Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Epilogue

Author’s Note

Other Titles

The Magnificent Cyborg

Cyborgs on Mars

Honey Phillips

Copyright © 2020 by Honey Phillips

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author.

Disclaimer

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or people, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Cover Design by Pro Book Covers Studio

Edited by Lindsay York at LY Publishing

Chapter One

“Keep up,” former Major Wyatt Eaton snapped.

The two men following him gave a lazy salute but slowed to a crawl again soon after. For the tenth time that night, he wondered how he had ended up here. Because you just couldn’t resist the impulse to point out the general’s stupidity. He might have been forgiven with enough groveling—if it hadn’t occurred in front of half a dozen other officers. Now he was assigned to a foot patrol on the outer edge of one of the ring developments surrounding the Dallas Metro area. Even the two grunts accompanying him knew that he was in disgrace and showed little inclination to follow his orders.

He hadn’t even found the courage to tell his brand-new wife that the upper-level government soirées would be a thing of the past. Since he had encountered her at just such a gathering, he didn’t expect her to be thrilled with the revelation. If only he knew her better…

The moment he spotted the stunningly beautiful blonde, he’d been smitten. Even though every man at the party had been at her feet, she had chosen him. After a long weekend hidden away in her apartment, he’d been unable to bear the thought of letting her go and proposed. To his shock, she had accepted, and they had enjoyed a whirlwind honeymoon before he reluctantly returned to work.

When he went home after his demotion, he’d realized he had no idea how she would react to his news. Instead of telling her the truth, he’d made a quick excuse and left for his new assignment.

Thinking about Rebecca now, he still couldn’t regret the hasty marriage. Would she? Especially given his abrupt fall from grace?

He gritted his teeth. He had fought his way up the chain of command once before—he could do it again. Turning on his heel, he scowled at the laggards.

“Listen, you worthless sacks of shit—”

The sky lit up with a blinding white flash, followed almost immediately by deafening thunder. His shocked brain had only a second to register the sound before the impact hit, and he was sent flying as the world went dark.

Wyatt slowly regained consciousness, at first aware of little other than the relentless pounding in his head. What had happened? The last thing he remembered was that stunning burst of light. When he pried his eyes open, even the dim light in the small room surrounding him sent fresh spikes of pain through his throbbing head. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then forced them open again.

There was very little to see. He was tied to a table in a cramped, dirty room, the rough concrete walls stained from years of neglect. The room was empty except for an ancient furnace groaning against the far wall and the red glow from its instrument panel was the only source of light.

What the hell? Where was he and how had he ended up here?

He strained at the ropes securing his arms, but they were thick and well tied. He tried to pull with his legs, but a bolt of pain shot up from his ankle, subsiding into a dull throb when he stopped yanking at the fastenings. Over the clanking and hissing of the furnace, he thought he heard voices nearby. He debated calling out but somehow, he didn’t expect whoever was on the other side of the wall to have friendly intentions towards him. He needed to free himself before they discovered that he was awake.

He concentrated on trying to free his right wrist. The rope abraded his skin and as it tore, his blood soaked into the rope. Had his bindings relaxed, or was he imagining it? Before he could decide, a narrow door opened, letting in a painful flash of light and a cacophony of voices before it closed.

He was no longer alone. A big man clothed in the threadbare remnants of a military uniform had joined him, accompanied by a slender young man wrapped in rags. He suddenly realized that his own uniform had been removed, leaving him clad only in his boxers.

“Where’s my uniform?”

The big man scowled at him. “You don’t need it in here, and there’s enough good material there to save at least a couple of my people from dying of cold.”

“Your people? You mean a bunch of rebels who think they’re above the law?”

The man’s ragged appearance, the ancient furnace, and the squalid conditions came together with a depressing certainty. He had fallen into the hands of one of the rebel groups that were growing increasingly common.

“Above the law?”

The furious question came from the smaller figure. He had dismissed him as representing little threat, but now he took a second glance and realized that the person accompanying the big man was a woman. She threw back her hood to reveal a striking, angular face with big, dark eyes. Long black hair was tied back in a severe bun, but it did little to diminish her impact. She lacked Rebecca’s sensual appeal, but she had a fierce beauty of her own.

“We don’t think we are above the law.” Furious eyes glared at him. “We just want to be treated as equals under the law.”

“Are you licensed?” he asked skeptically, already suspecting the answer. Too many people tried to escape government notice by refusing to register and then complained when they didn’t receive government benefits. He had little patience for them.

“I was registered. Until my husband became ill and was fired from his job. Do you know how long it took to get him into one of the government hospitals?”

“Everyone has to wait their turn,” he said defensively, but he had to suppress a surge of sympathy. He was uneasily aware of the deficiencies in the medical system and its limited capacity.

“His turn?” She gave a bitter laugh. “They didn’t even try and contact him for an interview until a month after he was dead.”

The obvious pain in her voice disturbed him but he believed the government did the best they could. There were simply too many people on Earth—and too many who didn’t want to fend for themselves. But this was not the time for such a debate.

“Who are you? And why are you holding me? I demand you set me free immediately.”

“You demand?” The big man growled. “You would do well to remember that you’re not surrounded by your soldiers now. You’re our prisoner.”

“Why? Do you think you’re going to torture information out of me?”

Mentally, he braced himself, determined not to give in to whatever they planned for him. To his surprise, the woman looked shocked, and the man disgusted.

“Is that how you fucking soldiers think?” the man sneered. “Is that what you would do if you captured one of us?”

“Of course not,” he responded, although he knew that some members of the military had little respect for the unlicensed. Shoving that thought aside, he frowned at the big man. “Then why am I here?”

“The bomb that went off took out the rest of your patrol, but we could see that you were alive. Or close enough. So Nianna here,” he gestured at the woman, “insisted we bring you back with us.”

“Do you expect me to be grateful? After you set off the bomb to begin with?”

He felt a wave of guilt for the two soldiers who had accompanied him. They had met for the first time that day and they had been poor specimens, but they had been his responsibility.

“That we set off?” The man shook his head. “Are you really that fucking ignorant?”

“What do you mean?”

“The government periodically bombs the border between the ring developments and the factory farms, to make sure we don’t get bold enough to try and keep ourselves from starving.”

His immediate instinct was to deny that the government would do such a thing; however, he had overheard several conversations about the growing problem of feeding the population and the lengths to which they might have to go to protect the increasingly barren farmlands. But he had never heard any suggestion that they would bomb people, let alone an area where their own soldiers were patrolling.

“I don’t believe you.” He tried not to betray any hint of doubt, but he must not have been entirely successful because the woman raised her eyebrows.

“Really? Then why are you here?”

Refusing to answer, he attempted to change the subject. “If you were simply being thoughtful, then why am I tied down? Are you going to let me go?”

The two exchanged glances and his heart sank when the big man shook his head.

“We can’t risk you turning us in,” Nianna said softly.

“So you’re going to keep me tied in here for the rest of my life?” An undoubtedly short life.

The big man growled again and dropped his hand to a makeshift knife in his belt. It appeared to be made out of a sharpened remnant of steel with a cloth binding to form the handle, but it was long and sharp and, he had no doubt, effective.

“No, Bull,” the woman said fiercely. “We can’t stoop to their level, deciding who lives or dies simply by whether or not they agree with us.”

The man’s hand dropped away from his knife as his shoulders slumped. He no longer looked fierce, just tired and defeated.

“And how are we going to feed him, Nianna? Whose minimal rations are we going to make even smaller?”

“He can have some of mine.”

He took another look at that striking face, noticing how tightly the skin was pulled over her bone structure.

“No,” he said just as Bull echoed him.

As he looked more closely at the pair, he realized that Bull’s size was misleading. The man’s face was gaunt, his frame stripped down to skin and muscle. These people were starving.

“I won’t take your food.”

“Yeah, right.” Bull looked down at Nianna and his voice softened. “It would be kinder to kill him now. Better a fast death than slow starvation.”

“No! Not yet. I’ll think of something.”

“Can you at least untie me?” he asked.

Nianna took a step towards the table before Bull put a hand on her arm. He shook his head.

“You know we can’t do that. If he gets free, it will endanger every one of us.”

“I suppose you’re right.” She sighed, then looked at him. “I’ll see if we can think of something.”

“A bucket would be nice,” he said sardonically, and a hint of color touched those high cheekbones.

“Bull, will you help him?”

It was Bull’s turn to sigh, but he gave a reluctant nod. She patted his arm and slipped out of the room.

The pain in Wyatt’s head had diminished to the point where the door opening didn’t blind him. He caught a brief glimpse of a cavernous room crammed with people of all ages. A young boy, no more than three or four, gaped at him with open curiosity before the door closed.

“Here’s the deal, soldier. I’m gonna untie you. You’re gonna piss in that bucket and then you’re gonna lie back down on this table and you’re not gonna give me any trouble.” Bull leaned over him, any trace of softness gone from his face. “Because if you do, your head is gonna end up in that furnace and it’s gonna be a tragic fucking accident. You hear me?”

“Yeah. I hear you.”

Bull began untying his feet but although Wyatt watched carefully, he never saw an opportunity to take the big man off guard. When Bull came to his wrists and saw the damage, he shook his head.

“You know that was never gonna work?”

“I had to try.”

For the first time, the hint of a smile crossed the man’s craggy face. “Reckon I’d have done the same.”

He stepped back and waited for Wyatt to stand but as soon as he tried to stand, his ankle buckled. Bull swore and caught him before he hit the floor.

“You’re too much fucking trouble, soldier. Probably be best for all of us if I just broke your neck now.”

He drew himself up as best he could and looked the man straight in the eyes. “Then for God’s sake, do it and quit talking about it.”

This time it was a full-blown grin, even as Bull shook his head.

“Not much for talkers myself. Go on now.” He half-shoved Wyatt in the direction of the furnace and he thought for a second that he meant to carry out his threat, but then he saw the bucket and gave a grateful sigh.

After Bull tied him down again and left the room, Wyatt made a vow to himself. He was going to survive. He was going to survive so that he could escape this place. He had a wife waiting for him.

Later…

Warmth filled Wyatt’s body, radiating from his left side. When he forced his eyes open, he was strapped to a metal table in what looked like a laboratory. A man in a lab coat was bent over a display of monitors and looked up as Wyatt stirred.

“Don’t try and move. You have been restrained for your own protection.”

“What happened?” His mind felt fuzzy and uncertain.

The man bent over him, studying his face. “What is the last thing you remember?”

“I remember… the new assignment.” He had pissed off one of his superiors—again—and been reassigned. “To the Dallas Metro area.”

“Good, good. Anything else?”

He thought there should have been something more, but when he tried to focus on it, a blinding pain shot through his skull, followed by a wave of fiery heat.

“It hurts when I try to remember.”

The man gave him an oddly satisfied smile. “No wonder, W-246. You were in a very serious accident. Your transport crashed on the way to your new assignment.”

“W-246?”

“Yes. I’m afraid that the damage was irreversible. The military has repurposed your body. W-246 is your new cyborg designation.”

“Cyborg?”

In response, the man angled a mirror over the lab table. The left side of his body had changed—it was still a mirror image of his right, but it was now covered with golden metallic skin from his upper chest down to his hip. If not for the color, he wouldn’t have recognized himself as anything other than human. To his surprise, his head appeared unchanged despite the injury he must have suffered.

The shock of his transformation disappeared quickly, replaced by resignation. The fact that Earth Government was turning fallen soldiers into cyborgs was an open secret.

“What are you going to do with me?” he asked, although he suspected he already knew the answer.

“You’re headed for Mars, of course. There is still much work to be done on the terraforming project.”

A faint memory tugged at him—a woman smiling, talking about a life on Mars—but it was immediately replaced by a flare of agony. He winced, and the scientist’s eyes sharpened.

“Don’t try to remember. You suffered some brain damage, and trying to remember will only cause you pain.”

“It burns.” The pain had been replaced by a fiery heat.

“That is part of the healing process. Your nanites create heat as they repair the damage.”

As the pain faded, he considered his situation. Perhaps he should have been outraged at his transformation from human to cyborg, but he felt curiously resigned. And after all, what was he leaving behind? Approaching forty, with an uneven military career and no family, there wasn’t much left for him on Earth. Another memory tried to intrude—blue eyes laughing up at him—but he slammed the door shut on it even as the pain escalated.

“Can you remove the restraints? I assume I need to be briefed for the journey.”

That satisfied smile crossed the man’s face once more as he nodded and bent to loosen the restraints.

“Excellent. This new protocol seems most satisfactory. Welcome to your new purpose, W-246.”

As he swung himself into a seated position, the faint sound of a woman sobbing echoed in his mind, then disappeared in another wave of pain. It was a clear reminder that his past was behind him now. Time to look to the future. Ignoring the curious ache in his chest, he stood up.

“I’m ready.”

Chapter Two

“Are you sure about this, Esme?” Cherry asked as she arranged her friend’s hair.

“Yes, ma’am. He’s the one for me.”

Cherry shook her head as she tucked the last flower in Esme’s hair. The tiny white blossoms were perfect amidst the dark braids, and she didn’t begrudge the expense in the least. Fresh flowers were rare commodities on Mars, but she had a conservatory devoted to them.

“I’m sorry to see you go. You know you’re my favorite.”

“I know you say that to all the girls,” Esme said dryly, arching a fine black brow.

Cherry laughed and nodded, but while she did her best not to play favorites, she felt a special bond with Esme. They had known each other on Earth and while she never discussed her own past, she knew Esme had suffered in many of the same ways and had still somehow retained her spirit. Not only was she beautiful, but she was smart and funny and once a man spent time with her, he always wanted to see her again.

“But if you have to get married, why marry a settler? You know that’s going to be a hard life.”

Earth Government provided the land and the necessities to claim a homestead, but it took five years of hard work to establish ownership.

“Because I love him. And because I’d rather spend five years working next to the man I love than spend five years on a soft mattress with a bunch of strangers.”

Esme stopped and winced at the look on Cherry’s face. “I know I chose to come and you’ve been wonderful to me—to all of us—but I’ve had enough. I want more.”

“I know, sweetie. As long as he makes you happy.”

The girl gave her a quick hug, then winked at her. “No worries there. They don’t call him Big Tom for nothing.”

As Cherry watched the ceremony later, she decided that the marriage might just work out after all. Esme glowed, the white dress gorgeous against her dark golden complexion. Big Tom looked equal parts nervous and thrilled, never taking his eyes off his bride. He was a big, homely man, but he had a kind smile, and from the protective way he put his arm around Esme, she thought he would be a devoted husband. She shouldn’t let her own bad experiences prejudice her against marriage.

Still, she found herself strangely melancholy as the reception started, although of course no one would ever have noticed. She was much too well trained to show anything other than a dazzling smile.

“Howdy, ma’am.”

The deep voice behind her sent a shiver down her spine. He sounded just like Wyatt, but of course, Wyatt was long gone. She refused to acknowledge the familiar ache and forced a practiced smile to her lips as she turned.

It was him. Taller, broader, looking rougher than she remembered, but she would know that smile anywhere.

“Wyatt?” she whispered. Only locking her knees in place kept her standing.

“How did you know?” He gave her a puzzled frown, then grinned again. “I can’t get used to you all using names instead of designations. I’m W-246, the new judge. I didn’t mean to interrupt the celebration. I just wanted to introduce myself. And you’re Madam Cherry?”

He didn’t recognize her? The man who’d spent hours mapping every inch of her body with his hands and lips? They’d known each other for such a short time, barely two weeks, but it had changed everything for her. How could he forget? The room began to spin.

“You’re looking mighty pale, ma’am.”

The voice seemed to come from a long way off as all of her hard-earned control deserted her. She saw him reach for her as the world went dark.

W-246 automatically reached out and caught the woman as she collapsed in front of him. Well, fuck. What was that about? He had heard that cyborgs were frequently mistrusted by full humans and, as a result, they had been banned from Madam Cherry’s Pleasure Palace. However, he was certainly not here as a customer. He had simply come to introduce himself to the local madam as he had introduced himself to all of the business owners in New Arcadia.

As he lifted the woman higher in his arms, he felt a fleeting pang of regret that cyborgs were not allowed in the establishment. He had never seen a more beautiful woman, and the lush curves nestled against him felt as if they belonged there.

“What’s wrong with her? What did you do?”

A big man hurried over to join him, obviously concerned. W-246 instinctively growled and pulled the woman closer. She belongs to me. The thought stopped him in his tracks. What on earth was he thinking? He never had the inclination for a permanent relationship with a woman, let alone one he had met only minutes before.

“What’s wrong?” the attractive, golden-skinned woman at the man’s side asked anxiously. W-246 took in her flowing white dress and the flowers in her hair and the man’s formal attire. Apparently, the celebration he had interrupted was a wedding. Some of his wariness disappeared as he realized that the big man wasn’t there to make a claim on his—the woman.

“She fainted. I just caught her.”

“Oh no. I knew she was pushing herself too hard to make this wedding a special occasion.” The woman shook her head. “Although it’s not like her to faint.”

“Should I call a doctor?” He looked around at the gathering crowd. “And is there somewhere more private I should take her?”

“I can do that,” the big man said, but W-246 immediately pulled the woman tighter against his chest.

“I’ll take care of her.”

“And who the hell are you?”

“Now, Big Tom, calm down. You can see he’s one of the cyborg rangers.” The woman gave his arm a soothing pat.

“Actually, I’m the new judge for this territory.”

Big Tom scowled. “I don’t trust any of you, but I reckon the last judge was all right.”

Impatient to get his woman somewhere safe, W-246 resisted the urge to argue. He knew that only time would convince the settlers to accept him. During his previous assignment at the polar ice cap, it had taken several years for the workers to come around.

Addressing the bride, he repeated, “Where should I take her?”

She hesitated, taking a quick look at the surrounding audience. “Business hours are about to start. Follow me. I’ll take you to her cottage. I’m Esme.”

Once again, Big Tom started to protest, but she patted his hand. “She’ll be fine, honey. None of the cyborgs have ever hurt a woman.”

“I’m coming with you.”

“We’ve been married for twenty minutes. Aren’t you tired of me yet?”

Tom’s face softened as he put his arm around the woman and pulled her close. “Never.”

Esme returned his smile. She led the way out of the room and then out of the building completely. A small white prefab unit was nestled in a curve of the rock wall that formed one of the boundaries of the town. To his surprise, it looked almost… homey. The front door was a soft blue, flanked by two pots full of flowering plants.

“You can grow things outside?” he asked in astonishment. While the town was enclosed in a dome to provide sufficient oxygen for humans to walk around outside without breathing masks, the temperature still plummeted at night and all of the water had to be converted from the subdural ice.

Esme laughed. “Not easily, but Cherry is a very determined woman.”

She opened the door and led the way into a small living room which also surprised him. Unlike the extravagant decor in the main building, the simple white room was furnished with a few pieces of comfortable-looking furniture. The only signs of luxury were more flowering plants and several colorful throws. He carried her to the couch and started to put her down but at the last moment, he reconsidered and sat down himself, still cradling her in his arms.

“I’ll call for the doctor,” Esme said with a worried frown. “I don’t understand why she hasn’t woken up.”

W-246 frowned as well, but the woman in his arms was breathing softly and evenly and he could feel that her pulse was steady. Her cheeks were flushed a soft pink, and she looked so much like she was sleeping that it was hard to believe that there was anything wrong with her. He had the sudden feeling that he had held her this way before, but the thought was obliterated by a streak of pain through his head. He shook it away and nodded at Esme. Better to be safe than sorry.

Esme opened a small desk and tried the communicator, then sighed. “And of course it’s not working.”

Communication on Mars was notoriously tricky. There were few towers to enhance communication, and the frequent dust storms played havoc with the existing equipment, as well as the occasional solar flares. A magnetic shield had been erected in space between Mars and the sun to block solar radiation, but while it allowed terraforming to go forward, it still couldn’t prevent all radiation.

Big Tom looked at W-246 and Cherry, studying the two of them, then sighed, some of the tension leaving his body.

“I’ll go.”

“Thank you, honey.” Esme reached up on tiptoes and brushed her lips against his. “I’ll wait here with Cherry.”

The man looked from her to W-246 and for a moment W-246 thought he was going to speak, no doubt to make some meaningless threat. To his surprise, the other man only nodded and turned to go.

“Do you think a wet cloth might help?” Esme asked.

“I’m about as far from a doctor as you can get, but at least it can’t hurt.”

Flashing him a quick smile, she left the room. She was certainly a pretty little thing, although nothing compared to the woman in his arms. He looked down at her elaborately curled hair and perfectly made-up face and had a sudden desire to strip it all away. Why was he so sure that she would be even more beautiful without all the trappings?

Esme returned with a small damp cloth and he laid it gently across Cherry’s brow. She stirred a little, her lashes fluttering open for a second to reveal sapphire blue eyes before they closed again. He froze as she turned her face into his shoulder and seemed to nestle closer. To his shock, his body responded to the feeling of all of those lush curves pressed against him. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt the least hint of desire and he sternly, if unsuccessfully, tried to push it aside.

“Do you two know each other?” Esme frowned at him.

“I’m sure I would remember if I had met her before.” But despite his words, he still had that odd sense of familiarity. “How long have you known her?”

“Since we were back on Earth. She helped me out of a… difficult situation. I decided to come to Mars with her. She’s an amazing woman.”

He found himself conflicted. On one hand, he found it impossible to believe anything negative about the woman in his arms. On the other hand, engaging in the world’s oldest profession wasn’t the highest recommendation.

“Did you really want to come?”

“Yes,” she said, her face shadowed. He said nothing, waiting for her to continue, and at last she added, “Life on Earth was never… good for me.”

He was aware that despite the best efforts of Earth Government, conditions on the overcrowded and polluted planet continued to deteriorate. He felt a fleeting pang of sympathy before his head began to ache again.

They sat in silence until Tom rushed back in, accompanied by a strange man. W-246 instinctively disliked the stranger—he was far too good-looking and self-assured—and he seemed overly familiar with Cherry’s home.

“Now then, what’s all this about?” the man said in a gratingly jovial tone. “I’m Dr. Kildar.”

“She fainted.”

“Yes, I can see that.” The doctor approached, and it took a surprising amount of self-control to let the man close to Cherry. “It would be easier for me to examine her if you put her down.”

He didn’t like the smug grin on the man’s face one little bit. “You can see her well enough from there.”

“Hmm. Let’s see if we can bring her around.”

The doctor pulled a small vial from his bag and uncapped it. An overwhelming astringent smell assaulted his enhanced senses, and he instinctively batted the vial away.

“What the hell are you trying to do to her?”

“It’s just a restorative.” The doctor shot him a quick glance. “It’s not as pungent to human senses.”

As if in contradiction to his words, Cherry began to cough. A moment later, her eyes fluttered open again, this time fixing intently on his face.

“Wyatt?”

“Yes.”

She burst into tears.

Chapter Three

Cherry drifted, not fully awake, but a few things made their way into her consciousness. She was cradled against a warm, hard body, and she felt… safe in a way that she hadn’t for many years. A crisp, masculine scent teased her nostrils, curiously familiar. She heard voices, a light feminine one and a deeper tone that caused an unfamiliar spark of arousal. It had been so many years since she had felt true desire that she let herself drift in that pleasant moment until an acrid tang replaced the masculine scent and she coughed.

When her eyes opened, she saw Wyatt and the memories came rushing back. He was here, and he was a cyborg.

“Wyatt?”

Even though he nodded, there was still no sign of recognition on that familiar face. Disappointment and sorrow overwhelmed her, and to her shock, she started to cry. She would have sworn that all of the tears had been drawn from her long ago. The day she stood at his memorial was the last time she had cried.

“Cherry! Are you all right?” Esme asked anxiously.

“I’m fine.” She pushed herself into a sitting position and tried to gather her dignity—a task that would be much easier if she weren’t sitting on Wyatt’s lap. “You can let go of me now.”

“Well now, that is a shame.” He gave her that oh so familiar grin as he effortlessly lifted her free and placed her next to him on the couch. How could he look and sound so much like the man she knew and still act as if they were total strangers? Ignoring the pain building in her heart, she gathered her composure and gave the other occupants of the room her most practiced smile.

“I do apologize for interrupting the wedding. I should have taken the time to eat today.”

Esme bent over and gave her a hug.

“I told you that you were working too hard,” she scolded affectionately. “And who’s going to take care of you now that I’m leaving?”

“I will.”

The words came from Wyatt’s mouth but he looked as shocked as the rest of them. “I mean, I wouldn’t be a very good judge if I didn’t take care of my citizens,” he amended hastily.

“Hmm,” Dr. Kildar said. “This isn’t like you, Cherry. I think I should do a quick checkup.”

Did Wyatt just growl? Ignoring him, she smiled at the doctor.

“Honestly, I’m fine. I promise I’ll remember to eat breakfast from now on.”

Sharp eyes flicked from her face to Wyatt’s, but the doctor only nodded. “Very well, but if you have another one of these fainting spells, I’m going to insist on an examination.”

“And I promise I’ll go quietly,” she assured him, then turned to Esme. “You should get back to your reception.”

“That’s all right. We’ve done the important part.” Esme smiled at Big Tom, her face radiant, and Cherry felt a pang of envy at her friend’s happiness. She had felt like that once—for the man sitting obliviously next to her.

“In fact, I think it’s time to be going.” Tom returned Esme’s smile.

Cherry knew that the couple had booked a night in the town hotel. When she had protested—none of the rooms in the somewhat utilitarian establishment were as luxurious as the Pleasure Palace—Esme shook her head.

“Too much history there. We’ll start fresh together.”

Cherry had nodded, but it hadn’t stopped her from sending silk sheets, candles, and fresh flowers to their room. She hoped Esme would understand that it was to help them celebrate, not to bring back memories of the past.

“Yes, indeed you should.” Standing up, she ignored her shaky knees and gathered Esme in her arms. “If you ever need anything, I’ll always be here for you,” she whispered.

“I know.” When Esme drew back, her eyes were misty, but her smile was still radiant when she turned to her new husband. “Let’s go, honey.”

Cherry escorted them to the door and waved them off. Taking a deep breath, she turned to confront Wyatt.

“I do apologize for fainting on you. Thank you for the gallant rescue.”

“Not at all, ma’am. Always happy to help a beautiful woman.”

A memory surfaced at his words. He had said the same thing the night they met when she “accidentally” tripped over something and ended up in his arms. She had spent the next two weeks there—first as his lover, then as his bride. But then he had reported for duty and never returned. The military had eventually informed her that he was missing in action. What happened to him? And why didn’t he remember her?

Her longing to be with him again won out over her common sense.

“Would you like a drink? It seems like the least I can do.”

“Why, yes, ma’am, I certainly would.”

He gave her that familiar charming grin but her heart sank. He was simply responding like any man would to an attractive woman. There was no indication of the special bond they once shared. Should she tell him? So many things had changed since he disappeared. She almost wished she hadn’t asked him to stay, but she turned and led the way back into the living room.

“Whiskey?” She was already pouring the liquid into one of her precious crystal glasses before she realized that his tastes might have changed.

“That’s my preference,” he agreed.

Pouring herself a hefty dose as well, she handed him his glass and curled up at the other end of the couch so she could watch his face. She wanted to shake him, to demand that he remember her, but pain and pride kept her quiet.

“How did you end up on Mars?” she asked finally.

For the first time, his casual good humor vanished and his face hardened.

“The usual way.” He shrugged. “I was a soldier and I was fatally injured. Earth Government resurrected me as a cyborg and sent me here for the terraforming project.”

She had heard enough of the horrors that many of the cyborgs had experienced to know that he was understating, but she let it drop.

“Did you have to leave anyone behind on Earth?” She concentrated on the glass in her hands as she waited for his answer.

“No, ma’am.”

Her eyes flew to his, but the carefree mask was back. She only hoped that her own face did not reveal her heartache.

“But I am right glad to meet you,” he added.

His gaze was frankly admiring but it could have been the gaze of a thousand other men. He was no longer her Wyatt. No, she decided. She wasn’t going to tell him. Her chest ached as part of her protested the decision, but she ignored it.

“I’m certainly pleased to have met you too,” she lied smoothly as she gulped her drink, welcoming the fiery burn. “But I’m afraid I’m still feeling a little shaky. If you don’t mind…”

“No, of course not.” He rose hastily to his feet and followed her to the door. “But perhaps once you are feeling better, we could further our acquaintance?”

She knew it was a terrible idea. She knew that it would only lead to heartache. She opened her mouth to tell him no. Instead…

“Yes, Wyatt. I’d like that.”

W-246 found it surprisingly hard to leave the beautiful woman and her peaceful home, but he forced himself to bow over her hand. Giving in to a long-forgotten instinct, he raised her hand to his mouth and brushed his lips across the silky skin. A faint exotic fragrance teased his senses and he wanted to pull her closer, to explore every inch of that lush body. Instead, he raised his head and stepped back. He had work to do. He couldn’t linger, even if she was the first woman to stir his interest in years.

Returning to his new office, he pulled out a stack of paperwork to enter into the somewhat antiquated computer system. Mars used an odd combination of modern and ancient technology. Based on the stacks of paper, it seemed that old technology was predominant amongst the settlers.

He had been a late selection for the cyborg program and arrived on Mars close to the end of the initial terraforming phase. Assigned to the polar ice cap, he had overseen the final construction of the massive power plants located there, and once they were completed, he had stayed on to assist in the transition to human workers. Up there, everything had been automated. Down here, no one had invested in a technology infrastructure except GenCon, the massive corporation investing in the settlement, and they seemed to have restricted it to their own use.

As he began entering the data, he sighed. This was not what he expected when he had awoken as a cyborg. The human part of him had actually been excited about the idea of pioneering a new planet. With no family on earth to miss him, he had surprisingly few regrets about the transformation—although he still didn’t remember the incident that had injured him so badly. But the scientists had assured him that some short-term memory loss was common with the transition.

He rubbed his ribs, feeling the titanium bones beneath the metallic flesh, and tried once again to remember the fatal accident, but pain speared through his head as it always did when he tried. Something about the beautiful woman—Cherry, he reminded himself—made him want to remember the past. He knew it was foolish. Why would she be interested in his past? But she had said they could meet again. Did she really mean it? And for that matter, what did she mean by meet? After all, she was the owner of a brothel. Could she have meant something more intimate? To his astonishment, his cock responded to the thought. It had been so long since he had thought of anything sexual and yet she had aroused him twice in one evening.

He tried to force his mind back to his work but every time he paused, he ended up thinking about her. As a result, he ended up working all night. When the pale Martian sun crept through the window, he gave his clean desk a rueful glance. If nothing else, she had been good for his productivity. Was it too soon to go visit?

He reached for his hat, then came to an abrupt halt. No woman would appreciate a visit just after dawn. With a sigh, he sat back down and began reviewing old case records. He might as well start becoming familiar with the type of trouble he might expect in New Arcadia.

Chapter Four

By the time mid-morning rolled around, Wyatt was pacing restlessly. He didn’t understand why he felt so compelled to visit the woman. While it was true that he’d had his fair share of feminine companionship in his younger days, perhaps too much, he had lost interest as he grew older. Certainly no one had captured his interest enough to make him regret leaving Earth. But this woman… Cherry, he had to remind himself again. For some reason, the name just didn’t seem to fit.

To hell with it. Surely it was late enough for a friendly visit. He was out the door and halfway down the street before he remembered to reduce his speed to an approximation of a normal human walk. He received a few glares from miners conducting their business in town, but he ignored them. The humans would accept him or not; it made little difference to him.

As he rounded the corner of the brothel, he saw that the flowering plants were in place beside the door and suddenly wished that he was bringing her flowers. He shook his head at his own romantic impulse. He doubted a woman of her experience would be impressed by flowers.

Thump. Thump. Wincing, he realized that his knock had sounded more like a demand than a request.

“What in the world…?”

Cherry opened the door and his mouth went dry. Her hair was down around her shoulders, her face bare of makeup, and she was wrapped in a simple white silk robe, but he had never seen anyone so beautiful in his life. That odd feeling of familiarity washed over him again before he was distracted by the knowledge that she was obviously naked under the thin fabric. Most of the blood in his body rushed to his erection and his usual charm deserted him.

Cherry stared up at him and a flash of what looked like pain crossed her face before her lips curved up in a slow, sensuous smile.

“Why, Judge, I didn’t realize you’d be… up so early.”

The glance she swept down over his body left no doubt as to the double entendre. Dammit. He did his best to force his cock back under control and when that failed, resorted to a nonchalant grin.

“A beautiful woman tends to have that effect on me, ma’am,” he drawled.

One brow flicked up. “Any beautiful woman?”

“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never met one as beautiful as you before.”

She laughed and shook her head, sending a hint of exotic perfume his way. “Nice save. Are you ever at a loss for words?”

“Not often,” he admitted.

“And why are you trying to knock down my door so early this morning?”

“I waited as long as I could,” he said truthfully before he realized how desperate that made him sound. “I figured everyone was up and about by now.”

“Some more than others.” Her eyes dropped to his crotch again, but she sighed. “I suppose you’d better come in. Would you like some coffee?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

He probably should have waited politely in the living room, but instead he found himself following her into the miniature kitchen area, curiously reluctant to let her out of his sight.

The small kitchen was barely large enough for the two of them and she kept brushing against him as she brewed a pot of coffee and placed it on a tray with two sturdy mugs and a crystal sugar bowl. The rich smell of coffee filled the room, but he could still detect a hint of that oddly familiar perfume and her nearness had done nothing to diminish his arousal.

“You’re going to have to let me out of the kitchen if you want this coffee.” Blue eyes laughed up at him.

“To hell with the coffee.”

He took the tray out of her hands and shoved it back on the counter, then put an arm around her waist and tugged her up against him. Fuck. Her lush curves fit against him as if she belonged there.

“Wyatt?”

The laughter had died out of her eyes as she studied his face intently. She was the only one who called him by his name in years, but it sounded right on her lips.

“Yes, ma’am?”

For a moment, he caught a flash of sorrow in those big blue eyes, but then it disappeared and her lips curved up. Full red lips that promised pleasure.

“Judge, I do believe you are manhandling me.”

“Yes ma’am. And unless you object, I’m going to continue.”

An almost imperceptible pause and he found himself holding his breath. Had he ever wanted anything more?

“Maybe just a little kiss—”

He didn’t give her the chance to continue. His head descended. A long time ago, he had been considered a ladies’ man and he knew how to please a woman, how to coax and tease. That knowledge deserted him now, replaced by raw hunger. He forced her lips apart, invading her mouth and groaning with pleasure at her sweet taste. Perhaps he could have forced himself back under control, but she met him just as hungrily, her arms winding around his neck, her breasts rubbing against his chest. He started to raise his head and she murmured a protest.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he growled as he lifted her into his arms. Her legs wrapped around his waist and he could feel the damp heat of her cunt pressed against his aching shaft. He rubbed her slowly over the hard bar of his erection and she cried out, her nipples branding his chest.

“Bedroom?” he managed to get out. His words had deserted him. She seemed equally speechless, gesturing vaguely towards the back of the house.

No matter. It was a small house; it wouldn’t be hard to find.

Even in the few seconds it took to reach the bedroom, she had his shirt unbuttoned, her hands eagerly exploring his flesh, seemingly unfazed by the metallic skin covering his left side. Her mouth was urgent on his neck, sucking and biting, each touch adding to his arousal.

By the time he dropped her on the big white bed, his cock threatened to tear open his pants, but he had recovered enough of his senses to want to please her first. The white robe parted easily, revealing her naked body and bringing him to a halt. She’s perfect. Full breasts, big dark nipples, a softly curved waist, full hips perfect for his hands, and between them—naked pink folds already glistening with desire. The heady scent of her arousal washed over him and he lost control again, spreading her legs and burying his face in the sweetest, wettest cunt. Her taste exploded in his mouth, tantalizingly familiar, but he was too driven to stop. He wanted—needed—her to climax, to come apart beneath his mouth and his hands. The small pearl of her clit was already swollen and hard when he drew it into his mouth, licking and sucking with desperate intensity. Her hands were in his hair, and he could hear her calling his name, his human name, and he was on the verge of his own climax as she exploded in a rush of liquid heat.

Satisfaction filled him as he gentled his mouth and slowly brought her down. When he raised his head, she was smiling but her eyes were wet.

“Is something wrong?”

“No. I just haven’t—”

An urgent knock interrupted her.

“Ignore it,” he urged.

“I… I can’t. Someone might need me.”

Frustration and a jealousy he did not want to acknowledge filled him as she drew away and pulled her robe back around her.

“Isn’t it a little early for another customer?” he snapped, and immediately regretted it. “Cherry—”

Her body had frozen momentarily at his question, but at the sound of her name, she shuddered. Without glancing in his direction, she tied her sash around her waist.

“Fuck, I’m sorry.”

She didn’t bother to reply, sweeping out of the room in her simple white robe like a queen ignoring a peasant.

Frustrated, he hesitated. Should he wait and try to apologize again? But then he heard her visitor’s voice—a young woman claiming that her baby had been stolen. His desire to apologize would have to wait. That didn’t stop it from stinging when Cherry dismissed him so easily, but he had a job to do. Once again, he found himself leaving her house and fighting the urge to remain.

How could she have forgotten? Cherry berated herself as the door closed behind Wyatt. If only he weren’t so familiar. They had been together less than two weeks but every second of that time was embedded in her memory. The same was obviously not true for him. Yet when he had kissed her, the same hungry kiss she remembered so well, her usual caution had disappeared and she had given in to the longing to be with him. And he had fulfilled those memories, wringing a climax from the body that still remembered his touch. Then it had all gone wrong. Even though she had seen his immediate remorse at his words, the damage had been done.

He didn’t know her. He didn’t even know her real name.

But there were more important things than her heartache. She put a comforting arm around Daisy, doing her best to comfort her sobbing friend.

“What happened?” she asked as she prepared a mug of strong tea with a liberal helping of sugar. She forced herself to ignore the coffee pot and the memory of Wyatt.

As Daisy told her about the man from her past who had reappeared, strangely transformed, and stolen her baby, she frowned thoughtfully.

“You said that your husbands were going to GenCon to start looking?”

“Yes, because he had been altered in some way.”

“Hmm. I wonder…”

“What?”

“My friend Hattie had problems with GenCon over the boundary to her claim. I think there’s something out there—maybe even a place where an altered human might be hiding.”

“Do you think so?” Daisy jumped up, green eyes wide. “We have to tell Jonah and Bill.”

“They’ve already gone after GenCon and I don’t want to distract them. But let me see if Hattie’s husband is available.”

Hattie was also married to a cyborg. Hopefully, he could go check out the site on their claim. She hurried over to the communicator, which fortunately decided to work. After a short conversation with Hattie, she turned back to Daisy.

“She said Morgan is in town. Let me get dressed and we’ll go to Ranger headquarters and see if we can find him.”

A few minutes later, they were on their way. Morgan was at headquarters, along with several other cyborgs. He nodded grimly at her question.

“Yeah, GenCon has a whole facility out there. We’ll go check it out.”

The other men nodded and followed him as he hurried out of the building to the stables, the two women scurrying behind them. All of the rangers rode mechanical horses modeled on the legendary Earth animals.

“I want to come,” Daisy implored. “Even if it’s a wasted trip, I feel better to be doing something.”

Morgan hesitated, clearly torn.

“I’ll come too,” she said quickly. “You know Hattie would tell you to let us come.”

A grin lightened his grim face.

“I can’t argue with that. Grab a breathing mask. Daisy, you go with Clint. Cherry, here with me.”

A minute later, they were streaming out across the plain. She rarely made it outside the city, but she had no time to see more than a dusty orange blur as they raced across the desert and along a tall rock escarpment. They seemed to be headed for a dead end. When they reached it, she saw an opening in the rock wall where a section of it had been peeled away like a giant door.

“Someone’s in there,” Morgan said grimly. “You two should wait out here.”

The words had hardly left his mouth when Daisy bent low over the big red stallion she was riding and whispered in his ear. The horse took off as Morgan swore and followed.

They passed through the tunnel and emerged in an enormous cavern. A city was being built within the cavern, large white buildings set in spacious gardens that reminded her of the propaganda images so prevalent on Earth and so distant from reality. But the mysterious city didn’t matter.

What mattered were the four cyborgs holding a baby carrier.

At the sight of them, Daisy pressed her tiny heels into the horse’s sides and he leapt forward. By the time Cherry and the rest of the cyborgs caught up, she was bent over the baby carrier, her face wreathed in smiles, and both of her husbands had their arms around her. An ache started in Cherry’s chest.

This was what she wanted—that loving closeness that she thought she had found once before.

Wyatt looked up and gave her a tentative smile, but seeing the love between Daisy and her husbands had made her realize that she wouldn’t be satisfied with anything less. Pretending that she didn’t see him, she pulled out one of her practiced smiles and aimed it at the group.

“I think this calls for a celebration.”

Chapter Five

One week later…

W-246 stood on the far side of Cherry’s living room and tried to control his frustration. It was the first time he had seen her in person since their disastrous encounter a week ago. He had visited her house several times, but she refused to come to the door. He had debated on confronting her at Madam Cherry’s Pleasure Palace but in the end, he couldn’t face the thought of her rejecting him in front of others. He wouldn’t have been here now if it weren’t for the fact that he hadn’t been one of the cyborgs to rescue the kidnapped baby and had seen a miracle occur—the baby had received a transfusion of cyborg blood and it had infused his blood with nanites, allowing him to breathe the thin Martian atmosphere.

The purpose of the gathering was to discuss using the same technique on their human wives, but he only half-listened as Addie, the scientist wife of the previous judge, warned them about the possible side effects of a transfusion. She was working on an artificial way to introduce nanites and after she explained some of the potential dangers of uncontrolled nanites, the group agreed not to make any similar attempts.

As the discussion moved on to the danger represented by GenCon’s latest invention—a new type of cyborg built using a hybrid of techniques—they were interrupted by Serena Gatling. The icy blonde warned them that they should establish their own government, one free from Earth Government’s interference, if they wanted to have any hope of controlling GenCon. The idea of the rebellion called to some part of him and felt oddly familiar. After a short conversation about spreading the word to the settlers and the other cyborgs, the group disbursed.

As everyone began to file out of the room, he managed to make it to Cherry’s side and put a restraining hand on her arm before she could disappear once again. Jonah, one of Daisy’s husbands, stopped and frowned at the two of them, looking from his face to Cherry’s.

“Is everything all right, Cherry?” Jonah asked.

“Yes, it’s fine,” she said with a pleasant smile. Why was he so sure that the smile was a lie? “This will only take a minute.”

As soon as the door closed behind everyone, she snatched her arm out of his grip. He could easily have restrained her, but he didn’t want to force her to do anything other than to listen to him.

“You didn’t give me a chance to tell you how sorry I am.”

For a second, her face softened.

“I know you are. We all say stupid things occasionally, and you’re certainly not the worst.”

“Then I can see you again?” He stepped closer, longing to touch her soft skin once more. To his dismay, she moved away.

“I can’t, Wyatt. I mean, W-246.”

The use of his designation sounded so wrong on her lips.

“Why not?”

“We were… acquainted. Before.”

“I don’t believe it. I know I would have remembered you.” Despite his protest, he was not quite as sure as he would have liked. He didn’t remember her, and yet… she didn’t feel like a stranger.

“I believe that you don’t remember me.” Her face lost its usual composure and for a minute he caught a glimpse of pain so deep that his own heart ached. “But maybe it’s for the best. We’re very different people now.”

“Can’t we get to know each other again?”

“I can’t!”

The intensity in her cry shook him and he instinctively took a step forward, wanting to comfort her. But instead, she turned away and when she looked at him again, all traces of emotion had been wiped from her face.

“I think that ship has sailed. Now, I’ve got a wedding to attend. You’re… welcome to join us.”

“I don’t think so. But thank you for the invitation,” he added, recognizing her reluctance.

She gave a swift nod and whisked herself out the door without another word. Why did he feel as if he had lost something critical? Sure, she was beautiful, and yes, it had been a long time, but this felt like more. He rubbed his chest and sighed.

If there was one thing he had learned as a cyborg, it was how to live with pain.

One month later…

“You can’t throw me out of here,” the skinny man snarled at Cherry.

“I most certainly can. This is my establishment, and I say who can visit and who cannot.”

“But I’m a regular,” he whined.

Cherry barely refrained from rolling her eyes. To the best of her excellent recollection, Nicky had come in exactly once before after a rare win at cards. Usually, he was broke and bumming drinks anywhere he could find them. It was a shame, really—she could see the remnants of a handsome man beneath the ruins—but she had long ago learned that the present was what counted.

“Even if that were true, I still wouldn’t put up with your attitude,” she said briskly.

“What attitude?”

“You know that the cyborgs are now welcome in my establishment.” They had originally been forbidden because of the tension between human and cyborg but if they were to work together to establish a new government, then the humans had to learn to accept them. It had been easier than she expected. Most of the settlers had already become accustomed to the cyborg rangers and, aside from some initial grumbling, they had accepted the change. The man in front of her was one of the exceptions. When he saw the girl he had his eye on leaving with one of the cyborgs, he had objected. Loudly and profanely.

“So I don’t like the fucking machines. That doesn’t give you the right to—”

“I’m not going to ask you again. Leave.”

“You can’t make me.”

“I most certainly can. Now go.”

As she turned away dismissively, Nicky snarled again and drew back his fist.

“You fucking bitch.”

The blow caught her across her cheekbone. It wasn’t the first time she had been hit there but the pain never lessened. Refusing to acknowledge the blow, she pulled a small pistol from her corset and dug it beneath his waistband.

“You leave now or you’ll be missing a small—” she pressed the gun lower “—part of your anatomy.”

He paled and the fight died out of his face. Raising his hands, he stepped backwards until he had passed through the wide double doors. Unfortunately, he regained his courage once he was on the other side and started yelling threats.

“I don’t like the sound of that,” Mary said. A big, jolly woman with a kind face, she was one of the most popular women in the Pleasure Palace. She was the one who had come to find Cherry once Nicky became abusive.

“He’s all talk,” she said dismissively.

“That bruise on your cheek argues otherwise,” Mary said dryly. “You need to let Judge W know.”

Her initial emotion was an overwhelming agreement. Even though she had been the one to establish the boundaries between them, she desperately wanted to see him. During the day, she could keep busy enough to push him out of her mind, but at night, alone in her bed, he haunted her. But her very eagerness to see him reminded her why she should not. He wasn’t her Wyatt anymore.

“I really don’t think that’s necessary.”

“Listen, Cherry, I know you think you can take care of yourself, but think about the girls. What if Nicky goes after one of them? You know his kind—he’s not going to believe a woman is a threat. Let the judge deal with him.”

She nodded reluctantly, knowing Mary was right.

“All right. I’ll go see him in the morning.”

“Good,” Mary said briskly. “I don’t suppose you’d consider going home and getting some rest, would you?” Shrewd eyes studied Cherry’s face.

Another night lying awake thinking about Wyatt? She shook her head.

“I’ll just cover up the damage.”

Mary studied her face, then nodded. “All right, hon. I’ll take care of things for you until then.”

Cherry gave her hand a grateful squeeze and went to repair the damage, refusing to acknowledge the flutter of excitement in her heart at the thought of seeing Wyatt again.

Despite her exhaustion, she found it hard to sleep. When she finally fell into a troubled doze just before dawn, she dreamed of the first time she had met Wyatt.

The party guests were the usual mix of socialites and minor celebrities, but this time, there were several ranking military officers present as well. The party was a fundraiser for wounded veterans, and the officers were there to show their appreciation. The two she had met so far had not impressed her—an elderly general with roving hands and a pompous junior officer.

About halfway through the evening, she had her fill of insincere smiles and forced conversation and escaped to a small enclosed balcony overlooking the towers of the city. Lights twinkled through the constant layers of smog that hung in the air, turning the night into a dark fantasy. She had turned off the lights when she entered, hoping to be undisturbed, and a flash of light as the door opened behind her made her sigh. Hopefully, it wasn’t one of her more aggressive admirers.

Life with her second husband hadn’t been all peaches and roses, but no one would have dared cross him and go so far as to proposition her. How strange that she would end up missing that aspect of their life together.

“I’m sorry, ma’am. I didn’t realize anyone was in here.”

The slow southern drawl of a deep, pleasant voice caused an unexpected spark of interest.

“I just wanted to get away for a few minutes,” she said.

“I can’t say that I blame you. Too many people with too little to say— not that that stops them.”

She laughed and turned to face him, and her breath caught. Dressed in a formal military uniform, this officer was entirely different from the ones she had met previously. Even in the dim light, she could see broad shoulders, a trim waist, and long, muscular legs. His face was more difficult to see but she caught a flash of pale gray eyes and short cropped blonde hair.

“I must admit I agree with your assessment of the situation.” Without her conscious bidding, her voice had dropped to the low, sultry note that men appreciated.

“Do you want me to leave you to your solitude?”

She shrugged, fully aware that it made her breasts move enticingly beneath her dress. “I don’t mind a little company.”

He joined her at the window, and she caught a hint of crisp, masculine scent. No overpowering fragrance, just the enticing aroma of clean male. Her nipples tightened and she felt a stirring of almost forgotten desire. She had thought any genuine interest in the opposite sex had been eliminated long ago.

“It looks different at night, doesn’t it? Mysterious and fantastic.” The words emerged before she could second-guess them, another unusual reaction. She was used to judging everything she said. To her relief, he didn’t laugh at her romantic speculation.

“I know what you mean. I just wish we could still see the stars.”

“You like the stars?”

“I like the possibilities they represent. Our planet needs to expand.”

“They say we’ll be settling on Mars within the decade.” She had followed the news with great interest—the idea of the new planet, a new start, appealing to something deep inside her.

“Sooner, I believe. The cyborg program has made great strides in advancing the terraforming process.”

“And when it does open for settlement? Are you going to apply?”

“Yes, ma’am. I think it’s time for a fresh start.”

His words echoed her own thoughts and she gave in to a sudden foolish impulse. She sighed gently, her breasts lifting with her breath.

“I don’t particularly want to return to the party but I suppose we must,” she murmured.

“May I escort you?”

“I think I’d like that.”

As she turned to put her hand on his arm, her heel caught on the flooring and she tripped forward. He caught her, as she knew he would, her body landing against the length of his, her breasts cradled by a hard, firm chest. It had been so long.

“Careful there, darlin’.”

His voice had gone husky, and she could feel his erection against her stomach. When she looked up at him, his face was dark and intense.

“If you don’t want this, I’ll let you go.”

Very deliberately, she wet her lips and leaned further into him.

“I’m taking that as a yes.”

Then his head descended and there was no more conversation.

They had left the party together and she had taken him back to her apartment, the only man that had been there since she bought it. They spent the weekend together, and he had proven to be a creative, demanding lover. But in between, they had watched old movies and he had cooked for her and told her about his dreams. In return, she ended up telling him more about her past then she had ever thought to tell another living soul. When Monday rolled around, he had applied for emergency leave and whisked her off to the Vegas Metro area for a whirlwind wedding. Two weeks later, he had returned to work. That evening he had sent her a message saying that he was detained.

It was the last time she ever heard from him.

She had contacted every resource she had and, in the process, found out just how little she had known about him. In reality, her search had ended with two men in uniform on her doorstep. In her dream, the frantic search to find out what happened to him became a nightmare of endless calls and stonewalls, and she woke with tears on her cheek.

Chapter Six

When Cherry went to get dressed, her appearance horrified her, the strain of the past month and the sleepless nights clearly apparent on her face. Last night’s blow had bloomed into an ugly bruise. Damned if she was going to let him see her like that.

Twenty minutes later, her makeup was flawless, her hair becomingly arranged. However, she didn’t go as far as one of her usual slinky dresses. She didn’t want him to think that she was trying to seduce him—no matter how enticing the thought. The memory of her heartache after their last encounter was enough to dissuade her. Instead, she opted for jeans and a plain blue shirt. Could she help it if the jeans showed off the curve of her ass and the shirt brought out the color of her eyes?

Despite her armor, walking into his office was incredibly difficult, but she forced a practiced smile to her lips.

“Judge W-246, I need to report an incident.”

He looked up at her words and her heart twisted. His face also looked strained and tired and for a moment, her heart leapt. Was he missing her just as much? Had he remembered her at all?

“Yes, Madam Cherry?”

His harsh tone made her heart sink. Apparently, he wasn’t happy to see her. She straightened her shoulders and refused to let her disappointment show.

“I had to remove a man from my establishment last night—”

“What happened? Was anyone hurt?”

Her hand went to her cheek before she could stop it and his eyes blazed. He was around the desk and standing in front of her with unbelievable speed. Very gently, he cupped her cheek and smoothed a thumb across the bruise.

“Who was it?” He growled.

“His first name is Nicky. I don’t know his last—”

“Skinny guy? Drinks a lot?”

“Yes, that’s him.”

“He’s a worthless bastard. Why did you even let him into your place?”

“I let him in because he had the money to pay. I am running a business, you know.”

His face hardened and he stepped back. She immediately missed the warmth of his hand, but she refused to let it show. Instead, she lifted her chin.

“And I removed him as soon as he started to cause trouble.”

“You removed him? Goddamn it, Cherry. Don’t you have a bouncer?”

“I’m quite capable of taking care of myself and my girls.”

“Not capable enough to prevent yourself from being hit.”

She shrugged. “I’ve had worse.”

“You are not making me feel better.” He leaned closer and her pulse sped up. “I will take care of this Nicky, but you will provide security for your—”

The communicator in the corner of his office pinged and he gave it a frustrated look.

“I should get that.”

“Go right ahead. I’ll just get back to work.”

He growled again as he headed for the machine. “We are not through with this discussion. You stay right there.”

Her head knew she should take the opportunity to escape. Her heart kept her feet firmly planted on the ground.

“New Arcadia Territorial Office,” he said into the microphone.

“Judge… have a problem.”

The transmission was choppy, but Cherry had no difficulty recognizing Esme’s voice.

“What’s wrong?” she asked as she hurried to his side.

“Ma’am, I’m having a problem with the transmission,” Wyatt said patiently. “Can you repeat the issue?”

“Strange… husband…” A long, garbled statement. “Need h—”

The machine went dead.

“Something is wrong,” she said urgently. “Get her back.”

His fingers were already moving over the face of the machine, but there was no response.

“I’m sure everything’s fine. You know how these communicators operate—or fail to operate.” He tried for a reassuring smile, but she could see the worry in his eyes.

“What are you going to do?”

“I’ll keep trying to raise them. In the meantime…”

He pulled up a big holographic map in the air over his desk, then swore.

“What’s the matter?”

“I was going to send one of the Rangers to check on them but there’s no one close by right now. I’ll have to go myself. I’m sure everything is fine but if I can’t raise her in the next hour, I’ll ride out to their homestead. Just to check,” he added reassuringly.

“You don’t understand. They just got married.” Her knees shook as a thousand horrible scenarios floated through her mind, and he put a steadying hand under her arm. “I knew I shouldn’t have let her do it.”

“I admit I only came in at the end of the wedding, but I’m pretty sure you weren’t going to stop those two.”

“But it’s Esme! She’s special.” Determination gave her courage. She hadn’t abandoned Esme on Earth, and she wasn’t going to abandon her now. “I’m going with you.”

“You can’t do that. It might be dangerous.”

She gave him a horrified stare.

“You said it was probably nothing.”

“I did,” he admitted. “But I’m not going to take any chances with your safety.”

“If it’s nothing, then you aren’t. And if you won’t take me, I’ll go myself.”

“You would have to take a rover and I’ll be traveling by horse. I’ll be there and back before a rover even makes it one way.”

“Then you’ll pass me on the way.”

He gave a frustrated sigh. “If I take you with me, we’ll be riding on my horse together the whole way. I didn’t think you wanted to be that close to me.”

The thought of being pressed against his body for hours made her hesitate, but beneath the bitterness in his voice, she detected hurt, and her foolish heart melted. She had been trying to preserve herself and she hadn’t anticipated that her decision would upset him.

“I’m sure I can handle it,” she said softly. “Can you?”

He stared at her for a long moment, his face impossible for her to read, then nodded.

“One hour. If I haven’t made contact by then, I’ll head out. If you’re ready, you can come.”

“I’ll be ready.”

Before he could change his mind, she headed for the door. Concern for Esme filled her mind but beneath her worry, the thought of spending the time with Wyatt caused a small flicker of excitement, perhaps even hope. Maybe this would be what he needed to remember her.

W-246 stared at the door after Cherry disappeared and wrestled with his conscience. On one hand, he truly didn’t expect any danger. The only threats on Mars, other than man himself, were environmental. The woman on the communicator had seemed more worried than scared. But still, was he being foolish in taking Cherry along?

No, he decided. The only foolishness was in hoping that if the two of them spent this time alone together, he could break through whatever wall she had erected between them. Thoughts of her had haunted him since their last meeting, but he did not want to proceed where he wasn’t wanted. He had hoped that her attitude would soften with time and had begun contemplating ways to have her view him more favorably.

He tried to communicate with the homestead again, but there was still no response. Still, that wasn’t uncommon, especially if one of the frequent dust storms had caused damage to the limited transmission equipment.

As he traced out the route on the map, he realized that one of his retired Rangers had a homestead on the way. Could he investigate instead? Even though he was reluctant to pass up the opportunity to spend time with Cherry, he called Clint.

“Sorry, W-246. A dust storm came through here last night and I’m going to be making repairs for a few days. I’m not going to leave Josephine on her own with damaged equipment.”

He couldn’t argue with the man’s desire to protect his human wife.

“Fair enough. I’ll go myself.” He hesitated. “However, do you think you could manage two visitors for the night?”

“Visitors?”

“Myself and… Cherry.” An astonished silence met his words and he hurried on. “The claim belongs to one of her girls and she wants to check on her.”

“Is that so?”

The words were neutral but the tone was definitely speculative.

“I’m sure it’s just damaged equipment, especially since you mentioned the storm, but she wants to be sure so she’s coming along. I don’t want her to ride the entire way in one day.” Fortunately, no one was present to see the heat rising to his cheeks.

“Yeah, okay. I know Josephine would enjoy seeing Cherry.”

Did Clint sound like he was laughing?

“Thank you,” he said stiffly. “We’ll be there this afternoon unless I establish communication with the claim before then.”

“Can’t wait to see this—I mean, you.”

The other man ended the communication, and W-246 put his head in his hands. Fuck, he was pitiful.

But when the hour came to an end and he had still not managed to raise the homestead, he found himself heading for his stable with a smile on his face. For the next three days, Cherry was his.

Despite his impatience to see her, he allowed the time for one small detour and he was still grinning when he met her at the stall. She had her thermal coat and breathing mask slung over one arm and a small satchel over the other, and she raised an eyebrow as he appeared.

“I do believe you’re late, Judge.”

“Sorry, ma’am.” He looked around but he didn’t see any other luggage. “That’s all you’re bringing?”

“I prefer to travel light.”

The words triggered a flash of memory—he had a vision of her standing in a room holding up a small flowery bag and saying the same thing—but before he could grasp it, a spike of agony shot through his skull and he clutched his head.

“Wyatt! What’s wrong?”

A cool hand touched his arm.

“Nothing.” He forced himself to straighten. The pain was already disappearing in a blaze of warmth as his nanites rushed to the rescue. He hadn’t experienced pain like that since he at first became a cyborg. “Just an old injury.”

“You had a head injury? I didn’t notice any sign of it.” Tilting her head to one side, she frowned up at him.

“They told me it was an internal injury.”

“Hmm.” Somewhat to his surprise, she changed the subject. “Why were you grinning when you walked up? Did you hear from them?”

“I’m afraid not. I was smiling because I took care of your little problem. Nicky won’t be bothering you again.”

She raised a manicured brow. “Is he alive?” Her tone was curious rather than condemning.

“Of course he is, darlin’. I can’t just go around killing every human who annoys me.”

Amusement filled her face. “Wyatt, I mean, W-246, what did you do?”

“You can call me Wyatt. I like the way it sounds on your lips.”

Her eyes slid away from his as she bit her lip.

“W-246 is safer.” Before he could question her statement, she hurried on. “And you still didn’t answer me. What did you do?”

“Let’s just say that one of the polar power plants is about to receive the assistance of one hard-working and unpaid new employee.” He grinned at her. Her mouth opened, then she threw her head back in joyous laughter that once again struck a familiar note. The pain in his head threatened to reappear but he shoved it aside.

“It couldn’t happen to a nicer man.” She sobered rapidly, her laughter replaced by worry. “But we should get going.”

“You’re right.” He whistled for his horse. Not an actual horse but one of the big mechanical constructs based on the legendary Earth animals. They were fast, efficient, and adaptable and worked well with Rangers, or at least so he had heard. In his previous work at the pole, he had used an ice mobile to get around and he’d had little chance to use his horse since his arrival in New Arcadia.

“Oh, he’s beautiful. What’s his name?”

“He doesn’t have one.” He felt vaguely guilty as he answered her. It hadn’t escaped his notice that some of the other cyborgs—particularly the ones with human wives—had given names to the mechanical horses but it hadn’t occurred to him to do so until now.

She gave him a disapproving frown, and he could have sworn his horse echoed it.

“Why don’t you name him?” The suggestion popped out before he could stop it. He didn’t need to name a mechanical object, but she looks so delighted that he didn’t have the heart to withdraw the question.

“Hmm, let’s see… You could call him Silver after his gorgeous coloring.” She paused and looked to the horse. The horse looked back. “No, I don’t think that’s quite right. I think we should call you… Maverick.”

The horse nudged her with his head, and she gave another one of her delighted laughs. “That seems like the one. What do you think?”

“He seems to like it,” he agreed, playing along. Did she really think the horse had a preference? Then again, he remembered some of the things that he had seen the horses do. Perhaps it was not entirely unrealistic to assume they had some type of artificial personality.

“Put on your coat and mask,” he suggested. “That way we don’t have to stop at the airlock.”

She agreed, and as soon as she was ready, he lifted her into the built-in saddle and then vaulted up behind her. Her back was rigid when he pulled her back against him.

“Relax, darlin’. You have to move with the horse.”

She sighed and some of the tension left her frame as she settled back into his arms. He had to fight back a groan as all those lush curves nestled into him and her subtle exotic scent surrounded him. His cock immediately responded, despite his efforts to keep it under control. He knew she must be able to feel it and he could see the color rising beneath her makeup, but thankfully, she didn’t comment. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, he didn’t say anything either. Instead, he urged Maverick towards the town entrance.

Chapter Seven

This was a bad idea. As the airlock closed behind them and they emerged out of the canyon that helped to enclose the city, all Cherry could see was a vast orange desert and a few scattered habitats. Far off mountains towered in the distance. She was alone—alone with Wyatt—and being this close to him only made her remember all those other times.

I’m doing this for Esme, she reminded herself. She cared about all of her girls, but Esme was special. If she needed help, Cherry was determined to be there for her.

They trotted rapidly along the edge of the desert where it began to climb into rocky foothills, and she did her best to ignore the fact Wyatt’s erection was nestled between the cheeks of her ass. In spite of the harsh surroundings, this felt so familiar. She found herself wondering about the head injury. Was that the explanation? Was that why he didn’t remember her? But it didn’t make sense. He must have known he was missing time—and why wouldn’t the military have told him that he was married?

She decided to probe a little more.

“If you don’t mind me asking, how did you become a cyborg?”

“I don’t mind. It was just an unfortunate accident. I was changing posts from Washington to Dallas and the transport ship crashed.”

Changing posts? From what he’d told her, that happened almost four months before their marriage.

“And you never made it to Dallas?”

“‘Fraid not. I was born there and I was looking forward to returning. I was ready for a change of scenery as well.” He laughed. “Well, I guess there aren’t that many differences between the megacities these days.”

“I lived in Dallas,” she said softly.

“Then I’m doubly sorry that I didn’t make it. Maybe we would have seen each other across a crowded room…”

“Or found each other on a balcony.”

The firm arms surrounding her turned to stone, and she heard him gasp.

“What’s wrong?”

“Just this head injury acting up.” He forced a laugh, but she could hear the strain in his voice. “I reckon I’m not used to patrolling anymore. But don’t you worry, darlin’, we’ll get there all right.”

“I know you can do anything you set out to do,” she said softly.

His arms tightened around her for just a minute, as if he were hugging her, and then he changed the subject.

As they rode across the desert, they touched lightly on a number of topics, as well as spent a fair amount of time discussing the independence they both hoped was coming. She made no further attempts to trigger his past memories.

Aside from the fact that any such discussion seemed to cause him pain, her head and her heart were at war. She had been a different person back then. Since that time, she had reinvented herself—yet again—to become Madam Cherry. His memories of Rebecca would be very different. But it was more than that. Even though their time together had been so short, she had fallen deeply and desperately in love with him. What if he regained his memories and he only remembered her as a pleasant interlude? The pain of that might be worse than the pain of knowing she had been forgotten.

He had changed as well. The good-humored but cynical soldier she first met had been replaced by a harder man. Yet he also seemed to have found a depth of compassion he hadn’t revealed before. Perhaps I just never had a chance to see this side of him, she thought as she remembered his instinctive rush to assist Daisy, not to mention this quixotic trip.

As mid-afternoon approached, she noticed they were heading up a long side valley with a small habitat of the far end.

“Are we heading for that homestead?”

“Yes. The temperature is too cold at night for you to travel, and I thought it would be easier to spend the night here.”

She regarded the approaching habitat with mixed feelings. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, she was beginning to feel the strain of the long ride. But her concern about Esme was a constant nagging worry in the back of her mind.

“You don’t think we should push on and get further before the sun sets?”

“I didn’t bring any camping supplies,” he said dryly. “We’ll leave at daylight tomorrow and make better time after resting tonight.”

Since she was pretty sure that neither Wyatt nor the horse actually needed to rest, he was doing this on her behalf. But it was a sensible idea, and she decided not to argue.

“And where is here exactly?”

“This is Jo’s claim. You already know Jo and Clint, of course.”

She hadn’t spent much time with Jo, but she had always liked the bubbly woman and she smiled back at him. “It will be nice to see them again but if I’d known we were coming, I would have brought along a present.”

“You don’t need to do that. We’re all in this together, remember?”

Perhaps they were, but as the local brothel keeper, was she truly a part of Martian society? Even the fact that she felt an uncomfortable sense of obligation at the idea of taking someone’s hospitality without giving something in return suggested that she wasn’t.

As they drew closer, she admired the neat array of buildings joined together to form the habitat. Much of the surrounding area had already been planted with lichen—the plantings were one of the requirements that Earth Government had established to take permanent possession of a claim. The specially bred plants helped to break down the Martian soil and return small amounts of oxygen to the atmosphere. The assorted colors of the lichen broke up the endless reds and oranges of the Martian landscape and gave the small homestead an unexpectedly homelike air.

“They’ve really made a lot of progress with this place,” she said admiringly.

“You’re just saying that because of all the plants.”

“How did you know I like plants?”

“Darlin’, you have planters outside your door and plants in every room that I saw. It doesn’t take much of a ranger to figure that one out.” His arms tightened again. “I wish I’d had the chance to bring you some.”

A curious lump appeared in her throat. Had anyone ever brought her flowers? Not even Wyatt had the chance during their brief marriage. She put her hand over his where it rested on the pommel of the saddle. It was the first time she had touched him since the disastrous episode in her home. He didn’t say anything, but he put his other hand over hers and they rode on in silence.

As they approached the habitat, the airlock door opened and Jo came rushing out with Clint at her side. The tiny dark-haired woman and the muscular, forbidding cyborg should have made an odd combination, but the affection between them was very clear.

“I’m so glad to see you two,” Jo said. “You’re our very first guests.”

“Thank you for letting us stay,” she said as Wyatt climbed down and then lifted her easily out of the saddle. Her thighs trembled and he kept a supportive arm around her waist. Jo’s eyes went wide behind her breathing mask although Clint maintained his usual stoic expression. She would have stepped away, but her legs felt seriously shaky. Apparently, he had correctly anticipated the difficulties of the ride.

“I’m sorry. I’m finding that riding is a little more difficult than it looks.”

“You should switch it up tomorrow—have W-246 hold you sideways instead,” Clint said. His face was still expressionless, but she could have sworn she saw a glint of humor in his red cybernetic eyes. She could only too clearly picture herself snuggled into Wyatt’s arms and she almost blushed, but she had a lot of practice in keeping her own face composed.

“I’m sure that won’t be necessary.”

Jo’s eyes were sparkling with curiosity and mischief but all she did was wave them inside. Wyatt kept his arm around her until she was seated in a comfortable chair inside the small, cozy living room.

“I need to go take care of Maverick,” he said. “Clint, can you spare a minute?”

Clint gave her a once-over but must have decided she wasn’t a threat to his wife because he nodded and headed for the airlock with Wyatt.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Jo turned to Cherry, her eyes wide.

“What are you doing out here? And with him? I thought you didn’t like him.”

“I never said that.”

“You didn’t have to. When we had that meeting at your house, you were clearly avoiding him.”

She sighed. “It’s complicated. I knew him before—on Earth—but he doesn’t remember me.”

“How could he forget you? You’re gorgeous.”

“Thank you, but I’m not worried about him forgetting my appearance. I was upset that he didn’t remember that we were married.”

Chapter Eight

“Married?” Jo’s mouth fell open.

“Yes, but only for about two weeks.” She tried for a casual smile but she didn’t think that she was fooling either of them. “I was told he was missing in action but apparently the military had another use for him.”

“I don’t understand. Why would he have forgotten about you just because he became a cyborg?” Sorrow crossed her face. “I know that Clint is still tortured by his memories.”

“I don’t think it’s just me,” Cherry said slowly. “As far as I can tell, about six months are missing from his memory. And when he tries to remember, he experiences terrible pain. I wonder what else is missing.”

“That’s terrible. Are you going to tell him? About the two of you?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Why not?”

“We didn’t even know each other long before we got married,” she said evasively, unwilling to share her fears.

Jo studied her face, her finger tapping thoughtfully against her chin.

“There’s obviously still something between you two.”

She shrugged. “He’s a man, and I’m a woman in a place where there aren’t very many women.”

“Bullshit. It’s more than that and you know it. You told me once that you had been married three times. What was it you said? Once for love, once for money, and once because you were a fool. Was he the one you married for love?”

“No, he was a foolish, romantic impulse when I thought my life had changed.”

“Who was the love?” Jo said softly.

“It probably would have been more accurate to say that I married for what I thought was love.” She tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice but Jo wasn’t fooled. Her expression softened, and she put a gentle hand over Cherry’s. To her surprise, she found herself sharing the past she tried so hard to forget.

“I was sixteen and desperate to get away from home. My mother was a useless drunk and my latest stepfather was getting… persistent. Danny was young and good-looking and full of promises.”

“Nicky was like that,” Jo said ruefully. “He charmed me out of my virginity and then disappeared. Even though I eventually got over it, I should have realized then that he wouldn’t make a good partner for a trip to Mars.”

“Nicky? Tall, thin, way more confident than he should be?”

“That’s him. You had a run-in with him?”

“You could say that. I had to kick him out of my establishment.”

Jo sighed. “I’m sorry, even though I have no reason to apologize for him. I don’t know what he expected to find here on Mars but apparently he thought it was going to be easy.”

“That was Danny’s problem too. He always wanted the easy way out.”

“What did he do to you?”

“He sold my virginity on our wedding night.” She had never told anyone that before. Somehow the sympathy on Jo’s face and the intimacy of being two of the few women on this planet erased her usual reticence.

“Oh, Cherry.” Jo leaned forward and took her hand. “I’m so sorry.”

“You’re apologizing for someone else’s behavior again,” she scolded gently as she squeezed Jo’s hand. “He told me it was so we could have a beautiful new life together, and I wanted to believe him. But a month later, he wanted to sell me again. By the end of our first year together, he had three more girls working for him.” She looked off into the distance, the past flashing before her eyes. “He didn’t force any of them to join him. Just gave them a smooth line and an opportunity to escape, and for many of them, it was a better alternative.”

Tears filled Jo’s eyes but she didn’t say anything, simply holding Cherry’s hand. To her astonishment, she suddenly felt lighter. It was the first time she had openly admitted how much his betrayal had hurt her and giving a voice to it felt freeing.

“What happened to him?” Jo asked.

“Turns out, he was good at being a pimp. We were making money and he didn’t know how to handle it. Somewhere along the way, he discovered that he liked to gamble. He ended up gambling with the wrong people. They ‘took care’ of him when I was twenty-one.”

Funny, even after what he had done to her, even after what she had become, she had still mourned him, still remembered the boy he had been.

“Then what?”

“I made a deal.” It had taken every bit of courage she possessed to approach his enemies. “I went to the man who killed my husband and I asked him to let me take over for Danny. He was a businessman. He agreed.” She wasn’t about to tell Jo the price she had paid. “He provided protection—and took a large cut of the profits—but he let me handle the girls and make sure they were treated properly.”

“Was that what you were doing when you met Wyatt?”

She shook her head. “No. That little arrangement lasted for another five years, and one day I woke up, looked in the mirror, and realized this was what the rest of my life was going to be like unless I made a change. One of my customers had been with me exclusively for a while and he wanted to marry me.” She shrugged again. “He was old and ran some businesses that weren’t entirely legal, but he was rich and he treated me well and I agreed. That was the marriage for money.”

Jo’s eyes were like saucers. “It’s like something out of the movies.”

“Not exactly. But he was good to me and I grew… fond of him. But that’s enough about the ancient past,” she said lightly. Jo didn’t push the matter.

“Would you like me to show you around?”

“That would be wonderful. This is the first time I’ve really been out of the city since I arrived.”

Jo showed her around the small homestead, and Cherry dutifully admired the thriving flock of chickens and the updates that they had made, but the attached greenhouse drew most of her praise.

“You have a wonderful crop growing here. So much variety.”

“It’s turned out very well, hasn’t it? The chickens really help.”

“Chickens?”

“Chicken poop is a great fertilizer.” Jo giggled at the look on Cherry’s face. “I could give you a few to raise to help with your flowers.”

“That’s quite all right. They seem to do just fine on artificial fertilizer.”

Jo’s face turned serious. “If we succeed in breaking ties with Earth Government, they may cut off supplies like fertilizer.”

“And if that happens, I will accept your generous offer. But in the meantime, I think I’m more of a city mouse.”

“I’m pretty sure no one ever would ever call you a mouse,” Jo laughed and swept Cherry off to the kitchen.

The men returned a short time later and Cherry tried to suppress her envy as Clint hauled Jo into a brief but passionate kiss. She cast a quick look at Wyatt from under her lashes and realized he was looking at her. Did he envy the other couple as well? Her first attempt to put the past behind her had failed, but now that she suspected that Wyatt hadn’t chosen to forget her, her feelings had changed. Was there any possibility they could have a future instead?

After a plain but delicious dinner, Jo talked them all into a card game. It only took a couple of hands for the others to realize just how good Cherry was at playing cards.

“Damn, darlin’,” Wyatt said admiringly. “It’s a good thing we aren’t playing for money or you’d have taken my shirt.”

As she went to help Jo get some snacks, she bent down and whispered in his ear. “It is a shame. I rather like you without your shirt.”

He choked, and Clint made an odd noise as she sashayed into the kitchen area. Jo was trying to muffle her laughter.

“I don’t know what you said to him, but all of the cyborgs have enhanced hearing. Whatever it was, Clint heard it too.”

She actually felt the heat rising in her cheeks—she never blushed—but she managed to shrug it off.

“It was the truth. I do like him better without his shirt.”

Jo laughed, and even Clint grinned. Wyatt just shook his head.

When bedtime rolled around, Jo gave her a questioning look. “We have two air mattresses. Should I put them together?”

She spoke quietly but Cherry knew that Wyatt was listening. After a moment’s hesitation, she shook her head. She might be willing to consider the idea of starting a new relationship with him, but despite her teasing, she didn’t have the courage to start so quickly.

As it turned out, the beds were still quite close because of the small size of the dome. Wyatt frowned down at the mattresses after Clint and Jo had gone to bed.

“Would you like me to rest outside?”

“It’s below freezing out there.” The terraforming efforts had made the daytime temperatures relatively livable, but the temperatures still dropped sharply at night.

He shrugged. “We were designed to handle it.”

“It can’t possibly be comfortable for you.”

“Darlin’, we weren’t designed for comfort. I could stay in the stall with Maverick if that would make you feel better.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s fine if you stay here.”

He raised an eyebrow, suddenly looking so much like the old carefree Wyatt that her heart skipped a beat. “Since you like my chest so much, I reckon you won’t mind if I take my shirt off. Just so I can be comfortable when I sleep.”

“Suit yourself.” So what if her voice sounded unusually breathless? She deliberately turned her back on him and went to change into her own nightwear. She had brought her most conservative nightgown—which wasn’t saying a whole lot. Although the hem reached the floor, it was only held up by two thin straps, and the silky blue material did little to disguise her body.

As she looked at herself in the bathroom mirror, she suddenly felt ridiculously shy. Grabbing the shirt she had been wearing, she threw it over her shoulders as she left the small bathroom.

The lights had been dimmed in the main dome but there was enough of a glow for her to see that Wyatt had indeed removed his shirt. He was sprawled on top of the covers and his cyborg side gleamed a soft metallic gold in the dim light. Hastily averting her eyes, she slipped under her own blanket.

“Sleep well, darlin’. We’ll head out early tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Wyatt. Thank you for investigating, and thank you for letting me come.”

“You’re welcome to come with me anytime.”

The words hung between them in the quiet room as their eyes met, but in the end, cowardice won out and she turned away.

Chapter Nine

Cherry was very conscious of Wyatt on his mattress just a short distance away, but even though she knew that cyborgs didn’t need much rest, he fell asleep long before she did. The only sound from his direction was his slow, deep breathing.

She, on the other hand, couldn’t fall asleep. The discussion with Jo had brought up so many memories of her past. She found herself thinking about her second husband, Saul. He had been, well, not a good man, but very good to her. He did everything he could to make her happy and liked nothing better than showing her off until the sickness became too much for him. That last year had been agonizing for both of them as he slowly slipped away, but she had never considered leaving him.

He was her husband and had kept his side of the bargain. She would keep hers.

It was only after he died that she realized how precarious her position had become. As the wife of a prominent member of the Gambini family, she had been treated with at least the appearance of respect. After his death, she had soon realized that other members of the family saw her as available property. Even though her marriage to Saul had worked out, she didn’t want to be a part of their world any longer. So she had gone to see his brother.

“Come in, Rebecca,” Vincent said jovially from behind his big desk. His study was straight out of an old movie—expensive wood-paneled walls, bookcases lined with leather volumes that she was quite sure he had never opened, even a fire crackling in the fireplace. Artificial, of course, since there was no wood available to burn, but it looked real enough. “What can I do for you, my dear?”

She went behind the desk and gave him a polite kiss on the cheek, ignoring the appreciative hand he ran across her bottom as she stepped back. Her outfit had been chosen very carefully: a demure black suit that didn’t reveal any flesh but still hinted at the body beneath. She even had a small black hat with a half veil perched on her elegant chignon.

“I’m very sorry to bother you at a time like this, Vincent, but I’m afraid I have a little problem.”

“Anything you need, my dear. I am truly grateful for the way you cared for my brother this past year.”

“He was my husband and I wanted to make it as easy for him as possible.” She paused and dabbed at her eyes with a little white handkerchief. The gesture was not entirely false. She had grown fond of Saul over the course of their marriage and it had been difficult to watch him deteriorate, but she’d had plenty of time to grieve over that long hard year.

“But it’s because I treasured him so much as my husband that I find it difficult to move on.”

“Move on?” Vincent frowned. “Of course, it’s too soon for you to move on.”

Got him. She nodded and wiped her eyes again. This was the tricky part.

“That’s what I told Tony, but he’s young and… impetuous.”

Vincent’s face hardened and she held her breath. Would he take his son’s side?

“I will speak to Antonio,” Vincent said, and she breathed a silent side of relief. “I understand his… enthusiasm. If I were a few years younger, I’d be tempted to keep you for myself.”

Her fists clenched but she managed to keep her face serene. She had known this was a risk when she came here but she couldn’t think of any other way to avoid Tony’s advances. To her relief, Vincent simply sighed regretfully.

“But I promised my brother I would take care of you. What do you want to do now?”

“I thought perhaps I could move back to Dallas. I grew up there.” And it was a long way away from the Gambini family and their empire.

“Yes, I think that might be best—”

“Father.” The door burst open and Tony strode in, his face furious. “I can’t find Rebecca—” He stopped short at the sight of her but his anger didn’t diminish. “What the hell are you doing here? And why the fuck didn’t you tell me you were leaving?”

She did her best to keep her face composed in the face of his rage. Between what Saul had told her and what she had witnessed for herself, she knew how vicious he could be.

“You do not enter my study uninvited, Antonio,” Vincent said, his voice hard. “I am having a conversation with my brother’s widow about her future living arrangements.”

“I told her I would take care of that.”

“I don’t believe your arrangements are to her liking. She will be leaving the city.”

“What?” Tony’s face darkened even further. “You can’t let her do that. She’s Gambini family property.”

“She’s my brother’s widow,” Vincent repeated. “And you will treat her with respect.”

“Because the old man was crazy enough to marry her?” Tony sneered. “She’s just a whore.”

Vincent regarded him from across his desk. “How many times did you go to visit your uncle, my brother, while he was ill?”

He shifted uncomfortably. “Lots of times.”

“Twice,” she said quietly. “Once to ask him for money, and once to ask him for me. He refused both times.”

“Bitch,” he snarled.

“Enough!” Vincent slammed his hand down on his desk. “I have given you far too much leniency, Antonio. Rebecca never left his side. She deserves our respect.” He nodded at her. “Go ahead, my dear. He will not trouble you again.”

“Thank you, Vincent.” As she headed for the door, she did her best to avoid looking at Tony, but she could still feel the heat of his anger. When she stepped outside the room, her knees started to shake, and she had to take a moment to compose herself.

“Is everything all right, Mrs. Gambini?” One of Vincent’s guards bent over her.

“Yes.” She managed a shaky smile. “Yes, I think everything is going to be fine.”

And it had been. She had moved back to Dallas and begun a new life as a wealthy widow. She had volunteered at charities and soon become part of the social scene, trying to ignore the fact that she felt increasingly distant from those around her. And then, she had met Wyatt. And everything changed.

She was so lost in the memory of Wyatt that it took a moment for her to realize that he was moaning in his sleep, low agonized noises that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. She went to him immediately, kneeling next to his mattress.

His head was tossing back and forth, and when she reached out a hand, the heat of his skin almost burned her.

“No. No, not all of them. You can’t…”

“Wyatt.” Ignoring the heat, she stroked a hand across his forehead.

He tossed his head again and then seemed to still. His eyes fluttered open, almost glowing in the dim light. For a minute, he didn’t seem to know where he was but then his eyes fastened on her with painful intensity.

“Rebecca,” he whispered.

Her heart skipped a beat. Did he finally remember?

“Yes, it’s me—”

She didn’t get any further. A huge sigh escaped his lips and then he was dragging her down. His mouth closed over hers, urgent, hungry, so much like the old Wyatt that she couldn’t resist. She met him just as eagerly.

He pulled her closer, his hands roaming over every inch of her body, tugging at a taut nipple, caressing the curve of her hip, delving between her legs and groaning again at the wetness that met his touch. Her body was on fire with longing. She had missed him so much, missed this, and the brief taste they had shared only increased her hunger.

Her hands fumbled at his pants before she finally opened them far enough to reach inside and grasp him. God, he was perfect, even longer and thicker than she remembered. Her fingers wouldn’t close around him but she didn’t let that stop her. She tugged at his length, a hard, demanding stroke, and he arched into her hand. She could feel him quivering at her touch and she wanted more. Tearing her mouth away from his, she kissed frantically down his body until she could reach that magnificent cock. Just as her mouth closed over him, he grabbed her hips and effortlessly flipped her around so that his mouth was between her legs. He speared his tongue into her needy channel, and it was her turn to quiver, but she was determined to satisfy him first.

Working her way down his length, she took him deeper, deeper, until she reached his base. Her mouth was stretched wide, her eyes watering, as she tried to take all of him, but she didn’t hesitate, drawing back only to take him again. His tongue abandoned her pussy, replaced by a thick finger as he began a frantic assault on her clit, lashing the swollen flesh into a frenzy of need. He added another finger, and she hummed around the broad cock filling her mouth. His hands tightened on her hips, and she felt him grow impossibly harder as she increased her pace. The pleasure he was wringing from her body, the same pleasure she was demanding from him, increased until her whole body was ripe with tension and his muscles were tight beneath her.

She felt him circle her bottom hole, painting it with liquid heat before pushing inside, and the sudden intrusion sent her flying into an overwhelming climax. She cried out, voice muffled by his thick length, and he exploded, filling her with hot liquid pulses as she swallowed hungrily.

He barely softened as she withdrew with a last gentle kiss. He was still holding onto her hips, still greedily licking up the remnants of her climax as she shuddered, but she pulled away, anxious to see his face, now that he remembered her. His hands tightened for a moment, but then he let her go and she lifted herself free.

As she turned around, he felt him shiver again and then his body went limp. For a moment, fear stopped her heart, but then she realized she could feel his chest rising and falling beneath her hand and hear him breathing. Her gaze lifted to his face—his eyes were closed, his expression relaxed, and she realized that he was asleep. She didn’t remember him ever falling asleep so quickly, but it had been a long time and he had obviously been in distress when she came to him. Sitting back on her heels, she tried to suppress a disgruntled sigh. She had really hoped that they could talk. Still, she supposed that tomorrow would be soon enough.

She would have liked to stay with him, but his big body took up most of the air mattress and she wasn’t quite ready to share their newfound relationship with anyone else. Dropping a soft kiss on his lips, she made her way back to her own mattress, and this time, she had no problem falling asleep.

Chapter Ten

W-246 awoke from a confused dream of heat, both the painful heat caused by his nanites as they healed him and the pleasurable heat of desire. The dome was quiet, with only the faintest pale light streaming through the windows to indicate the coming of the Martian dawn. His cock ached, still hard from the fragments of his dream, and he reached down absently to tug at it. To his shock, his pants were open and his shaft felt sticky and tender.

Fuck. What had he done? Had he pleasured himself in his sleep with Cherry so close by?

He supposed it was possible. He didn’t seem to sleep like the other cyborgs—they needed little rest and always seem to be aware of what was happening around them—whereas he had long periods of unconsciousness. But this was new. He didn’t think he had ever jerked off in his sleep before. Hastily tucking himself away, he made his way to the sanitary unit, pausing to look down on Cherry.

God, she was beautiful. Her covers had slipped down to reveal creamy shoulders and the hint of a taut red nipple beneath her tumbled curls. The sight looked oddly familiar, and he could clearly imagine her opening her eyes and giving him a slow, sensual smile. She shifted in her sleep, and he caught the scent of her arousal and wondered if she was dreaming of him. His mouth watered at the thought and he could have sworn that he tasted her on his lips. No wonder his unconscious body had responded to her.

He wanted to wake her, to apologize again, to ask her if they could start over, but they would have a long day and she needed her rest. He would wait, no matter how impatiently.

When he returned, he heard Clint laughing from the bedroom module and realized that everyone would soon be stirring. He bent down to pull up Cherry’s covers and as his fingers brushed her shoulder, she woke up, giving him the exact smile he had envisioned.

“Good morning, Wyatt.” She stretched lazily and his mouth went dry as the full breast he had just covered peeked out again.

“Good morning, Cherry. As much as I hate to suggest it, you might want to cover up. I think Clint and Jo are awake.”

Her face went pale.

“Cherry? Why are you calling me that?” she whispered, and he gave her a puzzled look.

“Because that’s your name, darlin’. What’s wrong?”

“I thought…” Small white teeth climbed down on a full lower lip. “Do you remember last night?”

Fuck. She must have heard him last night, or even worse, seen him. And even though the thought of her watching him sent a bolt of arousal straight to his cock, he hated the thought that he might have embarrassed her. It was probably best just to pretend it never happened.

“No, can’t say that I do.” He did his best to give a casual shrug. “I sleep like the dead.”

“The dead?” An odd laugh escaped her lips. “I guess that’s right. And the dead don’t come back to life.”

“Are you all right?” She still looked much too pale for his liking, the rosy glow of sleep replaced by that disturbing pallor.

“I’m fine. I’m always fine.” Wrapping her covers around her, she ignored his outstretched hand and climbed to her feet, disappearing into the sanitary facility.

Despite her words, she was still pale and silent during breakfast, although she recovered enough to give Jo a warm hug as she thanked her for her hospitality.

“Will you stop by on the way back?” Jo asked.

“I don’t know. If nothing is wrong, I might just stay with Tom and Esme for a few days and then have Tom bring me back to town. I don’t want to trouble W-246 any longer than necessary.”

She wasn’t looking at him and he bit back his instinctive protest. There was no reason for her to go anywhere with another man. Had he really traumatized her that much the previous night? He wished he could remember but when he tried to do so, he saw a hazy image of a woman smiling up at him, Cherry and yet not Cherry, before the familiar wave of agony spiked through his skull.

“Something wrong?” Clint asked quietly as they walked outside to release Maverick.

“This damn head injury.”

“It still bothers you?” The other man frowned at him. “Our nanites are usually pretty efficient at healing wounds.”

He made a face as Maverick pranced out of his stall. The horse pawed impatiently at the ground, then abruptly quieted, coming to a halt at his side. He leaned gratefully against him as his head continued to burn.

“Not this one. And the heat from the healing hurts almost as much as the wound.”

“I only know of one other cyborg that has that problem. Do you mind if I examine your head?”

He shrugged. He knew the other man’s cybernetic eyes had a wide range of vision capabilities.

“Go ahead.”

Clint’s red gaze focused on his head and he found it oddly disturbing to know that the man was actually looking inside his skull. Finally, the other man stepped back and rubbed his chin.

“There’s something there.”

“I know. I had a head injury so it’s hardly surprising.”

Clint ignored him, frowning thoughtfully into the distance.

“When most of us were injured, our wounded parts were replaced and our nanites adapted to the new components. The exception is when a foreign body is introduced—something that isn’t a replacement for an actual body part.”

“What did you see?”

“I’m not sure. It’s very small, but it looks like some type of electrical circuit.”

He hated the idea that there was something inside him that was not a part of him but perhaps he was being foolish. The injuries to his chest had been replaced so seamlessly that his cyborg part was only distinguishable by the color of his skin. Clint’s eyes were obviously cybernetic, but they didn’t seem to bother the man. He forced himself to shrug again.

“No point in worrying about it now.” He managed a grin. “It’s not like I’m going back to Earth for a checkup.”

“Hell no.” Clint looked out over his neat homestead, the orange desert landscape, and the craggy mountains surrounding them and nodded with satisfaction. “This is our home now. And I hope soon we will be in complete control of our destiny.”

“I hope so. To revolution.”

The words rang in his head, triggering another spike of pain, but he ignored it as Clint grinned and even Maverick appeared to nod in agreement.

“Is something wrong?” Jo whispered to Cherry as soon as the men went outside.

“No, everything is fine.”

“You know, I don’t believe that for a minute.”

“Apparently my talent for smooth platitudes is failing me,” she said with a sigh. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so on edge. Or more accurately, she could, and the cause had been the same. Wyatt.

“Do you want to stay here? Let Wyatt go ahead and investigate? You’re more than welcome.”

“Thank you, but no. I really do want to make sure that Esme is all right.”

“Cherry, I know this is none of my business, but I resisted Clint for a long time. I was determined to prove that I could do everything on my own.” Jo’s lips curved in a reminiscent smile. “He was very patient with me. I suspect you already know that you can take care of yourself, but maybe you’ve forgotten that it’s also really nice to have someone at your side. So what if he doesn’t remember the past? This is a new planet. A chance for new beginnings. Isn’t that why we’re all here?”

Jo’s words echoed her thoughts from the previous day. She had come here for a new beginning. Had she brought too much of the past with her?

Pushing the question aside for now, she hugged Jo again, put on her mask and coat, and went to join Wyatt. He didn’t offer to hold her in his lap she noticed, but he assisted her onto Maverick with the same courtesy as the previous day. She didn’t feel like making conversation and to her relief, he was equally silent. Jo’s words replayed in her mind. Could they make a new beginning? She had a lot of practice in forgetting the past and looking ahead. The attraction between them was certainly as potent as ever.

Something that felt suspiciously like hope flickered through her mind and she gradually found herself softening into his arms. Unlike the previous day, Wyatt hadn’t pulled her against him, but she felt his muscles relax as she leaned back. Determined to focus on the future, she turned her attention to her surroundings.

Jo and Clint’s place had already disappeared behind them as Maverick kept up a steady trot. His path headed for the mountain range lining one side of the valley.

“I thought Tom had a homestead claim, not a mine,” she said and felt him relax even more when she spoke.

“He does. There’s a pass up here that leads through a smaller valley. The land is flatter and should make a good base for farming once the soil is treated.”

“Esme as a farmer’s wife.” She shook her head. “I still can’t believe it.”

“Did you know that he filed for a second claim when they got married? In her name?”

“No, but I’m not really surprised. I think he’s going to try his best to be a good husband.” Despite her best efforts, the words came out with a bitter edge.

“Why do you sound so doubtful?”

“Let’s just say that I’m not very optimistic about marriage.”

“Have you been married?”

The question was like an arrow through her heart, and it took her a moment to compose herself.

“Oh, yes. Several times,” she said finally, trying her best to sound light-hearted, but she couldn’t force herself to ask him the same question. She couldn’t bear to hear him deny her yet again.

“Were they all bastards?” he asked.

A startled laugh escaped her lips. “Not all the time.”

“I’m sorry, Cherry. You deserve better.”

I had better, she wanted to cry, but she kept her mouth firmly closed. This looking to the future thing would be a lot easier if he didn’t keep bringing up the past.

“I know that claiming a homestead means you have to live on it for five years,” she said, changing the subject. “But what else is involved?”

Wyatt proved surprisingly knowledgeable about the prospect of farming on Mars and he was soon waxing rhapsodically about lichen planting and greenhouses and manure.

“You know a lot about it,” she said when he finally wound down.

“I did a lot of reading when I was up at the ice cap. There wasn’t much else to do except keep the robots functioning.”

“Did you have Maverick up there?”

“No. I had a machine designed for transport over the ice.” He leaned forward and patted the horse. “He’s a much more interesting companion.”

“I’m sure he is. Tell me what it was like up there.”

“Cold. Lonely.” She shivered and his arms tightened around her. “But it was satisfying too—seeing the power plants get built and start processing the ice, start changing the planet. And it had its own kind of beauty—endless miles of ice with the sky arching over them, full of millions of stars.”

He laughed. “It probably sounds odd to think of a place like that as beautiful.”

“No,” she said softly, remembering their first encounter overlooking the city and the lights through the smog. “It doesn’t sound odd at all.”

Chapter Eleven

W-246 still wasn’t entirely sure why Cherry had started the day so pale and distant—if she had witnessed him touching himself, he would have expected her to be amused rather than offended—but relief filled him when she finally relaxed and began talking to him again. There were still odd moments of tension between them, but she seemed willing to ignore them.

A couple of hours into the ride, he insisted they stop for a break and something to eat. He noticed that her legs shook when she dismounted and that she winced when it was time to continue. Without giving her a chance to object, he swept her up in his arms and seated her sideways across his lap the way Clint had suggested. For a moment, she held herself stiffly and he was afraid she was going to complain, but then she sighed and nestled against him. God, she felt good there, right.

They talked less as the journey continued and at one point he looked down and realized she was asleep. Behind the breathing mask, her face looked oddly vulnerable, stripped of her usual defenses. He carefully tucked her closer, his chest aching.

She woke up just as they reached the secluded valley at the end of the pass. He paused there to survey the territory. The floor of the valley was unusually level, interrupted only by a few large rock outcroppings that sprang out of the sand like huge, misshapen building blocks. As he scanned the area, he thought he caught a flash of light from one of the rock formations, but when he looked again, he saw nothing. A trick of the sunlight perhaps.

The track through the pass continued across the valley and exited through another opening on the far side, leading eventually to some of the large mining sites. But Tom’s claim was nestled against the far end and he turned off the main path and headed in that direction, following the fainter track that lingered in the orange sand. Cherry smiled approvingly as they rode along.

“I like this place. It seems more… cozy than the big valley. More homey.”

“It’s an excellent strategic location,” he agreed. “There’s even some talk of building a second town out here. It’s on the way to the northern mines and would make a good way station.”

“I’m talking landscapes and you’re talking strategy.” She laughed. “You were always such a soldier.”

Her words echoed in his ears, uncomfortably familiar. His head began to ache.

“You say that like you know me.”

She tensed and looked away from him. “I told you that we met before.”

“Meeting someone doesn’t mean that you know them. Just how well did we know each other, darlin’?” And why couldn’t he remember?

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Her body had stiffened again, but he couldn’t let it drop.

“Why not? Did I do something terrible to you?”

“No,” she said softly. “Nothing terrible.”

Before he could press her for additional information, she pointed ahead of them. “There are buildings up there. Is that their homestead?”

“Yes, it is.” He signaled to Maverick to halt as he surveyed the property. Eight greenhouses were arranged in a neat line leading up to the habitat. The living quarters consisted of two large domes and several smaller ones, all connected by a transparent module filled with greenery. Everything looked prosperous and quiet, almost too quiet. At this time of day, he would have expected to see some signs of activity. He extended his senses as much as possible but heard only the whistle of the wind. A chill ran up his spine, and he suddenly regretted agreeing to bring Cherry with him. He would never forgive himself if he had put her in danger.

“I’m sure everything is fine,” he said slowly, “but I want you to wait here while I investigate.”

He half-expected her to object but she only nodded, giving him a solemn look.

“Just be careful. Please, Wyatt.”

Unable to resist, he bent down and kissed her even while he kept his eyes on his surroundings. Then he placed her astride once more, dismounted, and led Maverick into the shelter of some nearby rocks. Neither Cherry nor the horse would be visible from the habitat.

“If anything happens to me, retrace today’s journey,” he ordered the horse.

Maverick dipped his head. The mechanical animals were programmed to answer to voice commands and yet, seeing him respond was somehow comforting. He didn’t feel quite as much as if he were abandoning Cherry.

“Do you know how to use a gun?”

She silently reached into the pocket of her coat and pulled out a small Derringer. He had no idea she had been carrying it.

“I’m always prepared.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, darlin’.”

He flashed her a grin and her lips curved. The small gun disappeared back into her pocket and she clenched her hands on the built-in saddle.

“Go on now. Find out what happened to my girl.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

He tipped his hat and headed for the habitat, making his way through the rocks until he was well away from Cherry’s hiding place. As soon as he reached a suitable distance, he emerged onto the desert floor and walked directly to the cluster of buildings. He kept a steady pace, but he made no attempt to run or to conceal himself. If someone were concealed within, they would know he was coming.

As he passed the transport shed, he automatically noted the vehicles within—one of the big six-wheeled rovers used for the transportation of people and goods and a smaller rover designed for shorter trips. A third bay was empty. Was there a missing vehicle or had the shed simply been built to allow for expansion?

When he arrived at the airlock to enter the habitat, he knocked sharply to indicate his presence but, as he already expected, there was no response. When he tried the handle, the door was unlocked. He walked inside, not bothering to keep silent. The air inside held no indication of any living being but he checked each of the modules thoroughly. Nothing was disturbed, nothing was even out of place. Except…

The communicator lay in a broken heap on the floor. It could have fallen from the counter, but the degree of damage argued for a more deliberate destruction. What the hell had happened here? Despite the empty rooms and the absence of any obvious signs of danger, uneasiness filled him. The search had taken longer than he had intended. He needed to get back to Cherry.

He ran back to the rocks, a sudden sense of urgency causing him to use his cyborg speed, but when he rounded the outcropping, he realized that he was too late. Maverick lay crumpled on the ground and Cherry was gone.

“What the hell are we going to do with her? With both of them?”

“I’ve got a few ideas.”

“Oh, shut up, Hal. We’re not fucking rapists.”

The sound of men arguing penetrated Cherry’s consciousness. Where was she? The last thing she remembered was sliding off of Maverick’s back so she could creep over to the edge of the rocks and see if Wyatt was returning. Then nothing.

Her head ached, and she instinctively started to lift her hand to it.

“Careful, honey. You’ve got a hell of a bump.”

“Esme?” Her eyes flew open to see the other woman bending over her, her dark eyes filled with concern. Cherry’s relief at seeing her friend safe and apparently uninjured made her forget about the pain in her head. “You’re all right!”

“I’ve been better,” Esme muttered. “I suspect you have too.”

“I don’t understand. Where are we?”

“Prisoners,” the other woman said as she helped Cherry sit up.

Rather than being in a jail cell, they were in what appeared to be an office of some kind. White prefab walls surrounded them on three sides, while the fourth wall held a door and a big window looking out into a corridor. Two men were standing there staring at them and she remembered that they had been arguing.

“Who are you?” she demanded. “Why have you brought me here?”

They exchanged uneasy glances, and she took the opportunity to study them. Ordinary-looking men dressed in GenCon overalls, they didn’t appear any different than the hundreds of other workers she had seen during her time on Mars.

“You shouldn’t have been snooping,” one of them said defensively.

“Snooping? I was just coming to visit my friend. And why is she here? She and her husband have a legal claim.”

She heard Esme’s breath catch at her words and suddenly remembered Big Tom. Where was he? And for that matter, where was Wyatt?

The men exchanged another glance.

“That’s all gonna be different now. GenCon is going to give out the claims to them who deserve it,” one man said, but Cherry noticed that his companion didn’t look convinced.

“They don’t have the authority to do that,” she said calmly.

“Maybe not yet. But they will soon enough.”

The worried man elbowed him. “Shut up, Hal. You know we ain’t supposed to talk about it.”

“Who are they gonna tell?” Hal blustered, but he cast a nervous glance over his shoulder.

She would tell Wyatt, of course. She had absolutely no doubt that he was already searching for her but there was no point in revealing that fact to these men. The two had another argument, too quietly for her to hear this time, then both of them disappeared.

“Esme, what’s going on? And where’s Tom?”

“I don’t know!” Esme’s eyes filled with tears, but she didn’t let them fall. “I’m sure he’s here because I heard them talking about him—something about how the company would want him because he’s a good specimen. What does that even mean?”

“I don’t know.” She had to admit that it didn’t sound good, but she did her best to smile reassuringly. “Maybe they’re thinking of putting him to work. Is that why you called Wyatt?”

“You knew?”

“I was there when the call came in. Wyatt came to investigate and I made him bring me along.”

“That’s so like you. Thank you for coming.” Esme threw her arms around Cherry and hugged her, then apologized when Cherry winced. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking about your poor head. And you’d be much better off if you hadn’t come.”

Cherry gave her a quick hug in return. “Nonsense. We’ve been in tougher situations.”

“Tougher than being held in an unknown location by strange men on a hostile planet?” A flash of her usual humor appeared on Esme’s face.

“We’re alive and no one has harmed us yet, so I would say yes.”

“Maybe you’re right.”

“I know I’m right.” She lowered her voice. “And I’m sure Wyatt is already looking for us. But how did they get you?”

“Tom was out planting lichen on a new plot and he saw a convoy of rovers. That wasn’t really unusual. There’s a track across the valley, and we see the occasional traffic. But then they just seemed to… vanish.”

“Vanish?”

“They went behind one of those big rock formations and never came back out. He was worried that something might have happened to them so he told me to call Wyatt while he went to see if he could help.”

“Your communication got interrupted.”

“I know. I thought maybe it was just the antenna so I went to get my coat and mask and…” She shuddered. “I turned around and there was this… man standing there. At least I think it was a man. His face looked like he was wearing a mask—white and expressionless. But I didn’t get a good look because he came at me so quickly I think he must have hit me too. I woke up here with a bump on my skull just like yours.”

A faint memory flashed through her mind at Esme’s words. A white face that had looked oddly familiar bending over her as she fell to the ground. Had she really seen someone?

“I think I saw someone like that, but I’m not sure. It’s all a blur.” She put a tentative hand on her head, cautiously probing the lump. Even though it was tender, she didn’t think there would be any lasting damage.

“But none of that answers the question of why we’re here. Or even where here is.” She studied the room but there were no clues to their location. A desk, two chairs, the blank walls—it could have been any standard administrative office. “Do you know how long you were out?”

“No, but I don’t think it was that long. What about you?”

She shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know. But I agree, it didn’t seem that long. Maybe an hour? Which would mean we’re still in the valley. If—no, when we get out of here, I suspect we’ll find out what was concealed in those rocks.”

Before Esme could respond, a string of curse words erupted from the corridor, along with an odd scraping sound. They both hurried to the window. Hal and his companion had reappeared and they were dragging a body between them—a big, heavy body dressed in black.

“Wyatt! What have you done to him?” She grabbed the door handle, trying in vain to open it, to go to him. She pounded on the door, then the window, but the men ignored her, swearing and panting as they dragged him past her cell and disappeared out of sight down the hallway. Her hands throbbed from pounding on the glass but she couldn’t make herself stop until Esme gently closed her hands over hers.

“Stop it, Cherry. You’re hurting yourself.”

“I don’t care. What have they done to him? Do you think he’s… dead?”

She’d been through this once before—the knock on the door, the knowledge that he was gone—and she had barely survived. How could she do it again? And how could she have been so foolish as to not take advantage of every second to be with him once he had reappeared in her life? The hurt she had felt at his lack of memory was nothing to the pain washing over her now.

“Cherry.” Esme gave her a gentle shake. “Listen to me, honey. I’m sure he’s not dead.”

“How can you be sure?”

“For one thing, he’s a cyborg and they’re almost impossible to kill. He didn’t have any wounds, did he?”

She thought frantically back to the glimpse she had gotten and some of her fear dissipated. “No. I didn’t see any damage. But he wasn’t moving—how could they do that?”

“I don’t know, but as long as he’s alive, there’s hope. Right?”

She forced herself to take a deep breath and dash away the tears. “You’re right. Now we just need to figure out a way out of here.”

Chapter Twelve

W-246 tried to fight back the panic racing through his system as his nanites struggled to keep his pulse in check. Where was Cherry? What had happened to her? He bent over Maverick, searching for any clues. The horse’s primary power supply had been removed—simply yanked from his chest. It should have been impossible. No one other than a cyborg should have been fast enough to reach it before Maverick could defend himself.

Had one of his rangers gone rogue? He would have sworn it was impossible, but he had no other explanation. But right now, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting Cherry back.

He switched Maverick to his secondary power source. Out here, solar power was the only option for charging it and it would take some time to come back online—time he didn’t have. When he switched over to the solar-powered backup, the horse rose to his feet, but his legs were shaky and his steps uneven. He couldn’t ride him like this. He needed a full charge and a chance to recover.

“Stay here in the sun and recharge your power source,” he said as he led the horse out of the rocks. “I’ll be back for you as soon as I can, but I have to find Cherry first.”

Maverick tossed his head and took a few shaky steps forward, but W-246 put a restraining hand on his mane. “I know you want to help but you need to regain your strength. Stay here, Maverick. That’s an order.”

The horse pawed at the ground restlessly, but he didn’t attempt to follow as W-246 took off. He hated to leave him, but all he could do was leave the horse in the sun and hope that the unknown enemy didn’t return.

The need to find Cherry beat a constant tattoo in his chest but he forced himself to think as he scanned the valley. It looked as peaceful and undisturbed as before.

Wherever she had been taken, he was sure it hadn’t been back towards the habitat. But the distant track that ran through the center of the valley led off in two directions. Praying that he could find some indication of recent movement, he set off at a fast jog, restraining his speed just enough to search constantly for any clue. All he saw was an occasional scuff mark, but they could just as easily have been caused by the wind.

As he drew closer to the road, he caught a faint glimmer of light from the rock formation in the center of the valley. It disappeared again almost immediately but he remembered that he had seen a similar flash earlier. A desperate hope flared in his heart and he abandoned his cautious pace, setting out at a full run.

The towering rocks appeared to rise directly out of the flat floor of the valley in one solid mass, but something had caused that flash of light. He slowed his pace again and began circling the base of the formation. Halfway around the other side, he found it—a jagged indentation that appeared to come to a dead end in the rock. But because he was looking for it, he could see that the sand had been disturbed, packed down into hard ridges. He followed it inwards and the path didn’t end in another rock wall. Instead, he turned the corner and found a wide passage through the rocks, wide enough for one of the big rovers.

Despite his nanites, his heart pounded as he followed the track around several more bends before it finally opened up and he stared in shock at his surroundings. The center of the rock formation was open to the sky, forming a vast, protected space. Robots were bustling around, assembling a variety of buildings. All of them were tucked back against the rock and would be almost invisible from overhead. The sight was only too familiar—someone was building a hidden city. Unlike the previous city he had seen, this one seemed more utilitarian, designed for function rather than as a retreat for the wealthy. Was this another of GenCon’s sites? And more importantly, did they have Cherry?

The nearest block of buildings appeared to be completed and he headed for it, determined to wring the answers out of whoever was inside. Someone had to be supervising the construction robots. The airlock entrance was further proof—these buildings were designed for humans. The outer door was unlocked and he raced inside. He had just reached the inner door when he heard an ominous click behind him.

As he whirled to face it, a sharp pain bit into his neck. He reflexively grabbed the area and found a small dart. Even as he yanked it free, he knew it was too late. His vision was already dimming as a cold tide swept through his system, freezing his nanites and sending him falling into darkness.

“Wake up, dammit.”

The urgency in the man’s voice finally reached Wyatt and he forced his eyes open. Where the fuck was he? A set of bars rose in front of his face but through them he could see white walls, banks of medical equipment, and a metal exam table. A horrible sense of familiarity washed over him as he recognized his surroundings. He was back in a lab, and this time, he didn’t feel resigned. Rage filled him.

“About time. Are you awake now?”

The voice reminded him that he was not alone, and he turned his head to see a big man glaring at him from a metal-barred cage just like the one that surrounded him. He dragged himself upright, still feeling the lingering effects of the paralytic drug.

“You’re Tom, right? We came looking for you.” His tongue felt thick and fuzzy.

“Have you seen my wife?”

“No. Your claim was deserted and we didn’t pass her on the way.”

“Fuck.” Tom sagged against his bars. “They must have her too.”

“I think they have Cherry as well. What do they want with them?”

“I don’t know.” The anguish on the man’s face echoed W-246’s own fears. “I hoped that she had managed to call for help.”

“She did. That’s why we came.”

“I can’t say much for your rescue efforts,” Tom said dryly.

“You have a point. How did you end up here?”

“I saw a convoy crossing the valley, but it only made it halfway and vanished into the rocks. I foolishly thought that they might need help and went to assist. That’s when they got me.” Tom’s hands tightened on the bars of his cage. “I thought they were going to kill me at first, but then I heard them talking about using me for an experiment.”

“Who? How many people?”

“Three, I think. I’ve only seen two, but I heard a third voice.”

“Are they scientists?”

“I don’t think so. They were muttering about this not being their job when they dumped you in there. Sounded like they’re waiting for someone.”

“And I think we should be gone before that person arrives,” he said grimly as he started testing the bars of his cage.

“Can you get through them? I haven’t been able to make any progress.”

“They’re not made of titanium so I should be able to—but it won’t be quick, especially with the drug still in my system.”

The need to find Cherry was like a fire under his skin, fueling the urgency with which he worked the bars.

“You have to hurry. What if they’re… hurting the women?”

Wyatt started to snap at the other man but the pain on his face was too similar to his own. “You said they’re waiting for someone. We can hope that we’re all safe until then.”

The words sounded hollow, even in his own ears, but Tom nodded. “Hope. I made it to Mars on hope. I guess I can keep on hoping.”

Hope and work, Wyatt thought, and returned to the bars.

“Are you sure this is going to work?” Esme asked nervously.

“Pretty sure. Men are really all the same.” Cherry adjusted the neckline of her shirt to reveal a larger glimpse of her lacy bra and the edge of her breasts. “How do I look?”

“Tempting.” Esme sighed. “You look better in a shirt and jeans than most women look naked. It’s really not fair.”

“We both know that’s not always an advantage. But if it gets us out of here, I’ll use everything I’ve got.”

While she wished she had her makeup kit, at least Esme had helped her comb out her hair and arrange it to cover her bruised cheek. She reached behind her back, checking for the small handle of her gun. When she had finally calmed down after seeing Wyatt dragged past their cell, she remembered the gun in the pocket of her coat. They had discussed trying to shoot out the window, but she wasn’t sure that it would shatter. Even if it did, it would most likely attract attention, and she didn’t think they could fight off two men who were prepared for trouble. If they could lure at least one of the men into the cell, on the other hand, she was sure she could get the drop on him.

“How much longer do you think?”

Esme wrung her hands. “I don’t know. They’ve been bringing me food about twice a day but it’s so hard to tell time in here.”

“Then we wait.”

In an attempt to calm the other woman, she encouraged her to describe her life on the homestead. Although it sounded like a lot of backbreaking manual labor to Cherry, Esme was so obviously happy that she kept her thoughts to herself. Esme’s face glowed every time she talked about her husband.

“And what about you, Cherry? How are things with Wyatt?”

“I was a fool and avoided him after you left. I was so hurt by the fact that he didn’t remember me that I didn’t want to be with him.”

Esme studied her face intently. “Was the lack of memory the only reason?”

“No, not really,” she confessed. “When the government told me he was missing and presumed dead, I thought my heart was going to break. He’s the only man who’s ever gotten that close to me, to the real me. I was afraid to let him close to me again.”

Esme nodded, dark eyes sympathetic. “I know. When men have treated you badly, it’s hard to trust.”

“But you manage to trust Tom.”

“I did. I do. But even then, it took me a while.” Esme’s lips curved in a reminiscent smile. “He told me that he fell in love with me the first moment he saw me. I think the fact that he was so willing to take a chance made it easier for me.”

“Wyatt—this Wyatt—hasn’t said anything about love.”

“Have you given him a chance?”

“No, I haven’t. I was too scared to let him get close to me again, but this trip has changed that. But what if he’s just looking for a good time?”

“I don’t think looking for a good time involves trekking across hundreds of miles of Martian desert.” Esme raised a thin, dark brow in challenge, and Cherry smiled reluctantly.

“I suppose you’re right.”

“And the cyborgs are different from—”

“They’re still men.” She bristled immediately.

“I’m not saying that they’re not. But what they go through, I think it changes them. They’re looking for more and they seem to recognize it as soon as they find it. I think he found it as soon as he saw you.”

“I hope so, Esme. I really hope so.”

“And you’re going to give him the chance to prove himself, right?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Even though she was still scared, seeing him dragged past her and thinking that she had lost him again had washed away her doubts. She wasn’t going to let any more opportunities to be with him slip past.

“I think someone’s coming,” Esme whispered.

Chapter Thirteen

By the time the door opened, they had assumed their positions. Esme had dragged a chair into a corner of the room and collapsed down into it, her head in her hands, looking frail and pitiful. Cherry sat on the edge of the desk, her hands spread behind her, and licked her lips, looking as seductive as possible.

Fortunately, only one man appeared at the door, carrying a tray. Even better, it was Hal—the one who had “plans” for them.

“I brought you some dinner,” he said. “You two stay right where you are and don’t try any funny business.”

Despite his words, he didn’t look the least bit worried as he pushed the door open. His eyes went immediately to Cherry and her advantageously displayed cleavage.

“Now that sure is a pretty sight. That one hasn’t done anything but sob since she got here.” He jerked his head at Esme.

“I never did mind about the little things,” she drawled, her voice low and seductive.

He gave her a suspicious look. Damn, he wasn’t quite as stupid as she had hoped.

“You seemed awfully upset about that fucking cyborg earlier.”

“He’s the one who brought me out here to visit my friend.” She pouted. “Now how am I going to get out of this wilderness?”

“Hell, this ain’t the wilderness. We’re gonna have all kinds of things a lady might like—if she knew the right man.”

“And are you the right man?” She leaned forward, bringing her arms together, her breasts coming perilously close to spilling out of her bra. He licked thick, red lips and she could see his erection tenting his trousers.

“I could be. For a lady who knew how to treat me right.”

She arched a brow. “Do you know who I am?”

“No, ma’am. Don’t matter much to me.”

“My name is Cherry, and believe me, I know all about how to treat a man right.”

His eyes widened. “Madam Cherry?”

“That’s right.” She ran a finger down the edge of her cleavage. “And what I don’t know about men isn’t worth knowing.”

He took two steps towards her, then halted with a suspicious glance at Esme.

“What about her?”

“You don’t need to worry about her. She used to be one of my girls—she knows when to keep quiet.”

For a fraction of a second, he hesitated, then turned back towards the door. Her heart sank. Had she gone too far? But all he did was reach out and close the door. He dropped the tray on the other chair and stalked towards her.

“You’d better not be teasing me.”

“Not as long as you really are going to treat me right.”

He laughed as she leaned forward and she could see the calculation in his eyes. He thought he had her at a disadvantage. He was about to learn that he was wrong.

When he reached her, he buried his hand in her hair and yanked her towards him for a kiss. The move surprised her—she had expected him to go for her breasts first—but she took advantage of it, putting one hand on his face as she reached behind her back with the other. He even closed his eyes, and she almost shook her head, but his romantic impulse assisted her plan. A second later, she jammed her gun under his waistband and into his crotch, and his eyes flew open. He tried to jerk back but Esme was already behind him, jamming a thumb into his back. Hopefully, he would think it was a second weapon.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“As much as I appreciate your offer, I really think it’s time for us to leave.”

“You bitch,” he snarled, and she jammed the gun harder into his erection.

“Careful there. You don’t want to piss off a woman with a gun in your balls.”

He paled and held up his hands.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean it.” He licked his lips. “Can we be reasonable about this? I haven’t done anything to you.”

“You mean other than take me prisoner?” She raised an eyebrow.

“That wasn’t me. It was that fucking asshole who just showed up. Thinks he’s in charge. He brought you here—all of you. We’re just supposed to make sure that there aren’t any issues with the construction.”

“You mean your friend? He’s in charge?”

He shook his head. “Nah. He’s a mechanic too. I mean that creepy fucker GenCon sent.”

“Creepy?” She remembered Esme’s words and her own brief impression. “White skin? Fast?”

“Yeah, that’s the one.” He shuddered.

“Where is he?”

“The woman at headquarters told him to get back to town. He was really pissed about it too. He’s gonna be even more pissed when he finds out that you got the better of me.”

“What a shame.” Despite the lack of sympathy in her words, she could tell that he was really terrified. “Do you have living quarters? With a lock?”

He nodded.

“I’ll make a deal with you. Don’t give me any trouble, and I’ll lock you and your buddy in there. You can tell him that you don’t know how we escaped.”

Nodding eagerly, he actually looked grateful.

“Then let’s go. I’m going to move the gun now but believe me, I won’t hesitate to shoot.”

“I’m not gonna cause any trouble.”

“Where’s your buddy?”

“Cooking dinner for the two of us.”

“Lead the way,” she ordered, carefully lifting the gun out of his pants and moving around him until it was pressed against the base of the spine. “Just remember: a bullet here might not kill you but it will leave you paralyzed for the rest of your life.”

He shuddered again. “I’ll be good.”

Esme fell in at her side as the man opened the door and led the way down a long corridor. Everything was plain, white, and industrial, with more offices along the side. Why on earth would GenCon need administrative offices out here?

As they neared the end of the hallway, there was a cry from up ahead. The man jerked.

“He’s back. We have to get out of here.”

She jammed the gun harder into his spine but she could feel him trembling. If he panicked now…

He jerked again and Esme slammed the metal tray down on his head. He collapsed on the ground.

“I didn’t even see you grab that,” Cherry said admiringly.

Esme shrugged. “You’re not the only one who knows how to take care of herself. But what do we do now?”

There was another cry, abruptly cut off, and Cherry was about to suggest that they make a run for it when a tall figure dressed in black appeared at the end of the corridor.

“Oh, thank God. Wyatt.”

The words had barely left her mouth before she was caught up in his arms, his hands roaming over her anxiously.

“Are you all right? Did they hurt you?”

Her voice choked with tears, but she managed to smile up at him. “I’m fine.”

A little further down the hallway, Tom and Esme were also wrapped around each other.

“How did you get free?” he asked just as his hand closed over the gun. He laughed and moved it aside just as she realized it was aimed at his ribs. “I don’t think you need that anymore, darlin’.”

“Maybe not, but it’s a good thing I had it.”

“What happened?”

“Someone surprised me. I didn’t get a good look at him, but he was fast, as fast as you are.”

He shook his head. “I can’t believe one of my rangers has gone bad.”

“I don’t think he’s a cyborg,” Esme said as she and Tom joined them. “He looked odd.”

Wyatt went still. “Odd how?”

“His face was all white, like he was wearing a mask.”

Wyatt swore. “Fucking GenCon.”

“Does that mean something to you?” she asked.

“I don’t know how much she told you, but the man who took Daisy’s baby—he was like that.”

“She told me about him, but she didn’t really describe him. And I thought there was only one of him. That he was an experiment.”

“Apparently they’re still experimenting,” he said grimly. “I need to let the others know. First, we have to get out of here before he finds us.”

“I don’t think he’s here. That man said he had been called back to town.”

“We still need to get out of here,” Tom said. He had one arm draped protectively around Esme and a metal bar in his other hand.

“Before we leave, we need to put this man and the other one in their quarters,” she said.

“Why the hell would we do that?”

“Because I promised him I would. If that thing comes back here, I don’t want him to hurt them.”

Wyatt swore but he was already reaching down to grab the man. “Tom, you stand guard. I’ll be back in a minute.”

He dragged the man roughly up the corridor but she didn’t bother to object. They had treated him the same way.

Before she had a chance to get nervous, he had returned.

“Safely locked away,” he said. “I smashed the lock. They won’t be leaving there anytime soon.” He held up my hand as her mouth opened to protest. “They have food and water. They’ll be fine. Now let’s get the hell out of here.”

When they reached the airlock, Wyatt swore again.

“We need transportation. I didn’t notice a transport shed, but they have to have some way of getting around.”

“I came on an ATV,” Tom said. “But it will only hold two of us.”

“That’s fine. I can carry Cherry.”

“I’m perfectly capable of walking,” she reminded him.

“I know you are, darlin’. But we have a long way to go and a short time to get there. We have to get back to town as soon as possible. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He gave her a grim look. “If anyone other than me opens that door, shoot to kill. Aim for the head. If he’s like the other one, that’s the only way to be sure.”

“I won’t miss.”

“That’s my girl.” He gave her a quick, hard kiss and disappeared through the outer door.

“I’m glad he’s on our side,” Tom said, staring thoughtfully after Wyatt. “He actually pried apart the bars of our cells.”

“Bars?” Esme asked.

“Yeah. We were in cages in some kind of lab.” He hugged her when she shuddered. “Don’t worry, honey. We’re free now.”

While they waited, he told them how he had been captured, and then Esme and Cherry told their tales.

“I don’t like this,” he said slowly. “I don’t like this one little bit.”

Cherry had to bite back an impatient retort. None of them liked it, but that didn’t change the fact that it happened. It was more important to prevent it from happening again.

The outer door started to open and she raised her gun, pleased to notice that her hand wasn’t shaking. Tom pushed Esme behind him and raised his metal bar.

Wyatt appeared in the opening and she sagged in relief.

“I’m not coming in,” he said. “That’s how they got me the last time. I suspect they have an automatic defense against cyborgs.”

“I’m more than happy to join you out there,” she said, hurrying for the entrance.

“The sooner the better,” Tom agreed. “We have to get back to town.”

The three of them stepped outside, and it was Tom’s turn to swear. Wyatt looked equally troubled.

“What’s the matter?” she asked.

“Look at that sky,” Wyatt said. “I reckon we don’t have more than an hour before dark. You know how quickly the temperature falls.”

“That’s not all.” Tom pointed to the clouds boiling above their heads. “I think there’s a dust storm coming.” He and Wyatt stared at each other. “I don’t think we have a choice except to head back to my claim.”

“I agree.” Wyatt gestured to the small ATV. “This is all I could find but I didn’t want to take any longer looking for anything else.”

“Where’s Maverick?” she asked, looking around for the horse. “Didn’t he come get you?”

“I’m afraid that he was… injured. Not permanently,” he added hastily. “But he needs a chance to recover.”

“What did that bastard do to him?” she demanded.

“He removed his main power supply. He has a backup, but it needs to charge.”

“I don’t understand.” She shook her head. “How could he get close enough to do something like that?”

“I think if that bastard had you, Maverick wouldn’t have taken the chance of you being hurt.”

Guilt washed over her. “You mean it’s my fault.”

“No, darlin’. That bastard is the only one responsible. And I’m sure Maverick will be just fine.”

“Since you don’t have transportation, Cherry can go with Esme in the ATV and I can run,” Tom volunteered.

“Thanks, Tom, but that’s all right. I got her. Don’t I, darlin’?”

“Yes, Wyatt. You do.”

The teasing grin vanished from his face as he heard the sincerity in her words.

“Good,” he said softly.

Chapter Fourteen

Tom and Esme climbed into the ATV and headed for the opening in the rocks. Wyatt picked her up, tucking her against his chest as her legs automatically encircled his waist. He kept one arm under her bottom and the other around her back as he started to jog, and she felt surprisingly secure. Secure and… aroused. The position left her pussy rubbing against the hard bar of his cock. She shifted her weight and felt him respond.

“Darlin’, this would be easier if you would keep still.”

“It would be easier if you weren’t always hard.”

“Impossible as long as I’m around you.”

She rewarded him with a sucking little kiss to his neck and he groaned.

“Tease.”

“As long as I’m around you,” she echoed, and he laughed.

He settled into an easy lope, keeping pace with the ATV. He wasn’t even breathing hard and she realized that he could outpace it if he weren’t careful.

“Thank you for staying with them.”

“I did think about running ahead and taking you to the claim first, but I don’t want to get separated.” He grinned down at her. “Besides, if they go missing again, you’ll just insist on setting up after them again.”

“Which you would do even if I wasn’t here. You’re a good man, Wyatt.”

He didn’t respond but his arms tightened briefly around her.

The rapid journey across the floor of the valley continued as the sky darkened. At first, it was exciting. She felt safe in Wyatt’s arms and the feel of his big body moving against her, firm chest against her aching breasts, his cock shifting against her needy pussy with every stride, kept her body hovering on the brink of orgasm. She found herself rubbing against him, seeking that final touch that would push her over the edge.

“You’re killing me, darlin’,” Wyatt murmured in her ear.

“I’m sorry. I just…”

“You need a little help?”

“Yes, please.”

He dropped back just a little, so that the ATV was in front of them, and slid a big hand beneath her coat, cupping her ass through her jeans.

“Should I rip these open? Leave you all bare and open to me? Run my fingers along that wet little cunt?”

Her hands tightened on his shoulders as she pictured it. Her need spiked and she reached between them, trying to release his erection.

He groaned but pressed her tighter against him.

“Not yet. The first time I bury myself in that hot little cunt won’t be on a run across the desert. I don’t want anything distracting us.”

“But I need you,” she gasped.

“I know, darlin’.” His hand tightened on her ass, his thumb digging between her cheeks and pulling the seam of her pants across her aching clit. She cried out as the pressure increased.

He growled approvingly and started rubbing her over his cock. His massive erection began to vibrate against her clit as he ground her against him, sending shockwaves of pleasure through her body, and she went soaring over the edge into a short explosive climax.

She sagged against him as her body trembled.

“Feel better now?” he asked.

“So much better. But what about you?” He was still as hard as ever.

“Later,” he said. “I meant it when I said that I want to take my time with you.”

“Are you sure?” she asked with a teasing wiggle. He gave her ass a quick smack, sending a whole new streak of excitement through her body. “That’s not the way to discourage me.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re the perfect woman?” he asked, and then she felt him flinch.

Someone had said that to her—he had. Had the memory tried to emerge?

“Just you,” she whispered.

He gave her butt another squeeze then took his hand out from under her coat and positioned his arm under her once again.

Despite the lingering flare of excitement, she relaxed into his arms. The oncoming darkness deepened the colors of the rocks, oranges shading into rose and garnet. For the moment at least, they were safe, and she was half-asleep when the first gust of wind hit them.

Dust swirled around their feet, and she felt the temperature take a sudden sharp drop. Wyatt’s body emitted a soothing warmth everywhere she was pressed against him, but her other side was growing increasingly cold. She shivered.

“Are you all right? Do you want me to speed up?”

“No, I’m fine. Let’s stay with them.”

“Promise me you’ll tell me if it starts to get too cold.”

“I promise.”

As she spoke, another blast of wind rushed over them, and she heard Wyatt swear under his breath. Fine particles bit at her exposed skin in a constant, stinging barrage.

She twisted her head, trying to see how much further they had to go but she couldn’t see much in the gathering dark. The ATVs lights came on but only penetrated a short distance into the gloom, dust particles dancing madly in the beams.

“How much further?” she asked as she shivered again.

“Not far. I’m running ahead with you now. I’ll come back as soon as you’re safe.”

He raced up beside Tom’s vehicle and pointed to her. The big man nodded, and Wyatt took off. She thought he had been running swiftly before but now his feet barely seem to touch the ground. Clinging desperately to his neck, she tried to stop the shivers that were beginning to overtake her body.

“Fuck. I’m sorry, darlin’. I shouldn’t have waited so long.”

“N-not your fault,” she stuttered. “W-wanted to stay with them.”

“But I shouldn’t listen to you.”

“G-glad you do.”

His arms tightened again as his pace increased. Just as she was beginning to wonder if he would make it in time, he came to an abrupt halt. She started to raise her head but a minute later a door opened and light flooded out.

He carried her quickly through the airlock and into the blessed quiet and warmth of Esme’s home. Her legs didn’t want to unclench from around his waist and he had to help her unlock them. Standing was impossible and he helped her to a big couch. He disappeared momentarily, then returned with a big mug of hot, sweet tea.

“Are you all right, darlin’?”

She took a sip of the hot drink and sighed as her feet and hand started to tingle with returning warmth.

“I’m fine.”

He hovered over her, looking unusually uncertain.

“What is it?”

“I don’t want to leave you. The ATV should have a directional signal but—”

“Honestly, I’m fine. Go after them.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. Go.”

He kissed her and then disappeared through the airlock. Despite her assurance, the minute he was out of sight, she started to worry. Even in the short time they had been inside, the wind had increased, and she heard it howling outside the dome. That was an odd scraping noise and it took her a moment to realize that wind-driven particles were raking across the dome.

Oh, God. Wyatt didn’t have any protection other than his usual clothing.

The only way she could think of to help was to move through the habitat, turning on every available light so it would be as visible as possible through the storm. Then she returned to the main dome but she was too restless to sit still. She’d already thought she lost him once today; she couldn’t stand to go through it the second time.

W-246 grabbed a thermal coat on his way through the airlock. He didn’t need the warmth, but the fabric would provide an extra layer of protection from the grit scouring the air. His body would survive the assault, but it would take time to repair the damage and he did not want to distress Cherry unnecessarily. He hated leaving her, especially since he knew that the last portion of their trip had been difficult for her. He hadn’t expected the storm to come in quite as quickly as it did. When he was stationed at the ice cap, the full fury of a dust storm rarely reached them.

The wind almost wrenched the outer door out of his hands but he caught it and closed it carefully behind him. He scanned the surroundings but saw no sign of the ATV. He had to make sure that they were okay, not only because they were Cherry’s friends, or because it was his duty, but because the big man had earned his respect during their brief time together.

After Wyatt had managed to free himself, Tom just looked quietly at him, and Wyatt could see in his eyes that he half-expected to be left behind. There was no way he would do that to a fellow prisoner. He searched for a key to the lock on Tom’s cage but when he couldn’t find it, he started working on the bars, even though the need to find Cherry was eating at him. Tom assisted, lending a surprising amount of strength for a full human. As soon as they managed to remove enough bars for Tom to slip through, they started to search for their women, Tom just as frantic as Wyatt. Tom had even been the one to take down the human when he attempted a surprise attack.

Now, he hurried through the storm to find them. The winds were almost strong enough to disorient him, but his internal guidance system didn’t fail him. He had gone less than a mile when he spotted the dim glow of the ATV’s headlights. The vehicle was slightly off course, not by a lot but by enough to make them miss the habitat.

Tom was crouched over the controls, trying to keep the vehicle steady as it was buffeted by the winds. Esme was perched next to him, her face taut with strain. Both of them jumped when he appeared out of the storm.

“Adjust your heading!” he yelled through the glass, pointing in the right direction.

Tom nodded grimly and followed his directions. Wyatt stayed next to the vehicle to make sure that it remained on course and also using it as best he could to shelter from the rising wind. The habitat finally appeared through the gloom, every window glowing. Tom increased the speed of the ATV as soon as it was visible, W-246 racing along next to him.

He followed the vehicle through the open doors of the transport shed. Dust and sand were already mounding against the walls, and he hurried to close the doors. Tom joined him and together the two of them managed to get them closed. His ears rang from the immediate cessation of sound, despite the wind still howling outside. He almost staggered when he no longer had to brace himself against the wind.

“Thank you, my friend.” Tom dropped a big hand on his shoulder, looking more shaken than he had during their period of captivity. “I was afraid that the way finder was wrong, but I didn’t have any way to correct it. There are so many magnetic fragments in the dust that it throws off the instruments.”

Esme started to climb down from the ATV and Tom hurried to assist her. She smiled up at him but focused on Wyatt.

“Where’s Cherry?” she asked anxiously.

“She’s inside. I’m sorry I had to leave you, but the temperature was dropping too fast and the wind was too strong for her.”

“Of course you had to go on ahead. Is she okay?”

“She says she’s fine.”

A quick smile crossed Esme’s face. “I wouldn’t expect her to say anything else. What about you? Are you all right?”

“Of course I am. I need to check on her.”

“I think you had better clean up first. Your face is covered in blood.”

Now that she mentioned it, he could feel the heat covering his face and his hands as his nanites rushed to repair the damage the storm had caused to his exposed skin.

“It’s nothing,” he said impatiently.

“I doubt she’ll see it that way.” Tom handed him a cleansing cloth. “At least wipe away the blood.”

He obeyed as they both stared at him.

“I can actually see the wounds closing,” Tom said, his voice awed.

“That’s one of the benefits of being a cyborg. Am I acceptable enough now?”

“You’ll do.” Esme patted his arm and led the way to the back of the shed. A second door opened into a small airlock leading back to the main living quarters and they hurried inside. They passed through a glass-walled corridor lined with plants. Through the gaps in the greenery, he could see dark clouds of dust roiling around the building and he could hear the particles scratching at the glass as if seeking a way inside. It was a relief to emerge into the main room and find Cherry peering out into the night.

“We made it,” Esme said cheerfully as Cherry whirled to face them.

“Oh, thank God.” Her eyes flew to his face and she paled. “What happened to you, Wyatt? Are you all right?”

“Good thing I told you to clean up,” Esme murmured as Cherry rushed over to him, her face a mask of concern.

“I’m fine, darlin’. Just a little bit of damage from the wind. It’s already healing. Have you recovered from the trip?”

“I’m fine,” she said impatiently, and Esme giggled.

Nothing would satisfy her except for him to sit down so she could tend to him. He let her wipe the last remnants of blood from his face, clucking anxiously, and then hauled her down into his lap. “This is all I need to feel better.”

She sighed and nestled against him.

Chapter Fifteen

A short time later, they all gathered at the table. He was on one side, still holding Cherry, while Tom mirrored his position on the other side of the table with Esme in his lap.

“What’s the plan?” Tom asked.

“Stay here until the storm breaks, then head back to town as fast as we can. I want you somewhere safe, and the other cyborgs need to know that GenCon is making more of those monsters. What’s the fastest vehicle you have, Tom?”

“The ATV is fastest, but it doesn’t have enough oxygen to reach New Arcadia. The big rover has the most power, but it takes a full day even if you leave before sunup.”

“What about Maverick?” Cherry looked at the storm raging outside. “Do you think he’s all right?”

He had been worrying about the horse as well, but he did his best to give her a reassuring smile. “I’m sure he’s fine.”

“But you said he needed a new power supply.”

“I’ll go and look for him in the morning. If he got enough sun today, his secondary supply will be fully charged and he’ll be able to make it at least as far as Clint’s. He’ll have an extra one. If Maverick didn’t get enough sun to recharge fully, I’ll just have to run for it.”

Her eyes widened. “You can’t run all the way to New Arcadia.”

“I just need to make it to Clint—or anyone with a working communicator. Are there any other homesteads out here?”

Tom shook his head. “Not yet. I have a couple of buddies coming up on the next transport ship who are planning to join me.”

“I hate to say it, but what about the city in the rocks?” Cherry asked. “One of the men mentioned receiving a message so they must have one.”

“I thought about it, but I suspect that any communication from a GenCon facility is monitored by GenCon. We can’t take the chance.”

“Do you think that… thing will be back?” Esme shivered.

“I don’t know. I wish I knew when he left.”

“I think he must have been gone before they brought you in.” Tom scratched his chin. “They were hoping he would be pleased.”

“Hmm. Assuming he’s as fast as a cyborg—or has some fast method of transportation—he would be getting to town around now. If he took shelter from the storm, he’s still on the way. I don’t think we need to worry about him until the storm dies down.”

He didn’t mention that if these new hybrids had technology similar to the cyborgs, the storm wouldn’t necessarily slow him down. He glanced around the table. Tom was frowning and Esme still looked worried. Cherry’s body was tense in his arms. He held in a sigh. His plans for Cherry would have to wait.

“I’ll stand watch tonight. I really don’t expect any problems, but just in case.”

He felt Cherry relax and comforted himself with the knowledge that he had eased her worries. Everyone else looked calmer as well.

“I think we could all use a stiff drink,” Esme said as she stood up.

“And something to eat,” Tom said firmly. “I’ll make us some supper.”

Esme gave him a sultry smile before she darted off to retrieve the liquor. “That’s a good idea. I’m sure we could use an early night.”

W-246 couldn’t help feeling envious. Tom would have his woman in his arms tonight, but he wouldn’t be so lucky. Cherry must have been thinking along the same lines because she looked up and gave him a rueful smile.

“I guess we’re going to have to wait a little longer.”

“It’s almost enough to make me wish I had taken advantage of our earlier encounter.”

“Well, I could help you keep watch…” She trailed a finger along his cock, and he bit back a groan.

“I’d be too busy watching you to pay any attention to what’s outside. But we have time, darlin’. All the time in the world.”

The words echoed in his head, followed by a spike of pain, and he saw the same pain reflected in her eyes. Why did he feel as if he had said that to her before? He pushed harder at the memory but it only made the pain in his head escalate.

“Wyatt, stop.” A cool hand stroked his burning forehead. “You’re trying to remember, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t. The past is behind us. What matters is that we’re together now.” She bit her lip. “I mean, we are together, aren’t we?”

“You’re damn right we are,” he growled. “You’re mine now, darlin’ and don’t you forget it.”

That flash of hurt again and then she was smiling at him. “Yes, sir.”

“I like the sound of that. Very… obedient.”

“I can be obedient.” She leaned forward and whispered in his ear. “But if I’m not, you might have to spank me.”

His cock jerked and he knew she felt it because she gave him a wicked smile before she jumped up and went to help Esme with the drinks.

“This is really good,” Wyatt complimented Tom over dinner.

“It’s nothing special, but it is nice to have some fresh ingredients to use now that the greenhouses are producing. I suppose you’re used to MREs.”

He shrugged as he reached for a third helping. “I usually don’t bother. Protein packs supply all the nutrients we need.”

Silence met his words and he looked up to see everyone staring at him.

“You don’t eat real food?” Cherry asked, horrified.

“It’s no big deal, darlin’. I just got used to going without.”

“Well from now on, you’re going to eat proper meals.”

“If they are as good as this, I certainly won’t object. Can you cook, darlin’?”

Pink tinted her cheeks and she looked unexpectedly shy. “It’s not something I ever mastered.”

“Maybe we can learn together.” He liked the sound of that—and the knowledge that they could plan for a future together.

“Molly is a great cook. You should ask her,” Esme suggested. “She oversees the kitchen for the Palace.”

Cherry bit her lip and looked away from him. Was she worried about the reminder of her profession? As long as she was only with him, he didn’t care about the rest of it. He smiled at her.

“Then I hope she’ll teach us. I didn’t realize that you served food.”

“It’s not that profitable, but I think it makes the men feel more home – which has a tendency to improve their behavior. It also helps to soak up the alcohol,” she added.

“I think you’re doing a great job,” he said sincerely. He hesitated then asked, “But how did you end up running a brothel on Mars?”

“It was at one of those black-tie affairs. You know the kind—politicians, generals, trophy wives. Bad food and watered-down alcohol.”

The words sent a thrill of recognition through him. He remembered them all too well from his days in Washington, but how did Cherry know that? And why did he feel that it was important? Pain spiked in his head and she immediately reached for his hand.

“Don’t try to remember. It’s not worth the pain.”

He shoved back from the table, driven by frustration and an aching sense of loss.

“What is it that I can’t remember?”

Cherry bit her lip, then gave him a resolute look. “We met at a party like that.”

An image appeared in his mind—Cherry, dressed in a conservative red gown that covered her from neck to ankle but did absolutely nothing to hide her magnificent figure. She was silhouetted against a hazy backdrop scattered with lights as she laughed up at someone, and he knew with utter certainty that he had been the person with her.

The red of her dress washed away in a red haze of agony as his knees crumpled. Tom’s hand went under his elbow and kept him on his feet.

“Don’t do this to yourself,” Cherry whispered. “It’s not worth it.”

“I saw you,” he gasped as fiery spikes of agony dug into his brain. “In a red dress.”

Tears filled her eyes. “That’s right, but please don’t try to remember anything else.”

He wasn’t sure that he could. His brain felt as if it were liquefying in his skull and everything looked hazy. “Not tonight,” he agreed.

She opened her mouth, he suspected to argue with him, then firmly closed her lips and helped him back to the table.

“Finish your story,” he urged her. “You were at a party…”

“That’s right. And I heard two officers talking about a plan to, as they put it, provide comfort for the men working on Mars. I was pretty sure they weren’t concerned about the women’s comfort,” she said dryly. “There wasn’t anything keeping me on Earth and we—I mean, I—had always been intrigued by the idea of immigrating to Mars. So I volunteered.”

The warning ache in his head was enough to stop him from pursuing her slip of the tongue. Tonight. Instead, he gave her an admiring look.

“So you left Earth behind and started a new business on Mars.”

“Technically, it’s the oldest business.”

They all laughed, and Tom and Esme began clearing the table. By tacit agreement, they didn’t discuss the next day or the challenges in front of them. Instead, Tom told them humorous stories about some of his early struggles on the claim, and Wyatt matched them with tales from the icecap.

“I think we should get an early night,” Tom said at last as he rose from the table. “I suspect tomorrow will be a long day.”

From the eagerness with which Esme jumped up to join him, he doubted that rest was the only thing on the big man’s mind.

“I’ll stay here and keep Wyatt company,” Cherry volunteered but he reluctantly shook his head.

“No, darlin’. It was a long day for you too and tomorrow is going to be difficult. I want you to get some rest.”

She pouted full pink lips as she sashayed over to him with an extra swing in her hips.

“Are you sure? I’m excellent company.”

“Good night,” Esme called, but he paid no attention to their departure, too focused on the woman in front of him. Her face was bare, her hair in a tangled braid, her clothes smudged with orange dust, but she had never looked more beautiful to him.

“Too excellent. You’re a very distracting woman.”

“Why, thank you.”

She went up on tiptoes to kiss him and he couldn’t resist, tugging her against him so that every lush curve was nestled against his body. The kiss rapidly turned carnal and they were both breathing heavily when he forced himself to raise his head.

“Please go to bed, darlin’.”

The teasing temptress vanished as her face softened and she put a gentle hand on his cheek.

“All right, Wyatt. Just be careful.”

“I’ll be fine. I’m just going to keep watch and make sure nothing goes bump in the night.”

“All right. Good night then. I l—”

He saw the struggle on her face, could almost hear the words she had been about to say, and he waited anxiously. Should he tell her how he felt? Before he could decide, she gave him a shaky smile and fled the room.

Perhaps it was just as well. This didn’t seem like the right moment for undying declarations. With a sigh, he went to double-check that all of the airlock doors were locked. Tom also had a small motion scanner covering his claim. The swirling winds disrupted the signal, but he thought—hoped—that something as large as a man would show up.

The hours dripped past with only the constant howl of the wind and the grating of the sand against the walls to keep him company. He knew Cherry was in one of the small domes, and he had to fight the constant impulse to go to her. Had she really been about to tell him that she loved him?

He was a fool, he decided. A coward and a fool. He should have told her how he felt. The next time they were alone, no matter how difficult the circumstances, he was going to tell her.

Chapter Sixteen

In the early hours of the morning, he heard a noise behind him and whirled around, expecting to find Cherry standing there. His heart pounded as he realized he would have to make good on his resolution and tell her how he felt. But instead of Cherry, Tom stood in the opening to the corridor. His hair was tousled, his face contented, and W-246 fought back a wave of envy. He had no doubt that Tom told his wife that he loved her.

“Don’t tell me you couldn’t sleep,” he said, raising an eyebrow.

“Don’t worry. I got plenty of—” Tom’s words were interrupted by an enormous yawn, and he grinned sheepishly. “Well, enough sleep anyway. I’m here to relieve you.”

“You don’t need to do that.”

“Yes, I do. We wouldn’t be here at all if it weren’t for you and I suspect your woman would like some company.”

“Are you sure?” His sense of duty clashed with his desires.

“Quite sure. I can watch the monitor, especially now that the storm is starting to die down.”

Startled, he realized that the intensity of the wind had dropped. It had happened so gradually that he hadn’t noticed.

“Call me if—”

“If anything happens.” Tom nodded. “If I so much as suspect a rock out of place, I’ll wake up the whole habitat.”

His heart thundering in his chest despite his nanites, he headed for the room where Cherry was sleeping. He hadn’t been this nervous since he had taken the initial test for officer candidate school. I won’t disturb her if she’s asleep, he told himself, even knowing that it was the coward’s way out. But as soon as he opened the door, she raised her head. He could see her watching him in the dim glow of a small nightlight as he closed the door behind him.

“Wyatt? Is everything all right?”

“It’s fine. Tom is keeping watch now. I thought I would join you—that is, if you want me to.”

“Of course I do.” She pulled back the covers on one side of the bed, and he caught a brief glimpse of naked thigh. His mouth went dry.

“Are you wearing anything under there?”

She giggled and shook her head.

“All of my clothes were in my bag—which is hopefully still attached to Maverick’s saddle. And Esme and I are not built the same way. She did offer to let me have one of Tom’s shirts—”

He growled, instinctively rejecting the idea of her in another man’s clothing.

“—but I suspected you wouldn’t approve.”

“You suspected correctly.” He started to strip off his own clothes but hesitated. “Would you rather I kept mine on?”

“Not at all.” She sounded as breathless as he felt, with just the tiniest hint of nerves, but he didn’t think it was due to his lack of clothing.

He went down on his knees next to the bed, studying her face in the faint illumination of the small lamp.

“I need to tell you something. I’m not trying to pressure you. It’s okay if you don’t feel the same way. Yet,” he couldn’t help adding, then took a deep breath. “I love you, Cherry.”

Even in the dim light, he could see the sparkle of tears in her eyes and his heart stood still. Had he spoken too quickly? Before he had a chance to panic, she threw herself into his arms, soft, fragrant, his. His breath escaped in a relieved sigh before he was too busy kissing her to think of breathing.

Their lips finally parted long enough for her to whisper, “I love you too.”

There was an aching familiarity to the words and an odd combination of joy and regret and pain washed over him. He pushed them all aside, determined to focus on showing his woman just how much he loved her.

He threw back the covers, reveling in the sight of her lush, perfect body. Her pretty pink nipples stood at attention, begging for his mouth, and he obliged, licking and sucking until she was writhing beneath him.

“Now that’s a pretty sight,” he said, lifting his head to watch as he ran a thumb over one taut peak, down over the soft curve of her stomach, and then further down. Her legs parted for him and he could see her delicate folds, already pink and glistening. He swirled a finger through the abundant wetness, then circled the swollen nub of her clit. A soft cry escaped her lips and her whole body quivered.

“Do you like that, darlin’?” He brushed his finger gently back and forth over the exposed flesh as she tried to lift into his touch. “Do you want more?”

“Yes,” she gasped. “Please, Wyatt.”

He rewarded her by moving lower, slowly circling her entrance before pushing inside. Her tight little channel resisted, then engulfed him in a silken grip. His cock throbbed and ached, longing to enter her, but he was determined to take his time, to savor the moment—until she clamped down on his finger, her muscles massaging the digit in slow, seductive pulses. His patience started to fray, then disappeared completely when long, cool fingers closed over his cock, gripping him just as tightly.

“I want you inside me, Wyatt,” she gasped, her hips moving restlessly. “I’ve waited long enough.”

It seemed like an eternity to him as well and he abandoned any attempt to hold out, rising over her and positioning the broad head of his cock at her entrance. His eyes never leaving hers, he pushed slowly inside, into her warmth, her heat, sinking deeper and deeper until she surrounded him completely. She felt so good, so right, and he paused to savor the moment, their eyes still locked. The certainty that they belonged together swept over him and an elusive memory hovered just out of reach, but before he could grasp it, she tightened her muscles again and his thoughts evaporated in a blaze of lust.

His hips snapped forward and she rose to meet him, taking him impossibly deeper, and then he was pounding into her, claiming her. She met every stroke, her arms tight around his neck, her legs like a vice around his waist as she arched against him, urging him on and on, until he felt her shudder, felt her clamp down so tightly that he could barely move, and then he was coming too in long, helpless waves that left him limp and drained and unbelievably happy.

He buried his head in her neck, too exhausted to think of moving, and felt her hands stroking his back. When he finally raised his head, she was smiling up at him but her eyes were damp.

“Are you all right?”

“Just happy. Happier than I’ve been in a very long time.”

“I’ve never felt like this before,” he confessed and saw the briefest hint of sorrow cross her face. “What is it?”

“Nothing that matters now.” She lifted her hand and ran her fingers through his hair, rubbing the spot that ached when he tried to remember. “We’re together. That’s what matters.”

“Yes, it does.” His exhaustion had already started to disappear, and he rocked against her. “And I intend to take full advantage.”

“I think it’s my turn to take advantage.”

With unexpected swiftness, she twisted her body, and he found himself lying beneath her. She sat up, giving him a clear view of her magnificent breasts as she began to undulate on top of him.

“You can take advantage of me any time,” he groaned as he seized her hips and gave himself over to pleasure.

Only the faintest sliver of light had appeared outside the dome when Cherry awoke. Her body felt limp and relaxed with a slight, pleasant ache between her legs. It had been so long—but he had been worth waiting for.

Wyatt had wrapped himself completely around her in his sleep, his face buried against her breasts, his arms and legs holding her against him. He stirred restlessly, a faint whimper escaping his lips. She stroked his hair soothingly, murmuring softly, and he settled back down.

Despite her contentment, she couldn’t help but worry. Would he remember the night before this time? She was sure that he had been awake, but his troubled sleep worried her more than she cared to admit.

A light tap sounded on the door and he awakened instantly, jumping out of bed and placing himself between her and the door, his big, naked body gleaming in the faint light.

“Who’s there?” he snapped.

“It’s Tom. The storm has died down and it’ll be light soon. We should get started.”

The tension left his body. “We’ll be right there.”

He turned towards her and she couldn’t resist an admiring gaze. All those hard, firm muscles, the golden skin of his left side only accentuating each impressive inch. Her gaze dropped involuntarily to his magnificent cock, hanging heavily down his thigh but responding immediately to her perusal.

“Darlin’, if you look at me like that, we’ll never get out of here.”

She very deliberately licked her lips. “But I want another taste.”

His eyes heated, turning silver with lust as he stalked towards her, but then he hesitated. “Another taste?”

Heat rushed into her cheeks. “Never mind.”

“I wouldn’t forget something like that, would I?”

She dropped her gaze. “It was while we were at Clint’s. I thought you were awake—I didn’t mean to take advantage of you.”

“Fuck, darlin’. I’m so sorry. I thought I dreamed the whole thing.”

“You mean you remember?” Her heart started to beat a little faster. Had he remembered her in his dream? To her dismay, he shook his head.

“Not really. Just flashes.”

He winced as he spoke, and she recognized the sign that he had started to trigger his memory blocker. Even though her heart ached, she smiled, determined to distract him.

“Then I guess I’ll just have to make sure you’re awake this time.”

She leaned forward and licked the head of his cock. His hand buried itself in her hair but then he gently raised her chin.

“We need to get going, darlin’. But believe me, I’ll give you another chance.”

“The question is, am I going to offer you one?” She gave him one more teasing lick and climbed out of bed.

As she bent over to pick up her clothes, he smacked her butt just hard enough to send a thrill of excitement through her body. Her nipples tightened into stiff little peaks as she turned to face him.

“You are not discouraging me.”

He took a step towards her, but just as their bodies touched, there was another knock on the door, harder this time.

“Come on, lovebirds. Time’s a-wasting,” Tom called.

“Lovebirds…” she said softly. “Is that really what we are?”

“Yes, ma’am.” His eyes were serious as he raised her chin so he could look into her eyes. “This is love, Cherry. I don’t doubt it for a minute.”

She didn’t doubt it either, but would she get to keep it this time? Refusing to let him see the tears in her eyes, she leaned forward and hugged him and then turned back to her clothes.

“Do you think Maverick is all right?”

“I hope so. I’ll head for his location first.”

“Are you going to take me with you?”

He hesitated, and she knew his answer before he spoke.

“I wish I could, but I need to move as fast as possible. It wouldn’t be a comfortable trip.”

“I don’t care about comfort!” she cried, then bit her lip. She knew she wasn’t being fair to expect him to carry her the entire way. If only the memory of their last day together on Earth didn’t haunt her so much. It had started the same way with a night of lovemaking and teasing morning kisses and his obvious reluctance to leave. And he had never returned.

“I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “I know I’m being silly.”

“I wish I could take you, but I need to be prepared to handle any… problems that crop up.”

The fact that he tactfully omitted the possibility of encountering the hybrid didn’t make her feel any better, but she forced herself to nod and finish getting dressed.

They walked into the main dome just as Tom looked up from the monitor, his face grim.

“Something is coming.”

Chapter Seventeen

Wyatt instinctively stepped in front of Cherry even though there was no imminent danger. He hurried over to Tom’s side, both women right behind him.

“What is it?” Cherry asked.

Tom frowned at the monitor. “I’m not sure but it looks big, bigger than a man.”

“A vehicle?” Esme guessed.

“At that speed? It could be, but I can’t tell. This doesn’t show much more than size and speed at the best of times, and it’s still off-kilter from the storm.”

“Do you have any weapons?” he asked grimly.

“Of course.” Tom opened a locked cabinet to reveal a small but impressive collection of arms.

He raised an eyebrow. “You were expecting trouble?”

“Always. You don’t grow up in the slums without learning to take care of yourself.”

Tom’s words triggered the familiar flash of pain, but he shoved it aside. He didn’t have time for his weakness.

“Cherry, can you handle one of these?”

“We both can.” Esme handed a gun to Cherry and took one for herself. Tom grabbed the rifle.

“Where do you want us?”

“I’ll meet whatever is coming out front. Can you cover me from the transport shed?”

“You got it.”

“What about us?” Cherry asked, her face pale but determined.

“I want one of you at each airlock. Just like before—if anyone other than one of us enters, shoot to kill.”

“Got it.” Esme’s face was equally determined as she nodded along with Cherry.

He gave Cherry a quick kiss and headed outside, determined to protect his woman and their… friends. He couldn’t remember the last time he thought of someone as a friend, but he had no doubt that Tom and Esme would stand with them.

The sun had not yet risen above the horizon and the misty light of predawn wanted to play tricks on his eyes. Even though the storm had abated, the air was still thick with dust, swirling in the icy morning breeze. He extended his senses as far as possible and finally caught a distant rhythmic thump. He was so prepared for danger that it took him a moment to recognize the sound of a horse’s hooves. Afraid to relax prematurely, he kept his hand poised on his weapon until he could make out the silvery form racing towards him. Maverick.

A huge sigh of relief escaped as he yelled the good news over his shoulder. By the time Maverick came to a halt in front of him, Cherry had put on her mask and coat and was waiting at his side.

“He’s all right. Thank God.”

The horse nuzzled at her face while Wyatt examined him. His sides were scratched, and some of the tubing that comprised his mane had been torn away, but otherwise, he appeared to be in good shape.

He shook his head. “He must have taken shelter from the storm.”

“Well, of course he did. He’s too smart to stay out in weather like that, aren’t you, boy?”

He could have sworn the horse shot him a triumphant look.

“I guess he is at that.” He checked the backup power source and found that it was close to full.

“Are you going to ride him back to town?” Tom asked from behind him.

Maverick started to rear as the other man approached but Cherry put a soothing hand on his neck. “It’s okay. He’s a friend.”

The horse subsided but maneuvered into a position where he could watch Tom.

“I think it would be best if I rode him. I can match his speed if I have to, but it would help me conserve energy in case I need it.”

Two men looked at each other and Wyatt knew he didn’t need to elaborate.

“If you’re riding, that means I can come,” Cherry said eagerly.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, darlin’. I’m not sure what I’ll run into.”

She put her hand on his arm, blue eyes pleading from behind her mask. “Please. I can’t stand to see you walk away again.”

He had the uneasy feeling that she was referring to something other than the previous day’s events, but he couldn’t resist the entreaty in her eyes. Honestly, he would feel better knowing where she was as well.

“All right,” he agreed just as the first ray of sunlight crossed the horizon. “But we need to leave now.”

“I’m ready.”

“Here.” Esme came hurrying out of the habitat and pressed a container into Cherry’s hands. “Some breakfast to eat on the way. For both of you to eat,” she said sternly.

Cherry laughed and hugged her. “Yes, ma’am. And you’ll both be right behind us, won’t you? We don’t know how long it will take for those men to work themselves free—or what will happen when they do.”

Tom scowled but nodded. “It goes against my grain to run away from trouble, but I think we need to know what we’re dealing with before we go into battle. And I won’t take any chances with Esme’s safety.”

“You’re a good man, Tom,” Cherry said softly.

Wyatt managed to restrain himself—barely—from growling when she hugged the big man but he tugged her back against his side as soon as she released him.

“Time to go.” He lifted her onto Maverick’s back then turned back and extended a hand to Tom. “Thank you, my friend. Take care of yourself until we meet again.”

The man gripped his hand solemnly. “You too.”

To his surprise, Esme rose up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

“You take care of her, Wyatt.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said with a grin and vaulted into the saddle behind Cherry.

A moment later, they were on their way. He kept Maverick to a slow trot at first, making sure that the horse was functioning properly. His gait was a little off but he never hesitated, and he was obviously impatient to increase his speed.

They took advantage of the slower pace to devour the breakfast Esme had given them. He grunted in appreciation at the real egg fried and served between two slices of homemade bread.

“This is so good.”

“It certainly is. I never expected Esme to take up cooking.” Cherry sighed. “I was sure she was making a mistake marrying Tom and moving all the way out here. I was wrong. I’ve never seen her so happy.”

“Have you known her for a long time?”

“Since we were back on Earth. I met her at another one of those parties. She was the mistress of a very rich—and very cruel—man. I helped her get away from him. And when she found out what I had planned here, she insisted on coming. I’m so glad it worked out.”

“If she keeps cooking like this, I’m sure they will have a long and happy marriage.”

“You know I can’t cook,” she reminded him.

“But you’d make a wonderful wife.”

The words hung between them. It wasn’t quite a proposal, but he knew she could hear his intentions. Her body stiffened, but then she sighed and relaxed back against him. It was enough for now.

They made their way back down the side of the valley to the pass, and he scanned the horizon as the rising sun bathed the area in light. It looked as peaceful as it had the day before and just as desolate. No signs of life disturbed the quiet morning. The rock formation that concealed the city looked like nothing more than a harmless tower of rock.

“It looks so peaceful,” Cherry said softly, echoing his thoughts.

“I think that’s the idea. To keep everything hidden until it’s time.”

“Time for what?”

“I wish I knew.” He thought for a moment, turning over options. “I think instead of heading for Clint and Jo’s place, we should go see the Judge. It’s not too much further, and I think he might be in a better position to help us figure out what’s going on. He knows the GenCon director pretty well.”

“You mean Serena?” Cherry’s voice cooled noticeably. “You seem to think a lot of her.”

“I think she’s got a lot of balls. But more importantly, I suspect she knows the truth about what’s going on.”

“Maybe you’d rather be making this trip with her?” she suggested, her tone sweet enough to set off all his alarms.

“You know I wouldn’t, darlin’. Why would you even think that?”

She sighed and put her hands over his where they rested around her waist.

“I never thought I’d be the jealous type, but I don’t like hearing how much you admire her.”

“I admire you a lot more,” he said firmly. “And I never thought I would be the jealous type either, but I wanted to punch Tom when you hugged him.”

She laughed. “Aren’t we a pair?”

“No one has ever made me feel like you do, Cherry.”

Her hands tightened over his. “I feel the same way.”

As they reached the broad track that led to the pass, the anxiety that was riding him could no longer be suppressed. They needed to find out what was going on and warn the other cyborgs.

“Lean over and hang on to Maverick’s mane,” he ordered. “I’m going to give him his head and see how quickly we can make it back.”

She nodded and bent forward obediently as he leaned over, tightening his arms around her.

“Go, Maverick. Full speed.”

The words were barely out of his mouth before the horse took off. He didn’t have quite his usual speed but the rocks still blurred around them as he surged ahead. Cherry gasped.

“Don’t worry. I won’t let you fall,” he whispered in her ear.

“I’m not worried. This is amazing! I feel like I’m flying.”

She bent down closer to the horse, the soft curves of her ass pressing back against his shaft. Already partially erect from having her nestled in front of him, he stiffened into a full, aching erection as she rubbed against him with each stride.

She threw a teasing glance over her shoulder.

“Does everything make you hard?”

“Only you, darlin’.” He reached under her shirt and cupped a full breast, gently tweaking her nipple and delighting in her immediate response. “You’re pretty responsive yourself.”

“Only for you, Wyatt,” she echoed.

It was the wrong time, the wrong place, and he knew there was trouble ahead, but happiness filled him. He had the woman he loved in his arms and she loved him.

“I love you, darlin’.”

“I love you too.” She threw him another smile and deliberately rubbed against his aching erection. “And I intend to prove it as soon as I can.”

He increased the pressure on her nipple until she gasped with pleasure. “And I’m going to hold you to that.”

Chapter Eighteen

They came flying out of the pass and into the larger desert, and Cherry laughed with delight. She had never realized that riding would feel so freeing. There was only the horse and the man and the wind rushing past her face as Maverick flew across the desert. The sun had risen high enough to show the myriad variations of color in the sand and rocks. It was still barren, still severe, but she found herself appreciating the beauty of her surroundings in a brand-new way.

Wyatt suddenly stiffened behind her and brought Maverick back down to a trot, guiding him over to a nearby rock outcropping as he slowed.

“What’s wrong?”

“There’s a vehicle coming towards us. I don’t recognize it but it’s traveling much faster than any of the standard machines.”

“I don’t see it.”

“It’s a long way off. If it’s our mysterious adversary, I hope he doesn’t have cyborg vision.”

They had reached the rocks now and he started to dismount.

“What are you doing?” she asked anxiously.

“I’m going to run on ahead. Draw him away from here.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. The two of us stand a better chance than just you on your own.”

“Darlin’, I’m designed to fight. You are not. I’m not going to take the chance on you getting hurt.”

“Nothing would hurt me as much as you getting killed again,” she snapped, then held up her hand. “Never mind. Can’t you just meet him here? I can cover you from the rocks. Just in case.”

He hesitated, clearly torn.

“Please, Wyatt. I promise I’ll stay hidden unless it’s absolutely necessary, but I can’t stand the idea that you might leave and I’ll never know what happens to you.” She peered past him, noticing a cloud of dust in the horizon. “Is that the vehicle?”

“Fuck. It’s moving faster than I realized.” He sighed. “All right. I’ll confront him close to here, but you promise me that you’ll stay hidden.”

“Unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

“Protect her, Maverick,” he ordered. “At any cost.”

The horse seemed to nod, and the two of them slipped back into the rocks as Wyatt hurried away from them. She slid awkwardly off of Maverick’s back and found a position where she could see him clearly. Her heart pounded against her ribs as he casually strolled towards the oncoming vehicle. Her hand tightened on the butt of the rifle. If he got too far away, she wouldn’t be able to cover him.

The cloud of dust diminished, and she could see that a man was riding towards them on something that looked like a wide-tire motorcycle. No, not a man. As he drew closer, she could see the white mask of a face and the absence of a breathing mask and her pulse increased. She had no doubt that this was the mysterious enemy who had taken her and Esme captive and who had terrified the two mechanics.

The cycle screeched to a halt directly in front of Wyatt, but he didn’t flinch. The man laughed, an oddly familiar sound, although his expression never changed.

“Who the hell are you?”

“I’m the Territorial Judge. You’re breaking the speed limit.”

“Speed limit?” The man laughed again, and a shiver traveled up her spine. Why did that laugh sound so familiar? “That’s a good one. What are you going to do about it?”

“I’m going to take you in,” Wyatt said calmly.

“For this so-called speeding?”

“No. For kidnapping two women and arranging to hold them prisoner.”

The man froze, then climbed slowly down from his bike.

“What do you know about that?”

“Enough.”

“That’s unfortunate. For you.”

Moving so quickly Cherry could barely see him, he darted forward. Wyatt ducked away from him just in time.

“Where’s Rebecca?” the man demanded, and her stomach rolled.

“Who?”

“Rebecca. Rebecca Gambini.”

The way he snarled her name was unmistakable. She clapped her hand over her mouth before a startled cry could escape. Tony? She looked closer, trying to see the man she had known behind the perfect white mask of his face and finally recognized him. No wonder he had seemed so familiar.

She had to warn Wyatt. He had no idea of the kind of man he was dealing with.

“I don’t know a Rebecca,” Wyatt said, but she saw him raise a hand to his head. Dammit, he didn’t need to be distracted by the pain of her memories now.

“I don’t care what she calls herself,” Tony snarled, his face still a smooth mask. “Where’s the blonde woman?”

“She’s safe.”

“She’s mine.”

No.

Her own instinctive protest was echoed by Wyatt’s.

“Never.”

“You think you can defeat me?” Tony darted to one side, landing a heavy blow on Wyatt’s back on the way. “I’m faster than you are.”

He was fast all right, possibly even faster than Wyatt despite the odd stiffness in the way he moved, and her heart started to race.

“I reckon that comes in handy when you’re running away,” Wyatt drawled.

“Running away? I don’t need to run away.” The sneer was obvious in Tony’s voice despite the unchanged expression. “You’re one of the old models. Outdated and outmatched.”

“You’re certainly better at talking.”

Why was Wyatt antagonizing him? Tony moved again, catching Wyatt’s face with his fist. She saw him stagger and she couldn’t just watch any longer. She steadied the rifle on the edge of the rock and took careful aim at Tony’s leg. If she could just get him on the ground, she knew Wyatt could take care of the rest. She slowly squeezed the trigger—and everything went wrong.

As the sound of the shot echoed across the rocks, Tony slipped to one side, moving out of the path of the bullet with impossible speed. Wyatt whirled to face her, gesturing frantically for her to leave, and Tony took advantage of his distraction, seizing Wyatt around the neck and hauling him in front of his body like a living shield.

“Whoever you are, you’d better come out right now or your friend here is going to get his neck broken.”

“No, don’t…!” Wyatt called, his voice half-strangled.

She couldn’t let Tony hurt him.

“Stay here,” she ordered Maverick as she stood up. The horse pawed at the ground. “I know you want to help but I’m afraid he’ll just shoot you. Please stay here and be safe.”

Taking a deep breath, she walked out of the rocks.

Wyatt’s heart sank as Cherry appeared, looking pale but determined. Why hadn’t she run away?

“Rebecca?” the hybrid holding him asked. “I should have known it was you in there.”

The name sounded so familiar but when he tried to remember, the fire in his head ignited.

“What do you want, Tony?”

“I want you to pay.”

“Pay for what? What did I do to you?” Cherry’s voice was cool, her face composed, and he admired her composure despite his fear for her.

“This is all your fucking fault,” Tony snarled.

“My fault? Tony, I haven’t seen you in more than six years.”

“Don’t argue with me!” Wyatt could feel the man’s body vibrating with rage. “It was your visit to my father that started it. He never treated me the same afterwards. He would have left me to rot in that hellhole of a jail if I hadn’t managed to hack into one of the family accounts so I could bribe my way out.”

“You stole from your father?” She raised an eyebrow. “No wonder you came to Mars. Vincent would never have forgiven you.”

“It was going to be my money one day,” he said petulantly. “He owed it to me.”

“If you say so. Why don’t you let Wyatt go, Tony? This is between us.”

Instead, the hybrid’s arm tightened around his neck, his strength equal to his own.

“You like this fucking robot?” Tony laughed. “Good. Then it’s going to hurt to see him die.”

“No!” Cherry’s composure disappeared. “Don’t hurt him. I’m the one you want.”

“You don’t know what I want. You don’t know that I want to see you suffer. That I want you down on your knees weeping. Killing him seems like a good start.”

As the man ranted, Wyatt started edging his hand towards his holster, trying to take advantage of his distraction. Just as his fingers closed over it, Tony realized what he was doing and roared in anger, grabbing for the gun. They wrestled for control, Wyatt’s fear for Cherry lending him strength. A shot went off, deafening him, but he managed to turn the gun towards Tony and fire. Another deafening blast, then Tony collapsed, the right side of his head covered with thick white fluid.

Wyatt whirled triumphantly to find Cherry and saw her collapsed on the ground, blood flowing from her side.

“No!” The anguished cry burst from his lips as he raced to her side, collapsing to his knees next to her. He pressed frantically on the wound, trying to stop the bleeding but there was so much blood. The coppery smell, the slippery heat gushing over his hands—it was all so familiar. He’d done this before.

His vision blurred as a streak of agony speared through his head and he suddenly saw another woman’s body imposed over Cherry’s. A slender, dark-haired woman with blood gushing from her side. He had failed her. Was he going to fail Cherry too? No, he couldn’t.

More memories assaulted him, lightning strikes of agony blurring his vision. Cherry—no Rebecca—in a white dress with flowers in her hair, smiling at him as he placed a ring on her finger. Gazing up at him, eyes wide and blue enough to drown in as they made love. More memories, more pain. A cramped cellar and a man with a gun to his head. A room full of people slowly starving to death. A desperate mission to gather food for them. Government soldiers attacking, killing. Awakening in a lab, time after time, as they questioned him, as his memories slipped away, until finally he didn’t remember anything.

A final bolt of pain turned his vision black, but he fought his way past it, determined to save Cherry, to save his wife.

Her eyes fluttered open as his vision finally cleared.

“Love you, Wyatt,” she whispered.

“I love you, my wife.”

Her lips curved as her eyes started to close again, her breath slowing.

No! I won’t lose her again.

His nanites rushed through his system, trying to heal the lingering pain in his head and he was filled with a sudden, desperate hope. Nanites had saved two children. Could they save her? Addie had warned against it, but he was out of time and out of options. He had to get his nanites into her system.

He tore at his wrist with his teeth until the blood started to flow, then pressed it against her wound. So much blood. How could they take hold? He tore open his other wrist and held it to her parted lips, praying that it would enter her system. For an endless minute, nothing happened, and he could feel the despair rushing over him, drowning him.

Then her eyes fluttered and her mouth moved against his wrist, licking at the torn flesh. A faint hint of color returned to her face. He tore his eyes away from her face long enough to look down at her side. The wound was closing. His body swayed with relief, but he continued to kneel over her, letting his blood drip into her side and into her mouth until she looked up at him, eyes wide, awake, alive.

Chapter Nineteen

Something salty and metallic dripped into Cherry’s mouth and she swallowed automatically, her lips dry, her throat burning. Fire radiated from her right side in a wave of heat. The last thing she remembered was Wyatt’s face bent over hers. Had he called her… wife?

When she forced her eyes open, he was still crouched over her, his face taut with strain. She automatically reached up to touch his face, then winced as more heat swamped her.

“Lie still,” he ordered. “Don’t try and move yet.”

“What—” His arm was over her mouth and she pushed it aside so she could speak. “What happened?”

“He shot you.” His eyes closed in anguish. “I didn’t think I was going to be able to save you.”

“I’m so hot. It feels like the wound is burning.”

“It’s the nanites. The healing process generates heat.”

“Nanites?” It took a moment for her to realize what he was saying. “You gave me a transfusion?”

“Nothing so refined. I dripped my blood into the wound and into your mouth.”

She ran her tongue over her lips, the salty taste remaining.

“I drank your blood?” she asked, horrified.

“I’m sorry. I was desperate, Cherry—I mean, Rebecca.”

“Rebecca?” Her heart started to pound, even though she could feel… something trying to slow it back down. She ignored the odd sensation, too focused on his words.

“It’s your name, isn’t it? And you’re my wife.”

“You remember?’ she whispered.

“Yes, darlin’, I remember.”

She examined his face anxiously, but his eyes were clear and alert and he wasn’t reaching for his head.

“It doesn’t hurt?”

“Not anymore,” he said briefly. “But why didn’t you tell me?”

“At first, I was too hurt. It felt like you had just decided to forget about everything that had happened between us. So I avoided you. By the time I realized I was being a coward, I also realized that something had happened to your memories—more than just your memories of us—and that it hurt you every time you tried to remember.” She lifted her hand to his face again, barely noticing that the movement didn’t hurt this time. “That’s when I decided that what mattered was that we were together again.”

“Not for long!” a voice roared, and she watched in horrified slow motion as Tony lurched to his feet. Thick white fluid dripped from his head instead of blood, but his face was still locked in the same fixed mask.

They both reacted simultaneously, Wyatt reaching for his discarded gun and her own hand grabbing at the Derringer still tucked in her waistband. Everything still seemed to be moving three times slower, and Tony had only made one step towards them when she and Wyatt fired simultaneously. She could actually see the bullets traveling through the air, see Tony start to twist to one side. Sick horror filled her at the knowledge that he would evade the bullets, and then there was a blur of motion and Tony was shoved back into the line of fire, his head exploding in a fountain of white. A big metal hoof came down on his skull as he fell to the ground and she realized that Maverick had intervened.

“Did you see that?” she whispered, still dazed by the speed of events.

Wyatt looked almost as dazed. “Maverick forced him back into the line of the bullets.”

The horse stomped again, then pranced over to them, looking very proud of himself. He dropped his head to Cherry’s and snuffled at her hair. She automatically reached for his head and this time, it didn’t hurt. The heat in her side had subsided to a not uncomfortable warmth. She started to push herself up off her elbows.

“Take it easy, Ch—Rebecca. You don’t need to move just yet.”

“I really think I’m fine.” She sat up. “And we need to talk.”

“I agree. We’ve handled one problem, but our mission hasn’t changed. There could be more of them out there. We need to let the other cyborgs know.” He covered her hand with his. “And I would feel a lot better if Addie checked you out.”

“I’m not going to argue. I feel… not bad, but strange. Is that what it was like for you?”

His face turned to stone. “No.”

“Wyatt?”

“I remember everything. I’m very grateful that I remember our time together, but the other parts…” Despite the stoic mask, she could see the anguish in his eyes.

“Do you want to tell me?”

“Not yet. I need to sort through everything first.”

He helped her to her feet, treating her as though she was made of the finest china, but she felt surprisingly strong. At least until she glanced down and saw the ripped shirt, stained with blood. Her knees started to shake and once again she felt a strange sensation, almost like bubbles in her bloodstream, before her legs firmed.

“That feels so odd,” she murmured.

Wyatt’s face tensed. “What does? Are you sure you’re feeling all right, Ch—Rebecca?”

“I’m fine,” she said firmly. “It’s nothing bad, just… different.” She bit her lip, debating with herself. “Do you mind just calling me Cherry?”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I’m not the same person any longer. Neither are you. I meant what I said earlier—what matters is that we’re together now.”

“Even though I know about our history now, this time seems more important,” he admitted as he lifted her onto Maverick’s back.

She let him assist her, but she had a sneaking suspicion that she could have climbed up without any help from him.

“Except for one thing,” he added as he leapt into the saddle and put his arms around her.

“What’s that?”

“You’re my wife.” Deep satisfaction filled his voice. “That means you’re truly mine now, darlin’, no matter what name I call you.”

“I always have been, Wyatt,” she said softly.

Wyatt’s chest ached as he tightened his arms around Cherry and signaled to Maverick to move. The horse leapt eagerly into motion. He briefly considered the wisdom of leaving the hybrid’s body lying in the desert, but he was not about to subject Cherry to the presence of a dead body. He was sure that Sam could arrange to have it retrieved.

His returning memories kept flickering through his mind like little bolts of lightning. Even though they no longer caused him pain, the succession of images disoriented him. He did his best to push them aside and concentrate on the important things: the woman in his arms and their mission to prevent whatever devious plan GenCon had devised. The reminder of the stakes involved brought back his feeling of urgency.

“Would you be okay if we went a little faster?”

“Of course. I promise I’ll tell you if anything feels wrong.” She was already leaning forward as she spoke.

“That’s my girl.” He bent over her and urged Maverick into a gallop.

A moment later, they were flying across the desert once more. He watched Cherry anxiously, but she was moving easily with the rhythm of the horse, her lips curved in a joyous smile. She looked as if nothing had ever happened, and relief overwhelmed him. His desperate gamble had paid off. Did that mean the other cyborgs would be able to share the protection of the nanites with their wives?

“Where did the horses come from?” Cherry asked suddenly, interrupting his thoughts.

“The original prototypes were developed on Earth and sent here to be assembled. After the initial shipment proved to be a success, they provided the schematics so they could be built here instead.”

“So new ones are still being produced?”

“Not really. No new cyborgs are being sent to Mars—not counting those GenCon abominations, of course. Why?”

“I was thinking it would be nice to have a horse.”

“You don’t enjoy riding with me?” He deliberately rubbed his cock against her ass.

She laughed. “It certainly has its advantages, but I also like the idea of being able to ride on my own.”

“I don’t think there’s any reason why you wouldn’t be able to get your own horse,” he said thoughtfully, even as Maverick tossed his head. “Or perhaps I should be the one to get a new horse.”

“I’m surprised none of the settlers have been interested.”

“I believe there were a few early experiments, but the horses didn’t respond well.”

“I’ll bet they just didn’t know how to treat them.” She stroked Maverick’s neck.

“No, I don’t imagine any of the settlers petted them.”

They had reached the turn off into the mountains leading to Sam’s home, and Maverick flew up the path until it ended at a large, flat plateau. Another horse appeared in front of them, blocking the way. He recognized the big black horse belonging to Sam.

“We’re here to see Sam and Addie, Blackie,” he said, then realized he was addressing a horse.

Blackie seemed to study them and then moved aside just as Sam came to join them.

“Hello, Wyatt.”

A big man with a hard face, Sam had been the first judge in this territory and a hard act to follow. He had given up his position when he had been reunited with a woman from his past. His gaze flickered over the two of them, sharpening when he saw the blood staining Cherry’s shirt. “Are you injured, Cherry?”

“I was, but I think I’m fine.”

“We were hoping Addie could take a look at her,” he added.

“I’m sure she will, but she’s not really that kind of doctor.”

“She’s the kind of doctor we need.”

He saw the speculation in Sam’s eyes, but the other man didn’t ask any more questions as he led the way back to their habitat. A small dark-haired girl came running out to meet them and Sam swung her up on his shoulder, his face relaxing into a warm smile.

“Kami, do you remember Mr. Wyatt and Miss Cherry?”

“Uh-huh. He’s the judge now, and she has pretty clothes.” Kami frowned at them. “But those aren’t very pretty.”

“No, they’re not,” Cherry said ruefully. “I’ll be very happy to change out of them.”

“Are you hurt?” The girl was still frowning.

“No, sweetie. I’m just fine.”

“Good. What’s your horse’s name? Is he going to play with Blackie?”

Cherry laughed. “His name is Maverick. Do you think they’d like to spend some time together?”

“Oh, yes. I can always tell.” Kami nodded importantly.

As they reached the habitat, he dismounted and turned to help Cherry down, but she had already slipped lightly to the ground. He caught Sam staring at her, but before the other man could say anything, Kami’s eyes widened as she saw the full extent of the damage to Cherry’s shirt.

“Are you sure you’re not hurt?”

“I’m sure.” Cherry hesitated for a fraction of a second. “It’s someone else’s blood.”

“Okay. Put me down, Daddy. I want to show Maverick all of Blackie’s favorite places.”

Sam obediently placed her back on the ground in front of the horses. She looked so tiny next to the big animals that he frowned at Sam.

“Maverick isn’t used to children,” he said quietly.

“I’m sure he’ll be fine. And in any case, Blackie would never let anything happen to her.”

“Of course. Maverick wouldn’t hurt her,” Cherry said indignantly as the horses trotted off behind Kami.

He saw the thoughtful look on Sam’s face as Cherry joined them. They had both kept their voices low enough to only reach cyborg ears, but she obviously heard the exchange.

“I think I understand why you chose to come to Addie,” Sam murmured as he led the way into the house.

Cherry stripped off her breathing mask and he wondered if she even needed it any longer before he forced his mind back to more immediate problems.

“Yes, but that’s not the only reason we’re here. There’s more trouble with GenCon.”

Sam flashed him a concerned glance just as his wife, a pretty blonde, came hurrying up to greet them.

“Wyatt, Cherry. This is a pleasant—” Her face paled as she took in Cherry’s appearance. “Oh my God, Cherry, what happened?”

“I’m fine,” Cherry said soothingly. “But the sooner I get out of these clothes, the better.” She held up her bag and he realized she had retrieved it without him noticing. “Do you mind if I change?”

“After she examines you,” he insisted.

“Examine her? Why?” Addie frowned at him. “She said she was fine.”

“She is now, but I had to give her a transfusion.”

Addie’s eyes lit up with a mixture of concern and excitement as she turned to Cherry. “And you haven’t suffered any ill effects?”

“I don’t think so.” Cherry shrugged. “But I feel a little odd.”

“That’s why I wanted you to see her,” he explained.

“Of course. Come on back to the lab. Are you coming, Wyatt?”

He hesitated, torn between the need to know for sure that the transfusion hadn’t harmed Cherry and the urgency of his other mission. “I need to talk to Sam first. Is that all right, Cherry?”

“It’s fine.” She reached up and gave him a quick kiss, and he saw the other couple exchange a look.

“This way.” Addie whisked Cherry away and he heard her start to question his wife before they even left the room.

“What happened?” Sam asked quietly. “I know you were there when we decided the transfusions were too risky, but by the look of things, you didn’t have a choice.”

“I didn’t. She was dying.” He shuddered, the horror of that moment still fresh in his mind.

“Who hurt her?”

“One of GenCon’s new breed of cyborgs,” he said grimly.

Sam’s face hardened. “I think you’d better tell me all about it.”

Chapter Twenty

“Tell me what happened,” Addie said as she guided Cherry into her lab.

Cherry took a look around and tried not to flinch at the intimidating array of equipment. Addie guided her to one of the metal exam tables in the middle of the room, and she reluctantly climbed up.

“I’m not sure exactly. But I know I was shot and I’m pretty sure I was going to die.”

Addie gently pushed aside the remnants of her bloodstained shirt. The doctor’s gasp indicated the extent of the damage. Cherry was almost afraid to look, but she forced her gaze downward.

The sensation she was coming to recognize as her nanites springing into action occurred as dizziness threatened to overwhelm her. The right side of her formerly smooth stomach was a mass of jagged red flesh. She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself. Why didn’t it hurt any more than it did? All she felt was a constant heat emanating from the area, not the kind of pain the wound would indicate.

“I can’t believe how quickly you’re healing,” Addie said as she studied the inflamed tissue.

“It’s still healing?”

“Yes, of course. Look at it,” the other woman urged, and Cherry fought back a wave of nausea and obeyed.

Now that she was looking more closely, she could actually see the ragged red lines beginning to pull together, the skin melding seamlessly back into place. She remembered the way that Wyatt’s face had healed itself after his exposure to the sandstorm. The full impact of his action finally hit her.

“Does this mean that I’m a cyborg now?”

“It means that you have nanites in your bloodstream.” Addie shrugged. “I’m not sure that the terminology matters.”

“Except that cyborgs don’t have the same legal rights,” she pointed out.

“Not on Earth, anyway.” Addie tapped her chin thoughtfully. “GenCon has argued that if you don’t contain any artificial body parts, then you can’t be classified as a cyborg. That’s why they’ve been supporting my research—to find a way to introduce nanites that provide the same benefits the cyborgs have without changing the subject’s legal status as human.”

She knew that the legal ramifications of being a cyborg was one of the factors that had driven the Rangers to consider forming an independent Martian government.

“I suppose since we’re not on Earth, it doesn’t really matter.” She sighed. “And it’s not like anyone would know unless I told them. How close are you to finishing your research?”

Addie bit her lip. “Closer than I’ve let GenCon realize. The next step is to test with live subjects, but I’m afraid of what they’ll do if they find that out.”

“But you need to test, right?”

“I do. Sam and I have been talking about looking for volunteers, but this is so far outside the normal protocols that I don’t think I’m comfortable with proceeding yet. And the timing is a little… unfortunate.” Her hand dropped to her stomach.

Cherry gave her a questioning look, but Addie didn’t say anything else and she decided not to press her. She changed the subject back to her own transformation.

“If I have these nanites, and they work the same way they do for Wyatt, does that mean I’ll no longer need a breathing mask?”

“That would be my assumption. But please don’t try it without a mask close at hand and someone to watch over you.” Addie grinned. “I suspect that won’t be a problem. You and Wyatt seem very… chummy.”

The other woman’s gaze was expectant but she didn’t ask any questions. A sudden impulse overrode Cherry’s usual discretion.

“I love him.”

Soft arms wrapped her in a quick hug. “That’s wonderful. And I’m not even going to ask if he loves you back. It’s very obvious.”

“He ought to—he’s my husband.”

Addie’s eyes widened. “That was fast.”

“Actually, it was pretty slow. You see, we were married back on Earth, back before he became a cyborg.”

“I want to hear all about it, but do you mind if I run some tests while we talk?”

Cherry nodded reluctantly and lay back on the table. To her relief, other than drawing a small quantity of blood, Addie’s tests consisted of nothing more invasive than running a variety of instruments over her body. She kept up a gentle flow of conversation as she worked, exclaiming in surprise as Cherry told her about her history with Wyatt.

“And he didn’t remember you at all?”

“No, it wasn’t just me. As far as I can tell, he must have lost about six months’ worth of memories.”

Addie frowned and tapped her chin. “I can’t believe they would go to all that trouble just to erase a marriage. There must be something more to it.”

“Do you think it was deliberate? Not the result of an injury?”

“It’s not a side effect that I’ve ever heard about before. Usually, the process of becoming a cyborg repairs any damage that was done to the body. I wonder if he’ll let me examine him?”

“Since he was so eager for you to look at me, I don’t see how he can refuse,” she said dryly as she sat up. “Do you mind if I change now?”

“Of course not. Would you like to take a shower?”

“Oh, that would be wonderful.”

Addie showed her to the bathroom and left her while she went back to check on the test results. Cherry stepped gratefully under the stream of warm water, half-expecting her side to flare up, but she only felt a slight increase in the temperature of the area. She cautiously smoothed soap over the wound, washing away the last remnants of dried blood, but she could already see the differences even in the short time since Addie had first urged her to look at it.

Part of her was thrilled by the change. She wasn’t foolish enough to think that it would make her invincible, but the increased ability to care for herself and those she loved was a huge benefit. She did wonder what would happen if word got out. However, as she dried off and dressed again, she decided that it was a foolish concern. Wyatt loved her and that wasn’t going to change. And the other people she cared about? They would be equally unconcerned. No one else’s opinion mattered to her.

She finished dressing and pulled her hair back into a braid, then grinned at herself in the mirror. She suspected that Kami would be disappointed by her plain outfit, but she felt a hundred times better. When she rejoined the others, the look of appreciation in Wyatt’s eyes made her feel as beautiful as if she had been dressed in one of her finest gowns.

“And you don’t know if there are any others?” Sam asked Wyatt as she joined them.

He shook his head. “I wish I knew. GenCon may not have been successful in creating human-looking cyborgs, but as far as I can tell, they’ve done a good job in giving them skills equivalent to ours. They’re strong and they’re fast.”

Sam frowned thoughtfully. “The one we encountered before said that he had paid GenCon a lot of credits for the transformation. There can’t be that many men willing to pay to undergo this type of change.”

“That assumes they know what will happen to them,” she pointed out. “And that they’re not desperate.”

“Wyatt said that you knew this one.”

“I did.” She sighed, not enthusiastic about talking about her past, but if the information would help, she didn’t really have a choice. “Tony definitely had the money. His family is very wealthy—and not entirely legitimate.”

Sam’s eyes narrowed. “Do you mean they’re criminals?”

She refused to feel ashamed. She had done what she needed to do. “I mean they’re strong and ruthless and people who get in their way didn’t tend to last long.”

“And how did you know him?” Sam asked.

“That doesn’t matter,” Wyatt said impatiently.

She ignored him. “I was married to his uncle.”

Sam’s face didn’t change, but he rubbed his chin. “If organized crime is involved in this, we may be in more trouble than I thought.”

“I don’t think that’s why he was here. He said that he had a falling out with his father. If Vincent withdrew his protection, Tony was probably facing serious jail time and he would have been desperate enough to look for a way out.”

“That sounds like the same story as the other man,” Sam said thoughtfully. “I wonder if they’re looking for rich men in danger of going to jail and offering them an alternative.”

“That makes a certain amount of sense,” Addie said as she rejoined them. “GenCon has invested billions of credits into this project. Making their victims pay to be experimented on is actually rather clever. In an evil, twisted way, of course,” she added hastily.

“How did the tests turn out?” Wyatt demanded.

Addie smiled at him. “Everything looks just fine. I’m so delighted that it worked.”

“Thank God. I didn’t know what else to do.” He shuddered, and she tucked herself closer against his side.

“Cherry told me about your memory loss,” Addie said. “I’d like to examine you as well and see if I can find the cause.”

“It’s not a problem any longer.”

“Not for you,” she agreed. “But I think we need to know if the military has developed a way of controlling cyborgs—and if they’ve passed it on to GenCon.”

“Controlling?”

“Why else would they remove your memories?”

“Because I discovered that some factions of the military are eliminating people—innocent people whose only crime is being poor and unlicensed,” he said grimly.

“What? Are you sure?” Sam demanded.

“Oh, yes.” Wyatt turned to her. “The night I left you, I was injured in an explosion. An explosion set off by our own military.” His hands tightened over hers. “I was saved by a group of rebels, but they didn’t trust me—and rightfully so. I believed all of the propaganda about unlicensed people being a burden on the system. They held me captive as I healed, and I came to realize just how desperate they were. They were going to let me go, Cherry. I should have left right away but I wanted to do something to help them first.”

His face looked haunted, his eyes staring unseeing into the distance. “It was just going to be one mission before I came home to you, but we were betrayed. They died.” He laughed bitterly. “But I guess I was still useful to the military. They… experimented on me until I couldn’t remember what had happened. Until I couldn’t remember them or you. I’m so sorry I didn’t come back to you.”

Despite the pain his loss had caused, Cherry couldn’t blame him.

“I understand,” she said softly. “I know you had to try and help those people.”

Sam rose to his feet and started pacing. “I spent my entire life serving. The military I knew would never have condoned such a thing.”

“I had never encountered it before,” Wyatt agreed. “But maybe I didn’t see it because I didn’t know to look for it. Someone is pulling the strings.”

“I still have contacts, high-level contacts, on Earth. I have to tell them about this.”

Wyatt nodded. “I don’t know if it’ll do any good, but I think you should talk to them. Just tell whoever it is to be careful. I suspect this goes a long way up the chain of command.”

Sam gave a fierce grin. “Don’t worry. I’d back my general against any of those bastards.”

He strode over to the communicator but just as he reached it, a chime sounded to signal an incoming call. Sam looked at the display and swore.

“GenCon is calling.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Wyatt nodded at Sam as they all stared at the communicator.

“Answer it,” he said grimly.

“S—” Sam barked into the microphone.

A woman responded in a cool, icy voice that he recognized immediately. Serena Gatling, the Managing Director of GenCon Martian Operations.

“Judge, you may remember that I mentioned calling in a favor at some point in the future.”

He and Sam exchanged a silent glance.

“Yes?”

“The future has arrived. I am in need of your assistance.”

Sam looked almost as astonished as Wyatt felt. He found it hard to imagine a situation where Serena would ask for help.

“What do you want?” Sam asked.

“I am currently being detained in my office against my will. I believe a rescue is in order.”

Her voice hadn’t changed, still cool and unconcerned, but he thought he heard the slightest hint of apprehension.

“What the hell are you doing?” a male voice interrupted, and he caught the faint sound of a struggle.

“Get your hands off me.” Serena’s voice was no longer composed.

“Who are you calling? Who is this?” the man’s voice demanded.

“This is judgment.” Sam cut the connection.

“We have to help her,” Addie said immediately.

“Not we, my love. But yes, I’m going to help her.”

Sam looked at Wyatt and raised a brow. “Are you coming?”

“Yes, of course.” He turned to Cherry. “I want you to stay here.”

She bit her lip, then gave him a reluctant nod. “I understand.”

“You and Addie start calling the other cyborgs. Tell them what’s going on.” He managed a smile. “I know you’re good at calling in the cavalry.”

“I try my best.” She returned his smile, but it looked as uncertain as his. Unable to resist, he swept her into his arms and kissed her, trying to convey his love and his promise to return in the press of his mouth against hers. When he lifted his head, there were tears in her eyes, but she blinked them away and smiled again. “Take care of yourself, my husband. Come back to me.”

“I promise.”

Sam had mirrored his actions but he released Addie and the two of them headed outside at a run, whistling for the horses. Kami appeared alongside the animals, her eyes searching Sam’s face.

“What’s wrong, Daddy?”

“I think Auntie Seena is in trouble,” he said gently. “We’re going to help her.”

“Can I come?”

“No, little one. I need you to stay here and take care of your mother.”

She drew herself up proudly, her little shoulders squared.

“I can do that.”

“That’s my good girl. We’ll be home as soon as we can.”

Sam gave Kami a hug and a kiss and then vaulted into the saddle. Wyatt was already astride, Maverick quivering beneath him as if he recognized the urgency of the situation.

“Let’s ride,” Sam called, and the horses took off.

“Have you considered the possibility that this is a trap?” he asked as they reached the desert and picked up speed.

“It’s possible,” Sam agreed. “But I don’t think so. Certainly not an intentional one. I know Serena works for GenCon, but she has her own sense of honor.”

“Do you think that voice we heard was one of the hybrids?” He couldn’t imagine Serena asking for help against mere men.

“There’s no way to be sure, but that’s my suspicion. What I would like to know is if it was one, how many others are there?”

“We could wait for backup,” he suggested, even though he hated the thought of any female in the hands of one of those abominations.

“Morgan is the closest,” Sam suggested. “You could swing by there while I head for town.”

“So you can rush in and save the day by yourself?”

Sam grinned. “Exactly.” Then his smile faded and he shook his head. “I can’t shake the feeling that we need to get there as soon as possible.”

The same feeling of urgency was riding him.

“Agreed. We stick together.”

The horses flew across the desert, but despite the uncertainty of the situation, his mind kept slipping back to Cherry and the return of his memories. How could they have made him forget her? He had fallen in love with her the moment he met her at that party in Dallas, even though he refused to admit it to himself until their weekend together was coming to an end. When he impulsively asked her to marry him, he had expected her to refuse. He had been surprised and delighted when she agreed instead.

The brief period of their marriage had been the happiest time of his life but the connection they had now, forged in pain and shared hardship, felt deeper and more significant. He was never going to lose touch with that again.

As they approached New Arcadia, Sam slowed the horses.

“If they have taken over GenCon, it’s possible that the city is now under the control of the hybrids. It would be foolish to go rushing in without knowing the situation.”

“I agree. If I were in their place, the first thing I would do is set a watch on every entrance.”

Sam rubbed his chin. “In addition to the two main airlocks, there’s a third entrance to the supply depot. They might not have thought of that one.”

He shrugged. “It’s worth a shot.”

New Arcadia had been built across the base of a canyon. The canyon walls formed two sides of the city and made it easier to deploy the artificial dome that provided oxygen to the inhabitants. Both ends of the city opened out into the desert through the large airlocks, but the entrance to the supply depot was tucked to one side beneath a rock overhang. They skirted the edge of the city and made their way to the entrance.

A set of massive double doors were used for loading and unloading, but they ignored them and headed for the smaller door to one side. They dismounted and, with Wyatt covering him, Sam cautiously opened the door. Nothing stirred and there were no sounds of alarm. Leading the horses, they made their way quickly through the small airlock and out into the supply depot. Moving silently, they edged around shelves loaded with supplies for new settlers and headed for the exit.

“About time you showed up.”

The gravelly voice from behind them had them both whirling, their guns ready. Cyrus, the supply master, stared at them, his grizzled face unconcerned.

“What do you mean, Cyrus?” Sam demanded. “Were you expecting us?”

“‘Course I was. There’s trouble, right here in New Arcadia.” He spat on the ground. “Bunch of white-faced new guys showed up, throwing their weight around.”

“How many?” Wyatt asked.

“Not sure. I seen three, maybe four. Hard to tell. They all have the same frozen kind of faces.”

Three or four? He supposed it could be worse. “Where did you see them?”

“One at each entrance. They ain’t letting anybody leave. I saw another one at the market and one at GenCon headquarters later.” He shrugged. “But could’ve been the same one.”

He and Sam exchanged glances. The odds were not in their favor unless they could take them out individually, but if they couldn’t keep the battle quiet, they would reveal their presence as soon as they fought.

“I think we should head for GenCon first,” he suggested, and Sam nodded.

“Good idea,” Cyrus agreed. “I’m kinda worried about that lady.”

Wyatt stared at him. “You mean Serena Gatling?”

“Yeah, that’s the one. Nice lady.”

This gruff old man thought that the cool, unapproachable Serena was a nice lady?

“Really?” He couldn’t keep the shock out of his voice and Cyrus scowled at him.

“Yeah. Always nice to me. And I reckon she’s been hurt pretty bad in the past.”

“You may be right,” Sam said unexpectedly. “She’s the reason we’re here.”

“Last time I walked through town, there was one at the front door.” Cyrus cackled. “But I reckon he don’t know nothing about the back door.”

“What back door?” he and Sam asked simultaneously.

“Utility door. Used it to sneak in things they didn’t want anyone else to see. But I see everything.”

“You certainly do,” Wyatt agreed. “Can you show us?”

“Reckon so.”

Cyrus turned and hobbled off, moving with surprising speed as they left the horses in the depot and fell in behind him. He considered the possibility that this too could be a trap, then discarded the notion. Cyrus might be full of surprises, but he didn’t think that betraying his fellow humans was one of them.

They ended up skirting the edge of the city, making their way along a narrow passage that separated the buildings from the rock walls of the canyon until they were almost at GenCon headquarters. Most of New Arcadia was composed of hastily assembled buildings in a wide variety of materials, usually covered by the prevalent orange dust. The GenCon building was an exception. Neatly stacked building modules in gleaming white metal made an imposing display against the red walls of the canyon. A wide plaza separated the building from the main street, and his heart sank as he took in the white-faced figure prowling in front of the door.

“Round there, to the left,” Cyrus indicated as he handed Sam a small electronic key. “You won’t see the door but it’s the fifth module. Just press the button.”

“How are we going to get across there without him seeing us?” he asked.

Cyrus cackled again. “You just leave that to me.”

He disappeared back the way they came as they exchanged a worried look.

Wyatt shook his head. “Do you think he’s going to do something foolish?”

“Without a doubt.”

Even as Sam spoke, they heard a disruption on the main street. A minute later, Cyrus staggered into view, waving a bottle, and giving a remarkably accurate impression of a drunk. He swore incoherently as he headed for the hybrid. The man straightened and stalked towards him with an odd, stiff-legged gait.

“Now’s our chance,” Sam whispered, and they darted along the edge of the rockface and dove in behind the building.

He looked back just in time to see the hybrid take a careless swipe at Cyrus. The old man went flying and crumpled to the ground. Rage filled him, and he took a step in that direction before Sam caught his arm.

“We’ll get that bastard later. Don’t let Cyrus’s efforts be in vain.”

He managed to force down his anger and follow Sam. At the fifth module, they pressed the button on the electronic key. For a moment, nothing happened, and his pulse started to race despite the efforts of his nanites, but then there was an almost silent whoosh and a panel slid to one side. They hurried through into a large storage area and Sam closed the door behind them.

“Do you know the layout?” he asked quietly.

“Only the basics, but I know where Serena’s office is located.”

“Yes, I remember. Upstairs. Do you think she’s still in her office?”

“No.” Sam shook his head. “But I think it’s the best place to start looking.”

“I suggest we don’t go up the main stairs this time.”

A slight smile twisted the other man’s lips. “It’s a good thing I have you along to advise me.”

“Yes, it is. What do you suggest?”

“Let’s find the backstairs.”

Wyatt threw out his hand. “Lead on.”

Fortunately, the stairs proved easier to find than he had expected. A door on one side of the storage room opened out into a narrow corridor, and they could see a set of stairs through another door at the far end. They took the steps two at a time, then paused to listen. Even using his enhanced cyborg hearing, he couldn’t detect any signs of movement.

“Sounds deserted.”

“I agree.” Sam frowned. “This building is usually full of people.”

They opened the door to find another narrow corridor but this one ended at the wide landing at the top of the main stairs. Serena’s office was off to one side but the other was open to the floor below. He and Sam exchanged a glance and then made their way quietly across the landing. As they crossed the space, he darted a look down below. The main hall was completely empty, the only noise the splash of water from a central fountain.

The reception room outside Serena’s office was also deserted, but the double doors leading into her office were closed. Sam gestured to one side and Wyatt moved into position, and then Sam threw the door open. Wyatt caught a brief glimpse of Serena, her hair tangled and her blouse torn. Her eyes widened at the sight of them and her lips parted. “Look—”

A giant figure appeared from behind the door and caught Sam in a stranglehold. As Wyatt rushed to assist him, he realized that the man attacking Sam was another cyborg, and his heart sank. He had been so sure that none of the rangers were involved in whatever was happening, but the man with his arm around Sam’s neck had no resemblance to the white-faced abominations.

He grabbed hold of the stranger’s arm, trying to pry it loose from Sam’s neck, but it was like wrestling with a titanium bar. He reached for his gun, hoping that the threat would be enough to make the giant cyborg back off. If he had to use it, the noise would alert the entire building. As his hand closed around the butt of his gun, he felt a slight prick on his wrist and looked down to see Serena had one of the paralytic darts pressed against his skin.

Fuck. It had been a trap after all.

Chapter Twenty-Two

“Don’t you dare pull a gun on him,” Serena hissed, pressing the dart threateningly against his arm. “Drop it.”

“I’m not going to let him kill Sam.”

“He’s not going to kill him.” Keeping the dart against his wrist, she put her free hand on the corded muscles of the giant’s arm. “It’s all right, J-100. I think this is supposed to be the rescue squad.”

“You don’t need him,” the man grunted.

“I know that now, but they’re here to help. Please let him go.”

Shocked, he watched as the man obeyed, releasing his arm as Sam bent over, gasping for breath.

“Who the hell are you?” Wyatt demanded. He’d never seen the cyborg before.

“Be quiet,” Serena ordered, reaching past him to close the outer doors to the office again. As she rejoined them, he realized that the crumpled body of one of the hybrids was lying in the corner. Since his head was lying next to him, he didn’t think he needed to worry about it coming back to life.

Sam stood up, giving Serena a hard stare.

“Was this a setup?”

“No,” she said, her voice lacking its usual composure. She lifted her hand to her hair and her torn blouse gaped open, revealing a small white breast marred by red marks.

“What the hell happened to you?” he asked, stepping towards her.

J-100 growled and stepped in front of him, shoving him back. “Don’t look at her.”

“It’s all right, J-100. Despite his lack of tact, I’m sure he meant well.”

A moment later, she appeared at the big cyborg’s side, a tailored navy jacket covering the damaged blouse and her hair neatly combed. She could have been mistaken for any corporate executive except for an unusual flush of pink along her high cheekbones.

“What’s going on, Serena?” Sam asked

“Do you remember that I told you I had no choice in who was being sent to Mars?”

“I remember.”

“These new… recruits appeared on the last transport.” She waved a casual hand at the headless body in the corner, for all the world like she was gesturing at a dead insect. “They had allegedly been fitted with chips that would control their behavior.”

“Control them to do what?” Sam demanded.

Wyatt saw her hands flex as she looked away from them.

“GenCon is putting certain plans in place. Plans to control activity on Mars.”

“Really?” Sam looked more resigned than shocked. “Never mind, we’ll come back to that. You said allegedly?”

She sighed, suddenly looking almost vulnerable, and J-100 gently placed a huge hand on her arm.

“You should sit down.”

Instead of ignoring him as Wyatt expected, she actually smiled up at the giant, the smile totally unlike her usual cool smirk.

“I’m fine. They need to know.” Her smile vanished as she looked back at Sam. “The chips malfunctioned this morning—all of them at once. I don’t know why. The next thing I knew, they were taking over the building. That’s when I called you.”

She looked to the body in the corner again and an unreadable expression crossed her face. “He’s the one who interrupted the call. He said he was going to teach me a lesson. But J-100 showed up.”

“Didn’t get here soon enough.”

“Yes, you did.” The icy Serena Gatling patted the big man’s arm reassuringly.

“And who are you, J-100?” Wyatt asked.

“Miner.”

They waited but he didn’t say anything else.

Sam sighed. “And you were here because?”

“He was coming to arrange a deal for some minerals,” Serena said smoothly.

He has no reason to doubt her, but he was convinced she wasn’t telling the entire truth. Sam looked equally skeptical but didn’t press her. Instead, he returned to the original subject.

“How many of these things were on that ship?”

“Twelve. Eleven now, I suppose.”

“Ten,” he corrected.

She arched a brow. “My, you have been busy.”

“Where are the rest of them?”

“Three more here in town. The others were going to their… assignments. Although I don’t know if they’ll stick to them.”

“What assignments?”

For a moment, he didn’t think she was going to answer. Then she sighed again and her shoulders sagged a little.

“I don’t suppose there’s any point in hiding it now. They have to be stopped.”

She moved over to her desk, J-100 a huge, silent shadow at her back, and pulled up a holographic map.

“The company has been quietly building cities at certain key strategic locations. Each of the new arrivals was assigned to take command of one of them.” She indicated the eight locations and he wasn’t surprised to see that Tom’s valley was one of them.

“Did you—they—really think they’d get away with this?”

She lifted a slender shoulder. “Probably. Earth is mired in problems of its own, and who was going to complain?”

“You mean other than us?” he asked dryly.

“Hence the new breed of cyborgs.” Her gaze returned to the body in the corner. “Perhaps not the wisest choice.”

“Where did they find them?”

“Prison, usually. Or on the verge of going. A surprising number of very wealthy men are willing to do almost anything to avoid it.”

“And someone was stupid enough to think they should be put in charge?”

“It certainly wasn’t my idea.”

“But you knew.”

J-100 bristled at Sam’s accusatory tone, but Serena returned his gaze without flinching.

“It is perhaps more accurate to say I suspected. I told you before that I would continue to work for them.”

“Because they have something you want.”

Her shoulders sagged again. “Which is now beyond my reach.”

A certain unwilling sympathy touched him. Despite her attempt to keep her face composed, sadness radiated from her. J-100 silently put a big hand on her shoulder.

Sam was still staring at the map. “We need to send rangers out to those sites to try and intercept them.”

He nodded and headed for the communicator, but Serena shook her head.

“I think they’re monitoring communications. That one appeared right after I called you.”

“Fuck. That means we also don’t have any way to warn anyone about the ones here in the city.”

“Is there some other way to signal them?” he asked, striding to the window. The plaza below was empty, and Cyrus was no longer lying there. He hoped that meant the man was safe. From this angle, he couldn’t see the front of the building, but he assumed that the hybrid who had been guarding it was still there. If they could take him out…

“We need another decoy,” he said.

Sam studied him. “What do you have in mind?”

“Go back out the way we came. I’ll go to the left while you circle the building, then I’ll distract him, and you can hit him from behind.”

J-100 snorted. “Don’t need two men to take down one of them.” Then he ran his eyes over them and shrugged. “Or maybe you do.”

“I would prefer to take it alive,” Sam growled with a meaningful look at the body in the corner.

“Why?” J-100 demanded.

Wyatt had to admit that he agreed with the big cyborg.

“Has he killed anyone?” Sam demanded.

There was no response, and he nodded. “Exactly. Also, you can’t answer questions when you’re dead.”

“I must admit it would be nice to get some answers,” Serena said.

J-100 nodded. “Right.”

He spun on his heel and left the room.

“Where the hell is he going?”

“I think he intends to bring Serena a present,” Sam said, already heading for the door. “I better make sure he remembers the alive part. You stay here with her.”

He nodded and turned to Serena, unable to resist teasing her.

“That’s quite an admirer you have there.”

She ignored him and turned back to her desk. Was she blushing? Before he could decide, she picked up a tablet and started making rapid notations.

“This is a list of the sites. As soon as we know it’s safe to communicate, I’m sure you will wish your rangers to investigate.”

“Does GenCon know what’s happened?”

She shook her head.

“When do you expect them to contact you?”

“They will be expecting a report in the next day or so.” She sank back in her chair, her face unreadable. “It might be advisable to contact Earth Government about their plans.”

“Why should we tell them anything? You know we want to declare our independence.”

“Exactly. What better argument could you offer than your ability to uncover such a dastardly plot without their assistance?” She raised an eyebrow.

“What’s in it for you?” He had no doubt that multiple plans were in process behind that smooth face.

“It had occurred to me that if GenCon is forced to deal with the government, they would have no time to investigate the circumstances under which their plans were discovered.”

“And you’ll come out of this smelling like a rose?”

A slender shoulder lifted. “It wouldn’t hurt, if your plans don’t work out.”

“And if they do?”

“Then I expect I would have the gratitude of the new Martian government.”

He suspected that she was correct. A turmoil outside the room interrupted their conversation. The door was flung open and one of the hybrids stumbled inside. Wyatt’s hand automatically went to his gun, but then he realized that at least one of the man’s arms was broken and J-100 had a firm grasp on his shoulder.

“He’s alive,” he said as he shoved the man to the ground and kept him there by the simple expedient of putting one enormous booted foot across his neck.

Sam followed them into the room, shaking his head. “I can’t say I agree with your methods, J-100, but I must admit they’re effective.”

He turned to the man on the floor, his face hard and ruthless.

“You will have one chance to cooperate with me. If you fail to do so…”

He left the punishment unspecified, but even Wyatt shivered at his friend’s icy tone. This was the Judge in full war mode.

“What do you want to know?” Another snarling voice from behind an expressionless mask. The combination was distinctly unnerving.

“What happened to your control chips?” Serena asked, moving back around the desk, regarding the man as if he were a piece of dung beneath her heel.

“Wouldn’t you like to know, bitch?”

There was a distinct crack as J-100 pushed his boot down. The man held up his working hand.

“Okay, okay! We overrode them. Sheldon figured it out on the journey out here. He’s some kind of hacker. He said it was easy to bypass the protocols, but the bastard insisted on waiting until we got here before he’d override them. He said we’d do something stupid if he released us earlier.”

“And then what?”

“He waited a few days. Said he needed to get the lay of the land first. Then he released us.” The man’s shoulder moved in what Wyatt suspected was the beginning of a shrug, then he grunted in pain as J-100 bore down on his neck again. “Four of us decided to stay here and take over the city.”

“What about the others?”

“I don’t know. Some of them decided to take over the sites that GenCon so kindly prepared for us. One of them was babbling on about some woman. I don’t know about the rest.”

“You sure?” The boot descended again, not relenting until the man waved a hand again.

“I heard something about some scientist woman. Sheldon said she was some kind of expert and maybe she could make us more normal. I said fuck that—I’m not letting another fucking scientist near my body.”

Sam was no longer listening. His eyes met Wyatt’s, and he could see his own horror reflected there.

“He’s after Addie.” Sam reached down and shook the hybrid. “Does he know where she is?”

“I just heard something about some lab.”

They both turned and raced for the door.

“Watch him, J-100!” Sam called over his shoulder. “Try not to kill him.”

They didn’t bother with the route along the wall this time, shooting straight down Main Street to the supply depot.

“Do you think he meant the lab at your home?” Terror gnawed at his insides at the thought of their women alone and unprotected.

“Addie is still listed under the first lab where she worked. But the other scientists know. If he gets there and questions them… I don’t know how long they could hold out. And even if they did, there may be records in the computer that would lead him to them.”

“What’s the plan?” The horrifying scenarios that were playing through his head made it hard to think. Not only the memory of Cherry bleeding out into the desert sand, but the other deaths still so fresh in his memory.

“We have to get back there.” Sam’s face was haunted. “We can’t even warn them as long as the hybrids are monitoring communications.”

They raced into the supply depot and found Blackie and Maverick waiting for them. Cyrus, one side of his face horribly bruised, was standing next to them.

“Thank you for your help, Cyrus,” Sam said, flinging himself into the saddle. “Lie low and stay out of trouble until we return.”

Wyatt mounted as well and urged Maverick towards the exit.

“Can’t promise anything. Trouble tends to find me.”

Cyrus’s words floated after them as they ducked through the doorway and took off.

Chapter Twenty-Three

As soon as the men departed, Addie hurried over to the communicator and started making calls. She reached Clint first, and he promised to get Morgan and head for town immediately. Her second call was to Jonah and Bill. Jonah also agreed to make the trip to New Arcadia, while Bill stayed behind and continued to reach out to the other cyborgs. Each of the men assured them that everything was under control and they would take care of everything from now on.

Addie sat back down and gave Cherry a rueful grin. “I hate waiting.”

“I do too.” Even though she had full confidence in Wyatt, seeing him leave brought back all of the painful memories of his first disappearance.

He’s so much stronger now, she tried to tell herself, but the memories still tormented her.

“Do you like living out here?” she asked Addie, trying to distract her thoughts. “Wouldn’t it be easier to be closer to other scientists?”

Addie shrugged. “Yes and no. It can be helpful to exchange ideas but right now my main focus is on controlling how much information makes its way to GenCon headquarters. Technically, I still work for them.”

“Why? They don’t exactly seem trustworthy.”

“I have a deal with them. If I can discover how to introduce nanites into normal human beings, they promised that they would make the process available to any settler here on Mars.”

“And you think you’re close?”

“I think so.” The other woman sighed. “I just dread the next phase—testing on live subjects. I’m trying to figure out how to do it without involving GenCon because I don’t trust them.”

“Not even Serena?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.

Addie laughed. “I think that’s another yes and no answer. She has been very good to Kami and she hasn’t pushed me for results, but she works for GenCon after all. Will you listen to me? I keep forgetting that I work for them as well.”

“I suspect your motives are a little humanitarian.” She looked around the cozy room. “And at least you get to work here where Sam can be with you.”

“I’m still thankful every day that we are together again.”

“Again?”

“Yes, we knew each other on Earth.”

She started to laugh. “I guess it’s a small world after all—or maybe that should be two small worlds. I mean, since Wyatt and I were together on Earth as well.”

“I would really like to take a look at that chip,” Abbie said, tapping her chin, then changed the subject. “Would you like something to eat?”

“I’m too nervous to eat. Maybe just some tea?”

She followed the other woman into the kitchen area. Addie told her a little more about her work, but they avoided any discussion about what was happening with Sam and Wyatt. Cherry could see that Addie’s anxiety matched her own and did her best to distract the other woman.

A short time later, Kami entered the room and went straight to Addie, burying her face in her mother’s side.

“What’s the matter, baby?”

“I don’t like it out there anymore.”

“What do you mean? You love playing outside.”

“It feels funny.”

“Funny how?”

Kami shrugged and nestled closer. “Like someone was watching me.”

Addie’s eyes flew to Cherry’s and she automatically reached for her gun, only to realize it was with her discarded clothing. She stood up to go and retrieve it as the airlock door flew open. One of the white-faced cyborgs stood in the entrance.

“Don’t move.”

Despite his order, she instinctively stepped in front of Addie and Kami. Kami’s eyes were wide and terrified, and Addie pulled her close.

A bullet hit the floor in front of Cherry’s feet.

“I said don’t move,” he snarled.

His face was the same expressionless mask, but his eyes moved constantly, traveling around the dome in a random pattern.

“Which one of you is the scientist?”

“I am,” Cherry responded without hesitating.

His eyes darted back to her face, then he shook his head.

“No, you’re not.”

“I’m the one you’re looking for,” Addie said quietly, stepping up next to Cherry. Kami was clinging to her side and she gently nudged her behind Cherry’s legs. “What do you want?”

“I want you to fix me!” he yelled, and Kami trembled against her. “Fucking GenCon took all of my credits. Told me that I’d be able to survive on Mars. That part was true but they lied about everything else. They turned me into a fucking monster. I’m not even a real man anymore.”

“How can I help you? I don’t know what they did to you.”

“Maybe not, but you’ve developed a way to introduce nanites into other humans so that they’re still human.”

Addie opened her mouth, but he waved his gun again.

“Don’t bother to lie to me. I hacked into the system. I know how your research is going.”

“Then you know that it’s still ongoing.”

“I don’t fucking care. Fix me!” he screeched, and Cherry heard the edge of insanity in his voice. They wouldn’t be able to reason with him.

Even though she didn’t have her gun, could she take advantage of her newfound speed and strength? He wouldn’t be expecting an attack from her. But two small hands were clutching her legs. How could she make a move without exposing Kami?

She started to nudge the little girl back towards Addie so that she could step away and draw his attention but as soon as she moved, he focused on her again.

“I said don’t move!” He waved the gun again and it went off. Time seemed to slow down—just as it had when Tony attacked. She grabbed Kami and whirled to one side, snatching her out of the path of the oncoming bullet. Addie cried out and tugged Kami back into her arms, checking frantically for injuries.

The stranger ignored them, his eyes focused on Cherry.

“You’re one of them. You already have the nanites.” He turned and glared at Addie. “Fucking liar.”

“No,” Cherry said. “Addie didn’t do this. I had a transfusion.”

His voice rose again, excited this time. “That’s it. That’s the secret.”

“We don’t know that!” Addie said desperately. “She’s the first one.”

“And she’s normal. So you’re gonna give me a transfusion as well.”

“I don’t know if that will work.”

He stepped closer, and Cherry caught a whiff of something rotten. “It had better work, or your kid is gonna pay.”

Addie gave her a helpless look. “Cherry, I…”

“It’s fine,” she said immediately. They couldn’t take the chance on this madman hurting Kami.

Addie’s shoulder slumped as she obviously reached the same conclusion. “My lab is through there.”

He gestured with his gun again, but fortunately this time, it didn’t go off.

“Please, can my daughter stay out here? She doesn’t need to see this.”

“No. Now move.”

Kami clung to her mother’s hand as the three of them entered the lab, her eyes wide and frightened, but she didn’t say a word.

“Baby, I want you to go sit over there by the window and don’t look around. You promise me?”

“Yes, Mama,” she whispered, but Addie had to peel her fingers loose before she moved away.

“Now what?” the man demanded.

“I have to set up the equipment,” Addie said quietly as she began to make preparations.

Cherry admired her composure as she tried desperately to think of a way to get them out of this situation. She studied the hybrid under the cover of her lashes, but although he paced impatiently back and forth, the gun remained firmly in his hand and he never came close enough for her to make a move. Her newfound speed was of no help against an opponent who was equally fast.

She hadn’t managed to come up with a plan by the time Addie had finished setting everything up. The other woman gave her an imploring look, but she shrugged helplessly. She didn’t see any alternative but to comply with the man’s demands.

Addie pointed at the lab tables. “I need both of you to lie down.”

The man frowned suspiciously at Cherry and made her climb onto one of the tables first. He took his position on the other table but didn’t lower his gun. When Addie reached for that arm, he shook his head.

“I’m not that stupid. Use my other arm.”

She silently inserted the IV into his other arm and then moved over to Cherry.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I don’t know what—”

“Stop talking,” the man ordered.

Addie bit her lip and obeyed. Cherry tried not to wince as the other woman deftly inserted an IV into her wrist. A moment later, she saw her blood flowing into the thin tube. It ran from there into a central machine and then out again into the man’s arm as he watched it eagerly.

At first, nothing happened.

Then a faint rush of warmth began at her feet and traveled slowly up her body, coursing through her system, and she realized that her nanites were trying to cope with the blood loss. It grew hotter still, and she started to feel lightheaded.

“Yes!” The man gave an ecstatic cry and she looked over to find him staring at his arm—an arm that was transforming from dead white to a healthy pink. The color washed up his arm and into his face and for just a moment, he looked normal. Only his eyes still indicated his underlying madness.

But then the flush of pink deepened and his skin began to turn bright red.

“Why do I feel hot?” he demanded. “What’s happening?”

“The heat is a side effect of the process,” Addie said calmly. “Can you handle it?”

“I can handle anything that will make me a man again,” he snarled, and for the first time, his anger was apparent on his face. A face no longer locked in a frozen mask.

Her heart sank as she realized that the process was working but she still couldn’t see any alternative. The heat in her own blood was continuing to increase, but she didn’t make a sound.

“Are you all right, Cherry?” Addie’s anxious face hovered over her. “Just hang on.”

Was there a hidden warning in her words?

“I’m fine,” she managed.

The man suddenly groaned, and when she looked over at him, she saw black streaks racing up his arm.

“This isn’t right,” he gasped.

“It’s just part of the process,” Addie repeated.

The tide of black licked across his face, and Cherry watched in horror as his skin started to melt. He tried to speak but his words were already unintelligible. He fumbled for the IV and managed to snatch it out of his arm, but it was too late. In front of her eyes, he literally dissolved into a black puddle on the other table.

Addie quickly removed the IV from Cherry’s arm.

“Are you all right?” she asked anxiously.

The heat in Cherry’s veins had already started to subside and to her relief, her skin was still as pale and smooth as always.

“I think I’m fine.”

“Oh, thank God.” Addie gave her a relieved smile, then rushed over to where Kami was still staring obediently out the window. Addie lifted her into her arms and tucked the little girl’s face against her shoulder before she turned back to Cherry. “I have to get her out of here.”

“It’s fine.” She already felt strong enough to sit up and swing her legs over the edge of the table. “Just give me a minute and I’ll be right behind you.”

Addie nodded and disappeared through the door. Cherry cast an unbelieving gaze at the black puddle that was all that remained of the man, then stood up. Her knees felt a little shaky, but by the time she had retrieved her gun and joined Addie and Kami in the main room, she felt as strong as ever.

“What the hell did you do?” she asked, staring at Addie in amazement.

Addie’s lips trembled. “That’s what happened with the first experiments. The nanites just reproduce uncontrollably, destroying the host in the process.”

“Did you know that was going to happen?”

“I suspected.” Her eyes filled with tears. “I didn’t want to do it, but I didn’t see any other alternative. I couldn’t let him hurt either of you.”

Cherry shook her head. “Remind me never to get on your bad side.”

Addie gave a slightly hysterical laugh and a moment later they were both crying in each other’s arms as Kami stared at them.

“Someone’s coming,” the little girl said just as Cherry caught the sound of movement from outside the dome.

She was on her feet, her gun in her hand, standing in front of the other two when the door flew open and Wyatt and Sam appeared.

Chapter Twenty-Four

“Daddy, Daddy!” Kami bolted across the room. Wyatt noticed that she took a flying leap from at least six feet away and easily landed in Sam’s arm’s, but he was more interested in Cherry. To his relief, she was standing tall, her gun in her hand but apparently unharmed. Her eyes closed with relief at the sight of him, then she was throwing herself at him just as eagerly.

“A bad man came and Mama melted him,” Kami said proudly.

Addie winced as she joined them. “You weren’t supposed to be looking, baby.”

Kami blinked up at her innocently. “I just peeked a little. Just for a minute.”

“What bad man?” he demanded, as he tightened his arm around his wife, the relief of having her back in his arms overwhelming him even though he was filled with guilt that he had left her in danger.

“Another one of those new cyborgs.” Cherry shivered. “Tony was mean, but I think this one was actually crazy. He was babbling about not being a man anymore and demanding that Addie fix him.”

“Maybe not entirely mad,” he admitted. “Apparently the GenCon process removes their ability to, um, function as a man.”

“What did he expect you to do?” Sam asked his wife. “Everything you’ve been working on is still experimental.”

“While I agree with Cherry that he was definitely unstable, I think he was also intelligent. He said he had read through the GenCon reports and thought that I was on the verge of a breakthrough.”

“What did you do?” Sam pressed Kami’s head against his chest and covered her ear. “And what did she mean that you melted him?”

“You remember those early experiments that I did? Where the nanites took over and dissolved the host?” Addie’s eyes filled with tears. “I didn’t want to do it, but I didn’t know what else to do.”

“You did the right thing,” Sam said soothingly. “As long as the three of you are safe, that’s all that matters.”

“But where did you get the nanites?” Wyatt asked, then looked at Cherry, his stomach churning. Did she look unusually pale?

“Addie took them from me. We didn’t have a choice, Wyatt. He threatened Kami.”

The growl that erupted from Sam’s throat was echoed by his own.

“What happened in town?” Cherry asked anxiously. “Do you know how many of them there are? You guys are tough, but they scare me.”

“According to Serena, there were twelve. There are now nine, one of whom has been captured. I fully intend for the rangers to take care of the rest.”

“Do you know where they are?” Addie asked.

“The prisoner is at GenCon headquarters and there are two more in the city. Supposedly the others have scattered out to the other GenCon sites.”

“What sites?” Addie and Cherry asked simultaneously.

“You mean like that place in Tom’s valley?” Cherry added.

“Exactly. GenCon has been building these secret cities in places that they believe are—or will be—strategically important.”

Addie’s eyes sharpened. “If they’re secret, how are you going to find them?”

“Serena gave us their locations.”

“Auntie Seena!” Kami cheered, and Sam and Addie exchanged a rueful look. Apparently, the little girl’s nanites had equipped her with the same enhanced hearing as the rest of the cyborgs.

Cherry stiffened, just a little, against his side.

“How helpful of her,” she said, her voice cool.

“She was attack—” he broke off with a quick look at Kami. “I think that ended any allegiance she still felt to GenCon.”

“How noble of her,” Cherry said, sarcasm even thicker this time.

“Don’t you like Auntie Seena?” Kami asked, her eyes wide.

A wash of color swept across Cherry’s cheeks. “I’m sorry, Kami. I know she’s your friend.”

“She is.” The little girl gave a firm nod. “And I think she needs a husband just like Daddy.”

Wyatt’s eyes met Sam’s and he had to fight back a grin as he remembered J-100 hovering over Serena. Kami’s prophecy might come true after all—although he didn’t envy the cyborg one little bit. He much preferred his own sweet wife. The fear which had haunted his frantic ride back to the habitat was evaporating now that he had her in his arms again, but need was rising in him in a monstrous wave.

“If you’ll excuse us, I need to be alone with my wife.” He swept Cherry up in his arms then gave a frustrated growl. There was nowhere to take her.

“We have an extra bedroom,” Addie said, her eyes dancing. “Second door on the left down the corridor.”

He was moving before she finished speaking.

“How come he’s carrying her like a baby?” He heard Kami ask behind them.

Cherry started to giggle. “Why are you carrying me like a baby, Wyatt? Don’t you think I’m capable of walking?”

Despite her teasing, she had wrapped herself around him and he caught the sweet, exotic tang of her arousal.

“I think you’re capable of anything, but I want you to save your energy.”

He opened the second door and came to a dismayed halt. It was a bedroom all right—a bedroom for a baby. The only bed in the room was a sturdy white crib against the far wall.

“Fuck. This isn’t what I had in mind.”

She giggled again, the sound breathless and excited.

“There’s a rug.”

Oh, yes. In his frustration, he had overlooked the fact that the floor was covered with thick padding. Good enough. He dropped to his knees, carrying her with him. He knelt there with her across his lap, studying her beloved face as the laughter died away.

“I was so fucking scared, darlin’. The whole way back here, I was picturing you at the mercy of one of those monsters.”

“I would have fought him,” she whispered. “But I was afraid he would hurt Addie or Kami.”

“You did the right thing,” he said. “I’m just so sorry that I wasn’t here to protect you. That I haven’t been here to protect you all these years.”

Blue eyes sparkled with tears, but she smiled at him. “I managed to take care of myself. I told you—what matters is right now.”

He clutched her tightly against his chest, relishing the feel of her in his arms. Despite the urgent throb of his erection, he was content to hold her until she finally drew back and smiled up at him, her eyes misty.

“But you’re more than welcome to take care of any more of those things.”

“Did Addie really melt him?”

She shuddered. “She certainly did. I’ve never seen anything like it, and I hope I never see it again. She’s a scary woman.”

“I hope I never have to see it.” It was his turn to shudder at the thought. “If I had, I’m not sure I would have had the courage to give you the transfusion.”

“But you did.” Her serious expression faded, and she gave him a challenging look. “And now I’m just as strong as you are.”

“Oh, you think so?”

In one swift move, he flipped her face down on the padded floor and came down over her, enclosing her with his arms and legs. She laughed and started scrambling wildly to get free but only succeeded in rubbing her luscious ass repeatedly into his aching erection.

“If you’re trying to get free, darlin’, you’re going about it the wrong way,” he growled in her ear as he thrust his cock against the lush curves of her ass.

She stilled momentarily, then very slowly and very deliberately rubbed against him.

“You asked for this.”

He yanked her pants down to mid-thigh, lifting her ass higher as he freed his erection. He parted her legs just enough to slide his thick cock through her folds, finding them already wet and swollen. He dragged the head of his cock back and forth over the hard little pearl of her clit until she was moaning and trying desperately to push back against him.

“Ready, darlin’?”

“Yes, dammit. Fuck me.”

He filled her in one hard stroke and felt her shudder into an immediate climax, but he was too desperate for her to stop. His hands dug into her hips as he held her in place, plunging into her over and over. Her pants bound her legs together, further restricting her mobility and making her feel even tighter than usual. She quivered beneath him at each hard thrust, and he could feel her excitement building again. He loosened one hand long enough to drag his thumb through their combined wetness, then pressed it to the small pink pucker of her bottom hole. She moaned and tried to push back against him. He pressed deeper, her snug cunt so tight he could barely breathe as his cock began to vibrate, rippling through their joined bodies as she cried out his name, convulsing around him, and he followed her over in a rush of heated passion.

Collapsing down on the floor, he tucked her against his side, his cock still buried deep within her. He curved his arm around her, cupping a full breast, her hard little nipple stabbing at his palm.

“I didn’t even get a chance to play with these,” he said regretfully.

“Next time,” she promised. “After I catch my breath.”

“Your nanites mean you don’t have to worry about breathing.”

“Maybe you override even my nanites.”

He laughed and tightened his grip, filled with contentment. As he relaxed, his eyes drifted idly around the room.

“Isn’t Kami too big for a crib?” he asked.

“She most certainly is. And you don’t really think that Addie would send us into her daughter’s bedroom to make passionate love, do you?”

“You mean, they’re having a baby?”

“Addie didn’t come right out and say so, but I’m pretty sure.”

He took another look around the room, suddenly wistful.

“I don’t suppose…”

“I’m afraid not, Wyatt. I had that taken care of a long time ago.” She twisted around to face him, blue eyes full of sorrow. “I never expected to meet you. To find someone I would want to have a child with.”

He shook his head, his longing vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. “It doesn’t matter. I have everything I want, right here in my arms. I loved you as Rebecca. I love you even more as Cherry, and I’m going to go on loving you for the rest of my life.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

They spent the afternoon loving each other. Night had fallen by the time, Cherry convinced Wyatt they had to join the others again.

“I want you all to myself,” he grumbled.

“You have me,” she promised. “But don’t you want to know what’s been happening outside this room?”

“I’m sure it’s nowhere near as interesting as what’s been happening inside this room.” He grinned at her, then climbed reluctantly to his feet and helped her up. “But if we’re going out in public, you might want to comb your hair.”

“Is it that bad?”

“You’re as beautiful as ever,” he assured her. “But I don’t want anyone else knowing what you look like after we make love. You’re enough to entice any man…” His eyes heated as he stalked towards her.

She laughed and slipped past him with a speed she’d never imagined possessing. “Just hold that thought until later. I’ll go and make myself less tempting.”

“Impossible,” he called after her as she slipped out of the room.

“Is there any news?” she asked anxiously as they joined the others in the main dome.

Sam grinned, looking more relaxed than she had ever seen him. He was seated in a big chair by the window, Addie curled in his lap. The other woman colored when they entered and made a half-hearted attempt to stand but Sam pulled her firmly back into his arms. Cherry noticed that his hand curved protectively over Addie’s stomach and her heart ached a little. But as long as she had Wyatt, she had no regrets.

“Lots of news. While you two were… resting,” Sam said with a glance at Kami, who was coloring at the table, “I heard back from Clint. They took care of the other two hybrids in New Arcadia. One surrendered, the other one chose not to.”

“Any word on the other ones?” Wyatt asked as he sat down on the couch and tugged her against him.

“We got three of them, but one got away. No sign of the other two. They didn’t head for any of the GenCon locations. We’ll keep searching.”

“Have you heard anything about Tom and Esme?”

“They made it safely to New Arcadia. She sent a message saying she wanted to see you before they went back.”

She turned impulsively to Wyatt. “We need to go back to town.”

“Yes, darlin’. But morning is soon enough. That is, if you don’t mind us spending the night, Addie?”

“Of course you can stay.” Addie grinned at them. “You seem to enjoy the accommodations so far.”

Good lord, was she blushing? From the twinkle in Sam’s eyes, she suspected she was. Determined to ignore it, she turned to Wyatt.

“It’s your turn for an examination. I want Addie to look at your head.”

“I don’t think that’s necessary. I can remember everything now.”

“It might prove useful,” Addie interjected. “Sam told me that the hybrids were supposed to be controlled via chips in their heads.”

“Do you think they were trying to control me? Not just make me forget?” Wyatt frowned.

“I’d be in a better position to answer that question if you let me take a look.”

“Oh, all right. What do I have to do?”

“Nothing scary.” Wyatt looked offended, but Addie grinned at him. “Just sit there while I get a scanner.”

Sam reluctantly let her go and she disappeared into her laboratory, returning a moment later with a small handheld device. She ran it back and forth over Wyatt’s head a few times, then stood frowning at the results.

“Is something wrong?” Cherry’s heart rate started to increase, even as her nanites tried to calm her.

“No, not now. There was a chip, but it’s obviously inert. It’s actually dissolving.”

“Dissolving? Not like…” She couldn’t even voice her horror as she remembered the hybrid’s fate.

“Oh, no, nothing like that. It’s being absorbed by his body. My guess is that there won’t be anything left within a few more days.” Addie tapped her chin thoughtfully. “And I think you were right. Given the placement, it wasn’t designed to control specific behavior but rather to remove all memory of your rebellion. Which would make sense, considering they weren’t planning on accompanying you to Mars. I suspect that the shock of Cherry’s… accident and the rush of memories simply overloaded it.”

She was still frowning as Sam came over and put his arm around her. “What’s bothering you, angel?”

“I wish I knew what was done to the hybrids. I can see how the same technology might have been used with an external controller.”

“Tony said that one of them hacked into the controls and disabled them,” Cherry said.

“But what if someone else could find a way to take over again? I don’t like it.” Addie sighed. “I wish I hadn’t had to eliminate the one who came here.”

“You didn’t have a choice. You did the right thing,” Sam said firmly.

“But Wyatt’s all right? You’re sure?” Cherry asked, more concerned about her husband than GenCon’s monstrosities.

“I’m sure. He’s just fine.”

Cherry let out a deep breath, relaxing back against Wyatt. As she thought back over the traumatic events of the day, she remembered there was one more participant who had suffered with them. She twisted around to look up at him.

“Can we go check on Maverick?”

“It’s after dark. It will be too cold—” he broke off abruptly, then looked at Addie. “Is Cherry protected from the cold?”

“If you mean is it going to damage her, I don’t think so. But I suspect it won’t be very pleasant.”

“I want to try it,” she said. “We don’t have to be outside for long. Just long enough to see Maverick.”

Wyatt frowned and she could see he wanted to object but she wasn’t going to back down. He must have read the determination in her face because he sighed.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I want to know what I can handle.”

“Very well. But you’re going to dress for it.”

A few minutes later, she stood at the outer door of the airlock with him, her heart beating rapidly against her ribs despite her nanites. The door opened and she stepped out into the night.

Addie was right; it wasn’t pleasant. Despite her thermal coat and multiple layers, the icy Martian wind seemed to penetrate her bones. She took a quick breath and the thin air burned all the way down into her lungs. But… she was all right. She could feel her nanites bubbling through her system, compensating for the frigid cold and the lack of oxygen. Overhead, a million stars sparkled in a clear dark sky.

“It’s so beautiful,” she said.

“Yes,” Wyatt agreed, but he was looking at her, not the sky.

A moment later, Maverick pranced over to join them. His power supply had been replaced and he looked like his old self as he lowered his head to snuffle at her hair. She reached up and stroked his mane and then the three of them walked to the edge of the plateau, looking out over the valley below. Her vision was crystal clear, and she could see the distant lights of scattered homesteads, unexpectedly comforting in the barren desert.

“There are people out there,” she murmured.

“Yes. And there will be more.” He sighed and put his arm around her. “Do you remember we talked about Mars that very first night? It took a long time to get here.”

“But we made it. And it’s a new world. Our new world.”

A new world they would face together.

Epilogue

Five years later…

“Cherry!” Wyatt called as he burst into their house. Anxious to find his wife, he didn’t even spare his usual appreciative glance around the cozy home she had created for them. New Arcadia had begun to spill out of the canyon, into the surrounding territory, and they had built a house on the edge of town where they could still see the stars.

“Ssh!” She appeared in the hallway leading to the bedrooms, a finger over her lips. “I only just got Robert down for his nap.”

“I don’t care. Wake him up!”

“That’s easy for you to say. I’m the one who’s been chasing him all morning. I told you I was too old for this,” she grumbled playfully. The nanites had not only made her faster and stronger, but they had also reversed her sterilization and allowed them to have a child together after all.

Her supposed age was a running joke between them, and he laughed as he swept her into his arms for a kiss—a kiss that, as usual, escalated rapidly into passion. She was breathless when he reluctantly let her drop back to her feet.

“I know better than to point out that your nanites provide more than enough stamina to cope with one small boy—”

“—who has his own nanites providing him with energy.”

“—so I’ll simply remind you that you’ll always be young and beautiful to me, darlin’.”

It was quite true. He could see the faint traces of age on her face, but she had never looked more radiant.

“Flatterer.” She kissed him this time but broke away much too quickly. “What’s got you all excited? Other than your usual enthusiasm.”

She ran a teasing hand over his cock, and he had to force his mind back to his news.

“It’s official! Mars has been legally declared an independent planet with its own government.”

“Finally. That’s wonderful. I guess that means that Sam is now officially our president.”

Their friend had been elected in their first election, although Earth Government hadn’t recognized him as their official representative until now.

“I’m sure he’ll be thrilled,” he said dryly. They had to talk him into running in the first place, but his reputation for unswerving honesty and impartial judgement had been recognized by both human and cyborg. He had worked tirelessly in the effort to free them from the yoke of Earth, and it hadn’t hurt that he still had influential friends in the military.

“We should celebrate.”

“Definitely,” he said, as he drew her closer. “That’s why I’m here, darlin’.”

“Not that kind of celebration. Or at least, not yet. A celebration with our friends.”

“I thought you might say that. We’re having a little get together here tonight.”

“Tonight?” She started to pull away from him. “Let me go, Wyatt. There’s so much to do.”

“No, there isn’t. Mary is bringing all the food and her husband is taking care of the alcohol. I know you’ll want to cover everything with flowers from your greenhouse, but you have plenty of time. No one’s going to be here for at least three hours.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” He pulled her closer and let her feel the rigid bar of his erection. “Which is why I came home now—so we could celebrate together first.”

Her eyes darkened and he caught the sweet scent of her arousal. “I don’t know. Only three hours?”

“You’re right. I’d better get started.” He swept her up in his arms and carried her off to their bedroom.

Cherry curled, limp with satisfaction, in Wyatt’s arms and decided this was the perfect time to bring up the subject that had been weighing on her mind lately.

“Did I tell you that Esme is pregnant?” she asked, trying to sound casual.

“Again? What’s that? The fifth?”

She gave him a playful shove. “No, you idiot. It’s their third.”

“I’m surprised Tom has the time to run the farm and act as mayor of Border Town when he’s so busy having children.”

The formerly secret GenCon cities had all been opened for habitation as part of their legal settlement with GenCon. The corporation still did business on Mars, but in a very restricted capacity. Each of the cities had elected a mayor as they grew. Wyatt had refused to assume the job in New Arcadia, preferring to remain as a judge—a job that had grown increasingly more demanding over the years.

“He seems to manage,” she said lightly. “Does our son interfere with your work?”

“Of course he does.” His face sobered. “You and he are the most important things in my life, Cherry. You know that.”

“I do know that, Wyatt.” She bit her lip, her nerve beginning to fail her. “But I was thinking…”

“Should I be worried?” he teased.

“I thought it might be nice to expand our family.”

“You want to have another child?”

He looked stunned, and she worried that maybe another child would be too much, given his numerous responsibilities.

“Only if you want to, of course, but even with the nanites I’m not getting any younger, and I thought maybe—”

He cut off the stream of words with a kiss, his mouth closing over hers, hard and demanding as he reached beneath her dress, ripping aside her panties and growling when he found her wet and ready for him. Before she could catch her breath, he thrust inside in one long hard stroke. Despite her wetness, his massive girth stretched her unprepared body and she clung to his arms as he withdrew only to plunge deeper, faster. Usually, he waited for her to adjust, but he seemed lost in desire.

The unexpected stretch bordered on the edge of pain, but it only added to her excitement and she arched her hips into each stroke, her nails digging into his shoulders as a sudden climax roared over her. He never hesitated, pounding into her as she shuddered beneath him until she felt his rhythm break, felt him bury himself impossibly deeper, felt his seed erupt in a wave of molten heat. He sank down over her, his skin damp beneath her fingers, and his breath coming in rapid gasps. She stroked his back as she waited for her nanites to control her own pulse.

When he finally raised his head, he was grinning triumphantly, but it was the love in his eyes that made her heart melt.

“I guess you like that idea?” she murmured.

“You could say that. I love you, Cherry.”

“I love you too.”

He bent his head to kiss her, gently this time, as his hips began a slow, insistent motion.

When she left Earth, all she had hoped to find was a measure of peace. Instead, she had found a new life. She had found friends and family and most importantly, she had found love again—deeper and richer than ever after their separation. The pain of all those years apart had disappeared forever in a blaze of happiness.

Author’s Note

Thank you so much for reading The Magnificent Cyborg! I know many of you have been waiting for Cherry’s story since she first appeared, and I hope you enjoyed seeing her find happiness with Wyatt!

Whether you enjoyed the story or not, it would mean the world to me if you left an honest review on Amazon – reviews are one of the best ways to help other readers find my books!

As always, I have to thank my readers for taking this trip to Mars with me! This has been a challenging few months for all of us and I hope that my books provide at least a small way to relax. I know that your support and encouragement make such a difference in my life. As always, a special thanks to my beta readers – Janet S and Nancy V. Your thoughts and comments are always so helpful!

Are you curious about Wyatt’s time with the rebels on Earth? I have a short story about that time available through BookFunnel. Warning – it’s not all sunshine and roses! But if you’d like to know more, click here!

And finally, I’m so thrilled to announce that Bex McLynn and I will be releasing the next in the Treasured by the Alien series – Daughter of the Alien Warrior!

Can an alien warrior and a desperate mother overcome the pain of their pasts through the shared love of a child?

Click here to pre-order now on Amazon.com!

Other Titles

Cyborgs on Mars

High Plains Cyborg

The Good, the Bad, and the Cyborg

A Fistful of Cyborg

A Few Cyborgs More

The Magnificent Cyborg

The Alien Invasion Series

Alien Selection

Alien Conquest

Alien Prisoner

Alien Breeder

Alien Alliance

Alien Hope

Cosmic Fairy Tales

Jackie and the Giant

The Treasured by the Alien Series

with Bex McLynn

Mama and the Alien Warrior

A Son for the Alien Warrior

Daughter for the Alien Warrior

The Alien Abduction Series

Anna and the Alien

Beth and the Barbarian

Cam and the Conqueror

Deb and the Demon

Ella and the Emperor

Faith and the Fighter

Greta and the Gargoyle

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Epilogue

Author’s Note

Other Titles