Stryker stayed by her side, a hairsbreadth away until the medical examinations finished. Norah didn’t feel any relief when she looked over the reports and saw that she wasn’t sick or infected. Her health was just one more potential impediment to survival.
And with the Cyborg at her side, she felt invincible. She could overcome anything with him beside her.
When she climbed up off the table and back into Stryker’s embrace, it occurred to her that this was the first time in over a week that she had been fully dry. Naked but dry. It was heavenly.
Norah rubbed her hands over her sides, along her chest, and through her hair, absorbing the wonderful smoothness of her skin despite the scratches, bruises, and aches she endured. Just being dry made her want to dance with joy.
“Want to wash up?” Stryker watched her with blue flames in his eyes. She followed him out of the cold room, pulling a lab coat over herself.
“Over my dead body. I’m finally dry, I want to enjoy it for a little while.”
He laughed. “Even If I were to wash you?”
She narrowed her eyes. “Even so.”
Stryker leaned down and settled his forehead over hers. “I would kiss you if I could.”
“You are.” Norah smiled and pushed her temple against his. “These are our kisses.”
She didn’t think he could be any more attractive than he already was but when his eyes went molten and his body puffed out against hers, his heat threatening to burn her up, he destroyed the rest of her reserve and if he asked her, she would follow him into the stars.
The moment was lost when he lifted his head and stilled. She took a step back and eyed the strange mechanical mannerisms of her Cyborg.
“Message update, the city responded. I need to go back to the bridge,” he said, hard and artificial. Stryker had so many facets that she couldn’t keep up with him.
How could he ever choose me?The door to the medical bay closed behind her.I don’t want to let him go.
Norah pushed the self-pitying thoughts to the back of her mind.
“The city that doesn’t exist,” she quipped as she followed him back to the bridge. She continued to rub the softness of her skin where it itched from the healing serum’s effects. It was much slower than Stryker’s ability to heal but was still fast enough to see a difference within a day.
“Officially.” He sat down in the captain’s chair and went still.
Norah walked back to the window and looked out over the storm far below on the planet’s surface. She didn’t think it was her imagination, but it looked like it had gotten worse.
The storm’s eye stared back at her, taunting her to come back to the surface and avenge her teammates. The black and purple mass swirled over half the planet and as she stared back at it, more eyes appeared and the miasma blinked with white electricity.
The longer she watched it, the more she began to relate to it, to see herself in it. Maybe she should go back down? Maybe it was her destiny to be amongst the rage that had surfaced out of nowhere and killed her teammates? It felt wrong to her, frightening, but at the same time, there was a rightness to it.
But their research remained. Norah looked around the bridge before returning her gaze to Axone’s storm.I need to contact EonMed,she thought.Maybe something good can come out of this.
She pressed her head against the reinforced glass and felt the pull of the tempest below her. The image of Robert’s body suit came to mind, the skin weak and sagging against a creature that didn’t belong underneath it.
Norah clenched her hands.
“We have a problem, babe.”
Her tie to the sky was broken. She turned her back on Axone and looked at Stryker.When don’twe have a problem?
“What is it?”
“My IP signature was recently used within my ship but my ship never made it to Ghost.” Stryker eyed her as if he knew the war that raged within her.
Norah felt her fingernails break the skin of her palm. “And?”
“And that means we need to make a detour because the city won’t give me coordinates. I’m already late for my appointments.” Stryker looked away from her before he found her eyes again. “What do you want to do?” he asked. “What do you need?”
The blood pooled under the broken chips of her nails. “Why are you asking me?”
