Chapter Twelve

Zaya

As Steele ran from the Store, Lucy said, "Come around behind the counter with me. We can duck down so they can't see us if they get this far."

Minutes later, we could hear different kinds of weapons fire, so I assumed the cyborgs were firing at the Mesaarkans, who were firing back. The volleys were intermittent, and I wished I could see what was happening. I didn't dare to go to the door and look out.

"I have to say, Zaya. They didn't make the men like that when I was your age. I've seen Ranger Hawk in his armor, but I didn't know it came out of their skin like that."

"It is pretty incredible. The same nanites also heal him when he gets injured. So far, that hasn't happened since I met him."

The weapons fire seemed to be getting farther away, but there was no time to relax because we heard a noise outside the door. Someone tried to open it, but Steele locked it on his way out. When the door didn't open, it was blasted away.

Lucy and I dropped to the floor. I peeked over the counter in time to see a reptilian come through the doorway. I didn't even think about it. I just reached into my pocket and pulled out a pistol, flipped off the safety, jumped up and held it with both hands, pointed it at the reptilian's chest, and fired. The automatic pistol sent three bolts in succession.

The Mesaarkan's eyes widened in surprise, and he looked down at his chest. Then he fell backward and crashed to the floor. I stood there shaking, still holding the gun pointed at the doorway. Seconds later, another figure burst through the opening, and I almost fired again before I realized it was Steele.

He stopped in his tracks as he spotted the dead Mesaarkan on the floor.

Lucy stood up to see what fell, and she gasped when she saw the alien. "Oh my."

"Zaya, it's me, Steele. You can put down the pistol now. It's over. We got them all." He retracted his headgear so I could see his face. I lowered the gun, flicked on the safety, and slipped it into my pocket.

I wanted to run to him and fling myself into his arms, but there was a dead Mesaarkan on the floor between us.

"I'm sorry you had to do this. You did well, my mate. Let me get him out of here, and I'll be right back."

"You were so brave, Zaya," said Lucy. "I don't know if I could've shot that thing.

Steele bent down, picked up one of his arms to pull him up, and hoisted the reptilian over his shoulder easily.

He was back within a couple of minutes. This time, I ran to him and flung myself into his arms, holding back my tears of relief. "I was so scared," I murmured against his chest, hugging him tightly.

"But you defended yourself just like I taught you. I am so proud of you, sweetheart. I had to take out the other four before I could get to you, and that's exactly why we spend so much time practicing."

With Steele's strong arms around me, I felt safe and loved. He retracted his body armor, swapping it out for his clothes.

"Oh damn! My door is ruined," Lucy wailed. "They didn't just knock it down; they blew it to bits. If I had known that, I would have shot him."

"Hey, Lucy! Are you okay?" A middle-aged man came running into the store.

"I'm fine, Artie. Only my door didn't make it."

Steele turned slightly to see who came in but kept his body shielding me.

"Protector Steele and his mate Zaya kept them from doing any more damage."

Steele kept one arm around me and turned us so we were both facing them.

The man called Artie moved toward the counter, and Lucy came out from behind it and hugged him. They were more than friends from the way they held each other.

"Thank you," Artie said, turning to us.

"Zaya, Protector Steele, this is my husband Arthur Brown. He's the farrier here in town."

"Pleased to meet you both." He gave us each a friendly nod, and we returned the gesture. "Lucy, I'll get some boards from the pile out back and nail them up until I can get Nate Travis to make us a new one."

I was glad that Steele was holding me against him because I was still feeling pretty shaky after staring down and killing a Mesaarkan. I couldn't get those eyes out of my mind. He was looking at me like Gar'hako looked at me as he tormented me. Until that moment, I thought I had pushed it all to the back of my mind like an event in my distant past. We had thought they were all gone after their mountain base blew up. But they weren't, and we didn't even know how many were here.

Lucy was safe with her husband, who was there to take care of her and the broken door. I wanted to go home, but I didn't know whether Steele was still needed to help his team finish cleanup.

Steele

"Sergeant Rowe, do you need additional assistance with the Mesaarkan prisoners?"

"We have secured them. Lieutenant Hawk is interrogating their leader while we wait for transport. Per our treaty with the Mesaarkans, we cannot hold them for any reason other than to send them off-world. Thus far, we learned they are not military."

"Then why are they here?" I asked.

"They are slavers specializing in human trafficking. Since the war, elite Saarks have acquired a taste for human pets."

"Like what they did to Zaya." That realization made me wish I had killed all of them. But I knew that would only solve the problem temporarily.

"Unfortunately, yes. I'm sure we all feel the same way you do, Steele. We would not want that to happen to any of our mates."

"My mate is deeply distressed by this attack. She was forced to kill one of the invaders. If I am no longer needed, may I take her home?" I asked.

"Dismissed Protector Steele. Thank you for your assistance."

"Lucy, we'll be back in a few days to settle up for the soap. I want to take Zaya home."

"No worries, Protector Steele. I will credit Zaya's account."

I nodded to her and started walking Zaya out of the store. I suspected she was in shock as she had said very little since I returned. A Mesaarkan attack was the last thing she needed after what she had already been through.

Helping her onto my sky cycle, I quickly climbed on and engaged the cockpit to fly us home. Minutes later, we landed in the front yard. Retracting the cockpit on landing, I swung my leg over the bike's front and got off.

Zaya hadn't moved to climb off. She sat staring into space, shell-shocked.

"Baby, we're home." I gently gripped her upper arms and gave her a little shake. "Zaya, look at me!" I commanded—this time, she did.

"Steele." She reached up and cupped her hand against my cheek.

"Yes, I'm here." I lifted her off the sky cycle, urging her to wrap her arms and legs around me. "You're safe now." I brushed her lips with mine a few times until she kissed me back, and then I deepened the kiss, using my tongue to tease and caress hers.

We kissed for a long time until Zaya was thoroughly aroused. I was already hard just thinking about breeding with her. It would not only take her mind off the shock of seeing and killing a Mesaarkan, but the infusion of nanites with my cum would help recede the memory and balance her brain chemistry.

Most of all, I needed our joining to offer and receive physical comfort and reinforce our love for each other. Cyborgs only get one genetic mate, and Zaya was my one. I was anxious to soothe her emotional damage.

Today's events made me wonder if I could properly do my job as a Protector and keep my mate safe as well. We were already short-handed for this new threat. Lieutenant Hawk requested four more teams to help us find the invaders. I sent the problem to my CPU for further analysis.

Zaya needed my full attention. I carried her into the house and our bedroom.

"I want to breed," she said huskily, kissing my face and caressing my head.

I claimed her mouth in another deep kiss, rubbing her back and squeezing her butt cheeks until she ground her mons against my hard cock. As we ended the kiss, Zaya straightened her legs for me to set her down.

"We have too many clothes on," she said and pulled her t-shirt off over her head. When she was naked, she turned back the cover on the bed and rolled into the bed. I was right beside her a second later.

Starting with a tender kiss on her soft lips, I worked my way down her body, dragging my mouth over her soft, smooth skin, kissing and licking her tenderly. I paused to suck each nipple as she caressed my body. I devoted myself to arousing her to center her mind on my love for her.

Soon, I could feel her relax and give herself over to my touch, letting me please her.

She groaned my name when I reached her pussy and drew my tongue up her slit and over her sensitive bud. Her scent and her taste filled my senses as I licked and sucked her clit. Glancing up, I saw her pinch and pluck at her nipples and continued feasting on her. As her heart rate increased, her muscles tightened, and she reached for her release.

Zaya wailed my name as she came, bucking her hips with each contraction of her womb. I flicked my tongue over her clit intermittently to intensify and prolong her pleasure. It was a heady feeling to know that I could satisfy her so completely.