Page 8 of Her Lawless Prince

She pressed the button and let the handheld inject Nyle. Within seconds, he was blinking. He flung his arms up in defense and wriggled on the ground before settling when he realized the attack had ended. His eyes went from Payton to Yevgen and then back again.

“We have to run,” Nyle said.

The low tone sounded.

Nyle pushed up from the ground and held out his hand for the tracker. Yevgen pulled his wrist away, clearly not parting with his new toy.

“Hold your finger over the screen and press down hard,” Nyle said.

Yevgen frowned but obeyed.

Payton gestured the pistol at Nyle. “This better not hurt him.”

“Lift it,” Nyle said, again reaching as if he could will Yevgen to give the device to him.

Yevgen lifted his finger. “I am gone. There are blue dots.”

“Blast it!” Nyle swore under his breath. “Where? How many?” He looked at Payton, not waiting for an answer. “You need to hide. Or run. Run and hide. Just get out of here.”

Payton had no intention of doing any such thing. “Who is it?”

Yevgen moved around to the front of the monitors.

“They’re people you don’t want anything to do with,” Nyle answered. “Give me the blaster.”

“I see them,” Yevgen said. “Three men, two women, humanoid, heavily armed.”

Payton pointed the weapon at him instead of handing it over. She gestured for him to go around to the front so she could see what Yevgen had found.

“Only five?” Nyle frowned.

“Who are they?” Payton again asked. Five figures in matching burgundy uniforms made their way across the screen. “They’re dressed more like a space crew than military. How are you all sneaking on-world? Our communications towers should have picked up your signatures.”

“We have to destroy this console.” Nyle lunged for Payton’s hand and swung the blaster toward the monitors. He squeezed her finger, forcing her to fire the weapon. She jerked back, and the blaster flew from her hand.

Sparks erupted over the displays as they fizzled and died.

“No!” Yevgen reached for the monitors as if he could save them.

“Hey!” Payton grunted in protest as she pushed Nyle away. Fur sprouted over her skin, and claws erupted from her fingertips.

“They can’t have access to this information portal,” Nyle said. “We need to run.”

He began leading the way toward the opening he’d cut.

“They are coming that way,” Yevgen said, pulling Payton in the opposite direction toward the door. “You go this way, my princess.”

“Yev, you’re coming with me,” Payton said.

Yevgen shook his head. “I will remain here with my equipment. A space captain must go down with his ship.”

“Because he has no choice,” she muttered. “He’s in deep space without a pod.”

She used to think that a lack of reactive fear was a great cyborg trait. Now, not so much.

Payton didn’t have time to argue. “You declared that you are my half mate. It’s your job to protect me. So, protect me.”

He considered her statement and then nodded. “Of course, my wife. I’m recalibrating my priorities.”

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