Dealers' Choice - Susan Hayes Page 0,72

what her lovers would want, and there’d been no time to talk about it.

Vic squeezed her hand. “If that’s what you want, but we had something else in mind.”

“Something safer,” Ward added.

“Safer than here?” She couldn’t imagine anywhere being more secure. Especially with the added measures she’d seen coming in today.

“Your abduction led to a station-wide security audit. Turns out, most of the station has been compromised to one degree or another,” Ward said.

“Only one place hadn’t been touched. The Nova Club. It seems her protocols are so good not even the Gray’s can get past them. It’s the safest place in the station, and it’s our home,” Vic paused, and his next words came out in a deep rumble. “We want it to be your home, too.”

She gripped both their hands tight. “Yes. I’d like that.”

Both men exhaled at the same moment, their relief strong enough she could feel it wash over her like it was a physical thing.

“You didn’t know if I’d say yes?” she asked.

“Well, uh. We hoped…” Ward said,

“But, no. We weren’t sure.” Vic finished.

She wondered if they had even noticed they were finishing each other sentences. They were more in synch with each other than she’d ever seen them. She sat up, still keeping hold of their hands. “I believe you are my vardo. My mates. The males I love and want to spend my life with. Even if that life will be far shorter than yours. I’ll grow old and die long before you will.” And there it was, the fear she hadn’t spoken aloud until now. If they were doing this, they needed to be honest about everything.

Vic reached over and picked up something from her bedside table. “No, blossom, you won’t, not if you don’t want to.”

He held up a compression injector. “This was part of what we wanted to talk to you about.”

She frowned. “What’s that?”

“A present from Denz. He’s been working with the Vardarians to improve the nanotech Zale created.”

A rush of emotions hit her so hard she couldn’t catch her breath. She gasped and fell back against the bed. When she could finally speak, she managed to squeak two words past her lips in a squeaky voice. “Medi-bots?”

“For you. You’d heal faster, have better endurance, a higher metabolism,” Vic started.

“And you’d live as long as we will, assuming none of us gets shot again,” Ward said.

She looked at the injector, then at the two of them. A lifetime together.

“Be our vardi,” Ward murmured, using the Pheran word for female mate.

“Say yes,” Vic added.

It was the easiest decision she’d ever had to make. With them, she’d never have to choose between security and freedom. They knew her secrets, and she knew theirs. They could be happy together. They would be happy together. “Yes.”

They both grinned at her and then smacked their palms together. “She said yes!” Ward whooped. “Quick. Make this permanent before she comes to her senses.”

“I’m never changing my mind,” she informed them. “You’re mine.”

“Damn right you are. Ready?” Vic asked.

“Very.” She’d never been surer of anything. She turned her head, exposing her throat. It was the opposite side to where Beta had inserted the chip, and the symmetry felt right. One had injection had been to enslave her, this one would set her free.

There was a hiss, a brief sting, and it was done.

She waited a second, not sure what to expect, but nothing happened. “I don’t feel any different.”

“It will take time for the medi-bots to start replicating, but in an hour or so there won’t be any traces of your injuries left. You’re as safe as we can make you.” Vic winked at her.

She decided to make another confession. “Good, because I’m not comfortable going out in public right now. It’s going to take me a while to get over that.”

“We’ll help.” Vic said. “And we made some changes to your office while you were recuperating. You’ll be safe there, too.”

“What? When? Have you two slept at all?”

“No,” they both answered at once. “One of us stood watch outside the med-center while the other worked on stuff. We took turns. The Grays won’t be able to access your files again. They’re locked down in ways I don’t understand, but Phaedra herself promised it’s secure. There’s a stronger door, a panic alarm, and a bunch of other changes.”

“So that’s why there was paint on your shirt?”

Vic smiled. “Yeah. Minor repairs after we were finished the construction phase.”

“I don’t deserve the two of you. Thank you.” She