Odium had his female almost exclusively to himself for seven glorious planet rotations.
They optimized the freighter’s systems. He expanded its monitoring range and capabilities. They cleaned the interior of the ship, performed minor repairs. His female drank beverage. They ate nourishment bars.
During rest cycles, he restored his energy levels and held his mostly human while she slept. When she woke, they chattered about missions she’d completed and battles he’d fought in.
They also bred—seven, eight times a planet rotation. Sometimes they incorporated his female’s reprimands into their bonding, when she questioned her beauty or his devotion to her. His female enjoyed a taste of pain with her pleasure.
He relished giving her joy and strengthening her confidence. She only donned her goggles now when they left the ship. And she rarely concealed truths from him.
Her trust warmed his chest.
He had never projected such happiness existed.
As Mercury Minor’s single sun rose on the eighth planet rotation, he assisted her with her flight suit. He’d asked Torque to retrieve ten new sets for his female.
“I normally wear dark green.” She pulled on the garment’s bluish-green cuffs.
“Darker colors allow you to disappear into the shadows.” Odium nodded, approving of that strategy. “That’s why cyborg body armor is fabricated in black.” He smoothed her lapels. “You don’t have to disappear into the shadows this planet rotation. I’ll protect you from any threats.”
“There are threats on your planet?” She gazed up at him. Both her mechanical eye and her organic eye widened.
“There are threats everywhere.” Some of the newly rescued warriors viewed all humans, including mostly humans, with hostility. Those males were restricted to distant terrain, but they had escaped their areas in the past. “Stay close to me.”
He wouldn’t move from his fragile female’s side. His hands skimmed over the weapons strapped to his body armor. Every holster and sheath was filled.
His female was also armed. Guns were hidden in two of her pockets. He’d ensured the weapons were fully functional and immaculately clean.
“I guess I should wear these.” She grabbed her goggles, looked down at them.
He had polished them, restoring the eye coverings to as pristine a condition as was possible. The metal frame shone. The lenses were clear. “If it safeguards your emotional systems, wear them.”
Her trust in him was more than sufficient.
“They give me confidence, remind me I’m a fuckin’ awesome pilot.” His female said that with zero doubt. “I’m not yet ready to leave them in the freighter.” She donned the goggles. “I don’t want to shock your buddies.” She gifted him with a smile.
He stared at her, temporarily stunned by her beauty.
She stopped him in his tracks every fraggin’ time.
“My buddies envy me.” He grasped her right hand, savoring that physical contact with his female, as he led her through the freighter. “My female is strong, is a warrior.”
He would view her battle skills this planet rotation. They were spending the shift training.
The two of them exited the ship. The air was warm. The sky was clear. There were no threats detected on his monitoring systems.
“As you’ve told me, cyborgs value strength. Cyborgs.” His mostly human sucked in her breath. “Your buddies are cyborgs. Can they see my eyes also?”
“We can see your eyes, Odium’s female.” Torque stepped out of the shadows. “And your warrior is right. We envy him. Very few warriors have found their genetic matches and none of those matches have our superior mechanical eyes.”
“Superior mechanical eyes.” She repeated those words as though she couldn’t believe them.
The humans and humanoids in his female’s past had caused her to doubt her merit. Odium wrapped one of his arms around her, pulled her protectively closer to his form. They hadn’t been worthy of her.
She would process her value with him.
“Staunch hasn’t yet blown up the rescue warship.” He addressed his friend, drawing attention away from his skittish female.
“The crew won’t allow him near any missiles.” Torque laughed. “He’s been training with Rancor and Rancor’s female. They team up to defeat him, and that added challenge drains some of his excess energy.”
Odium encouraged the warrior to chatter as they walked toward one of the training rings. His female was positioned protectively between the two of them, was sheltered from curious glances.
She relaxed more and more with each stride. Her body softened against his.
“Beast.” Mohini met them close to the site. “Nice flight suit.” The humanoid grinned. “That color looks good on you.”
“The flight suit was a gift from my warrior.” His female smiled at the Praecipuan.
She had verbally claimed him in front of the other female. That pleased Odium.
He inhaled deeply. And, judging by their scents, there was no physical attraction between the two of them.
His shoulders lowered. He had been mistaken. The Praecipuan wasn’t a rival.
“I want her to be a friend.” His mostly human whispered that verification to him. “And friends should know their friend’s preferred names, right?”
“The sharing of preferred names can be an expression of caring.” He nodded.
She had given him that gift during their first exchange of words.
“Right.” His female took a deep breath, held it for four heartbeats, released it, and faced the Praecipuan. “I would like it if you called me Briella, not Beast.”
“Briella.” Mohini’s head dipped. “That’s a beautiful name.”
“It doesn’t suit me.” As Odium’s female relayed that untruth, she glanced at him.
He frowned back at her and she winced.
His mostly human processed she’d earned a reprimand for doubting her worthiness.
“My name means to enchant, and we both know that doesn’t suit me.” Mohini shook her head. “I can’t convince anyone on this blasted planet to transport me to Keid 9.” Her gaze shifted to Odium and then returned to his female. “You and your cyborg have an extra ship.”
“The shuttle craft was borrowed from another being and has to be returned.” Odium’s female replied before he did. “There must be someone who can help you.”
“The probability of that is 0.1235 percent.” Torque communicated those generous odds at cyborg auditory levels.
“More beings are supposedly arriving.” Mohini shrugged. “One of them might be susceptible to my clearly waning charms.” Her lips twisted. “I thought you were in a rush to rescue more beings. The deal is, you take us to the first friendly planet.” She mimicked Odium’s female’s voice. “And all that.”
His mostly human’s forehead furrowed with worry lines. “I should—”
“We’re training.” Odium scowled at Mohini. She had made his female feel guilty about remaining on Mercury Minor, his home planet. “And we need someone to battle. Are you volunteering for that role, humanoid?”
“And get my ass kicked?” The Praecipuan laughed. “I’ve seen cyborgs fight, and I’ll pass on that experience. Thank you very much.”
“You could fight me.” Odium’s female lifted her chin.
“That would be an ass kicking also.” Mohini expressed more mirth. “I’ve seen you fly. I suspect you fight the same way. No, you should find yourself another opponent.” The humanoid walked away from them. “I’ll talk to you later.” She waved one of her hands, didn’t look back.
“I’ll battle you.” Torque’s eyes gleamed. “Others will want to join the fight also. We’ll form teams.”
That wasn’t the quiet training session Odium had planned, but he couldn’t stop the mock battle from happening. His friend had already sent a message to their brethren through the transmission lines.
“Can we use guns?” his female whispered. “I’m extremely skilled with guns.”
“We’re fighting with guns only.” Odium informed Torque. “Our weapons will be set on stun. Last being remaining mobile inside the battle circle wins.”
That information was relayed to the other warriors.
Within mere moments, cyborgs, humans, and humanoids started arriving at the training site. Excitement buzzed through the transmission lines and in the air.
Odium’s concern for his female increased. There were too many participants.
“You don’t have to fight.” He faced her. “Beings will be in the audience, cheering for the warriors. You can join them. We’ll train together next planet rotation.”
“Fuck that.” His female snorted. “I’m fighting.”
“There’s no shame in standing on the sidelines.” He tried once again to dissuade her. “Mock battles are…vigorous.” They were chaotic and violent. “You can wait until you’re ready to participate in one.”
“I’m ready.” His female grasped both of his hands. “I won’t embarrass you, my warrior.” Her expression was heart-wrenchingly earnest. “I have skills.”
Fraggin’ hole. She believed his misgivings were about her fighting abilities.
“You could never embarrass me, my female.” Odium drew her to him. “I will devote all my energy to safeguarding you.” He kissed her forehead, tasting the salt on her skin. “But the field will be crowded, and there’s a 55.1256 percent probability your goggles will be dislodged during the battle.”
She stared up at him. “Everyone will see my eyes.”
“Everyone will see your beautiful eyes.” He nodded.
“Fuck.” His female looked around them.
He surveyed their surroundings also.
Torque and Lore had assumed the roles of captains and were choosing their warriors. Odium and his female had already been placed on Torque’s team.
98.6236 percent of the fighters were cyborgs. The rest were humans and humanoids. There were also humans and humanoids amongst the spectators.
If his female’s goggles were removed, she couldn’t hide from anyone present.
“There will be other mock battles.” He could wait until she was ready and fight by her side.
She gazed at him for one, two heartbeats. He saw the indecision reflecting in her goggle-covered eyes. His female wanted to fight, but she feared the judgment of others.
“I will support your decision, whatever it is.” He squeezed her fingers.
She squeezed back, glanced at the growing field of fighters. “I—”
“I heard you could fly, Odium’s female.” Grudge’s mate, a human female who was one of the participants, spun her guns. “But can you fight?”
Odium’s female’s form stiffened. Her chin lifted.
“You can’t match my fighting skills.” The human female boasted. “Prepare to be stunned.”
“I’ll be stunning you,” Odium’s female yelled back at her. “You cocky fucker.”
Some of the cyborgs stationed around them chuckled.
“Fuck it.” His female’s gaze met Odium’s. “We’re doing this.”
She yanked off her goggles, tossed them to the side.
As soon as they left her fingers, her face twisted with dismay. “Oh shi—"
“I’ve got them.” Odium lunged and caught the googles before they hit the ground. “They’ll be safe with me.” He carefully placed them in one of his holsters.
“Thank you.” His female patted his chest. “Those goggles are important to me.”
He processed the eye coverings had emotional significance. She touched them often.
“But I don’t need them to fuck some beings up.” His female returned her attention to Grudge’s female. “You’ll be the one stunned.” She glowered at her opponent. Both of her eyes blazed with fierce emotion. “No fully human warrior can match me.”
“Who are you calling fully human?” Grudge’s female ripped her mechanical arm out of its socket and waved it at his female.
His female blinked once, twice.
A grin spread across her beautiful face. “You’re mostly human also.”
“I’m mostly human also.” Her foe grinned back at her.
“Mostly humans and humanoids kick ass.” Grudge and Grudge’s female’s claimed offspring cheered from the viewing area. She waved her detached mechanical arm in the air also.
“Put your arms back on, both of you.” Grudge met Odium’s gaze and shook his head.
Odium’s lips twitched with amusement.
The warrior had his hands full with his female and his offspring.
But their antics and their acceptance had soothed Odium’s mostly human’s fears about the upcoming mock battle. And, for that, he was grateful.
He drew two guns, set them on stun.
His female was by his side. Joy gripped him. He would soon fight, an activity he vastly enjoyed. Energy coursed through his circuits.
His mostly human readied her guns. “She might be able to shoot faster with her mechanical arm.” She remained focused on her foe. “But I can hit a strand of hair from across a field. Accuracy always beats speed.”
“Aim for her chest, not her hair,” he told her.
His female rolled her eyes at him.
Odium’s happiness expanded. He added a reprimand to his female’s ever increasing tally.
“Prepare for battle.” He positioned his big form in front of her much-smaller body, partially shielding her from view.
Valor’s humanoid female stepped forward. Her warrior was on Lore’s team. “The battle begins in 3…2…1.”
Gunfire echoed. Warriors around Odium froze in place, stunned, eliminated immediately.
An adorable battle cry originated behind him. His female streaked toward her target, shooting as she moved. She ran quickly for a curvy mostly human.
Odium followed her closely, downing any warrior who pointed his or her gun in their direction.
Grudge’s female shot in rapid succession, but her aim was wild. Merely by luck, one projectile threatened to hit his female. Odium plucked her out of danger at the last moment, set her back down beside him.
She barreled forward once more. His female was fearless, scarily unconcerned about her own lifespan. But she was skilled. She lined up her next shot, pressed the trigger.
Grudge howled, lunged toward his female.
It was too late. The projectile hit Grudge’s female in the chest, stunning her.
“You fought well.” Odium’s female yelled as her defeated foe was carried out of the training ring. “You almost got me.”
Odium pulled her away from the path of a projectile. “Focus on the next target, my female.”
“I’m taking down the big male.” His heedless female targeted B, one of the two remaining B Models.
That was illogical. The male was a cyborg, was faster than…
She shot B in the right shoulder, stunning him.
Odium stared at the immobile warrior. His jaw dropped.
His little, mostly human female had done that. She had ended the training battle of the largest cyborg in existence.
Your female can shoot, warrior. Torque was the first to express his admiration through the transmission lines.
Other cyborgs echoed his sentiments.
His female had impeccable aim. Pride flooded Odium’s systems.
She also repeatedly placed herself in peril.
He removed her from danger again and again. She fought on, stunning two more warriors.
As the mock battle waged around them, his mostly human’s energy levels lowered. She moved slower, took additional time to set up her shots.
Her victory over B had made her a target. Warriors sought to stun her.
A projectile whizzed in her direction. Odium scooped her into his arms and turned away from it.
A warrior aimed at his right side. He moved again. And again.
His speed increased. Their surroundings blurred.
A projectile flew toward his head. He ducked, rolled with his female.
A frame-jarring force struck him in the gut.
He inhaled sharply and couldn’t move. What…who had shot him?
“Fuck,” his female muttered. “I’m sorry, my Odium.”
She wiggled, was unable to free herself.
His immobile arms and motionless body had formed a cage around her.
“She got you too.” B picked them both up. The now-mobile warrior carried them to the edge of the training ring. “Never underestimate the females. They’re fiercer than they appear.”
The huge male lumbered away from them. There was a 99.5695 percent probability he sought to join his own female and their newly manufactured offspring.
Odium envisioned his female in the late stages of offspring fabrication, and he warmed, all over.
“I didn’t mean to fuckin’ shoot you.” She continued to murmur profanity-laced apologies. “I was setting up a shot and you folded your big body over me and I, without fuckin’ thinking, pressed the trigger. I’m not accustomed to working with other beings. Or to being carried. One moment, my booted feet are on the ground. The next moment, I’m sailing through the air. It is all very fuckin’ unsettling.”
Being stunned was fuckin’ unsettling.
Odium’s mechanics continued to function. He could see and hear, could receive and send transmissions, could monitor the terrain around them.
But his organics were frozen. He couldn’t feel anything, including his female’s touch. And he couldn’t move.
“I kind of like being carried though.” His female’s confession was barely audible. “And I like that I can focus on shooting beings and you look after the rest. I suspect I would’ve been stunned moments ago.”
There was a 99.9569 percent probability she would have been stunned within heartbeats of the mock battle beginning if he hadn’t been by her side.
His female was too fraggin’ reckless with her own lifespan to be left alone. He projected she was as daring in real battles as she was in mock ones.
Odium had to remain close to her. Always.
If he could hold her tighter to his form, he would do that.
But he couldn’t do that. Because she had fraggin’ stunned him.
“We have to train more.” His female stated a fact he’d already uncovered. “Then I’ll know what you’ll do, and you’ll know what I’ll do, and I’m less likely to shoot you in the stomach.”
He would be less likely to put himself in a position where she could shoot him in the stomach.
“I realize I’ve earned a reprimand or two or five.” The delectable scent of her arousal teased his nostrils. His female looked forward to her punishments.
And she had earned much more than five reprimands. His mostly human had shot him, her warrior.
“I’ve accepted that fate.” She patted his chest.
Odium couldn’t feel his female’s touch. Blast it. He detected the movement solely on his scans. That wasn’t at all sufficient for him.
Beings approached them.
“You downed me.” Grudge’s female was situated out of his line of sight, but he recognized her voice, sensed her connection to her warrior. “That was an impossible shot, and you pulled it off.”
“I got lucky.” Odium’s female downplayed her skill. He would reprimand her for that also. “You’re fast.”
“It’s my fastest mechanical arm.” The human crouched beside them. “Are you okay in there?”
“I’m okay.” Odium’s female sounded cheery. “I’m worried about my warrior. I shot him.”
“I saw that.” Grudge’s female’s voice lilted with humor. “Your warrior will be okay.” She shifted her booted feet. “I’m more skilled with explosives than guns.”
“Mom is the best at explosives.” The couple’s offspring joined the conversation. “Dad is okay, but he’s not as good as Mom.”
“He thinks he’s as good as I am.” Grudge’s female laughed.
My female makes the prettiest bombs I’ve ever seen. Grudge, the Dad whose explosive skills were in question, stood next to Odium. We’re lucky bags of bolts, you and I.
Odium agreed with the warrior. Fully.
They were lucky bags of bolts.
His female chattered with her new friends about placement of explosives, battle strategies, and mechanical parts.
Odium listened to his mostly human and learned more about her as he waited for his mobility to return.