“I wouldn’t trust Earth Government’s judgment on what is sentient or not.”

Cyan watched him for a few long seconds. “Then trust me. They are ice cold inside. I met a few of them before I shipped out to track the escaped ones. Total metal heads. They appear human, thanks to biological body shells, but inside they are machines without souls. I wanted to see what I’d be dealing with when I was ordered to go on this mission. They scared the crap out of me.”

“That’s what Earth said about us.”

“Cyborgs are the exception to the rule. They gave you basically human bodies for the most part, just genetically enhanced, and added cybernetics. These things are machines inside with fleshy exteriors.”

Surprise widened his eyes. “You sound as if you’re familiar with us.”

“You could say that.”

“Were you looking for us?”

“No.” She shook her head. “I believed none of you had survived.”

His dark gaze seemed to turn cold. “That’s a lie.”

“No. I’m not lying. I won’t bullshit you.”

He didn’t appear convinced. “One of our kind recently escaped Earth. You want to pretend not to know this information?”

Shock reverberated through her. “No one told me that.” She sat up a little straighter. “They kept one of you prisoner for all these years?”

He refused to answer.

Anger rose inside Cyan. “My father swore none of you remained on Earth. He lied to me? Is that what you’re saying? I’d kick his ass if he wasn’t already dead.” She fumed.

“You wanted to kill us yourself?”

“No! I would have blown my cover and gotten them out.”

“Your cover?”

She hesitated. “I can’t talk about that.”

“You will answer me.”

“Some things aren’t up for discussion. Is there anything else you want to know?”

He sighed. “I didn’t want to do this but the interrogator will be called in if you don’t cooperate.”

“Scary shit, huh? Torture?” She winced. “I hate that.” She glanced at her nails. “I just let them grow out too.” Her gaze lifted to his. “Look, I stated I won’t lie but I can’t tell you some things about me. It’s not that I don’t want to but I just can’t.” She paused. “I’ve been conditioned.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I spent three years having my head screwed with. Think of it as being brainwashed until I can’t talk about what has been done to me without major migraines. I’m talking about ice-pick-to-the-head kind of pain. That’s one thing that stuck. It makes me mad they did that but they wanted to make sure I could protect who I am. My father thought it was for the best. He had this God complex, always believed whatever he did was the right thing and I know in his heart he thought it was the only way to keep me breathing.”

The cyborg stood. “You’re trying to confuse me. It’s the puppy game.”

She grinned. “No, but I thought you were space pirates when I said that. I heard they are nuts. I was just trying to confuse you if you’d been one of those mutated freaks. I needed you off guard to attack. You’re pretty smart to recognize what I was doing.”

“I’m a cyborg.”

“Right. Sorry. It’s been a really long time since I’ve talked to one of you.”

He advanced a threatening step forward. “When did you come into contact with a cyborg?”

Her mouth opened, she nearly told him the truth of who she was, but sudden pain jabbed her brain. She winced. “I can’t tell you that. It was a long while ago.”

He glared at the mirror wall. “Send him in. He’ll make her talk.”

Cyan wanted to curl into a ball. She really did hate torture but this would be extra hellish since she refused to fight back. Usually she’d kick someone’s ass for putting a finger on her. In training she’d beaten on any instructor stupid enough to try hands-on techniques of how to resist torture. Her hands fisted. No matter what, she had to keep her cool.

The door opened and she knew her suffering would begin. She turned her head to check out the cyborg intent on making her scream “mercy”. A tall gray-haired cyborg walked in. His hair made him appear older, the color of it aging him, but no wrinkles marred his handsome features. His strangely beautiful gaze held her attention captive. They were very pale blue with icy white specks in them and she wondered if he might be blind until they focused directly on her. He frowned.

“Look, sweetheart. I like you. You’ve got guts. Just tell Onyx everything he wants to know. You don’t want to meet Krell. He’s…cranky.” The cyborg with the familiar voice sighed. “To put it mildly.”

Onyx snorted. “That’s being kind, Sky.”

Sky glanced at the other male before looking back at Cyan. “He retired but the two males who usually interrogate prisoners are unavailable. One took time off after joining a family unit and the other one is cooling his heels inside a holding cell because he allowed his hatred for humans to make him screw up. Talk to me. When and where did you talk to another cyborg? Are cyborgs still being held in captivity on Earth?”

“As far as I know there aren’t any cyborgs left in Earth Government’s custody. I can assure you, if I had known about any of them, they wouldn’t be there. I’d have helped them escape.”

That seemed to shock the pale-eyed cyborg. “Why would you do that?”

“Would you believe me if I told you I’m pro-cyborg? I think what was done to your people had to be one of the biggest injustices in Earth’s history.”

“When did you speak to a cyborg? Where?” Sky took a threatening step toward her.

She tried to think of a way to answer without her brain seizing up. Anger at her father simmered yet again. He’d died just over a decade before but she still carried resentment over what he’d done to her. She had to forgive him overall though. He’d saved her and made her the way he had to keep her alive.

“It was a long time ago. Those cyborgs escaped Earth.”

“I want a year, all the details, and where did they go?”

“I have no idea where they ended up. I thought they’d died until I ran into you on Belta Station.”

“Year? Location on Earth?” Sky refused to give up.

She opened her mouth but another hot jab of pain sliced through her brain from even thinking about answering him when she realized she’d have to tell him who she once had been. “I can’t.”

The cyborg with the eerie yet beautiful eyes crouched before her but kept enough distance that he wasn’t within kicking reach of her boots. “Give me the year and the circumstances. Were they prisoners? Where were they held? How did they escape?”

The pain grew worse and her stomach pitched as memories filled her head. She locked down her emotions and sealed her lips together. She couldn’t answer. Some of the agony eased after she got control of the urge to blurt out the truth. Seconds ticked into minutes.

“Bring Krell in,” Sky muttered toward the glass wall to whoever stood behind it. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you, sweetheart. I’m a lover, not a fighter. I can’t stay here to watch this go down. It’s against my nature to see someone hurt a woman.” He straightened and met her gaze. “This is your last chance. Will you answer my questions?”

“I can’t,” she whispered honestly.

“Have it your way.” He paused in front of the door that slid then he disappeared around the corner.

Cyan braced for the worst. She’d never actually seen how they’d trained cyborgs when they’d been in captivity but she’d heard the rumors of what had been done to them. Some of the most brutal soldiers of Earth’s Government had been instructors. Of course they mostly showed cyborgs how to torment someone by doing the same to them. The sound of boots striking metal made her tense. Her attention focused on the open door. Whoever approached seemed angry by the way he stomped. The sound stopped.

“I don’t want to do this.” The harsh, raspy male voice terrified Cyan.

“Sorry, man,” Sky answered, “it’s not my call. She won’t talk and she knows something about cyborgs. We need that information. She’s refused to tell us when and where she had contact with our kind and we need dates to see if we can track them down. She’s a soldier from Earth Government if it helps. You should have seen her fight. She looks fragile but she shoved Onyx’s nuts into his stomach and took Ice to his knees and held a knife against his throat. She’s probably one of the best fighters I’ve seen so watch your crotch and throat.”

The scary voice growled. “Soldier? That helps. That means she’s the enemy.”

That deep, raspy voice sent chills down Cyan’s spine. He sounded terrifying, as if he weren’t a cyborg but more of a demon. His cold proclamation that she was the enemy didn’t bode well for her. She had a bad feeling he had learned a lot from the brutal soldiers who had once had them under their thumbs.

The cyborg who walked into the room had long, free-flowing black hair to his waist. He wore all black leather and his skin was a pale, lustrous silvery shade. She looked at his face. Scars marred his cheek in two places and there were a few more along his jawline. She finally met his gaze. Shock tore through her while she stared into icy blue eyes. Her breath froze inside her lungs and her heart accelerated so fast it felt as if it would pound out of her rib cage.

She would have collapsed onto the floor if she hadn’t been sitting. Her entire body quivered. The cyborg moved into the room enough for the door to close behind him.

“This is Krell,” Onyx informed her. “Humans put those scars on him. I’d stop gawking at him if I were you. He gets angry when anyone gawks. Krell, this is Cyan. At least that’s what she said her name was when we captured her on Belta Station. She claims Earth Government sent her there to investigate the attack on it.”

Cyan wasn’t sure exactly how it happened but one second she sat and the next she stood. She couldn’t take her gaze off Krell. That is his name, she thought, still in shock. Krell. It sounded so mean to her, harsh. She stumbled toward him. His generous mouth curved downward in a grimace and his face hardened into a dangerous expression at her approach but she moved slowly enough not to seem threatening. At least she hoped she didn’t appear that way.

He stood at least six foot seven or so. Due to her five-foot-three height, he towered over her when she paused just inches from him. Her hand shook when it slowly rose. He held still, watched her with contempt and anger, but didn’t strike out at her. She hesitated before her fingertips brushed the scarred side of his face. She couldn’t miss the way his nose flared and the icy blue of his eyes seemed to darken more.

“Admiring the handiwork of your fellow soldiers?” His brutal, rough tone made her jerk. Pure rage emanated from him. He suddenly gripped her wrist but he didn’t tear her hand away.

“Watch her,” Onyx urged. “She’s probably going for your eyes.”

The grip on her wrist tightened painfully but he still didn’t yank her hand away. She trembled hard as she continued to gently stroke his warm, scarred skin. Tears filled her eyes and her other hand opened to press against the leather at his stomach. He growled at her again, gripped that wrist too, but still didn’t push her away. His frown deepened and it seemed that the level of his anger did too as he glared down at her.

Cyan opened her mouth to try to speak but she had to swallow first. She blinked back the tears just to see him clearly. The pain of his grip registered but it didn’t matter. She licked her lips and nearly fell against him when her legs threatened to give out.