Chapter 10

Kaden was the most fortunate cyborg in the entire Aurora Cluster galaxy. Hell, in any galaxy, known or unknown. Because his mate liked him.

Not love, yet, but with time and togetherness, he calculated the feelings and the words would arrive.

Satisfaction surged through his circuits at the prospect.

“I really, really like you, too,” he echoed her words, pleased as fuck when she gifted him a sultry smile.

Now, to convince her we must remain together. Forever.

But first... He gathered her against him and returned them to the center of the chamber for a quick cleansing.

“I can stand, you know,” his mate murmured, though she also seemed content to be held, given the way she petted him with her petite hands, stroking a path over his chest and shoulders, up his neck and back again while the cleaning cycle ran.

He would never tire of her touch. In fact, it roused him once again, his dick twitching and hardening, ready to sink back into her sweet, wet heat.

His teammates, however, had other plans for them. They were, once again, attempting to chat with him and he was, once again, ignoring them.

When the cycle chimed its completion, he transported his woman to his main room, placing her on the lounging pad next to the gifts from the crew. Trace, had, of course, circumvented Kaden’s security, allowing himself and the others entry, the intrusive bastards.

“My backpack!” Calie squealed. She bounced on the mattress, yanking the bag onto her lap and hugging it. Joy beamed from her face.

Kaden arched a brow. He wished she would light up with delight like that from hugging him. Lucky bag. What is in the damn thing that’s so important?

He picked up the decorative cuff that had been resting against the pack, touching the amber stone in the center of a cluster of blue gems to send the open command. When the clasp released, he slipped it onto her wrist. Another tap on the amber, and the smart metal adjusted itself to her wrist size.

Trace had truly outdone himself. It was a beautiful piece. And it wasn’t lost on Kaden that his thoughtful, creative friend had chosen stones the colors of his and Calie’s eyes.

“It’s gorgeous,” Calie purred, stroking over the decorative swirls etched in the metal. The lines flowed out from the stones as if they were flying free on an unseen breeze. “My mother would’ve loved this.” She looked up at him. “She was a jewelry maker.”

Was. Seeming to indicate her mother was deceased. He wanted to ask about her parents, but Calie seemed absorbed with her new trinket.

Calie flipped her arm, examining both sides. “How does it open? Do I touch the center stone like you did?” She tried but nothing happened.

“Trace will calibrate it to your fingerprints. Athena is stored in there. You will have access to her as well.” To speak with her but nothing more for the time being, in terms of functionality. At the moment, only a cyborg would be able to transfer the feisty AI to another device—a safety precaution, to insure the too-talented AI remained out of their ship’s systems.

“Thank you.” She sniffled and curled over the pack, burying her face in the top.

Is she...crying?

“Calie, are you all right?” He stroked her wild braids, and she lifted her head.

Tears pooled in her eyes. Worry trampled all over his buoyant mood. He sank to his knees before her, brushing away the few tears that spilled over onto her cheeks.

“How can I help? Tell me how to fix this.” He opened communications with his team, ready to enlist their aid if need be. Anything for his mate.

Finally, Trace crowed. Thought you two would never stop going at it.

The others chimed in all at once, asking if she liked the items they left for her on his lounger. He glanced at the stacks of clothing and various weapons—the latter all a size to fit nicely in her small hand—and played back Calie donning the bracelet for Trace while he fielded the other questions.

She hasn’t noticed your lesser offerings , Trace said with way too much pride in his tone. My bracelet is the best.

You forget the pack, Dash cut in. Look at how she embraces it. Clearly my present is the superior gift.

Who are you kidding? The twin daggers are top-notch, Gunnar crowed.

Nah, the handguns I gave her are top-of-the-line, ya bunch of assholes, Wilder bragged.

Kaden ignored their nonsense. He whisked away more tears from her face. “Please, tell me how I can assist you.” My mate.

Calie looked up at him and gave him a watery smile. “You’re sweet. But I’m okay. These are happy tears.”

Thank fuck. The tension left his shoulders as his eavesdropping friends all cheered, marveling that tears could indicate happiness.

She sucked in a shaky breath, her knuckles bright white from how tightly she clung to her bag.

“It wasn’t me,” he admitted. “You can thank Dash. He located and retrieved the pack for you. And Trace rescued Athena from my ship and fabricated the jewelry.”

He touched his face by his right eye. “They’re on with us now.”

Her eyes widened and pink bloomed in her cheeks. “Oh. Hi. Um, thank you so much. You don’t know what it means to me.”

The crew fell silent in his head as she took a shuddering, unsteady breath. His panic reared up again at the thought of her crying more, even out of happiness, but then she smiled, without a hint of a quiver in her lush mouth.

“I hope I can repay you all someday, for your kindness.”

He unclasped her right hand from its death grip on the canvas and raised it to his lips to kiss the back of her hand. “A gift requires no repayment, dear one,” he murmured, inhaling the soothing fresh-air scent of his mate’s skin.

“I get that,” she said. “But—”

She bolted upright, snatching her hand away from him then cuddling with her knapsack once more. “ Ohmigod! They can see me! I’m naked!”

He switched off the vid feed quickly. They hadn’t been able to see much of his little mate, and only what he himself was viewing in the moment. That meant, given the size of her bag, his teammates likely had the privilege of seeing portions of her torso. The smooth slope of her shoulders. Her beautiful face, damp with tears. Her big blue eyes, and her wild, wonderful hair.

“They can no longer see you, Calie.”

“ Ohmigod! ” She squeaked again, continuing to use her sack as a cover. Then with a quick jerk, she plopped it aside and shuffled through the clothing, scrambling to don a shirt and pants as fast as she possibly could.

He stalked over to his storage unit to don a new uniform, his weapons and boots. His little mate would likely appreciate everyone being fully clothed. Cyborgs had no issues with others seeing their bared bodies. However, the humans of this galaxy, the Terrans, also had hangups about public nudity. Apparently, they’d shared that sentiment with their Earth counterparts.

Thinking of the Terrans... At some point on their journey to Terra Suprema, Kaden would need to prepare Calie for what she was about to experience. Who she would meet. Plus... Whether or not the Terrans would allow Calie to return to her home planet was very much up in the air.

Their team leader Rex had already contacted the Terrans but received little intel in response, other than a request to bring Calie to their home world immediately. Rex had agreed, much to Kaden’s irritation.

Kaden wanted to ask Trace to deep dive into Terra Suprema’s network for more information, because the Terrans were usually not so cagey with his people. After all, the cyborgs were the military force for the Interstellar Aurorae Coalition, of which the Terrans were the leaders, and the cyborgs’ clearance sat at the highest level.

The Terrans being less than forthcoming in this instance raised his hackles.

When he turned back to face his female, he found her hovering next to the lounge pad, twirling a braid around one finger while she watched him. The space-blue shirt and pants, both with shimmering silver stripes up the sides, and dark blue, cloth feet coverings fit her well. Somehow, his friends had located somewhat better options than the drab, faded olive garments worn by the slaves of Q’Larev Quarry-09. They hadn’t found shoes in her size. Pity. He hustled into the cleansing chamber to retrieve her boots.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to your blurry, superhero speed,” she murmured as he arrived before her and handed over the boots. She shoved her feet in them then crouched to zip up the side closures.

“What now?” His mate asked.

“Come.” He took her hand and escorted her out of his chambers. He kept his pace at a speed comfortable for her, leading her through the empty corridor to the bridge, where the team awaited them.

Calie’s eyes widened and her lips parted on a gasp as she took in the bridge. He supposed it would be impressive to someone who hadn’t seen much of his world. Cyborgs, along with the Terrans, had some of the most advanced tech in the known universe.

Unfortunately, so did their mutual enemy the Zyphorrans. He shoved that unpleasant thought away as his friends all rose from their seats, watching his woman as her gaze bounced from station to station, then to the outer darkness surrounding them through the three-sixty view from the bridge.

Leading her by a firm but gentle hand on her elbow, he led her to his commander in the center of the room.

As stone-faced as usual, Rex gave his woman a regal bow of his head. “We haven’t been formally introduced. I’m Rex. Their leader.”

“And all-around grumpy guy,” Trace piped up, from next to his communications station, quick to raise his hands and add, “Kidding! Sorry, Cap’,” when Rex shot him a death glare.

“You’re Trace, of course.” Calie’s tone was dry and amused. She lifted her arm. “Thank you again. It’s beautiful.”

His friend grinned from ear to ear.

Kaden introduced Dash, Wilder, and Gunnar in turn, and more thank-yous escaped his kind female. All three men seemed to grow taller upon hearing her words of appreciation and admiration, and he thought they might pull her into conversation, but then a stern Rex jerked his head at Kaden’s seat next to his, all business.

As his friends took their seats, Kaden sat in his big chair and pulled Calie sideways onto his lap, enjoying the blush rising on her cheeks at his display of possessiveness.

“I could sit over there.” She pointed at an empty seat by Trace.

Not happening. “I like you here, dear one.”

“Okay.” The pink in her cheeks deepened, much to his amusement.

The Terrans are waiting to speak with your mate, Rex informed him on their communication channel.

I don’t trust those fuckers. Furthermore, he didn’t want them near his mate until he uncovered their agenda.

They’re our allies, Rex reminded him.

True, but still... They know something they’re not sharing. I can feel it.

Feel it? Trace chimed in. You going soft on us, soldier?

“Trace, open channel to the Terrans.” Rex’s command prevented Kaden from snapping at Trace.

“Terrans?” Calie looked at Kaden with wide eyes, her spine straight, white teeth gnawing on her lush lower lip. “Terra...like...as in...Earth?”

“Not exactly,” Trace replied.

“Trace.” Rex’s stern tone shut the man up.

Calie continued to gaze at Kaden, her worry clear on her pretty face.

“Be at ease,” he murmured, stroking a hand along her spine, hoping to soothe her nerves. Regardless, she was in for a shock. He imagined she presumed she was the only human in this particular galaxy.

Now, she was about to meet her ancestors.