Page 9 of Human Reform (Cyborg Planet Alpha #3)

NINE

ALORA

As the two suns started setting outside my new private office window in the security center, I realized that Daxon had spent nearly the entire day being next to me, and it was the most content I’d felt in over a decade, maybe ever.

The realization caught me off guard, sending a flutter of something warm through my chest. For years, I’d convinced myself solitude was my sanctuary, but now…

His gaze was fixed on me, intense and unabashed.

Heat rushed to my cheeks as understanding dawned.

No one had ever looked at me like that—with open appreciation that bordered on reverence.

The fitted black T-shirt stretched across his broad chest as he shifted in his chair, the Planet Alpha emblem catching the dying sunlight.

For a cyborg who claimed logic as his foundation, his eyes conveyed emotions I couldn’t fully decipher.

“Are you hungry?” he asked, his voice breaking the charged silence between us.

My stomach answered before I could, letting out an embarrassing growl. I laughed, tucking a loose strand of hair that had escaped my braid behind my ear.

“Famished, actually. I didn’t realize how much time had passed.”

“Time functions differently when you’re engaged in purpose,” he replied, standing in one fluid motion that emphasized his towering height.

I nodded and carefully logged out of my private workspace, double-checking the security protocols. Even knowing my biometric scan protected access, paranoia from years of corporate espionage at CyberEvolution died hard.

“No one will access it,” Daxon said, reading my thoughts with unnerving accuracy. “The security measures are… excessive.”

“In my experience, there’s no such thing as excessive security,” I countered, finally satisfied with the shutdown sequence.

His mouth quirked upward. “Then we are aligned on that point.” He extended his hand and helped me out of my office chair. He then gently placed his hand on my elbow and guided me out of my private office and into the curved corridor.

“The night marketplace is open,” he said as we walked out of the security center.

A cool evening breeze kissed my skin, carrying scents of unfamiliar flowers and cooking food.

“There’s a vendor who makes something similar to sandwiches.

They’ve recently perfected a protein synthesis that’s more palatable for humans. ”

“Lead the way,” I said, suddenly aware of how his hand had found its customary place at my lower back, guiding me along the stone pathways that wound between the unique buildings.

The marketplace glowed with soft lights strung between the stalls, illuminating the faces of both human and cyborg colonists as they browsed and bartered.

Children—hybrid children—darted between adults, playing some game that involved much giggling.

It was so utterly… normal. Peaceful. Nothing like the war propaganda had portrayed cyborg society.

“Here,” Daxon said, steering me toward a small stall where a man with copper-tinted skin was assembling food with practiced precision.

“Two please, Nexus,” he requested, his hand never leaving my back. “One with mild seasoning.”

“For the Earth woman?” Nexus looked at me with friendly curiosity. “I heard you’re helping with the glitch problem.”

“Trying to,” I admitted, surprised by my openness.

“We appreciate it,” he said simply, handing us each a wrapped bundle. “More than you know.”

Daxon guided me to a small table situated on a raised platform that overlooked where the settlement’s edge met the jungle. The twin moons had begun their rise, casting silvery light across the canopy.

“Try it,” he encouraged, watching intently as I unwrapped my dinner.

I took a tentative bite, expecting the bland, utilitarian food I’d eaten in the medical bay. Instead, my taste buds exploded with flavors—savory, slightly sweet, with hints of something like cilantro but more complex.

“Oh my god,” I mumbled around the bite. “This is incredible.”

Pride flickered across Daxon’s face, as though my enjoyment was somehow his personal accomplishment. “I thought you might like it. Better than trout and venison, I imagine.”

“How did you know that’s what I—” I began and then rolled my eyes. “Right. You researched me thoroughly before kidnapping me.”

“Extracted,” he corrected, that hint of a smile playing at his lips again.

“Is that the official terminology?” I arched an eyebrow, taking another bite. “Does it sound better in the report than ‘forcibly removed from her home while she was sleeping’?”

“Logistics terminology,” he countered, his eyes never leaving my face as I ate. “Though I prefer to think of it as… bringing you where you were needed.”

I snorted softly. “That’s some rationalization.”

“Are you still angry about it?” His question was direct, his gaze intensifying.

I considered it, watching the activity of the marketplace. A small child ran by our table, chased by another, both laughing with abandon.

“Strangely, no,” I admitted. “Which probably means I need psychological evaluation.”

“Or perhaps you recognize purpose when you find it,” he suggested.

“Maybe.” I finished the last bite of my sandwich. “Either way, I’m going to fix this glitch problem. Whoever tried to sabotage what you’ve built here will be disappointed.”

His eyes flashed with that violet glow. “You sound determined.”

“I am.” I leaned forward, lowering my voice even though no one was near enough to hear. “What they’ve done is insidious—hiding malicious code within code I wrote, designing it to slowly override your reprogramming. It’s personal now.”

“Personal,” Daxon repeated, testing the word. “Because of guilt?”

I shook my head. “Because this place…” I gestured to the colony around us. “Is something pure. It deserves to survive. To thrive.”

Daxon’s expression transformed, fierce intensity replacing his usual controlled demeanor. He reached across the table, his large hand enveloping mine.

“We will find out who did this,” he said, his voice lowering to a rumble that sent a thrill racing up my spine. “And they will answer for it.”

The possessive way he said it—not just for his people but including me in that protection—made my heart race. I’d spent three years avoiding connection and vulnerability, yet here I was, practically basking in this man’s attention.

“Tomorrow I’ll start implementing some diagnostic traps,” I said, absently turning my hand so our palms touched. “If they’re still monitoring or accessing the systems remotely, we’ll catch them soon enough.”

Daxon stood up from our table, extending his hand to help me up.

His fingers wrapped around mine with gentle strength, and that now-familiar current raced up my arm.

I expected him to lead me straight back to my suite where he would lock me in for the night.

The thought should have bothered me—being a prisoner still, technically—but all I felt was disappointment at our evening coming to an end.

“I should get you back,” he said, his voice carrying through the ambient sounds of the night market.

“Could we…” I hesitated, hardly believing what I was about to suggest. “Could we walk a bit longer?”

I’d spent the entire day with him, and somehow, it wasn’t enough. The realization should have irritated me. Three years of self-imposed isolation, and suddenly I couldn’t bear the idea of being separated from this man.

Surprise flickered across his face, followed by something warmer. “Yes,” he replied simply, taking my hand in his.

We left the marketplace behind, following a path that wound between flowering plants that glowed faintly in the moonlight. The humid night air wrapped around us like silk, carrying exotic fragrances I couldn’t name but found intoxicating.

The path opened to a small clearing where a river, no wider than a creek, gurgled over smooth stones. The twin moons hung suspended in the velvet sky, casting silver-blue light over everything and turning the water into a ribbon of quicksilver.

“It’s so beautiful,” I whispered, tilting my head up. The stars here formed unfamiliar patterns—constellations no human had named before the cyborgs arrived.

Daxon stood close, his shoulder brushing mine. The warmth of his body radiated through the thin fabric of my shirt, making me hyper-aware of our proximity. I expected him to be gazing at the cosmic display, but when I glanced over, his intense blue eyes were fixed on me.

“What?” I asked, heat creeping into my cheeks.

“I am attempting to memorize this moment,” he replied, turning to face me fully.

Without warning, his arms circled around me, drawing me against the solid wall of his chest. My heart hammered so loudly, I was certain he could hear it.

“Thank you,” he said, his voice lower and rougher than before.

“For what?”

“For choosing to stay. For helping us.” His gaze dropped briefly to my lips before returning to my eyes. “For whatever this is between us.”

His vulnerability in that moment—this powerful being openly admitting confusion—made my chest ache.

“I didn’t expect to feel anything like this,” he continued. “I believe it might be… happiness.”

I swallowed hard. “I’m happy when I’m with you, too,” I admitted. The words felt strange in my mouth after years of emotional isolation, but right.

Before I could overthink it, I rose on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to his.

The gentleness of our previous kiss evaporated instantly.

Daxon responded with a hunger that matched my own, his mouth moving against mine with growing urgency.

My hands slid up his chest to grip his shoulders, feeling the coiled strength beneath my fingers.

His hands trailed down my sides, his thumbs grazing the undersides of my breasts through my shirt. A soft gasp escaped me, swallowed by his kiss. He took advantage of my parted lips, deepening the kiss in a way that made my knees weak.

When his mouth left mine to trail hot kisses down my throat, I tilted my head back, giving him better access.

His teeth grazed the sensitive spot where my neck met my shoulder, sending sparks of pleasure down my spine.

This was better than any fantasy my shower-induced imagination had conjured.

His touch was fire, igniting parts of me I thought long dormant.

Just as his hands slid higher, brushing the curves of my breasts with tantalizing lightness, he suddenly pulled away. We were both breathing heavily, and the violet glow in his eyes was the brightest I’d seen yet.

“We should stop,” he said, his voice strained.

“Why?” I couldn’t keep the disappointment from my voice.

“We’re outside, exposed.” His hands remained on my waist, belying his words. “And we have a critical mission that requires focus.”

Logic. Of course he’d retreat to logic when emotions ran high. I pressed my forehead against his chest, trying to regain control of my breathing and rampant desire.

“You’re right.” I sighed, though my body screamed otherwise.

He lifted my chin with his finger. “I didn’t say I wanted to stop.”

The intensity in his eyes made me shiver. “Just that we should?”

“Yes.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead, somehow more intimate than the passion we’d just shared. “For now.”

He took my hand again and led me back along the path toward my suite. The walk seemed shorter returning, time compressed by my racing thoughts. When we reached my door, he punched in the access code and turned to me.

“Goodnight, Alora,” he murmured, bending to place a kiss on my cheek that felt like a promise.

I heard the lock engage after I entered, securing me inside for the night. Alone, I sank onto the bed, bringing my fingers to my lips, which still tingled from his kiss.

It had been over a decade since my last relationship—if you could even call those brief entanglements relationships.

Nothing had prepared me for the magnetic pull I felt toward Daxon.

He was awakening feelings I’d buried beneath layers of guilt and self-imposed exile, making me want to take risks I’d convinced myself I never would again.

I crawled under the covers, but sleep remained elusive. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw ice-blue eyes with violet undertones watching me with undisguised desire. I felt strong hands exploring my body, completing what we’d started by the river.

I was in dangerous territory, wanting a man I barely knew in a place I never asked to be. Yet somehow, it felt more right than anything ever had.