Page 36 of A Cyborg for the Alien Mercenary

Data storage inaccessible. Subroutine corrupted.

“I… don’t know. It…” She waved at her head to indicate the onboard. “Says the data storage subroutine is corrupted. That’s more than I’ve been getting from it before,” she admitted, stifling another yawn.

Covak’s expression hardened into determination. “That’s it. No more worrying about anything until you’ve had a good night’s sleep. You’re dead on your feet, little one.”

She didn’t argue as he led her through the ship up to a deck above where they had been.

As they approached a door that Jesh assumed led to her new quarters, a figure emerged from around a corner, and she straightened up. Something about him had made her onboard take notice, but she wasn’t sure what.

Ping code not answered,the voice said.Unknown class.

“Anson,” Covak said. “This is Jesh.”

She looked at the man in front of her. He looked human at first glance, but as she focused, she saw something else. Her vision shifted, enhancing and analyzing what she saw. She blinked in surprise as lines of light appeared beneath his skin, like circuitry buried inside it.

Anson’s eyes widened as his gaze focused on her.

“You’re not like me,” she said, the words tumbling out before she could stop them.

He shook his head, a small frown creasing his brow. “I’m B’Kaar,” he said, his voice low and rough. “We are cyborgs, in a way, but we use exoskeletons instead of internal implants.”

She took a small step forward, fascination overriding her exhaustion. “Do you have some kind of circuitry implanted?” she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

He nodded. “We call itke’lath. It powers our exoskeletons.”

Biological markers detected,the voice said, but she ignored it. Of course she was detecting biomarkers. Anson was a living, breathing being, not a machine.

She opened her mouth to ask another question, but Covak cut her off.

“It’s late, Anson,” he said, his voice gruff. “We should let Jesh get some rest.”

Without waiting for a response, Covak placed a hand on the small of her back and guided her toward a nearby door. The warmth of his touch seeped through her clothes and warmed her skin, sending a shiver up her spine.

They stepped through, and as the door slid shut behind them, she whirled around.

“That was rude,” she said, frowning up at him. “Anson seemed nice. Why did you?—”

The words died in her throat as she suddenly became aware of just how close he was. In the confined space of the room, his massive frame seemed to fill every available inch. The heat radiated off his body, beating against her skin.

Their eyes met, and the air between them was alive with electricity. Her heart pounded in her chest, her breath catching in her throat, and she leaned toward him, like she was drawn by an invisible force she couldn’t name.

His gaze dropped to her lips, and for a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her. Her eyes fluttered half-closed, anticipation coiling in her stomach.

But then he cleared his throat, the sound shattering the moment like glass, and took a step back. She bit back her pout of disappointment, feeling the loss of his warmth like a physical ache.

“The shower and facilities are through there,” Covak said, pointing to a small door in the corner and avoiding her gaze. “And here’s the comms panel. If you need anything—anything at all—just call me. Okay?”

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Her skin still tingled where he had touched her, her lips still anticipating a kiss that hadn’t come.

“Good night, Jesh,” he said softly. “Sleep well.”

And then he was gone, the door sliding shut behind him with a soft hiss.

She stared at the closed door. Confusion and disappointment warred within her. Had she imagined that little moment between them? The tension, the anticipation, the way he’d looked at her… Why had he backed off?

Her stomach sank. Was it because he knew what she was? Because she wasn’t a real being?

Shaking her head, she made her way to the shower. The hot water sluiced over her body, and it didn’t take her long to wash away the grime and sweat of the day. As she stepped out, wrapping herself in a soft towel, her gaze fell on the bed.

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