by Alyse Anders
The man with two cybernetic arms and long black hair that hung down around his face, glanced her way. “He’s gone into shock.”
Mags knew her training as a paramedic wouldn’t necessarily be helpful when it came to someone with alien physiology, especially when there was someone here who clearly knew what he was doing. And still, she drew closer, dropped to her knees by the unconscious man’s side and pressed a hand to his chest. “What happened to him?”
“You did.” The man stared at her a moment longer. “What’s your name?”
“Mags.”
“I’m Hallam. This is Aerin, my assistant and Rykal the leader of the Fallen.”
Mags knew she should be paying better attention to the litany of names, but it was nearly impossible for her to focus on anything other than the man on the floor. “How did I do this to him? I just woke up from stasis ten minutes ago.”
It was strange, feeling this pull from him, as though they’d been separated at birth and had finally found one another. Like coming home after having been away for months or putting on a comfortable pair of slippers after a long day at work. It felt right being here with him by his side, and that thought was more than a little terrifying.
Mags had never once in her life wanted to be with a person in any way beyond friendship. It wasn’t as though she was against the idea of being in a relationship, or even that she had many thoughts one way or the other about commitment. Anytime someone expressed any interest in taking their friendship to the next level, she simply knew it wasn’t the right thing.
This man hadn’t even opened his eyes and she somehow knew that she was going to be spending all her time with him.
The rise and fall of his chest beneath her hand helped ease some of the tension that had started to build inside her. Anxiety was an old friend of hers that she’d assumed would rear its head the moment she’d arrived at their destination, but so far things were manageable. Being in physical contact with him helped, something she wasn’t about to question too closely.
“What’s his name?” She moved her hand up his chest to his face. His skin was warm and smooth, and he smelled like hard work.
“Zee.” Rykal moved beside her. She could feel his gaze on her face but couldn’t make herself look away from Zee’s face. “He’s your mate.”
“Lena said that too. What does that mean? Like I said, I’ve been awake for ten minutes.”
“We don’t fully understand it ourselves, even if each of the cyborgs have reacted in a similar manner.” Rykal gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Can you feel him?”
Mags wasn’t one to believe in psychic connections or anything she couldn’t see with her eyes. She’d spent too long working with the tangible to put much stock into anything else. Not that she faulted anyone else who held such beliefs – who the hell was she to judge – she simply hadn’t had any experiences that had changed her mind.
And yet…here she was, about to respond to Rykal with a of course not, why the hell would I feel him and she couldn’t. Because there was a part of her that was aware of him. Nothing strong or prominent. More like a whisper in her head that she knew didn’t belong to her. She wasn’t aware of his thoughts or emotions – she hadn’t suddenly become empathic – but there was most definitely an awareness that went far beyond the feel of his face beneath her fingers.
“Maybe.” She felt her face flush for giving even a little credence to the idea. “Is he going to be okay?”
“If we can wake him up, perhaps.” Hallam reached for another injector. “I’m going to give him another shot of stimulant. It will have to be the last one for now. With his matrix faltering, I can’t be certain that it would be able to prevent an overdose.”
Mags watched as Hallam pressed the injector to Zee’s neck and held her breath. She could feel his heartbeat increase the moment the drug hit his system. The tightness of anticipation squeezed her chest and she was forced to hold her breath. She wanted his eyelids to open so she could see what was beneath. She needed to know if there really was some sort of connection between them, or if this was nothing more than her brain reeling from having been in stasis for years.
As much as she willed it, Zee didn’t wake.
She did feel the tension in his body ease and his breathing evened out considerably. While the stimulant might not have brought him back to consciousness, she could tell it was doing something.
“We’re going to have to move him to the examination room.” Hallam glanced around the room. “We’ll get him on the bed for transportation.”
Mags didn’t move and instead of getting out of their way, shifted so she was leaning over Zee more. “Not yet.”
Lena cleared her throat. “Mags, I know you want to help him, but these guys are better suited to figuring out what’s wrong.”
“Not yet.” She didn’t know how, but if they moved him, took him away from her, there was a chance that he’d never open his eyes again. “Wait a minute, please.”
Everyone around them stopped moving, and she was aware that they were staring at her strangely, even if she didn’t look directly at them. She could feel their gazes, sense their confusion and curiosity. But more than that, she felt as though they were waiting for her to do something surprising.
Maybe she was going to surprise herself.
In all the old fairytales, the prince would find a sleeping princess, lean in and give her a kiss to wake her up. Mags had never been one for stories like that, even as a little girl. She’d always been too busy getting into mischief to want someone to come and save her. She’d learned at a young age that the ability to save oneself was far preferable to waiting around for someone else.
She’d never considered that she’d be the one in the position to help. Well, not with a sleeping prince. Curiosity got the better of her and Mags leaned down, so her face was only a few inches above Zee’s. His breath came out in small puffs that tickled her chin and caressed her cheeks. She closed her eyes and before she chickened out, leaned forward and placed a small kiss to his lips.
Nothing happened.
Well, nothing happened with Zee. Mags on the other hand felt a shiver roll down her spine, making her painfully aware of everything; the width of Zee’s shoulders, the hum of his cybernetics, the heat that washed from him and over her. Her body woke up to his presence and for the first time in her life, she began to understand why people were drawn to physical companionship beyond hugs. If this man were to ask her to sleep with him, she might be tempted to say yes.
Maybe they’d even get a chance to discuss it once he woke.
Perhaps there was something else she could do to reach him. Pushing back so she could look down at his face, she let out a small, dramatic sigh. “You need to wake up, Zee. I’m here and my feet are cold. There’s nothing worse than sitting on the floor waiting for someone to get their shit together. So if you could open your eyes now so I can go get changed and find something to eat, I’d appreciate it.”
At first, she didn’t think anything was going to happen. But slowly his breathing began to deepen, and she could see his muscles flex as he began to stir. Mags sat back to watch as he shifted and let out a soft moan. Zee opened his eyes, their glowing gray lights snapped immediately to her.
She smiled down at him and gave him a little wave. “Hello.”
Zee frowned, his gaze narrowing in on her. “Mine.”
Chapter Five
Possessive rage rushed through Zee’s mind the moment he opened his eyes and saw his mate leaning over him. He recognized her instantly, even though he hadn’t seen her face before now. Zee could feel her; emotions and thoughts that weren’t his own but that somehow echoed inside his matrix.
She smelled like…his. Feeling the curiosity in her mind regarding him was a unique sensation, not only because he was aware that they weren’t his thoughts, but because she wasn’t immediately revolted by his appearance.
Zee’s cybernetic implants were more obvious than some others, and the reactions fr
om the Grus and other aliens who met him could be intense. He’d expected Mags’ reaction to be the same – horrified pity. There wasn’t fear or hate in her eyes, but instead an intense curiosity and something that felt like surprise.
“I’m not yours.” She narrowed her gaze but made no move to pull away. “We haven’t even officially met yet.”
A growl rumbled deep in Zee’s chest. “You’re Mags and you’re mine.”
“How…did someone tell him my name?”
It was only then that Zee realized that they were surrounded by others. Hallam and Rykal were standing off to the side, their mates close by. Hallam’s assistant, Aerin, was kneeling by Zee’s feet watching the exchange with interest. She held up a scanner and took some readings. “His life signs are beginning to stabilize, though his matrix activity is still spiking.”
Knowing that the others were there, that Mags was so close to others who might touch her, caused another swell of anger to surge inside him. Without thinking, he rolled onto his side, taking Mags with him, and got to his feet. He began to run when the door slammed shut.
“Stop!” Rykal stood in the middle of the room, arms spread wide and his chin lowered. “We’re not going to take her from you. We’re not going to touch her.”
The blinding obsession to keep everyone and everything from getting between them was back, making it nearly impossible for him to think clearly. Unlike before, Mags was with him.
He looked down at her confused expression and realized that he wasn’t in control. Careful not to cause her any more harm, Zee set Mags down and took a step back. “I…I can’t think.”
Rykal took another step closer. Brother, you need to fight for control. Try.
Zee closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. He was aware of Mags watching him, could feel how upset she was, not only because he’d tried to run with her, but because she was worried for his state of mind.
How could he possibly know these things?
Mags looked back at Rykal before turning fully to face Zee. Her hair was a mess of blonde curls around her face, making her dark blue eyes stand out even in the half light of the room. She held her hands out to the side as she stepped closer. “I don’t want to pretend I understand what’s going on, but are you okay?”
“No.” I want you. I want to take you to bed and frak you until you can’t think about another living person in the universe. I want to spread my scent all over your body until it’s all I can smell. “It’s too much.”
“What do I need to do to help you?”
“Sex.” The word came out so quickly, so bluntly, he was surprised she didn’t turn and run from him. “I need to make you mine.”
He hated that she flinched at the suggestion, but she didn’t pull away from him completely. The others were watching, the feel of their gazes on him made things even worse. He was aware of Tara standing off to the side, her gaze shifting between himself and Mags, as though she were cataloging her every reaction. Not that he could worry about Rennick’s mate just then, there was too much going on in his own mind.
Mags let her hands fall to her sides as a flush covered her face. He could feel her thoughts, the battle going on inside her head and body about what to do. Her attraction to him was present, but it was as though the idea of having sex with anyone was a foreign concept, something new that she didn’t fully understand how to process. She stood there, staring at him, her gaze traveling from his face, down his chest and back up again.
He knew what he looked like – half monster, half man – but had long ago stopped caring what others thought of him. Except for Mags. If she rejected him, Zee wasn’t sure what he’d do. He wouldn’t force himself on her – that was something so far beyond his capabilities as either a Grus or a Fallen – but he didn’t know if his sanity would remain intact without her. His body trembled as his muscles wanted to move forward so he could wrap her in his arms.
But he had to wait.
Mags bit down on her lower lip for a moment, before straightening. “This is something that I think we need to be alone for. To be able to…discuss things. Can we go somewhere without an audience?”
She said the last part loud enough for the others to hear. Hallam stepped forward with Aerin by his side. “There are a number of rooms here in the medical center that are unoccupied that you can use for some privacy. I’d rather you stay here than go back to the prison so I can ensure both of you are responding healthily.”
Zee knew that each of them had different responses to their mates, but the only way he’d suffer any negative consequences was if she outright rejected him. Still, it was better to be safe. Logical. He could do that. “Take us there now.”
Hallam looked at Aerin, who nodded and strode quickly toward Mags. “Come with me. There’s a room close by that should be comfortable enough.”
Zee felt the invisible pull from Mags as she walked past him, and quickly fell into a close step behind her. Her body heat, the smell of her skin and sweat rolled over him, making his cock hard and his heartrate increase. He could imagine what it would feel like to have her naked skin pressed against his, to have her fingers caress his cybernetics without fear or hate. Her body would be warm and inviting as he’d thrust his cock deep inside her body, pulling a moan of pleasure from her.
He stumbled on his next step and dropped to his knees. Mags gasped and turned back, reaching for him as if on instinct.
“Don’t!” Zee held up his hand, gasping. “If you touch me now, I won’t be able to stop myself from doing things that you’re not ready for.”
Mags pulled as though he was on fire, her eyes going wide.
Aerin stepped in front of Mags, gently pushing her backward. “Do you need help?”
“No.” He focused on Aerin, trying to ignore the rising lust for Mags. “Take her to the room. I’ll follow.”
With his hands braced on the floor, Zee closed his eyes and lowered his head. He tried his best to regulate his breathing and force his matrix to control the surging adrenaline, hormones and whatever else it was that had overtaken his reason. He could feel them move away, and it was far more difficult than he’d assumed it would be to hold himself back. His body shook and after only a brief time, Zee pushed himself back to his feet and strode toward where he knew Mags had gone.
He needed her. Needed to touch her, to claim her so no other would go near her.
Mine. She’s mine and I want her. I need to hear her scream my name, to taste her, to hear her sighs in my ears. Mine. She’s mine and I’ll kill anyone who tries to take her from me.
Aerin stood outside the door, but Zee was barely aware of her. That’s why he was caught off guard when she pressed an injector to the side of his neck the moment he tried to step into the room. As quickly as his lust had flared, whatever she’d put into him dulled it. Zee stumbled again, this time needing to use the door as a brace to keep from falling.
He looked back at her and snarled. “What the frak did you do to me?”
“Hallam’s idea. A little something to help dull the intensity of your desire so you can keep control of your actions.” Aerin leaned closer. She’s not as ready for this as some of the other humans. You need to go slow with her. Be patient.
I don’t know if I can. He’d never intentionally hurt Mags, but it was the unknown that he was afraid of.
The injection should help. He could hear the compassion in Aerin’s voice, even through their cybernetic link. Good luck. “I’ll be close by if you need anything.”
Mags stood in the middle of the room, her gaze darting between Zee and Aerin. She visibly stiffened when he stepped into the room and the door slid closed behind him. This wasn’t going to work if he couldn’t calm himself enough for her to be comfortable with the situation. Whatever Aerin had given him was starting to give him a small measure of control, and Zee was able to slow his movements and hold himself back from charging at her.
“Are you okay?” Her voice was even, and he would have assumed she wasn’t bot
hered by the situation if it wasn’t for the fact he could feel the tension bouncing around inside her head. “Is there something I can get for you?”
It was Zee’s turn to shiver. “I don’t think you’re ready to give me what I need.”
Mags licked her lips as her gaze shifted to the side. “No, probably not yet.”
“That is the one thing that will help ease the burning inside me. I feel as though it will help.”
Zee made his way further into the room, making sure to keep as much space between them as possible. Mags began to move as well, looking around as she went. “This whole situation has been so fucking weird. From my perspective, a few hours ago I was back on Earth having just said goodbye to my friends who really didn’t understand what it was that I was doing. I boarded the Kraken, said a few things to Lena who I wasn’t sure would be able to get us to this part of space and went to sleep.”
“You didn’t know what your destination was?” He had no idea if Mags and the rest of the women from the Kraken were the bravest souls he’d ever met, or completely insane. “What compelled you to embark on such a journey?”
“I don’t really know.” Mags stopped and cocked her head to the side before taking a seat on a small chair in the corner of the room. “No, that’s a lie.”
She didn’t immediately follow that statement up with another, which prompted Zee to move closer to her. He only stopped when he felt her tension inside jump up and took a step backward before sitting on the floor, so he had to look up at her.
Mags laced her hands together and braced her forearms on her knees as she looked down at the floor. “I was a paramedic on Earth. I’m not sure if you have an equivalent here, but basically, I would go to help people who were hurt and bring them to where the doctors were. I knew enough to help people, but not enough to perform surgeries or give medicine, that sort of thing.”
Zee wasn’t sure why the humans had such a division of labor on their planet, but he nodded his understanding and hoped she would continue her story.
