Offered to the Cyborg

by Jessica Coulter Smith

  “Kiril said they were afraid of you.”

  “Some were,” he said. “I left those alone. I’ve only been with two living females aside from you, Shaylee. Both were at a brothel, before I knew they didn’t really want to be there. The rest of the time I’ve used sex bots. It was easier than dealing with a hysterical female when she saw my eyes. While I did stop going to the brothels, we have some sex bots on Xpashta as well.”

  “How could you not tell?” she asked.

  “On my home world, casual sex isn’t a thing. If you have sex with a female, you take her as your mate. Other than the experience I had with the two females at the brothel and with sex bots, I didn’t have anything to compare it with. They didn’t tell me to stop, didn’t push me away.” Wrylack reached for her again, brushing her hair off her face. “If I had known that one day I would have a mate like you, I would have never touched them. I’m sorry that I used them, I’m sorry that they touched me without wanting to, but mostly I’m sorry that the knowledge of those two encounters hurts you. I would do anything for you, Shaylee. You’re my entire world.”

  Shaylee rolled to her knees and flung herself into Wrylack’s arms. “I’m sorry I reacted the way I did.”

  “You had every reason to be upset,” Wrylack said. “It happened long before I met you, Shaylee. And if I had known that you would be in my arms right now, I’d have waited. I would have preferred my first time with a living female to have been with you.”

  “I should have trusted you,” she said. “You’ve given me no reason not to.”

  “I’m not upset with you, Shaylee. I’m furious with Kiril, though.” He drew in a deep breath. “Do you wish for another mate? I would understand if you did.”

  Shaylee reached up and cupped his cheek. “I don’t want anyone but you.”

  He nuzzled her nose with his. “I want you, Shaylee. Only you, for as long as I live.”

  His lips brushed against hers, and Shaylee curled her fingers around the long strands of his hair. She loved it when he kissed her, loved feeling his arms around her. Being with Wrylack was unlike anything she’d ever experienced before, and she wondered if she’d ever get enough of him. He stood, taking her with him, and carried her out of the bathroom and into the room they would share.

  Wrylack eased her down his body and reached for the hem of her dress. She didn’t stop him as he lifted it over her head and let it fall to the floor. Wrylack caressed the curves of her body before drawing her close and kissing her deeply again.

  “Mine,” he murmured against her lips.

  “Yours,” she said.

  Wrylack pulled away and began removing his clothes. When he stood before her completely bare, Shaylee reached for him. Her fingers glided across his muscles; Shaylee wanted to memorize every inch of him. The contrast of his light lavender skin and her milky white hand was beautiful, and she wondered what their children would look like. When he lifted her and laid her down on the bed, she went without protest. Since leaving the Meori ship, he hadn’t touched her intimately, and her body ached for him.

  He stood, watching her, his gaze tracing her from head to toe. Wrylack reached for her, wrapping his hand around her ankle and dragging her to the edge of the bed. His hands gripped her thighs and spread them wide. She let him look his fill and shivered in anticipation.

  Wrylack fell to his knees in front of her. “I learned a few things about pleasuring a human female while I was in medical. If this doesn’t feel good, tell me to stop and I will.”

  Her heart hammered in her chest as he leaned forward, his fingers opening her wide. The first lick of his tongue against her slick folds made Shaylee gasp. Wrylack licked her again, his tongue flicking against her clit. Shaylee didn’t care where he’d learned to do that, as long as he didn’t stop. Wrylack feasted on her, his tongue plunging into her tight channel before circling her clit again.

  “Wrylack,” she said, her voice filled with need.

  His lips closed around the bundle of nerves, and he sucked on it until she was screaming his name, her hips bucking against him. He gently lapped at her until the last of the tremors subsided, then he rose over her body. Her thighs gripped him as his cock brushed against her.

  “My sweet, Shaylee. My perfect mate,” he said.

  Before she could respond, he thrust hard and deep, entering her fully. Shaylee’s nails bit into his shoulders and her eyes closed a moment. She loved feeling Wrylack inside her. He took her slowly, the slide of his cock igniting every nerve. He took his time, being gentle and loving. A tidal wave of bliss carried Shaylee away, and one orgasm turned into two.

  “Harder,” she begged.

  He growled a little and drove into her. With her cries begging him for more, Wrylack took her like a male possessed. She felt his release spill into her, and he groaned in her ear, her body clutched against him. His heart pounded in his chest, and she kissed him, everywhere she could reach.

  “My Shaylee,” he murmured before claiming her lips. “I would stay in bed with you for days if I could.”

  “Why can’t you?” she asked as he eased out of her.

  She looked at his cock, glistening with their mingled release, and felt some trickle out of her. If he hadn’t gone to get that shot, then right now, she could possibly be pregnant with his child. She hoped he didn’t come to regret that decision.

  “There’s something I need to do. It’s going to require me to leave for a short while, but I think you’ll be pleased when I return. I’ll make sure the house is set to respond to you before I go. I don’t want you to feel trapped here.”

  “You’re leaving? But we just got here!”

  “Norkov has a lead on one of your children. I’m going with him,” Wrylack said.

  “Then take me with you.”

  Wrylack shook his head. “It’s not safe. I won’t put your life in jeopardy.”

  “If it’s dangerous, you shouldn’t go either.”

  He cupped her jaw and pressed a kiss to her lips. “I’m going after our child. I promise to return to you safely. Nothing will keep me from your side.”

  “Be careful, Wrylack. I only just found you. I don’t think I could handle losing you.”

  Wrylack kissed her deeply, then helped her clean up and get dressed. Shaylee listened carefully as he explained how everything in their new home worked, and had the computer read her voice and scan her handprint so she would have access to everything. When they were finished, he showed her the Earth items Maggie had brought to her. And while she felt joy over the items, her heart was sad that Wrylack was leaving so soon.

  He said not to worry, but she couldn’t do anything except worry. Until he was beside her once more, she would pray daily that he stayed safe. It had been a long time since she’d prayed, having felt that God had forsaken her long ago. But being with Wrylack made her realize that she still could live a long, happy life. As much as she hated her years as a slave, if she hadn’t been abducted, she never would have met Wrylack. Shaylee wouldn’t have wished those horrifying years on anyone, and would likely have nightmares the rest of her life, but all of that pain and suffering had brought her to the sweet cyborg who took such good care of her, the male who showed her that kindness and love weren’t just a myth.

  “Wrylack,” she said, drawing his attention her way. “I love you.”

  A wide smile stretched across his face and he gathered her close. “I love you too, my sweet mate.”

  It would be enough for now. She could tell that he was determined to bring her child home to her, and knew that nothing she said or did would dissuade him. But knowing that he loved her, that he wanted her in his life, would help her through the lonely days ahead. And when he returned, she hoped it would be for good.

  She spent the rest of the night in Wrylack’s arms, his body claiming hers until the sun streamed through their bedroom windows. And with one last lingering kiss, he dressed and walked out the door. Shaylee stared after him, hoping it wouldn’t be the last time she saw
her mate. Something told her that Wrylack was walking into something bad. A feeling in her gut screamed that he should remain with her.

  “Please let me be wrong,” she whispered. “Bring him home to me.”

  Chapter Seven

  Wrylack stood on board the Mystic7 with Norkov, Milore, Tenz, Zorlok, and a handful of other cyborgs. Each had volunteered for the mission, despite how dangerous it was, and their crew was fuller than usual. The Mystic7 usually ran with a crew of ten, but over a dozen males had volunteered.

  “You’re sure the male you spoke with is going to retrieve Mishka and bring her to us?” Wrylack asked.

  “You’re going to have to make a choice, Wrylack,” Norkov said. “I have a male in place to bring Mishka to us, and another in place for Bekvir. You need to decide which is more important. Revenge for your mate, or getting your daughter home safely.”

  Wrylack growled. “Why can’t I do both?”

  “The sooner we get Mishka home, the better,” Norkov said. “The male retrieving Bekvir has a certain set of skills. He’s waiting for instructions.”

  “I need to take care of Bekvir, or at least look him in the eye and tell him why he’s going to die,” Wrylack said.

  “We can cloak the Mystic7,” Zorlok said. “It would give Wrylack enough time to satisfy the urge to protect his mate, and keep his daughter safe too.”

  “Are we landing on Zelran?” Wrylack asked.

  “No, we’re meeting both males at the Garva outpost. I asked them to make certain Mishka didn’t see Bekvir at any time. We don’t want to upset her more than she already will be,” Norkov said. “I can only imagine how terrified she’ll be.”

  “I’ll see Mishka first,” Wrylack said. “Zorlok, while I attend to Bekvir, will you watch my daughter?”

  “I would be honored,” Zorlok said.

  Time seemed to pass slowly for Wrylack as they neared Garva. When they landed, he followed Norkov with Zorlok right behind them. People watched them pass, but no one stopped them along the way. Wrylack wondered if he looked as fierce as he felt, wanting both to know that Mishka was safe and that Bekvir would die a horrible death.

  “I should warn you, the male who has your daughter is… a bit brutal,” Norkov said. “He would never harm a child, but his appearance tends to scare people.”

  Wrylack didn’t say anything, but his gut clenched. He hoped Mishka was all right. He hoped the child wouldn’t be terrified, taken from her home and what was possibly the only family she’d ever known. If it had been anyone but Bekvir who had her, he might have convinced Shaylee her daughter was safe and well taken care of. But there was no way he’d leave the child with that monster.

  They entered a small building in the center of the Garva outpost and Wrylack’s eyes adjusted to the dim lighting. A scarred Skuriu warrior held Mishka close to his body, his stance protective. The male’s black hair hung long down his back with two braids over his shoulders. But it was his eyes that nearly made Wrylack halt. They were black as obsidian and so cold. The eyes of a killer.

  “Norkov, you will keep your promise?” the warrior asked.

  “Yes, Herok. You may join my crew when we search for the other slaves, and claim one as your mate. It is a small price to pay for the service you have done for us,” Norkov said.

  Wrylack slowly approached and knelt in front of the small child. She was only three, and already she was stunning. She had the blue eyes so common with Zelranians, and while her skin wasn’t the pale ivory of Shaylee, it wasn’t quite the color of a Zelranian either, but somewhere in between. Her hair was black with teal highlights, and he knew she would be a heartbreaker when she was older. Her facial features resembled his Shaylee, and he was thankful she’d inherited little from her birth father. As far as Wrylack was concerned, that monster was no more than a sperm donor. This was Shaylee’s daughter, and therefore his daughter.

  “My name is Wrylack,” he told her softly. “And your mother is my mate.”

  She stuck her thumb in her mouth and studied him.

  “Your mother’s name is Shaylee. She’s a human,” Wrylack said. “Did you know that you’re part human and part Zelranian?”

  Herok covered her ears with his hands and spoke low. “I found her locked in a room with no windows and a narrow bed. It looked like they fed her on the floor like an animal. You can’t tell in this lighting, but she has bruises. They were not kind to her.”

  Wrylack pulled the male’s hands away from Mishka’s ears. “You don’t remember your mother because you were taken from her the moment you were born, Mishka, but she loves you and misses you very much.”

  The little girl blinked up at him and kept sucking on her thumb.

  “I love your mother, and since you’re part of her, that means I love you too. I want to take you home with me, to my mate, where we’ll be a family. Do you understand, Mishka? Do you know what a family is?”

  She hesitantly moved away from Herok and came closer to him. Her little hand reached up and touched his face, then his hair, before she curled herself against his chest. Wrylack wrapped an arm around her and closed his eyes.

  “I promise you will be safe, Mishka. I have claimed your mother as my mate, and I now claim you as my daughter.”

  Wrylack stood, holding her against him. Zorlok was standing nearby and Wrylack passed his daughter to his friend. Mishka tensed and stared at him with wide eyes.

  “There’s something I have to do,” he told her. “I’ll return to you shortly.”

  Wrylack touched her cheek, then leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

  Zorlok walked off with Mishka in his arms, the little girl staring over his shoulder in confusion as she was carried away, and Wrylack focused on Norkov. “Where’s Bekvir?”

  “In an abandoned building at the edge of the outpost,” Norkov said. “We thought it best he was away from everyone… so the screams wouldn’t raise any alarm among the people here.”

  “Is that the man who took her?” Herok asked. “The one who has abused that sweet girl?”

  “Yes,” Norkov answered. “Her birth father. He raped her mother, then took the baby when she was born.”

  Herok’s eyes flashed gold a moment. “I’m coming with you.”

  They followed Norkov to the edge of the outpost and a building that looked like it might collapse at any moment. Screams came from within, and Wrylack pushed through the doors and came to a stop just inside. Bekvir had been strapped to a metal table and blood pooled underneath. His eyes were wild as he begged for his life. The once ice-cold general he’d followed into battle didn’t look so fearsome right now. The way he begged for his life was pathetic, and Wrylack was fairly certain over the stench of blood he could detect urine. What sort of warrior pissed himself? It just proved that the male was a coward who picked on those weaker than him.

  Wrylack approached the table and looked down at the male in disgust. “Do you know why you’re here, Bekvir?”

  The Zelranian’s eyes went even wider. “Wrylack?”

  “You made a fatal error,” Wrylack said.

  “Whatever you want, it’s yours,” Bekvir said. “Just free me.”

  “I have what I want. I have my mate, and now I have her daughter.”

  Wrylack knew the moment Bekvir realized who he meant. The male paled and began breathing harder. There was a wildness to his eyes as he comprehended no one was coming to save him. He was going to die this day, and it would be a horrible death. Wrylack couldn’t think of anyone more deserving of such a fate, except perhaps the male who had given Shaylee to this monster.

  “She was a slave. Just a slave. She meant nothing,” Bekvir said.

  Wrylack growled and leaned close. Drawing a blade from the belt wrapped around his waist, he pressed the metal against Bekvir’s arm, drawing more blood.

  “That slave, that female you think meant nothing, is my mate. You terrorized her, raped her, then stole her daughter. I might have been more lenient if you had been kind to Mishka, but i
t’s obvious she’s been abused. I will do anything to make sure my females are safe,” Wrylack said.

  He dug the blade deeper, not stopping until he hit bone.

  “Shaylee is mine, and now Mishka is mine. And the male who took you will make sure they never have to be afraid of you again. As much as I want to end your life myself, my daughter needs me,” Wrylack said. “Mishka and Shaylee are more important than my need for vengeance. Especially when there are others as disgusted with you as I am, who are more than willing to get the job done.”

  He jerked the blade from Bekvir’s arm, the male screaming out once more. Wrylack sheathed the blade and stared at the Drelthene across the table. The male flashed his fangs in a cruel smile, and Wrylack knew that he would make sure Bekvir didn’t go easy. The Drelthenes were a bloodthirsty lot to begin with, but when it came to those who harmed females and children, they were even more fearsome.

  “Make him suffer,” Wrylack said. “Draw it out as long as you can, then end him. You can have whatever you want in payment.”

  “I already made a deal with Norkov. It will be my pleasure to take care of such a male as this one. Females should be cherished, not brutalized. Go to your child and your mate,” the male said.

  “Thank you,” Wrylack said, then turned and walked out of the building. Norkov followed, and they returned to the Mystic7. He didn’t know what deal Norkov had made with the Drelthene, but it wouldn’t surprise him if it was the same as Herok’s deal. Both Drelthenes and Skurius were in need of mates. While the Drelthenes did have some females on their world, they had a tendency to breed more males, making their population uneven. Wrylack couldn’t fault either male for wanting to rescue a slave to take home as a mate. And if what Shaylee said was true, those females would be lucky to have those males. Assuming the females weren’t terrified of them.

  Wrylack entered the Mystic7 and stopped long enough to clean his blade and make sure he didn’t have any of Bekvir’s blood on him, then he went in search of his daughter. He found her in the galley with Zorlok, a piece of fruit in her small hands. She hadn’t yet taken a bite and stared at the fruit, almost as if she were afraid she’d get into trouble for eating. It infuriated him that she’d been treated so poorly. Children were innocent, and yet Bekvir and his family had abused his own flesh and blood.