by Anna Hackett
Another spider slammed into his chest. Claws sank into his chest, blood flowing down his abdomen.
“Get off him!” Sage’s wild yell.
He felt a tug on his back, then the first bot was gone. He grabbed the one on his chest, crunched it into a ball, then tossed it aside.
He quickly swiveled. Sage was holding a wriggling spider in her hands. It was trying desperately to reach her face.
No. He moved in behind her and reached for the bot.
“Let go,” he said.
She did, and the bot tumbled onto the floor. He brought his boot down on the robot, with a satisfying crunch. With a snarl, Sage slammed her boot onto the bot. Together, they stomped it into the floor.
“You should have left,” he said.
“The correct thing to say is, ‘thanks for the help, Sage. I appreciate you getting the robot that was tearing my back up off of me.’”
“Thank you,” he said.
“I may not be a gladiator or a cyborg, but I won’t let them hurt you.”
Something in Acton shifted. She was worried about him? It was a foolish thought, when he was a powerful cyborg who was much stronger than she was. He blinked. No one had ever worried about him before.
“I am very strong and a trained fighter, Sage.”
“I don’t care. You need to be careful, Acton.”
Another high-pitched scream echoed through the room. They both spun to see more frightened customers running from another group of spider bots.
“Help! Help us.”
Striding across the room, Acton heaved up a table. He raced at the bots, slamming it down on them and squishing several between the table and the floor.
“Get out of here.” People nodded, bolting for the doors in a panicked rush.
He kept fighting back the other spiders. It felt like a never-ending stream.
A child’s terrified scream pierced the air.
He turned to see a boy standing on a table. Bots were climbing the table legs, clambering to get to him.
Suddenly, Sage ran at the boy. She was holding a large jug in her hands. She smashed it down on one of the spiders.
“Come on.” She helped the boy down. “Run.”
She turned to follow the boy when a spider leaped onto her back. Acton saw her fall between two tables, and lost sight of her.
No!
He charged across the room, knocking tables and chairs out of his way. Several bots were racing toward Sage, and he lifted them up with his powers, crushing them together.
He had to get to her. He spotted her on the floor, struggling. Her face was scratched and bleeding.
A spider was attached to her chest, clawing at her.
Acton felt a rush of blind anger—the brightest he’d ever felt—burning through his dampeners.
He roared, grabbed the spider clinging to her, and crushed it in his hands.
Sage was sobbing. He crouched protectively over her, and scanned her body for damage. Her shirt was ripped open. Through the tears, he caught a flash of pale skin, the curve of a small breast, and several bloody scratches.
“Acton.” Her voice was drenched in pain.
“Shh.” He slid his arms under her and lifted her.
She burrowed against his chest. “I can’t breathe.”
“It’s the panic. Don’t worry, I’ll get you out. The healers will fix you.”
Her hazel eyes met his and she relaxed. Her trust made something inside him go still.
Loud, skittering sounds reached his ears.
He lifted his head and stiffened. A huge group of spider bots skittered out of the kitchen, and surrounded them.
Chapter Five
She was bleeding.
Sage swallowed a moan. God, she hurt. And that brought back all kinds of memories she didn’t want to remember.
Acton said he’d get her out.
She forced herself to relax a little. He felt strong against her. His chest was warm, and his metal arms were cool.
Dragging her gaze off the wave of bots surrounding them, she looked up at the strong line of his jaw. His face was focused, no fear, no panic.
But when she turned her head, terror pressed down on her like an elephant on her chest. There were so many of the spider bots. Too many. Her throat went tight.
Damn the Edull. She hated them with every fiber of her being. A rush of anger hit her—hot and fierce.
“Put me down,” she mumbled. “You can’t fight if you’re holding me.”
Acton hesitated, but when she wiggled in his arms, he set her on the top of a table. She stood, wavered for a second, then grabbed a dinner knife off the surface. It wasn’t very sharp, but it was better than nothing. She felt better having something in her hand.
A spider skittered in, lights blinking on the top of it. Acton lifted his arms and his power activated. She felt the throb of energy in the air.
Several bugs lifted up off the floor, their legs waving madly. One by one, the bugs started to crumple inward, like they were imploding.
The others on the ground were vibrating, waiting to attack.
The first row rushed at them.
“Acton!” she screamed.
He threw his hands out, letting out another blast of power, sending the first wave flying. But she knew he couldn’t hold them off much longer.
She lifted her knife, wondering how the hell they were going to survive this. At least, they’d helped all the others get out.
Then the sound of running feet caught her ear, and she glanced over her shoulder. Relief crashed through her.
Magnus strode into the restaurant, electricity crackling down his arm.
Jax was one step behind him, sword in hand, and his tattooed arm glowing. Quinn was next, her lethal staff raised. Mace followed, his large sword glowing red-hot. Toren brought up the rear, the high-tech weapon on his shoulder already activated and swiveling to take aim.
For Sage, time slowed. She watched the cyborgs and Quinn crossing the restaurant, faces grim and focused.
Then time clicked back in with a rush of sound. The cyborgs charged.
The spider bots leaped to attack.
Sage watched the cyborgs move. Swords slashed and electricity sizzled. They plowed through the Edull creations, metal tearing and shredding. Acton tossed several of the bots into the air, and Mace swung his sword, his blade cutting through them.
Throat tight, all Sage could do was watch. They were magnificent.
Quinn moved with power and grace, while the others just charged in with raw strength. Acton swiped his arms, and more spiders sailed through the air.
When he lowered his arms, he turned and looked at her.
She smiled.
The remains of the spider bots littered the ground all around the restaurant, and the cyborgs all straightened and lowered their weapons.
But then, her smile died as pain crashed through her. Her legs collapsed.
Oh, no. She was going to tumble off the table.
She didn’t fall. Impossibly, Acton moved like a blur and crossed the room in a fraction of a second.
He caught her in his arms. “Sage.”
She moaned. Damn, everything was hurting.
He laid her out on the table. “Magnus.”
She turned her head, trying to focus on Acton. He sounded…panicked? That didn’t make any sense.
“She’s losing too much blood,” Acton said.
She felt pressure on her chest.
“The bots must have nicked something.” Quinn’s voice.
The world started to go blurry.
“Acton,” Sage whispered.
“I’m here.” He wrapped his cool hand around hers. “She needs the healers.”
“Avarn is on the way,” Magnus said.
Then Acton’s face was right in front of hers. She locked onto his icy-blue eyes.
But they didn’t really look cool right now.
“Hold on, Sage,” he urged.
She tried to nod, but
couldn’t. She wasn’t sure how much time passed, but suddenly, Avarn’s face appeared in her vision. The older healer was frowning as he checked her over.
“Acton, keep pressure on her wounds. She needs a regen tank.”
Acton lifted her off the table, and there was a blur of movement. Sage drifted in and out of consciousness. Next thing she knew, warm fluid was closing around her body.
“Acton?”
“I’m here. I won’t leave you.” She felt his cybernetic fingers squeeze hers. “You’re in a regen tank.”
She recalled the amazing healing tanks from her time helping in Medical. They could heal some of the most terrible injuries she’d seen. The medical tech on Carthago was amazing. Slowly, the pain started to recede, and she squinted and craned her neck to look down. She was covered from her chin to her toes in the blue healing gel.
She also belatedly realized that she was only in her panties, with a small strip of cloth covering her boobs. Not that she had much up top to cover.
Her eyes fluttered closed. Avarn and his healers had explained to her that Magnus spent a fortune on medical equipment to keep his gladiators healthy and fighting fit for the arena. The House of Rone healers were also experts in cyborg technology and cybernetic enhancements.
“You’re going to be fine,” Acton reassured her.
She forced her eyes open again, turned her head, and saw him sitting beside the tank.
“You got me out,” she said.
“I assured you that I would.”
“Thank you.” She managed to lift a hand over the edge of the glass tank.
He took it, cool metal brushing her warm skin.
“Your wounds are healing.”
She smiled. “That’s good.” She let her eyes drift closed once more. “Keep talking. I like your voice.”
He was silent a moment. “You do?”
“Yes.”
“What should I talk about?”
“Anything.”
Silence reigned for a long moment, punctuated only by the soft noises made by nearby medical equipment, and the gentle movements of the healers throughout the room. When she cracked her eyes open, she saw that she’d confused him.
He cleared his throat. “The Edull clearly planned the attack in the restaurant. The spider bots were definitely Edull constructions.”
“Why would they attack that restaurant?”
“The establishment is used by lots of House of Rone workers.”
If they couldn’t hurt the cyborgs, then they would target the innocent. Her nose wrinkled. “Assholes.”
“We will stop them.” His voice was firm and sharp as a blade.
“We need to find Simone and Grace.” Worry drifted through Sage. Then a wave of tiredness made her eyelids feel like they weighed a ton.
“Rest,” Acton said.
She tightened her fingers on his. “Don’t leave me.”
“I won’t.”
Acton sat by Sage’s regen tank for several hours.
Avarn moved closer, his robes rustling quietly. “She’s fine. She should wake soon.”
Acton nodded. “I’ll help her to her room.”
The healer eyed him for a long moment, before finally nodding and walking away.
Acton continued to stare at the small woman in the tank. A woman who seemed to spark things in him he didn’t want to feel. He hunched his shoulders. In the restaurant, seeing Sage in danger and injured, he’d felt.
For the first time in years, he’d had the sensations of anger, fear… He didn’t like it. It was too foreign, too distracting, and dangerous.
His cybernetic eye flickered and a jumble of images hit him—a woman laughing, kids giggling, Metathim soldiers grabbing him, cold fear, his own screams. His pulse spiked and he strengthened his emotional dampeners.
Sage’s fingers moved and a moment later, she woke with a gasp. “Acton?”
“I’m here.” He reached over the edge of the tank and helped her to sit up.
He looked at her, at the blue gel clinging to her skin. His gaze traced the slope of her shoulder, and then moved up to the slender line of her jaw. She had a graceful neck.
That was an…odd thought for him. Shaking his head, he helped her out of the tank.
She stood in front of him in tiny panties, and a strip of cloth over her breasts. She shivered.
He reached for a drying cloth and started to wipe her down. Her skin color was so pale. As he stroked down her slim arms and legs, he saw that the cloth at her breasts was near-transparent. Her pink nipples clearly showed through.
His body reacted with a throb that made him still.
“Acton?” She tilted her head.
“I’m fine.” His cock was heavy and throbbing, an unfamiliar sensation. Confused, he reached out and grabbed one of the robes the healers had left for her. He helped her put her arms into the sleeves, and wrapped it around her.
So, this was physical desire? He glanced at Sage’s face, his gaze moving over her cheekbones, her full lips, her copper-colored hair that was damp at the ends. His cock throbbed again.
“Acton?” She frowned, touching his chest lightly. “Are you okay?”
He managed a nod. “You need to rest. I’ll show you to your room.”
He ushered her out the door of Medical.
“Hey, slow down,” she complained.
But he needed to get away from her. He needed to cool his body’s unruly response. Still, she was recovering from her injury, so he tried to slow his steps as they walked to her room.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked. “You’re acting weird.”
He didn’t answer her, just pushed open the door to her room. Inside, she glanced around and pulled her robe tighter around her body.
“Thanks again, Acton. For everything.”
He gave her a tight nod. “I’m happy you’re well.”
“If you hadn’t gotten me out of that restaurant—”
“You’re a valued member of the House of Rone now, and we wouldn’t want to lose you.”
She swallowed, toying with the belt of her robe. “Is that all I am to you? A valued member of the House?”
He felt his spine stiffen, vertebra by vertebra. “You know I don’t feel like the others.”
She took a step closer to him. “I think you’ve purposely not let yourself feel.” She lifted a hand, moving slowly, like she was waiting for his permission or refusal. “I think you’re just very rusty.”
He didn’t say anything, his gaze locked on her slim fingers. He knew he should turn and leave. Put some distance between them and shore up his dampeners.
She stroked his cheek. His metal one.
Acton sucked in a breath, sensations cascading through his senses.
She was studying him intently. Her fingers moved, stroking his other cheek. The pads of her soft fingers brushed his skin. This time, he shuddered at the onslaught of sensation.
Her lips parted. “Acton.” A husky murmur.
He was trying to control his response, but it was overloading his system. She stepped closer and her body brushed his, her belly grazing against his erection.
She gasped, her gaze dropping. Acton groaned.
“Acton?”
“It is a simple biological response to your state of undress.”
She made a humming noise. “I don’t buy that.”
He gripped her wrist. “I told you, I’m not capable of what the others feel.”
She eyed the bulge in his trousers. “This is evidence to the contrary.” She leaned in closer, pressing her palms to his chest.
It felt like her hands were burning into his skin. He gripped her wrists, something he thought might be panic sliding along his nerves.
He couldn’t handle the overload, this foreign sense of being out of control.
“Sage—”
“You feel, Acton. You’ve just buried it deep and blocked it out.”
“It’s too late for me,” he said. “Perhaps, if I’d m
et you earlier, I would have had a chance.” He swallowed. “But I’ve been changed too much.”
“I don’t believe that,” she whispered, color filling her cheeks.
“I don’t want these emotions free.”
Sage flinched. “You don’t want to explore them with me?”
“No.” He hated this out-of-control, chaotic sensation.
She stepped back, and he felt the loss of her touch instantly. Drak, he was so confused.
She gave him a smile, but he didn’t detect any humor in it.
“I shouldn’t be surprised,” she said. “I’ve never generated enough feeling in anyone to be worth the effort. Not my mother, not my ex.”
Acton couldn’t process any more emotion. He couldn’t read what was buried in her voice, or what was crossing her face. But he knew he didn’t like it. “Sage—”
She gripped her robe lapels with one hand and waved the other one. “It’s okay, Acton. How I feel is my responsibility not yours. Go now.”
His legs refused to move. “I—”
“Just go.” This time her voice was sharper. She pressed her hands to her cheeks. “Please. It’ll be fine. I’ll be fine. And tomorrow, we’ll be just as we’ve always been. Friends.”
She gave him one of those smiles she usually gave the other women. The one he knew she used to hide her true feelings. Then she shoved him out into the corridor. A second later, the door closed in his face.
Acton stayed there for several minutes, staring at the smooth surface of the door. He wasn’t sure what had just happened, but he didn’t like it, and had no idea what to do about it.
Chapter Six
The next morning, Acton made his way to Magnus’s office for a meeting with the other cyborgs.
He’d stopped by to check on Sage first, but he couldn’t find her. Her room was empty, and her bed neatly made.
It was for the best. He needed to stay away from her until he could get these strange feelings under control.
As he headed down the corridor, he frowned. He felt unsettled.
When he entered Magnus’s office, the imperator nodded from behind his desk. Jax raised a hand. The cyborg was sitting on the edge of Magnus’ desk. Mace leaned against the wall, his brawny arms crossed over his chest. He lifted his chin.
