Melting Iron

"What the hell is wrong with you? You could have killed us all!" His voice was harsh and deep.

She blinked at him but said nothing as she evaluated her injures. Her shoulder hurt, her hip throbbed, her arm hurt from where the cyborg had gripped it to throw her out of the way and her body ached from the hard landing. She struggled to sit up, to give him the dirtiest look she could manage while in pain.

"That was the damn plan."

He actually growled. Anger turned the light metallic-gray tone of his skin darker around his cheeks. His full lips slammed together when his furious gaze went to the downed cyborg while he moved toward the man. The cyborg's large boots boomed as he stomped across the deck to kneel and feel for a pulse. His head jerked up and his dark blue eyes glared into Dawn's.

"If you'd killed him, they would demand your death on Garden. Don't ever take a risk like that again. You belong to me." He straightened, his fists balled at his sides. "Do you understand me? You are mine and you will obey me."

She stared at him in shock. "What?"

"You heard me."

A sob broke the silence as Dawn stared at the enraged male glaring at her. Dawn turned her head to stare at Cathy. The woman was huddled in the corner, staring back at her, making her want to flinch at Cathy's terrified and horrified expression, both emotions directed at Dawn.

"Why?" Cathy's voice broke. "Why did you try to kill us?"

Regret twisted Dawn's gut as she studied the na�ve girl. "They aren't pirates, Cathy. They are cyborgs. I didn't want you to suffer. Please don't look at me like I'm a monster. I was only trying to do the humane thing for us both."

"I don't understand. You said they were going to ransom us. You're insane." Cathy's tear-filled gaze flew to the cyborg. "Please put me in the other cage away from her. She's lost her mind."

The downed cyborg groaned and lifted his chin, reaching for the side of his skull while rubbing the back of it. He shook his head and then tensed. For a big man he could move fast. He was on his feet in a heartbeat. He glared at Dawn and then his gaze took in the scene in the cargo area. He turned toward the redheaded cyborg.

"Iron, she attacked me. What happened after I was out?"

"She opened the blasting doors, used the crowbar to jam them and then used the cutting torch to breach the outer hull in the docking port." The redhead glared at the other man. "She damn near killed us all. How the hell did she get the drop on you? She's tiny."

"She can fight." The man glared at Dawn. "Attack me now, human. I am prepared so you won't fool me twice with your small body and weak appearance."

"Shut up, Vollus," Iron snapped. "She got the drop on you and we all damn near died. The hull is compromised so the docking doors are useless until we repair them." His focus landed on Dawn. "What I want to know is how you got those doors open in the first place. You aren't big enough to drag his body to the scanner and you don't have access to open the doors."

Dawn crossed her arms over her chest and pressed her lips tightly together. She wasn't going to tell him a damn thing. He could just--

Cathy sniffed. "She repairs everything on Vonder Station and fixes the planting equipment that is sent down to the planet. She's the mechanic. She is also good with electronics. She can get any door open."

"Be quiet, Cathy." Dawn got to her feet, shrugging off her injures, sure they were just a few bruises. "They don't care about that. They just care about how healthy we are. They are cyborgs."

"I don't understand," Cathy whispered.

Dawn turned to glare at the redheaded cyborg named Iron. "How about we make a deal? You make deals, don't you?"

The man cocked his head as his eyes narrowed. "You want to make a deal?"

She nodded. "If you let her go safely and alive, untouched and totally as is, I'll repair anything wrong on the Rally. I'll work for you if you swear you won't harm her. I'm really skilled." She paused. "I can patch the hole I just created."

He frowned. "We do our own repairs. We don't need a mechanic."

Dawn wanted to curse. "All right. How about this? You and I will fight. If I win, you let her go."

The big redheaded cyborg blinked. His mouth opened and a deep chuckle escaped his lips. "Is this a human joke?"

Dawn shook her head. "No joke. If I win the fight, you let her go unharmed."

"We have no intention of--"

Iron cut the other cyborg off. "Shut up, Vollus." He grinned, shaking his head. "I have no interest in beating up a fragile human in an unfair fight. One hit and you'd be in a med bed."

Frustration welled in Dawn. "Name what you want for her life."

"They are going to ransom us," Cathy said. "You told me that."

Dawn turned her head to eye Cathy. "I lied. I didn't want you to know what they were really going to do to you. They are cyborgs. They..." She sighed. "It won't be good, okay? I tried to prevent it but that plan didn't work out." She turned her head to glare at Iron. "Name what you want for her life. Is there any humanity left in you? Look at her, she's only a child really and she's a good kid. She doesn't deserve to die out here like this."

Iron wasn't amused anymore. He arched a brow. "And you do deserve to die out in space?"

Dawn hesitated. "I've learned all the risks out here and I stayed knowing what I was facing. She's clueless and innocent. Name what you want if you don't want me to do repairs."

Iron tilted his head, watching her closely. "I swear she won't be killed or harmed if you become my personal slave."

Surprise tore through Dawn. She hadn't expected that. "Your slave?"

The big man nodded. "My slave. You follow my orders and do everything I tell you to do." He moved closer, looking down at her. "Everything I want."

"You'll let her go free the first chance you come across another ship heading to a safe port, or Earth, if I agree?"

"No." He shook his head. "But she won't be harmed and she'll live."

Dawn shook her head. "No. That's not good enough."

Iron frowned at her. "That's the deal. She'll be alive and..." His blue eyes glittered with amusement. "She'll stay whole. That's what you're afraid of, correct? That we are going to use your bodies for spare parts? Gut you while you're alive and screaming, to take what we want?"

Cathy gasped. Dawn flinched, swallowing hard. She glared at the cyborg, knowing her bargaining power was almost zilch.

"What will happen to her exactly if I agree to this? I want to know what she'll be in for."

Iron turned his head toward the other cyborg. "You're sexually attracted to the other one, correct?"

Vollus glanced at Cathy. He nodded and looked back at Iron. "Yes."

Iron looked at Dawn. "I'll give her to him. She'll live with him and provide sex but he won't harm her."

Shock tore through Dawn. She stared at the large, alien-looking men. They were big, thickly muscled, and from what she understood, cyborgs were mechanically enhanced. They were basically super humans. They had sex? That was a frightening thought. It put a whole new spin on why Iron wanted her as a slave. She shivered. Did that mean he'd want to have sex with her?

The other cyborg nodded. "I won't harm her."

Dawn looked over the man she'd attacked. He was big, but not as big as the redhead. "Just you? You won't let the other cyborgs at her?"

He shook his head. "Just myself. I will treat her well and I will not injure her in any way."

Cathy sobbed, the sound making Dawn inwardly cringe. It was a better fate than death. The man wasn't going to whore Cathy out, if he could be believed, and he was saying he wouldn't abuse her. Her attention went back to Iron. She found herself nodding. She'd do whatever it took to save Cathy from being cut up.

"Deal."