HauntingBlackie by Laurann Dohner Page A

wild as if he were the one with animal genetics and behavior
ingrained in his physical makeup instead of her.
    The blood on her shoulder was visual proof of what he’d
done, along with the taste of her blood in his mouth. He licked his lips,
tasting it there too. He’d been too rough.
    “That is definitely going to scar unless your healing
abilities are better than mine.”
    The smile she gave him stunned him. “I’m yours.”
    It usually would have unsettled him if a woman stated that.
Cyborg women would rather die than hand over any kind of control to another.
Eve wasn’t anything similar to his race, well, other than her ability to heal,
her method of creation and lack of aging. He wanted her and now she wouldn’t
ever leave him. He had a…mate. The tightening in his chest wasn’t caused by the
physical interaction they had just shared but by a strong emotional response.
He evaluated which one it was and decided it had to be satisfaction or possibly
happiness. They were too closely related for him to distinguish.
    The concept of a woman joining her life to his for the rest
of their lives was astonishing but he liked it. He adjusted their positions
until they were curled together on their sides with their bodies still joined.
The desire to keep her close was strong. He didn’t want to withdraw his dick
from her warm body or allow any space between them. She fit perfectly in front
of him with his frame curved over hers. His hand explored her hip, then her
thigh. She snuggled tighter against him.
    “We’ll legally join according to cyborg customs.” He would
double-check first though to make certain Eve couldn’t be considered a cyborg
with her engineered genetics. He refused to share her with another male.
Murderous thoughts filled his mind just thinking about it. “Or perhaps not.”
    Eve glanced back at him and he didn’t enjoy seeing the
suspicion in her gaze, as if she doubted his word that he agreed to be her
mate.
    “It’s best that we don’t if you are considered cyborg by the
council. Females are fewer in numbers and they will assign you another male
besides myself, if that is the case.”
    Her hand clutched his. “What does that mean?”
    “There are always at least two males joined in a family unit
with every female cyborg. The rules recently changed after more of our women
were rescued from a planet where their ship crashed. They used to have at least
three to four men per woman in each family unit. I won’t share you.”
    “I’d kill anyone who tried to touch me. I’m yours. It would
destroy me inside if that were to happen. Mates don’t touch others. It would
make me sick to be touched by someone else and I’d hate it. I’d fight to the
death,” she threatened, panic threading her tone.
    “It won’t happen. You can stop worrying about it.” He
caressed her from her hip to her waist to soothe her fear. She was so soft and
pale skinned. The contrast between their coloring was striking. “We’re mates. I’ll
tear apart any bastard who even considers putting his hands on you.”
    Her gaze lowered to his mouth. “You won’t touch anyone else,
will you?”
    He didn’t like the pain in her expression or the slight quaver
he heard in her voice. “No. I accepted your terms of a relationship bond. Mates
are for life, correct?”
    “Yes.”
    “You are the only woman I’ll want.” He was certain of that
after obsessing over her year after year. It stunned him that she was alive and
sharing his bunk. There wasn’t a chance he’d ever give her up. “I’ll make
arrangements as soon as it’s convenient to assure our future.”
    “What does that mean?”
    He mentally went over a list then repeated it for her
benefit. “My living arrangements on Garden need to be updated to fit your
needs. I don’t want us housed in a council building any longer.” He still had
questions about their actions when they’d escaped Earth. The council members
responsible would pay for what they’d