I snuggled deeper into to his warm frame and sighed. He’s also the cyborg with a mind full of filthy things that make my lady-bits scream for joy. I definitely got the Military Model experience.
My head rested on his chest, the steady beat of Reaper’s heart pounded like a lullaby, tugging me towards sleep. A kiss brushed the top of my head and my eyes fluttered. I struggled, fighting off sleep, unsure if my nightmares would come for me.
“Go to sleep, princess. I’ll be here keeping watch. If you get lost, I’ll always find you.” His hold on me tightened, his whole frame willing to stand guard all through the night.
I let my eyes close. I was safe. Cared for. Protected. Let the monsters come. Nothing stood a chance against my fierce cyborg.
Heat licked my toes. I drew my legs up, desperately trying to get away from the source. A coughing fit struck, my lungs screaming for air but not finding nearly enough. I rolled, using all my strength, to push myself up and crawled. My palms clawed the ground, panic coursing through my veins, as I discovered the floor of my cell had been replaced with something soft and silky. It slid through my fingers like sand, not allowing me to get a firm grip. I struggled to move. Every furtive grasp of my fingers sent a puff of charcoal dust into the air, stealing the precious few drops left in my lungs and causing my eyes to burn. I choked, the taste bitter on my tongue.
“Get up. Fight.” A voice ordered from above. Reaper. I didn’t know how he got here. I didn’t care. I scrambled, my hands slipping a couple of times before I managed to stand. Smoke circled my vision. I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand, listening for the sound of my cyborg’s voice.
“Get up! Fight!” he barked the same order, desperation singing in his words. If my cyborg was desperate, we were in serious trouble.
“Reaper?” I spun in a circle, looking for any threat or the familiar face of my cyborg. Suddenly, a cool rush of wind whipped across my face, the smoke swept away only to reveal a scene darker than any nightmare.
Gray bodies were everywhere. Military Models burned down to their frames. Arms and legs had been completely torn off. Jagged bits of metal now jutted out from where they had once been attached to their frame. Necks were twisted at odd angles. Eyes that had been blue were now nothing but black orbs devoid of life. Bile rose. I gripped my stomach trying not to vomit.
A moan of pain sounded at my feet. I looked down. A cyborg was on his back, lying in a pile of gray ash. I immediately knew what my hands had been slipping in. This time, I couldn’t stop myself. I frantically twisted my body away from the dying cyborg, vomit spraying from my lips, sending up a cloud of black dust.
The cyborg at my feet jerked, his arm slapped against my leg. Or, what remained of his arm. Wires hung limply, dark fluid gathered beneath him, staining the ash even darker. “Don’t want...die alone.” The words came out garbled. The right side of his face was nothing but torn, synthetic flesh, fluid, and seared metal. His lips were partially melted away, distorting his words and preventing most speech.
I pushed every bit of horror I felt down. I sank to my knees beside him in the ash, reaching out to take his hand in mine only for my fingers to pass right through. A figure dropped beside me, gripping the cyborg’s hand, holding on tight.
A flood of hot tears splashed down my cheeks. This wasn’t my nightmare. This was Reaper’s memory. A far-off battlefield where his brothers had been sent to die. This wasn’t war. It was a massacre. Had the Military Models even stood a chance or had the Global Allegiance marched them off somewhere to be slaughtered?
A fresh wave of nausea sent my stomach rolling. I turned my head to stare at Reaper. The absolute grief and agony on his face constricted my heart. I rubbed my wrists, desperate to reach for Reaper, knowing he wouldn’t feel my touch. Pain burned in the back of my throat.
“It’s time to go now, Reaper.” I urged softly
His head snapped up. Blue eyes searched mine. “Can’t leave them.” His breathing hitched, his gaze dropped back to the cyborg on the ground.
What remained of the Military Model’s features was contorted in pain. Reaper gripped his hand tighter, anguish flickering across his cobalt eyes. My fingers dug into my thighs. The bite of pain held back the wave of grief waiting to capsize me.
“Give him peace. Tell him it’s okay for him to go.” Emotion choked my dry throat. The words came out shaky and rough.
Reaper hesitated then nodded. “Fly free, my brother. Join our friends beyond this death and pain. They are waiting.”
A partial smile tried to form on the cyborg’s damaged lips. His eyes flashed bright blue and then went dark.
Reaper tossed his head back, releasing a howl. The ash shook, dancing like particles of dust suspended in a glimmer of light. The sound and sight broke free every emotion I held back. Tossing my head back, I joined him. I screamed for the fallen, for the injustice, but more than anything I screamed for my cyborg’s heart breaking.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Reaper
A piercing wail shattered my circuits. Aria’s body was locked tight to the bed, her mouth wide open, shattering the bedroom with her screams. Her lips slammed shut as her eyes flew open. She sucked in a breath. Tracks of tears stained her cheeks. Her fingers shook as she held her hands up, turning them over and inspecting them, her brow furrowing.
I felt her inspection like a punch to the gut. The pain of the memory cycled through my processors, but a new face appeared that hadn’t been there when it had first been created.
A soft set of light blue eyes stared at me. A gentle voice gave me instructions on how to help my brother in his final moments. A scream that joined with mine, mirroring every drop of sorrow and rage.
Aria had found her way into my memories. Diving head-first into one of the worst ones; one that continuously played on repeat. A sick loop of my failures; failures that tortured me. Hundreds of black-eyed cyborgs tormented me with the knowledge I didn’t bring them home. Aria became trapped in my personal hell. She hadn’t fled, remaining with me as I permitted Set to go. Her presence altered the memory, granting me a measure of peace instead of never-ending misery.
My arms shot around her, dragging her close, inhaling her calming scent. My battle-weary circuits renewed by the female in my arms. “I’m sorry, princess. I didn’t realize. My memories aren’t pleasant. I don’t want you to carry them.”
She sat back in my arms. “You shouldn’t have to carry them by yourself.” One hand drifted over my chest, stopping over my heart. The other curled around the back of my neck, her forehead pressing against mine. “You’re not alone anymore,” she whispered.
“Neither are you.” I kissed her forehead. “And when I find that red Medical Model, I’m going to introduce him to my axe.”
Aria stiffened, her head jerking back. “Medical Model?” Her voice was shaky.
“The red cyborg from your nightmare. I saw him, Aria. I saw him refuse to help you. He will die.” The words came out as a vow.
She shook her head. “You can’t kill him.”
My lips flattened as my nostrils flared. “You expect me to allow him to live?” I felt the large vein in my neck throb. The throbbing matched the one in my skull.
“Yes, I do. I would be dead it it wasn’t for him. He faked my implantation.” She trembled. “I wouldn’t have been able to carry a cyborg. I’m too small. The strain would have been too much for my body.” Her hand drifted towards her stomach. “They had to cut the cyborgs out of the other females’ wombs.”
Shock, mixed with pain, replaced the pounding in my skull. The lifeless bodies of those poor females had been the first I had come across when I went on the rescue mission. The stench of death and decay had invaded my nostrils. Even after being witness to more death than any being had a right to see and remain sane, I hadn’t been able to walk into that room. Slamming the door, I fled, not knowing the next room brought only more horror.. . Small cyborgs of every color left to rot.
Aria. This human female. My h
uman female had rushed in, the love for those cyborgs overriding every bit of fear or concern for herself.. . Five minutes and 4.2 seconds had lapsed before I could enter. Shame burned in my mechanical gut. I hadn’t even spared more than a glance at the human females.
The Medical Model found a way to save my Aria from that fate. She, in turn, saved Theo. I owed the Medical Model a debt I wasn’t sure I could ever repay.
Aria took a breath, rubbing her arms as if chilled. I brought her in close, breathing in her familiar sweet scent. Underneath, the sweet scent masked the sharp tang of pain.
She shook in my arms... “Theo....did he feel a connection to the female who carried him? Did her death cause him pain? And what about her? Did she only feel fear, or did she care about the life inside her? Did that abomination of a doctor murder Theo’s real mother?” Wetness splashed against my exposed flesh. Her tears caught in the crook of my neck, searing me as if a live wire touched my skin.
“You are Theo’s real mother. He loves you. His connection is with you.” I rubbed slow circles over her back. “Has Dax shared his theory with you about why he believes Theo survived?”
She inhaled sharply, jerking back to peer at me with glossy eyes.
“Based on your reaction I can guess he hasn’t. Surprising. That green cyborg loves to hear himself talk.”
A ghost of a smile teased her lips before she caught herself. I sometimes forgot she actually likes Dax. I took her face in my hands. “Dax believes Theo survived by bonding to you and by you bonding to him in return. You formed a connection to each other through love. The only other example we have of something similar is Dash and Iris.” My circuits wanted to scream that we were another example, yet I hesitated. We exhibited the same signs. Dream and memory sharing. The need to make sure the other is happy and cared for. Circuit-frying sex. Irrational traits of possessiveness. Well, maybe only I exhibited one last trait; my female hadn’t choked anyone on my behalf, yet, but I remained hopeful.
I refused to push her. Her claim on me was enough for now. I didn’t think I’d ever have a female, let alone one like my fierce warrior. My existence could be terminated, and I’d go out with a smile. I was claimed. I could wait to be loved.
I kissed her temple. “Theo was right when he shouted at me that first day. You are his human and he is your cyborg.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Aria
I let Reaper’s words sink in, a balm for my anxious heart. Every instinct screamed Theo was mine. I had shouted it at anyone who would listen, threatened those who might say different. I couldn’t change how he was brought into this world, but I could give him the best life possible from here on out. Reaper would be a big part of that.
I stroked my fingers over the old scars marring his back. I recalled tracing them for the first time – the tension in his frame. This time he relaxed into my touch, arching his back, pressing his frame deeper into my fingertips.
The images from his memory replayed in my head. Up until my kidnapping, my life had been free of violence and pain. Sure, I had gotten my heart broke a time or two, and life hadn’t always been sunshine and rainbows, but I knew nothing of the kind of hell Reaper and his fellow cyborgs had experienced.
Before being kidnapped, at night, I sang at any gig I could find. During the day, I gave voice lessons to children whose parents had all their hopes on their kid being the one to become a star. Weekends had been my favorite. I lead a free music hour for young children at my small studio space. I had loved my life, but I loved Theo and Reaper more.
He hadn’t said it, but I suspected we had bonded as well. Sharing dreams and memories seemed to be a huge red flag. Iris had mentioned it to me briefly. She still wasn’t sure how it truly worked but she had accepted it as part of the deal of loving Dash.
My heart had already cashed in its chips placing all its bets on Reaper, trusting I wouldn’t lose. I nuzzled his neck. “I have more than one cyborg.” I pulled back to look at him. Taking his hand, I laid it on my chest right over my heart. “This is yours.” My heart beat wildly beneath his fingers. “Don’t break it, Reaper.”
For a moment he appeared stunned, then he claimed my lips with a brutal kiss. His mouth captured mine like he had captured my heart. His hand wrapped around the nape of my neck, holding me to him in a display of possession that sent heat directly to my core. I pushed back, my tongue sliding along his, flicking against the roof of his mouth, exploring every inch without mercy.
The kiss had my pussy gearing up for round two. Reaper wasn’t the only one who was easy. I couldn’t get enough of him. His hands slid down to cup my ass, giving it a squeeze. Two could play at this game. My hands slipped under the sheet, seeking those gray cheeks of magnificence. The firm muscles filled my palms as I gave a squeeze of my own. The muscle under my fingers flexed, his hips rocked slightly forward causing his cock to bump against my entrance.
I groaned. He released my lips only to lick a path down my neck, leaving a trail of fire in his wake. I arched my back, pressing my breasts against the hard plane of his chest, loving the friction and slight sting zipping in my nipples. There was no give, no softness, and I rubbed against his rigid frame like a cat in heat.
His spicy, warm scent filled my nose as a finger pushed into my slit without warning. His thumb circled my clit as his finger began to move in and out before a second finger joined the first.
He growled. “God, you’re so tight. I can’t wait to fuck you. But first, I want you to come on my fingers. Do you remember that, princess? Maybe you need a reminder.” He sat back, putting space between our bodies. “Look, princess. Watch my fingers fuck you.”
I lowered my gaze, following his command. His gray fingers thrust slowly in and out of my pink lips, his skin starting to glisten with my juices. His cock thumped against my ass and he fucked me faster. His fingers hammered in and out as his thumb ground down on my clit hard. I screamed, a supernova of light burst behind my eyes as I came all over his hand.
He withdrew his fingers, shoving them into his mouth to lick every drop of my release from his skin, letting out a moan. He gave a small push, my body fell without resistance to the bed. “Tell me,” he hissed. “Tell me I can have you.” My cyborg may be domineering, but he would never take what I wasn’t willing to give. My heart swelled beneath my chest. I loved this man.
I wasted no time, spreading my thighs with a welcoming smile. I gripped his cock, lining it up with my entrance. “Come home, Reaper.”
With one thrust he buried himself deep, stretching my walls and lighting up every nerve. He stared down at me, his blue eyes burning with passion. “You’re the only home I’ve ever known.”
His declaration caused my heart to expand outward, becoming so large I feared it would break through my chest.
He pulled out slowly and thrust back in, setting a lazy pace. He took his time, worshiping every bit of skin he could find with his lips as his slow thrusts built the fire ever higher. I came alive under his unwavering attention, sending the darkness back where it belonged with every rise and fall of our hips. He sped up, my legs locking around his waist as I held on, matching his thrusts.
This time, the climax struck like a rolling wave, dragging me under, leaving me gasping for breath. His hips gave one final thrust before every line in his frame seized up, roaring, he emptied himself inside me.
I took everything, my pussy clenching around his cock, welcoming him home.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Reaper
One of Aria’s legs curled around my thigh, her arm tucked around my hip locking my body to hers. Her breathing remained even, a sigh escaped her lips every now and again. I liked to think she was dreaming of me. At least her nightmares were not plaguing her this time. Neither were my memories. I had kept my processors running diagnostics for the last five hours, making sure they didn’t have to time to be idle. My systems were running at one-hundred percent, no malfunctions detected. I was now aware I had five hundred and two slight str
uctural imperfections in my cells. Two-hundred-forty-three scratches, one-hundred-seventy-six dents and eighty-six places where paint was chipped.
Please let her wake up soon, my circuits screamed. I think I was experiencing what the humans referred to as boredom. I didn’t enjoy it.
She stirred beside me. Oh, thank my circuits. She rolled off me, tucking her legs up. “Best ass ever,” she mumbled then once again fell silent.
False alarm. Begin another round of diagnostics; I ordered my processors. Here I go again. A loud knock sounded. I almost clapped in glee, stopping my hands a mere second before they slapped together proving Military Models indeed clapped. For the record, we don’t.
Aria grumbled. “Go away.”
I hopped from the bed, pulling on a pair of sleep pants and tossing a t-shirt over my head. “Don’t worry, princess. I’ll get it.”
“He’s so nice, now,” she sighed. She snuggled the pillow closer to her chest.
Four quick strides had at me at the door. I threw it open. A familiar face greeted me. “Took you long enough Military Model.” Hester gave me a playful shove. I stumbled, resisting the urge to hug the female Service Model. Maybe Brone was right. This urge to hug things didn’t seem to be lessening. I fisted my hands by my sides.
I stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind me. I didn’t want to risk waking Aria. “I am glad you have returned safe. Was the mission successful?”
A brown-haired human female ducked out from behind Hester and waved. “Hi! Remember me?” She raised an eyebrow. “I’m Caia. So, where are you hiding my besties?”
“Your besties?” I looked at Hester hoping she would know what the small female was referring to.
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