by Cynthia Sax
Awareness shimmered over Bettina, a reaction she only had when close to a certain cyborg warrior who should be locked in his chamber. She didn’t turn her head, didn’t show any sign of alarm, not wanting to worry her dad and his friend.
Duggar looked at her. “Do you see what I have to deal with?” The male moved offscreen. “Disagreeable old relic.”
“Finally, we got rid of him.” Her dad said that loudly. There was more muttering in the background. He grinned, looking pleased with himself for riling his friend up. “It’s been raining, and his legs are paining him.”
“Don’t listen to him,” Duggar yelled.
“I’ll make him more balm.” She’d used some of her supply on her cyborg. “Dad, I won’t be home as soon I thought. It might be another forty planet rotations or more before I see you again.”
Her dad frowned. “Is everything okay? Because I can fly out and help you.”
“I’m fine.” She smiled gently. If her dad tried to rescue her, he would be the being requiring help. She didn’t say that because males, even older ones, had their pride. “The company is offering a lot of credits for not a lot of work and I couldn’t pass that up.”
That was only partially a lie. The extra procurements would result in quite a few extra credits.
“You don’t need the credits. You’ll always have a chamber in my domicile.” Her dad’s chest puffed out. “My award payments are enough to cover any of the extras.”
His award payments were what the procurements were covering. But he didn’t know that. Her dad believed the company he’d dedicated most of his lifespan serving was supplying the credits.
“Duggar is still sore I got an award and he didn’t.” Her dad lifted his chin. “But he didn’t find the largest sunstone ever uncovered on the planet, did he? That’s something any company would acknowledge.”
“That must have been something—finding that sunstone.” She had heard the story hundreds, perhaps thousands, of times, but she listened with a smile as he recounted his glory days yet again.
Her stay at their home after the procurements were done wouldn’t be for a long duration. Her dad and Duggar had a routine, one that centered around shifts spent happily at nearby beverage outlets with other old miners, and she didn’t want to interrupt their fun. She’d visit for a while, allow Duggar to feed her, and then find her own place.
“When I talked with my superior.” Her dad continued to chatter. “And he said there hadn’t been any credits set aside like they had assured us numerous times they were doing for us, I felt betrayed.”
Bettina would never forget the look on her dad’s face when he had arrived home. He had put all of his faith in the company, believing his superiors’ promises of later solar cycles spent in comfort, and he had been absolutely crushed to find that had been lies. Her big strong parent had appeared lost. It had broken his heart…and hers.
“Then you told me that must be a mistake.” Her dad smiled. “And I felt like a fool for ever doubting them.”
He had grasped onto her words, his relief palpable, and she hadn’t the heart to tell him she suspected it hadn’t been an error, that the Humanoid Alliance-owned company had likely spent all of the credits on their numerous wars.
“I was the miner who had located the planet’s biggest sunstone.” Pride shone from his slightly unfocused eyes. “Of course, the Humanoid Alliance would have an award set aside for me. And you looked into it and they did—the only one of its kind.”
She’d utilized all of her savings for that award, had accepted multiple roles trying to maintain it. Then Smarts had contacted her, giving her a means to help her father. She’d quashed her qualms about deceiving beings and had taken the role as Bait.
That might make her a bad female in some more honorable being’s eyes, but the comfort it had given her dad, and now Duggar, had been worth it.
She would do anything for them.
“It was the only award of its kind.” She had to tell her dad that. He had wanted her to find awards for his mining buddies.
The Humanoid Alliance had fucked them all, taking their loyalty and giving them lies in return. They had ravaged the planet, pillaging it of sunstones and other resources, and then they had left, closing the mines, leaving giant gaping pits on the surface.
She couldn’t repair the planet, but she could fix the situation for her dad and for one of his friends.
“Lode’s son is back from off planet.” Her dad told her that news not-so-casually. He was constantly trying to set her up with males. “He asked about you.”
A soft growl rolled through the air, the sound originating behind her.
Bettina straightened in her chair. “He’s not the being for me, Dad.” She suspected her now-freed cyborg might be her male. “Don’t overexert yourself.”
“Not you, too.” Her dad rolled his eyes. “I can take care of myself.”
“Yes, me too.” She smiled. “You have two beings who love you. Deal with that.” She gazed at his time-worn face, committing it to memory, not knowing when or if she would be allowed to see him again. “I might be out of communication for a while, so don’t worry about me.”
“I won’t.” Lines appeared between her dad’s bushy gray eyebrows. That always happened when he twisted the truth. “He will likely worry, however.” He twitched his head to the right, in the direction Duggar had ventured. “So communicate as soon as you can.”
“Love you, Dad.” She blinked back tears.
“Love you, Bett Bits.”
She ended the transmission, keeping the still image of her dad on the main viewscreen. The message crafted for Duggar remained scheduled. If the worst case happened and she didn’t escape her cyborg, if she remained his prisoner forever, the two males would be one procurement short of credits. They could overcome that shortfall with some conservation.
The beings she loved would be provided for. Her cyborg’s arrival didn’t change that.
She gazed at her dad’s craggy countenance. “How much did you hear, sir?”
“I heard enough.” Chuckles’ deep voice stroked her back.
“Oh.” That sounded like a threat.
She trusted the cyborg with her lifespan. But she didn’t know how he viewed her father, another male.
“If Lode’s son touches you, I will remove his head from his body.” Chuckles was thankfully fixated on a different being.
She turned her chair. Her cyborg stood in front of the bridge’s doors, his fine form magnificently naked, his pack set by his bare feet. His face was hard, as was his cock. His eyes blazed with emotion.
He took her breath away, tightening her nipples and wetting her pussy.
But she couldn’t keep him. She glanced at the gun she’d set on the console. He had to be returned to his chamber. She didn’t have the luxury of being his captive, not permanently. Smarts expected her ship back.
“You won’t reach the gun before I do.” Chuckles’ tone was dry.
He was fast. And they wouldn’t arrive at the unloading site for many planet rotations. Would it hurt anyone if they spent that time indulging in their most wicked fantasies?
She wasn’t certain, had to ensure their play wouldn’t harm the beings she loved. “I’m not reaching for the gun.” She placed her hands on the armrest of the chair. “And you don’t know where Lode’s son is located.” She’d been careful not to mention her home planet during her communication with her dad. “That’s an empty threat.”
“I don’t make empty threats.” Her cyborg met her gaze. “I know where your dad is located—on Pegasi Alpha, 43.6532 degrees North, 79.3832 degrees West.” He shrugged. “It should be a simple task to hunt Lode’s son from there.”
He knew where her dad was. A chill swept over Bettina. Why had he tracked that information—to control her?
She’d willingly give him that control…for a short duration.
“Don’t hurt my dad, sir.” She slipped off her chair and sank to her knees in front of Chu
ckles. “He’s a good male, isn’t involved in any of this.” Her dad was unaware of the nature of her role, wouldn’t approve of it if he did know about it. “I’ll do whatever you want me to do. Just promise me you’ll leave him alone.”
“Is your dad a warrior?” Chuckles’ voice was flat.
“No, sir.” She shook her head. “He was a miner all his lifespan, has never had a use for a gun himself.”
There weren’t necessary, not for her dad. He was a large male, had hands like the rocks he had blasted through. Even now, when he was partially blind and had advanced solar cycles, no one bothered him.
“Has he killed any beings?” Her cyborg approached her.
His cock was level with her face. She forced herself to remain focused, her dad’s lifespan at stake. “He once beat a male badly for making me…uncomfortable.” She shared her dad’s one violent deed, an action she’d driven him to take. “But the male lived.” Barely.
Chuckles narrowed his eyes at her. “How did the male make you uncomfortable?”
“He pulled me into a darkened pathway and ripped at my garments, sir.” She shivered, the fear she’d felt during that experience returning. “I was stupid, had only sixteen solar cycles.” She gazed at her cyborg’s feet, ashamed that she had put herself into that situation. Her dad had told her not to walk alone after the sun set and she hadn’t heeded that advice. “A group of beings passed the pathway. That distracted the male and I managed to get away.”
When her dad had found out what had happened to her, his face had turned scarily hard. He’d left the domicile immediately, returning a shift later with bruised knuckles.
Her dad gave her a gun the next sunrise, had taken her shooting every moment the two of them could spare, until he was certain she could protect herself.
“You managed to get away.” Her cyborg’s fingers balled into tight fists. “The male was a predator, like the beings you trap.”
She nodded.
“Like me.”
“No, not like you, sir.” Her gaze flew upward, meeting his. How could he think that of himself? “You wanted to meet me, not hurt me, not force me to do things I didn’t want to do. You’re a good being.”
“Yet you believe I would harm a male past his prime, a male whose only violent act was in defense of his offspring, a male whose vision system is severely malfunctioning?” Anger edged her cyborg’s voice. “Is that your definition of a good being?”
Stars. She had insulted her honorable male. “No, sir, but—”
“Sir denotes respect.” He crossed his arms in front of his chest. “You disrespect me by believing I’d damage your dad, and you disrespect your dad by lying to him.”
She had lied to her dad. Numerous times. Her head bowed.
“The Humanoid Alliance manufactured me.” Her Sir shifted his weight from his right leg to his left and then back again. “Do you know what they do to cyborgs who are malfunctioning, what they would do to me if they saw my left knee?”
“They do something bad?” She peeked through her eyelashes up at him.
“They do something very bad.” His expression turned grim. “They would harvest my mechanics, cutting me into pieces while I was still alive. It’s the most painful death imaginable, and I have viewed thousands of other deaths.”
She shuddered. “They won’t do that to you, sir. I’d save you.”
“You couldn’t stop them…baby.” His eyes gleamed. “The Humanoid Alliance decommissions cyborgs who malfunction. Does the Humanoid Alliance give awards to miners who malfunction?”
“No, sir.” She shook her head. “I supply the credits for my dad’s award.”
“Because the Humanoid Alliance betrayed your dad.” Her cyborg’s voice softened.
“Because they betrayed my dad.” She repeated that truth. “And it almost destroyed him. I couldn’t allow that.”
“You put yourself in danger to supply credits for your dad’s award.” He braced his feet apart. “Any one of the beings you’ve trapped could have ended your lifespan.”
She nodded. It was a risk she’d knowingly taken.
“You disrespected your dad for admirable reasons.” Approval edged his words and her chin lifted slightly. “I will retract the reprimand for that.”
For that. She gulped air. “Thank you, sir.”
“You disrespected me. Multiple times.” His voice snapped over her. “You put yourself in danger. Multiple times.” His muscles flexed. “What is your reprimand?”
She could choose her reprimand? Her gaze raised to his cock. He was huge. Her lips would stretch around him. She might not be able to take all of his length.
“I could suck you off, sir.” That prospect caused her pussy to drip.
His cock bobbed. “Would sucking me off be a reprimand?”
She hesitated, not wanting to lose that treat.
“Female,” he barked.
She jerked. “No, sir.” She was forced to admit. “Sucking you off would be a reward.” She sighed. “I don’t deserve your cock.”
“You don’t deserve my cock.” He pushed his hips forward. “You’ve been a bad, bad female and haven’t yet earned that reward.”
She hadn’t yet earned his cock. Her spirits brightened. “I will be a good female, sir. I’ll do everything you tell me to do.”
“No, you won’t.” Chuckles snorted. “I told you to name your reprimand and you haven’t completed that small task.”
“You could spank me, sir.” She paused, the thought of his big hands on her bare ass arousing her. “But I might like that too.”
“You won’t like the way I spank you.” He sounded certain about that. “Remove your garments.” He plunked his pack in front of her chair and claimed that seat for himself, lowering the armrests and propping his left leg up. “And lie across my thighs.” He patted them. “Don’t make me wait, or your reprimand will double.”
This was truly happening. She stood, wiggling with excitement as she kicked off her boots. “Thank you, sir.”
“You won’t thank me when we’re done.” His warning thrilled her.
Her strong, severe cyborg was going to redden her ass.
And she was breathless with anticipation.
Chapter Seven
He had a bad, bad female. She lied and deceived and she was too reckless with her lifespan, putting herself in danger.
His untrustworthy little human was also planning to escape him. He was 100.0000 percent certain of that. She had accepted her captivity too quickly and too easily for her complete submission act to be believable.
But she was extremely loyal, and that was an attribute he valued most in a being. She had sought to ease her dad’s damage, had risked everything to care for the malfunctioning male.
Chuckles would earn the same level of faithfulness from his vivid female. He would keep his gaze on her, stop any escape attempts, and she would eventually learn to obey him, never placing her fragile human form in peril again.
First, he had to reprimand her, a fate she appeared a little too excited about experiencing. His lips flattened as he watched her.
She unfastened her bright-pink flight suit, releasing her endless curves. Her pale skin sparkled. Her large breasts spilled out of their confines, her nipples a more delicate shade of pink.
Her eyes shone, her beautiful face glowing. She shook her ass and the garment fell to the floor. All of her was round and soft. She wouldn’t last a heartbeat on a battlefield.
Not without him by her side, protecting her.
She clasped her hands, holding them over her mons, and gazed up at him with her big blue eyes, looking innocent and uncertain.
The innocent part was an act. His female wanted him to look at her.
“Place your hands by your side.” His voice deepened with need. “You’re mine to look at now.” She was his. He would claim her fully this planet rotation.
“Yes, sir.” She obeyed him, her sparkly eyelashes fluttering.
Her short priva
te curls were bright blue and pink like the hair on her head. The wetness on her inner thighs reflected the light.
He breathed deeply. His female was as aroused as he was.
“Come here.” He patted his legs.
She trembled as she lowered herself over his thighs. “Are you going to spank your baby now?” She sounded breathless.
His female wanted to be referred to as a human offspring. It was illogical, but it excited her, made her happy, and he would indulge her preference.
“You will be reprimanded, baby.” He pulled her closer to him.
His hard cock pressed against her side. Her softness draped over him, the most decadent of covering cloths. He ran his palms over her smooth back and generous ass, and she moaned softly.
Soon, she’d be moaning with pain, not pleasure.
“This has to be done.” He said that for both of them. “You’ve been a bad, bad female.” He had to convince her to change her ways…for her safety.
“Your baby has been very naughty, sir.” There was no regret in her voice. “You have to spank me.”
She would be the death of him. He shook his head and raised his left hand. “Tell me how my baby has been naughty.”
“I sent out a distress signal when I wasn’t really in distress.” She started with the first deception.
“That’s one.” He swatted her left ass cheek, using only a tiny fraction of his strength. She jerked and gasped. A red imprint was left on her pale skin.
He had marked her. That pleased him.
But had he hurt her too much? “Baby?”
“I tricked you, sir.” His illogical little human’s voice was stretched with hurt as she relayed another reason she deserved a reprimand. “I told you I needed help when all I was planning to do was trap you.”
He spanked her right ass cheek, jiggling her curves, branding that part of her also. She gripped his leg and whimpered. The scent of her arousal intensified.
Fraggin’ hole. He yearned to kiss that heated flesh, lave her battered skin with his tongue.
“Knew good male.” She panted. “Didn’t send away.”
