She twisted and locked eyes withhim.
Her captain.
Hysterian.
Though his suit came up to cover everything below his eyes, she would recognize him anywhere. Those dark irises, the sharp brows framing the tops of his eyes, and his incredibly pale skin were unmistakable. She was pale herself, but Hysterian was unnaturally so. Like at any moment, he’d go translucent and slip into thin air.
But it wasn’t his skin and eyes that were so recognizable, it was his hair. It was shock white, pulled back from his face and gathered behind his head, falling to an arrow-point at the base of his neck. It was always perfectly kempt, and she didn’t know how he did it.
She couldn’t imagine an indomitable war machine using hair gel.
Hysterian stepped forward, his hair brushing the top of the door frame. He was tall, and built too, because what Cyborg wasn’t muscled? Hysterian wasn’t like a wrestler. He had a ripped, lean way to him. His neck and arms were long, and what she could see of his facial features were sharp and piercing, giving them the appearance of elongation without the uncanniness.
He was one of a kind.
He clearly looked down at them.
Pushing her sudden hatred and curiosity deep within her, she greeted him. “Captain,” she said thickly, nodding her head. His eyes went to her, and she nearly choked on her heart.
“Ms. Dear, Gilmartin, you’re needed in the menagerie. Now.”
“Yes, sir,” both she and Raul said at once, breaking the tense moment.
Hysterian remained in the doorway when Raul tried to leave, refusing to let him pass. Awkwardly, Raul waited for him to move so he could obey the order. Alexa remained behind. She was immobilized under the Cyborg’s gaze.
His cold, black eyes were hard to be under, and Alexa tried not to balk. She summoned her courage and clenched her hands.
It would be better if Hysterian didn’t know she existed. The longer she stayed under his radar, the easier it would be to destroy him. If he saw her coming…she was as good as dead.
His heavy stare bore into her, and as it did, her anxiety grew. Could he read her intentions? Did he see through her mask? Did Cyborgs really read minds?
Alexa’s fear spiked. This was too much, too fast. She wasn’t ready. Her fingers trembled.
No one should be subjected to this murderous Cyborg’s intimidation.
Hysterian stepped aside, breaking eye contact with her, startling her out of her rising panic.
“Raul, you can go now. We’ll meet you in the lab,” he ordered.
“I think—” Raul began.
Hysterian scowled at Raul, and she never saw a man cower so fast. Alexa was sure she’d been cowering a moment ago. Raul gave her an apologetic look as he fled.
It was just her and Hysterian now.
For nearly twelve years, she dreamed of this moment. She was sixteen when she’d discovered her dad’s body. This moment, in her head, was her getting justice, with Hysterian on the floor, waiting for the final blow, unable to stop her.
This momentneverhad her recovering from a near panic attack.
“Captain”—she swallowed, trying not to wither when his gaze returned to her—“what can I do for you?” His pupils jittered, but it happened so fast she couldn’t be sure.
“It’s nice to finally meet you, Dear,” he said, reaching out his hand.
Alexa stared at it.
‘We’re not supposed to get too close.’Raul’s warning fluttered through her head.
Hysterian’s hand was gloved, covered like the rest of him. She recalled rumors about his skin on Elyria…One touch: bliss or death.
