Their signals connected as the other Cyborg came into view.
“Let’s get this over with,” Cypher muttered. Vee’s hand tensed in his.
Hysterian sat at a table outside a bar, lounging with his leg hooked over the other, an untouched drink in front of him. Vee’s steps slowed, and he squeezed her hand reassuringly. He knew why she hesitated. No one else looked like Hysterian—and knowing what kind of creature Hysterian shared his DNA with, no one else would ever be like the Cyborg.
They were all unique, but Hysterian especially so. Hysterian was cursed.
Wearing a skin-tight full body suit, he had almost no skin showing. A mask rose over his face from his neck to cover his nose, leaving only his eyes, brow, and hair uncovered. His hair was slicked back, a perfectly cut swathe of white that ran close to his scalp and ended in a point at the back. His skin was almost as pale as the suit and hair, nearly porcelain, and there was no color whatsoever to Hysterian, not even his eyes. His eyes were jet black.
As if the Cyborg had never experienced warmth.
Cypher didn’t doubt it. There was a reason Hysterian covered himself up so thoroughly that not even his mouth showed. Like Stryker, he protected himself so he wouldn’t hurt others. And it wasn’t like Hysterian had the DNA of a creature that preferred the arctic climates of the universe. No shifter Cyborg that thrived in the cold would ever live on a planet like Elyria willingly.
Besides the iciness that Hysterian exuded, he wasn’t a loner like Cypher. His latex-suited brethren had been doing business for a powerful crime lord on Elyria for years, working as a well-paid bouncer for a club known asDimes. A club supposedly always filled with people—human, Trentian, or half-breeds.
Now he was Nightheart’s latest Monster Hunter.
He scanned the area and the crowds around them. There were no women with Hysterian; the Cyborg had come alone, with nothing more than a duffle bag at his feet.
Good.
As long as Hysterian kept his distance from Vee and respected their space, having his brethren on his ship wouldn’t be a problem.
“Hysterian,” Cypher greeted.
Hysterian uncrossed his legs and stood. For a split-second, Hysterian’s eyes bulged slightly and twitched back and forth. But it was over before even Cypher could capture it in his databases. The white-suited Cyborg was tall—taller than Cypher. But unlike himself, Hysterian was lean and wiry. It made sense for the DNA he harbored.
DNA that Cypher thanked the devil’s children that he wasn’t spliced with.
“Captain Cypher,” Hysterian greeted back.
Their eyes met, and they made a connection. It was the reason he wanted to meet Hysterian first, away from his ship—never trust a being until you look them in the eye. Cypher transferred theRepossessed’sdocking site and access stations to Hysterian, allowing his brethren officer status.
Silence fell between the three of them as the data was transferred.
Around them, bystanders looked on, giving their group a wide berth.
When the codes finished downloading in Hysterian’s mind, they stepped away from each other.
Hysterian picked up his bag and hauled it over his shoulder. “I’ll head over there now.”
Cypher nodded. “We’ll meet you there later.”
Hysterian nodded back. “Very well.” He looked over at Vee.
Cypher stiffened.
“I’m Hysterian, a brother of Cypher’s. I’m sure he’s told you about me by now, but whatever he might have said, you have nothing to fear from me. Unlike some of my kind, you’ll find me honorable.”
Vee pulled her hand from Cypher’s and offered it to Hysterian. Cypher stiffened further as Hysterian hesitated and stared at it.
“I’m Vee Miles,” she said. “Cypher probably hasn’t told you anything about me, but I’m honorable too, and you have no reason to fear me. I hope you like cats.”
Hysteria looked at Cypher. “Can I touch her?”
Vee sighed.
Cypher growled, “Briefly.”
