RedeemingZorus (21 page)

His head turned and he groaned.

“What?”

“Someone is coming. If that female has decided to try to
seduce me again I will lock her inside the elevator for a few hours to cool her
down.”

“How do you…oh, that’s right. You can link to your system
without touch. Doesn’t it tell you who is there?”

“We don’t have cameras on Garden. We hate them after being
on Earth. It reminds us of our captivity. When it reaches our floor they will
convey a message signal to me if I don’t automatically open the doors.”

A minute passed and suddenly Zorus tensed. He stood and
eased Charlie to her feet in front of him. “Go to our room now. This is cyborg
business and it is not a female.”

The stern look on his face told her something serious was
about to go down. She hesitated.

“Please, Charlie. This is council business. It’s classified
and has nothing to do with us.”

“Okay.”

She headed for the bedroom but she turned at the hallway
when the elevator doors opened. A black-haired, tall cyborg wearing all black
leather entered the apartment. She’d seen him before on the shuttle they’d
transferred to when the cyborgs had paid off the human who had brought them
from Earth.

“Onyx,” Zorus addressed him. “What has happened?”

Charlie wanted to eavesdrop but then kept right on going to
the bedroom. She even closed the door though curiosity pricked her. She walked
over to stare out window.

* * * * *

“Are we certain?” Zorus tried to suppress his worry.

Onyx grimly nodded. “No doubt about it. When we heard about
the attack on Belta Station we investigated since it’s the closest one to us.
The humans were slaughtered and it wasn’t pirates who did it. We found pieces
of one nonhuman body they’d left behind in a section of the station that was
destroyed by a bomb. It was definitely a Markus Model. It appears they must
have killed the humans.”

“This is alarming. Out of all the stations for them to
attack, I won’t believe it was coincidental that it happened to be that one.”

“That’s what I figured too but I wanted to come to you
first. We need to call the council together.”

“There’s no way they could locate Garden from any information
they obtained from those humans. We are always careful to conceal our
identities.”

“They located where we do our main trading. If they start
searching, they could eventually find this planet. It may take them a while but
I’m alarmed they got this close.”

“I am as well.”

A chill ran down Zorus’ spine. The Markus Model androids
were Earth Government’s failed attempt to create another workforce of
humanoid-looking advanced robotic hybrids by regenerating organic materials.
They were to take the place of cyborgs. The Markus Models had once fooled Zorus
into believing they wanted asylum but instead they’d wanted to capture cyborgs
to trade for their counterparts being held prisoner on Earth.

“We need to be on high alert. From now on we only do
deep-space trading far from here. If they are somehow able to track our
interaction with humans we need to lead them along a false trail. From now on,
we reduce all contact with any and all stations. We’ll need to assign sentry
ships to warn us if they enter this system. I want the
Star
to return to
Garden and the
Rally
is to remain in orbit. I also want the
Vontage
to return. Contact both Flint and Steel and give them my orders. If there’s a
fight, our priority is defending Garden.”

“Agreed,” Onyx sighed. “We really don’t need more enemies.”

“I believed we had destroyed those androids. How is this
possible? I was informed by Flint that they were blown up on the Earth shuttle
Nugget
after our life pods launched.”

Onyx shrugged. “I don’t know. My guess is that more of them
escaped from Earth.” Onyx paused. “I hope you aren’t going to be as stubborn
about them as you were in the past. Flint is returning on the
Star
as we
speak and fully expects difficulties with you. We don’t need to run studies on
something that dangerous to figure out how Earth has made advancements in
technology. We just need to kill them if they come after us again.”

“I learned my lesson.” Guilt and a little embarrassment
spread through Zorus at the memory of believing the androids would make strong
allies against Earth Government. Instead they’d attacked cyborgs and that’s how
Zorus had ended up on a life pod that had delivered him into the hands of
humans on Earth. “I am capable of it.”

Onyx nodded. “How is it working out with your human? It’s
the main topic today—about what happened at the council meeting.” A grin curved
his lips. “I still can’t believe you have one.”

“Go ahead. Make a disparaging remark if it makes you content
to insult me.”

“That wasn’t my intention. I used to dislike them too but spending
time with Ice and Megan has changed my mind. Megan is pretty terrific. If your
human is half as good for you as Ice’s wife has been for him, then I just wish
you well.”

The tension eased from Zorus. “I don’t want to discuss
Charlie but thank you. I’ll meet you at the council building in ten minutes. I
have contacted them and they are on their way now.”

Onyx frowned. “You did?”

“We have a separate link we use to communicate with each
other in emergencies. I’ve related what you’ve told me. I need to tell Charlie
that I have to attend this meeting. Go.”

He watched Onyx leave and then took a few deep breaths. He’d
brought Charlie to Garden believing she’d be safe but now they were under a new
threat
. Those Markus Model androids were dangerous and
obviously hunting cyborgs. Their new adversary had succeeded, where Earth
Government had not, by attacking a station they used regularly for trading. He
didn’t believe in coincidences. He went in search of Charlie.

She stood inside their bedroom at the window, staring
outside, when he entered. Uncertainty was etched her features when she met his
gaze. “Is everything okay?”

He hesitated. “We made an enemy recently who is causing some
trouble. I’m sure it will be fine but I need to return to the council building.
We need to discuss the threat and take precautions to protect our people
immediately.”

“Is this about me?”

He pulled her into his arms, inhaling her feminine scent,
and rubbed his cheek against the crown of her head when she hugged him back.
“No, love. Have you ever heard of Markus Models?”

She paled. “Those are those crazy defense-model androids
that were on the news on Earth some weeks ago.”

“What did it say?” He made a mental note to have someone
hack into Earth’s news bulletins to research any mention of the androids. “Do
you remember?”

“Something about some of them malfunctioned and a number of
employees at a large manufacturing company were killed. Some of the models
escaped. They had a photo of what one looked like flashing on vid screens. They
wanted the public to notify the authorities if we saw any of them. They were
listed as extremely dangerous.”

“They want to find cyborgs and use us to trade for the
freedom of more of their kind from Earth.” He shouldn’t have shared that with
her but he did it anyway. She was his female and he trusted her. “That’s what
the meeting is about.”

“Thank you for telling me. Are they as dangerous as I
heard?”

He remembered the disturbing androids with vivid clarity.
They had given him the creeps. “Yes.”

“Will they find Garden?”

“No.” He hoped not anyway. “We are taking measures to
prevent that.”

Her body softened in his hold as her fear drained away.
“Good.”

He brushed a kiss on her temple. “I’ll return soon.”

“Okay.” She eased out of his hold to smile at him. It melted
him inside when she looked at him that way. “I’ll fix us lunch in about an
hour. Think you’ll be back by then?”

“I should be.” He turned to leave but she suddenly grabbed
his hand. He glanced at her as he paused.

“I love you.”

Warmth spread throughout his chest as he grinned back at
her. “I love you too.”

Chapter Thirteen

Charlie had just started lunch for Zorus when she heard the
elevator doors slide open. She entered the living room to greet him but instead
froze in terror. Darius glowered at her from across the room. Her heart
instantly started to pound painfully hard.

“My father has been hung up with the emergency meeting.”

She highly doubted Zorus had sent his son to relay a message
to her. A sense of dread filled her as she remained in place, unable to move as
a result of her fear. He tilted his head.

“That’s a beautiful expression on your face. I admit, I’m
more than a little aroused by it.”

She found her voice. “You’re not supposed to be here.”

“I’m more than aware and it took me some time to hack into my
father’s security system. The thing about knowing one’s father is learning how
his mind works.”

“What do you want?” She had a sinking feeling that he wasn’t
there to spread joy.

“How have you learned to control my father? Are you drugging
him? Did your human colleagues put implants inside his brain that make him do
as you order?” He started to walk toward her. “You are going to tell me exactly
what has been done to him.”

“Nothing.” She backed up. “You need to leave. Zorus warned
you to stay away from me.”

Rage twisted his features. “I knew it. You made him do
that.”

“I didn’t. He told me that’s what he did.” She bumped the
table, inched around it, and frantically tried to think of a way to escape.
“Please don’t hurt me.”

“I won’t rape you.”

That didn’t comfort her. Her back hit solid wall and she
knew how a trapped animal felt as her gaze darted around the kitchen. She had
nowhere to go. The counters blocked her escape. She didn’t attempt to make a
run for it since she doubted she’d make it past his big, bulky body. Zorus
could move fast and the much younger Darius had to be even quicker.

“You are going to come with me peacefully or I will take you
unconscious.” His hand rose to make a fist. He glanced at it and then her face.
“You won’t enjoy recovering from broken bones.”

“Where are you taking me?”

“I have an acquaintance who is very good at perceiving lies
when humans speak them. He owes me a favor. You and I are going to visit his
home so he can ask you questions.”

“Your father is going to be furious if you hurt me. Please
don’t do this, Darius. I’m not a spy and I’m not doing anything to your dad. We
love each other.”

He snorted and came to a halt a foot from her. “My father
could never love the thing he hates most.”

“I never hurt him and never would.” She hoped he could see
the truth in her eyes since she made sure not to look away from him.

“Are you going to walk on your own or will you make me harm
you?”

“If you want what is best for Zorus, you won’t take me. He
really does love me. Please think before you do something you’ll regret. I’m
assuming you want to make sure I don’t hurt him but you’re the one who is going
to cause him grief. He’s already torn up over the fight you had over me. He
loves you too.”

The large cyborg lunged at her. His fingers wrapped into her
hair at the base of her neck. He tugged on her to propel he forward but it
wasn’t painful. Charlie stumbled, in a panic. Darius refused to be reasonable.
Zorus would come home to find her gone.

As they passed the table, Charlie hit the plate she’d used
for lunch. It slid off the table and crashed to the floor. Broken glass
skittered loudly on tile. It didn’t even slow Darius. He just shot her a dirty
look as he forced her to leave with him.

Charlie didn’t fight though she wanted to. Zorus would come
for her when he realized she’d been taken. The list of suspects would be short
since she’d only been threatened by his son. She just needed to keep Darius
from hurting her until she could be rescued. He shoved her into the elevator.

“Please, Darius. Don’t―”

“Shut up or I’ll hit you.”

She pressed her lips tightly together and they rode the
elevator down six floors then, to her surprise, it stopped and the doors
opened.

“Walk.”

“Your friend lives in the same building?”

He growled exactly the way his father did when he was
irritated. Charlie grew silent again. She knew she just needed to go along with
whatever Darius wanted, to prevent him from harming her. The idea of being hit
or having another traumatic scene like the one he’d provided in the bedroom when
he’d attacked wasn’t something she ever wanted to repeat.

The floor wasn’t one big apartment but instead opened up
into a hallway with doors spaced widely apart on both sides. He walked her four
doors down on the left before he halted. He waited and then the door beeped
before it slid open. He released her hair when he gave her a rough push
forward.

The male who waited inside scared Charlie more than Darius
did. She tried to hide her reaction but knew she failed when icy blue eyes
narrowed in anger. The guy had to be six foot seven, had jet-black hair that
reached nearly to his waist where it hung free in silky waves, and he’d been
damaged badly, judging by the scars on one side of his face. It looked as
though something had clawed his cheekbone in two places, leaving thick, white
lines to mar what would have been a very handsome face otherwise.

“Krell, this is the female I told you about.”

“Zorus will be angry. Are you sure this is a good idea, my
friend? Of all the cyborgs you want to avoid pissing off, your father comes
foremost to my mind.”

Shivers ran down Charlie’s spine at the raspy, harsh tone of
the cyborg’s voice. He flickered his gaze from Darius and then back to her,
where his attention remained.

“She’s attractive. I can see why your father wants to keep
her. She’s too small for my personal tastes but I don’t have the ego Zorus
has.”