Saved By The Cyborg (Cyborg Protectors Book 3)

by Alyse Anders

Looking around for something that she could use as a knife, her gaze landed on a piece of the wall panel that had cracked and now jutted from the wall. Careful not to cut her hand, she reached over and moved the metal dagger back and forth until the weak point snapped and she pulled it free. With renewed purpose, she pulled at the shoulder strap and began to saw at the material that held her tight to the chair. After several minutes and a deep cut to the palm of her hand, she was able to slice through the strap and slid herself free.

  As her feet touched the ground a laugh escaped her. She dropped to her knees, her body shaking and let the relief wash over her. She shouldn’t feel as pleased as she did about such a simple act of survival, but Beth couldn’t help but feel pride in what she’d done. Her parents never gave her any credit when it came to making her own decisions and living her own life. They treated her as a fragile flower whose purpose was to be looked at, encouraged only enough to bloom, but never more than that.

  And yet, here she was, trapped in a crashed shuttle on an alien planet, able to come up with a plan to save herself. It was more than a little bit of a rush. Now all she had to do was find a way to get out of the shuttle itself and find Eagan. If he was still alive.

  God, he better still be alive.

  Carefully, she got to her feet and picked her way through the remains of the shuttle. The door she’d entered by was currently disabled and she couldn’t find a manual release to open it. She did find what appeared to be a med kit and searched through it. The nanobots in her head seemed slow to help her translate the words she was reading, no doubt because of the blow to the head she’d received. Eventually, she found an injector and had to focus intently on the description to confirm that it contained a pain killer before pressing the tip to her neck.

  The pain in her head and body eased and she was instantly able to think clearer. Okay, despite everything that had happened, she knew she wasn’t alone. The Kraken had landed safely and there was the second shuttle that no doubt saw what had happened to them. A rescue party would come, and she’d be taken to shelter sooner than later.

  She just needed to let people know where she was and that she was okay.

  Beth moved back to the door and continued to look around the sides of it for an override. After removing a panel, she found the lever and tried to pull it down. It refused to budge, even when she used the metal dagger as leverage against it. There was no way she was strong enough to force her way through.

  “Shit.” Using the end of the metal dagger, she banged against the door. “Hello? I’m in here. Eagan?”

  The thought of him dying didn’t sit right with her. It was strange but she somehow knew he was out there alive and trying to find a way to get to her. Maybe there was something to be said about this whole mate idea. Despite her optimism, exhaustion from the events of the last day and a distinct lack of food made her weak and more than a little tired. If Eagan was out there, he’d find a way to get to her and pull her out. Her priority was looking after herself as best she could.

  The med kit had a small cache of rations that she pulled out. They didn’t smell like anything she’d ever eaten on Earth, far from the palatable meals she’d grown accustomed to enjoying. The old Beth might have turned her nose up at the idea of eating a protein bar that tasted bitter and grainy, but the new her happily popped a second, then third bite into her mouth and savored it as she sat next to the door and waited.

  She lost track of time and might have even nodded off, when she suddenly became aware of a banging behind her. The vibrations from an impact came through the walls and she scrambled to the side in anticipation of her freedom. She knew it was Eagan even before the door snapped and cracked as the bolts were broken and the metal peeled back. She could feel his impatience and rage at being kept from her. Her body responded to his presence despite her minor injuries. Her breasts felt heavy and her pussy damp, knowing that he was wild wanting to get to her, to keep her safe and protect her.

  Light from the outside world had her shielding her eyes as Eagan forced the last barrier between them aside. “Beth?”

  “I’m here.” She got to her feet and made her way over to him. Before she could even move to jump free of the shuttle, he’d wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight against him. “I’m okay.”

  Eagan didn’t say anything but moved them both away from the ship and toward an outcropping of rocks. Instead of questioning him – how had he survived, would someone come for them, would everything be okay – she wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. He walked them into a cave, looking around as though he was surveying their environment. Setting her down gently, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her hard.

  “I’m going to retrieve supplies from the shuttle. Stay here.”

  She was suddenly too tired to argue or worry about what would happen next and simply smiled. “Okay.”

  Beth made herself comfortable as Eagan traveled back and forth between the cave and the shuttle bringing whatever useful items he found. He gathered a few bits and pieces from the shuttle and placed them in a sort of camp, and it didn’t take long for them to have a protected shelter with a location beacon signal pinging their location to the others.

  Eagan returned one final time with several blankets and another box of rations. “Given our location, I suspect it will take Rykal and Darrick several hours to reach us. They will need to secure the Kraken first.”

  “You think they made it to safety?”

  “I do.” He held a blanket out for her. “You need to keep warm.”

  She’d been thinking about this odd relationship they’d developed in such a short period of time. While it was clear to him that she was his mate and he was obligated to care for her, Beth was only starting to come to that realization. She’d never had the privilege of being this physically close to a man who wasn’t a family member before, and the entire prospect was becoming appealing.

  Mimicking Eagan’s default behavior, she said nothing as she got to her feet to stand before him. She looked deep into his softly glowing brown eyes and cupped his cheeks with her hands. She saw his breathing hitch ever so slightly, the only indication that he was as struck by the moment as she was. Rising up on her toes as far as she could, she kissed him softly on his mouth, teasing his lips with her tongue.

  “Thank you for saving me.” She spoke the words against him, enjoying the way their breath mingled.

  He sucked in a sharp breath through his nose. “Mine.”

  “Yes, yours.”

  She didn’t know what she was giving permission for, but she knew that’s what her words were essentially saying. I’m yours to do with as you want. To love and fuck and hold in a way that shows me that I’m special to you. She grabbed for the hem of his shirt and tugged it upward, letting him take over and pull it free of his head. She then took her own off, then her boots and pants, letting the clothing fall where it willed.

  Her feet were cold through the blanket they stood on, but she didn’t care, knowing it would only be for the briefest of moments before he’d warm her. She tried to help him remove his pants, but he brushed her hands away and made quick work of them and his boots.

  They stood naked together in a cave, their bodies only a hair’s breadth apart from one another. Beth’s nipples were hard from the cold and her anticipation of what was to come. Eagan’s cock was a hard between them, pulsing with the flow of blood through is body. “I want you to fuck me.”

  While he’d used his hands on her before, she’d regretted that they hadn’t had the time to do the one thing she’d desperately wanted. She was no longer a virgin in the truest sense, but she still hadn’t felt his cock stretch her pussy wide, fill her body full and drive her to orgasm. She wanted that more than anything in the world; wanted to feel him cover her with his weight and claim her for his own.

  Eagan must have read her mind because the next thing she knew he’d lowered his head to her breast and sucked hard onto her nipple, while t
easing the other one with his fingers. The sensation seemed to bolt straight down to her pussy, and each flick of his tongue against the sensitive tip felt like a lick against her clit. Her pussy grew wet and she couldn’t help but arch forward, chasing the sensations. “Yes.”

  Was it possible to come simply from someone sucking her nipples? Beth was too innocent to know for certain, but there was a strong possibly that she might. Gasping, she grabbed his head to hold him in place as her body shook from the sensations.

  Eagan lowered his hand and slid it between her legs to press against her clit. He teased the nub, rubbing small circles against it in rhythm with his tongue on her nipple. After everything she’d been through, the rising pleasure was nearly too much for her to handle. Clutching his head and shoulders, she cried out as her sudden orgasm washed through her unexpectedly. Her legs buckled, but Eagan was there to catch her and lower her down to the blanket.

  God, he was fucking impressive standing over her looking down. His cock was stiff and from this angle she was able to see a dark green membrane that covered the inside of his thigh. That had been the thing he’d had her squeeze when he’d jerked off back on the ship. So different from anything she’d even considered possible in a lover.

  Beth spread her legs and got as comfortable as she could on the rocky floor. “Please.”

  Eagan dropped to his knees so hard it must have hurt him. He grabbed her legs at her knees and pushed them forward, so they bracketed his hips as he lined up his cock with her pussy and pressed forward. Beth gasped as he filled her, not stopping to allow her a moment to adjust to his length or girth. It didn’t hurt as much as she’d assumed it would, even if the sensation felt strange. He stared intently at her as he pulled out, only to plunge forward again, this time with more force.

  She tried to hold his gaze as long as she could, but with each thrust the sharp rise of her renewed arousal became too much for her to handle. Her lids slipped closed and she gave in to the sensations. Eagan’s body heat surrounded her, as he finally released his hold on her legs and lowered his body to hers. She moaned as he licked and kissed the side of her neck and the sensitive spot by her shoulder.

  His teeth grazed the skin, nipping at the spot as he increased the intensity of his thrusts. The small bite of pain barely registered to her as she hooked her legs around his waist and met his thrusts with her own. She wanted to come again, wanted to swallow his come with her body. Her clit brushed against his mound each time, driving her higher and higher, closer to the place she wanted to be.

  Eagan’s mouth was pressed against the crook of her shoulder, his hot breath rolling across her skin. “Gods. Yes.”

  She felt his body shudder, the smooth membrane of his thigh rubbing and pressed hard against her. She could feel it pulsing, knew that he was going to come and that was enough to push her over the edge. Her body bowed as her orgasm tore through the remnants of her restraint. Pleasure filled her, whiting out her vision and making everything else fall away.

  The sharp slice of pain on her shoulder caught her by surprise, as did the roar that exploded from Eagan as he fucked into her madly, coming hard. Pleasure and pain mixed together until Beth couldn’t tell one from the other, her body a gloriously confused mess. Eagan groaned and finally came to a rest, his body still covering hers.

  Despite the throbbing of her shoulder and the pleasant burn from the friction of their fucking between her legs, Beth was exhausted. She pushed aside her confusion, unable to stop sleep from claiming her.

  The last thing she was aware of was Eagan whispering against her skin. “You’re mine. Forever mine.”

  Chapter Eight

  Eagan woke before Beth did, dressing in silence before wrapping the remaining blankets around her body and providing one for her head. He wanted to give her the opportunity to rest before the others found them, knowing that once they were safe, they would need to ensure the security of the other human women.

  For the first time since he’d learned about Beth and what her kind could do for the cyborgs, Eagan felt whole. The itching in the back of his head was lessening and he felt the first tingle of emotions he’d long ago thought he was no longer capable of feeling. Gone was the empty darkness that seemed to consume him, leaving nothing but cold logic in its place. Beth had brought light to his life and it was warming him from the inside out.

  She was his and he’d do anything for her.

  Looking over to where she slept, Eagan had to fight the urge to wake her to have sex again. That as well was something new; the overwhelming desire to please and be pleased by another person. Even before his re-birth, he hadn’t been emotionally close with a woman. All his focus had been on his career, on what he could do for his people and not on his own wants and desires. Now, Beth was all he seemed capable of thinking of, despite knowing the Sholle wouldn’t simply let the matter of their missing scout ships go.

  Then there was the matter of the Grus.

  Beth moaned softly in her sleep as she pulled the blanket up high around her neck. He’d been surprised by his need to mark her body as his own during sex. That wasn’t normal for him, or for what he remembered of his times with women in the past. It felt right knowing that she was visibly marked by this bite, that the bruise would be there for all to see. When she woke, he’d be sure to care for her and make sure he hadn’t done too much damage. He didn’t know how fragile or resilient humans were when it came to physical damage, but he wouldn’t be fooled by Beth’s small stature.

  The others hadn’t contacted him yet, but Eagan knew their distress beacon was functioning and it would only be a matter of time before they were found. Once they got back to the safety of the city, Eagan would show Beth his home and hope she’d find it comfortable enough. He would make any changes she’d like; he cared nothing beyond the basic functions and needing a place to rest when necessary. What comforts would the human women want collectively, versus the items that would vary from person to person? The Grus hadn’t provided the Fallen with much in the way of luxuries, nor had any of them thought to request anything. When a man saw himself as little more than a weapon, then there was rarely a reason to aspire to be more than that.

  Beth moaned again, this time pushing herself up. “How long have I been asleep?”

  “One hour, six minutes.” He wanted to rush over, pull her into his arms once more and thrust his suddenly hard cock inside her. “Did you rest well?”

  She nodded before wincing, reaching for the spot where he’d bit her. “Shit, that really hurts.”

  He should apologize for causing her harm, should offer to retrieve the med kit and effect repair to the injured area. Eagan did neither. “We’ve had no response to the distress beacon. Based on my calculations Rykal and Darrick should have detected it and are working out the best way to retrieve us.”

  “Okay.” Beth’s frown deepened. “Why did you do that?”

  “Do what?” He knew what she was referencing, but for some reason he wanted to avoid the conversation.

  “Bite me during sex?” She stood, keeping the blankets wrapped around her to cover her naked body. “Can you get me something to help heal this?”

  “No.” The thought of his mark not being on her had his anger surge unexpectedly.

  Beth cocked her head to the side, the frown lines on her forehead deepening. “What do you mean no? It hurts and I want to not hurt.”

  It wasn’t logical – a trait that Eagan prided himself on – but he couldn’t do anything that would remove that mark on her. There was no reason for her to be in any discomfort though. He moved to the med kit and retrieved a pain reliever.

  “There’s not much left in the kit. This will have to suffice until we’re back at the city.” Beth pulled back from him ever so slightly when he came close to administer the injection, causing him to pause. “Would you like to do it?”

  “Yes, thank you.”

  Eagan’s brain wasn’t functioning the way it should given what was happening. He should be keepin
g her safe, coming up with a plan to get them out of this cave and away from any dangers that could be lurking. He should care about the fate of the other humans on the Kraken, the potential attacks from the Sholle once they learned the fate of their scout ships. There was a dozen or more things that should be demanding his attention, and not whether his mark remained on Beth.

  She was her own person. She’d traveled light years away from her home to escape a marriage to a man she didn’t know and didn’t want. What right did he have to take her as his?

  But there was no denying the connection. There was no way he could let her go.

  Beth pressed the injector to her neck and instantly the tension in her body relaxed. “That stuff’s fast.”

  “It’s designed for Grus physiology, which must be similar enough to human to allow it to work.”

  “I think it’s empty now.” She handed it back to him, her gaze averted. “I’m going to get dressed now. I’m freezing.”

  “I’ll find a heat source to keep you warm.” Eagan didn’t move.

  The blush that appeared on her cheeks gave her a youthful glow. “Do you mind turning around? I’m not sure where all of my clothes ended up when we were…I think I see my boots over there.”

  “Why do you want me to look away? I’ve seen your naked body. More than that.”

  “I don’t know, I just do.” Her tone of voice had grown higher, and he could feel her frustration and unease. “Please, Eagan.”

  It was that burst of unease that somehow broke through the haze of lust and possessiveness that had blanketed his mind. Taking a breath, he turned his back, giving her the privacy she’d requested. “Your shirt is to the left approximately two meters.”

  “I don’t see…ah, thank you.”

  Looking out over the landscape from the safety of the cave, Eagan ran a scan of his internal systems trying to see if he could find a previously unseen flaw in his code that would account for these atypical changes in his behavior. Everything appeared as it should until he got to the section where there was normally a blank spot. Some of the other Fallen referred to this as a hole in the code, a glitch in their creation due to the speed and pressures Commander Aidric had been under when trying to implement the cyborg program. Eagan saw the flaw as well but knew something the others hadn’t.