Page 13 of Human Reclaimed (Cyborg Planet Alpha #2)

THIRTEEN

TALIA

I woke to the gentle rhythm of Rune’s heartbeat beneath my ear, my naked body still entangled with his.

Morning light filtered through the narrow window, casting golden patterns across his bed.

For a moment, I just watched him sleep—his strong features softened, his dark auburn hair mussed from my fingers running through it, and his muscular chest rising and falling with each breath.

My cheeks burned as memories from last night flooded back—the way he’d touched me, kissed me, and brought me to heights I’d never experienced before. I’d pretty much begged for him. Hadn’t I? Great strategic thinking there, Reed. Sleep with your kidnapper after two days.

Yet as I carefully peeled back the bandage on my shoulder, logic took a backseat to amazement.

“What the hell?” I whispered. Where there should have been blistered, angry skin, only a faint pink mark remained.

Beside me, Rune stirred, his eyes finding mine instantly. “How are you feeling?” His voice was husky with sleep, sending an involuntary shiver down my spine.

“Like I’ve made a miraculous recovery.” I gestured to my shoulder. “Is this normal?”

He propped himself up on one elbow, his fingers gently tracing the healing skin. “The salve works wonders. Our medical staff is quite brilliant.” A small smile played on his lips. “Olivia’s been instrumental these past six months.”

“Six months?” I asked skeptically. “So she was…”

“Brought here the same way you were,” he confirmed, his expression turning serious. “We needed someone with her expertise to help care for our pregnant mothers and deliver the babies.”

My brain struggled to process this new information. “And now she’s married to Commander Aeon? That’s… convenient.”

Rune’s eyes narrowed slightly. “It’s more complicated than that. They found something in each other none of us expected.”

Just like the unexpected things I was feeling for him? I shook my head, clearing away the thought for now.

“I’d like to talk to her,” I said, sitting up and pulling the sheet around me. “I have some questions.”

“About what’s happening between us?” His hand came to rest on my bare thigh under the sheet, warm and possessive.

“About everything.” I gestured around us. “Plus, I need a new shirt since mine got ruined last night.”

Rune nodded, sliding out of bed with a fluid grace that reminded me he was no ordinary man. I tried—and failed—not to stare at his magnificent naked body as he crossed the room.

“You can borrow one of mine for now,” he said, pulling a black T-shirt from a drawer and handing it to me. “It’ll be big, but it should work until we get you another shirt.”

I found my white bra on the floor next to the bed and reached for it, putting it on quickly. I slipped on Rune’s shirt next and was immediately enveloped in his scent—a mix of something clean and uniquely him. It went nearly to my knees. “Does this colony have a shopping district?”

“We have fabrication units. Olivia can help you program something that fits.”

As he dressed in his tactical pants and a fresh black T-shirt that stretched across his broad shoulders, I couldn’t help but wonder about the strangeness of my situation.

Two days ago, I was planning a quiet evening at home with Christmas just a week away.

Now I was on a jungle planet, wearing my captor’s shirt after a night of mind-blowing sex, and somehow not completely hating it.

“What are you thinking?” Rune asked, buckling his belt.

“That I should be furious with you,” I answered honestly. “But instead, I’m… confused. About everything I’m feeling.”

He crossed to me in two long strides and bent down, cupping my face in his large hands. “I’m confused, too. This wasn’t part of the mission.”

“What does this mean for us?” I asked, gazing into his eyes.

Rune’s thumbs brushed across my cheekbones, his touch gentle. “I’m not entirely sure,” he admitted, his voice a low rumble that seemed to vibrate through me. “But I know last night was… special.” A big smile spread across his face. “I’m happy it happened.”

My heart fluttered traitorously. This man had kidnapped me, yet here I was, melting at his touch. “It definitely wasn’t part of the mission, but I’m not upset it happened, either,” I admitted, surprised by my own honesty. “It somehow felt right.”

His eyes darkened, and for a moment I thought he might kiss me again. Instead, he reluctantly stood up, giving me space to move.

I slipped off the bed, feeling his eyes trace my movements as I gathered my scattered clothing from his floor. The white underwear went on first, followed by my beige tactical pants. The intimacy of getting dressed while he watched sent heat rushing to my cheeks.

“Your shirt is definitely ruined,” he said, nodding toward the charred remains of my white T-shirt on his floor.

“Hopefully I don’t get too many questioning looks wearing yours,” I replied, pulling on my socks and combat boots.

Rune soon led me through the colony, his oversized shirt billowing around my smaller frame.

The humid air carried unfamiliar sweet scents that reminded me of cinnamon and something wild I couldn’t name.

Colonists nodded at Rune respectfully as we passed, their curious glances at me noticeably less than before.

The medical bay’s doors slid open with a whisper as we approached. Inside, the curved corridors were bathed in warm, responsive lighting that adjusted to our presence.

“Olivia,” Rune called as we entered the main area. The petite woman with wavy brown hair looked up from a datapad, her green eyes lighting with recognition.

“Talia needs a new shirt,” he explained, his hand resting casually on my lower back. “Can you help her use the fabrication units? Standard security uniform—black T-shirt, fitted. She’s one of us now.”

Something warm bloomed in my chest at his words. One of them? A strange sense of belonging washed over me.

“I’ll be down the hall with Aeon,” Rune said, his fingers brushing mine briefly. “Take your time.”

Once he’d left, Olivia’s professional smile transformed into something more genuine. “So, you and Rune?”

“Rune mentioned you were kidnapped six months ago,” I said, bypassing her comment. “Said they needed your expertise with the pregnant cyborgs and deliveries.”

Olivia nodded, leading me toward a room with sleek equipment. “That’s correct. Aeon grabbed me outside my home on Earth.” She laughed softly. “I was furious for weeks. Tried to escape once.”

“What changed?” I asked, watching as she programmed the fabrication unit.

Her expression softened. “I got to know them—their struggles, their dreams. And I got to know Aeon.” A blush colored her cheeks. “This place became home. Aeon became…” She paused. “My soul mate, as absurd as that sounds.”

“It doesn’t sound absurd,” I admitted, thinking of Rune’s piercing eyes and his surprising gentleness.

“I’m feeling things for Rune I can’t explain.

Like there’s this deep connection that makes no logical sense.

We were…” I hesitated. “Intimate last night. And it was the best experience of my life.”

Olivia gave me a knowing look. “Sounds exactly like what happened between me and Aeon.”

“And now you’re married,” I said.

Her blush deepened. “It just felt completely right. Can’t be explained with logic, I guess.” She handed me the newly fabricated black T-shirt. “I found my true purpose here, helping build this peaceful colony where cyborgs can live free.”

I pulled off Rune’s shirt and slipped on my new one, which fit perfectly. “I think I’m beginning to understand. I feel this strange pull to help protect them, too.”

“Looks like you belong in that uniform,” she said with a smile.

I soon found Rune down the hall in deep conversation with the tall, imposing man I recognized as Aeon. When Rune turned and saw me in the fitted black uniform shirt, his eyes darkened with approval and something far more primal. A shiver ran through me at that look.

“The uniform shirt suits you,” Rune said, his voice dropping to that deep timbre that seemed to resonate directly through my body. “Like it was always meant for you.”

Something in me hummed with recognition. “Thanks. Olivia was a great help.”

Aeon nodded politely to me. “Captain Reed, I trust your shoulder is healing well?”

“Miraculously so,” I answered, fighting the urge to touch the barely-there scar beneath my new shirt. “Your medical treatments are impressive.”

“We’ll review the new perimeter designs later, Aeon,” Rune said, clearly eager to move on. He placed his hand on my back, guiding me away. The warmth of his palm radiated through the fabric, marking me in a way I didn’t entirely mind.

We walked through the colony center toward the security building, passing the garden area where colonists were tending to unfamiliar plants with purple-tinged leaves.

The morning sun glinted off the metal structures that blended seamlessly with the surrounding jungle.

It was a strange paradise—both alien and oddly appealing.

“We’ll need to prepare a full report for Helix about last night’s drill,” Rune said as we entered the security center. The blue glow of holographic monitors lit the curved metal walls. “Though perhaps we’ll omit certain details about your injury.”

I grinned. “What Commander Helix doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

We headed to Rune’s office tucked in the back of the security center. It was a surprisingly comfortable space with his large desk formed from what appeared to be polished native wood. The tactical maps of the colony’s defenses glowed from the wall displays.

“I’ve been thinking,” I said, settling into the chair opposite his desk. “Your brigade handled the drill impressively, but I noticed some gaps in their adaptive response tactics.”

Rune leaned forward, his forearms resting on the desk. “I saw that, too. Their formation shift when the simulated breach occurred was delayed by 2.3 seconds.”

“Exactly. Too rigid.” I pulled up the schematics on my datapad. “If we double the training tempo and restructure the targeting simulations, we could have them ready for more adaptive, aggressive attacks by the end of the week.”

“You’re suggesting we push them harder?” Rune’s mouth quirked into that half-smile that did ridiculous things to my pulse.

“They handled everything we threw at them last night. They’re ready for more advanced training.”

Rune nodded, typing rapidly on his laptop. “I’ll schedule the brigade for afternoon drills with the new parameters.”

We quickly drafted the drill report, careful to highlight the successes while strategically omitting my plasma burn. As Rune finished, he pressed a button on his wrist communicator.

“Sage, report to my office.”

Minutes later, the door slid open, and the tall blonde woman entered. Her sharp blue eyes immediately flicked between Rune and me, one eyebrow arching knowingly.

“Take this report to Commander Helix,” Rune said, handing her a datapad. “Full authorization for the evacuation protocol is requested.”

Sage took the datapad, her gaze lingering on how close Rune and I were now sitting. “You two seem pretty cozy,” she observed with a smirk. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you voluntarily share your personal space, Rune.”

Rune’s jaw tightened. “We are. And it’s none of your business.”

I laughed, diffusing the tension. “How could I not fall for a handsome, smart, and kind man like Rune?” I winked at Sage. “He’s quite the catch, even if his recruiting techniques need some refinement.”

Rune’s cheeks actually flushed, and Sage barked out a laugh.

“Well, well,” she said, her eyes dancing with amusement, “I like this one, Rune. Much better than the last tactician you worked with. That bore couldn’t take a joke to save his life.”

“The report, Sage,” Rune prompted.

“I’m going. I’m going.” She backed toward the door. “Enjoy your… strategic planning.”

After she left, Rune turned to me. “Did you mean that?”

“Mean what?”

“What you said. About me being…” He hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with the compliments.

“Handsome, smart, and kind?” I reached over and took his hand. “Of course I meant it. You are all those things.”

His fingers intertwined with mine, strong and warm. “Talia, I know something’s happening between us, but?—”

“But we can’t let it compromise the mission,” I finished for him, giving his hand a squeeze. “I agree. Those pregnant women and babies need protection first and foremost.”

Relief and something deeper flickered in his eyes. “The brigade will be assembled at 1400 hours. I think your idea about doubling the training tempo is excellent. They’re clearly ready for more advanced drills.”

I smiled, already strategizing the new simulations in my head. “Let’s make these pirates regret ever thinking about targeting Planet Alpha.”