“Are we being pursued, computer?”
“You are not authorized access.”
She hesitated. “What ships are in range? Let’s try that one to get around your stupid-ass security measures.”
“The Star is in range and the Vontage, both designated Earth—”
“Stop. I don’t want their birth certificates. Just give me distance.”
It told her. She nodded and then asked again a minute later. Relief swept through her as the computer told her a greater number. If the ships were pursing they would be closing the distance instead of increasing it.
She pulled up the star charts, surprised that she wasn’t as far off one of the main travel zones as she feared. She calculated time and factored in the use of fuel. It would take five days to reach her destination. She adjusted course, deciding manual piloting was harder on long-term flights than just traveling from planet surface to a space station. She turned and gazed lovingly at the big male tied up on the floor. He was worth it.
Dawn removed her boots to get comfortable. She knelt to check Iron again. His pulse was strong. She brushed his hair back and leaned over him to place a kiss on his forehead.
“I’m so sorry I had to knock you out like that, sexy.”
He didn’t answer. Dawn got to her feet to double-check that the pod was fully stocked as they were required to be on all ships. She was happy five minutes later when she walked back to Iron and sat down next to his chest. They had plenty of food and water to last them the five-day trip. She’d barely settled on her butt when Iron jerked awake suddenly.
His entire body went stiff and then he struggled as his gaze darted around the pod, a confused look on his face until he saw Dawn. His struggles ceased and then anger tightened and flushed his features.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I hated to knock you out but I had no other choice.”
“You deceived me.” His voice was ice cold and his beautiful eyes glittered with pure rage. “Have you taken me hostage to make sure my people do not attack the pod?”
“No. God, you are paranoid. Do you always jump to the worst conclusions?”
He struggled against the belts but to her relief they held, keeping him restrained and his arms trapped above his head. His fighting ceased and he closed his eyes.
“Unable to comply,” the computer suddenly stated. “Access to piloting controls has been severed. The pod has been stolen by a pirate.”
Dawn smiled sadly, knowing Iron had just tried to take control of the pod. She responded to the computer. “I’m not a pirate. I’m a mechanic.”
She waited for Iron’s eyes to snap open, which they did. “I disabled the computer from all piloting functions. I can hotwire anything with an engine and I can tear out computer controls because I fix enough of the damn things to know how to screw one up if need be.”
“Release me and I promise I won’t harm you, Dawn.”
She stared into his furious gaze. “I can’t.”
“You are returning me to Earth for death?”
Her mouth dropped open in shock. “Why do you do that, always look for the worst scenario possible? God. Do you know me at all?”
“The female I believed I had correctly assessed would not have attacked me and stolen a life pod.”
She moved to her knees and then threw her leg over the stunned cyborg as she straddled his hips and leaned forward to press her hands on his chest.
“I didn’t do this to hurt you in any way. It sure as hell wasn’t to use you in any way. Whatever you have going on in that brain of yours right now, forget it.” She took a slow, deep breath, and let it out. “I know what a breeding pact is and exactly what that means.”
He said nothing as they stared at each other but he had gone a little pale. She nodded as she lifted a hand to cup his face, her thumb tracing his jawline. She stared deeply into his eyes.
“I’m just going to be totally honest with you since I stole an escape pod, kidnapped you, and had to knock you out to make sure you didn’t turn the ship on me while I tried to steal both of you.” She hesitated. “I love you, Iron. I fell for you hard and fast. The idea of you having to touch other women kills me. It will destroy me the first time you leave to go climb into bed with someone else. If we go to Garden, your people can make you to follow those stupid laws, force you to have kids with other women. If we go to Earth my people will kill you.”
“So your plan was to steal a life pod?” He frowned but something in his eyes softened and the angry tone was gone from his voice. “We can’t travel extensively in one of these. We’re defenseless, Dawn. We’re a target for pirates. This wasn’t a good plan to avoid my breeding pact.”
“I know it’s not perfect,” she admitted softly. “But what choice did I have? We can’t live on your world or mine but I do know a place we can go.”
“Are you thinking of taking me to your space station full of humans? They will see me and instantly alert someone to my presence, Dawn.”
“No, not the station. I can’t let anyone see you or they will contact Earth Government. I’m not that damn naïve. The thing is, Arian Nine is perfect.”
He frowned. “The planet you are converting for colonization?”
“There’s an underground station that isn’t in use. When we first set up the scientists miscalculated the changes that would take place on the surface. They placed the Vonder emergency underground station on the far northern region, making it unlivable for nine months of the year. It’s an icy area where life would be too harsh. They had me close the station down three years ago but it’s totally self-contained and was stocked to sustain life for everyone on Vonder Station to hole up in case we had to abandon it. There’s enough food supplies in it to last us five or six years. I’m a mechanic so I can keep it going if something breaks down. By the time we need to resupply they’ll have cities built. I can easily slip into one of them to buy us more supplies without being caught if anyone is even looking for me by that time. There is a three-month window where it’s actually pleasant and sunny so we’ll have those months to live on the surface to get fresh air and sunshine.”
“What about money or do you plan on stealing when our supplies run out?”
“I have been saving all my salary for retirement. I have enough to last us a long damn time, Iron.” She bit her lip. “We can be together, just you and me. I know it won’t be easy sometimes but no one can force us apart or control us. You won’t have to sleep with other women. You’ll be safe from detection right under their damn noses, literally. If you think about it, it’s a solid plan.”
The tense lines in his features softened. “You would live underground nine months a year to be with me?”
“In a heartbeat.”
“Release me, little red.”
She wanted to. “I can’t.”
“Do you think I will hurt you?” He stared at her with a returning frown. “I won’t.”
“You told me once that you’d lure your captor into believing you were docile and then escape the first opportunity you had. I can’t risk that because I’d lose you.” She hesitated. “Unless you don’t want to be with me. Is that it? Do you feel anything for me?”
Pain gripped her as he silently watched her without saying a word. The thought of Iron refusing to go to Arian Nine with her because he no longer wanted her almost broke her heart. She licked her lips and reached for the tool kit. Iron remained quiet as she opened it to remove pliers. She met his gorgeous eyes.
“I won’t force you to be with me, Iron. I love you too much so if you want to be free, I won’t keep you against your will.” She tore her gaze from his, working to free the stapled belts.
She half expected him to grab her when she freed his wrists but he didn’t. He rubbed them instead, still staring at her without uttering a word. She had to climb off his lap to reach the belts securing his legs. She set the tool down when she was done, turning on her knees to meet his intense gaze.
“I guess I should
fix the controls now so the computer can take us back.”
Iron moved quickly, his hands going to her waist, wrapping around it. He lifted her easily, showing her once again his impressive strength as he set her back on his legs so she straddled him. She was surprised but as she gazed into his eyes she saw no anger there.
“I want you to remain mine, Dawn. You should know that by now. I just don’t believe this is the answer.”
“What other options do we have? I’ve been all over this situation in my head. You have a damn breeding pact in your world and in mine you’re public enemy number one.”
“I was working on finding a solution and have been in contact with two sympathetic members of the cyborg council to ask for their help. Before you took me.”
That surprised her. “You were?”
He nodded. “I don’t want to be in a breeding pact anymore, Dawn. I don’t want another female and I knew, after you attacked Fiona, that you would attack any female who was physical with me. If a human harmed or killed a cyborg, they’d be put to death. I am not willing to risk you that way.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want you to worry.”
“Well, it’s done and we’re free of your people so we might as well give this a shot. We can have a good life on Arian Nine.”
“We have to go back, Dawn. We’ll return together and I won’t allow anyone to harm you or punish you for stealing me and the pod.”
“You’re putting faith in your council to find a solution for you but look what they did to Coal. Those women turned him into a slave and they aren’t going to punish them over it, are they? I refuse to put our future in their hands.”
Anger darkened his features. “You do have an obsession with that male.”
“I do not.” She shook her head. “You’re the only man I want.”
His eyes narrowed. “Prove it.”
“You want me to prove you’re the only one I want?”
“Yes.”
She grinned as she reached for the front of his pants, unfastening his belt and slowly jerking it free of the loops. “I can totally show you how much I want you.”
Iron’s eyebrows rose as he stared at her. Amusement spread through Dawn as she wiggled until he released her hips so she could stand and shed her pants. She reached for the shirt but Iron stopped her.
“Keep it on. It is chilly in the room.”
Dawn straddled his lower thighs, the material of his work uniform a little rough against her skin, creating an erotic sensation. Her fingers quickly worked the front of his pants, opening them up and then making him lift up enough so she could jerk down both pants and briefs so he was naked from mid thigh to his lower stomach where she pushed up his shirt to just under his bellybutton.
“Look at you,” she breathed, her gaze lowering to his erect cock, protruding upward. “I was afraid of this part of you at first.” She glanced at his face, grinned. “I never thought I’d have to tell a man he was too damn big.”
“I want you, little red.”
He wasn’t playing fair with his low, husky tone that turned her on. And he was using his special name for her. She leaned forward as she scooted down his legs, one of her hands sliding up his hip to grip his shirt, which she shoved higher on his stomach. Her palm ran across firm muscles that tensed as her other hand wrapped around his cock. She saw him bite his lower lip as she licked her lips, making a show of it and lowered her face close to his cock until she knew he had to feel her warm breath fanning him.
“You’re the only man I want, sexy. I’m yours, but you’re mine too.”
Iron’s intense focus shifted from her lips to her eyes, their gazes connecting and holding. “We belong to each other,” he said softly. “I can live with that.”
She ran her tongue over his cock head, teasing the slit. She shook her head. “I loved it when I was tied down and you could do anything to me. I wish you were still secure so you could know what it’s like. Don’t touch me and just enjoy this, Iron.”
She took him into her warm, wet mouth, hungry for his sweet taste as she started to inch him deeper in. Iron’s legs tensed under her ass and he arched his hips a little, feeding her more of his cock as he lay all the way back so he was flat on the floor. She took him as deep as she could and then eased off, using the flat of her tongue and wrapping her lips tightly around his shaft as she pumped him slowly with her mouth. He was so unbelievably hard that she knew he was enjoying what she was doing to him as much as she was.
Her hand on his stomach inched under his shirt, gliding up his rib cage to find a beaded nipple. Her fingernails raked the hardened tip of it, coaxing another groan from her man. She loved that she could do this to him to show him how she worshiped his sexy body. She did.
Her clit throbbed and moisture was pooled between her thighs with each soft gasp and moan Iron made. His flavor teased her tongue with every pass over the tip of his cock as pre-cum eased from the slit. She loved how sweet he was, how good he tasted. She stopped playing with his chest to ease that hand down between their bodies to rub a finger over her aching clit, searching for relief. Pleasure spread through her until it made thinking impossible.
She knew both of them were ready to come so she slowly released his cock with a soft popping sound, breaking the suction. She removed her hand from between her thighs and then lifted up. Iron opened his eyes, his features flushed with passion as their gazes locked. Dawn moved higher, wrapping her hand around his thick shaft as she leveled her hips over him and adjusted him until the crown of his cock slid through her soaked, creamy slit. She was so wet he slid easily as she rubbed against him, wiggling her hips.
“I love feeling you come deep inside me. You pulse and throb, filling me up, sexy.”
“Dawn,” he groaned. Her name was almost a pleading sound from his parted lips.
She eased down, moaning loudly as he breached her entrance, stretching her and slowly filling her as she lowered her hips, releasing his cock once he was firmly embedded inside her. She eased the rest of the way down until her ass was on his lap, loving how full she was with him right where he belonged. Her gaze locked with his.
“I love you, Iron. I was always afraid to let someone mean so much to me but I’m more afraid of facing life without you. You’re everything to me.”
His blue eyes darkened. “I love you too, little red. No one has ever made me feel what you do.”
She lifted up, moaning at the sensation of him rubbing against oversensitized nerves in her turned-on body. Pure lust and need flashed through her as she started to slowly lift up and lower, riding him as her thighs squeezed against his. One of his large hands wrapped around her hip to grip her firmly and urge her to move faster.
“Oh, Iron,” she moaned as she leaned back. His knuckles pressed against her swollen bud to rub in tune to the motions of their bodies.
“That’s so damn sexy,” Iron growled. He bent his legs to brace his boots on the floor and started to power thrust up into her.
She watched him watching her as her vaginal walls clenched and quivered with her impending climax. As Iron pounded up into her harder and faster, hammering her pussy with his unbelievably hard cock, it broke the last of her control. She threw her head back, crying out his name as pleasure turned into pure ecstasy. She started to come, her pussy spasms sending Iron over the edge with her as he groaned her name, grinding against her, coming hard.
Dawn collapsed on his chest, her hands gripping his thick biceps as she panted, trying to catch her breath. A smile curved her lips and she nuzzled her cheek against his shirt, wishing it was against his skin. Under her, Iron’s body relaxed as he came down from his own sex-driven high.
“It’s going to work,” she promised. “We’ll be together and that’s all that matters.”
Iron took a deep breath. “We will be together and that is all that matters. Remember that, Dawn.”
His words sank into her brain, something in them not quite right. She lif
ted her head to meet his eyes. The look she saw in them made her frown. “What—”
“I’m sorry, little red. Your plan is flawed. I understand why you thought it was necessary to do this but we can’t go live on Arian Nine. I’ve been in contact with the Rally and she is docking to us right now.”
“That’s impossible. The computer didn’t tell me it was in range so it wasn’t following us. There’s no way it caught us this damn fast.”
“All the ships are programmed to be blind to the Rally in case of something like this. The moment you fled with me and the pod, they were following us.”
The door to the hatch was suddenly forced open and four cyborg males rushed inside. Shock held Dawn frozen where she was, straddling Iron. The male closest to her raised a weapon. Fear hit her at the same time the dart did.
“No!” Iron yelled.
His order came a second too late. Dawn slumped on him as blackness rushed at her.
Chapter Fourteen
Bright light irritated her through her closed eyelids and her head hurt for some reason. Her first thought was she’d drunk too much with the women on their weekly poker night. No, her mind whispered. She didn’t work on the Vonder anymore. She was somewhere else with someone else who wasn’t part of her crew. Memory returned with a vengeance as her eyes flew open.
She stared at an unfamiliar ceiling and turned her head, sheer terror filling her instantly. She was in a strange room on a strange bed and as she tried to move, she realized she was securely tied to all four corners, her limbs stretched wide apart. If she didn’t think it could get worse, she realized she was wrong as she wiggled to test the restraints holding her. Her naked skin rubbed on the sheet covering her.
No one else was in the room. She lifted her head, taking in the small but nice room. It wasn’t a holding cell, she would have expected that but this was definitely a private room and she saw male shirts draped over a chair. Fear seeped through her as she wondered who had her. Where was Iron? Had he given her away to someone? Had someone taken her from him?
She wiggled hard and pulled on the leather restraints. Chains rustled. She couldn’t break free.
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