Taunting Krell Read online

  “I don’t understand.”

  “They either think I’m a source of amusement by putting me down for being a woman or think I’m onboard for them to sexually harass. I don’t take kindly to either endeavor. It’s kind of fun to toss them onto their asses. Sometimes I play holoball with the computer. It doesn’t slam into me on purpose to cop a feel.”

  “To what?”

  She bit her lip. “Maul me. You know, bump into me to grope my ass or my breasts.”

  He frowned. “Humans are crude. Are you joined in a family unit?”

  “No way.” She shook her head.

  “You are antisocial?”

  “Let’s just say I’ve dated over the years but it never worked out. I learned to just avoid the entire uncomfortable situation.”

  Icy blue eyes narrowed. “What was uncomfortable about dating?”

  He was talking. It might not be about something she wished to discuss but it beat the silence. “Well, first off I always knew it couldn’t be anything long-term. I don’t age. I think after a decade or so they’d start to notice. There was also the whole faking-my-death thing I have to do after a certain amount of time. I didn’t want to hurt anyone when they believed I’d died. I sure couldn’t tell them the truth. There’s a huge reward on the heads of unauthorized artificial Models. Clones and work drones who appear human fall into that category. It’s illegal to try to pass as totally human and they’d have ordered me destroyed. I don’t believe I’ve ever met anyone who could resist that kind of high payment just to wake up next to me every morning. Call me cynical but love has its limits when cold, hard cash is on the line, considering it means everything to most humans.”

  “You never told anyone you are different?”

  “No one knew except the small team. There were six people total who were in on the project, all emotionally vested, and any would have died to protect me. My mother died when I was young so the team became the only family I had. This is the first time I’ve allowed anyone to know my secret. It’s not as though I can talk about it freely without it feeling as if my head is going to explode.”

  “You’re not in any pain now.” He studied her face. “I’d see it.”

  “I am, but if I’m careful about what I say, the headache will fade. The pain is not severe because we’re talking without me going into detailed specifics of how I was made or who did it. And no names. Those are major triggers.”

  “Are any of them fatal?”

  “You mean would my head really explode? No. It just cripples me with the pain and could make me lose consciousness. It sucks.”

  A bell sounded and Krell frowned, rose to his feet and glared at the door. He didn’t spare her a glance as he passed her chair. He paused by the door to touch the panel. His body tensed and the door slid open.

  Two cyborg males stood on the other side of the door in red uniforms. They peered past Krell until they spotted her. Both men stared until Krell shifted his stance to block their view.

  “Why are you here, Ovis and Naglis? Our meeting isn’t for another five days.”

  The one on the right, the blond, cleared his throat. “We were informed of the situation and wanted to meet the female.”

  The other one, a brunette with two girlish braids streaming over his shoulders put his hands on his hips. “We get along well with you and decided to approach you about an alliance.”

  “Unbelievable,” Krell snarled. “Go away.”

  The blond stepped forward. “They showed footage of her. We’re willing to bargain with you. We do get along well.”

  The braided one nodded. “You have to acknowledge that you would be difficult for a female to handle on a full-time basis and you enjoy your solitude. We’re willing to take her off your hands whenever you need a break.”

  Cyan stood and crept closer, curious what they were talking about. She knew the two guys spoke about her but why would they want to volunteer to help Krell babysit her?

  “What is going on?”

  Krell turned his head to stare at her, anger tightened his handsome features and his lips parted. Before he could speak though, the braided guy suddenly lunged between the space of Krell’s body and the wall to enter the living area. He grinned at Cyan as his gaze raked down her body, hesitated on her breasts.

  “I’m called Ovis. It is an honor to meet you. I’ve come with my friend for you to consider.”

  Krell grabbed the man’s shoulder, jerked him back and planted his big body between her and the guy invading his home. He snarled. “Leave.”

  “She should be given a choice.” The blond stepped through the open doorway. “You’re undesirable. She hasn’t met many males since her arrival.” He fixed his green gaze on her. “I’m Naglis. I’m easy on the eyes and well versed in pleasuring a female.”

  Cyan knew her jaw dropped. She had to close it firmly. Krell snarled again, threw Ovis backward, and shoved him directly into Naglis. Both of them stumbled into the hallway before they fell in a mass of tangled limbs to the floor. Krell slammed the door before they could struggle to their feet. He turned, glaring at her.

  “I knew you’d be trouble.”

  The door beeped.

  “What did I do?” Cyan stared at him, confused.

  “You’re beautiful and desirable to males.”

  She was at a loss for words.

  The door beeped again. Krell spun, slapped his palm on the panel and tore it away to face her once more. He really appeared angry when he did. “I shut off the chime and sealed the door. They won’t annoy me any longer and can’t gain admittance.”

  “What is going on? Why are you so pissed at me? What did I do?”

  “The council decided to share the news of your existence with our people and showed them your image. More of them will come.”

  “I’m trying to follow the logic here but I’m totally confused. Why are they so eager to babysit me?”

  Krell advanced a step to glower down at her. “They aren’t unless your version of babysitting involves stripping naked to engage in sexual contact.”

  Shock tore through her. “They came here to hit on me?”

  “They came here to introduce themselves to you and offer their bodies for your pleasure in hopes you’d agree to join a family unit with them.” He growled. “Now more of them will come. I never should have agreed to this.”

  Cyan took some deep breaths and ignored the muted pounding noises. They’d given up ringing the bell Krell had turned off and were beating on the door instead. She’d had plenty of guys hit on her but none had shown up in twos, offering her pleasure before. She suddenly grinned at the way he’d said that and the images it presented in her mind.

  “You find this amusing?”

  “I’m just wondering what they would have done to try to convince me is all.”

  Rage darkened his features and he spun around. To her shock he pressed his hand on the panel and the door opened. He stepped back, flashed her a heated glare and pressed against the wall.

  “Find out then. Don’t allow me to stop you.”

  The two males hesitated outside the door, glanced at Krell and quickly entered his home. Cyan backed up to keep space between her and the two cyborgs who were looking at her as if she were their prime objective. Both were large, intimidating males, but not nearly as big as Krell. The door closed behind them and they kept pace with her as she continued to try to keep a good five feet between them.

  “Stop,” she demanded.

  Both men paused, staring at her. She shot Krell a dirty look where he remained by the door against the wall, watching with anger. She could relate to that. The bastard had taken an innocent, flip comment and turned it in to some kind of challenge.

  Braids grinned at her. “You wish to consider us?”

  “Hell no.”

  That killed his smile. “The offer is sincere.” He stared at her breasts openly, not hiding his interest. “We are much better suited for you than Krell.”

  The blond, Naglis,