the most interesting things in the universe. Alexa glanced back to see what he saw. Nothing. Nothing but empty space.
There was literally nothing.
When her gaze returned to Hysterian, his eyes were teal.
She blinked. His eyes remained teal.
Hysterian continued to study the habitats like she wasn’t standing right beside him waiting for his response. She studied him while she waited.
He wasn’t at all like what she thought he would be. He wasn’t a robot monster like how she’d pictured him, cold and unfeeling. What stood next to her was a man. A beautiful, dangerous-looking man, but a man all the same. Why couldn’t he be deformed and hideous?
After a minute she gave up. “Is there something you want to know, Captain?”
“Why do you dye your hair?”
“I—”
He faced her.
What to say? Fear zipped through her. “I like the color.”
“It doesn’t suit you.”
“I think it does.”
“You’re too pale. The black washes you out.” He cocked his head and reached up. Alexa stilled as his gloved hand vanished behind her head.
What is he doing?
She felt a tug.
He pulled her bun loose, and her hair fell in a crimped wave down her back.
She swallowed thickly hoping her heart wouldn’t jump out from her throat. Hysterian held her hair band between his fingers.
“You’re naturally blonde,” he said.
How did he know that? “I… Yes…” she stammered.
“Blonde would suit you better.”
“How do you know I’m blonde?”
“I searched the network for pictures of you just now, prior to the dye. You’ve worn it black for a long time, it seems. There were very few of you blonde, and you’re very young in them.”
He just scanned the network while she stood in front of him? Prying into her past like he had a right too? Blood rushed to her face. “You have no right.”
Hysterian shrugged.
“I’m allowed privacy. Even from my captain.”
If he searched too deep into her past, he’d find out a lot more than she would ever want him—or anyone—to know. Yet he didn’t seem to care. He pocketed her hair band instead of giving it back.
“You are, and I wouldn’t snoop on any normal occasion, but I’ve been curious. Most women change their looks to enhance themselves, and you may think you are going black.” He indicated her hair. “But the dye you’re using is cheap. It smells.”
“I haven’t dyed my hair in weeks. There’s no smell anymore.”
“Maybe to you. To me, it reeks.”
Alexa reached up and pulled her hair behind her, stepping away. “I’m not changing my looks to suit you, Captain,” she spat. “That’s beyond protocol. I’m sorry you don’t like the smell. You’re going to have to get used to it.”
His brow arched. “I’m not asking you to change. I’m insisting you use better dye from here on out. I’ll have the replicator make some. Though it would be easier if you stripped it out and went natural.”
His eyes roved over her hair, and she wanted to gather it back into a bun more than anything but couldn’t. It made her uncomfortable, how much he had noticed about her.
“No more of the shit you’re using. It doesn’t work for me.”
The audacity. Her anger took over. “No.”
His eyes finally met hers. “No?”
Alexa stood her ground. “No. You don’t have a say in my appearance. I’ll use what I’ve always used.”
“Not many people have the courage to tell a Cyborg no.”
“That’s a shame. You need to hear it more often.”
“I’m your captain.”
“And I’m a woman, unowned by any man, including you. Do you want to hear about the habitats or not? Because you’re wasting my time.”
His eyes flashed, making her wince. Somewhere behind her the locust banged on the wall of his habitat. Alexa refused to back down, meeting Hysterian’s gaze head on.
He took a step toward her.
She strained her neck but didn’t back away. If he was going to hurt her, so be it. He could not possibly force her to change her hair, in this life or the next. He’d have to hold her down and do it himself…
Pulse racing, she was afraid that might just happen.
He leaned down. She clenched her hands. Cloying heat plumed from him to envelop her. It made it hard to breathe.
When his face was before hers, he whispered, “I’m not a man.”
Her lips flattened.
“I’m a Cyborg,” he continued.
“Are you trying to scare me? Intimidate me?”
“I’m correcting you.”
He was so close they were nearly touching. Every fiber in her body was tense, waiting for the moment he would reach out and make contact. Death or bliss? What would he give