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  Bryn got up and stalked back to her room; she couldn’t wait to finish this process.

  The next day took her through university and all the parties where she kept an eye out for women who were being preyed upon and her subtle way of getting them out of harm’s way.

  She moved from uni to prison, and finally, the ship where she was cowering in the darkness and her urge to kill those who dared to try anything.

  As she killed them, she imagined her sister’s rapist and that was what she was still there to confront.

  Bryn lay exhausted in her room, wondering what the hell they could have in store for her tomorrow.

  The Brothers surrounded her, and their group walked to a pond filled with coiling mists.

  “Bride Bryn, step into the pond and inhale the mists. They will assist you in your final phase.”

  Bryn was hungry, exhausted, dehydrated and irritated. She wanted to get this over with and get back to training.

  She sloshed into the water, and the Brothers circled her on the edge of the pond. Their eyes glowed through the mist, and she inhaled as ordered.

  Her world spun, and she felt her legs give way under her as the Brothers took her to every place in her mind that caused her pain and showed her what they had in common. Each moment that she was filled with rage, she had been alone.

  Her body began to encroach on her mind. She was sinking. Water was creeping up her body, and panic was setting in. She tried to cry out, but the Brothers held her fast.

  She twisted to the left and right, trying to fight free, but it was no use. She was sinking into the pond, and she was alone once again.

  “Bryn! What are you doing?” Surat splashed in and caught her up; he held her close and left the circle of the Brothers.

  “What did you do to her?” He laid her on the ground, and he was checking her vitals. She couldn’t speak.

  One of the Brothers spoke. “There is a mild paralytic in the mist. She was made completely vulnerable for the first time in her adult life, and it has started a cascade of memories in which folks came to help her. Well, your rescue did that.”

  Bryn was indeed trapped in her mind, remembering every moment when she had been alone and helpless and that someone had always come for her.

  Even during her time alone in the ship, she had talked to the inactive bot because she could almost feel him with her. She had depended on knowing that he was somewhere safe while she figured out how to save herself.

  Now that she was trapped in her own body, she recognized that she was no longer alone. She had a partner now, and Surat would not only protect her, he would avenge her.

  As she lay helpless, he had already taken out two of the Brothers.

  The first thing to move on her body was the small smile she managed as the therapists and tormentors went flying.

  Chapter Eight

  Surat carried her and their bags back to the ship. Her legs still weren’t properly mobile, and the Brothers had ordered them to leave.

  “Well, that was both very successful and very peculiar.” Bryn smiled.

  “I doubt that they will forget us any time soon.” Surat chuckled. He flexed one of his hands before he put it back on the control bar.

  “Is that going to cause trouble for you or me?”

  “No. The Brothers could have easily outnumbered me and restrained or injured me. They allowed me to work off my frustrations.”

  Bryn felt relief and paused to analyze if there was anything else there. Nope. Just relief. A tiny bit of amusement but not much.

  She wiggled her feet and enjoyed the sensation returning to her toes.

  “Do you feel better, Bryn?”

  “I do. I have dealt with a few things and acknowledged a few more. I will get better with time.”

  “Good. As long as progress has been made, it was worth it. Of course, you are going to have to watch your meals for the next few days. They kept you weak to make it easier to lead you through your memories.”

  “That makes a certain amount of sense.” She sighed and ran her hands through her hair.

  He set the ship on automatic and moved away from the controls. To her surprise, he pulled her onto his lap and pressed his head to her shoulder. He inhaled deeply, and a shiver went through him.

  Bryn closed her eyes and relaxed against him. When he lifted his head, she turned toward him, touched his neck and pulled his head toward hers.

  The kiss was a little awkward at first. She had kept her eyes closed, and her targeting was off. After the first collision, she leaned back and nipped his lower lip with hers, focusing on his position.

  She carefully shifted until she was kneeling across him, her knees on the edge of his chair. Bryn opened her eyes and found his amused gaze locked with hers.

  “I am glad you decided to open your eyes, Bryn.”

  She held the sides of his jaw, and she kissed him quickly. “It was self-defence. I thought if I made eye contact, you would turn me away.”

  He placed his hands on her waist. “Never.”

  Bryn held onto him with only her hands and lips touching him. After she got further into the idea of contact, she moved her hands down the snug fabric of his tunic.

  He felt warmer than the bot body had by thirty degrees. The slabs of muscle were very similar, though more yielding. When she stroked his erection with her fingertips, he shuddered.

  “Bryn, I don’t think that is a good idea.”

  She smirked and nibbled her way down his jaw. “Why not?”

  “Because your ass is an inch away from overriding the autopilot, and there is nowhere on this ship to continue this exploration.”

  She sighed and put her hand back on his shoulder. “Fine. Three more hours, right?”

  “Correct.”

  She slumped against him. “This is going to be a very long trip.”

  He pressed a kiss to her cheek. “You have no idea.”

  She chuckled. “If I had to make a guess, I would say nine inches or so.”

  He groaned and kissed her neck. “This is going to be a very long trip.”

  She chuckled and slumped back into his lap, careful not to hit anything she wanted for later.

  They sat cuddled together as the ship returned them to the city.

  “Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?”

  Bryn growled and gripped the controls. “How do I know? This isn’t my bloody planet!”

  “It is now. There you go, ease up on the speed and follow the beacon. Let the ship tell you what it wants.” Surat sat next to her, and he watched over her lesson.

  She wished that he was paying more attention to their destination.

  Bryn was sweating profusely as she finished their trip over the city, and she brought the ship down on the Bride quarters.

  Her knees were weak, and her spine was a noodle when she left the ship with Surat laughing his ass off.

  Bryn listened to him chuckle, and she fought her own smile. She had managed to land the equivalent of a two-person plane on top of a building with half an hour’s worth of practice.

  She was in desperate need of a shower and possibly a hot bath.

  “Surat, now that I am out of training, do I still get massages when I am tense?”

  He put his hand on her back as they left the lift and headed for her quarters.

  “You are not out of training. This is your first true day as a Bride, and you have had five days of inactivity. You really need a workout.”

  She swatted at him, but he caught her hand.

  “I am flesh and blood, not a bot.”

  Bryn blushed as their approach opened the door to her quarters. She groaned and started to peel off her clothing.

  “Feeling warm?”

  “I need a shower, a meal, a bath and possibly a massage. Oh, and a good night’s sleep.”

  Surat sighed, “Fine, we will reserve the return to training for tomorrow.�
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  She grinned and fought her way free of her tunic. The boots came off with some yanks, and she slammed into the doorway of the bathroom as she got it off. The pants peeled off with difficulty, but then, she was naked, and she wandered into the shower for a full blast of light.

  She wished that Earth had solar showers. They would save so much time and water.

  Fresh and clean, if still sleepy, she wandered out of the bathroom. Surat wrapped her in a wide-sleeved robe before he retrieved her meal out of the dispenser.

  They sat together and ate in silence. Bryn was too tired to do more than finish her serving, brush her teeth and head for bed.

  The light was fading outside, and she couldn’t face trying to do anything else.

  Surat rolled her over, eased her out of her robe and stood next to her. Before she could think to ask what he was doing, he started a massage that started on her shoulders and worked down her arms to ease the bruise she had made on her bicep.

  She slowly slipped into the exhaustion that the Brothers had fostered.

  Bryn woke in the middle of the night with her heart pounding and tears in her eyes. She shook in panic until Surat rolled over and wrapped his arm around her. She wasn’t alone. She didn’t need to take action.

  With her panic settled, she resolved to resume her rest until she realised that the body pressing against her back was naked. It was definitely different from sleeping with bot-Surat watching her. There was far more promise for the morning.

  She woke early and turned in his arms, pressing kisses along his shoulder and working to his neck.

  Bryn felt the flexing of his muscles under her lips, and she stifled her smile and kept working on him. She squirmed and moved up until she was face to face with him. “Morning, Surat.”

  In the dim light, she could make out his smile as he crushed her lips to his.

  His hands moved over her with the practice of his bot’s knowledge of her body and sensitive areas.

  Bryn twisted into his hands and parted her legs. He stroked carefully over the curve of her belly and between her thighs. His touches were light and deliberate, stroking upward and trailing downward in a teasing pattern.

  He slid his fingertip into her moisture and spread it around in a slow circle.

  Her kiss became a little violent as she bit at his lips while her heart pounded and her blood rushed through her at a hectic pace. She wanted him inside her, wanted him to rush, but she didn’t want to ask.

  He continued to tease her, and she felt the surge of wetness that was trying to entice him inward.

  She heard her voice whisper, “Fast please? Slow next time?”

  He didn’t laugh. Surat shifted over her, and he moved between her thighs, lodging the head of his cock inside her. She arched upward, and he eased in. It was what she had guessed in the ship. He was larger than any previous lover, but he was going to fit her just fine... eventually.

  Bryn breathed shallowly as he worked into her. Her breasts rose and fell in short jerks as she tried not to move until her body had relaxed.

  Surat moved in with slow motions, and he stroked her hair. “Not that fast, I am afraid. This is going at your own pace.”

  She looked into his eyes and reached up. “Good plan. Go at your own pace.” Bryn caressed his cheek and pulled a lock of hair out, twisting it around her finger before trailing her finger down his chest.

  “That is a little dangerous considering your position.” He moved into her a little deeper.

  “Well, if I wasn’t sure what I wanted, I would have let you sleep in.”

  He laughed and began to rock his hips, shifting into her with every motion. “I wasn’t asleep.”

  The trill of sensation deep inside her amplified itself as he thrust into her fully. She sighed raggedly in relief.

  Her palms and the soles of her feet heated as he moved into her; she lifted into him and pulled herself upward, holding onto him while they worked at each other with increasing speed.

  The warmth of friction spilled outward, and she bit down on his shoulder. She moved a hand between them and stroked her clit until the inner heat filled her completely.

  Her body was warm and radiating heat from the inside out as she fought her way to climax.

  He wrapped his arms around her and stood. She whimpered in frustration. “What are you doing?”

  “I believe I am doing you.”

  She felt the cold of the wall at her back, and she squeaked. He pinned her, and her body weight was pressing her onto him completely. He rocked his hips upward, and the breath left her lungs.

  The thrusts turned to a rapid pummelling that took her the rest of the way to her orgasm. She screamed, clawed at him, and her legs locked around him, holding his hips tight.

  She shook violently, and he jerked into her again, setting off another wave of inner convulsions. Surat’s groan was murmured against her throat as he pressed upward and held her tight as he shuddered.

  He grunted and bit her lightly on the neck.

  She threaded her fingers through his hair, pulling his head up so she could kiss him. “Good morning, Surat.”

  He nudged his nose against hers. “Good morning, Bryn. Since you are up, you had best shower and get dressed; your training continues today.”

  She sighed and drummed her fingers against his skull. “Just one problem with that.”

  “Yes?”

  “You have me pinned to the wall.”

  “And you have me in a leg lock. Are we playing the observation game?” He waggled his eyebrows.

  She snorted and unlocked her ankles, leaving his cock and hips as her sole means of support.

  He cupped her hips, stepped back and dropped to his back on the bed. She bounced off him and landed against the headboard.

  Before he could reach for her, she had tumbled away and was headed for the bathroom. Sex, shower, breakfast and training. It might just be the start of a new routine.

  Chapter Nine

  “So, Bryn, you completed your treatment with the Brothers?” Lynni was in the gym, and she had volunteered to be Bryn’s sparring partner for the day.

  “I did. Now that I am slightly better adjusted, this won’t be quite as dangerous for you.”

  “Your mind made quite an impression on them.” Lynni ran next to her as they finished their final lap.

  “Did it?”

  “Yes, they have requested a Bride of their own, but as the only one coming is spoken for, they have requested a Terran with Lrrko adjustments.”

  “No way. So, what will happen when you tell them no?”

  Lynni chuckled. “Who says we will tell them no? If they will give her rights of reproduction and full citizenship and she comes as a Volunteer, what is the issue?”

  Bryn frowned. “The Lrrko are a little on the aggressive side.”

  Lynni smiled. “That they are. Now, hand to hand?”

  Surat looked over and shouted, “No!”

  Lynni’s Familiar, Leko got up from the conversational pose he had been holding with Surat.

  Bryn looked at Lynni. “I thought she was a Lrrko, too.”

  Surat came up to her and smiled. “All Lrrko have their specialities. You can practice against me or a bot when it comes to hand to hand. You and Lynni can practice with long-range weapons.”

  Lynni shrugged. “Throw daggers or archery?”

  “Dagger throwing sounds like fun.”

  The Familiars went to set up for them.

  Lynni whispered, “So the file was correct, you broke your bot with your fist.”

  “I fixed him, too, but he measured the impact strength of my punch, and I guess that isn’t your skill.”

  Bryn watched as the guys set up the targets and brought the knives over. “What was it that made you send me to the Brothers, by the way?”

  “You insisted on your pardon. You wanted to be acknowledged for your action, and you wanted it forgotten in the same reque
st. It was quite the strange combination for someone who had no family left on Earth and no one to leave behind. You were the only one who cared, and it was why you cared that caught my attention.”

  Bryn summed it up. “So, I was fucked up.”

  “Pretty much.”

  Surat took Bryn aside and explained how to throw the daggers.

  Bryn looked to Lynni, and she was already juggling the daggers with a certain expertise.

  “Okay. This should be interesting.”

  Bryn took up her daggers and tested the weight. She looked at the hand position that Lynni was using and mimicked it.

  Leko was standing by, and he smiled. “Bryn goes first.”

  Bryn took aim at the target and focused on the metal in her hand, how it felt, the weight, the balance. She shifted her grip and flicked the dagger instead of throwing it.

  The hilt quivered as it jutted from the centre of the target.

  Lynni stared at the target, and she asked, “How did you do that? Leko, why didn’t you teach me to throw that way?”

  “Lynni, it takes a bit more forearm strength than you have access to. Bryn has that strength. It is her genetic talent.” Leko soothed his Bride.

  Lynni waved Leko off and turned to Bryn, “Do it again.”

  Bryn focused and threw. Her second dagger landed right above the first. She tossed the rest of her six, and they each struck on top of the previous dagger.

  Bryn looked at Surat, and he was looking smug.

  Lynni nudged Bryn with her elbow. “Show me how to do it, please.”

  Bryn took over Lynni’s target practice, and when Lynni finally managed to get one in the target, she dropped to the ground with her left hand clutching her right forearm.

  “Okay, I get it. To do that really hurts if you are not right for it. I will stick to acrobatic combat.”

  Bryn looked at her with curiosity. “I would like to see that.”

  Lynni called out, “Oh, Leko!”

  It was a fun and educational morning. Surat was just as exhausted as she was when they returned to the apartment. Bryn shoved him into the shower first and flopped on her back on the freshly made bed.