by H. C. Brown
Fane rode her hard, plunging deep into her writhing body. Pleasure built quickly with each delightful thrust. His balls ached. Shimmers of erotic bliss hurtled into his cocks. He buried his face in her pert breasts and suckled, nipping at the nipples until her moans of delight shattered his control. He struggled to hold on, refusing to finish before Trisa climaxed. Rolling his hips, he changed the angle and plunged harder.
Trisa's long fingers tangled in his hair, she bucked and sobbed as she found her release.
Fane drove in deep and gave in to the pleasure. White spots danced before his eyes, and he came in long, sizzling spurts, both cocks creating a mind-blowing climax. He fell forward. The room moved in and out of focus. Under his cheek, Trisa's heart pounded, and her damp body trembled against him. With one last swipe of his tongue across her rosy nipple, he drew a deep breath and slid from her. There could be no afterglow. He must act like a machine and drag himself from her warm embrace like a good cyborg.
"You are remarkable." Trisa blew the hair from her eyes. "Come here and cuddle me." She frowned. "Oh yes, never mind. Gryd told me you have no emotions, so I don't even have to thank you, do I?"
I should thank you. She had asked a direct question. Keep the answer short and unemotional. "No madam."
God, he craved intimacy. He enjoyed his brief interludes with Jace, but he remembered the joy of spooning and wanted to wake up beside a woman or reach for her in the night. A family would be nice, children. He shook his head. This life had sounded like a dream come true. He rolled off the bed and without a backward glance at the woman, left the room. Head high, he walked to the cyborg shower room. Yes, any single man would want his enhancements and the huge salary they had promised, all this just to fuck women. Gryd had considered Fane's expertise in BDSM an added bonus. He moved into the shower cubicle and turned on the hot water. They had not told him he could never return to Earth or that men would abuse his body Fane's hands balled into fists. The contract was a ruse—machines cannot sign contracts.
Fane pressed his head against the wall of the stainless steel shower. Scalding water spilled over him. Through the billowing clouds of steam, he turned his head to see Jace move into the next cubicle. Computer, connect me to Jace, Mind Speak. "Jace."
"Leave me be, I need to sort out my head." Jace turned on the shower.
With a shrug, Fane rubbed soap all over his body, washed his hair, and stepped from the cubicle. He frowned. Jace was sitting on the shower stall floor, his head resting on his knees. His gut tightened. " What happened to you?"
" Gryd had a couple of special male friends for me." Jace lifted his head. His long hair stuck to his face, his expression a mask of despair. "We have to escape this place. I can't do this anymore."
Fane moved into the air dryer, his gaze not leaving his friend. "What special friends? There were only two men, and they pleasured the female I punished."
"Gryd had six males from another planet. I took the female into another private room.
They wanted to watch me make love to her, and then they took their pleasure with me. I enjoy a ménage; although, you know I really prefer being with a male, but this . . . fuck . . . this did in my head."
A shiver ran down Fane's back; for once, the fact he had rugged features pleased him. Jace's uniquely handsome face was a magnet for Gryd's guests, and today, no doubt, they wanted some ass. Looking down at his friend, his heart filled with emotion.
He stepped into the shower, pulled Jace to his feet, and drew him into his arms.
Pressing kisses down the younger man's cheek, he stroked Jace's back. "What happened?
You should talk it out."
"At first, they said they wanted to see my cocks in action." Jace buried his face in Fane's neck and held him tight. "After, they took me to Gryd's dungeon and tied me to a bench. They didn't whip me—I wish they had. They were Trans. They acted like animals. The six of them took turns." He lifted his head and met Fane's gaze. "Gryd told them that I was a machine devoid of pain and emotion." He spat. " Fuck. I can't get the taste of them out of my mouth."
Lifting Jace's chin, Fane slid his mouth across the man's trembling lips. Water tumbled across them, making it hard to breathe. He kissed the man with gentle passion, allowing his aphrodisiac saliva to run across his friend's tongue. I'll ask for some time to hone our skills. They'll not monitor us in the practice area. Don't worry, I'll make you forget about Gryd's fucking visitors . . . tonight . . . I promise.
"God, Fane, I don't think even you can fix me this time. It was a fucking nightmare." He shook his head and his eyes filled with emotion. "Worst of all, Gryd overrode my AI and made me come."
Chapter Two
Fane smiled at Commander 7. "I pleased Gryd today with a new technique. May I take Jace down to the practice area and instruct him?"
"It's your down time." Commander 7 rubbed his chin, walked toward the control pad, and punched in a series of numbers. "I'll give you two hours."
The door to his cell clicked open, and Fane strode into the hallway. He linked to Jace in Mind Speak. Try not to blush when I pick you up for our date.
"I'm fucking hard just thinking about it." Jace stepped from his cell and stared blankly ahead. "Do you think the Commander will notice my hard on?"
Fane bit the inside of his cheek. Tease.
Fighting the desire to touch Jace's tight ass, Fane followed the man along the passageway and down the dark steps to the practice area. Free of CT observation, Commander 7 used this room for training new cyborgs. As Gryd trained new recruits off-planet now, this area remained deserted most of the time. The room held a few implements of torture, whips, ropes, and floggers. A plain bench with hoops for bondage sat in the middle of the room. A stack of thick, rubber mats rested against one wall. And, as the Commander liked ass, a ready supply of lube in distinctive, blue tubes filled a bowl on a table near the door.
Inside the training area, Fane punched a sequence into the keypad to lock the door. He turned and took in the raw masculinity of his friend. Such a contradiction; Jace, the epitome of a dom, delighted in Fane's flogger. Since their embrace in the shower, he had planned a scene to draw Jace out of his nightmare. The sweet man could not go on deceiving Gryd in this condition, and any slip up would convince the boss that Jace's AI had malfunctioned. Fane moved toward the table and stopped to view the implements on display. He pushed a tube of lube into his pocket, and then selected a flogger from the table. He turned and faced Jace. Christ, the man had the soulful eyes of an archangel. Fane cleared his throat. "Take of your clothes and assume the position."
"Yes, master."
Dropping the flogger on Jace's red-streaked back, Fane gazed down at his friend.
Fuck, the beasts had cut him up bad. He pulled off his shirt and tossed it to one side.
Lifting the flogger, he trailed the ribbons up Jace's thighs, across his rounded buttocks, and slowly up the man's ribs. He walked around his friend, trailing the flogger across cheek and chin. How can I strike broken skin?
The thrill of the trust Jace bestowed on him made his heart swell. "Get onto the mat. Lie on your back, legs pulled up against your chest. Let me see your ass."
The man complied. Fane stood with his feet on each side of Jace's head and flicked the flogger along the cleft of his sub's ass. With short slaps, he drew the flogger across Jace's belly and swiped the leather ribbons over the man's flat nipples. The sound of Jace's moans of delight made him hard. Both cocks pressed uncomfortably against the front of his pants.
Drawing a deep breath, he threw the flogger into the corner. He gazed down at Jace's flushed face. The man's eyes bore into him with a fierce intensity. Fane groaned and stripped off his pants. With strong, deliberate movements, he applied lube to his sub's bruised star. He settled between Jace's legs and bent to press kisses across his belly. Dipping his tongue in the man's navel, he then moved upward to lick a path up the man's muscular chest. He nibbled his friend's tiny, erect nipples. Jace's long fingers twisted in his
hair, and his hard cocks dug into Fane's stomach.
Fane lifted his head and inhaled Jace's unique, masculine fragrance. He met the man's gaze, and then crushed his full mouth in a possessive kiss. Their tongues tangled, and Fane lingered for a long time, allowing Jace to take the comfort he needed. With one cock resting against Jace's puckered ass and the other stroking his friend's twin shafts, Fane moved his hips and slid into paradise. He rocked gently, sinking deeper with each stroke. Jace moaned delightfully against his mouth and Fane increased the pace, marveling at the man's tightness after an afternoon of abuse.
Continuing to kiss and caress his damaged lover, Fane murmured words of encouragement. Jace responded by returning his kiss with passion. Slick with sweat, Fane rode the man, overjoyed at his normal, loving response.
"I'm gonna come all over you." Jace broke the kiss and smiled wickedly.
Fane reared back on his heels and grasped the man's hips. "Oh, I'm so gonna fill your ass." He drove in hard and gave himself up to the forbidden pleasure of cyborg love.
Sated, Fane fell on top of his cum-slicked lover. He cupped Jace's face and kissed him hard. He drew back and met the man's smoky gaze. "I can't imagine why I dream of a girl when I have you."
"Oh, I dream too." Jace chuckled. "Of fucking two sweet subs . . . we dream of what we can't have."
The next morning, Fane sat opposite Jace in the small canteen. They avoided the other men and communicated with Mind Speak. They had plans to make. Commander 7 moved toward the table, sporting a wide grin. Fane ignored the stink of the sweaty man and met his gaze, keeping his face neutral.
"Well, well, well. Looks like you two are moving up the ladder." The Commander looked down at them with his hands on his hips. "The boss is sending you to the Upload Center. Finish eating lunch and report to the technicians." He turned and strode from the room.
"This might just work to our advantage." Jace moved the food around his plate.
"Download as much information you can, star charts and how to maintain our computers. Find specifications on any technology or craft we can use."
Casting his eyes down, Fane cut through his steak. "Languages and the knowledge to pilot any type of transport vehicle." He glanced up at Jace. "We know how to turn off our personal tracking devices, but they will be able to follow the ship. Unless . . . ." He glanced over his shoulder and watched the Commander leave. He turned back to the table and met Jace's gaze. "Unless . . . we try escaping through the wormhole that opened in Sector 8
yesterday. It's uncharted, but what choice do we have?"
"Fuck." Jace reached casually for his beer. "That could take us anywhere—even back in time."
"I'm counting on it." Fane smiled. "Can you imagine how much gold we could make with our knowledge of technology? We had better add history of the planets in the Local Group to the download."
"We'll need gold to live on." Jace ran his fingers over the condensation running down the beer bottle. "No one is going to take us in off the street."
Fane pushed away his plate and got to his feet. "Gryd will supply the gold. We're trusted couriers; he will give us the payment for the next batch of females. He always pays in gold." He turned to leave. " Just how are you planning to incapacitate 729 and 384?"
"I can do a lot more than Mind Speak. I upgrade my AI every chance I get. If you get your head blown off, there's a good chance I could rebuild you." Jace sprang to his feet, and his chair legs scraped along the floor . "I've been working on a virus. I'll link to the couriers and upload it now—they won't know what's hit them. I'll let you know when it's done."
Without glancing back at his friend, Fane left the dining room. He headed to the transport tube and gave the verbal command for the Upload Center. Jace followed and stood beside him in silence, his face a mask of concentration. They stepped inside the foyer and followed the instructions from a technician to strip and then enter the first compartment. Without speaking, they moved through the sterilization chambers and endured the zon beams. They exited into a hallway, and a technician in a biohazard suit ordered them to dress in white coveralls, then pointed them to the biometrics lab. They stood together in a small room lined with vid-screens and computer terminals. In the center sat two comfortable, white leather benches.
"On the screen is a list of programs to download." Gryd boomed in Fane's earpiece. "You are to select five dreamscapes at random. I'm not sure if you remember what it's like to dream, but I have some erotic fantasies I want you to study, for further reference. Select from the blue section, 636 and 515 from the red section."
Computer, connect to mainframe, cloak all download information. Fane lay down on the padded leather bench beside Jace and closed his eyes. He ran through the list of information he required, ignoring Gryd's list completely. After three hours, he tested the information and smiled. He had everything he needed. Out of interest, he scanned the list on the screen. The boss wanted him to enjoy blood sport and the use of instruments of torture. Bile rose in his throat. The bastard wanted him to kill on command. The dreamscapes were nothing short of snuff movies. Anger rose and Fane drew in a deep breath to steady his frazzled mind.
"Gryd wants me to feel pain. He must think I'm real dumb if he thinks I'd download that shit into my matrix." Jace joined Fane's mind. "I think he's planning to let his friends kill me."
Fane ran both hands through his hair and sat up. "I'm guessing he wants me to do the killing. Just as well we're leaving. Did you immobilize the couriers?"
"Yeah." Jace slid off the bench. "I bet the call will come real soon to download the program to fly the ship." He laughed. " Oh damn, we already know how to do that, don't we?"
Gryd's voice came through Fane's earpiece. "The download records are corrupted. The system will require maintenance. Did you have any problems processing the items on my list?"
Fane winked at Jace. "No sir."
"515, do you have experience in female selection?" Gryd growled.
"Yes, sir." Jace stared at Fane with a blank expression.
"Good. The mainframe will be up and running shortly. I want you to download the Starship Cruiser navigation program. Leave the Dreamscape files until further notice. Tomorrow, you will both report to my office at 06:00. I'm sending the pair of you to collect a batch of females from Vallion."
" Bingo." Jace gave Fane a meaningful stare.
The following morning, Fane and Jace listened patiently to a long speech about Vallion protocol from Gryd. They collected five hundred gold strips from the treasury and made their way to the launch pad. The ship sparkled under the overhead lights like a killer whale with wet-looking, black skin and white trim. Built for speed, the small ship also had the ability for stealth and could remain hidden underwater indefinitely.
Food replicators would supply them with everything they needed. Fane grinned up at the sleek beast—the ship was perfect.
They stepped into the transporter beam. A millisecond later, they arrived on the bridge. Fane glanced around to get his bearings. With a single thought, he joined his neural pathways to the ship's system. His AI sent images so rapidly that the ship looked familiar. Hell, he even knew the sounds it made. The instrument panels blinked in a rainbow of colors, a recognizable humming sound filled his ears. The faint smell of Nu-Leather from the comfortable seats brought false recollections of missions. He laughed.
In his memory, he had flown this ship a thousand times. He helped Jace push the case of gold into a locker and then moved to the front of the ship. Without delay, he settled in the captain's chair. His AI interfaced seamlessly with the vessel's computer; Fane could relax and enjoy the ride. Jace dropped into the chair beside him and raised a blond brow. Biting his bottom lip to stop from grinning, Fane sent the command to start the ship. "Starship Cruiser 7 requesting permission to take off."
"Permission granted." A scratchy voice replied.
The next second, the engines roared. The ship blasted into space, the G-force throwing Fane back in his seat. Clouds rushe
d by and the ship erupted into an endless, clear blue sky. The vessel shook and shuddered through the atmosphere, and then glided effortlessly toward the sister planet, Vallion. Fane disengaged the intercom and accessed his AI. "Computer, destroy my tracker chip, break communication with the mainframe. Set course Fane 1 maximum speed."
The starship made a slow, sweeping arc and changed direction. He glanced at Jace. The man's face was a mask of concentration. "You done?"
"Yeah." He grinned. "And for added security, I just sent a virus to the mainframe.
They should be down for a while."
"Shame we couldn't save some of the other guys."
"Most of them are dead already." Jace shuddered. "They are walking zombies.
Trust me; I have tried to break into their programming. They're machines . . . there's nothing left. The only humanoids capable of training their AIs are the Javronians and you, my friend." He smiled. "We don't have to worry about the Javronians . . . after they realize we've flown the coop, they'll figure out how to escape."
Fane's stomach clenched. The wormhole spun ahead, a swirling mass of bright blue in the distance. They faced two possible outcomes. The ship could travel millions of light years to another universe or be thrown back or forward in time. He gripped the arms of the chair and gazed into the awesome, spinning beauty. "Well, there's still time to change your mind."
"I'm not going back." Jace stared into the distance. "I'd rather die." He turned and smiled at Fane. "What do you say, Captain? No guts no glory?"
"Something like that."
The starship increased speed. Inside, Fane listened for the click and hum to indicate the wings had retracted. They would fly through the wormhole like a bullet and hope they did not encounter any debris on the way. The swirling, gaping maw opened up before them bigger than Fane could have imagined. "Holy shit. Look at the size of this thing."
