Reve Read online

  Bren shook her head continuing her stride in search of food. “Nope, food first, talk second.”

  Reve chuckled. “Are you always this way in the mornings?”

  Bren frowned but kept going. “Not for a very long time.”

  Reve wasn’t sure what was different, but something was. He’d turned his emotions back on after leaving her. Unable not to feel them. The female was more animated than before, and she was eager to eat it seemed. He smiled as he rubbed at his chest, he’d been carrying a tightness for a while now and followed her as she rushed along the corridor. Had he made her want to eat again? “Is there a reason we are rushing? Are they likely to run out?”

  Bren laughed, feeling lighter. “No, I’m suddenly starving, and I like a lot of choice and it hot.”

  They entered the refectory and joined the queue. Reve watched as Brenna picked up what looked like a tray and walked behind other’s already in a line. Several people called to her and gave encouraging nods. They were happy to see her. Reve copied her actions and stood behind her. His internal diagnostics told him he was happy to see her so enthusiastic and wanted nourishment.

  Bren reached the counter and pointed to nearly everything in front of her and it was loaded onto a plate. Reve looked on stunned. She wasn’t kidding when she’d told him she was starving! A couple of the servers mentioning it was good to see her eating again. Reve frowned. She’d not been eating? He looked at her again. She was slight but he’d thought that was the irrational human females need for thinness. That the current lack of nourishment was simply due to the attack. This had gone on a lot longer than that.

  Reve frowned. Then they looked to him and he’d pointed to the same things she had, and they loaded him up looking on curiously. It wasn’t hard to see the looks of the interested females. Reve ignored them. He only had eyes for Brenna and walked behind her to sit down. She picked a near empty table and he joined her. Watching as she delved right in. Picking up forkfuls of food and shovelling it in. Reve smiled and attacked his own. He liked a female who knew how to eat.

  Cyborgs had integrated with many races and females over the decades since their birth. Never two the same. Each unique in their own way. Reve continued to eat and gaze at the female that pulled on him. His logic continued to war with his emotions. He knew what this was. He’d heard many of the other Cyborgs complain how it affected them. Not that they did not welcome it. On the contrary, they appeared to find it ….. exciting. Wanted. Needed, even. Finding a possible mate was the biggest challenge of all to a Cyborg. Something new in their long lives. Something, that had never been thought possible for them. It offered much hope. A future, a purpose beyond the fighting.

  That was not to say interacting with the females was easy. Reve huffed as he bit into something that looked like toasted bread. Cyborgs struggled with their logic to the reactions and emotions the females showed them. It was confusing and difficult to rationalise what each situation needed in a response. For Cyborgs who were prepared for everything, this, was an emotional quagmire. Often, it was completely illogical, and he knew of many that had turned off their logic when interacting with their mates. It failed them.

  He finished his food as Brenna started to slow down. Reve tried not to smirk as he picked up his drink and watched her. She wasn’t going to be able to eat it all. But it would be close. She sat back and rubbed her belly, sighing. The sound a reminder of their time together and his cock hardened in response. A relaxed and contented Brenna was …… unusual it seemed, by the looks given to her by those around them. He wanted to fuck her. She picked up her own cup and took a couple of swallows. “Are you done?” he asked her amused. “My cock is hungry,” he told her quietly.

  Bren choked a little on her drink, then shook her head when she saw he was smiling. “I just need a minute for round two,” she told him eyeing what was left on her plate amused. Determined to clear it. Reve didn’t hide the smile that reached his lips.

  Bren brushed some unseen lint from her top. She’d heard his comment about his cock being hungry and wasn’t sure what to do with it. Her body heated. Or maybe she did? She needed a distraction. “How are the negotiations going?” she asked as the two other people at the end of the bench got up and left. She hoped they hadn’t heard him…

  Reve let her ignore him. “Well. The parts for the terraforming equipment are on their way. It is yet to be determined if fixing it is the best way to go, or a completely new system is better suited or more compatible. You could ultimately use both. In the meantime, we have brought oxygen regenerators down from my ship. It is helping in the tunnels.”

  Bren looked up surprised, then stared back at her cup. He guessed she’d not expected that. “A scan of the ore here, indicates its one of the richest that we’ve seen, and we’ve seen a lot. In the Empire, this will be sort after and wanted. It will raise a good price. So will the precious stones. You will be able to buy whatever this world needs to make it a good home and those that want to try somewhere else and see the stars, we can offer transport. We also have several delegations from other Empire worlds that would like to visit and trade here. Once the terraforming is sorted and people can move back onto the land, it will make a big difference to all your lives and if you want it, the Empire can provide security. Have a base here or in orbit or both, rotate our men in and out as we do on other worlds, track other vessels for you, provide planetary security, ensure others are safe to be working with and deal with any that are not so safe. The Empire can offer much to new worlds but, it is up to you to decide how much or how little you want.”

  “And that’s all you want? The ore in return?”

  Reve looked deeply into her eyes. His hunger on full view. He saw the moment she recognised it and the heat flash up her beautiful neck and across her breastbone and cheeks. He could dismiss the comment or avoid it, but it wasn’t the Cyborg way. His predatory insights ignited, soaring through him. Sparking the most basic of all their natures. He would be who he was. Cyborg.

  “No, that’s not all I want Brenna.”

  Chapter Six

  Bren’s face flared, and she started eating again. This wasn’t a conversation she was ready to hear or partake in.

  “You asked the question Bren.” He told her quietly.

  She knew that. She glared up at him. He was still using that eye mojo on her. She shivered, as her body reminded her of their time together. Her nipples hardened, and her stomach suddenly had butterfly’s. She saw him breath in. Knowing he was scenting her. His gaze became hot and heavy. Looking away she sneered unhappy with her bodies reaction and finished the last of her food. So full she wasn’t sure when she’d be able to move ever again. “I asked what the Empire would want.”

  She could feel his eyes, like they were penetrating her soul. “The Empire will want fair trade in commodities whatever your planet has to offer. We don’t trade in people if that’s what you’re asking. But we will offer a fair price for a fair trade, if it’s offered to us.”

  Bren nodded. “Good to know.” She didn’t know where this would end up but it didn’t take a genius to figure out that their future was with the Empire in some form or other. “When are you meeting with the Council again?”

  “My men are working with your teams. Moving everyone through the med beds is a priority. They are also checking the infrastructure of these tunnels. We can re-create anything you need to reinforce the structure, you already have the ore and the furnaces, so mainly we are supporting with that, adding man power to get it done faster. We’re also upgrading your communications. Linking into a satellite we deployed in orbit, that will bounce and boost your output. With the right equipment, we can offer world-wide communications as well as interspace.”

  Bren nodded. “That’s a lot to start off with.”

  “I have over 300 men on my ship that need something to do. It wasn’t a difficult ask.”

  Bren blew out a breath looking around, suddenly aware of the people around them. Their lives would change for
the better. “Guess not,” she whispered, unable not to notice the women eyeing Reve. There were a lot of them. She had the weird sense of pride to be sitting with him and … annoyance with the women at the same time. Was she jealous? Frowning she saw a couple of her so-called friends, nudge each other and grin in her direction. The action made her uncomfortable. They’d both pursued Robert when he was alive. Married or not. When they got up, she knew they were coming over and cringed. This wouldn’t be subtle. Since their problems had started and life suddenly became more unpredictable, people had started to live for the moment. Not that she blamed them for finding comfort where they could, never knowing if it would be their last time. No, that was a personal matter, she just wasn’t interested in it. It left her cold. They waved and called out making a beeline for her. Bren plastered a smile on her face and acknowledged them. Both sat down, one either side of them.

  Reve watched the emotions flow across his female’s face. She didn’t like the attention or the women coming over. He scented the air. She was angry. He wasn’t sure why.

  “Hi Bren, good to see you out at breakfast, been awhile.” Nema turned to look at Reve, it was predatory. She could already feel Monica’s eyes on him. Bren wasn’t sure she liked it. “I thought the rumour mill was exaggerating but for once, it was right. Robert number 2. He could be his double. I’m sure you don’t intend to keep this one all to yourself.” Nema gave him a winning smile, looking him up and down.

  Bren’s anger peeked. Somehow, she’d forgotten that it had only been a few days since their arrival. People would have heard the rumours. Be intrigued. Want to be in the know. And these two, would want a run at him. Resigned, Bren indicated Reve. “This is Reve. He is a Commander with the Cyborg Empire. The leader of our saviours.” Nema continued to grin and moved closer to Reve. Bren barely held onto her eye roll. It was a predictable move.

  Reve’s systems showed he was irritated at the attention the new female was giving him. Her tone was coveted. Every instinct and his logic told him to warn her off. She was too near and too obvious in her attentions. Reve also didn’t like the reaction his female was having to the new arrivals. It upset and angered her. She didn’t like it either. Reve moved up along the bench giving him some space. “It would appear that the general information on my people has not been circulated as yet. We do not respond well to unwarranted attention.”

  Reve’s tone was so cold Bren could feel the chill across the table. Nema looked like she’d been struck, and Monica was blinking like a confused crazy woman. Bren watched Nema recover quickly and double down. She wasn’t one to give up easily, Bren knew that only too well and could see the calculation going on. “How do you know its unwarranted, when we’ve barely been introduced?” she purred leaning towards him. Reve moved further away from Nema, hooking his leg over the bench and stood coming around the table to stand next to Bren. Nema’s eyes moved between the two of them. Monica recovered to do the same.

  “I know,” Reve told them, “because my DNA tells me who is compatible with me and it is not you.”

  Both females looked surprised. Then looked at Bren. “What’s he talking about?” Monica asked.

  Bren sighed. She had a feeling she’d be saying this over and over again for a long time. “They’er, are built differently to human men. Part machine. Part computer. Part organics. Their systems work differently to ours. They have nano’s that work with the computers in their brains. Runs diagnostics, keeps them in peak performance, heals wounds and on a DNA level can sense a compatible female. They can also scent one. You are either it or you’re not. No compromise, no mind changing, that’s it.”

  Nema looked at her with distain. “That takes the fun out of things.” Then looked up at Reve. “He’s not like Robert is he?”

  Bren shook her head. “Nope. He might look like him a bit, but that’s where it stops. Robert was a healer…. Reve ….. “

  “Is a killer.” He finished for her. She glanced up at him a little surprised. That had been harsh even for a Cyborg. Both women moved back a little. His comment didn’t affect her like that, but she knew it for what it was, a warning.

  “What if they never find that person?” Monica asked belligerent.

  Bren shrugged. “Then they keep looking.”

  Monica looked shocked. “That could take decades.”

  “They have ships that move faster than anything we’ve ever known in our history and live very long lives. No one knows just how long. If it takes decades, it’s nothing to them. They will find the one or not, either option they appear to be able to live with.”

  Nema looked like she needed a drink. “That’s crazy. He doesn’t look that old.”

  Bren shrugged again. She could sympathise. “And yet it’s the truth.”

  Nema looked up at Reve again. “How come he looks like Robert?”

  A pang of sadness hit her. Reve gripped her shoulder, like he felt it too. The warmth of his hand strangely comforting. “That is easy to explain,” he told them. “Earth Corp stole all your family’s DNA and experimented with it and others like you for decades.” Bren could see they both looked shocked. It wasn’t common knowledge yet. “They wanted a weapon better than the average soldier. Then they created us for war. Combined DNA, made us stronger, bigger, faster, added cybernetics and computers and we are the result. Robert is the first of those who look so similar that it has caused confusion. It was a logical next step for us. At some point, we were likely to find humans that looked like us.” Bren could imagine the confusion to any family members and was glad that both Robert and her were only children. His mother and his extended family were enough to deal with.

  Nema stood. Monica scrambled to her feet behind her. “Ok well put us down for a couple if they come our way. I’d love a chance of something like that.” She smirked turning walking away.

  Bren rolled her eyes as they both walked across the room and then spotted several of Roberts relatives gathering in a corner of the room. They must have heard Reve was here. Bren swallowed as Roberts mother came running in. It was like thinking of her and brought her there. Sonja looked between the group and then over to them. Her shock evident. Bren slowly stood up and Reve let go of her shoulder, as she turned to him. He looked down at her. “Roberts mother is here so are his family. They see you as an extension of him and will want to speak with you, get to know you. Are you ok with that?” He gave her a slow nod. Bren worried her lip. “I’ll speak with them now and try to explain. Can you go back to my office and I’ll bring them with me. It’s not a conversation to be had here.” Reve gave her another encouraging nod, turned and left. Bren looked back at the group. Roberts mother’s eyes following Reve from the room.

  Reve could feel and scent the emotions flowing from his female. She was anxious, worried, sad, concerned for what she must now do and what she must say. She was worried for the older female too. Her emotions had spiked when she’d come rushing into the room. A scan of her features told him she was likely Roberts mother, before Brenna had confirmed it. Other relatives had close family traits. A sense of identity settled over him. It was not unwelcome. And not at all logical. There was no reason for him to have any connection to the older female, but it persisted. As he left the refectory, he understood it was a quandary he would soon have to face.

  Making her way over, was harder than she thought possible. Memories of the times they’d tried to help her surfaced and she couldn’t hold back the sense of betrayal. As she reached them, Sonja, Roberts mother reached out and grabbed for her hands. Tears in her eyes. “He’s come back to us. It’s a miracle Brenna,” came her choked, hushed voice.

  Bren swallowed and held onto her hands tightly. All her own emotions flying to the surface as she looked at his aunts and uncles, nephews standing around them. She didn’t have any of that. Single children marrying for the last couple of generations left only her on her side. She shook her head. “You should all come to my office. He has agreed to meet you.”

  Reve waited for Br
enna to come back to her office. Logic told him that Roberts family would be curious and emotional. They would link him to Robert. Look for similarities. Elements that he was Robert, but he wasn’t, and he’d have to be clear on that and it might hurt them. Only time would tell just how much of Robert existed in his mixed DNA. They had no files on this. As far as his records showed, he was the first to encounter a predisposition to a living human or in this case a recently deceased one with family still living. Reve opened his neuro net and connected with the ship.

  Message to Admiral Rage. I have encountered the first known link to our DNA. The male is deceased and the family still living. I am to meet with them shortly. End Message.

  Bren opened her office door and walked straight in with a line of extended family members cautiously standing behind her. She found Reve standing by her desk and she moved to stand next to him. It seemed right to stand with him, as Roberts family members piled in and someone closed the door behind them. For several moments no one said a thing. The atmosphere strained. Several family members looked from Reve to her and back again, she guessed, not quite believing what they were seeing. Slowly Sonja moved out from behind a male family member and walked forward towards Reve. It was clear they were trying to protect her.

  Reve moved out from the side of Brenna’s desk to stand next to her. She held her breath not sure how this would play out. Tears were running down Sonja’s face as she looked at Reve and wrung her hands in front of her. Then slowly she moved towards him, lifting her arms. “I have a son I never knew I had,” she whispered and walked into his embrace.