Page 58 of A Cyborg for the Alien Mercenary

She took a deep breath, steeling herself. This was it, where she admitted just how different to most people she was.

“Zodiac cyborgs aren’t born like other beings. We’re vat-grown, and force-matured. Essentially we’re ‘born’ as adults,” she explained the cold, clinical truth of her origins. “I literally woke up the way I am now, in my rack. Most of us don’t achieve consciousness before all our cybernetics are implanted.”

She looked up, meeting the horrified gazes of the Reapers. Their expressions ranged from shock to disbelief, and something that looked dangerously close to pity.

Frowning, she turned to Anson. “You’re a kind of cyborg as well… how does it work for you?”

He shook his head. “It’s different for B’Kaar. We grow to adulthood naturally before being tested forke’lathcompatibility. It’s never force-implanted.”

Well…shit.Now they were all going to think she was… weirder than they already thought she was. Eager to move on now that she’d made a fool of herself and made them all feel uncomfortable, she turned her attention back to the arsenal before them.

Her eyes locked on to the largest weapons, the kind she’d seen Covak using the day the Reapers had rescued her. Without hesitation, she strode toward them, her fingers itching to wrap around the cool metal.

“Nowthat’swhat I’m talking about,” she murmured as she reached for one of the massive rifles. “Come to mama.”

Covak’s hand gently caught her wrist.

“Whoa there, beautiful,” he said with a grin that made her heart skip a beat. “Those might be a bit too heavy for you.”

A spark of mischief flared within her. She grinned as she met his gaze and, without a word, she lifted not one, but two of the enormous guns, one in each hand.

“You were saying, big guy?”

Someone whistled softly, but she didn’t take her attention off Covak.

His grin widened, heat filling his eyes as they raked over her. The look sent a shiver down her spine that had nothing to do with the chill of the armory. “Damn, that’s hot,” he growled, his voice low and husky, loud enough for the others to hear.

Ryke rolled his eyes as he walked through the door.

“Get a room, you two,” he growled. “And not medbay this time. That diagnostic bed squeaks after what you did to it.”

Heat rushed to her cheeks. Oh, shit. She hadn’t realized they’d been quite so… vigorous.

Anson groaned dramatically. “That’s it. I’m never getting sick again. Ever.”

“Ignore him,” Covak murmured, herding her to a bench in the corner of the room so they could arm up. “He’s just jealous.”

She snorted and let him help her get ready. It felt odd. She’d never had anyone help her get ready for battle before. Not like this anyway, where every touch felt like foreplay, loaded with meaning and emotion.

As she fastened a holster to Covak’s thigh, her fingers brushed against the powerful muscle beneath. A jolt of electricity seemed to pass between them, and she looked up to find his eyes locked on hers.

“You okay?” he murmured, his voice low enough that only she could hear.

She nodded but couldn’t quite keep the concern from her voice. “I’m fine,” she assured him. “I’m built for this, remember? But you… all of you…”

“We’ve been doing this a long time, beautiful,” he murmured in reassurance, his hand coming up to cup her cheek. “We know how to take care of ourselves. But having you with us? That makes us even stronger.”

She leaned into his touch, drawing strength from the connection between them. For a moment, the rest of the world faded away, leaving only the two of them. She never wanted it to end. Wanted to stay in this perfect moment forever.

The others filing out broke the moment, and she looked over, a frown on her face as she watched Anson leave.

Her voice dropped so low that he had to lean in to hear her.

“There’s something else,” she began. “I think something’s wrong with Anson’s circuitry.”

Covak’s expression turned serious.

“What do you mean?” he asked, his voice equally low. “How can you tell?”

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