“I’m sorry to see you go. You know you’re my favorite.”
“I know you say that to all the girls,” Esme said dryly, arching a fine black brow.
Cherry laughed and nodded, but while she did her best not to play favorites, she felt a special bond with Esme. They had known each other on Earth and while she never discussed her own past, she knew Esme had suffered in many of the same ways and had still somehow retained her spirit. Not only was she beautiful, but she was smart and funny and once a man spent time with her, he always wanted to see her again.
“But if you have to get married, why marry a settler? You know that’s going to be a hard life.”
Earth Government provided the land and the necessities to claim a homestead, but it took five years of hard work to establish ownership.
“Because I love him. And because I’d rather spend five years working next to the man I love than spend five years on a soft mattress with a bunch of strangers.”
Esme stopped and winced at the look on Cherry’s face. “I know I chose to come and you’ve been wonderful to me—to all of us—but I’ve had enough. I want more.”
“I know, sweetie. As long as he makes you happy.”
The girl gave her a quick hug, then winked at her. “No worries there. They don’t call him Big Tom for nothing.”
As Cherry watched the ceremony later, she decided that the marriage might just work out after all. Esme glowed, the white dress gorgeous against her dark golden complexion. Big Tom looked equal parts nervous and thrilled, never taking his eyes off his bride. He was a big, homely man, but he had a kind smile, and from the protective way he put his arm around Esme, she thought he would be a devoted husband. She shouldn’t let her own bad experiences prejudice her against marriage.
Still, she found herself strangely melancholy as the reception started, although of course no one would ever have noticed. She was much too well trained to show anything other than a dazzling smile.
“Howdy, ma’am.”
The deep voice behind her sent a shiver down her spine. He sounded just like Wyatt, but of course, Wyatt was long gone. She refused to acknowledge the familiar ache and forced a practiced smile to her lips as she turned.
It was him. Taller, broader, looking rougher than she remembered, but she would know that smile anywhere.
“Wyatt?” she whispered. Only locking her knees in place kept her standing.
“How did you know?” He gave her a puzzled frown, then grinned again. “I can’t get used to you all using names instead of designations. I’m W-246, the new judge. I didn’t mean to interrupt the celebration. I just wanted to introduce myself. And you’re Madam Cherry?”
He didn’t recognize her? The man who’d spent hours mapping every inch of her body with his hands and lips? They’d known each other for such a short time, barely two weeks, but it had changed everything for her. How could he forget? The room began to spin.
“You’re looking mighty pale, ma’am.”
The voice seemed to come from a long way off as all of her hard-earned control deserted her. She saw him reach for her as the world went dark.
W-246 automatically reached out and caught the woman as she collapsed in front of him. Well, fuck. What was that about? He had heard that cyborgs were frequently mistrusted by full humans and, as a result, they had been banned from Madam Cherry’s Pleasure Palace. However, he was certainly not here as a customer. He had simply come to introduce himself to the local madam as he had introduced himself to all of the business owners in New Arcadia.
As he lifted the woman higher in his arms, he felt a fleeting pang of regret that cyborgs were not allowed in the establishment. He had never seen a more beautiful woman, and the lush curves nestled against him felt as if they belonged there.
“What’s wrong with her? What did you do?”
A big man hurried over to join him, obviously concerned. W-246 instinctively growled and pulled the woman closer. She belongs to me. The thought stopped him in his tracks. What on earth was he thinking? He never had the inclination for a permanent relationship with a woman, let alone one he had met only minutes before.
“What’s wrong?” the attractive, golden-skinned woman at the man’s side asked anxiously. W-246 took in her flowing white dress and the flowers in her hair and the man’s formal attire. Apparently, the celebration he had interrupted was a wedding. Some of his wariness disappeared as he realized that the big man wasn’t there to make a claim on his—the woman.
“She fainted. I just caught her.”
“Oh no. I knew she was pushing herself too hard to make this wedding a special occasion.” The woman shook her head. “Although it’s not like her to faint.”
“Should I call a doctor?” He looked around at the gathering crowd. “And is there somewhere more private I should take her?”
“I can do that,” the big man said, but W-246 immediately pulled the woman tighter against his chest.
“I’ll take care of her.”
“And who the hell are you?”
“Now, Big Tom, calm down. You can see he’s one of the cyborg rangers.” The woman gave his arm a soothing pat.
“Actually, I’m the new judge for this territory.”
Big Tom scowled. “I don’t trust any of you, but I reckon the last judge was all right.”
Impatient to get his woman somewhere safe, W-246 resisted the urge to argue. He knew that only time would convince the settlers to accept him. During his previous assignment at the polar ice cap, it had taken several years for the workers to come around.
Addressing the bride, he repeated, “Where should I take her?”
She hesitated, taking a quick look at the surrounding audience. “Business hours are about to start. Follow me. I’ll take you to her cottage. I’m Esme.”
Once again, Big Tom started to protest, but she patted his hand. “She’ll be fine, honey. None of the cyborgs have ever hurt a woman.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“We’ve been married for twenty minutes. Aren’t you tired of me yet?”
Tom’s face softened as he put his arm around the woman and pulled her close. “Never.”
Esme returned his smile. She led the way out of the room and then out of the building completely. A small white prefab unit was nestled in a curve of the rock wall that formed one of the boundaries of the town. To his surprise, it looked almost… homey. The front door was a soft blue, flanked by two pots full of flowering plants.
“You can grow things outside?” he asked in astonishment. While the town was enclosed in a dome to provide sufficient oxygen for humans to walk around outside without breathing masks, the temperature still plummeted at night and all of the water had to be converted from the subdural ice.
Esme laughed. “Not easily, but Cherry is a very determined woman.”
She opened the door and led the way into a small living room which also surprised him. Unlike the extravagant decor in the main building, the simple white room was furnished with a few pieces of comfortable-looking furniture. The only signs of luxury were more flowering plants and several colorful throws. He carried her to the couch and started to put her down but at the last moment, he reconsidered and sat down himself, still cradling her in his arms.
“I’ll call for the doctor,” Esme said with a worried frown. “I don’t understand why she hasn’t woken up.”
W-246 frowned as well, but the woman in his arms was breathing softly and evenly and he could feel that her pulse was steady. Her cheeks were flushed a soft pink, and she looked so much like she was sleeping that it was hard to believe that there was anything wrong with her. He had the sudden feeling that he had held her this way before, but the thought was obliterated by a streak of pain through his head. He shook it away and nodded at Esme. Better to be safe than sorry.
Esme opened a small desk and tried the communicator, then sighed. “And of course it’s not working.”
Communication on Mars was notoriously tricky. There
were few towers to enhance communication, and the frequent dust storms played havoc with the existing equipment, as well as the occasional solar flares. A magnetic shield had been erected in space between Mars and the sun to block solar radiation, but while it allowed terraforming to go forward, it still couldn’t prevent all radiation.
Big Tom looked at W-246 and Cherry, studying the two of them, then sighed, some of the tension leaving his body.
“I’ll go.”
“Thank you, honey.” Esme reached up on tiptoes and brushed her lips against his. “I’ll wait here with Cherry.”
The man looked from her to W-246 and for a moment W-246 thought he was going to speak, no doubt to make some meaningless threat. To his surprise, the other man only nodded and turned to go.
“Do you think a wet cloth might help?” Esme asked.
“I’m about as far from a doctor as you can get, but at least it can’t hurt.”
Flashing him a quick smile, she left the room. She was certainly a pretty little thing, although nothing compared to the woman in his arms. He looked down at her elaborately curled hair and perfectly made-up face and had a sudden desire to strip it all away. Why was he so sure that she would be even more beautiful without all the trappings?
Esme returned with a small damp cloth and he laid it gently across Cherry’s brow. She stirred a little, her lashes fluttering open for a second to reveal sapphire blue eyes before they closed again. He froze as she turned her face into his shoulder and seemed to nestle closer. To his shock, his body responded to the feeling of all of those lush curves pressed against him. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt the least hint of desire and he sternly, if unsuccessfully, tried to push it aside.
“Do you two know each other?” Esme frowned at him.
“I’m sure I would remember if I had met her before.” But despite his words, he still had that odd sense of familiarity. “How long have you known her?”
“Since we were back on Earth. She helped me out of a… difficult situation. I decided to come to Mars with her. She’s an amazing woman.”
He found himself conflicted. On one hand, he found it impossible to believe anything negative about the woman in his arms. On the other hand, engaging in the world’s oldest profession wasn’t the highest recommendation.
“Did you really want to come?”
“Yes,” she said, her face shadowed. He said nothing, waiting for her to continue, and at last she added, “Life on Earth was never… good for me.”
He was aware that despite the best efforts of Earth Government, conditions on the overcrowded and polluted planet continued to deteriorate. He felt a fleeting pang of sympathy before his head began to ache again.
They sat in silence until Tom rushed back in, accompanied by a strange man. W-246 instinctively disliked the stranger—he was far too good-looking and self-assured—and he seemed overly familiar with Cherry’s home.
“Now then, what’s all this about?” the man said in a gratingly jovial tone. “I’m Dr. Kildar.”
“She fainted.”
“Yes, I can see that.” The doctor approached, and it took a surprising amount of self-control to let the man close to Cherry. “It would be easier for me to examine her if you put her down.”
He didn’t like the smug grin on the man’s face one little bit. “You can see her well enough from there.”
“Hmm. Let’s see if we can bring her around.”
The doctor pulled a small vial from his bag and uncapped it. An overwhelming astringent smell assaulted his enhanced senses, and he instinctively batted the vial away.
“What the hell are you trying to do to her?”
“It’s just a restorative.” The doctor shot him a quick glance. “It’s not as pungent to human senses.”
As if in contradiction to his words, Cherry began to cough. A moment later, her eyes fluttered open again, this time fixing intently on his face.
“Wyatt?”
“Yes.”
She burst into tears.
Chapter Three
Cherry drifted, not fully awake, but a few things made their way into her consciousness. She was cradled against a warm, hard body, and she felt… safe in a way that she hadn’t for many years. A crisp, masculine scent teased her nostrils, curiously familiar. She heard voices, a light feminine one and a deeper tone that caused an unfamiliar spark of arousal. It had been so many years since she had felt true desire that she let herself drift in that pleasant moment until an acrid tang replaced the masculine scent and she coughed.
When her eyes opened, she saw Wyatt and the memories came rushing back. He was here, and he was a cyborg.
“Wyatt?”
Even though he nodded, there was still no sign of recognition on that familiar face. Disappointment and sorrow overwhelmed her, and to her shock, she started to cry. She would have sworn that all of the tears had been drawn from her long ago. The day she stood at his memorial was the last time she had cried.
“Cherry! Are you all right?” Esme asked anxiously.
“I’m fine.” She pushed herself into a sitting position and tried to gather her dignity—a task that would be much easier if she weren’t sitting on Wyatt’s lap. “You can let go of me now.”
“Well now, that is a shame.” He gave her that oh so familiar grin as he effortlessly lifted her free and placed her next to him on the couch. How could he look and sound so much like the man she knew and still act as if they were total strangers? Ignoring the pain building in her heart, she gathered her composure and gave the other occupants of the room her most practiced smile.
“I do apologize for interrupting the wedding. I should have taken the time to eat today.”
Esme bent over and gave her a hug.
“I told you that you were working too hard,” she scolded affectionately. “And who’s going to take care of you now that I’m leaving?”
“I will.”
The words came from Wyatt’s mouth but he looked as shocked as the rest of them. “I mean, I wouldn’t be a very good judge if I didn’t take care of my citizens,” he amended hastily.
“Hmm,” Dr. Kildar said. “This isn’t like you, Cherry. I think I should do a quick checkup.”
Did Wyatt just growl? Ignoring him, she smiled at the doctor.
“Honestly, I’m fine. I promise I’ll remember to eat breakfast from now on.”
Sharp eyes flicked from her face to Wyatt’s, but the doctor only nodded. “Very well, but if you have another one of these fainting spells, I’m going to insist on an examination.”
“And I promise I’ll go quietly,” she assured him, then turned to Esme. “You should get back to your reception.”
“That’s all right. We’ve done the important part.” Esme smiled at Big Tom, her face radiant, and Cherry felt a pang of envy at her friend’s happiness. She had felt like that once—for the man sitting obliviously next to her.
“In fact, I think it’s time to be going.” Tom returned Esme’s smile.
Cherry knew that the couple had booked a night in the town hotel. When she had protested—none of the rooms in the somewhat utilitarian establishment were as luxurious as the Pleasure Palace—Esme shook her head.
“Too much history there. We’ll start fresh together.”
Cherry had nodded, but it hadn’t stopped her from sending silk sheets, candles, and fresh flowers to their room. She hoped Esme would understand that it was to help them celebrate, not to bring back memories of the past.
“Yes, indeed you should.” Standing up, she ignored her shaky knees and gathered Esme in her arms. “If you ever need anything, I’ll always be here for you,” she whispered.
“I know.” When Esme drew back, her eyes were misty, but her smile was still radiant when she turned to her new husband. “Let’s go, honey.”
Cherry escorted them to the door and waved them off. Taking a deep breath, she turned to confront Wyatt.
“I do apologize for fainting on you. Thank you for the gal
lant rescue.”
“Not at all, ma’am. Always happy to help a beautiful woman.”
A memory surfaced at his words. He had said the same thing the night they met when she “accidentally” tripped over something and ended up in his arms. She had spent the next two weeks there—first as his lover, then as his bride. But then he had reported for duty and never returned. The military had eventually informed her that he was missing in action. What happened to him? And why didn’t he remember her?
Her longing to be with him again won out over her common sense.
“Would you like a drink? It seems like the least I can do.”
“Why, yes, ma’am, I certainly would.”
He gave her that familiar charming grin but her heart sank. He was simply responding like any man would to an attractive woman. There was no indication of the special bond they once shared. Should she tell him? So many things had changed since he disappeared. She almost wished she hadn’t asked him to stay, but she turned and led the way back into the living room.
“Whiskey?” She was already pouring the liquid into one of her precious crystal glasses before she realized that his tastes might have changed.
“That’s my preference,” he agreed.
Pouring herself a hefty dose as well, she handed him his glass and curled up at the other end of the couch so she could watch his face. She wanted to shake him, to demand that he remember her, but pain and pride kept her quiet.
“How did you end up on Mars?” she asked finally.
For the first time, his casual good humor vanished and his face hardened.
“The usual way.” He shrugged. “I was a soldier and I was fatally injured. Earth Government resurrected me as a cyborg and sent me here for the terraforming project.”
She had heard enough of the horrors that many of the cyborgs had experienced to know that he was understating, but she let it drop.
“Did you have to leave anyone behind on Earth?” She concentrated on the glass in her hands as she waited for his answer.
The Magnificent Cyborg Page 2