Stealth narrowed his eyes at her. “What did you do, my female?”

  “Nothing he wouldn’t have done to you or to me.” She could never fool her cyborg. He read her easily.

  Because he was the only being who truly looked at her, who gazed into her eyes and not at her silly curls, her big breasts, or her curvy ass.

  “My strong warrior female.” He hugged her closer to him, the strength in his form and the heat from his body soothing her. Her cyborg had killed beings, understood what she was going through, wouldn’t judge her for the action she had to take. “You’ve given up too much for me.”

  “And you haven’t?” Her voice was muffled by his chest. He was walking away from his brethren for her. “Sacrifices must be made in order to advance.” Her tone turned bitter. “The commander taught me that.”

  She was one of the sacrifices her father had been willing to make. In the commander’s eyes, she was a disposable daughter, a casualty of war.

  Zebrina gazed up at Stealth. Her warrior, in contrast, saw her as a priceless female, irreplaceable and his. He would die for her, kill for her.

  Never leave her.

  “Humans have malfunctions.” He shook his head. “Sacrifices must be made in order to advance.” He snorted softly. “Where are they advancing? What do they expect to gain? What treasure is more precious than the beings who hold their souls?”

  She summoned a smile. “I don’t know.”

  “I suspect they don’t know either.” Her cyborg brushed his nose against hers, a playful gesture that plucked at her heart, made her love him more. “They don’t value their females.”

  “You value your female.” She felt that in the way he held her, looked at her, spoke with her. He listened to more than her words, viewed her with reverence, as though she were a gift.

  “I value my female above all else.” His eyes were lit with emotion. The glow burned from his core, as alive and vibrant as he was. “And I know my destination. I’m advancing to Waaban Two with you, where we will both be free.”

  “Where we can love each other without fear.” Her smile turned genuine.

  There would be no fighting, no violence, no killing. According to Odoon, Waaban Two was a peaceful planet, occupied mostly by agri-lot tenders, pacifists like him, beings uninterested in war.

  The sunstones she’d collected over the solar cycles should be enough to purchase a domicile situated on a little square of land. She and Stealth would grow vegetation for nourishment, collect rainwater for beverage, the terrain giving them everything they needed.

  They would create a home for themselves, carve out some joy, some serenity. To another being, that future might seem unexciting, but she had already experienced enough thrills, worry, and stress to last numerous lifespans. She longed for an uneventful, trauma-free existence.

  And she longed to share it with Stealth, the male she loved. She bracketed his face with her hands and slanted her mouth over his.

  He was all she truly needed.

  Chapter Five

  Stealth was a fortunate warrior.

  He held his female as she slept. They had both dressed, preparing for their trip. She wore a dark-purple flight suit, the closest shade she had to black. He had donned his body armor. They’d leave before the sun rose, conceal themselves in the darkness.

  Soon, they would be free and safe and together.

  Before now, he’d never truly believed that was achievable. Fleeting happiness was a gift. Lasting joy was unthinkable.

  But they would have it. He’d spend the rest of his almost endless lifespan with the female he loved. That was a miracle, a—

  Stealth. The tone of Lethal’s transmission straightened his spine. You have to leave. Now.

  That’s not possible. They were depending on his female’s friend for transport. What is happening?

  One of the bodies found in the second downed supply ship belonged to the commander. His friend sent him images.

  There was no mistaking the decorated chest covering, the gray hair, the pale wrinkled face. Zebrina’s father was dead.

  Stealth gazed down at his female. She must have given the Ahkians his departure information.

  The male had underestimated his daughter, had miscalculated her intelligence and the depth of her loyalty to her mother.

  After breeding, before she drifted off to sleep, she had shared the details of her last conversation with her father, outlining the damning responses he’d made, the proof she’d gathered of his treachery.

  His female might have forgiven the commander’s betrayal of her, but she would never accept him leaving her mother to die. She had adored that parent, had relayed numerous stories about her mother’s caring, her kindness, how gentle and accepting she had been.

  The commander hadn’t valued his female. He had ruthlessly and intentionally discarded her, leaving Zebrina’s mother to the cruelty of his enemies, a concept Stealth struggled to wrap his processors around.

  Females were rare, were precious. They should always be protected.

  The Humanoid Alliance is vowing vengeance. Lethal communicated. The indecisive humans haven’t yet settled upon an action, but they will. Soon.

  I understand. It was best to be off the planet when that happened. Thank you.

  I’ll keep you informed. The E Model ended the transmission.

  “My female.” Stealth pressed his lips against her forehead. “It’s time.”

  She blinked up at him, her eyes soft with sleep. “Is it sunrise already?”

  “We have to depart early.” He picked up the pack she’d stored in the structure, set it on her lap.

  “Odoon won’t depart early.” She frowned. “We’re not the only passengers.”

  He’d convince Odoon to leave. His female’s safety hinged on leaving the planet as soon as possible. “If you need to communicate, whisper.” He carried her toward the door.

  “Put me down.” She smacked his body armor-clad chest. “I can walk.”

  “We’re moving at cyborg speed.” He held her tighter. She wouldn’t be able to match his pace.

  And she was noisy, wasn’t accustomed to running without detection. Beings might hear her. He couldn’t risk that.

  Stealth scanned the terrain around the structure. No one was near. He exited with his female, dashing through the darkness. The rain had relented. The pathways were slick with water. Many of the humans remained in their domiciles.

  There were patrols but they were easy to avoid. The males circled the compound in predictable patterns. He’d noted their routines long before he’d met Zebrina and they hadn’t changed since then.

  Leaving the compound would be more challenging. He temporarily disabled the recording and detection devices for the side gates, accessing those systems wirelessly.

  Watching the guards, he waited. They would make a mistake. Humans always did.

  One of the guards beckoned to the others, his gaze on his private viewscreen. The males waved a group of chattering officers through the gates and joined their friend, their attention on him.

  Stealth, cradling his female in his arms, ran behind the officers, exiting before the gates closed.

  Both groups of humans were talking about one topic—the death of the commander, Zebrina’s father. They were outraged about the killing.

  None of them questioned why the commander had been on the downed ship. Stealth smothered a snort of disgust. Instead of being exposed as the deserter he was, her father was viewed as a martyr for the Humanoid Alliance cause.

  Humans had malfunctioning processors.

  He navigated the pathways of the surrounding settlements, choosing the unlit routes that were deemed unsafe by the Humanoid Alliance. Being a cyborg, he had the ability to see in the dark and he could detect hidden tripwires and explosives. The spaces posed no danger to him, had the additional advantage of being devoid of life.

  Some of the Humanoid Alliance males are chattering about your female. Lethal informed him. They’re waiting for her to exit her domicile. Their plans aren’t…honorable.

  Stealth’s lips flattened. They planned to attack her. Fraggin’ hole.

  Do you want us to end their lifespans? Boom asked.

  The humans didn’t deserve to live but killing them was too risky. Ignore them. Ending the males’ lifespans could put all of their brethren in peril. They won’t touch my female. We’re leaving the planet.

  We’ll wait to kill them, make it look like their error. The C Model’s tone told him he would enjoy that task.

  Protectiveness was a cyborg trait and his brethren saw his female as theirs. He wouldn’t deny them an opportunity to strike back on her behalf.

  Stealth neared the border, the strip of terrain dividing the Humanoid Alliance and the Ahkians. Some of his brethren defended the front line. Although he hadn’t physically seen them in solar cycles, they communicated constantly.

  I need coverage. He transmitted to them. I’m carrying my female.

  You’re fortunate, K Model.

  We will defend you with our lifespans.

  I’m sending you the ideal route.

  The cyborgs supported their words with action, enthusiastically clearing the terrain of their foes, killing the Ahkians with a renewed sense of purpose.

  Stealth’s female twitched with each round of gunfire. “We’re going to die,” she whispered.

  “You’re safe,” he murmured into her right ear. “This is my domain.”

  Using the image he’d received as a guide, he ran forward with her, covering as much of her fragile human form with his body as possible. Projectiles whizzed by his face, skimmed along his skin.

  Brethren. He gritted his teeth.

  I see him. A D Model responded.

  Projectiles zinged over his shoulder, traveling in the other direction. An Ahkian fell to the debris-strewn ground. A wound decorated the center of his forehead. His arms and legs gyrated.

  Got him. The D Model crowed. You should be clear now.

  Thank you. Stealth jumped over the dying male, not slowing his pace. Zebrina, unaccustomed to seeing death, pressed her face into his chest.

  I owe you, warriors. He relayed his appreciation to his brethren.

  Repay that debt by ensuring she lives.

  Your female showed us kindness.

  She gave us hope.

  His brethren relayed stories about his female, how she’d risked discovery to ease their pain, had deflected the ire of their harsh human officer more than once, had given them, her dollies, sunny smiles after durations of dark unrelenting horror.

  Her compassion had extended to more than him and the brethren in his fighting batch. All of the warriors cycling through the compound had experienced it.

  Because that was who his female was. He hefted her higher against his chest. She cared for many beings.

  She loved him.

  Only four Ahkians guarded the outside of the hangar. He avoided them easily, carrying his female through a large open portal. The roof to the structure had already been retracted, the sky black above him.

  He scanned the space, noting the position of the humanoids around him. His auditory system picked up voices.

  “We’re also expecting a human female and K Model cyborg.” The male’s tone expressed his disgust.

  “We’re transporting a cyborg?” a female asked. “The others won’t be pleased.”

  “I’m not pleased.” The male admitted. “They’re killing machines. I hate all of them. But I owed the female a favor and I gave her my word both she and the cyborg would arrive safely.”

  Stealth’s shoulders lowered. The male must be Odoon, his female’s friend. The Ahkian didn’t like him but he was honorable, wouldn’t harm Zebrina.

  The two beings chattered about the various needs of the children they were rescuing. He conveyed his female toward the voices, moving slowly, cautiously, looking for danger.

  The Humanoid Alliance have grounded their ships. Lethal communicated. They plan to shoot all other vessels out of the sky.

  Fraggin’ hole. The danger hadn’t come from within the hangar. Can you disable their monitoring?

  I tried. The E Model sounded as concerned as he was. It has to be hardwired through a Humanoid Alliance device with clearance.

  Where is the nearest device? Stealth transmitted his coordinates.

  This one is closest to you. Lethal relayed the location. The Humanoid Alliance didn’t disable it before they retreated.

  The device was situated far into Ahkian territory. Stealth’s stomach twisted. It was a long distance from his current location.

  He completed the calculation. If he ran at cyborg speeds, he’d arrive at the location a couple of moments before sunrise. That would give him sufficient time to disable the monitoring system.

  It wouldn’t give him enough time to do that and return to the Ahkian ship.

  Delaying takeoff wasn’t an option. Sunrise was chosen because there was a Humanoid Alliance scheduling error at that time. The officers held meetings over the same duration their staff changed shifts. Lacking proper supervision, the replacement humans didn’t rush to their posts. They trusted their devices to cover the gap in surveillance, devices cyborgs could easily tamper with remotely.

  The devices inside the compound—

  Can’t be accessed without killing officers. Lethal shot down that idea.

  Killing officers would put every cyborg enslaved to the Humanoid Alliance in danger. Stealth couldn’t authorize that, not to save his own lifespan.

  He processed what he had to do and didn’t like it. Not one bit.

  One of the lifeforms in the hangar left. The space fell silent.

  He stomped his feet as he carried his female toward the Ahkians, utilizing his heavy tread to warn the remaining being of his approach. Humanoids didn’t have lifeform sensors as cyborgs did.

  The male, Odoon, turned toward them, guns in his hands. His fingers were far from the triggers. That would have caused his death if the threat had been real.

  Stealth swept his gaze over him. His female’s friend was younger and fitter than he had expected him to be. The Ahkian was a humanoid male in his prime.

  “It’s us, Odoon.” Zebrina smiled at her friend. “Zebrina and Stealth.”

  Odoon holstered his guns and glared at him. “You’re early.”

  Stealth lowered his female until her booted feet touched the floor. “I have a mission to complete before the ship lifts off.”

  “We’re not changing our schedule, machine.” The Ahkian curled his top lip. “If you’re late, we’re leaving without you.”

  “He won’t be late.” Zebrina plunked her pack on the stone and frowned up at Stealth. “What mission do you have to complete?”

  “Take this.” He pressed a gun into her palms, not answering her question. All of his weapons had been calibrated for his female, his one, his only. She could use them. “The ship has to depart at sunrise.” He said that loud enough for the Ahkian male to hear. “You have to be on it.”

  “You have to be on the ship too.” She placed the gun with her pack and grasped his hands. “We’re traveling together. That’s the plan.”

  “That plan is no longer possible.” He couldn’t save both of them. Someone had to disable the Humanoid Alliance’s monitoring system. “You have to travel alone.”

  “Stealth.” Protest reflected in her eyes, slashes of dark blue amid the light.

  He hooked his arms around her, pulled her lush body against his, and captured her mouth, pouring all of his emotions into her, everything he couldn’t say yet felt. Their tongues twined. Her sweetness flavored the embrace. Her musk tickled his nose.

  He recorded every detail about her, about this last moment they shared, storing that information in his databases and in his organic brain, saving the memory for the gloomy planet rotations ahead of him. She was his female and when she left, she’d take his happiness with her.

  His soul would die long before his body did.

  “I’ll complete your mission with you.” His female touched his cheeks, her hands soft and warm. “I’ll leave my things here.”

  Her offer tore at his heart. He didn’t want to leave her.

  “Help Odoon load the offspring.” He gave her a task to complete, trying to distract her. “Can you do that for me?”

  “Of course, but—”

  “There’s no time to discuss this.” It would soon be sunrise and he had a significant distance to cover, a device to find, a system to access. “You have to stay here, my female.”

  “You’ll return to me?” She searched his face.

  He kept his expression blank, not giving her anything.

  But she knew the truth. He saw that in her eyes.

  “You gave me your word, warrior.” She stood on her tiptoes and gripped the collar of his body armor, shaking him. “You said you would always return to me. I expect you to keep your vow.”

  “If I can, I will.” That was all he could give her.

  “You can.” His fearless female demanded more. “And you will. You know our destination. If you don’t return in time, meet me there.”

  He said nothing, unable to make that commitment.

  “Say you will.” She wouldn’t back down. “Swear it on your honor or I’ll rejoin your brethren in the compound right now.”

  She’d do that…because she was as stubborn, as unrelenting as he was. He was her male, had been granted the gift of her loyalty.

  She was his universe, the only being he would ever love.

  “I will do everything in my power to meet you there.” If he somehow survived, he would travel to Waaban Two and find her. “As long as there is breath remaining in my body, I’ll try to return to you. I swear that on my honor.” He removed her hands from his form, squeezed them and stepped back. “Swear on your honor you’ll be on the ship when it leaves.”

  “I will be on the ship.” She gazed up at him, looking so determined, so stoic.

  His heart shredded because he knew his female. He knew how much that fearless act cost her, how she had never wanted to say good-bye to him again.

  “I love you, my male.”

  “I love you, my female.” He brushed his lips against hers, kissing his female perhaps for the last time, and he reluctantly released her.