Page 14 of Her Lawless Prince

Rita motioned with the weapons. “Get back in there, beast. You’ll return to the compression suit if you know what is good for you. Otherwise, we might begin to think you’re more trouble than you’re worth.”

Payton remained shifted as she kept her gaze on the captain. When she finally moved, she kept each step measured to convey that she was in complete control. These captors needed to know she wasn’t scared of them.

She detected the smell of Nyle’s blood but heard his steady breathing and knew he wasn’t in danger of dying from the wound.

“Get me a list of what you need to repair the cyborg, Dr. Nyle,” Rita said when Payton had returned to the room.

“I’m not a doctor,” he answered. “What makes you think I can fix him?”

“If you insist, Cysgodian Nyle, bastard son of an unknown off-worlder and Diana. We know you built him, and we know you can repair him,” Rita said. “Get me the list of what you need. I don’t want to kill the shifter, but if you force my hand I will, and it will not be pleasant. All we want is the cyborg.”

Payton gave another low growl, still not shifting back to her human form. The animal inside her was too agitated and did not want to give up control.

“Before you get any more ideas, there are only two ways off this ship,” Rita continued. “One is with my permission. The second is to eject yourself into the deep black.”

Payton and Nyle didn’t move.

Rita pointed along the wall. “Decontaminator is in that corner. Use it. You both smell of squalor.”

The captain stepped back and waved her hand over the wall scanner. The door slid shut, locking them inside.

“I think that escape plan went well,” Nyle muttered sarcastically.

Payton forced her body to shift back to human form. Staring at the door, she swore, “I’m going to throw that woman out into the deep black before this is all over.”

Nyle cleared his throat.

Payton turned her attention toward him. He glanced down her body before averting his gaze. Realizing she was naked without the compression outfit, she held out her hand. “Give me your shirt. I’m not putting that monstrosity back on.”

Nyle sneaked another peek before again turning his eyes to the far end of the room. He did as she said, pulling his shirt over his head. Blood trailed down his arm from the blaster shot, but the graze looked superficial.

Payton chuckled as she took the shirt from him. As a shifter, she was used to nudity. It’s not like their clothing magically morphed forms with them or absorbed into the skin. Sure, with a half shift they still were upright, and Var clothing made allowances. Shifting into full cats left them naked. A forest full of lost clothing outside the palace proved that point.

“You’re looking a little flushed.” She pulled on the shirt. It was infused with the heat and scent from his body. A shiver rolled over her. “Is it the arm?”

He glanced in her direction. “I’m a man, and you’re beautiful naked. I’m lucky all you notice isflushed.”

The honest answer took her by surprise.

He ignored his wound as he stood and moved toward Yevgen in the corner.

“You can’t give them what he knows,” Payton said. “You can’t reboot him here.”

The shifters needed the evidence Yevgen had found, especially if the information wasn’t recoverable from the cyborg’s damaged console. She couldn’t let their captors access it, and she couldn’t allow Nyle to erase him.

“I have to look like I’m trying until we come up with a plan to get all of us out of here.” He pulled down Yevgen’s short pants to expose his hip. “I think the first step will be to remove these legs and make him more portable. If we must run, we’ll need to carry him.”

Payton wanted to protest. Yevgen loved his new legs. But Nyle was right. This was about survival.

She sat back on the platform to watch and let her bare feet dangle over the side. Without the compression, her stomach felt the emptiness from not eating. Closing her eyes, she listened to Nyle’s movements. “Let me know if I can be of help.”

5

Nyle triedto keep his eyes off the Var princess. Mapping Yevgen’s new wiring to the legs gave his hands something to do, but his mind strayed back to the image of the sexy woman standing naked before him. How was a man supposed to concentrate with that on his mind?

It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen naked women. In fact, back in his laboratory days, he’d helped build several female models before settling on Yevgen.

What didn’t help was that he’d developed a small fascination with the princess while watching Yevgen’s feeds before arriving on Qurilixen. Solo space travel could be very,verylonely. Fantasies of the princess had proven to be a more enjoyable way to pass the hours.

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