Chasing Mayhem Read online

  She said us. His previously solitary female viewed them as a team.

  Mayhem would save the expression of his caring for another planet rotation and focus on the mission for now. “The authorization code works.”

  “Would he have cared if it hadn’t?” Her eyes sparked with the anger she often retreated into, hiding one of her emotions with another. “The Humanoid Alliance is at war. Beings hate them. And that’s the male they assign to guard my family.” She waved her hands in the air. “He’s incompetent. Anyone could have harmed them.”

  Mayhem suspected someone already had.

  He hoped he was wrong. The loss of her family would damage his female.

  The female he loved.

  “That was merely one layer of security.” He plotted their route. They were half a planet rotation away from the administrative station. “We haven’t accessed your family’s chamber yet.”

  “We will.” She picked up an image of her mom and gazed at her, her eyes softening.

  That love seemed to be allowable. His processors told him it was because it was older, not as new and distracting as his. But it still irked him.

  “My mom will be surprised when she sees me.” His female scrunched up her face. “We’ll have to wait until she’s alone to approach her. That way, if she cries, if she hugs me…” Her voice warmed with yearning and Mayhem’s heart twisted. “She won’t draw the attention of the guards or the other families.”

  He was a selfish being, bombarding her with his feelings when she already had many of her own to deal with. Mayhem wrapped his arms around his female, attempting to comfort her.

  She peeked up at him through a veil of long, dark eyelashes. “I wish we could free them all, reunite all of the Retrievers with their loved ones. It’ll be difficult to leave them behind.”

  “We must.” His voice was gruff.

  “Yeah, we must. But.” She held up a finger. “Once my family is safe, we’ll send a transmission to the other Retrievers, tell them how we did it, how we freed my family. Then they can duplicate our success.”

  That would require sharing confidential information, possibly jeopardizing the safety of his cyborg brethren. “I’ll record the mission.” He’d do that…for her, the female he loved. He’d edit the footage so it mitigated the risk to his brethren.

  “You can do that?”

  “We’re equipped with recording devices.” He tapped his temple.

  His curious female brought her beautiful face close to his and gazed intently into his eyes. Her breath wafted against his lips, hot and sweetly feminine. “Nope. I can’t detect it.”

  “You’re human.” He chuckled.

  “You’re an ass.” Her reply made him laugh harder. She gave as good as she got.

  “I’m your ass.” And he loved her. Mayhem pulled his female snug against his chest.

  She huffed.

  Moments passed. He watched her expressions change. “What are you processing, my female?” He reminded her that she was no longer alone. She had him to talk to.

  “After we rescue them, we could stay on the ship for a solar cycle or so, replenishing our supplies on rebel-controlled planets.” His female played with his fingers as she plotted and planned. “If we cover our sequence numbers, they won’t know I’m a Retriever and you’re a cyborg.”

  Her proposal, a future of exploring strange planets, perhaps battling new opponents appealed to Mayhem. They couldn’t return to the cyborg Homeland. Only cyborgs and their females were allowed on the planet.

  They would be accompanied by Imee’s mom, sister, brother…if they were alive. They would have to find a new home.

  “Eventually, we’ll discover a planet we like. My brother can have that agri lot he wants. My sister can tend to the locals’ medic needs.”

  “We can manufacture offspring.” Mayhem winked at her.

  “We’ll monitor the planet for threats.” She ignored him. Manufacturing offspring must be in the ‘don’t talk about now’ category also. “Retrievers might hunt us.”

  “The best Retriever in the galaxy won’t hunt us.” He jiggled his knee, making his female bounce. “She’ll be breeding with the best warrior in the galaxy.”

  “Which means she’ll be fucking herself.” His female laughed, the sound lightening Mayhem’s heart. Expressions of her happiness were hard-fought-for trophies, to be treasured and hoarded. “Stars. I need to shoot something.”

  “You do need the practice,” he teased, handing her a dagger.

  She threw it. It stuck with a twang in the far wall panel. “Make another joke like that and the something I shoot will be your ass.”

  “You can try.” And she had tried, unsuccessfully. Mayhem extracted another dagger from her sheaths and held it out to her.

  That dagger, she slid into her breast covering, between her curves. “I’ll succeed.” The translucent repository holding her sister’s finger was hidden in that deep valley also. Stripping her was always an adventure, filled with surprises.

  “We’ll test your skills later.” He’d thwart her attempt to shoot him. That would anger her, arouse her. They’d breed. He’d tell her he loved her. They’d breed again. His cock bobbed, preferring not to wait. “We’re nearing the administrative battle station.”

  “We’re nearing my family.” His female turned her head and gazed at the main viewscreen, excitement lighting her beautiful face. She vibrated, shaking with emotion. “Mayhem--”

  “The danger for them, for us, isn’t over, my female.”

  “I know that.” She stared at the station filling more and more of the main viewscreen. “If something happens to me--”

  “It won’t.” He wouldn’t allow it.

  “It could.” She pressed her fingers against his lips, stopping his retort. “If it does, will you promise to protect my family, to take them to safety, to ensure Geo has his plants and Jae has her healing and my mom is as happy as they are?”

  A lump of emotion formed in his throat. She was trusting him with her family, with the beings she cherished most in the galaxy, the beings she’d killed for, risked her life for. “We’ll protect them together.” If they were still alive.

  “Promise me, Mayhem.” Imee held his gaze, her eyes shining with expectation, with caring. “I’ll feel better knowing you’re with them.”

  “Because I’m the best warrior in the galaxy,” he teased, trying to lighten the moment.

  “Because you’re the most honorable being I know.” She wouldn’t allow his emotional retreat. “Because you’ll bring them the joy they deserve as you…” His female swallowed hard. “As you brought me joy.”

  “The joy you deserve.” He cupped her cheeks with his hands, the edges of her scar rough against his right palm.

  “I don’t know about that.” Her lips twisted into a rueful smile.

  “I do.” Mayhem brushed his lips against hers, wishing he could say the words he wanted to. “I will continue to bring you joy.”

  “You will…when you promise to protect my family.” His female cleverly trapped him.

  He wouldn’t surrender without concessions from her. “I’ll promise to protect your family if you promise, once the initial contact is concluded, you’ll allow me to lead this mission. You’ll stay behind me, follow my commands.”

  She opened her mouth.

  “I’m wearing body armor. You’re not.” He gave her a reason to relent without sacrificing her pride.

  Her chin lifted, his female so fraggin’ stubborn.

  “I’ve led similar missions in the past, have taken over rebel battle stations.” Those missions didn’t involve rescuing beings but he didn’t share that information.

  Her chin lowered a fraction.

  “You should do what is best for your family.” If it meant keeping her safe, he had no misgivings about exploiting her weaknesses.

  His Imee blew out her breath. “You can lead the mission. I’ll follow your commands if—” she held up one finger “—they make sense
.”

  “My commands are always logical, my female.” He smothered a grin. “I’ll protect your family.” He would protect any being his Imee loved. “If they’re alive.”

  She frowned. “They’re alive.”

  He hoped they were.

  Chapter Twelve

  Even if she died, her family would be safe. Mayhem would ensure that. When he’d given her his word, she’d almost burst into tears.

  She alone had carried the responsibility for her mom, her sister, and her brother her entire lifespan. That he now shared her burden touched a part of her soul she’d never shown another being.

  Her eyes had burned with unshed tears. She’d been one more poignant word away from losing control.

  That would have been humiliating. Retrievers didn’t cry.

  And Mayhem would have realized he didn’t truly love her. He loved her strength, her ferocity and that was a lie.

  She was weak.

  Imee turned her head and gazed up at the cyborg standing beside her. He stared straight ahead, a male in his prime, a warrior at the height of his abilities, his hands clasped behind his back, his stance powerful and proud.

  He would never break down. He’d never cry.

  Even now, he played a role he hated—the emotionless, rule-restricted cyborg.

  His expression was scarily blank. His lips were flat. There were no laugh lines feathering from his eyes.

  Yet he didn’t complain. He was strong.

  She wasn’t. She was unworthy of him and that bothered Imee.

  She wanted more planet rotations with him, more mock fights, more passionate kisses, more pussy-wetting grins.

  He’d crawled under her protectively thick skin with his constant touches, taunts, teasing. His nanocybotics bubbled within her form. His fit physique called to hers.

  To not have that…

  Emotion rose within her. She ruthlessly buried it under a scowl, a layer of anger, directed at him but mostly at herself.

  Mayhem’s gaze slid to her. “What is damaging you?”

  He was but she would never admit that. “Aren’t cyborgs supposed to be silent?”

  “Once we’re within communications range of the station, I’ll be silent, my female.” He chuckled, that sound converting her anger to desire, another acceptable strong emotion.

  She indulged in lust quite a bit, having never needed a male like she needed him. They’d fucked at sunrise, cavorted three times during the rest cycle, yet she craved his cock again.

  In the past, she would use a male once and not need another for half a solar cycle. She’d pleasure herself between the encounters.

  Once a planet rotation. Not four times.

  He was addictive and a much needed distraction.

  Their ship approached the administrative station. Her mom, sister, and brother were inside that vessel. Her stomach gurgled with excitement.

  She extracted the translucent repository she always carried with her, looked at her sister’s finger. Soon she would see all of Jae. Would her sister forgive her for her failure, for causing her pain?

  In Imee’s dreams, she did.

  Her mom was always the first to greet her, running to Imee, wrapping her arms around her, squeezed her tightly, her mom’s form soft and warm. Jae was next to hug her. There was no judgment in her eyes. Her sister realized she had done her best, hadn’t meant to harm her. Geo would complete the circle, enclosing Imee in love. When she last saw him, he’d been a baby, but there was no awkwardness. He accepted her without hesitation.

  In her most recent dreams, Mayhem was there, standing by her side. A smile curled his lips. His eyes sparkled with laughter, with understanding because he knew how important the moment was to her.

  She was no longer alone, hated, feared. She was accepted, cared for, cherished.

  Imee wanted that dream, so badly. Her eyes pricked with tears.

  The mission. She forced a frown. She had to concentrate on the mission.

  “You’ve given us access to the entire station?” She asked Mayhem for the fourth time that planet rotation, wishing to go over their plan again, to ensure it was flawless.

  “We’ll have access to every area. Once we dock, I’ll deactivate the station’s monitoring devices and take the communications and security systems offline.”

  She didn’t like that delay but Mayhem had explained that doing that earlier might cause the Humanoid Alliance to block their entry into the station.

  “Every being who sees us dies—whether they’re Humanoid Alliance warriors or captives,” he warned her. “That includes offspring and females.”

  “Every being except my family,” she corrected.

  “Every being except your family.” He dipped his head.

  Imee hoped there were no children on the station. She didn’t want to kill them.

  But she would, to protect Mayhem’s cyborg brethren, the beings he loved. No one could know they had free will or the Humanoid Alliance would slaughter them as they’d slaughtered her friends and neighbors.

  “You will stay behind me at all times.” Mayhem reminded her of her promise.

  “Until we approach my mom, my sister, my brother. Then I take the lead. They don’t know you.”

  They might not know her either.

  No, they would because they were family. They had a blood connection.

  “I’ll allow you to take the lead with your family.” Her cyborg continued to gaze straight ahead of him.

  “Allow me?” Feeling weak and weepy, Imee retreated into outrage once more. “You don’t allow me to do anything, warrior. When I follow you, it is my choice.”

  Mayhem’s shoulders shook. “You’re fierce, my female.”

  She wasn’t. She was emotionally fragile. The thought of finally seeing her family again, something she’d sought for solar cycles, something she’d fought for, killed for, turned her into a ball of mush.

  To gaze at her mom’s kind face--

  “The Humanoid Alliance Administrative Station Cube Three requests hailing frequencies be opened, Captain Safyre.” Their ship’s system severed her thought.

  Mayhem straightened, resuming his cold cyborg act.

  It was time to go silent.

  Imee fixed an expression she hoped resembled normalcy on her face, having little experience with that state. “Open hailing frequencies.”

  The main viewscreen displayed the image of an older human male munching on a nourishment bar. “Give me a moment.” He set the nourishment bar on the console. “This is Communications Officer Ernst.” He returned to the expected script. “You are approaching a Humanoid Alliance secured administrative station. Identify yourself and state your purpose.”

  “This is Captain Safyre with delivery L9Z3AA5, authorization code 86753091.” She held the male’s gaze. Always look the enemy in the eye, Kralj had taught her. Don’t allow them to see her fear.

  “Not another one.” The Communications Officer groaned. “Don’t you read your notices? It is quarter end. The receiving personnel are assisting in the close. We aren’t accepting new deliveries until next shift.”

  Shit. Shit. Shit. What was she supposed to do now?

  “I’m authorizing you to land.” The male tapped his fingertips against a control panel. “You can open your doors, exchange air, but don’t leave your ship until the next shift arrives.”

  Imee relaxed. “Thank you, Communications Officer Ernst.”

  “If you truly want to thank me, read your notices before you arrive.” He ended the transmission.

  The male was an ass and not a sexy ass like her cyborg. Imee slowly steered the ship into the administrative station, following the station system’s automated instructions.

  Mayhem smeared black pigment over his cheeks. The plan was to kill every being who saw them. Covering his model number was an extra precaution.

  They didn’t speak. She missed the sound of his voice, having grown accustomed to the low rumble, the flow of words, but she appreciated that h
e wasn’t taking any chances with her safety, her family’s safety, his safety.

  When had Mayhem’s life become more important to her than her family’s? Guilt niggled at Imee, as she slowed their ship.

  Mayhem moved to the console, placed his hands on his control panel. The systems responded, their descent steadying. She was adequate at flying. He was superb, his connection with the spacecraft impressive.

  His battle skills were impressive also. Not that she’d ever tell him that.

  They landed the ship in its appointed spot. There were other spacecraft in the bay but no sign of any beings. The pilots must have followed Communications Officer Ernst’s commands and remained in their vessels.

  For the first few moments, they would do the same. The Humanoid Alliance might manually monitor their ship’s surroundings upon landing, ensuring they didn’t disobey orders. Eventually, they’d get bored and turn their attentions elsewhere.

  The wait would be torture. She wanted to see her family now.

  A part of her couldn’t believe this was truly happening. By the end of the planet rotation, she’d be surrounded by her family. Her mom, sister, brother would be safe.

  She couldn’t have done this without her cyborg. Imee’s gaze moved to the male by her side.

  His fingers flew over the ship’s control panel. He must be hacking into the station’s systems as they’d planned, giving them access to the entire station, taking systems offline, causing chaos.

  It was almost go time.

  Imee stood, her legs shaking with nerves, with excitement. She gathered her hair in her hands, wrapped the long tendrils into a ball and inserted pins to hold it in place. The pins were long and sharp, stained black to match her hair. They were easy to grip, designed to double as emergency weapons.

  She hoped she wouldn’t need to use those. Imee blew out a ragged breath.

  Mayhem bumped his shoulder against hers. She looked up at him.

  He said nothing. They couldn’t speak. The Humanoid Alliance might be monitoring sound.

  Instead, he slowly drifted his fingertips over her bared nape. She trembled, pleasure radiating from his touch.