Page 9 of Human Reclaimed (Cyborg Planet Alpha #2)

NINE

TALIA

A warm sensation expanded in my chest at how vehemently Rune had defended me. Not just defended—championed. I’d spent fifteen years in the military having to fight for every scrap of respect, yet here was this man—this cyborg—standing up for my expertise without hesitation.

His words from earlier echoed in my mind: “You’re the most capable strategist I’ve ever met. I’d be a fool not to listen to you.”

Something about his unwavering confidence in me kindled a forgotten ember of pride that I hadn’t felt since leading tactical operations for the Eastern Joint Command.

Why did his opinion matter so much? Why did his belief in me feel more significant than any commanding officer I’d ever served under?

As the meeting concluded and we stepped outside the council chamber into the fading sunlight of the settlement, I couldn’t stop stealing glances at his profile. The hard line of his jaw softened slightly when he turned to me.

“Hungry?” he asked, those piercing blue eyes somehow both intense and gentle.

My stomach answered with an embarrassing growl before I could. “Starving, actually.”

“The marketplace has good food.” A hint of a smile touched his lips. “At least, I think it’s good. Your human taste buds might disagree.”

“Is this where you tell me it’s all made of bugs?” I raised an eyebrow.

He laughed, a rich sound that sent an unexpected shiver down my spine. “Nothing so exotic. Synthesized proteins and hydroponic produce, mostly.”

As we walked along the stone pathways winding between the structures built from the odd marriage of salvaged spacecraft and native materials, I found myself studying this strange settlement with new eyes.

I no longer viewed it as my prison but as something these people had built from nothing—something they were fighting to protect.

The marketplace bustled with activity as we approached. Modular structures covered in climbing vines formed a semicircle around an open plaza. The scent of unfamiliar spices hung in the humid air.

“Fair warning—everything here is a bit more potent than Earth food,” Rune said as we approached a small stall.

He exchanged words with the vendor—Nexus, he called him—and returned with two bowls of something that resembled a colorful stew.

“Trust me?” He offered one bowl with a challenging smile.

I took it, meeting his gaze. “On food choices? Maybe. On security strategies? Definitely.”

We found a small table on a raised platform overlooking the place where the settlement merged with the jungle. The twin moons had begun their rise, casting silvery light across the vibrant green canopy.

I took a cautious bite and was pleasantly surprised by the rich, complex flavors. “Not bad. Reminds me of Thai food, but… different.”

“You’ve had quite a long day.” Rune’s voice softened as he watched me eat. “Thank you again for helping us, even though you didn’t ask to be here.”

“I don’t think anyone’s ever been kidnapped so politely before.”

He winced. “I’m still sorry about that part.”

“What about you?” I asked, steering away from the kidnapping topic. “What made the famous combat commander turn colony protector?”

His eyes drifted toward the jungle. “After the war… I needed purpose. Something worth fighting for that wasn’t just blind destruction.” He paused, searching for words. “Out here, we’re building something. A future. A home.”

“I understand that,” I said softly. “Finding purpose after war isn’t easy.”

“No,” he agreed, studying me. “You found yours helping veterans. Right?”

I nodded, surprised he’d remembered that detail from my background. “It felt right, after everything.”

“Everything?” He leaned forward slightly, those deep blue eyes seeming to see straight through me.

I didn’t know why I told him. Maybe it was the alien moonlight, the strange comfort of being so far from Earth and my lonely life, or simply the way he looked at me—like he genuinely wanted to understand.

“My best friends, Travis and Meredith.” The names still caught in my throat after all this time. “We were on a special ops mission in the mountains. Ambushed. I tried to save them, but…” I swallowed hard. “I watched them die right in front of me. Three years ago, but it still feels like yesterday.”

Rune’s hand moved across the table, nearly touching mine. “I’m sorry, Talia.” His voice was low, rough with genuine emotion. “Survivor’s guilt is a heavy burden.”

I looked up, startled by his perception. “How did you?—”

“I’ve lost people, too.” The vulnerability in his eyes caught me off guard. “The hardest part is living when they can’t.”

That simple understanding—that perfect articulation of what had haunted me for years—unlocked something in my chest. “Yes,” I whispered. “Exactly that.”

I stared at Rune, my throat suddenly tight. Something profound and unspoken passed between us at that moment—a recognition of shared ghosts. The harsh edges of my defenses softened, crumbling like ancient stone against the tide of his unexpected understanding.

“Sometimes I wake up at night,” I admitted, my voice barely a whisper, “thinking I should have been the one who died in those mountains.”

Rune leaned forward, the moonlight catching the angles of his face. “And I wake up thinking of the cyborg units under my command who followed orders that led them to destruction. Orders I gave.”

In that moment, I truly saw him—not as a cyborg commander or my captor, but as someone who carried the same weight I did. We were both military strategists, both haunted by our pasts, and both searching for meaning beyond the chaos of war.

A strange sensation washed over me—a feeling of recognition so deep it felt primal, as if my soul had known his before. The thought was ridiculous. I’d never believed in past lives or soul connections. Yet looking into his piercing blue eyes, I couldn’t deny the pull between us.

“You should get some rest,” Rune said, interrupting my thoughts. “You’ve had quite an eventful day.” His mouth quirked in a half-smile. “I imagine the culture shock alone is exhausting.”

Though reluctant to end our conversation, I nodded. “I suppose being abducted and tasked with saving an alien colony does take it out of a girl.”

As we finished our meal, the twin moons climbed higher, bathing the marketplace in silver light.

Rune stood and gathered our empty bowls, his movements fluid and natural.

Nothing about him suggested the machine-like precision I’d expected from a cyborg.

He was just… a man. A complicated, surprising, and incredibly attractive man.

We walked back toward the medical bay, our path lit by bioluminescent plants that lined the stone walkways. The jungle beyond the settlement’s edge pulsed with unknown life, mysterious and alluring.

At the medical bay entrance, Rune hesitated. “I’m supposed to return you to your recovery room.” He frowned, looking conflicted. “It will be locked for the night. Those were the terms I agreed to when?—”

“When you kidnapped me?” I finished for him, raising my eyebrows.

His expression clouded with regret. “Yes.”

I sighed, disappointment washing through me. After our connection at dinner, the thought of being locked away felt like a step backward.

Rune ran a hand through his auburn hair, a surprisingly human gesture of frustration. “I have an idea, but I might get in trouble for it.”

“I’m listening.”

“You could…” He paused, as if weighing his words carefully. “You could stay at my quarters tonight. I’d still be keeping an eye on you, technically following orders, but you wouldn’t be locked in the medical bay.”

My pulse quickened at the suggestion. “Your place?”

“It would show you that I trust you,” he said, his voice deepening. “And it’s more comfortable than the recovery room.”

I considered his offer. The sensible part of me knew I should decline—maintain professional distance, remember he was still technically my captor. But the thought of spending more time with him, of continuing our conversation in private…

“Okay,” I decided, surprising myself. “Lead the way.”

Rune’s eyes widened slightly, as if he hadn’t expected me to agree. Then a slow smile spread across his face, transforming his features from merely handsome to devastatingly gorgeous.

“This way,” he said, gesturing toward a path that led away from the medical bay and deeper into the settlement.

As we walked, side by side under alien stars, I felt an unfamiliar surge of anticipation flooding through my body. Whatever was happening between us—this strange, unexpected connection—was leading somewhere I hadn’t planned. And suddenly, I wasn’t trying to fight it.

The residential sector soon came into view as we walked side by side.

The path was lit by those strange bioluminescent plants that seemed to respond to our presence, brightening slightly as we passed.

Their soft blue glow illuminated Rune’s strong profile, highlighting the sharp line of his jaw and those startlingly intense eyes.

My heart raced with unfamiliar excitement. Twenty-four hours ago, I was just another lonely veteran living in Buffalo, New York. Now I was walking under alien stars with a man who’d kidnapped me across the galaxy. And instead of plotting my escape, I was… what? Following him willingly to his home?

We approached a modest structure nestled among similar dwellings, resembling something between a small house and a condo. It blended Earth architecture with native materials. The walls appeared to be made from a local stone with a faint iridescent quality that shimmered in the moonlight.

Rune paused at the entrance, turning to face me. “Are you sure about this? I can still take you back to the medical bay.”

His hesitation was endearing—the mighty commander suddenly uncertain.

“I’m sure,” I said, meeting his gaze steadily. “I’d rather not be locked in tonight.”

He nodded and turned to the keypad beside the door, punching in a code with quick, precise movements. The door slid open silently, and he gestured for me to enter first.

The interior was simple but comfortable—a one-bedroom home with an open-concept living area that flowed into a compact kitchen space. Everything was meticulously organized, a place for everything and everything in its place. Not a speck of dust anywhere.

“Military precision,” I remarked, running a finger along a spotless shelf that held a few actual paper books—a rare luxury even on Earth.

Rune looked almost embarrassed. “Old habits.”

“I get it,” I said. “My drill sergeant would’ve loved you. My footlocker was never tidy enough.”

“Would you like a drink?” he asked, moving toward the kitchen. “We’ve been experimenting with local fruits to make wine. It’s quite good, actually.”

“God, yes,” I exhaled. “After being kidnapped, waking up on an alien planet, and designing defense systems all in one day? I could use something strong.”

His lips quirked in that almost-smile that was becoming familiar. “This should do the trick. It’s pretty potent.”

He poured a deep ruby liquid into two glasses and led me to a small, surprisingly comfortable couch in the living area. I took a sip and felt warmth bloom from my throat to my fingertips. It was rich and complex, vaguely reminiscent of blackberries but with an exotic undertone I couldn’t place.

“Wow,” I breathed after a second sip. “This is actually incredible.”

“We have good botanists here,” he said, watching me over the rim of his glass. “They’ve been crossbreeding Earth plants with native species.”

I tried to focus on our conversation, but I was hyper-aware of his proximity on the small couch. The air between us seemed charged with something electric and inevitable. My skin hummed with awareness. His body radiated heat beside me, his muscular thigh just inches from mine.

This was absolutely insane. Yesterday, this man and his companion had drugged and abducted me. And now I was fantasizing about closing the distance between us? Had I lost my mind completely?

“What do you enjoy doing?” he asked suddenly, his deep voice breaking through my thoughts. “When you’re not designing complex military defenses, I mean.”

The question took me by surprise. Simple, normal small talk—so at odds with our extraordinary circumstances.

“I… I don’t know anymore,” I admitted, staring down at my wine. “For the past three years, I’ve been going through the motions. Working, eating, and sleeping. Sometimes I take long drives just to feel something different.” I forced a smile. “Pretty pathetic, huh?”

“No.” His voice was gentle but firm. “Grief hollows you out. Makes it hard to remember what brought you joy before.”

He set down his glass and reached for my free hand. His palm was warm and unexpectedly gentle as it enveloped mine. “I’m sorry you had to face that alone.”

Something in his touch and in his words—so sincere and so understanding—broke through the careful walls I’d constructed. Before I could think better of it, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his.

The kiss started as a question—hesitant and exploring. For a heartbeat, he went completely still, and I worried I’d made a catastrophic mistake. Then he responded with such intensity it stole my breath.

His lips moved against mine with a perfect balance of restraint and hunger.

His hand came up to cradle my face, his thumb brushing my cheekbone with a tenderness that contrasted with the barely contained power in his body.

I’d kissed my fair share of men before, but nothing had ever felt like this—like wildfire in my veins, like coming home to a place I’d never been.

When we finally broke apart, I was trembling. His eyes were dark, his pupils dilated as they searched my face.

“Well,” I whispered, my voice unsteady. “That was unexpected.”