by Cynthia Sax
And they would do that. They’d protect her with everything they had.
The ship had landed when they reached it. It wasn’t Kutta’s ship, wasn’t the Silan Stealth Fighter they’d expected. It was a battered freighter, larger than theirs was and more dented.
“Dad?” The kid backed up.
Taelyn shifted slightly to the side, tucking the girl between herself and Grudge.
Her cyborg placed one of his arms around both of them. “Don’t emotionally damage yourselves.” His tone was calm. “The ship belongs to us.”
The doors opened. The ramp extended.
Medic Neidan arrived, stood beside them. Her face was dabbed with beads of sweat. “Judging by their vessel’s ragged state, they might not be able to help me with the mechanical leg.”
Taelyn quashed her inappropriate laughter. Her former guardian was unimpressed with the cyborgs thus far.
Rancor sidled down the ramp with his guns. He turned his body from left to right, scanning their surroundings.
“It’s safe, D Model.” Grudge’s tone was dry.
“He knows that.” Kutta rolled her swirling black-and-green eyes as she followed her warrior. “The cyborg is dramatic.”
“You like that I’m that way, my female.” Rancor grinned, lowering his guns. “Is the fun over? You appear to have use of all your limbs again, C Model.” He looked at Grudge. “Patch will be disappointed.”
“With the two of you causing chaos on the same planet, there is an 86.1258 percent probability Patch will have limbs to reattach by the end of the planet rotation.” A female cyborg emerged from the ship.
She was almost as large as Grudge was, had the same black hair, gray skin, blue eyes. The air of authority clung to her broad shoulders.
The unknown cyborg must be Cadet, her male’s leader, the warrior who had freed him.
Taelyn straightened. She owed the female an unrepayable debt.
“Our freighter was modified to look this way.” Cadet ignored her, leveling a hard glance on Medic Neidan. “Beings notice the manufactured dents and rust, not the huge guns concealed in its design.”
The medic gulped air. Her face turned pale.
Taelyn repositioned her form, blocking the cyborg’s view of her former guardian.
Cadet’s gaze slid to her.
Taelyn stared back at the female. She would defend Medic Neidan physically if that was necessary.
The moment stretched.
Cadet grunted and nodded. “Ours.” Her tone was edged with approval.
Taelyn didn’t know what that one-word reply meant but it didn’t sound threatening. The tension inside her melted away. She nodded back at the female.
“Do you require immediate repair, warrior?” Cadet addressed Grudge. The cyborg’s concern for Taelyn’s male was palpable and that boosted her opinion of his leader even higher. “Or can we relay intel first?”
“Medic Neidan repaired me to 92.1245 percent functionality.” Grudge gave the medic full credit for that feat, his consideration filling Taelyn with pride. “We can relay intel first.”
“Then we’ll do that.” Cadet stalked down the ramp. “The first intel I want relayed is the state of my warships. They were to be transported to Mercury Minor, not parked all over the universe.” She scowled at Rancor.
“The warships are ready to be transported. They remain fully functional.” Grudge’s reply deflected some of the female’s ire away from his friend. “My female ensured no one blew them up.”
“Was that a possibility?” Cadet paused for a heartbeat. “Of course that was a fraggin’ possibility.” She shook her head and resumed walking. “You like to blow everything up.”
Mulls would have blown up the warships, not Grudge.
Taelyn’s honorable warrior said nothing. He absorbed the blame, protecting her mentor from his leader’s wrath as he protected everyone she cared for.
Taelyn loved that about him. Frag. She loved him.
A huge cyborg was the next being to emerge from the freighter. His features were more machine-like. He creaked as he lumbered down the ramp.
Medic Neidan took a step closer to the new arrival. Her forehead furrowed with thought lines. “I might be able to repair him.”
“The probability you can do that is 4.1256 percent.” A humanlike cyborg wearing a white jacket exited the ship. He carried a huge pack. “But that’s not zero. You restored the C Model to 92.1245 percent functionality.” He shrugged. “You could be successful.”
“A repaired piece is never as strong as the original.” Medic Neidan gazed at her cyborg equivalent with equal interest. “And I didn’t have the same type of metal alloy to fuse the two pieces. That compromised its integrity also.”
“Yet you achieved 92.1245 percent functionality.” The medic cyborg lifted his eyebrows. “What metal alloy did you use?”
“Patch can chatter about repairs for planet rotations.” Grudge reached around the kid to place one of his palms on Taelyn’s lower back.
“Medic Neidan rarely has the opportunity to speak with other fraggin’ medics.” Taelyn suspected the two healers would disappear soon, relocate to the medic bay. “Do you want to meet with your brethren alone?”
She didn’t wish to be excluded from that conversation, but she realized she was an outsider. The other cyborgs had no reason to trust her with their plans, their secrets.
“I’m staying by your side, my badass enhanced female.” Her cyborg didn’t call her fragile in front of the kid but that was implied. “The three of us will be the core members of one of the space station destruction teams. We should hear the information together.”
“We’re a family.” The kid held out her shiny silver arm.
“We’re a family and a team.” Grudge placed his hand on top of Jasny’s.
“We’re a family and a team.” Taelyn grasped their joined hands. “And we’ll kick some Humanoid Alliance ass…” She glanced at Medic Neidan. “Assembly.”
“Yay!” The kid cheered.
“Team Ours, get over here.” Cadet barked that order.
“She must mean us.” Taelyn frowned. She wasn’t certain about that.
“Ours is what she calls the beings who are genetic matches for warriors.” Grudge explained as they moved closer to the female cyborg and her warriors. “You are Ours. You’re now under all the protection of all cyborgs everywhere.”
She could protect her fraggin’ self, but she liked that Jasny would have that extra layer of safety. The kid would never be alone again.
“Tell us what we should know, Grudge, Grudge’s female.” Cadet issued that command.
They relayed the essentials. Cadet asked questions of both of them, treating Taelyn’s feedback with as much respect as she treated Grudge’s, listening to the kid’s colorful additions with patience. There was no judgment because they weren’t cyborgs. They truly were one of them.
Taelyn’s family had expanded. Exponentially. Grudge had thousands, millions of brethren.
“We’ll transport our largest freighter here.” Cadet made that announcement. “And you’ll have as many warriors as you need to access the other two space stations. I would prefer to relocate any warships found in them, but our priority is to destroy the structures.”
“I’ll work with the retrievers to uncover the coordinates of more Humanoid Alliance space stations.” Kutta stepped forward.
Rancor shadowed her. His chin was held high.
“A renegade cyborg has aligned with the retrievers.” Cadet studied the Silan female. “The cyborg council hunted him and his female for several solar cycles.”
Kutta nodded, confirming that intriguing occurrence. “Mayhem shares no love for the cyborg council, but both he and Retriever Imee have expressed admiration for the warriors who have been targeting the Humanoid Alliance laboratories and other compounds. The Humanoid Alliance are our enemies also.”
“They are enemies of us all.” Cadet’s head dipped. “The cyborg council must be told of t
heir potential resurgence. This concerns them also.” Her voice lowered. “I have to contact their arrogant ass of a leader. I project he won’t listen to me, but I have to give it a try.”
“Who is their arrogant ass of a leader?” The kid asked that question embarrassingly loudly.
“We’ll talk about that later.” Taelyn nudged Jasny’s shoulder.
“We’ll talk about it now.” Cadet’s tone was dry. “Power is the cyborg council’s arrogant ass of a leader, little green humanoid. He is my problem to deal with, not yours.” Her gaze moved to Taelyn. “Convincing him of the validity of this threat would be easier if I had the coordinates and the specs of the space stations you destroyed.”
“I will relay that information.” Taelyn would do whatever was fraggin’ needed to stop the Humanoid Alliance, to keep her newfound family safe.
“Then we all process our roles.” Cadet looked at Rancor. “Where are the procurers of the roasted roots you’ve been chattering about for the past fifty-two planet rotations?”
Grudge’s friend led the group toward the beverage outlet. Mulls had been warned their guests would desire nourishment and beverage. He had already sourced that bounty.
Medic Neidan and the cyborg medic had predictably vanished. They had forgotten their patient.
That patient could endure another planet rotation without replacing his mechanical leg. Grudge was in no pain and all his limbs were functional.
Taelyn linked her fingers with her cyborg’s as they lingered at the landing site.
“None of them have silver arms.” Jasny gazed at the retreating warriors’ backs.
Taelyn could almost see her thinking.
The kid then looked at Grudge and smiled. “They aren’t lucky like we are, are they, Dad?”
Her cyborg said nothing for a moment.
Taelyn tilted her head back, struggling not to cry. The girl had been through fraggin’ war, had lost her arm, everyone she loved, her confidence, her home.
Yet she considered herself to be lucky.
Because she had found love and acceptance and a home with them.
Taelyn’s big male had a long reach, perfect for full family hugs, and he used it now, pulling both of them closer to him. “They’re not lucky like we are, my offspring.” He kissed the top of Jasny’s head and then the top of Taelyn’s head. “I love you.”
“Ugh.” The kid made a face. “More kissing.”
She could have easily wiggled away from them. Yet she didn’t move. She stayed securely in their embrace.
“Yeah, there’s more kissing.” Taelyn kissed the girl’s forehead and then brushed her lips against Grudge’s. “Get used to it, kid.” She met her cyborg’s gaze and smiled. “Because I love both of you too.”
His lips curled upward, and his brilliant-blue eyes shone with caring.
The kid was right. No one was as lucky as they were.
If you enjoyed Baring Grudge and would like to receive updates on characters plus a notification when B Free, the fourth story in the Rebel Cyborg series, becomes available, sign up for Cynthia Sax’s release day newsletter at:
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Keep in touch with Cynthia using the following links:
Website: CynthiaSax.com
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Other Books By Cynthia Sax
Rebel Cyborgs Series
Containing Malice
Under Strain
Baring Grudge
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Cyborg Sizzle Series
Releasing Rage
Breathing Vapor
Being Green
Crash And Burn
Defying Death
Chasing Mayhem
Jumping Barrel
Hers To Command
Ghost of a Machine
Seeking Vector
Knowing Zip
Taking Vengeance
The Cyborg's Secret Baby
Dark Arsenal
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Cyborg Space Exploration
Choosing Chuckles
Doc's Orders
Dominance And Dissent
Passion Surge
North Bound
Testing Truth
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Refuge Series
Dark Thoughts
Dark Flight
Dark Strength
Dark Fire
Dark Warlord
Dark Cure
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Chamele Barbarian Warlord Series
Warlord Sky
Warlord's Bounty
Warlord Unarmed
Warlord Reunited
Warlord’s Mercy
Warlord’s Return
B Free - Excerpt
Here is an excerpt from B Free, the fourth story in the Rebel Cyborgs series.
“The pretty human isn’t the being for you.” Her mystery male’s dark tones rolled like thunder through the sunset air. “If he touches you again, I’ll rip his arms off.”
Quinn trembled. Levi-Lucas The Third was pretty and the Beings For Peace operative knew it. He was also nice when he wasn’t being condescending about her role.
But he didn’t interest her.
The stranger lurking between the trees, threatening to maim a perceived rival, had captured her complete attention. Her body hummed and her nipples had tightened until they ached.
She pushed her inappropriate desires to the side and applied herself to what she did best—uncovering the truth. “Who are you and why are you following me?”
“What objects are you risking others’ lifespans to obtain?” The unidentified male countered her question with one of his own.
She frowned into the darkness. “Why are you interested in the objects I’m obtaining?” Alarm filled her as she thought of one possible reason. “Are you working for the Humanoid Alliance?” She slipped her right hand into her pocket. Her fingers curled around the handle of the gun hidden there. “Because if you are…”
“What will you do, tiny female?” Metal creaked.
A large booted foot and a gray hand emerged from the shadows and her breath hitched.
Judging by the size of those exposed body parts, the male was massive, would tower head and shoulders above her. His boots were military issue, the type warriors wore. His gray skin indicated he wasn’t human, was something other.
That excited her.
“Will you shoot me with the gun you have in your flight suit?” His visible hand blurred and, before she could blink, an immaculately maintained gun appeared in it.
She gaped at him. The male was fast. And he was skilled. The way he held his weapon told her he knew how to use it. A tremor of awe skittered down her spine.
“How many beings have you shot?” He threw that question at her like it was a dagger.
“I’ve never shot anyone.” Lying wasn’t a skill of hers. “But I’ve seen it done.” She’d experienced it through her connections with objects, especially with guns.
“You’ve seen it done.” His chuckle was low and deep and held no humor. “If I was working for the Humanoid Alliance, you’d already be dead.”
She was alive which meant… “You’re not working for the Humanoid Alliance.” Relief whooshed out of her. Her shoulders lowered. “You’re not Hezen.”
He wasn’t a Beings For Peace operative either. None of them had gray skin.
One other possibility hit her. “You’re aligned with another historian.”
Her lips flattened. Some of her kind were notoriously sneaky.
“A hist—”
“You won’t steal my artifacts.” She glared in his direction. “I’ve been hunting them for over seven solar cycles. I might not be a warrior but I will shoot you before I allow you to swoop in at the last moment and take them.”
The thought of the B Model cyborg frame and mechanics in another historian’s less sensitive hands made he
r blood boil.
“Did Moll hire you?” Quinn moved closer to the mystery male. “That artifact-thieving derivative work-creating daughter of a scrap heap tender.” The female was her most fierce competition for research materials. “I should have hit her in the sources when I last saw her.”
The stranger’s body, the little she could see of it, shook.
She interpreted that reaction as confirmation she had guessed correctly. “You tell her to back off.” She waved her fists at him. “Or I’ll—”
His hand blurred again. The gun disappeared. His fingers reappeared on her wrists. He stopped her movements, holding her hands in place before her.
Awareness flowed up her arms, swept across her shoulders, over her form. His flesh was warm and tantalizingly rough. His clasp on her was secure.
Her breathing turned ragged at she stared into the darkness.
Bright blue eyes gleamed in that seemingly endless abyss. The rest of the male remained frustratingly concealed.
She wanted to see him. All of him. Desperately.
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About Cynthia Sax
USA Today bestselling author Cynthia Sax writes contemporary, SciFi and paranormal erotic romances. Her stories have been featured in Star Magazine, on TV, and on numerous top ten lists.
She lives in a world filled with magic and romance. Although her heroes may not always say, “I love you,” they will do anything for the women they adore. They live passionately. They play hard. They love the same women forever.
Cynthia has loved the same wonderful man forever. Her supportive hubby offers himself up to the joys and pains of research, while they travel the world together, meeting fascinating people and finding inspiration in exotic places such as Istanbul, Bali, and Chicago.
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Sign up for her dirty-joke-filled monthly newsletter and visit her on the web at www.CynthiaSax.com
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