“What the FUCK HAPPENED TO YOUR HEAD?” I screeched, my voice bordering on banshee.
Reaper shrugged. “Brone and I battled. There is no need to yell. The damage is not severe.”
I advanced on Reaper and whatever he saw flash across my face had him take a step backward, his body smacking against Brone; the impact caused him to wince.
“The damage is not severe? I. Can. See. Your. Fucking. Skull!” I pointed at it just in case he wasn’t hearing correctly. I jerked my head back to stare at an offending hole marring Reaper’s metal frame. “Is that a DENT?” I only screamed one word this time. Progress.
Reaper reached up a hand, his bloody knuckles twinkling against his gray skin as he poked at the hole absentmindedly. “Yep. That’s a dent. Don’t worry I can buff that out.”
“Buff it out? What are you? A Mercedes Benz that got in a minor fender bender? Fighting Brone? Really, Reaper? The guy’s a small apartment building. He could have killed you!”
Reaper shook his head. “Unlikely.”
The sight of Reaper hurt had my heartbeat rising to the surface in frantic waves of panic, but he stood there like it was perfectly acceptable to be missing parts of him. I stared at the gray cyborg who I was now sure had stolen a big piece of my tattered heart. We agreed we didn’t need him.
That was before he came back missing parts.
He insulted us!
I know. He’s just not very good with words.
Now you are defending him? Admit it you’ve got it bad.
So do you! You were the one who was trying to ride him like a goddamn amusement park ride!
Can you blame a girl? That doesn’t mean we should take his shit. Sex with him is one thing. Falling in love with him is quite another. I didn’t sign up for that shit. I don’t want to get hurt.
Neither do I.
My wrists throbbed in time with my heart. My body was singing with exhaustion as I fought the urge to sink to the floor. The lab had gone deathly silent when I started yelling. Dax, Dr. Shaw, and the other cyborg remained quiet as I lost my shit.
Reaper quirked an eyebrow. “Are you done yelling at me?”
My jaw dropped. He did not just go there. I dug down deep and was ready to go for round two, but Reaper gently grasped my shoulders, tugging me in front of him.
“It pleases me to know that you care that I’m injured even after I was an asshole. I should not have called you stupid. The blow to my head knocked some sense into my circuits. I am programmed to see everything as a threat. You are programmed to see everything as an opportunity to offer kindness, even at the risk of yourself.” Reaper slid his hands down my arms, slipping his fingers under the ends of my sleeves brushing his fingertips over my bruised and tender skin. I shivered at the contact, completely forgetting we had an audience.
“I can’t demand you follow my orders or behave more like me. I can only offer to stand beside you, if you’ll let me.”
I stood frozen, my skin tingling where he touched, my breath catching in my throat.
Forget what I said. I’m all in. Be quiet, I hissed to the annoying voice in my head. Not now!
“See I told you my mom was teaching Reaper to be nice!” Theo declared loudly.
Reaper’s brow creased as his hands fell back down to his sides. “Teaching me to be nice?”
A little help please!
You told me to be quiet. You’re on your own, sweet cheeks.
My own brain was abandoning me but I didn’t have much time to process that thought. It was at that exact moment all the day’s events caught up to me. I had been running on fumes for weeks. Between taking care of Theo, emotional breakdowns, Reaper’s roller coaster of fun, and dragging a rainbow-colored cyborg who outweighed me by God knows how much back to his table, I had reached my limit. Maybe I shouldn’t have been skipping meals and avoiding sleep. Little too late to worry about that, now. All I managed was giving Reaper a tiny shrug. Then, not so gracefully, I promptly passed the fuck out.
Chapter Eighteen
Reaper
Aria’s body swayed as her eyes rolled back into her head, her legs collapsed as she pitched forward. I lunged, catching her around the waist as her head dropped lifeless against my shoulder.
A chorus of shouts rang out, the loudest being “MOM!” The little cyborg’s panicked cry pierced my mechanical heart. His panic mirrored in my own circuits, but I pushed it down, ordering my processors to ignore the fear racing along my wires. I scooped Aria up, tucking her against my chest as I found the nearest free exam table. “Dax! Dr. Shaw!” I barked as I laid Aria gently down on the table. The pair was already there by the time her head touched the cold steel.
Theo pushed his way in, his bright blue eyes flashing rapidly as he looked between Aria laying on the table and the three of us, fluid gathering as his eyes begged us to help her.
I reached down clasping Theo’s shoulder. “She will be okay.” My voice was the same one I used before leading my brothers into battle. It wasn’t a choice. It was an order. I would command Aria to be okay. There was no other alternative.
Her eyelids fluttered then opened slowly. Confusion sent tiny creases to form between her eyes. “Why are you all staring at me like I’m at death’s doorstep?”
Theo scrambled onto the table, his arms wrapping around her neck as he spilled fluid onto her shoulder.
“Theo, baby. It’s okay. I’m fine. I just passed out for a second. It’s probably because I’m tired and missed lunch. That’s all, sweets. I’m not going anywhere.”
I fought the urge to climb on the table with them. It barely held the two of them, but I longed for reassurance that Aria was okay and that the young cyborg wouldn’t lose the gift of his amazing mother.
“You haven’t missed only today’s lunch and dinner, Aria.” Dr. Shaw admonished sternly. “Your body is malnourished, and sleep-deprived. I won’t push you, dear, but the trauma is visible in your body scan. You can’t keep going on like this. I think there are a lot of people who want you to stick around. Let’s get some nutrients into your system and some sleep.” She patted Aria’s shoulder. “No more passing out and giving my cyborgs system malfunctions. I swear, I could hear their circuits firing with worry.”
Aria nodded slowly. “Theo, sweets.” Theo lifted his head and Aria brushed the wetness off his cheeks. “It looks like I’ll need to stay here for a bit. How about Dax takes you to go hang out with Dash and Iris for a while?”
“I want to stay. In case you need me.” Theo sat up, hopping off the table. He crossed his arms over his chest, his little chin jutting out.
I bent down meeting Theo’s intense gaze. “I will stay with Aria and make sure she is okay. If she needs you I will run as fast as I can and come find you. I promise you, little warrior.”
Theo opened his mouth, I’m sure argue, but Aria chimed in. “Theo, darling there is probably going to be needles and things.” At the mention of needles, Theo shuddered slightly, his small form rattling. Then he squared his shoulders and straightened his spine. Tipping his head, he studied me. His blue gaze sized me up with laser precision. Did I look like that when I examined someone? I must admit it was rather intimidating.
“How fast are you?” he questioned.
“Faster than a cyborg can blink,” I countered.
A small grin spread across Theo’s face. I found myself mirroring the expression. My processors found it rather enjoyable to make the young one smile. We had not started out on the right foot. I think we would always battle over protecting Aria. It was in our nature and she was special to both of us. I was larger and more experienced in battle. I was confident I would be victorious, but I looked forward to the challenge. A child couldn’t be harder to command than a fleet of my warrior brothers. Theo would soon see the benefit of having me in their lives.
I had been pursuing Aria, but Theo and she were a package deal. The idea of having them both in my life caused my chest to tighten. That pesky malfunction reared its head, leaving an ac
he deep within my frame. I wanted the complete package. I wanted to claim them both as mine.
Theo looked to Aria. “As soon as it’s over you will come get me?”
Aria leaned over the side the table and kissed the top of Theo’s head. “I’ll always come get you.”
“Do you think Dash and Iris would let me join them, Theo? I would love to try this popcorn you told me so much about. It sounds incredible.” Brone asked from the doorway. His voice was back to a deep rumble and I took a glance in his direction and found his nose was almost already healed.
I rose to my full height and discovered the pain in my emulated hip and spine was now merely an annoyance. I poked a finger at my temple and felt a thin layer of new flesh encasing my exposed skull. I had missed the opportunity to fix the dent unless I wanted to peel the new flesh away and start the process over. The dent was minor and would not affect the shape of my skull, so I decided I would leave it. Having my flesh removed once was enough for today.
Theo kissed Aria’s cheek and sped over to Dax and Brone. “Dash and Iris are super nice. I’m sure they will let you stay. I’ll tell them you are my friend. Do you want to come too, Dax? It will be like a party!”
Dax blinked. You could almost see his processors twirling as if he was weighing pros and cons in his head. He tapped a green finger against his chin. “The rest of my afternoon was going to be spent running tests and trying to upgrade some of my more promising formulas, but I think I can take a little time away.”
“You really need to live a little, Dax.” Theo stated as he grabbed Dax’s and Brone’s hands and led them through the doorway.
I chuckled softly. Theo was correct.
Aria dropped her head back down on the table. “I should warn everyone here I’m not a fan of needles, myself.”
“Who is?” The rainbow cyborg added. I had forgotten all about him. The blue one hadn’t spoken or moved an inch since he had come back online. Not a good sign.
Aria turned her head and flashed the rainbow cyborg a bright smile. He smiled back. Another cyborg was smitten with my female. Once upon a time, most of us hated humans. Now a lot of us were making googly eyes at two human females with smiles plastered on our faces.
Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
Chapter Nineteen
Aria
Reaper held my hand as Dr. Shaw slipped the sharp tip of a needle into my vein. I kept my eyes locked on his and then they flicked upward towards his temple. A thin layer of gray skin had already hidden his metal skull from view. Dr. Shaw attached an IV bag to the needle in my arm. A super concoction of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients were now pumping into my body. Dr. Shaw’s special blend. I didn’t ask. I did start to feel better. The weeks of ignoring my body’s needs faded away as it raced through my system. I brushed my finger over Reaper’s knuckles, marveling at the new skin that had formed. Except for the blood still darkening his cheek the signs of his fight were already disappearing. Being a cyborg had its perks.
Dr. Shaw squeezed the hand not occupied by Reaper’s. “There you go, my dear. Just rest and let it do its magic.”
I nodded. “Thank you.”
Dr. Shaw walked away and returned a minute later with a wet cloth, handing it Reaper.
Reaper took it, wiping his face clean of blood. He tipped his chin toward Dr. Shaw. “Thank you.”
Dr. Shaw froze, her chocolate-brown eyes going wide. “You’re welcome, Aria and...Reaper.” His name rolled off her lips hesitantly.
Reaper was not Dr. Shaw’s biggest fan. Something had happened between them. He barely tolerated her presence. I think he had just shocked the hell out of her. Inwardly, I smiled. Maybe I was teaching Reaper to be nice. Well, sort of. I wasn’t willing to bet money on it.
“I’m going to give the newest addition to our family a once-over. If you need me, don’t hesitate to call.” Dr. Shaw moved to the table where the rainbow cyborg had now pulled himself into a sitting position. His eyes stared at Dr. Shaw before meeting mine.
Apprehension flared, his pupils blown wide.
“Dr. Shaw is a good doctor, I promise. She won’t hurt you.” I said, lacing my voice with reassurance. He nodded and hopped from the table.
“I just want to make sure everything is working as it’s supposed to. I want to make sure that abomination of a doctor hasn’t inflicted major, sustained damage.” Dr. Shaw’s tone lowered, venom dripping from her words. Her hate for Dr. Rosenfield reflected in her voice. “I might even be able to make your processors run smoother or offer updates that will help you.” Those words came out sweeter. The love for her cyborgs shone through. She considered them her children. The miracles of life who were unique and special.
Dr. Shaw looked to the lifeless blue Service Model on the exam table. His blue eyes remained open but fixed on the celling. “Then I’ll come back and take a look at your friend.” Sorrow wove its way through her tone. I wasn’t sure even Dr. Shaw could fix him. She must have guessed the same thing, but that wouldn’t stop her from doing everything she could to save him. He stood a better chance of survival here than anywhere else. “What should I call you?”
The multicolored cyborg opened his mouth to repeat the horrific thing the doctor from hell had called him, but I cut him off. I refused to let him be called by that awful name.
“Call him Axios.” I offered. “I mean only if he wants to be called that, of course. I know the name Dr. Rosenfield called him. Trust me you don’t want to know. It was awful. He can pick his own but for now it’s better than the one he was called.”
“Axios? An Ancient Greek word mean...” He stopped, a look of confusion and awe on his face. “It means worthy.”
“You are.” I declared.
His cheeks flushed a darker shade of blue. “I am honored by your choice.” He met Dr. Shaw’s eyes. “I am Axios,” he stated it so proudly it made me want to cheer from my table. I settled for plastering a huge grin on my face. The sight caused him to truly smile for the first time, the action lighting his face as his eyes flashed brightly. He followed Dr. Shaw, the smile never leaving his face.
“Would you like my job? You are far better at it than I am. I tend to piss everyone off. I never make anyone smile. Well, except Iris but I’m pretty sure there is something wrong with her programming.” Reaper smirked.
I tugged my hand free from his, trailing my fingertips over his lips. I knew how soft they were from having him kiss me breathless. I still marveled at their texture. I traced the lines of his smirk, never seeming to get enough of touching him. Reaper was beautifully cast. Brutal lines hiding secret, soft places. “There must be something wrong with my programming, too. You make me smile, also.”
“Even after I hurt you?” His fingers moved in slow circles over the inside of my wrists. His eyes met mine. He wasn’t only asking about the bruises.
“Nobody’s perfect. You apologized. You say I’m better at your job, but I could’ve been killed on day-one of meeting a freshly-freed cyborg. I should have listened to you, Reaper. I didn’t think. I’m sorry.”
His fingers stilled. Leaning over me, his lips were an inch from mine. I forgot all about where I was or what had transpired between us. His warm breath fanned over my face, his eyes gleamed beneath the fluorescent lights, blue sparks of current burned brightly.
Closing the distance, his lips skimmed mine gently, soft and sweet. The kiss a startling contrast to the man. Reaper revealed his soft places with his kiss.
I sealed my lips firmly to his, tasting his unique flavor of spice and metal. I had discovered an aggressive and possessive streak when it came to him. Wanting him more than I had wanted anyone before him. My few past boyfriends paled in comparison. Reaper was a force of nature. I let him sweep me away.
He pushed his lips against mine harder, licking the seam of my lips, demanding to be let in. No use denying him. He conquered my mouth, taking and tasting until I was left breathless.
Tearing my mouth away, I sucked in air. Need pooled low
in my belly, my lips tingling from his kiss. I panted, the cold metal of the exam table pressing into my back jolting me back into reality. The steady drip of the IV buzzing in my ears. He could have fucked me against the exam table. All, simply because of a kiss. “Wow. I forgot who I was there for a second.”
Reaper’s eyes glowed as his fingers traced my lips. He swallowed, the muscles in his throat retracting and releasing sharply as lines formed along his brow. Worry was suddenly making my cyborg a nervous wreck.
I frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t want to fuck this up.” He cupped my cheeks, his forehead coming to rest against mine. “Be mine, Aria.”
“I thought I already was.” My hand clasped the back of his neck, tugging his lips back down to mine, kissing the worry from his processors.
My life on the outside of the cyborg headquarters was over. I could never protect Theo all by myself. Theo. What would he think? I wasn’t sure he would like sharing. “My life is no longer mine, Reaper. I come with a little cyborg who doesn’t need any more disappointment or pain.”
“Theo and you are a package deal. He is already mine. He simply doesn’t know it yet.” There was no hesitation in Reaper’s voice. He meant it.
Tears threatened to fall. This time, they were happy ones. “Theo might resist.”
Reaper grinned. “Of course, he will. He’s a Military Model. We are meant to be challenging.”
My chest tightened. My heart ready for the challenge. I was hooked on the large gray cyborg. I slid my hands around his neck. His large, muscled, beautiful gray neck. “You’re ours. Don’t forget it.”
Capturing my mouth, Reaper kissed the words from my lips. The kiss bordering on brutal, stamping his claim as I branded mine in return.
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