Chapter Two

Steele

I waited while Dr. Star administered the nanites and a sedative. "May I stay with her? Even though we just met, she is my genetic mate."

"Please, I don't want him to leave," Zaya asked.

"Of course, although the sedative I gave you will make you sleep for several hours while the nanites do their work."

"That's okay. I just want to be there." I spoke.

Zaya was already drifting to sleep by the time she arrived at her hospital room and was transferred to the bed. After the attendant left, I took her hand in both of mine and said, "Don't worry about anything. I will watch over you while you sleep, and I will be right here when you wake up."

"Good, Thanks… For everything." Within seconds, Zaya drifted into a medically induced unconsciousness.

I stood there by her bed for a long time, watching her sleep, smitten by how beautiful she was. I hoped she would still remember me when she woke. In some cases, the nanites removed other memories. If that happened, I wouldn't have tried to make her remember how we met. I would simply reintroduce myself and explain how we are connected.

Remembering I brought Zaya here naked, I scanned her while she slept and tapped into the AI network through my internal CPU to order clothing for her. I just picked out some basic attire until she could tell me what she liked and needed. Most people in Montana didn't have much clothing. What they did have was worn out.

The North American Civil Restoration Enclave scheduled regular drop shipments of assorted clothing and various supplies throughout the continent. They'd made a lot of progress in the past six years in their efforts to restore civilization in North America. Factories in towns that had not been bombed had been repaired and were producing goods that so many people desperately needed.

The enclave was part of a government-sponsored organization that built the cyborgs to fight the war. They also stockpiled food, medicine, and supplies for the kind of apocalyptic event the Mesaarkans rained down on Earth.

I spent the entire war in the bowels of the underground facility until Vyken Dark and his four brothers returned from the war. I was one of the thousands of cyborgs in stasis that Vyken Dark and his brothers awakened to help rebuild North America. That was when I learned that the genetic mates we were promised had never been located. There was no database and no clear guidance on how to find our genetic mates. It was left up to us and chance.

It was not as big a disappointment for me as it was for the cyborgs, who had already fought the war for many years before they learned the truth. When I was newly awakened, there was so much to see and do and learn because I had been programmed for war, not rebuilding. However, this was quickly accomplished through our computer links, and we cyborgs became whatever circumstance called for us to be. I felt fortunate, indeed, to have found my genetic mate after only six years of real-time life.

I was stunned that she was astute enough to ask if I was her cyborg when I rescued her. But Dagger Jack and his mate Chloe had been traveling the continent scanning the DNA of females who wished to be matched with a cyborg. That is how Zaya probably knew to ask me.

There was so much I wanted to ask about her. Considering where I found her, I wasn't sure from where she had been kidnapped. There were gangs kidnapping women all over North America. At first, we thought the eastern overlords were collecting women for their brothels, but they soon discovered it was even more sinister. The gangs were kidnapping women and children to sell to the Mesaarkans.

Some of the captives were used as regular slaves, but they used others the way Gar'hako used Zaya. I clenched my jaw, remembering the scene as I had burst into that alien's quarters. His death came far too quickly. Again, I fantasized about killing him slowly and painfully, relishing every scream my technique would have elicited. But I would have to be satisfied with taking care of my newfound mate and helping her find happiness for the rest of her life. Gar'hako could only die once. At least I had the satisfaction of killing the male who abused my mate.

Zaya was alive, and she was healing as I watched over her, enjoying just being with her. I knew what a life-altering event this would be. I couldn't just go back to my job as a protector without taking the time to get to know her and figure out how our lives would fit together.

Lieutenant Hawk had given me open-ended leave to work things out with her.

Zaya

I woke with a start, feeling disoriented but rested. Then I turned and saw Steele sitting in the chair beside my bed. As I looked around, I remembered I was in a hospital. Recent events were kind of hazy, but I remembered Steele carrying me and holding me on his lap against his solid body. I'd felt warm and safe.

"Steele, you stayed." I smiled warmly at him.

"Of course, I stayed." He stood and came to the bedside. "You may not remember, but you are my genetic mate."

"I do. That's the one thing I do remember. Everything else is like a bad dream of a distant memory." I reached out, and Steele took my hand in both of his.

"I won't lie. It's worse than a bad dream. But it's over, and you're safe now."

"I really was the alien's sex slave," I remembered it like I might recall an incident from my childhood. It was disturbing but felt remote.

Steele sighed ruefully. "I hoped you wouldn't have to remember that."

"But you came and killed him and rescued me just like the fantasy I'd had many times since I was taken." I frowned thoughtfully. "But, the rest—I remember it almost like it happened to someone else a long time ago. It's weird."

"That's how it's supposed to work. The nanites are supposed to dim those traumatic memories, but sometimes, they damage other memories. Do you remember where you lived before you were taken?"

"My family ranch outside of Gretchen, though not much ranching has happened there since before I was born. About all I could manage on my own was a garden, some chickens and goats—and my dog." Tears filled my eyes as I feared for them. "They could all be dead; I don't even know how long I was gone. Those guys pulled me out of the garden while I was planting."

Steele was still holding my hand, gently rubbing the back of it with his thumb. "Do you know the coordinates? I can have someone check their status and secure the animals."

"Yes. Great grandfather had a map framed and hung it on the wall with them on it." She gave him the coordinates.

"Okay." he paused for a few seconds while he contacted his Sergeant with the information. "My fellow Protectors, Raven and Trinity, will go to your ranch and secure it. Then, they will report the status."

"Thank you. I'm almost afraid to find out."

Steele tried to be subtle, but he was constantly on alert and seemed very protective. "Dr. Star is coming," he said just before she knocked on the door and entered the room.

"Protector Steele." She greeted him with a nod.

"Good day, Zaya. I'll do a quick scan from my CPU, and then we'll talk about how you feel." The doctor crossed the room, stood by my bed, and appeared to do a visual sweep from my head to toe.

"You have recovered physically to 95 percent. Tell me what you remember about your trauma."

I related the same information I told Steele. "I remember it somewhat, but I feel like I have accepted that it happened and can go on with my life."

"Very good," said Dr. Star. "You appear to have achieved optimal results. I will clear you for discharge."

"Thank you, doctor."

Dr. Star nodded and left the room.

"Oh, no. I can't go anywhere. I literally don't have anything to wear."

"You do, now. I took the liberty of ordering some basic outfits and shoes for you—like what I'm wearing."

I looked at his black t-shirt and khaki cargo pants and smiled. "We will match. They will do just fine. My old clothes were getting pretty thin with patches on patches."

"Anything you need, just ask, and I will try to source it for you," Steele asserted. "And we need to talk about some things."

"Do you remember my telling you I am your cyborg?" His gaze was openly admiring with a hint of desire, and I felt suddenly shy and self-conscious.

"I do," I replied, feeling my cheeks heat.

"I realize that you don't know me, but I want the chance for us to get to know each other. I also want to protect you from being taken again. In order to do that, I need to stay where you are staying. Do you want me to find a place for us to live, or do you wish to go back to your family ranch?"

"I need to get back to my ranch to see if anything's left. There is room for you to stay at my ranch house. While I don't exactly remember what happened, I know I was taken from there, and I'm a little scared to stay there alone."

"I would be worried about letting you."

He went to get the plastic box that he had placed on the chair on the other side of the room. He brought it to my bed and opened it so I could see inside.

"These are wonderful. You don't know how badly I need these. Thank you so much." I smiled up at him, wishing I could hug him, but the box was between us. I'd never been attracted to a male like I was to Steele, and I didn't know how to handle it.

"When you know me better, you will understand that I will do anything for you." Steele reached up, pushed my hair behind my ear, and then brushed my cheek tenderly with his fingertips. "Dr. Star notified me that your discharge is complete. I can step out while you get dressed, and then we can leave."