Page 3 of Raven Blackwood (Cyborg Guardians #2)

Raven

I walked the land with Hannah and watched her face as she talked animatedly about her family's heritage on this ranch.

Although it consisted of over two thousand acres, they currently used less than one hundred acres.

Most of that was used to support pasture and feed for their small cattle herd, chickens, and themselves.

She clearly loved this land and wanted to continue her life here. I savored every moment in her presence, observing every nuance of her mannerisms and speech patterns.

Hannah seemed a little unnerved and shy in my presence, but I hadn’t missed the appreciation in her eyes as she looked me over.

I wished her situation were less volatile so I could concentrate on putting her at ease and getting to know her.

I was fully aware that finding my genetic mate and developing our relationship was a life-changing event.

Add that to harassment from thugs, a missing brother, and his heavily pregnant wife; I needn’t wonder if she was a little shaken by it. My innate protective instinct urged me to fix it for her so we could concentrate on building our life together. I intended to do precisely that.

After our tour, I walked back to where I’d left the sky cycle, still hidden behind the stand of conifers.

As I approached, the sleek black machine came to life with a soft hum, recognizing my presence.

The cycle wasn’t just transportation; it was a significant advantage.

In a world as unpredictable as this, having the ability to cover miles in moments or evade pursuit was invaluable.

After a quick scan of the area to ensure no one had tampered with it, I hopped on and guided the cycle back to the farm. The hover engines barely made a sound, and I kept the altitude low, skimming just above the ground to avoid drawing attention.

Once I reached the barn, I powered it down and concealed it inside under a tarp that blended well with the dusty surroundings. Stealth had always been my advantage, and I wasn’t about to lose it by leaving my ride in plain sight.

I disengaged the nanite armor, letting it retract and dissolve back into its storage node embedded in my chest. The cool mountain air felt good against my skin as I changed into something less intimidating—a pair of khaki green pants and a black tee that clung to me like a second skin.

Functional, comfortable, and neutral—just the way I liked it.

As I approached the farmhouse, the smell of something hearty and home-cooked wafted out to greet me.

I wasn’t hungry until that moment, but my highly efficient, enhanced metabolism allowed me to go without food for long periods.

The delicious aroma coming from the house put me in the mood for a meal.

Hannah met me at the door, her gaze dropping briefly to my chest before flicking away. “Dinner’s ready,” she said, her tone casual, but I caught the faint edge of nervousness. “We’ve got stew if you’re hungry.”

“The smell of it is making me hungry,” I replied with a slight grin, stepping inside. The warmth of the house was a stark contrast to the evening chill outside, and the sight of the small table set for three gave the place an air of hominess I’d only seen in my virtual life before my awakening.

Grace was already seated, her round belly brushing against the table’s edge. She gave me a welcoming smile as Hannah set a pot of steaming stew in the center. “Sit,” Grace said. “You’ve earned it after what you did today.”

I took the empty chair, glancing at the two women as they filled their bowls. It wasn’t lost on me how thin they both were and how carefully they divided the food.

“So, what’s the story about your brother?” I asked, cutting through the silence as I spooned a mouthful of stew.

Grace’s expression darkened, her hand instinctively moving to her belly.

“Zach’s been gone for over a month now,” she said softly.

“He had a run-in with Mayor Jenkins about two weeks before that. Zach called him out in public for taking more than his share of our grain stores. Next thing we knew, Zach left to take a delivery to town and never came back.”

Hannah’s hand tightened around her spoon.

“We’ve asked about him, but Jenkins’smen just laughed.

They say he probably ran off and abandoned us.

” Her voice trembled with barely contained fury.

“But Zach wouldn’t do that. We grew up here together.

This farm has been in our family for generations. This is our home. He wouldn’t leave.”

I nodded, the pieces clicking into place. “Jenkins doesn’t like being challenged. Sounds like your brother paid the price for standing up to him.”

Grace’s eyes filled with tears, but she quickly wiped them away. “I just want him home. For the baby’s sake, and I don’t want to do this without him.”

“You’ve got my word,” I said, my voice low but firm. “I’ll find out what happened to him.”

I’d been through this before in Chicago with the gangs and overlords. Life was different out here in ranch country, but the actions of Jenkins and his thugs were hardly different from those of the gangs and overlords. First, I needed to do a little recon before I decided what to do next.

After dinner, I excused myself and slipped out into the night.

The town wasn’t far, so I opted to go on foot, moving silently through the shadows.

My nanite armor activated with a thought, enveloping me in a protective layer of matte black.

It absorbed the moonlight, making me nearly invisible in the darkness.

When I arrived, the town was eerily quiet. Most of the buildings were dark, but a few had faint lights spilling from their windows. Jenkins’s mansion, perched arrogantly on the highest hill, was lit up like a beacon.

I moved through the back alleys, my enhanced hearing picking up snippets of conversation here and there.

“...another shipment goes out tomorrow. Jenkins doesn’t want any delays. ”

“Did you hear about the Lawrence girl? Still holding out. Now she’s got a cyborg there, sticking his nose into things.”

“Doesn’t matter. Jenkins will get what he wants eventually. He won’t care about a cyborg.”

I cataloged the voices, faces, and locations. Every detail could be useful later. I processed this speaker probably had no idea what a cyborg really is, or he would know my presence would be worrisome to Mr. Jenkins.

Slipping closer to Jenkins’smansion, I crouched near an open window. Inside, two men were arguing over a map spread across a table.

“She’s tougher than we thought,” one of them said. “But she’ll break. They all do eventually.”

“Jenkins won’t wait forever,” the other replied. “If we can’t make her cave, he’ll take what he wants by force.”

I clenched my fists, a surge of anger bubbling up. These men were cowards, preying on those who couldn’t fight back. But I’d make sure they regretted it.

For now, I’d seen enough. Slipping back into the shadows, I began the trek to the farm. Tomorrow, we would prepare to defend the ranch in earnest.

It was late when I slipped back into the barn to change back into my clothing.

Despite the chill in the air, I noticed Hanna standing on the front porch, staring out into the night.

Leaving the barn, I walked toward the ranch house, deliberately scuffing my boot sole across the dirt on my approach so as not to startle her.

“Evening, Hannah! Would you like some company?”

“I would.”

“I figured we should probably talk about how you want this to go down.”

“You mean us?”

“Exactly.”

“Well, I thought we would get to know each other and go from there.”

I moved directly in front of her and raised my hand to caress her cheek with my fingers. “You are even more beautiful than I could have hoped for.” I pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. “May I kiss you?”

“You don’t waste any time, do you?” Her eyes sought mine in the dim light, and her lips parted.

“I’ve waited my whole life for this.” Curling my hand around the nape of her neck, I leaned in and pressed my lips to hers lightly. She made a little sound in her throat and rested her hands at my waist, kissing me back.

I meant only to give her a light kiss, but as she moved her lips against mine, I couldn’t make myself pull away. Pulling her against me, I held her face between my hands and deepened the kiss. Had she resisted, I would have let her go.

Hannah pressed against me and held on as our tongues did a slow, sensual dance. We kissed until we were both panting, and my cock was hard as a rock against her belly.

“Wow, that was pretty spectacular,” she said with a soft chuckle. “Do things usually go hot this fast?”

“That’s what I’m told.” I leaned my forehead against hers and rubbed her back, scenting her arousal. “I think we will do just fine together.”

“You want to breed now?” She sounded a little breathless.

“As much as my next breath—but know that I will never force you. The scent of your arousal says your body wants to.”

She tilted her head back to meet my gaze and sighed. “Oh, I do, but I am not ready to be pregnant.”

“Already taken care of. My nanites will suppress my sperm until I reprogram them. We need time to bond before we make offspring, and we need to stop Jenkins and find out what happened to your brother.”

“Omigod, I’ve never felt like this before. What are you doing to me?”

“It’s our pheromones. They are amplifying our natural attraction to each other because we are genetic mates. We can resist, but neither of us will get any sleep if we do.”

Her mouth opened, but she said nothing; she was just staring up at me.