Containing Malice (Rebel Cyborgs #1) - Cynthia Sax Page 0,53

dented.

“If they were cyborgs, they’d send you a transmission.” His female glanced at his hands, readjusted her hold on her gun. Her grip on it remained too loose, but she was less likely to stun herself. “Have they done that?”

“No.” Both Malice and Valor answered at the same time.

“We assume they’re hostiles.” Malice positioned himself in front of his fragile human. “Stay where you are, female.”

She was wedged between his big form and the boulder, should be protected from any projectiles.

“Move out of the way.” His female pushed on his back. “There could be numerous beings on the ship. If there’s a battle, you’ll need my help.”

Who is she helping—the other beings? Valor laughed through the transmission line.

Malice grunted and stayed where he was.

The pebbles around his booted feet gyrated as the ship landed. The doors opened.

He ran a lifeform scan and relaxed. “They’re cyborgs.”

He didn’t lower his guns, wouldn’t completely let down his guard until he confirmed they weren’t a threat. The Humanoid Alliance had used him and his brethren to kill in the past.

A D Model rushed down the ramp. He shot the guns out of Malice’s hands while moving at cyborg speed toward them.

A C Model with one organic and one purely mechanical arm followed the male. He shot the guns out of Valor’s hands.

A B Model, a model type Malice believed was extinct, exited the ship at a slower pace. His mechanics creaked.

Fraggin’ hole. Malice’s lips flattened. The three cyborgs sped toward him, toward Valor, toward his delicate female, and they all held weapons.

But they had disarmed him, not killed him. And they had stopped shooting.

He reached for two more guns.

“Don’t draw them.” The C Model aimed at his hands. “Step to the right and we won’t damage you.”

They wanted his female.

“No.” Malice widened his stance. “She’s mine.” He would die before giving her up.

“What’s happening?” Illona whispered that question. “I can’t see anything.” The blasted female ducked under his arm. “I—”

“Human.” The D Model leaped at her.

“Mine.” Malice grabbed him by the neck, snatching the big male out of the air.

The D Model punched and kicked. Malice absorbed that pain and, with a roar, threw the male. His muscles strained with the effort.

His opponent went flying, bellowing with outrage and surprise. He slammed against the side of the freighter, leaving a large dent in the panel, and slid to the ground.

“Fraggin’ hole, he’s strong.” The C Model lowered his body and jumped.

Malice widened his stance, bracing for impact. Their big forms collided, the force of it shaking both of them. Malice ignored the hurt, clasped the male’s shoulders and threw him also.

The C Model was heavier than his brethren. He landed a stride short of the ship, smacking hard against the rock.

“It’s my turn, little C Model.” The B Model cracked his oversized knuckles.

“Stop.” A female voice rang out.

The enemy cyborgs froze in place.

“We prefer not to fight our own kind.” A female C Model with no model number inked on her cheek exited the ship. She was trailed by another D Model male.

Malice had never seen a female cyborg, but he would fight her too…if he had to do that.

“Step aside.” She repeated that ridiculous order. “And allow us to liberate you from the human’s control.”

“You won’t touch her.” Malice had folded his fingers into tight fists. “She’s mine.”

The female tilted her head upward and sniffed the air. “Ours.” She nodded, acting as though that one word was relevant to their confrontation.

Her reply didn’t relay any usable insights to Malice. It was nonsensical.

“She is yours.” The cyborg female acknowledged his claim on Illona. “We’ll merely subdue her, won’t damage her…much.”

“Human.” The D Model growled.

“Strain.” The female’s voice snapped over them. “Enter the ship. That’s an order.”

The D Model bared his teeth at Malice and then obeyed, stomping up the ramp.

“B, accompany him.” The female shook her head. “Ensure he doesn’t leave the ship.”

The B Model snapped to attention and complied with her command.

The female was their leader, had earned their loyalty. Malice narrowed his eyes at her. That wouldn’t stop him from killing her if that was necessary.

“You won’t damage the human.” He wouldn’t allow that. “She’s my captive.”

The female cyborg lifted her eyebrows. “Your captive has a gun pointed at your back.”

Fraggin’ hole. “Illona.” Malice rumbled at his female.

“I was trying to point it at them.” His little medic sounded as exasperated as he felt. “But you insisted on standing in the way.”

She must have lowered the weapon. The cyborgs around them visibly