Containing Malice (Rebel Cyborgs #1) - Cynthia Sax Page 0,54

relaxed.

“You must be Malice.” The female cyborg studied him. “I’m Cadet.” She verified her identity. “This is Rancor.” She indicated the remaining D Model. “And Grudge.”

The C Model with the mismatched arms nodded at him.

“My human is Medic Illona.” Malice continued the introductions. “The E Model is Valor, my friend.”

“You mentioned the E Model.” The female cyborg wrinkled her nose at Valor. “And yourself.” Her gaze returned to him. “But you didn’t request a transport for a human.”

Many of their kind didn’t like humans. He had been in that group mere planet rotations ago.

“She’s coming with us.” That was non-negotiable for him.

“I make the decisions.” The female cyborg frowned at him. “Not you.”

“If she isn’t coming with us, I’m staying here.” He wasn’t leaving her. Ever.

“I’m staying also.” Valor wrongly projected Malice would allow that to happen.

He would toss the E Model into the ship himself if the male insisted on staying with them. One of them should be free, and his friend deserved some happiness.

“A Humanoid Alliance ship is en route to this planet.” The female cyborg ignored Valor. Her focus remained on Malice. “You’d allow yourself to be recaptured, give up your freedom for a human female?”

“I would give up my lifespan for my human female.” Malice scowled at Cadet. “She—”

“No.” His little medic pushed her fragile form forward yet again. “Go with them, Malice. Leave me here.”

“I am not leaving you.” He glared at her. “You’re mine.”

“That must be a C Model phrase.” The female cyborg muttered that bizarre comment, her tone bemused.

“Take him with you.” Illona shifted her attention to Cadet, appealing to her instead of to him. “Malice is too honorable to leave me here, but he has to do that. The Humanoid Alliance will decommission him if he’s recaptured.”

“Honor isn’t why I won’t leave you.” He yelled that truth at his infuriating human. “You’re mine.”

“I won’t ever use that phrase with a certain E Model.” Cadet continued her irrational side conversation with herself. “That tradition stops with me.”

“You will leave me.” Malice’s female raised her voice also. “Or-or-or…”

“Or what?” He stepped closer to her.

His little medic got that look in her eyes that she always did before she did something suicidal.

“No.” He bellowed at her.

“Yes.” She lifted her gun, pointed it under her chin. “If you don’t go with them, I’ll shoot myself. Then I’ll be dead, and you’ll have done the honorable thing for no reason.”

“I’m not doing the honorable thing.” His frustration meshed with his anger and his fear. She was intent on killing herself and that would kill him. “You’re mine. I don’t give a frag about honor.”

“But I do miss Dad.” The female cyborg sighed. “I look forward to returning home, seeing him and Mom.”

Should I tell the medic her gun’s setting is on stun? Valor’s transmission lilted with amusement.

If you tell her that, I’ll pound you into the ground. Malice watched his tiny human. Being stunned wouldn’t end her lifespan but it would hurt her.

“Give me the gun, female.” He raised his hands slowly, careful not to spook her, seeking to be within easy reach of her, of her blasted weapon. “You made a vow. The only being who will kill you is me.”

And he would never do that.

She belonged to him.

He would damage her. Temporarily. Their next breeding would be extremely rough. But he would die before he allowed anyone, including himself, to permanently damage one hair on her head.

She was his and he would safeguard her. Closely.

Chapter Fifteen

Illona pressed the muzzle of the gun against her skin. The metal was cool. Her resolve was firm.

This was the right action to take.

The cyborgs hated her. The D Model, Strain, had wanted to kill her. The leader, Cadet, had sent the warrior back to their ship, but the female cyborg likely hated her also.

That was understandable. Humans had caused them so much pain and torment.

The cyborgs wouldn’t allow her on their vessel, and they wouldn’t rescue Malice and Valor if her warrior insisted on taking her with him. He must have known that. That was why he hadn’t mentioned her existence to them before they arrived.

Malice couldn’t stay on the planet with her. If the Humanoid Alliance apprehended him, he would die. And then she would die due to the tremendous guilt that would cause her…and due to her broken heart. She loved the big male, likely had loved him since the first moment they met.

Illona would do anything to save him.

That included discarding her honor and abandoning the