Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Mace lay on the deck of what had once been an empty cabin and marveled at how much had changed, in this place and everywhere else on the ship. Tish had transformed the cabin into a sanctuary. There were soft rugs beneath his back and colored fabrics everywhere.
That’s what she’d done for him, too. She’d brought color and comfort into his life.
The architect of all that change was currently sprawled across his chest, laughing.
Her skin was still damp, and her hair hung in wet spirals over the front of her face.
He liked the way her hair had looked in the photo Flek had shown them, with the long braids that crisscrossed her scalp.
He preferred her like this, though, because this was the female he knew.
To him, she would always be the female who danced in the rain and never backed down from a fight.
Tish had been kissing Xaber, but she stiffened suddenly and raised her head. “Wait. Can we do this? I mean, should we? You two are cyborgs. Your lifespans are going to be what, three or four times as long as mine? I’m just an ordinary human. Are you sure you this is what you want?”
“Nope, no take-backs!” Mace sat up and pulled her into his lap. “You already said yes.”
“And we have a plan for that, too.” Xaber fished the vial of medi-bots out of his pocket and held it up for her to see. “Can you guess what this is?”
She gasped. “No fraxxing way. How?”
“Apparently, it pays to have friends. Who knew?” Xaber said.
“That would change things.” Tish looked at the vial as if it held the secrets to the universe. In a way, it did. She would never be sick again. Her life would be measured in centuries instead of decades. They could get her the implants that would allow her direct communication with them.
“It would.” Mace stroked her gently. “The choice is yours, temptress. Either way, we’re keeping you.”
“Several lifetimes with the two of you and an enhanced metabolism? Hells, yes. Sign me up.” She took the vial from Xaber and grinned. “I am going to eat so much pizza.”
“It’s nice to know we rank higher than pizza.” Xaber kissed her cheek and then stood.
“I need to find an injector, and you should hop back in the shower. Unless that fruity-smelling goop in your hair is supposed to be there?”
“Veth! I forgot about that. I was rinsing my hair when someone started shouting my name and trampling around in the corridor.”
Mace gathered Tish into his arms and lifted her to his chest before rising to his feet. “Xay, you get the injector. The lady and I will meet you in the shower.”
“All three of us?”
“Mm hmm.” The thought of her, slick with water and pressed up against him, had him harder than hull plating.
“I won’t be long. Don’t start without me.” Xaber was out the door before he finished his sentence.
“Not that I’m complaining. But why will it take three of us to wash the conditioner out of my hair?”
“Because we want to take care of you.” He raised her higher in his arms and stopped any further questions with a kiss.
He carried her out of the smaller cabin and down the corridor to the larger one they all shared.
They’d all had a difficult day, but hers had been the worst. He wanted to pamper her and give her some time when she didn’t have to make any hard decisions.
“Livy, turn the shower on to Tish’s preferred setting.”
“Shower activated. You may enter when ready.”
“Thanks, Livy.” Mace carried Tish into the sanitation room. Like the rest of the living space, it had been refitted to accommodate the former owners. That meant it was spacious by any standard he could think of.
“In you go.” He shooed her toward the stream of water already falling from the showerhead and then plucked the towel from her body as she moved away from him.
Damn, she was so beautiful. And she had chosen to stay with them. They were so fraxxing lucky.
He pulled off his boots and then stripped off his shirt without caring if he ripped anything. All he needed was to be with her.
She stepped into the shower, her body partially obscured by the first tendrils of steam. She glanced back at him, the tip of her tongue wetting her lips as she deliberately raised her hands to cup her breasts as the water flowed over her naked form.
“Careful, temptress. You keep that up and Xaber is going to be disappointed, because I will start without him.”
She smirked. “You talk a good game, cyborg, but you’re still dry and I’m here, all…” She flickered her fingers, spraying water in his direction. “Wet.”
This was new. He’d seen many of Tish’s moods, but this was the first time she’d been so playful… and by the stars, he liked it.
“Challenge accepted.” He walked into the shower without bothering to finish undressing. He still wore his pants, though they were open and tugged down to his hips.
She laughed, her voice echoing off the tiled walls. She slipped her hand down the front of his pants and stroked his cock. “I’m not the only one who needs to be taken care of.”
“You first.” He caught her by the hips and pulled her in close. Then he let his hands glide up her body, caressing every part of her until he reached her hair. The water had already washed away some of the residue, but he set to work massaging the rest of it out of her hair.
Tish closed her eyes with a throaty groan and leaned into his touch. “That is good.” She almost purred the words.
Bootsteps rang on the tile floor as Xaber walked in. “I see how it is. What part of ‘don’t start without me’ did you not understand?”
“Your lack of urgency is not my problem.” Mace didn’t bother to look in his batch-brother’s direction. His focus was on Tish.
“Apparently, your problem is patience. You didn’t even pause long enough to finish undressing. Mace, why are you wearing a sock in the shower?”
“Because she was naked. Now shut up and get in here. I told Tish we’d take care of her. You’re making me look bad.”
Tish snickered. “I don’t think it’s possible for either of you to look bad.” She reached toward Xaber with one dripping hand. “Come here, Xay. I was promised the attention of both my lovers. I’m feeling…needy.”
“I’m starting to see why Mace didn’t bother undressing. You’re hard to resist when you say things like that.”
“Yes, she is.” Mace bowed his head to capture her mouth with his.
Tish shivered and rose on her toes to kiss him back, her fingers still stroking his cock.
He rocked his hips against her, craving more of that. More of her.
Her kiss was full of need and fire with an urgency that matched his own.
Xaber joined them, his body sliding in behind Tish. Mace glanced up to look at his brother, who grinned at him.
“We found her,” he sent to Mace through their link.
“And we’re keeping her. Forever.”
Xaber kissed Tish’s shoulder and then worked his way up to her neck. She groaned and writhed between them, every motion making his cock throb. His entire body burned with desire for the beauty in his arms.
He cradled her cheek, staring down at her in wonder. Finding her was the best thing that ever happened to them, and he’d go to war with every corporation in existence if it would keep her safe.
“Are you ready to take the next step?” Xaber asked.
Only then did Mace see the injector in his batch-brother’s hand. He intended to do this here and now.
Tish turned to look back at Xaber. He held up the injector so she could see it. A smile played over her lips as she understood.
“Do it.” She tipped her head to one side, exposing her throat.
Xaber placed the injector against her skin and then sent him a single word. “Together.”
Mace placed his hand over Xaber’s, a thrill racing through him that had nothing to do with the fire in his veins.
Tish’s fingers flexed around his cock as the injector hissed, sending a stream of nanotech into her body.
“You’re ours now,” Xaber said.
She smiled and raised her head. “And you are both mine.”
Mace kissed her gently before letting Xaber turn her around to claim a kiss for himself.
He moved back, just far enough to have room to strip away his soaking wet pants and single, soggy sock.
When he returned, Xaber was on his knees with his face buried in her mound.
She moaned, her eyes hot as she gestured for him to rejoin them.
Mace took position behind her, steadying her against his body as Xaber lifted one of her legs over his shoulder.
“Oh gods,” Tish shuddered. “Yes. That. Please. More of that.”
Mace toyed with her breasts, enjoying every gasp and moan as his batch-brother brought her to the brink of release. He loved the way she responded to them, her passion a flame that burned brighter than any star.
When she came, it was with a wild, keening cry. She went rigid and then slumped as her legs buckled, trusting him to catch her before she fell.
That trust meant everything. “I’ll never let you fall, Tish.”
She twisted her neck and looked up at him with an expression of love that melted his heart.
“I know.”