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K-LX

K-lx wanted desperately to turn and hold his new Mistress . He knew that they hadn’t known each other for long—hell, not even a whole Solar day yet. But he just felt drawn to her—felt connected in a way he couldn’t explain.

It was probably the Linking stars they were wearing, he thought.

They allowed the constant exchange of emotions, which made him feel close to Corinne .

Also the way she had touched him in the shower—the way she had handled his body and taken care of him—not to mention the way she had made him come so fucking hard, had made him want her.

She’s your Mistress —your Handler — not your lover or your mate, he told himself as he kept his face to the wall and refused to let himself turn over to face her. She’s allowed to touch you, but you can’t touch her—not unless she rescinds her order.

This was one area where he was unable to override his programming.

If his Mistress told him not to lay hands on her, he couldn’t do it.

No matter how much he longed to touch her sweet, curvy body and return some of the pleasure she’d given to him so freely in the shower.

No matter how he craved to suck her full breasts and lick her soft little pussy until she moaned and tugged his hair and begged him to make her come…

He was exhausted but the arousal these thoughts caused made it difficult to go to sleep—especially once Corinne climbed into bed beside him.

They were lying there, back-to-back, and he could tell that she thought he was asleep.

Instead , he was lying there with a raging hard-on, wishing he could turn and take her in his arms.

But since that was impossible, he concentrated on shutting down his functions and powering down his internal sensors. At last, when everything was dark, he was finally able to drift off to sleep…and that was when the dream came.

K-lx saw a woman…a beautiful, curvy Elite with black hair. She was speaking to him, but he couldn’t hear what she was saying. She was talking and laughing but for some reason, he had a feeling of dread.

Be careful! he tried to tell her, but the words wouldn’t come out of his mouth. And the more she talked and laughed so carelessly, the more the feeling of impending doom grew inside him.

Then suddenly, she disappeared. K -lx looked everywhere for her, but she was gone—vanished. But somehow he knew she wasn’t just gone…she was dead. She’d been killed and he hadn’t done anything to stop it—he hadn’t protected her as he should have. Why hadn’t he stopped it? Why couldn’t he save her?

Why—

“Hey…hey, K -lx. Come on, wake up. Wake up—it’s a bad dream. Wake up.”

Someone was shaking his shoulder. K -lx’s eyes popped open and he stared up to see a beautiful female face hovering over his in the dark.

At first he thought it was the woman in his dream…but no, the features were different. Her hair was longer too. Who was she?

“K-lx, it’s me—your new Handler . It’s Corinne ,” she said urgently, answering his question.

At first the name didn’t register. But then his memory circuits booted up fully and things came into focus. He was now aboard a space station located on an asteroid orbiting inside the rings of Saturn . And the lovely Elite woman leaning over him was his new Mistress .

“For…forgive me,” he rasped. Gods , why was his throat so dry? “ Had …a bad dream, I think,” he added.

“You definitely did.” She still looked worried about him. “ Do you remember if this has happened before? I’ve never worked with a Cyborg who could dream—it’s very concerning.”

K-lx shook his head.

“I don’t know. I don’t remember dreaming before but so much of my memory is gone.” He shrugged apologetically. “ Sorry , Mistress . I didn’t hurt you, did I ?”

“No, nothing like that.” She shook her head. “ You never got violent—you were just thrashing and groaning. Had me worried for a while.” She put a hand on his shoulder. “ You need anything?”

K-lx started to say he was fine, but he wasn’t. He had an idea of what he needed…but he knew she wouldn’t give it to him.

“I’m just really thirsty,” he said. “ Let me get up and get a drink of water and I’ll try to get back to sleep.”

“Stay here— I’ll get it.”

She left the bed and went into the bathing chamber for a minute. She came back with a big glass of cool water which K -lx gulped thirstily.

Corinne took the empty glass back from him and placed it on the night table beside her.

“There now—feeling better?” she asked.

His throat was still dry but somehow K -lx knew that more water wasn’t going to solve his problem. His eyes kept returning to her full breasts and tight nipples, barely contained by the short, silky robe she still wore.

“I feel better, Mistress ,” he said, which wasn’t exactly true, but he didn’t want to bother her anymore. She’d already had a full night taking care of him and here he was, interrupting what little sleep she was going to get. He felt ashamed for disrupting her rest.

Corinne frowned.

“I can tell that’s not true, K -lx.” She tapped her temple, where the Linking star glimmered faintly. “ I can tell that you’re not happy and you’re not feeling good. Tell me what would make you feel better.”

“Well…” K’lix shifted and the bed creaked under his weight. He swore under his breath. What he wanted made him feel fucking needy .

“What is it?” Corinne insisted. “ I’m ordering you to tell me what you want—what’s going to make you feel more comfortable so we can both get back to sleep?”

The direct order unlocked his tongue.

“What I need is to suck your nipples, Mistress ,” he said hoarsely. “ And then I want to hold you while we go to sleep.”

“You want to suck my…” She trailed off, frowning at him.

“You ordered me to tell you what I wanted—what I needed,” K -lx growled, frowning at her. “ I don’t know why I need that— I only know that my throat feels dry and I’m fucking aching to hold you. That’s all the physical information I can give you right now.”

She shook her head, looking bemused.

“I’ve never dealt with a Unit like you. Very well—you’re not sucking my nipples but I will let you hold me if you think it will help you sleep.”

“I do.” K -lx nodded. “ I don’t know why but I feel the need to be close to you, Mistress — very close.”

“All right then. Scoot over some.” She motioned and K -lx scooted closer to the wall. He started to turn on his side again, but Corinne stopped him. “ Lie on your back and I’ll lay against your side,” she directed.

Again, K -lx did as she asked. Corinne scooted into bed beside him.

He was sure she would probably lay on her side with her back pressed against him.

He was surprised when instead of turning away from him, she turned towards him and slipped an arm around his waist. She pillowed her head on his chest and her long, lovely hair spread over his bare torso like silk.

Feeling her soft, curvy body pressed against his own did something to K -lx.

It seemed as though having her near him—touching him—somehow slowed the toxic mixture of anxiety, fear, and anger that churned under the surface of his brain.

She shut down his worry circuits and, as her sweet scent filled his senses, he felt himself relaxing fully.

“ Mmm , thank you, Mistress ,” he murmured as he settled an arm around her shoulders and pulled her a little closer. “ This is exactly what I needed.”

“So glad it makes you feel better.” Corinne already sounded sleepy again. She nuzzled closer, her full breasts pressing against his side. “ Now go back to sleep. We still have to get up in the morning and face breakfast with the crew.”

Then her breathing evened out and she fell back to sleep. K -lx was tired too, but he made an effort to stay awake a little while longer.

He wanted to savor the feeling of the soft, sweet little Elite in his arms and breathe in her scent while he could because he had no idea what tomorrow might bring.