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Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
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Droid Wars II: Magnetic Attraction
Copyright © 2008 by Mandy M. Roth
ISBN: 1-59998-867-4
Edited by Angela James
Cover art by Natalie Winters
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: January 2008
www.samhainpublishing.com
Droid Wars:
Magnetic Attraction
Mandy M. Roth
Dedication
To the one I love. We’re never handed what we can’t handle.
Chapter One
Orbiting Planet Rhesus in the Prometheus Quadrant of the A-QPT46 System…
“Pegasus’s balls,” Kiwi cursed softly as she twisted the last torque nut into place. The couplings had needed replaced and once there, she’d realized her ship’s thrusters were in need of work too. The exothermic reaction sections of the engine had seen better days as well. Still, she made do. Her ship was a thing of pride to her. It represented freedom, regardless how pristine it was—or wasn’t, in her case. In the scope of the fleet, her cargo ship wasn’t the worst. Not by far. Out of necessity, she’d learned to do her own repairs. It wasn’t a glamorous life but it was hers to do with as she pleased. Besides, since she’d taken up residency on the science vessel, which had been created to house a thousand, Kiwi found life wasn’t nearly as hard as it had been on her own.
Still, laying down roots wasn’t her style, regardless how right the situation seemed to be. Not anymore. There had been a time she would have but that was before the attack—when she was a different person. A person who thought she was entitled to everything and worked for nothing.
That girl is long gone.
Kiwi shimmied out from the smoky gray shaft, her palms sliding over the slick surface. She double-checked the work she’d spent the last three hours doing, before exiting her personal ship. The thruster engines had required a complete overhaul and she’d needed something to keep her occupied. Her thoughts had been on a man she shouldn’t be worried about. For some reason, she couldn’t help herself.
The weight of someone’s stare made her backside burn and her face flushed with the knowledge of who was there—the same man she’d been working overtime to not think about. She smiled, still facing the ship. “Enjoying the view?”
“You have no idea.”
She hopped to her feet and used a hand to steady herself. The exterior of her cargo ship was smooth to the touch. Almost as smooth as one Dr. Conell Ballou, who happened to be standing directly behind her. She wasn’t sure how long he’d been there, but if how hot her ass felt was any indication, he’d either been there a while or was looking damn hard at her. Whenever he was around, she had issues keeping her body temperature regular. Hot flashes were a constant threat.
His sandy blond hair flopped down over emerald green eyes, and the faintest hint of a beard showed on his face. He was always in need of a shave. The look suited him. There wasn’t much about the man that didn’t seem just right. Except for his attitude, of course. He was some sort of super genius and his ego was even bigger than his IQ. That was saying something.
Last she knew, Conell had been planetside, doing recon work and posing as one of the enemy. With a planet as large as the one they were orbiting, it was entirely possible to drop by and blend in, seemingly unnoticed. It wasn’t as if the enemy had taken total control of the planet. They were only in the starting phases of the act. The Vanos weren’t to be toyed with and if left unchecked, they would rid the universe of anyone other than their own kind.
Kiwi hated when Conell volunteered to go on missions that put him on the front line of danger, mainly because his background was that of an academic, not a soldier. Though time and the pending war had hardened him slightly. It hardened everyone it touched. Including her.
“Thought you weren’t due back for three more days.” She was more than excited to see him but refused to show any sign of it. Whatever was happening between them was coming to a head. She knew it and suspected he did as well.
A devilish grin slid over his entirely too-kissable lips. “Keeping track of me?”
Wiping her grease-covered hands on the back of her overalls, Kiwi stared at him, fighting the driving need to touch him. “Did you want something, Ballou?”
His hungry gaze moved over her and she had a fairly good idea of what he wanted. Problem was, she wanted it too. Getting involved with him wasn’t an option. Kiwi had too many secrets she needed to keep under wraps to let anyone too close and Conell was a man she could see herself opening up to. He wasn’t the only one on the ship. That scared her.
Dr. Aeron Braxton-Fairbanks was an amazing woman who had given Kiwi her life back by rebuilding some of the damage the Vanos had inflicted upon her and even Aeron didn’t know all of Kiwi’s secrets. She wasn’t sure anyone ever would. So many people aboard the vessel weren’t what they appeared to be. Many were composed of synthetic parts. Some were part Vanos. Others full Vanos. They’d found a way to get along well enough and had become an odd sort of family. That being said, Kiwi still couldn’t imagine telling them everything, even though she knew they wouldn’t look at her differently—it was how she viewed herself that left her staying to herself.
Conell’s green gaze slid lower and Kiwi almost asked if he was mentally undressing her. Knowing Conell, he’d only say yes and leave her on the spot, again. He tended to run away whenever a revelation about the need between them came to light.
“You about done for the day?” He cast a sexy grin in her direction and it was all Kiwi could do to keep from biting a knuckle and moaning. The man’s voice alone brought her close to orgasm. Add in the rest of the packaging and Conell required her full concentration to ignore.
She glanced at the mounted timekeeper and realized her shift, for lack of a better word, had ended several hours ago. “I guess. But I’d like to finish fitting the thermal…”
“Some of the crew are headed planetside to find a watering hole and relax.”
By watering hole, he meant a bar, she was sure of it.
Kiwi almost declined, as she normally did whenever the invitation was presented. She nodded and Conell actually took the smallest of steps backwards.
“Really?”
“Unless you don’t want me. The look you’re giving me now makes me wonder.”
“No. I want you.” He cleared his throat. “I mean, we want you to come with us.”
“Do I have time to get cleaned up?”
He beamed. “You sure do.”
* * *
Conell brought the passenger-shuttle ship to a port and docked her with ease. Kiwi even looked impressed with his abilities. Prior to her coming into his life, he’d only piloted one size of vessels and hadn’t done exactly stellar with that. It had been a long-running joke between Kiwi, Aeron and her husband, Brad. They liked to razz Conell about the time he’d sideswiped a fueling station and the time he’d forgotten he was still hooked to said station, rippi
ng a huge chunk of it into orbit. Thanks to Kiwi’s tutelage, he could now fly whatever was presented to him. Well, almost anything. Kiwi’s cargo ship was strictly off-limits to him or anyone else. She was the only one who piloted it, and any who asked found themselves on the receiving end of a pointed stare. It wasn’t as though her ship was in prime condition. It had seen better days, but it was hers and Conell guessed she liked knowing she could go anytime she wanted. What she didn’t know was that he’d follow her to the ends of the universe.
He’d considered offering to let her fly his ship, which was docked in the oversized vessel bay aboard the main ship, but he worried the gesture may be taken the wrong way by her. The last thing he wanted was for Kiwi to feel he was trying to bargain for her affections, but he’d noticed the way she admired his ship from afar. It was indeed a fine vessel but Conell took it, like so many of the things in his life prior to Kiwi, for granted.
The twelve-man vessel they were currently aboard was filled to the max with crewmembers itching to go planetside to blow off steam. They enjoyed hanging out during downtime aboard the main ship, but every once in a while they simply needed a change of scenery. They also liked being able to pick up females and a little action. Yes, there were women aboard the vessel but the men outnumbered them five to one. It had also been over a month without any direct enemy contact. The sad truth was, most of the people who joined the crew had a rather ugly history with the Vanos—they had either suffered a loss, had been their prisoner or had actually defected from their ranks. Any way you turned it, the Vanos were enemies and most of the crewmembers wanted proof what they were doing was working. That proof tended to come in the form of fighting with the Vanos. Conell didn’t necessarily agree with the philosophy but the more he learned about Kiwi’s rather-guarded past, the more he wanted to kill as many of the enemy as possible.
Conell looked longingly at Kiwi, wondering what had prompted her to say yes to his invite. He was damn happy she had but all the times he’d asked before, she’d given him lame excuses. She would often rush off to be with Aeron or simply vanish before Conell could corner her once more. She’d not only given in to him, she’d met him directly outside his quarters prior to leaving. He’d walked out, taken one look at her and known he wouldn’t be able to stop himself this evening. If the opportunity to be with her, to touch her intimately presented itself, he would seize the moment.
The others exited the vessel swiftly and Conell waited, walking with Kiwi. She had on a pair of skintight tan pants, matching boots and a light green fitted shirt that looked as if it were a second skin on her. Her breasts were on the smaller side but that was how he preferred them. Most everything about Kiwi was on the smaller side. He often found himself concerned that if he did get her to bend to his will, he’d break her with one thrust. Still, picturing her tiny body wrapped around his cock was one of his favorite fantasies. Another was watching her ride him, her hair draping down and over their bodies as he cupped her breasts.
Her long hair was down, grazing the top of her ass. It varied in shade from medium brown to white blonde on the top and sides. Aeron, a woman he considered one of his closest friends, had told him once how very much Kiwi disliked her hair. Conell couldn’t fathom why. He often closed his eyes, imagining himself sliding his fingers through it before taking hold and fucking her senseless.
The boarding guards at the station watched Kiwi as she walked past. The hungry looks they cast in her direction had Conell growling, knowing how intimidating he appeared. He was half-Vanos, meaning he was over six and a half feet tall and all muscle. It was in his genetic makeup. It also helped that thirty percent of his body was droid, rebuilt after a vicious attack. He was now even stronger than the Vanos blood had made him—a man most didn’t want to cross.
The guards exchanged nervous looks before averting their gazes from Kiwi. Pride welled in Conell as he followed close behind the tiny stick of dynamite. While she wasn’t technically his woman, everyone aboard their ship knew his feelings for her. Well, everyone but Kiwi. The men knew better than to make a move on her for fear they’d have to deal with him. The women aboard the main ship had stopped trying to entice him when word of his feelings for Kiwi spread among them.
Too bad Kiwi paid no mind to gossip or spent much time on the crew decks. She tinkered with her ship and hung out with Aeron. Beyond that, she confined herself to her quarters. Conell was determined to chase the loneliness from her brown eyes.
The darkened passageway on the Rhesus watering hole reminded him of a number of dives he’d frequented in his life. Though, normally he wasn’t there to enjoy himself, but rather to retrieve his brother, who had a thing for liquor and women. At least Darrin had prior to three years ago. It was at that time Conell stopped having to hunt his brother down on planets notorious for outlaws. That always struck Conell as amusing since Darrin was a decorated Star Union officer. Apparently, the Star Union didn’t see drinking and womanizing as a pitfall in their leaders.
Always comforting to know the men sworn to protect you have morals.
“You coming, Ballou?” Kiwi asked, her sultry voice chasing thoughts of anything but her from his head.
He locked gazes with her and grinned. “If I’m lucky, I’ll be coming before the night is out.”
With a roll of her eyes and flick of her wrist, Kiwi dismissed him. Even with the rejection still fresh on the air, Conell fell into step alongside her, his hand finding her mid-back, escorting her as if she truly was his woman.
Several maintenance droids approached, offering to shine Conell’s boots and whisk Kiwi away for a massage. These droids were first-level ones, betas from over a hundred years ago when anything with synthetic parts still resembled a pile of metals rather than a humanoid. The history logs were full of misconceptions about the future—people convinced medicine and technology would never be able to be so intertwined as they now were. Clearly, those people had been wrong. As wrong as those who once believed their planet was alone in the universe or that their planet was flat, rather than round.
Dated droids were common on the outer limits of the quadrants. So were criminals, prostitutes, hustlers, poor and Vanos. It was a catchall for the unwanted and unsavory.
The droids finally stopped their badgering when Conell and Kiwi approached the main courtyard of the facility. Looking up, the glass ceiling provided a stunning view. It was currently of a moonlit night. The holographic image faltered, showing the true sky above them, a blanket of dark purple clouds, before popping back up with the view of night. Either was stunning and pleasing to the eye, but since the sky never changed appearances, Conell imagined the locals enjoyed the change of scenery.
Two Vanos guards walked in their direction and Conell drew Kiwi to him, dipping down and nuzzling his face to her ear, making it look as if they were lovers. The guards would assume Conell was the same as them—a full-blooded warrior for their side. Kiwi was all he worried about. An unclaimed female in the outer quadrants was considered free pickings for the Vanos. Kiwi stepped closer to him, making his cock harden as her scent wafted upwards. Something about her natural smell drove him wild. It was light, slightly floral but with something he couldn’t put his finger on—something that made him want to sink to the floor and cram his cock into her until release.
The touch of her tiny hand on his chest made pre-come seep from his dick. He unashamedly adjusted himself and heard Kiwi’s quick intake of breath. Her fingers caressed him tenderly, kneading at his shirt. He wasn’t sure if it was fear of the Vanos that had her doing it or if she actually wanted him. At the moment, he didn’t care.
Her lips grazed his jawline as he continued to strain to meet her level. She slid her hands to his upper arms and he could have sworn she kissed his cheek before whispering, “Are they gone yet?”
He’d all but forgotten about the Vanos guards.
Lifting his head just enough to peek, he found they were long gone. “Yes.”
She didn’t pull away at first and ne
ither did he. The fact left Conell grinning like a fool. It was a small sign that Kiwi might be attracted to him as well.
“Ballou,” a fellow crewmember shouted. “We saved you two seats.”
He cursed under his breath as Kiwi yanked away from him as if he were carrying something contagious.
Kiwi’s pulse raced as she turned, heading in the direction of the bar the crew had selected. Since bars lined the courtyard, she was surprised they’d all selected the same one and was frankly disappointed. As selfish as it sounded, she wanted alone time with Conell, even if she had no intention of acting upon the way he made her feel.
She hesitated and Conell took her by the elbow. “Kiwi, you all right?”
“I’m fine,” she lied. “Lead the way.”
He glanced in the direction of the waiting shipmate and then waved his hand. “Go ahead. We’ll catch up with you in a bit.”
“Suit yourselves,” the man said. “It’s packed though.”
Kiwi glanced up at Conell, wondering how he’d known she didn’t want to share him.
A grin lacking any sign of manipulation met her. He motioned with his head around the courtyard. “Which one looks good to you? Unless…uh…you want to hang out with everyone else.”
She smiled and did her best to wipe it from her face as she nudged him. “You pick.”
“All right then.” He pointed to a bar with a blue sign in a language she couldn’t read. “How about that one?”
“Perfect.”
He led her to it and spoke with the bouncer at the door. Unlike Conell, Kiwi didn’t have a translator chip embedded in her. But she suspected that even without the chip he could hold conversations with a good many other races. He was what he claimed to be, exceedingly smart. He was handsome as hell in his current getup. The stretchy material of his black shirt molded to his every muscle, making her mouth water and drawing attention to his slim waist.
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