Celise and Faye are safe. The bond doesn’t respond to a bound woman, but it does to an unbound one, like you. It doesn’t help that a small part of me finds you attractive.”
Her jaw dropped. Then she looked away and her cheeks were suspiciously pink. “I guess I should be thankful for that, at least.”
“Don’t look too deep into it. It doesn’t mean anything.”
Her expression flashed with something like … resentment?
“Of course not.”
Was that disappointment in her brown eyes?
He’d expected anger, maybe indifference, because why would she care about what he thought about her?
Instead, Nightmare got a pinch of sadness. It was subtle, easy to miss, but he still spotted it.
He wanted to ask about it, but it was pointless. That conversation would only end in an argument he didn’t feel for right now. He was still under the stress his actions had almost caused. His body refused to calm down, and his bond screamed inside him.
It wanted him to try again, and to not pull away this time.
Nightmare stood his ground.
The thought of being bound to a woman again made his stomach turn.
Carolyn stomped through his head. All those moments she’d used his body for her own pleasure, all those times she’d beaten him while he’d been helplessly tied to the bed or the floor, and all those words … those words of hate and despise. If she hated cyborgs so much, why had she created him in the first place?
He clenched his fists. He’d never go through that again. He’d never be the slave to another woman’s “love” again.
Nightmare took a step back, then another, away from Jade. He’d learned his lesson.
The bond wouldn’t get the chance to make him act mindlessly again.
He was on his guard now.
The anger from the almost-kiss still filled his veins. He headed for the kitchen, not caring if she followed or not.
Make her trust him?
Ha!
CHAPTER 13
Was he going to leave her in the hallway?
His steps were fast and angry. “Follow me,” Nightmare barked, “and don’t try to run. There’s nowhere for you to go.” He disappeared from view, and the noise of greeting voices hit Jade’s ears, making her already stressed heart go into a frenzy.
Follow him?
He had to be nuts!
Unless …
He wasn’t stupid. He might be dangerous and unpredictable, but he had all his brain cells in the right places.
This had to be some kind of plan.
There was no other explanation, because he knew what it meant for her to be among unbound Fighters.
Apparently, Nightmare had forgotten when it came to himself—at least for a split-second—but he wouldn’t make the same mistake again.
He probably hated her even more now.
It was almost impossible to shake what’d just happened. She’d wanted that kiss so badly.
Jade had ended up slapping him instead. She’d yelled at him, but she hadn’t been angry on the inside, she’d only acted like it, because there was no other way. If she hadn’t looked pissed, he would’ve questioned that more.
The image of him leaning over her lips popped back into her mind. Jade couldn’t make it stop, and in a way, she didn’t want to.
His eyes had been closed, and he’d looked as if he was about to enjoy himself.
That alone had made her tremble, and she was still trembling. It’d awakened a deep need, so deep that slapping him had almost been impossible.
Jade had managed to do it in the last second, only to stand on weak legs afterward. It was beyond her how she’d remained on her feet. Her knees shook so much!
The moment still lived inside her, like a side-effect, and it wouldn’t go away. If she was unlucky, she’d feel like this the rest of the day.
Laughter came from the kitchen.
Nightmare addressed someone, but Jade had a hard time following the conversation. Instead, the temptation to run became almost overwhelming.
Going in there would be like entering a cave filled with deadly snakes.
The Fighters would stare, their bodies would tense, and even if she wouldn’t be able to see it, their bonds would react, and tell them to go to her, to bind themselves to her.
She was an unbound woman after all.
One hundred percent available!
This had to be the worst day of her life. No, it was the worst day of her life.
Not even being near Nightmare would change that, because being near him meant danger.
He was like a hostile but tempting environment, and even if he’d done nothing but talk so far didn’t mean it’d stay that way. Who knew what wicked plan he’d put together in that deadly mind of his.
“Are you coming?” His voice boomed from the kitchen.
Shit!
Her soul almost left her body at his yell.
She inhaled as much air as her lungs could take, and fixed her gaze on the door. “You can do this,” Jade told herself. “I’m not afraid. I’m not afraid. I’m the CEO of MedAct, for fuck's sake. Handle this the way you usually do.” She clenched her fists and entered the kitchen. She froze right inside in the doorway and looked around.
The room was so big. It was a white well-lit room with plenty of tables and chairs, but the walls were empty, giving it a sterile feeling.
Nightmare stood at the wide counter, preparing sandwiches with ham, cheese, and cucumber.
She locked eyes with four Fighters sitting by a table, eating.
Blaze was there, and Phoenix. Their gazes darkened when they spotted her, but they didn’t move. They just stilled.
The other two, on the other hand, jumped to their feet and stared with wild eyes. They were both well-built and attractive Fighters with brown hair. One of them had a more feminine appearance, and the other one reminded her of a bodybuilder. “The bodybuilder” reacted the way she’d expected a cyborg to react.
“What the heck is she doing here?” he growled, and pointed at her.
“I’m interrogating her,” Nightmare answered, and seemed untroubled by the tension in the room. “If you can’t handle her being here, leave.”
The Fighter seemed to walk on needles. His eyes were wide, his mouth low, as he ogled her from the bottom up. The fork in his hand turned into a ball of metal. “Are you kidding me? What kind of interrogation is this?”
“The kind where I make her a sandwich first.”
Jade’s lips twitched from the leader’s smart remark.
He seemed unaffected by the Fighter’s reaction, but keeping a calm and neutral air was probably part of his plan. However, he seemed to be expecting something to happen.
She, for sure, expected everything to happen.
The Fighter looked ready to lunge at her.
“Calm down, Blue,” Blaze said, grabbing “the bodybuilder’s” arm.
Blue’s gaze was fixed on her, and sweat broke out on his forehead. “I don’t know if I can. She shouldn’t be here.”
“Yes, you can. Just take a deep breath and the bond will soon calm.”
The huge cyborg licked his lips and jumped from one foot to the other, glaring, as if she was the tastiest thing he’d ever seen.
Jade stood her ground. She hadn’t said one single word yet, and she was already creating havoc in the room.
“Why did you bring her here?” Blaze asked Nightmare. “Why did you take her out from her room?”
“She was hungry.”
“You could’ve fed her without bringing her here.”
“I could have.” The leader still sounded unaffected. “But I wanted her to see.”
“See what?” The medic only sounded angrier. His eyes went back to the restless Blue, who seemed ready to bite off his tongue to stop himself from throwing himself at her.
“Us.”
Jade looked back at Nightmare. He wanted her
to see their world. He wanted to give her insight. Why?
Wasn’t she the enemy? Shouldn’t he be doing the opposite?
Their home was an impressive place, she had to admit that, but he didn’t trust her one bit.
He probably thought she’d run back to MedAct if she got the chance, and report everything she’d been through. That she’d inform the cyborg soldiers, track down the Fighters’ headquarter, and attack; take them all down.
Yet, he wanted her to see them.
A small part of her rejoiced, but it had to be part of a bigger scheme. She knew him well enough by now.
Phoenix frowned. “Us? I thought you wanted to know what she knows, not give her information about us.”
Nightmare didn’t answer. Instead, he finished the sandwiches and put all the ingredients back into the refrigerator.
Jade remained silent as well. Speaking would only make the situation worse. She stood with her back straight, her jaws clenched, and her eyes constantly scanning the room, preparing for anything.
If Blue gave in to the bond, the only thing that could save her was if one of the Fighters interfered.
Jade could only pray she’d get out of this situation unharmed, and without becoming a Fighter’s bound one.
Blue’s breathing increased. “Get her out. I’m losing it.” He grabbed Blaze’s arm, as if to stop himself from going after her.
“If you can control it on the surface, you can control it down here,” Nightmare said.
The big cyborg shook his head. “It’s different down here. She’s so close, so tempting, nowhere for her to run.” All his focus was on her.
Crap.
This was going in the wrong direction.
Nothing in Blue’s body language indicated he was going to back down. He became more and more tense, his breathing melding into short pants, and his mad glare never faltered.
Nightmare didn’t seem to care. He placed the sandwiches on a plate and pulled a bottle of water from the fridge.
Phoenix snorted. “I’ve no idea what you’re planning, but I won’t stand here and watch two lives be ruined.” He left the room.
Disappointment filled Jade. He could’ve stayed and helped if Blue snapped, but his actions were clear. He didn’t care; none of them did, really.
Not even Blaze was interested. He seemed more eager to save Blue from making a fatal mistake.
It was the Fighter that was important, not her.
Of course, he was. She didn’t blame Blaze for that, but the knowledge hurt like hell.
How had it ended up like this?
How had she managed to turn the Fighters away when all she’d ever wanted was to help them?
A roar brought her back to the room.
“Calm down!” Blaze yelled.
Ice shot down her spine as she watched Blue, who reminded her more and more of an animal than a cyborg. If she ran, he’d react like a predator and chase her down. Her safest bet was to stand still, do nothing.
The pressure in her body rose. By the end of this day, she’d have, without a doubt, a huge headache. The side-effect from the almost-kiss still lived in her body, and it got company from all the emotions Blue forced upon her.
Fear was becoming her one and only companion.
How many times had she told herself not to be afraid anymore? That she’d be able to handle anything they threw at her? She’d lost count.
And how many times had she told herself to stand still, to remain on the spot? She’d lost count there as well. The instinct for survival was overpowering.
Her body reacted, before her mind got the chance to catch up, when Blue took a step in her direction.
Jade whirled and fled.
She ran down the white hallways as fast as humanly possible. Frost filled her veins when another roar came.
Seconds later, the sound of someone running after her filled her ears.
Blue, without a doubt.
His heavy breathing gave him away.
Dread washed over her. Cold sweat broke out on her skin. A cry left her mouth.
“No!” Nightmare roared.
She heard the scuffle behind her, but wasn’t about to turn around and find out what it was.
Single running steps were quickly joined by other steps.
Jade had never run so fast in her entire life. It couldn’t last. Her lungs ached, her heart threatened to give in.
Sooner or later, he’d catch her.
A cyborg was faster than a human, and the never-ending hallways could suddenly come to an end.
She felt Blue’s presence build up behind her like a shadow about to swallow its prey.
Then, a hand grabbed her arm.
She screamed, as she was yanked to a halt.
Jade was spun around, and before she got the chance to process what was happening, she found herself in Blue’s strong embrace.
The huge cyborg locked her in; made it impossible to get away. He leaned down for a kiss, and she screamed again, until her throat burned.
“You son of a bitch!” Nightmare yelled. “Let her go!”
She met his gaze as he ran toward Blue.
His pure fury was beyond anything she’d ever seen before, and the underlying possessiveness filled her with a slight pinch of hope.
He would save her.
He would, right?
The leader let out a roar of rage. It echoed against the bare white walls when he went after Blue from behind. He wrapped his muscular arm around the bigger cyborg’s throat and pressed, pulling the Fighter back with him.
Blue’s body jerked. He released Jade and went for Nightmare’s arm. He gasped after air, but his leader twisted his body around with another roar and threw him to the floor.
The “bodybuilder” went down with a heavy thumb. He didn’t try to get back up, but the glare he gave Nightmare was filled with anger. Then he blinked, gasped, and it all faded away. As if something slapped him in the face.
“Take care of him,” Nightmare ordered Blaze as he straightened his back, breathing fast.
Blaze didn’t say anything, but his anger toward the leader was unmistakable. The red shine in his cyborg eyes was intense and his lips were pressed together hard. However, he helped Blue stand.
The Fighter groaned and gave Jade a quick look. There was an apology in his eyes. Being thrown around seemed to have helped him snap out of his maddening desire to bind himself to her, but he remained silent as Blaze helped him back to the kitchen.
Jade’s body trembled. She let out a sob. Tears gathered in her eyes, but she dried them away. “Are you happy now? Did you achieve what you wanted?”
Nightmare remained silent for a moment, and watched her with unreadable eyes. “I guess I did.”
More tears ran down her cheeks. It was too much. She didn’t pause to think or slow her pulse. She took two fast steps toward Nightmare and wrapped her arms around him, leaning her head against his chest. The warmth of his body sank in, hard and fast.
She should hate him for what he’d done. She should be furious, and hit him where it would hurt the most.
It was all his fault she’d almost become Blue’s bound one. He deserved to be in pain, but Jade only pressed her cheek more firmly against his chest.
She needed his nearness and strength instead. It was a twisted and wrong reaction, but she couldn’t help it.
He’d saved her in the end, and right now, he was her only haven, even if it meant for only a few minutes.
Nightmare placed his hands on her arms but didn’t push her away. “What’re you doing?”
“I’m holding you.”
A shaky breath left his lips. “Why?”
Jade closed her eyes and shut her mouth. She wanted so badly to tell him what he really meant to her.
Maybe then he’d understand and believe she meant no harm to the Fighters, and that she truly had no idea the bond was a poison, but no, he wouldn’t understand.
He’d only use her feelings against her.
&nb
sp; Nightmare and the others had to be right about the bond, right?
She still hadn’t seen any proof, but much pointed to it. All she had to do was look around to know something was off. “Is your bond reacting to this?” Jade kept her voice low.
“Thankfully, it sees no reason to trigger the bonding process. You’re not looking for intimacy, you’re looking for comfort, but being near you is difficult. If my thoughts turn the wrong way, so will the bond, but what I don’t understand is why you’re seeking comfort from me.” He didn’t sound angry, only confused. “I just put you in a dangerous situation, and I did it on purpose.”
“I know.”
His masculine and warm scent filled her senses. It was a scent she’d gladly inhale all day long. It had a calming effect on her.
“You’re not making any sense.”
Jade should lie. She should tell him it was because he was her only security down here. No other Fighter would stand up for her, but he would because he still needed her.
If she’d told him that, his coldness would return, and the regular angry sparks would start flying between them again, but she couldn’t.
She just couldn’t stomach those words leaving her mouth. She’d had enough of pain from such conversations in the past.
Keeping him at a distance had been the only way back then.
Now, Jade just wanted him to hold her.
CHAPTER 14
Nightmare had no idea why he’d just lied. Of course, the bond created havoc within him, and of course, he felt its need to bond him to Jade; but for some reason, it didn’t activate.
Maybe it was because she sought comfort, and not intimacy, but at the same time, that wasn’t it.
He felt it wasn’t, but ...
Something steered his heart.
That something pushed the bond aside.
How, he had no idea, but why did it surface now? Why not before when he’d almost kissed her?
With a shaky breath, Nightmare watched the beautiful woman who held him. He only saw the top of her head, but that was enough for that something, to intensify.
He’d felt it before over the years and had ignored it, but he couldn’t ignore it now. The bond had nothing to do with it. That was weird.
It came from him, and him alone.
Fierce Cyborg Page 8
