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“Get out of here,” he yelled.

She kept running, aiming straight at him. The Banti were right on her heels.

Heather’s fear-filled gaze flicked to the cyborgs. She raised her electro rods, determination crossing her face as she sped up.

Loka’s eyes widened. She wasn’t stopping. Heather was fighting to protect him.

As she rammed the electro rods forward, the Banti pursuing her slammed into her back. Her carefully aimed electro rods poked into Loka’s side.

“Oh, crap!” He heard the words as he hit the ground. His body twitched from the surge of electrical energy pumping through his system and short circuiting every nerve.

Loka tried to speak, to tell Heather everything was okay, and his heart wasn’t about to burst out of his chest or flat line. Nothing came out. The power of speech had left him, his tongue too swollen to move.

“Loka! I’m so sorry.” The Banti dragged Heather backwards. One either side, pinning her arms behind her back.

Loka could do nothing more than twitch uncontrollably, doing his best not to bite off his tongue.

“Our little human has done the job for us.” The Banti who spoke sounded unbelievably smug.

If Loka could figure out how to get his arms working again, he’d punch him out of the docking bay.

“We have what we want. Cyborgs take him.”

Loka bucked on the floor, trying to put distance between him and the cyborgs. His eyes wouldn’t focus. Nothing worked.

He rolled onto his side, trying to get himself upright, willing his body to cooperate.

A kick in the back by a cold metal foot had Loka sprawled onto his face. He lay there, breath panting out of him, unable to move.

They couldn’t win against the Banti and the station’s cyborgs. He never was a fighter. It was why Loka had chosen science. He wasn’t good enough, not for Heather. He had failed her. Loka should never have believed such an incredible woman had a place in his life.

He’d been wrong to consider her his mate. He should have stuck to the science, kept his head down, and not interfered. He wouldn’t be writhing on the floor, his heart beating too fast and drool sliding from his mouth, if he hadn’t gotten involved.

But what about Heather? If he hadn’t tried to fight, she could already be gone. Sold off to some sick alien bastard who wanted to play with his food.

“Take them to the holding cells.”

“I’m not leaving without him.” Heather’s voice sounded desperate as if she was about to cry.

“She goes in with the other humans. Put the Picar in with those marked for a long spacewalk.” The smug sounding Banti laughed before walking away with his comrades. He left a single Banti and the working cyborgs to supervise.

Gritting his teeth, Loka forced himself to his hands and knees. Another pulse of energy from an electro rod had him back on the ground, twitching and groaning.

“No! Don’t do that,” Heather cried.

Loka struggled in the grip of two cyborgs as they grabbed him under the arms. He twisted as he tried to see Heather.

“If he causes you trouble, get rid of him,” the remaining Banti said.

A hard, cold, metallic fist slammed into the side of his head, and Loka blacked out.

Chapter 15

With a groan, Loka rolled onto his side.

“He lives.” Hoan’s face appeared over him. Although there was a smile on his face, concern filled his eyes.

“Help me up.” Loka ached all over after his unsuccessful fight with the cyborgs. His head spun as Hoan eased him up against a wall. “How long have I been out?”