The Empire Cyborgs had a reputation. It often made women deliberately get in their way and end up angry at rejection, she’d heard it didn’t work that way and now she knew why.
He called himself CraZ, because he’d been crazy as a solider. That was some name to take on. A warning? She didn’t feel anything crazy about him now. Embarrassingly honest, yes. Loosing it? No…. She didn’t feel threatened by his actions or scared by them. He’d done nothing to indicate wanting to do harm. In fact, he’d gone out of his way to prevent it. Hardly the action of someone intent on harming people. It was a lot to take in.
The female was thinking and all the while he breathed her in. Unable to stop himself from doing it. He was lost. He knew it just how he’d said it. Down to his core. She was the one. What he’d felt before was a shadow of this. His logic and data told him just how much. This was a whole new level of need. Not just sexually but a need to know her. Know everything. Be everything. He craved the female in the most desperate carnal way and would enjoy exploring that with her but that wasn’t all he wanted.
He wanted it all.
“You think I’m this mate to you?” He gave her a sharp nod. “How can you be so sure?”
CraZ smiled. “I know. Each of us do when we meet her.”
She nodded distractedly looking around. “But you said you’d made mistakes before?”
“Yes, we have. I met a female I was genetically compatible with nearly twenty years ago on deployment to a world. She was gay. Didn’t like men in that way. At the time, it was hard to accept and understand. Now I do. What triggered my DNA then, was nothing compared to the data I’m getting from you. I see the error now.”
“So there could be someone else out there for you now?” she asked tentatively.
CraZ gazed at the female. She didn’t want him, his logic told him. His chest clenched. She was searching for an out. He gripped his fists hard. He wanted to touch her. Make her understand but that wasn’t going to happen. He used the weapon he had. Speech. “That is unlikely. The chances of finding one compatible female is millions to one, the chances of finding two? Far more. Three? Improbable.”
“What would it mean, being with you. Would I have to leave all this behind?”
“It is unlikely. If we annex this world, I could be stationed here with my men. That is what normally happens, or both of us could move off world and go somewhere else. There is no barrier to making any choice. If the world is not annex to the Empire, I can be a liaison to the Empire. That happens too.”
“What if it doesn’t last? We don’t last…….what happens then?”
“That is unheard of in this new era. Once a Cyborg is imprinted on a female, she is it for him. He will never look at another female, never want another female. We live a long life. Our only wish is to make our female happy and will do anything to ensure that happens. They are content, happy and equally complain about their Cyborg mates when they feel the need to do so. They are cherished amongst us. Run their own businesses, have their own money and we simply…….. love them in the human way.”
“No woman has ever left her Cyborg husband?”
CraZ shook his head slowly, a grin crossing it. “The DNA doesn’t make that level of a mistake and the females are contented.”
“But they could leave if they wanted? If they weren’t happy?”
“They could yes, but the Cyborg would die, and we are all about survival and will do anything it takes, to ensure we do. So making our mates happy is paramount.”
It was a lot to take in. “Do you have children?” she whispered.
The female sounded worried. He told her what he hoped would calm her. “I do not but would wish for them. Other mated Cyborgs have children that are amazing and gifted. We now know it takes sharing blood with us to ensure a child seeds and carries full term. Our human Doctors see to all that. Females are monitored to ensure they are in good health.”
“I was married before,” she blurted out. She took a calming breath and blew it out. “My husband died 7 years ago. We came here looking for a new life just over 10 years ago and he became ill and died quickly leaving me with a little money and the need to work to survive. I’ve been on my own without a man for a long time. I’d not thought about another one. It wasn’t in my plan at all. It’s a bit of a shock, you being here and saying all this. I have two children CraZ. Two wonderful children who are my everything. One 9, one 8. I’ve spent so much time working and not seeing them and even now, I’m trying to make up for that. I limit how much work I do so I can spend more time with them but it’s not easy. I take them to school and Racle picks them up and brings them back. We live upstairs. Before I had this shop, she cared for them until I finished work. Some days, I’d hardly see them at all to keep the roof over our heads. In the last year, since I opened this restaurant, that’s changed. They are the centre of my world. I cannot introduce another male into their lives who is not going to stay. They’ve had too much upheaval, too much unknown already.”
The female was shaking. CraZ stood and stared at her. He could smell her tears and her fears. Any thoughts of keeping his distance any longer disappeared. He strode forward and wrapped her in his arms, holding her tightly to him. The feel of her in his arms glorious.
“I’m sorry it took me so long to find you. I would have prevented that happening if I could. You are everything I could ever wish for in a female. You are already a family and that is perfect. I will earn your love and trust and that of your children. I will guard them with my life as I will you. No harm with come to any of you while I am breathing, and the Empire will forever protect you as one of her subjects. I had hoped for a female and found far more. I will forever be grateful for finding you. But the choice is still yours. The Empire will protect you regardless, but you have to choose. Yes or no. With me or not. I cannot make that choice for you.”
How wonderful it was to be held. To be surrounded by so much strength. To be cared for by someone other than a child. To not being the consoler but being consoled and comforted by a strong male. Being able to draw strength from them. She wanted to linger, to stay wrapped in his arms but she knew she couldn’t. In comforting and touching her, he’d put himself at risk. He’d deliberately done that knowing it because she needed a little comfort. She didn’t feel worthy of such a risk or such sacrifice.
Chris pulled away and looked up at him. “You need to stop, the bond?”
“I’d die a happy man female, knowing I had the chance of this.” He told her.
That was sweet but not smart. Chris moved back from his arms reluctantly and wiped her eyes. She’d been in the same position when it had come to Kevin. Comforting him would have put her at risk and her children. She’d had to choose wisely then. CraZ needed to now. “I don’t want to be responsible for you dying ok. I’ve dealt with enough of that.” He was strong and powerful, she’d no doubt of that. But this bonding thing didn’t work like any illness. She knew Cyborgs didn’t die easily but he’d already told her there was a chance that if she wasn’t interested, he could bond anyway and die. She refused to be responsible for another being. Kevin had come to this world because it was what she’d wanted. A fresh start and a new life and it had killed him. She wouldn’t do the same to another.
The female was torn. He could sense it and see it. She carried emotion from her dead husband and her responsibilities. He understood. This wasn’t easy for her. His previous experience was repeating itself to some degree. He too had been through some of this before with the first female. His data told him he was experiencing emotion. Strong emotion at the thought of losing this one but it also told him he had a greater chance of success this time.
The female for all her concerns, was interested in him. The feel of her around his body had been welcome to both of them. He could deal with a lot to ensure that happened again. “I see,” he told her. “You need time. I will try to give you that. In the meantime, I would ask that I help you with your problem out there. I hope you will come to se
e what I have to offer you. I will try not to crowd you but, it won’t be easy, everything in me is telling me to take and dominate. So make no mistake female. It will be all or nothing and if it’s nothing, you need to be sure. Either way, there’d be no turning back.”
Holy shit. That was some commitment. Chris swallowed; she liked the idea of having a man around once more but that was one hell of a commitment. Was that selfish? Was she thinking of accepting for the wrong reasons? That was a surprise to her. That she was thinking of accepting at all, but the question was there. What about love? Crept across her mind. She’d married Kevin for love and look where it had got her? Chris tried to push the thoughts aside. It seemed disloyal to him. He hadn’t been a bad man and she had loved him. And she’d been honest with the man in front of her and he’d still wanted to help. Wanted her. If she kept her distance? Maybe that would work, and she could work it out…. “You wouldn’t be at risk?”
“Staying alive as a Cyborg is a risk every day. This is nothing more.”
Chris nodded. “Ok, I accept your help. Thank you. I do need to get back to work now or lunch and dinner will be late. Racle can help you with anything you need.”
“Thank you. I……. would like to take your hand and shake on it.” Chris hadn’t heard that Cyborgs did that.
“That’s ok, I’d like that too.” She held out her hand.
CraZ came slowly towards her and slipped his hand into her outstretched palm. Her skin was soft and warm, her hand so much smaller than his own. Precious…. His logic told him. Closing his fingers around hers he held it gently. Not wanting to hurt or scare her. His system cried out for more. He felt the impulse to take her. Images once more flooded his mind.
CraZ dropped her hand, gave her a nod and walked from the room. Staying in that small space with her wasn’t an option. His control was slipping, Taln was right. His data showed him the extent of the problem. He might have to shut down…
He needed to focus on something else. Coming back to the table he connected his neuro net. We need information on Cho and what has been going on here. I want new camera’s up inside and out. Concealed. I will have the male that is scaring these females and I will pay him back in kind.
Agreed, Taln answered. And your mate?
The need for justice clawed at him. Unsure but willing to consider it.
Good.
Do we have all we need to know about this Cho from this female?
Yes.
Then we should go and investigate further. We will come back after dark. I want two men on this building front and back at all times.
Affirmative. Taln got up.
CraZ turned to face the dark-haired female Racle. “We are going to help. Chris has agreed. I will post guards here around the clock front and back. You won’t see them unless there’s trouble. We will also look into Cho. We’ll be back for dinner after dark and my men will be eating here too. That will be twenty of us on rotation. Forty dinner boxes to go.” They both walked to the door and went through it.
They saw Racle watch them survey the area as she cleaned tables and readied for lunchtime.
Chris came out shortly before lunch service. “You ok?” Racle asked.
Chris nodded. “They’re going to help.” She told her simply.
Racle smiled. “So they said. We might not need the Press after all. Between us, we might put Cho out of business. We have reservations for 20 Cyborgs and 40 dinner boxes.”
Chris blinked, “Wow. Ok. I’ll get started on more.” She sighed. “I didn’t want that you know. Cho targeted.”
Racle squeezed her shoulder. “I know but he’s never going to stop you know that.”
Chris paused and looked out the window. It was all calm out there now. All her furniture gone. “I’ll have to replace the furniture,” she told her sadly.
“In time, for now, let’s get through lunch.”
***
CraZ went back to the off-worlder with Taln. While he went through his meditation to calm his feelings, Taln dug into Cho. He had a lot of businesses. Some of it looked legit, others not so much. It was clear from the digital books, that the time that Chris had worked for him in his ‘pub’, he’d cleaned up. More and more people came in just for the food. Lunch and dinners were extended to breakfast and supper. Some days it looked like Chris worked from 7am to 2am the next day. She’d have got 4 hours sleep at the most before having to be back at work the next day. That burned CraZ.
Cho had no problem making her do it. His data told him it was human behaviour of the worst kind. And not just the once. It was obvious that he knew how desperate she’d been after her husband had died with children to support. He’d taken advantage of that. She couldn’t say no. CraZ’s diagnostic showed he wanted to throw a punch, maybe several. He snarled. Cho now became their number one person of interest.
It doesn’t look good does it? Taln told him over his neuro net.
No. Just how much is to be seen. Clearly, he’s not one of the nicer humans but that doesn’t mean he’s anything more than someone who takes advantage of others.
True. We should have a chat with him. If nothing else, we can discuss his wish to contract with the Empire.
***
Chris worked through lunch. Having no furniture out front gave a few headaches. Bookings had to be rearranged. Some customers weren’t so happy. They had no explanation for the furniture being broken other than a random act of violence and a rumour was already circling that they were broke, and the furniture reprocessed. Just more words to make them look bad. It hurt. More than one customer had commented on it. It pissed her off. She was tired of this shit. Racle wasn’t so happy either. She’d made her thoughts clear the moment the Cyborgs had left.
They’d both worked so hard and kept coming up against the same thing over and over again. Chris wondered, would ever end? Glad when she could finally sit down after the lunchtime rush. They’d have to put a notice on the window explaining to customers what had happened. She didn’t want to wash her dirty linen in public but couldn’t see any alternative. She should have thought of it before, she reprimanded herself. So consumed with getting the lunch done and constantly thinking of CraZ and what he’d said to her, she’d not thought passed it. That was a mistake. Racle was right. Something had to be done about Cho.
Her body responded at the thought of CraZ and his words. They were …. She didn’t really have the words for it. Enticing? A promise? Chris shuddered thinking about them. Her body responding as she bit her lip to control the heat in her stomach. She reached for the ice, taking a mouthful. Kevin had never spoken to her like that. Picking up the table mat she fanned herself. Thinking of CraZ, made her hot. “You ok?” Racle asked her coming to the table with the last of the clean-up and sitting down.
“Yeah, what the Cyborg said to me, its….” She rubbed her forehead, “confusing.”
Racle laughed. “Confusing? Right….. I bet it is. What did he tell you?”
Chris smiled. She hadn’t gotten away with that one. She cleared her throat, swallowing some of the ice water in her mouth. “He spoke of being his mate. Of his people. Of caring for us.”
“And that’s a problem?”
“It is if its for the wrong reasons.” She told her.
Racle reached out and squeezed her hand. “If he loves you and wants to care for you how is that the wrong reasons?”
“It’s not love Racle, I hardly know him. He’s seen me for minutes. Doesn’t know a thing about me. What I like, what I don’t, how I am, who I am or who he is for that matter. What if I take what is being offered but don’t feel the same?”
Racle chuckled. “O honey, did you see him? He’s glorious, they all are. Cyborgs are different. If he chooses you, you are one lucky woman in more ways than one. Sex gods on legs. That’s the word. He will rock your world and keep you safe. All of you. You’ll not want for anything again.”
Chris smiled back. Her friend was infectious. “Ok, I did hear that.” She nodded. “I’m ju
st not sure I’m ready for that level of commitment and I have to think of the kids. They missed out on seeing me so much when Kevin passed, how do I introduce someone new. Someone so different. They might not take to it and thinks will fall apart again. I don’t want to go through that again.”
She looked up at Racle. She looked thoughtful and sad at her. “I don’t have the answers for this Chris. For all being Cyborg, he’s a man with a man’s needs. They want life, partners and families and from what I’ve heard, they covert them. No woman has ever been abused by Cyborgs that I know of. The opposite in fact, if you believe what they’ve done in their Empire and they don’t lie. Children are cherished as are the wives. It sounds like a good place to be to me.”
Chris felt an idiot. Racle had far more to worry about than this. She wasn’t in a happy place and living a nightmare. She grasped her arm. “You need to leave him,” she whispered.
Racle nodded. “I know. I will.”
***
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