His expression softened at her question, the pulsing lights playing across his face, and she watched in awe as his mouth parted in answer…
“Of course you can! But not with him,” Raphael said with mirth before yelling at one of the angels behind him. “Michael, get Hysterian.”
Zeph’s eyes snapped to their host. “Janet stays with me, Raphael, or we walk, ship or not.”
“What? You don’t trust me?” Raphael cackled. “How charming, because you obviously contacted me in your hour of need, and at any moment, I could notify the authorities.”
Janet laughed.Shut up, Zeph. You’re going to lose us a ship.Shescooted forward on her seat and away from his distracting tickling. “He’s just on his green period. We’re very much looking forward to doing business with you.”
“Boss,” Michael said, returning from his task. “Hysterian saysfuck you.”
Raphael’s exuberant, annoying smile died as he tilted his head up to look at the balcony.
Zeph’s fingers caught her hair and tugged it back. Her skin flushed with heat. Her heart ramped to the beat. She swatted him away and pulled her hair over her shoulder.
She snuck a look at him over her shoulder, but he was also staring upward. Janet’s brow furrowed and she followed their gazes. A man leaned over the glittering railing, looking directly at their group. He was a spotlight among a throng of people, dressed from head-to-toe in a white, skin-tight latex suit. Even his face was covered, with only shadows to indicate features beneath.The other Cyborg.She’d know Zeph’s kind anywhere now.
Janet squinted when the lights dimmed, but the Cyborg was gone in the next disco flash.
She tore her eyes away and looked back at Raphael, who was yelling out orders to his angels while waving a gun.
Zeph’s hand clamped around the back of her neck and squeezed. “Time to go.”
“Why? No. Let me handle this,” she said out before taking a large gulp of her drink. She slammed her glass down and shook off Zeph’s hand, gritting out, “You promised.”
His expression turned murderous, his face darkening, his skin radiating small patches of unusual colors. The roots of his hair went straight black. Janet pressed back, her throat constricting from the sudden change occurring before her.It’s happening so quickly.The pounding music thundered in the space between them, making her pulse erratic.
“We need this ship,” she said, taking his hand between hers, urging him to hear her words. “Don’t let this get to you. Remember what you told me? It’s all an illusion.”
A small tendril of green emerged in his irises, and she let go of his hand. She rose to her feet and interrupted their host’s tirade by stepping closer. Luckily, none of the angels were dead yet.
“Raphael, I hate to throw myself in the middle, but it’s been a very long, very rough week for me, and Zeph is seeing everyone as an enemy.”
Raphael sneered at his men then turned his face toward her. “One can only imagine. Not many can control one of his kind and live to tell others. What’s your secret, love? And don’t tell me you’ve got a magic cunt.”
Zeph surged to the other side of the table and grabbed Raphael by the neck, lifting him into the air. Raphael’s angelic minions hesitated before drawing and cocking their guns.
Goddamnit.
“Don’t!” Janet yelled just as the lights dimmed overhead, creating a pulsating, chaotic strobe. The guns and the glasses glinted everywhere as she threw herself down onto the floor in front of her seat, covering her head. Gunfire went off and she wrenched her eyes shut, vaguely aware that almost no one was screaming but her.
Somebody caught her ankle, making her scream louder. She tried to kick the hand away but it tightened and dragged her across the floor, away from the gunfire. Her dress slipped up past her waist and her skin chaffed. Janet grasped at the feel of the cold ground against her flesh before she was suddenly hefted into the air. She closed her hands into fists, striking out at whoever had her.
The lights went from white to red and blue, disorientating her further. There were bodies moving everywhere but they all blurred together. She was spun around. No one stopped what was happening to her. No one cared.
Janet cried for Zeph but her voice was drowned out by the music.
She was twisted further just as she was about to scream for Zeph again. Her body collided against the hard wall of her captor’s chest, knocking the air out of her. She struggled away and tried to turn back to the dance floor, but her kidnapper forced her to look at him.
She stared into the latex-covered face of the Cyborg that had been on the balcony. Her body went rigid as he held her uncomfortably close. Janet stilled.
“He’ll kill you,” she rasped, jerking out of his grip.
“He can’t.” The voice that came out was low and clear despite the loud music and the material covering his mouth.
“Who are you?”
“Hysterian,” he answered.
