CHAPTER EIGHT
Axton watched the neon green leak away from Xenia’s eyes. And a glowing red take them over.
Fuck. He’d known something had been wrong when she’d interfaced with the Sync in his office, but he’d ignored it.
Again, he’d missed something important and he’d failed her.
She eased her arm off a little. “Now, I must select the best way to kill you. I believe my knife would make too much mess.” She raised her other hand. “I think my electrical implants would be best.”
“Xenia, I know you’re in there.Fightthis.”
Her red eyes flashed. “Any humanity is gone, Prime Saros.” She pressed her palm to his neck and zapped him.
Axton’s body jolted. The pain was outrageous, electricity racing through his body.
He activated the secret failsafe systems that had been embedded in him when he’d become Prime. A secret implant that gave him auxiliary strength when he needed it.
“I’m sorry.” He pushed her off him, and she flew several meters away, slamming into the ground.
He had to find a way to bring her back before he had to hurt her.
If hecouldbring her back.
Damn the fucking Rahl, still messing with his people. And now his woman.
Xenia was back on her feet. She set the Codex aside and flexed her hands. Her face was completely blank. There was nothing of the woman he’d made love to, fed breakfast to, who’d fallen in love with the taste of zhoma-berries.
She charged, moving so incredibly fast. Before he could take another breath, she hit him.
They smashed into the side of a cruisership, then fell onto the dirt. As they wrestled for control, they rolled across the hard-packed ground, sending up a cloud of dust.
Damn, she was strong. She rolled on top, straddling him, her knees digging into his sides. Hard.
Axton fought to draw a breath. His hands were wrapped around her wrists battling to keep those deadly palms away from him.
“You can’t win.” Her tone was as cold as an ice-planet winter.
“Says who?” He used all of his strength boost to roll them. He trapped her beneath him, using his weight to keep her down. He slammed her arms above her head.
Their faces were only inches apart.
“I’ll fight for you,” he whispered. “It doesn’t matter what happens, how hurt I am, I’ll keep fighting.”
Her eyelids flickered. It was brief, he barely noticed it, but it gave him hope his CenSec was in there, fighting for control.
She tried to buck him off, but he gritted his teeth and held on.
Then he lowered his head and kissed her.
She tried to bite him, but he forced her mouth open, pouring everything he felt for her into the kiss.
She stilled, her body rigid beneath him.
He pulled back, his cheek pressed to hers. “Feel, Xenia. Feel all that emotion. I’m planning on falling in love with you, so you have to come back.”
“I am a machine to do the Rahl’s bidding.”
“Fuck that. You aren’t a machine. You aren’t your implants, or your programming. I love your strength and your intelligence, but I also love your softness too.”
