Page 23 of A Mate For Matrix (Cyborg Protection Unit #1)

Chapter Sixteen

M atrix set six more bags from their shopping trip inside the transport. It wasn’t the sugar overload or near-incident with the deranged male that exhausted him—it was trying to fit thirty-two bags of essentials into a ship not designed to haul an abundance of fashion or feline enrichment supplies.

A soft thump echoed behind him as he dropped the overstuffed white bag full of brightly colored plush mice and crinkly feathered toys onto the floor near the kittens’ sleeping pod.

K-Nine’s metal claws clicked across the deck as he padded over, sniffed at one of the pink bags he dropped next, and snorted.

“You didn’t just go to the pet store,” he deadpanned. “You went to the grown-up toy store. What is this, a silk-and-satin offensive strategy?”

Matrix ignored him—until a small scrap of pink lace slipped from the edge of the bag like it was trying to escape. It fluttered to the floor with all the subtlety of a distress beacon.

K-Nine’s glowing eyes narrowed in exaggerated curiosity.

“Shut up. Jana needed some new clothes. If you remember, we blew up her house,” Matrix muttered, crouching to snatch up the delicate lace.

“You’re the one who blew up her house. And I don’t remember her underwear being quite so… fancy before you arrived,” K-Nine said, tilting to study the article of clothing.

Matrix grinned, pleased. Still, he wanted to hide the material before Jana returned and saw?—

He froze mid-motion at the sound of Jana’s horrified hiss behind him. Yep—too late.

Turning, he clutched the scrap of lace, its delicate fabric soft against his skin. Jana’s eyes widened, and a flush crept up her neck, turning her face beet red. Crossing over him, she snatched the panties out of his hand and quickly stuffed the sexy piece into the bag.

Matrix groaned inwardly as K-Nine lifted his nose and sniffed—twice, dramatically. He knew exactly what the cyborg wolfhound was detecting—his and Jana’s dressing room antics. Jana turned when she heard K-Nine breathing in deeply.

“What are you—?” Her eyes widened even further, and her face lit up like a supernova. “Don’t you dare?—”

K-Nine tilted his head with a grin in his voice. “It looks like you and Matrix had a good time.”

“Shut up and help me get the rest of the stuff out of the van,” Matrix growled, adding through their link. Don’t embarrass her!

K-Nine gave a long-suffering sigh but trotted off, muttering something about how Matrix had been lucky not to get caught with his pants down.

It would have been worth it, Matrix retorted as he moved past K-Nine.

You’ve been grinning like a lovesick idiot since you got back! K-Nine shot back, tail flicking as he trotted down the ramp.

“Are you two seriously mind-chatting about—” Jana stopped, blushed furiously, and threw up a hand. “Never mind. I don’t want to know. I’m going to go write Doc Wilson a note, leave him the extra money he gave me, and double check the clinic before we leave.”

“We’re almost finished unloading the van,” he said.

“Okay. Thanks,” she mumbled.

He reached out and caressed her cheek. He could feel the heat in her cheeks, and his heart twisted when he realized she wouldn’t meet his eyes. He turned her towards him and waited. It took a few seconds, but she finally looked up at him—briefly.

“Ignore K-Nine. He likes to tease,” he murmured.

Jana lifted a trembling hand to his chest. “I—this is still all new to me,” she said, her eyes lifting to his with a sheen in them.

He tenderly kissed her before he pulled her into his arms and rubbed his chin against her hair.

“I’ll talk to him. He’s excited to have a pack. He loves you and the kittens—and is happy that we are a family unit. You have nothing to be embarrassed about.”

She sniffed. “So says the guy with the superpowers,” she scoffed before she hugged him fiercely. “It won’t take me long.”

He reluctantly released her, watching as she walked back down the platform. The pep in her step was gone—and that worried him. He really needed to talk to K-Nine.

I know. I heard. I’ll behave.

Thank you, my friend. This is all overwhelming to her.

He sighed, turned and rearranged several of the bags before he walked down the platform. He had just retrieved the last two bags when the distant rumble of tires approaching caused him to frown.

“More trouble?” K-Nine asked, his gaze flicking toward the front of the platform.

“Could be. There was an incident in town with the old man who threatened Jana earlier,” he said.

K-Nine nodded and disappeared toward the front of the transport.

Matrix strode down the platform, then crossed the yard, his expression darkening.

A quick scan confirmed the vehicle was coming to the closed clinic.

He stood near the back corner and watched as an old internal combustion truck, poorly maintained and loud enough to rattle the windows pulled into the driveway.

Matrix swore, low and lethal.

Secure the transport. Camouflage. Stealth protocols on.

Already done, K-Nine replied dryly. Should I prepare countermeasures if I detect pitchforks?

Matrix didn’t dignify that with a response.

They had been pushing their luck—first the spectacle at the clothing store, then with the meltdown at the market. If this kept up, they’d have the human military establishment knocking on the transport’s door before sundown.

We should have left right after we confirmed the Crawler had been destroyed, he thought.

He turned and followed the building to the back door. Jana had left it unlocked, allowing him to slip inside. The hallway smelled faintly of antiseptic, animal dander, and old coffee. He moved silently past the kennel and crossed into the surgical prep room.

Beyond the half-open door at the front, a bell jingled. Whoever had arrived was entering through the front door.

Matrix’s hearing keyed in on the heavy thump-drag of boots—odd gait, older male. He didn’t sense any animals.

As if this day hasn’t been chaotic enough, he thought with frustration.

He stepped through the shadowed hall and paused just behind the swinging door to the front reception area.

Jana was still out of sight—probably at the desk, scribbling that note she’d mentioned.

Matrix’s fingers twitched, itching for the comfort of a weapon he wasn’t carrying.

Please let this be someone who isn’t a threat. Please ? —

A voice spoke from the front room.

“Hello? Jana? Are you here?”

“Doc? What are you doing here? I thought you were leaving to go up to your lake house for vacation,” Jana replied.

“I am. I am. I forgot my favorite rod in my office. I was working on it. Where’s your car? I saw the lights on, but didn’t see anyone.”

“I… it sort of… blew up,” Jana replied.

Matrix closed his eyes briefly.

“That old clunker was past retirement. Take the van if you need wheels.”

“Um, there is actually something I needed to tell you,” Jana said.

Matrix, look out!

Matrix froze when K-Nine’s sharp warning hit him. He crouched and swiveled, his eyes scanning for danger. Before he could assess what was wrong, three streaks flashed by him followed by the massive wolfhound.

What the ? —?

A chorus of meows, followed by sharp nails against tile were the only warning he got before K-Nine slid as if he were on ice and slammed into him. His arms wound around K-Nine’s body as his back hit the wall.

“What the heck?” the man said.

“It’s alright! I’ve got it,” Jana frantically said.

Matrix groaned under K-Nine’s weight. In seconds, three more bodies were crawling all over him and his partner. He slowly looked up from where he sat under a pile of fur into the amused face of an older man dressed as if he hadn’t bought any new clothes in the past century.

“Uh, Doc Wilson, this is… my boyfriend, Matrix, and his friend— dog —K-Nine,” Jana introduced awkwardly.

“Boyfriend?” Doc repeated, squinting like he’d misheard her. He scratched his chin. “You wanna tell me why your boyfriend and his unusual wolf have glowing eyes?”

The kittens escaped.

I noticed, he muttered silently as Biscuit turned and planted his fuzzy backside an inch from his face.

We’re never going to make it off this rock.

From the top of the platform, Matrix stood motionless as he watched Jana throw her arms around Doc Wilson one last time.

Her shoulders shook as she hugged the older human tightly, and the doctor—calm, steady, kind—patted her back with a fondness that told Matrix everything he needed to know about their history.

She pulled back, nodding through her tears as Doc gave her a crooked smile and a few last words.

Then he turned, walking slowly down the gravel drive toward his battered old truck, fishing pole in one hand and the keys to the clinic in the other.

He didn’t look back, but Matrix noticed the way his shoulders were squared, his steps firm with purpose.

“Remarkably calm for a man who just discovered aliens,” K-Nine commented beside him, tail twitching.

Matrix crossed his arms. “And a spaceship,” he added.

“And cybernetic wolf companions.”

Matrix inclined his head in agreement. “Jana was worried he’d be frightened. But… he’s not.”

K-Nine huffed. “I like him. Much nicer than the other human.”

Matrix’s lips twitched. “Agreed.”

Doc had not only accepted what he saw without question—he’d insisted on giving Jana the clinic’s entire remaining inventory of kitten, cat, and dog food, along with a small crate of medications the kittens might need for the next year.

“It’s not like I’m taking in any new patients,” he’d said.

“I was only keeping this place running because I didn’t want to put you out of a job.

Now I can finally go fishing without checking my phone every ten minutes. ”

A faint sniff drew Matrix’s attention back to the platform. Jana was wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand, a watery smile on her face as she looked up at him.

His impatience to leave—always simmering just below the surface since his and K-Nine’s arrival—flickered and died.

He opened his arms without a word.

She came to him like a wave returning to the sea, flowing into his embrace, burying her face in his chest as another soft sob escaped her. Her fingers curled in his shirt, and he wrapped his arms around her, shielding her from the world.

“I’m sorry,” she sniffled, half-laughing. “I keep crying. I don’t even know why. I mean, I do… but—ugh, it’s ridiculous. Who cries over cat food and vet jobs and stupid old-old houses that aren’t there anymore?”

Matrix murmured something in a language only his people would understand and pressed a kiss to her hair. “You are leaving your life behind. It is not ridiculous. It is brave.”

She tilted her head back to look at him, her eyes glittering but shining with determination. “You’re too good at this,” she whispered. “I’m ready.”

“Thank the Gods,” Matrix muttered under his breath, cupping her cheeks in his hands. Then, silently, he sent the command:

Seal the transport. Prepare for takeoff.

Already on it, K-Nine replied.

He trotted past with a confident swagger, three kittens weaving and nipping at his heels like miniature training drones. “Time to fly.”

Jana looked around at the chaos inside the transport: the stacks of oversized pet food bags, the crates of medicine, and the bags of clothing bulging with new fabric and dreams. “It’s a good thing we’re leaving,” she said dryly. “We’re running out of room.”

Matrix followed her gaze. His eyes paused on a pale pink ribbon of lace peeking out from the top of one bag. His breath hitched. Desire pooled low in his abdomen.

His thoughts returned—uninvited but welcome—to the dressing room, to the soft sighs against his neck and the way her body had arched beneath his hands. He hadn’t forgotten the way she had melted against him.

Or that he had given her pleasure while withholding his own release.

Jana caught the shift in his eyes and giggled, the sound both teasing and electric. She reached down between them, her palm caressing the growing bulge in his pants. “You’re thinking about the dressing room again, aren’t you?”

He let out a low growl of appreciation, his hand slipping to her waist and drawing her flush against him. “Only every five seconds.”

Matrix, K-Nine interjected, voice dry as old circuits. I’ve activated auto-navigation. You have approximately fourteen minutes and twelve seconds before we break Earth orbit and slingshot past the moon’s dark side. Don’t waste them.

Matrix chuckled, already backing Jana toward the bench seat. “We’ll be quick.”

I doubt that, knowing Zion anatomy, K-Nine muttered—but his tail swished happily as he sealed the control deck so the kittens couldn’t escape again.

Jana moaned with need as she sank down onto the narrow bench, her hands tugging Matrix toward her. “This is a tight fit,” she whispered, breathless.

“I’ll make it work,” Matrix promised, pulling at her clothing as she worked on his.

The transport’s engines hummed to life around them, a soft, steady vibration that seemed to echo the pounding of his heart. Outside, the sky began to fade from late afternoon blue to the velvet promise of stars.

But inside the ship, time stilled—reduced to breath, skin, and the ache of knowing this was only the beginning.

Their beginning.

“Oh, yes!” Jana’s husky cry echoed as Earth fell away. He captured her lips to smother his own shout.