Page 8 of Raven Blackwood (Cyborg Guardians #2)

Raven

The morning air was cool and fresh as the late spring day began.

I stepped onto the porch, tuning my enhanced senses to the world beyond the ranch.

Hannah came out and stood beside me, her body relaxed but her eyes alert.

Although we had only been together for a few days, the bond between us was undeniable.

We had spoken the pledge that tied us, and now there was no going back—nor did I want to.

She handed me a cup of coffee, her fingers lingering against mine for just a moment. She met my gaze steadily. “We have a lot to do today.”

I nodded, sipping the coffee as I scanned the horizon. “We don’t know when Jenkins’s men will return. We need to be ready.”

Hannah nodded grimly.

Making sure that Grace had a safe place inside the house, we spent the morning setting up defenses now that we had repaired all the fencing.

I showed her how to set up the tiny cameras I had brought on my friend Steele Nova’s advice.

These were smart cameras that would ping my CPU if anyone came within range.

Every so often, I would catch Hannah watching me, a thoughtful look on her face. As I caught her eye, my eyebrows rose in askance.

She gave me a slight smile. “Things are different between us now. It feels right to be with you, like you are what was missing from my life.”

“Exactly, because we are genetic mates. We’re two halves of a whole. I feel it, too. Before, everything was about duty and protecting the people, while we rebuilt what the war had destroyed. As close as I am with my cyborg brothers, what I have here with you is amazing.”

There was so much more I could’ve said, but verbalizing those feelings would have made me feel too vulnerable.

Hannah nodded, still smiling slightly, and reached out to caress my arm. I felt pretty sure that she truly understood what I was feeling without me saying the words.

Hannah

Ever since Zach disappeared, I’d felt a little lost without my best friend to depend on.

I love Grace, and we have become close friends, but for half my life, Zach had been my only friend.

The more time I spent with Raven, the more I knew with certainty that applying for a cyborg mate was the best thing I've ever done.

I felt like we were becoming friends already and, on our way, to so much more.

After lunch, we rode to town on Raven’s sky cycle under the guise of trading for supplies.

We stashed his cycle outside of town and walked the rest of the way.

Instead of going in on the main street, we skirted around to the back alley that led directly to the general store.

Old man Wendell glanced at us warily. He was one of the few people in town who hadn’t wholly cowed to Jenkins.

However, he was not foolish enough to openly defy him.

“You two should be careful,” he muttered as he bagged our supplies in the sacks I brought. “Jenkins is mad as hell that your man here stood up to his men.”

Raven's stoic expression didn’t change, but I could feel the way his body tensed beside me. “They shouldn’t have been harassing my female. We’ll be ready for them if they try it again.”

Wendell shook his head and scoffed. “You’d better be because they are not done by a long shot.”

I knew Wendell was right. Jenkins’s men would keep coming back until we stopped them permanently. I didn’t know how Raven planned to do that, but he seemed confident he could.

As we left the store, I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching us. When we were away from town, I voiced my concerns. “How can the two of us possibly fend off twenty to thirty of Jenkins's men?” I asked quietly.

Raven reached for my hand, his grip warm and strong. “You have never seen a cyborg in action.”

That night, as we sat on the porch, Raven said, “I have contacted my sergeant and his superior to let them know the situation here in Brislow. I have instructions to break up their entire operation. That’s exactly what I plan to do.”

I’m sure I gave him a skeptical look, but he seemed so confident that I believed him.

The next morning, I saddled up my horse to herd the few cows we had left to the western pasture.

I was glad I didn’t have to check the fencing because Raven and I had already repaired it all.

It was a good thing because the winter had been harsh, and some of the posts had weakened, leaving openings that could put our cattle at risk.

Raven insisted on coming with me, but I managed to convince him to let me handle it alone for a little while.

It was a small thing, but I needed to prove to myself that I could still take care of my home.

The ride was peaceful at first, the golden morning light casting long shadows across the rolling fields. I was just closing the pasture gate when I heard hooves approaching—more than one rider and fast.

My stomach clenched. I turned just in time to see three of Jenkins’s men slowing their horses as they spotted me. My fingers tightened around the reins, and I forced myself to stay calm.

“Well, well,” drawled one of them, a lanky man with a mean glint in his eyes. “If it ain’t Miss Lawrence, all alone in the middle of nowhere.”

I straightened my shoulders. “What do you want, Colby?”

Colby dismounted, his boots swishing against the dew-covered grass. “Mayor Jenkins sent us to have a little talk. He doesn’t appreciate you playing house with that cyborg freak. It seems you’re gettin’ too bold for your own good.”

The other two stayed on their horses, watching me with expressions that made my skin crawl. I glanced toward the horizon, measuring the distance to the ranch. Too far to run. If I tried, they’d be on me in seconds.

“You can tell Jenkins I don’t answer to him,” I said, keeping my voice even as I climbed back onto my horse. “This is my land, and I’ll do what I please with it.”

Colby took a step closer, his lips curling into a sneer. “That’s where you’re wrong, sweetheart. You see, the mayor figures you need some remindin’ of who’s in charge.”

He reached for me, but I was ready. Before his hand could grab my arm, I kicked him as hard as I could.

He stumbled back with a curse, and I used the distraction to slide my foot back into the stirrup.

I dug my heels into my horse’s sides, urging him forward.

The animal surged beneath me, and I leaned low over his neck as gunshots rang out behind me.

“Get her!” Colby shouted as I sped away.

Dirt kicked up near his feet, but it only made him run faster. I raced toward the ranch, my heart pounding, knowing that Raven would be waiting.

The second I crested the hill, I saw him. He was already moving, his enhanced eyes locking onto me even from a distance. I didn’t have to say a word— he saw the danger, the men chasing me.

I barely had time to slow my horse before Raven was sprinting past me, his black armor shimmering as he moved with inhuman speed. A second later, the first of Jenkins’s men came into view, and Raven hit him like a force of nature.

Colby and the others barely had time to react.

Raven was on them before they could turn their horses, wrenching one from his saddle and sending him sprawling to the ground.

The second tried to aim his rifle, but Raven moved too fast, knocking the weapon from his hands and slamming a fist into his gut.

The man doubled over with a pained wheeze before collapsing.

Colby, to his credit, had enough sense to turn tail and run. He spurred his horse hard, galloping back toward town without a backward glance. The other two men scrambled to mount their horses and followed him.

Raven turned to me, and his expression was fierce. “Are you hurt?”

I shook my head, still catching my breath. “No. They just came to leave a message.”

His jaw tightened. “Message received.”

I slid from my horse and went into his arms, pressing my face against his chest. “They’re scared, Raven. They wouldn’t be pushing this hard if they didn’t see you as a threat.”

He exhaled slowly, his eyes locking onto mine. “Then they will soon learn exactly what kind of threat I am.”

Now that I had seen what Raven was capable of, I began to believe we would be ready for whatever came next.

That evening, about an hour before the sun dipped below the horizon, Raven led me to the barn where he had stored his sky cycle. He took out two blaster pistols, handing one to me as he adjusted the settings on the other.

“You need to know how to protect yourself,” he said. “If I’m not around, I want you to be able to fight back.”

I took the blaster hesitantly, feeling its weight in my hand. It was heavier than I expected, and the grip was cool against my palm. “I’ve never used one before.”

“That’s why we’re going out to the field so that I can show you.” When we got to the field behind the barn, he stepped behind me, his arms encircling mine as he adjusted my stance. “Keep your feet shoulder-width apart. Steady your grip, but don’t tense up.”

I nodded, swallowing hard, the warmth of his body surrounding me. It was a bit distracting as I forced myself to listen to his instructions when all I wanted to do was sink into his warmth. His voice was steady and patient. “Now, line up the sight with your target.”

He pointed toward an old wooden post in the distance. I inhaled deeply, squeezing the trigger. The shot went wide, missing by several feet.

Raven chuckled. “Not bad for a first try. Adjust your aim slightly and try again.”

I took another shot, and this time, the blast hit the edge of the post. A thrill of accomplishment ran through me. “I did it!”

“You did,” he said, pride in his voice and a sparkle in his eyes. “Now, let’s keep practicing.”

But it was hard to concentrate in the face of the palpable sexual tension between us. How could I still want Raven this much when I had him every night? I shook myself mentally and dutifully concentrated on the task at hand.

After several more attempts, my shots grew more accurate. Raven then showed me basic self-defense moves, demonstrating how to break free from a grab and how to throw a proper punch. His patience never wavered, and by the time we finished, my confidence had grown .

As we walked back toward the house, he glanced at me. “You’re a fast learner.”

“I have a good teacher.”

He reached for my hand, intertwining our fingers. “I don’t want anything to happen to you, Hannah. If Jenkins’s men come, I want you to be ready.”

I squeezed his hand, and determination settled in my chest. “I will be.”

Tomorrow, we will continue preparing. But tonight, I felt safer than I had in years. I wasn’t fighting alone anymore. I had Raven beside me, and he was a force to be reckoned with.