“I don’t have to do anything but try and get some sleep,” she snapped. “You need rest too. Put yourself into sleep mode and don’t let me hear anything else out of you until morning.”
She was phrasing it as a direct order and while he knew he could fight against it, he doubted he would win. Going into sleep mode wasn’t going to hurt him or make him hate himself. Not anymore than he already hated himself for threatening her, that was.
With a sigh, K-lx lay down on the floor—which was fucking hard and cold. He might have metal overlays on his arms and legs, but they had just as many nerve receptors as the flesh underneath them—more in some cases. So lying on the floor wasn’t comfortable—especially when he compared it with the comfort of having his Mistress cuddle with him in bed the night before.
But there was nothing he could do about it. He lay on his back on half the blanket and draped the other half over himself. Predictably, it was too short and his feet and legs stuck out. There was no way this was going to be comfortable in any way so K-lx did the only thing he could do—he activated his sleep mode, which he normally only used when he couldn’t get to sleep naturally—and allowed blackness to swallow the world.
18
CORINNE
Corinne lay there, shivering and miserable, wondering how everything had gone so wrong. Her breasts, still filled with nectar, ached mercilessly and she was still hot and wet between her thighs but her mind was in an even bigger turmoil than her body.
What was she going to do with K-lx? She could no longer pretend to herself that she had complete control of him. He’d admitted that his makers—the Tolleg surgeons—had allowed him some free will, which was unheard of in the Cybernetics world of today. Either a Handler had complete control of a Cybernetic Unit…or she had none.
Corinne knew where she fell in that equation.
The big K-Unit was dangerous—he’d proved that the night before. And he was able to disobey a direct order, which made him a menace to the whole station. By the ethical standards of Modern Cybernetics, she ought to have him decommissioned and scrapped.
But she didn’t want to do that! Even though she’d known him such a short time, she was already disturbingly attached to the big Cyborg, she admitted to herself. He woke things in her that no human man ever had. The raw intensity of his emotions for her was frightening…but also strangely intriguing. No man had ever felt so deeply for her. And she’d never worked with a Cybernetic Unit that had so much passion and intention and personality.
K-lx was unique and the secrets of making a Cyborg like him had been lost to the sands of time. Destroying him would be like smashing a stained-glass window or slashing the canvas of a priceless painting. It would be wrong—Corinne felt it in every fiber of her being.
That’s not the only reason you want to keep from junking him, whispered an accusing little voice in her head. You’re catching feelings for him, Corinne. You like him—admit it!
She flipped over to her other side in bed, trying to deny the accusation. But she couldn’t—it was true. How could she help liking someone who was so clearly enamored with her—who wanted to protect her so badly he would go against his own programming? Who?—
Her thoughts were interrupted by a low groan from the floor at the foot of her bed. Corinne froze. Was it happening? Was the big K-Unit going Rogue?
But then she heard the groan again…and this time there were words.
“Cynthia? Why did you go?” K-lx’s deep voice sounded anguished and it was clear he was talking in his sleep.
Quickly, Corinne scrambled down to the foot of the bed and looked over the edge. The big Cyborg was still laying there but his body was twitching and his face was contorted into a mask of grief.
“Why did you leave me? Why did you have to fucking die?” he moaned, thrashing in his sleep. “I fucking loved you—you were my life! How could you leave me?”
Corinne’s anger and worry melted to be replaced by compassion. He sounded so heartbroken…so alone. Cynthia must have been a woman he loved hundreds of years ago, back before he’d been made into a Cyborg. Clearly his past was seeping into his sleep and memories that had been wiped were resurfacing.
Which was a bad thing—very bad. The professional part of her suddenly woke up and she knew she had to stop this. She had to wake him before the past trauma grew too great and tipped him over into going Rogue.
“K-lx, wake up!” she exclaimed. Leaping out of bed, she went to shake him by the shoulder. “Wake up—you’re having a bad dream!”
His eyelids fluttered, revealing the pale blue of his eyes.
“Cynthia?” he asked groggily.
“No, it’s me—it’s Corinne.”
“Oh Gods! I thought…” He put a hand to his face which was wet with tears. He shook his head. “She’s gone. She left me.”
“I know she did. I’m so sorry, K-lx. Come on—why don’t you come into bed with me?” Corinne tugged at his arm, shivering. It was too damn cold in the station at night!
There was no way she could have dragged him to his feet if he didn’t want to come. But at last, with her urging, the big Cyborg got up and got into bed with her.
“Good, that’s good.” Corinne pressed down on his broad shoulders, urging him to surrender down to the mattress. “I’m here now—you’re okay. Everything is going to be okay,” she soothed him.
“But she’s dead!” He half sat up again, his eyes filled with grief. “She was my mate—my life!”
