by Anna Hackett
Chapter Eight
The desert suns felt far hotter now.
On the way back to the caravan, Sage found herself drowsing and fighting the urge to nod off. She trusted Acton to keep her upright on the tarnid.
As her thoughts drifted, she remembered Tolpan’s words. They had a lead to the lake.
She bit her lip. Hold on, Simone. Hold on, Grace.
Sage had to believe that mother and daughter were both still alive. She had to hold on to the belief that they would get them out of whatever hellhole the Edull had stuck them in.
Behind her, Acton tensed. She lifted her head and saw the other cyborgs staring intensely at the horizon.
“What is it?” she asked.
“It looks like a sandstorm,” Acton said.
Great. Just what they needed, to get blasted by sand.
It wasn’t long before Sage could also make out the cloud of brown-beige sand hovering in the air ahead.
Then Corsair bit out a curse. “That’s not natural. Something’s causing it, and it’s coming this way.”
Magnus held up a hand and the cyborgs pulled their tarnids to a stop. The imperator slid off his beast, staring ahead.
“It’s robots,” he said.
Sage sucked in a breath, her belly tensing. The Edull. It had to be.
“Sage.”
She looked at Acton. He’d dismounted and reached up to help her down. Once her boots hit sand, he pressed two knives into her hands. Her fingers closed on the hilts, and she realized they were the ones she’d trained with.
“You stay back with the tarnids,” he ordered.
She swallowed. A deep, angry part of her wanted to fight, to let loose the rage that simmered inside her belly. These were the aliens who’d kept her captive, hurt her.
But she wasn’t a fighter, and she didn’t want to get in the way of Acton and the other cyborgs.
Ahead, Magnus and Jax were standing shoulder to shoulder. Their powerful bodies were battle-ready and alert.
Mace strode forward, his boots kicking up sand, and drew his sword. Toren came up on the other side, a weapon rising up out of the metal plates on his shoulder. It swiveled to take aim.
Corsair joined them, his jaw hard as he stared at the incoming sandstorm. She watched him reach over his shoulder and pull a sword. As soon as it was free of its sheath, it lit up, glowing electric blue.
They’d fight. To protect her, and to take the Edull down.
She turned and gripped Acton’s harness. “Be careful. I don’t want you hurt.”
He stared at her for a long moment, then gave her a solemn nod.
Something told her that he wasn’t used to someone being worried about him.
“Not a scratch, Acton.”
“I am difficult to kill.”
Then he strode toward the others. Her gaze dropped, taking in his perfectly formed ass. A hysterical laugh bubbled in her throat. Of all the times for her to be ogling his butt.
She focused on trying to calm her nerves.
As the storm approached, the tarnids became agitated, stomping at the sand. Sage moved among them, patting their necks to try and calm them.
It wasn’t long before the robots crested the rise of a dune, coming into view.
Ten, fifteen, twenty. She lost count, a stone settling in her stomach. She sucked in a breath. They looked like…centaurs.
In typical Edull construction, they were pieced together with bits of scrap metal. They had four huge, powerful legs, strong bodies, and a humanoid torso at the front.
Goddamn Edull.
Then the centaurs charged, their hooves pounding on the sand. One of the tarnids panicked, and Sage tried to grasp the reins. The powerful beast broke free, running off into the desert.
“No!” she cried.
She watched the tarnid sprint away. All of a sudden, one of the centaurs broke away from the pack. It arrowed toward the runaway tarnid, picking up speed. As it neared the tarnid, it reared up, bringing its front hooves down on the animal.
A sharp, terrified whinny pierced the air.
Oh, shit. Horrified, Sage watched the tarnid collapse and hit the sand.
Magnus’ arm flared, electricity crackling along it. “Leave and we won’t destroy you.” His voice boomed, somehow amplified beyond his normal volume.
With a clank of metal, the centaurs formed into a line ahead of the cyborgs.
For one hopeful second, Sage thought the bots might back down.
Then they charged.
The centaur bots raced toward the cyborgs. Her hand tightened on her knives, her heart hammering in her chest.
Magnus and Jax leaped high, crashing into the lead centaurs. Sparks of electricity flew through the air.
The cyborgs’ powerful bodies moved, spinning and dodging. Jax rammed into a centaur and Magnus followed, thrusting a fist into the side of a bot. It collapsed in a shower of metal parts.
Toren fired his laser bolts. The blasts ricocheted between several centaurs, blowing holes through the metal.
With a roar, Mace raced in, his sword raised above his head. It glowed hot and red, and when he swung it at a charging centaur, the blade sliced through the metal like it was butter. As he spun to face the next bot, Sage watched metal flow over Mace’s skin, turning him into a living shield.
Corsair appeared, running fast. The caravan master looked small as a centaur reared above him. He slid in feet-first, slipping under the centaur, and slicing its belly open with his sword.
Then Sage’s gaze locked onto Acton. He lifted his arms and a centaur bot rose into the air. It twisted and jerked, then Acton tossed it so it crashed into another.
The fight was hard and fast. Several of the Edull’s bots had fallen to the sand. She dragged in a breath. The cyborgs were winning. She smiled darkly. Take that, Edull scum.
Then, a centaur broke through the line and charged past the cyborgs.
It was coming right at her.
Shit. Her body locked. The tarnids let out angry snorts and huffs. Shit, shit, shit. She lifted her knives.
The bot raced toward her, its eyes glowing bright green, the ground vibrating beneath her feet.
Then suddenly, a big body slammed into the centaur from the side, making it stumble.
Acton.
Sage’s pulse went into overdrive. She watched as Acton slammed the bot to the ground. It wildly kicked its legs, and one huge hoof hit Acton right in the gut.
He flew back and hit the ground.
The centaur rose, hooves pawing the sand.
No! Sage ran at them, lifting her knives.
The centaur took a step toward Acton, but Sage leaped up, ramming her knife into the centaur’s metal face.
Suddenly, the bot’s arms swung out and hit her. Ow. She crashed back to the sand, rolling over and over.
Her ribs throbbed. She tasted sand in her mouth.
“Do not touch her.”
Acton was up. He launched himself at the bot, and leaped onto the centaur’s back. With his cybernetic arms, he reached into the metal casing and ripped it open. The centaur bucked and reared.
Acton held on with his knees. Sage saw his face and gasped. He was in a terrible, focused rage. He kept tearing at the bot, ripping chunks of metal off. Then he gripped the centaur’s head and, with a massive heave, he tore the bot’s head off.
As the robot’s big body collapsed, Acton leaped back onto the sand. “Sage.”
“I’m okay.” She rose, shaking sand out of her hair.
He leaned down and yanked her knife out of the bot’s decapitated head. He held it out to her and she took it.
“Are you all right?” she asked.
A swift nod. “Minor injuries.”
They both turned to assess the situation. The other centaurs were all down and scrap metal littered the sand. The Rone cyborgs were gathered together, kicking at the remains.
One bot moved sluggishly. Its body was still intact, but its legs were mangled.
“De
finitely Edull construction,” Magnus said.
The centaur’s head swiveled, its eyes glowing eerily. “There are more of us.”
A chill went down Sage’s spine.
“You won’t reach the caravan in time,” the bot finished.
Corsair cursed, running for his morloch.
Acton raised his hand and the centaur’s head crumpled.
“Let’s move,” Magnus said. “Fast.”
Acton held on to Sage tightly, one arm wrapped around her waist. They raced across the sands, pushing the tarnids as fast as they could go.
They were closing in on the caravan. Corsair was far ahead of them, his beast able to run much faster than the tarnids. Toren was riding with Mace, so they were bringing up the rear.
A boom echoed through the air and Sage jerked. “What was that?”
“A defensive turret.” Acton heard the fighting now. More cannon booms followed.
Sage’s hands clenched on his wrists. “What’s happening?”
He used his enhanced vision to zoom in. “The caravan has moved into a protective formation and have activated their defenses.” He saw a slim figure out on the sand fighting a centaur. Neve.
Near the woman was a big, broad-shouldered form holding a wicked crossbow. Bren.
Corsair reached them first, leaping off his morloch. He whirled his electroblade and joined the fight.
The House of Rone cyborgs slid off their tarnids and charged in. Magnus was in the lead, ready to fight.
“Stay back,” Acton warned.
Sage nodded. “Go.”
A part of him didn’t want to leave her, but she gave him a shove and he jogged toward his fellow cyborgs.
A flash of movement. A centaur was racing in from the sidelines, aiming directly at Neve. Acton opened his mouth to yell a warning, but the woman spun, then leaped into the air. She landed on the bot’s back and started stabbing it.
He shook his head. These Earth women were extremely unpredictable.
The centaur bucked wildly and Neve lost her grip. She flew through the air.
“Neve!” Corsair yelled.
Acton rushed forward and flung his arms up. He caught her with his kinetic power and lowered her to the ground.
“Thanks.” She looked at him, her face almost as unreadable as a cyborg’s.
He set her down gently, and together, they eyed the incoming centaurs.
A considering look crossed her face. “Can you throw me, cyborg?”
He nodded.
She lifted her weapon and then Acton moved his fingers. Neve rose off the ground. He moved his arms and she sailed through the air. As she whizzed past a bot, she slashed it with her sword.
Acton moved her again, and she cut into another centaur, and another.
His power almost depleted, he moved her back toward him. As her boots touched the sand, she laughed.
“That was awesome.”
“Happy to help.”
“You aren’t too bad, cyborg.”
Screams broke out.
Neve swiveled. “Oh, fuck.”
Two centaurs had broken into the caravan. Corsair was already running, the other cyborgs just behind him.
Acton raced forward. Mersi was firing a weapon, standing in front of a group of travelers and children.
The centaurs were converging on her.
“Mersi!” Bren bellowed.
Seeing his mate threatened, the big man put on a burst of speed. Acton watched as something black and oil-like spilled out over Bren’s skin, completely covering him.
Drak. Acton stared as Bren morphed, his hands tipped with claws. The man let out a deafening roar and ripped into the centaurs.
Bren was Tainted.
Acton had heard of Taint—dark microbes that lived in hidden pools in the desert. If ingested, it transformed the infected. He hadn’t known that any of the Tainted could have this kind of control. The myths said they were ravaging, wild creatures that needed to be hunted down. He watched as Bren punched his fists through a centaur, destroying it.
Then a woman screamed. “One of them took my son! Help!”
Acton turned. A centaur was pounding away from the caravan, a terrified child clutched in its arms.
Then a tarnid came into view, racing after the bot.
Sage. Acton felt a hot spike of fear. Sage was hunched over the back of the galloping tarnid, giving chase.
He sprinted after her.
“Acton!” Magnus yelled.
He wasn’t stopping. He kept his gaze on Sage. He pushed for every bit of speed his cyborg system possessed, the world blurring around him.
Sage neared the centaur and he saw her rise up out of the saddle.
No. No.
She jumped off her tarnid, landing on the back of the centaur. She almost slid off, but clamped on with her arms and legs. She managed to sit up and started smacking at the bot’s head, stabbing it with her knife.
The bot released its hold on the boy. Sage dived off and grabbed him, the pair of them rolling through the sand, barely missing the bot’s thundering hooves.
The centaur slid to a halt, turning to face them.
Acton’s heart thumped hard in his chest. He pushed for more speed, but he’d already calculated the odds that the centaur would reach the pair before him.
He was too far away.
And he wasn’t close enough to use his cybernetic power.
But… Acton threw up his arms.
His power swirled around him, and he focused hard, pulling sand into a funnel. He moved his arms and the mini-sandstorm moved toward the centaur.
The bot took a few steps back, but then it was engulfed.
The centaur spun and its hooves left the ground. It struggled desperately to break free, but the sand continued to swirl around it.
Acton ran toward them, shutting off his power. The bot slammed to the ground, but Acton lunged. He landed a hard kick to the bot’s side, crumpling the metal. He followed through with a punch with his cybernetic arm, then another.
The centaur staggered, but then it kicked out with its rear legs, slamming into Acton’s gut. He flew back several feet.
Sage had pulled the boy away and was crouched, covering him with her body. Protecting him.
As Acton would protect her. He wouldn’t fail her.
He attacked the bot again. It reared up, trying to kick him. He dodged to the side.
Then Jax arrived, breathing heavily. His tattoo was alive with energy.
“Pin it,” Jax ordered.
Acton dredged up what power he had left. Bracing, he threw his arms out, his body alive with energy. The centaur’s legs became glued to the ground, and it fought viciously to get free. Jax strode close, then rammed his arm into the guts of the centaur. Electricity skated over the metal.
The centaur shuddered, then collapsed into a pile of metal parts.
Acton lowered his arms. Sage lifted her head, and he saw a frightened boy watching them with huge, blue eyes.
“Rix,” Corsair yelled.
With a sob, the boy broke free of Sage’s arms. He ran to the caravan master and Corsair lifted the boy off his feet, hugging him hard.
Acton knelt beside Sage and she leaped into his arms.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. He sensed the others watching them, but ignored them all.
“You were supposed to stay back.” He was shocked to find his voice was unsteady.
“Sorry.” She pressed her face against his neck. “I couldn’t let them take that boy.”
Of course, she couldn’t. Acton dusted the sand from her hair and held on.
Chapter Nine
“There you go.” Sage pressed a bandage over an older man’s eye.
“Thank you, young lady.” He gave her a nod.
Sage turned, gathering up some of the first aid items that Mersi had given her to treat the caravan’s injured. Luckily, the worst of it seemed to be cuts and bruises.
Next, she smiled at a you
ng girl. Shyly, the girl sat down and held out her leg. A nasty scratch ran down the girl’s shin.
“Ow, that must sting. Let’s make it better.” Sage started cleaning the girl’s wound.
All around, the Corsair Caravan was righting itself. The cyborgs were pitching in with the cleanup, while Sage and the caravan’s healers helped the wounded. She had to admit, these desert people were tough and resilient. They got on with things and didn’t dwell.
“All done,” Sage said. “You were very brave.”
The girl offered her another smile and scampered off.
Sage let her hands fall to her thighs. This felt good. Helping and using her skills again. For the first time in a long time, she was enjoying it, and feeling a little more like herself.
She looked over and spotted Acton helping to right an overturned transport. He and Mace heaved, lifting the transport back onto its wheels.
“Thanks for rescuing Rix,” a female voice said.
Sage turned and squinted into the sun. Neve stood over her, casting a shadow.
Rising, Sage dusted off her trousers. “I wasn’t going to let the Edull snatch him.”
Acton turned, his strong, lean body in profile. Of course, her gaze snagged on the flex of his ass.
“So, you have a thing for one of the cyborgs, huh?”
Sage jerked. “Um.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
“He seems…” Neve’s gaze arrowed on Acton. “More cyborg than the others.”
“There is still a man under the enhancements.”
Neve nodded. “Well, good luck. You deserve to find your happiness, Sage.”
Sage’s throat tightened. But could Acton give her that happiness?
Suddenly, Magnus straightened, touching his temple. Then he spun to Jax. She saw the men talking urgently and watched as Jax stiffened.
“House of Rone,” Magnus called out. “Mount up. Fast.”
With a nod at Neve, Sage hurried over. “What’s going on?”
The line of Magnus’ jaw was hard. “I just got word that the House of Rone is under attack.”
She gasped, looking around the caravan. “This was all just a diversion.”
Acton urged her over to the tarnid and lifted her onto the beast.