Taunting Krell (Cyborg Seduction, Book Seven)

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An Excerpt From: TAUNTING KRELL

Copyright © LAURANN DOHNER, 2011

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

 “Bring Krell in,” Sky muttered toward the glass wall to whoever stood behind it. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you, sweetheart. I’m a lover, not a fighter. I can’t stay here to watch this go down. It’s against my nature to see someone hurt a woman.” He straightened and met her gaze. “This is your last chance. Will you answer my questions?”

“I can’t,” she whispered honestly.

“Have it your way.” He paused in front of the door that slid then he disappeared around the corner.

Cyan braced for the worst. She’d never actually seen how they’d trained cyborgs when they’d been in captivity but she’d heard the rumors of what had been done to them. Some of the most brutal soldiers of Earth’s Government had been instructors. Of course they mostly showed cyborgs how to torment someone by doing the same to them. The sound of boots striking metal made her tense. Her attention focused on the open door. Whoever approached seemed angry by the way he stomped. The sound stopped.

“I don’t want to do this.” The harsh, raspy male voice terrified Cyan.

“Sorry, man,” Sky answered, “it’s not my call. She won’t talk and she knows something about cyborgs. We need that information. She’s refused to tell us when and where she had contact with our kind and we need dates to see if we can track them down. She’s a soldier from Earth Government if it helps. You should have seen her fight. She looks fragile but she shoved Onyx’s nuts into his stomach and took Ice to his knees and held a knife against his throat. She’s probably one of the best fighters I’ve seen so watch your crotch and throat.”

The scary voice growled. “Soldier? That helps. That means she’s the enemy.”

That deep, raspy voice sent chills down Cyan’s spine. He sounded terrifying, as if he weren’t a cyborg but more of a demon. His cold proclamation that she was the enemy didn’t bode well for her. She had a bad feeling he had learned a lot from the brutal soldiers who had once had them under their thumbs.

The cyborg who walked into the room had long, free-flowing black hair to his waist. He wore all black leather and his skin was a pale, lustrous silvery shade. She looked at his face. Scars marred his cheek in two places and there were a few more along his jawline. She finally met his gaze. Shock tore through her while she stared into icy blue eyes. Her breath froze inside her lungs and her heart accelerated so fast it felt as if it would pound out of her rib cage.

She would have collapsed onto the floor if she hadn’t been sitting. Her entire body quivered. The cyborg moved into the room enough for the door to close behind him.

“This is Krell,” Onyx informed her. “Humans put those scars on him. I’d stop gawking at him if I were you. He gets angry when anyone gawks. Krell, this is Cyan. At least that’s what she said her name was when we captured her on Belta Station. She claims Earth Government sent her there to investigate the attack on it.”

Cyan wasn’t sure exactly how it happened but one second she sat and the next she stood. She couldn’t take her gaze off Krell. That is his name, she thought, still in shock. Krell. It sounded so mean to her, harsh. She stumbled toward him. His generous mouth curved downward in a grimace and his face hardened into a dangerous expression at her approach but she moved slowly enough not to seem threatening. At least she hoped she didn’t appear that way.

He stood at least six foot seven or so. Due to her five-foot-three height, he towered over her when she paused just inches from him. Her hand shook when it slowly rose. He held still, watched her with contempt and anger, but didn’t strike out at her. She hesitated before her fingertips brushed the scarred side of his face. She couldn’t miss the way his nose flared and the icy blue of his eyes seemed to darken more.

“Admiring the handiwork of your fellow soldiers?” His brutal, rough tone made her jerk. Pure rage emanated from him. He suddenly gripped her wrist but he didn’t tear her hand away.

“Watch her,” Onyx urged. “She’s probably going for your eyes.”

The grip on her wrist tightened painfully but he still didn’t yank her hand away. She trembled hard as she continued to gently stroke his warm, scarred skin. Tears filled her eyes and her other hand opened to press against the leather at his stomach. He growled at her again, gripped that wrist too, but still didn’t push her away. His frown deepened and it seemed that the level of his anger did too as he glared down at her.

Cyan opened her mouth to try to speak but she had to swallow first. She blinked back the tears just to see him clearly. The pain of his grip registered but it didn’t matter. She licked her lips and nearly fell against him when her legs threatened to give out.

“You’re really here. You made it. I thought for sure you’d died.”

The cyborg glanced away from her to shoot an annoyed look toward Onyx. “Is she suffering from head trauma? This isn’t the reaction I expected. Most humans would scream and cower from me.”

“She’s feisty and a trickster. Sky taught me those words. She’s deceptively clever and tends to attack when you least expect it. Watch your nuts. She’ll target them.”

A growl rumbled from Krell as he glowered back at her from his impressive height. “Do it and I’ll snap both your wrists.”

“I remember you,” she breathed. “You’re alive.” Tears slipped down her face. “I can’t believe it. Did Mavo survive? Is he here somewhere? He said you were his friend. I thought the guards had killed you when I saw your bloody body sprawled on that holding-cell floor before the escape.”

His features paled and his eyes widened. Pain shot through her body when her ass connected with the floor. It took her seconds to realize he’d shoved her away from him. She looked up, had to push back strands of her long black hair to see him, and flinched over the pure rage in his icy glare, which was directed at her. Her heart wrenched at his hatred.

She shouldn’t have approached him. She’d just been so stunned at seeing a familiar face. Chances were good if this male had survived then Mavo had as well. She cleared her throat, stayed on the floor, and assessed her injures. There’d be some bruises on her butt but he hadn’t damaged her beyond that.

“Who are you?” Krell shook from fury. “What do you know about me or Mavo?”

“What is going on?” Onyx gasped. “What does this mean?”

“Who are you?” Krell advanced quickly, grabbed Cyan before she could react and viciously hauled her to her feet. Her back slammed into a wall and she found her body pinned by the enraged cyborg. One hand wrapped around her throat while his other arm hooked around her waist to hike her up his body until they were face level. He snarled at her.