Breathing Vapor (6 page)

“I’m here,” she called.

A form detached from the shadows, the being big, bulky, slightly hunched. “Quiet, female. I see you. In that garment, every being within yelling distance has noted your arrival.” X, the leader of the non-violent resistance, hefted a huge long gun. As he’d told her multiple times, he was a pacifist, not stupid.

“There’s only one being, other than you, in the vicinity.” Mira gazed around her, unable to see far into the darkness. “Is he yours?”

“Yeah. No one sane ventures into this district alone.” His sarcasm was thick.

She wasn’t alone but X wouldn’t know that. Unless his devices were calibrated for cyborgs, he wouldn’t have detected her guards’ presence.

“We both know what is coming.” She didn’t have to say more. X was aware, as she was, that more violent factions within the rebellion were building support, eager to wage war against the Humanoid Alliance. When that happened, the war-hungry humans would have the excuse they need to annihilate the Tau Cetians. “The battlefield is no place for children. They’d be safer placed at an Academy on a distant planet.”

“That requires credits.” X shook his head. “We don’t have credits to feed our children. We certainly can’t transport them off planet to pursue a fancy education.”

“You can. These are sun stones, rare, precious, extremely valuable.” She slipped two of the sparkling gems out of her hair. “They’ll pay for enough children to be transported off planet to ensure a continuation of your species.” She dropped the jewels into the male’s weathered green-and-brown hands.

“I know what sun stones are.” X gazed at them. “These could transport an entire district off planet and you use them for decoration.” He closed his fingers over them. “And the Humanoid Alliance wonders why beings are rebelling.”

Guilt swept over Mira. “I can’t spare more sun stones. That would instigate an investigation.”

“You risk enough for a cause that isn’t yours.” X’s voice softened. “I’m assuming the usual directions apply—you wish for no being to know of your involvement.”

“No being must know. If the sun stones are traced back to me, I’ll say they were stolen.” She would lie to save herself.

Because telling the truth wouldn’t prevent X’s death. The Humanoid Alliance didn’t make deals with rebels. They tortured, exacted information and killed. Her mom’s death had taught Mira that.

“They won’t be traced back to you.” X frowned. “As this information I’m about to impart to you won’t be traced back to me.” He slid his hand into his brown animal skin garment, hiding the sun stones within the folds. “This is not the evening for parties. You should return to your domicile.”

“This party is necessary.” Lives depended on it.

“Be—”

X raised his long gun. Mira stepped in front of the ship’s open door, instinctively protecting her cyborgs.

She bumped against a muscular male form. Her tightening nipples told her it was Vapor. “Stop.” She raised her hands, facing her palms outward. “He’s with me.”

“Kokami,” X cursed in the local language. “Do you have a death wish? Tell me when you’re bringing company.”

“More company is arriving.” Vapor’s voice held no emotion. “Thirty-three heavily armed males are moving toward this location.”

“We’re leaving.” Mira spoke to no being. X had already disappeared, leaving her to fend for herself. She glanced at Vapor’s grim face. Except she was no longer alone. She had him.

Mira returned to the ship. Vapor slammed the door shut, flung himself in the opposite seat, glared at her as she inputted the next location.

The ship moved and so did he. He flew across the space and pinned her arms to the seat back. “What the frag were you processing?”

“I-I—” His response rendered her speechless.

“We guard you. You don’t guard us.” Vapor’s eyes gleamed, the brown lit by gold and green specks. “You never put your form between us and the enemy. We’re cyborgs. We can survive a projectile. You’re a human. You can’t.”

His chest rose and fell rapidly. His skin was flushed. He was no longer an unemotional machine. He was a pissed off male.

Why was he so angry? “Do you care if I survive?”

His gaze slid to the right. “If you die, we die. We’re designed to protect humans. The Designer would decommission us for our failure.”

Her father
would
do that. But Vapor didn’t answer her question.

Because cyborgs didn’t lie. A smile spread across Mira’s face. “You
do
care if I live or die.”

“Do I?” Vapor’s gaze dropped to her lips. His eyes darkened even more. He leaned forward and their breaths meshed, sweeping in, out, in, out, in perfect harmony, the waft of warmth exciting her.

Would he capture her mouth with his? She lifted her chin, closing more of the distance between them. Would he kiss her, press his flesh against hers, plunge his tongue between her lips, claim her as she desperately wanted to be claimed?

He didn’t move, his body stiff, his grasp on her shoulders hard.

“Vapor,” she whispered.

“No. I won’t have others question my loyalty.” He released her and Mira swallowed her shriek of frustration.

Vapor returned to his own seat, crossed his arms in front of his chest and scowled at her. She met his gaze unflinchingly, the feel of his palms lingering on her skin.

“I do care if you live or die,” he finally admitted, breaking their standoff. “You’re my kill. No other being will steal your death from me.”

Thrasher watched them.

Mira touched her breast. The teeth marks around her nipple had healed, vanishing inhumanly quickly. The memory of his bite remained. “That’s why you marked me.”

Vapor nodded. “You’re mine. If it’s decided you’re the one to die, your life is mine to take.”

The cyborgs planned to kill a human. Mira could think of many humans whose deaths would make the universe a better place. But relaying that information would expose her double life, putting others, innocents, at risk. “Do what you have to do.”

“Do what I have to do?” Vapor glowered at her. “Your male was correct. You have a death wish.”

“He’s not my male.” She wasn’t attracted to X, and he wasn’t interested in her, not in that way. The older warrior had one goal—to free his people. “He has never touched me.”

“That’s why he continues to live.”

She blinked. Her cyborg was very possessive of his kills.

“You dressed us inappropriately, foolish female.” Vapor plucked at his chest covering. “We’re wearing no battle armor and these light colors are highly visible. The enemy will detect our presence.”

That was the point. “We’re attending a party, not a battle.”

His face grew even more grim. “The male said it wasn’t the evening for parties. I agree with him.” He glanced toward the door. “Groups of beings are gathering. They’re armed and angry, urging others to help them take back their planet, to drive out the humans, the death-bringers.” His gaze locked with hers. “You’re human.”

Not every being believed in pacifism, as X did. Those beings would die. The Humanoid Alliance excelled at waging war, developing the cyborgs for exactly that purpose, and they were resource hungry. They welcomed any excuse to wipe out local populations.

“You heard my answer to X. It’s necessary for me to attend this party.” She couldn’t share why. “The host’s domicile is secure. No being would dare to attack it.”

“Never underestimate the enemy, Mira.”

Her name flowed off his tongue like a caress for her soul, warming her all over.

“Are they the enemy?” She studied him through her eyelashes.

“They plan to hurt you.”

“You plan to hurt me.” Mira tilted her head toward Vapor. “I don’t consider you to be my enemy.”

His eyes gleamed. “You should.”

Chapter Five

Who was the real Mira Breazeal-- the cold, cruel creature who vowed to make him beg or the soft, smiling female seated in front of him?

Vapor gazed at her, her beauty striking him harder than any blow from an enemy’s hand. She glowed, her skin pale, almost translucent, her eyelids partially lowered, her lips parted.

He couldn’t read the thoughts swirling in that keen brain of hers, didn’t know if they boded good or ill for him and his brethren.

She has a plan for this planet rotation
, he transmitted to Thrasher.
This isn’t a frivolous party.

Her plans might not be malicious. She stepped in front of you, when she thought the humanoid male would shoot you.

That action angered him. Vapor folded his fingers into tight fists. He was a cyborg, designed to survive projectiles. She wasn’t. She could have been killed. Why would she do that? What purpose would that serve?
She can’t be trusted
.

Yet you threatened her multiple times, giving her a reason to have you decommissioned.
Thrasher continued to defend her.

My processors malfunctioned
.

Your cock was fully functional.
His friend chuckled, unconcerned, having a faith in the female Vapor didn’t share.

He couldn’t trust her or himself. His logic was suspended around Mira, replaced by the primitive pounding need to breed, to claim her, bind her to him.

He needed more information. “Why are you paying for the off planet education of the local offspring?” How did that benefit her?

And why did every offspring who came in contact with Mira adore her?

Last planet rotation, K017282 had cooed at her, reaching out with his chubby cyborg fingers, trying to grasp her garment. The newly manufactured cyborg had also placed his mouth on her breast, marking her as his.

Vapor had removed that claim.

Pepe, the green and brown humanoid offspring, had called Mira friend, had clung to her legs, smiling up at her. There had been no fear in the little one’s eyes.

Vapor gazed at Mira. It was as though they saw warmth where others perceived coldness. “Tell me, female.”

“Why should I tell my
enemy
anything?” She lifted her round chin.

She has you there.
Thrasher was enjoying himself.

“Why shouldn’t you answer my question?” Vapor countered. “Unless you have something to hide.”

Mira met his gaze and he knew right then and there that whatever was coming out of her mouth would be a lie. “Stupid offspring are of no use to any being.”

Frag. She was fierce. That shouldn’t turn him on as much as it did. “Relay one truth to me. Anything.”

“You wouldn’t believe me.”

He likely wouldn’t. “Then you’re risking nothing.”

She tapped her lips with her index fingers. “My mom was executed for treason.”

“One truth.” Vapor balled his fingers into fists, yearning to wrap them around her pretty neck and squeeze. “Is that too much to ask for?”

Mira’s eyes hardened. She turned her head and gazed out of the transparent viewing panel, saying nothing.

I think she’s telling the truth
. Thrasher was sucked into her lies.

She’s not.
He glowered at Mira. “Your mother died in a transport accident. That’s recorded in the Humanoid Alliance database.”

“Oh.” She rounded her lips and widened her eyes. “The Humanoid Alliance said that’s how she died? Then it must be true.”

He wanted to drag her over his knees and spank the sarcasm out of her. “Why would they lie?”

“Why would
I
lie? If the truth behind my mom’s death becomes public, I could lose everything.”

It wouldn’t become public. She’d sworn them to secrecy. “You might gain my sympathy.”

“Woo whee. I might gain the sympathy of an about-to-be-deployed cyborg.” Mira rolled her eyes. “That’s worth putting my life in peril.”

Thrasher laughed over their transmission lines. Vapor glared at him. His friend laughed louder.

“I should have kept my mouth shut.” Her voice grew quiet. “My mom told me bad things would happen if I ever said anything about that planet rotation.” His female looked out the viewing panel. “I kept my silence. Until now. I suspect that’s the only reason I’m alive.” A heartbreaking sadness ghosted across her beautiful face, flattening her lips, dimming her glow.

What bad things would happen? And why did he care? She was a human, his target. He should put emotional distance between them.

Vapor made an attempt to do that and couldn’t. Her sadness tormented him, her words staying with him.

She was right. She accomplished nothing by lying about her mother’s death. It was a risk without any perceivable reward.

“My processors don’t work around you,” Vapor confessed. “I want you too much.” He shifted in his seat. His cock pressed against the fabric of his ass covering.

She glanced at his face and then down at his groin. “I see that.”

Silence stretched. Mira nibbled on her bottom lip, that action not easing his need.

“You have to do something about it,” she finally said. “Females will want to touch you, stroke you and you can’t become aroused. That won’t serve our purposes.”

There was no ‘our.’ The purpose of this party, whatever it was, was hers alone.

“Cyborgs were designed for two things—fighting and breeding. There have been no opportunities to breed.” Ever. Before this planet rotation, she’d been the only female he had contact with. That was part of his problem, why he was so fascinated with her.

“Your friend doesn’t have an issue with controlling his urges.” Mira glanced at Thrasher.

He certainly doesn’t
.  Thrasher was enjoying Vapor’s predicament.

“My
friend
knows you’re wet for me. I make you hot.”

Her cheeks turned red. “That is irrelevant. You can’t have an erection at the party. Take care of it.”

She wanted him to take care of it? Vapor unfastened his ass covering. Then he’d take care of it. He lifted his ass and yanked the garment down to his ankles, revealing his hard cock.

She stared at him, unabashed in her perusal, and that turned him on even more. He curled his fingers around his shaft and pumped, ruthless with his own body.

She watched him for several moments.

“Slower,” she murmured. “You’re working yourself too savagely.”

She was critiquing how he masturbated.

Frag. His cock bobbed. She was magnificent. “I like it fast.”

“I don’t.” Mira sniffed, her prissiness feeding his fascination with her. “You’ll make a mess in my ship.”

“If you don’t like the way I’m touching myself, you’re free to take over.” Vapor issued that challenge, not expecting her to accept it.

He didn’t know his blasted female.

Mira glanced at him and then down at his cock. Her tongue flicked over her lips. “I suppose I’ll have to.” She kneeled before him. “Or you’ll spray all over the place.”

Fraggin’ hole.
She plans to suck you off.
Thrasher gazed at her with wonder.

Quiet.
Vapor couldn’t carry on a conversation with his female positioned a breath away from his cock. “Touch me, female.” He released his cock.

“You want this?” She hesitated, an endearing insecurity in her eyes.

“I need this.” He needed her.

“Tell your friend to look away.”

I’m looking away.
Thrasher turned his head, staring at the wall.

Mira wrapped her soft fingers around Vapor’s shaft and he jerked, her grip on him stripping his restraint. “You can’t be in this state at the party.” She stroked her hands up and down. “I have to get you off.”

Sweet solar storms, she felt good. Vapor remained still, his fingers forming fists at his side. He wanted to touch her but instinct told him she would stop if he did.

He didn’t want her to stop. Ever.

“You’re designed to appeal to females.” As she ran her palms over his cock, she nuzzled his balls with her lips, the combination sending bliss throughout his form. “That’s why you make me wet.”

“All cyborgs are designed to appeal to females.” He wouldn’t allow her to hide behind that excuse.

“No other cyborg is designed like you.” She extended her tongue and licked him from base to tip. Vapor shuddered, a bead of pre-cum forming on his slit.

She laved his cock head and trembled, the scent of her arousal increasing. “You tingle here also.”

“My nanocybotics are concentrated in my saliva and cum.” They were unique to each cyborg, aiding in their healing, making them who they were. When Vapor came, he’d mark Mira again, more intensely this time. She’d smell like him for planet rotations.

That pleased him more than it should.

“Hmmm…” Mira pushed her lips over him and sank down, down, down, enveloping his shaft with the hot wetness of her mouth. She couldn’t take all of him. He was too large. Her fingers covered his exposed skin.

“Mira.” His voice deepened.

She gazed up at him, her eyes wide, her lips stretched around his cock. Vapor had never seen anything as beautiful as she was. She razed his defenses, leaving him vulnerable and unprotected.

That was dangerous, could be deadly.

“Suck me dry, little human,” he ordered, seeking to reestablish his authority over her.

Mira’s eyes glinted. She tugged on his flesh and released, tugged and released. Vapor rocked, conscious of his size, not thrusting too hard, too deep.

When he took her pussy, he wouldn’t hold back, giving her everything. And he
would
take her pussy. He wouldn’t be satisfied until he claimed all of her, until he filled her with his cum.

Vapor’s processors knew natural offspring wasn’t possible. The failure of the breeding programs was well documented. Offspring had to be created in the laboratory, with the help of scientists.

But his body wanted to try.

Mira bobbed her head over him faster and faster, her suction intensifying. He dug his blunt fingernails into his palms, seeking to delay his release, to make this rare moment of connection with another being last.

He wasn’t in control. His blasted female was, and she wouldn’t allow him to prolong the experience. Her cheeks indented around his shaft. Her tongue tapped against him. She cupped his aching balls.

Pressure formed at the base of his spine. “Mira.” He lifted his hips, driving into her mouth. “Mira.”

She sucked hard, squeezed his balls and his circuits exploded.

“Mira,” he roared, pushing farther, the pleasure too intense not to chase. She struggled. He fisted his fingers in her hair and held her to him, pumping hot cum down her throat, forcing her to take him.

She swallowed and swallowed and then screamed, the sound muffled by his cock. Her lush form quivered. The air filled with her musky scent.

His little human drained him, each suck bringing him bliss, causing more tremors to flow through her. When the ecstasy finally abated, he released her and slumped back in his seat.

I need a female of my own,
Thrasher mumbled.

Vapor grunted, no words left in his processors. Breeding with Mira was better than battle. He watched, sated and sleepy, as she licked him clean.

My ability to evaluate the situation is compromised
, he admitted. He couldn’t be the being who decided if she lived or died.

Relay the information. We’ll make the decision.
Thrasher surprised him with a logical solution.

It didn’t feel like the correct one. Vapor studied Mira, not knowing what that right solution was.

“Can you control your urges now?” She returned to her own seat, her lips glistening with his essence, her white-blonde hair tangled.

“For now.” He tugged up his ass covering, fastened it.

She narrowed her eyes. “I’m not sucking you off again.”

“No, you’re not.”

Mira glared at him, clearly not liking that answer.

Bemused by her irritation, he gazed back at her, waiting for her to speak, to tell him whatever was churning in that keen brain of hers.

“You liked it.” There was a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

“I did.” Vapor nodded. “But the next time I come, I’ll be balls deep in your warm, wet pussy.” Her face turned pink and he grinned. “I’ll breed with you hard, little human. You’ll feel me for planet rotations.”

She blinked once, twice. “You don’t trust me.”

“Trust isn’t necessary for breeding.”

“I’m proof of that,” Mira mumbled.

What did that mean? Had her father not trusted her mother? The Designer was known to be guarded with his experiments and never showed affection to his daughter. Had he been that way with his female also?