WarriorsWoman (17 page)

Not at all certain about the stranger, he answered formally, “I am Batzorg, one of three, triad unit 341926.”

Nigel peered at him. “So you are. The missing weapon arm should’ve told me as much. Sorry for distracting you. A cruel test, but necessary.”

“You’re the reason those scrap metal cyborgs took his arm?” Lorcan scowled at Nigel.

The man grinned at Lorcan’s anger, but his tone stayed mild. “Quite necessary, I assure you.”

“Yeah, how so?” Lorcan widened his stance.

“You must be Lorcan.” Nigel reached for Lorcan’s hand and pumped it. Then he turned to Vilmos, holding out his palm to shake. After Vilmos obliged him, the stranger, claiming to be Minka’s cat, beamed at all of them. “It is such an honor for me to meet the founders, in the flesh so to speak.”

“Founders?” With a wave of her arm, Minka included the three mechs in her question. “We’re the founders?”

“Exactly.” Nigel patted his clothing. “Now where did I put it?”

A mixture of suspicion, anger and curiosity roiled in Batzorg’s gut. He forced himself to speak evenly. “Who are you and why are you here?”

“I’m Nigel, from the future, the more distant future, mine not yours,” he answered absently while continuing to search his garment. “As to what I’m doing here, did you wish to know why I’m here at the present moment or were you interested in the reasons for my earlier feline presence on your journey?”

“Both,” Batzorg snapped.

“Ah ha, I knew I had it.” Nigel produced a slender metal device about the size of an end-of-days era writing instrument. “Your neural processor disrupter, sir.”

Batzorg inspected the small cylinder with wary caution.

“Perhaps I should hang on to it for a few more minutes.” Nigel snatched the weapon back in a blur of speed. “Now where was I?”

“Explaining what you were doing here,” Vilmos prompted him with a glare of his own.

“It’s a rather long story, perhaps we’d be more comfortable sitting?”

“Give us the short version,” Batzorg said.

Nigel muttered, “You were much friendlier when I was a cat.”

“There’s a lot of difference between a lovable pet and someone manipulating the quad for reasons he hasn’t shared,” Minka said coolly.

“Nothing has changed except my form.” Nigel sounded injured. He angled his head toward Minka then swiveled to encompass the mechs. “I’ve always been Minka’s advocate. I volunteered to protect her and to ensure the mechs were worthy to be her mates.”

“You let those monsters cut off Batzorg’s arm as some kind of crazy test?” Her small hands balled into shaky fists.

Batzorg bit back a grin at her fierce determination to protect him, but tucked her into his wounded side, keeping his fighting arm free before speaking to Nigel. “Continue.”

Lorcan and Vilmos positioned themselves on either side of him, sheltering Minka from the strange man.

“Minka is the key to the future. Surely this was covered on your initial briefing?” When none of them answered, he hurried on. “I was sent as a safeguard and to monitor the testing. The cat form allowed me to stay close to Minka without arousing anxiety and to monitor an unstable situation—perfectly above board and proper.

“When you defeated the first team of cyborgs, the council was encouraged, but not yet one hundred percent satisfied. In a final test of fitness, they launched an attack from our time period. A rather controversial decision, I assure you.” He paused to flex his fingers and buff his nails. “I’ll miss the talons. Now where was I?”

“Making sure we’re the right mechs to protect Minka,” Lorcan growled.

“Yes, exactly. Wonderful sausage casserole by the way.”

“He really is our Nigel,” Minka murmured.

“Ultimately we decided the second attack was an ideal situation to test the bond between the four of you. By taking Batzorg out of the equation we evened the odds.”

Batzorg stiffened at the callous decision to endanger the quad, but clamped his molars together and listened.

Lorcan snorted menacing disgust for both of them.

Nigel continued without reacting to the derision. “You came through admirably. The council voted to support the quad.”

Batzorg cleared his throat. “What exactly does this support entail?”

“Next generation, self-charging weapons capable of dispatching any life form—natural or artificial—and the latest nanos. They’re remarkable little buggers that regenerate in addition to their previous functions, fast too. You should have a new arm in a week.” Nigel patted his pocket several times.

Lorcan and Vilmos cut their gazes toward him and Minka nudged him. “Go for it, champ.”

After the three of them accepted the new bots and their new weapons had been demonstrated, Nigel tilted his head toward Minka. “Would you like your own bots and weapon?”

She held out her palm.

“You need to understand once you absorb the nanos, you will become a mech. This is an irreversible process that will alter you on a cellular level. Please consider your choice carefully.”

Batzorg froze. Of course he wanted her stronger, faster and safer, but becoming mech was too high a cost. “Do not take the nanobots please.”

“He is correct. You must not swallow them,” Vilmos begged. “You are already perfect.”

Lorcan added his hoarse plea, “They’re both right. Mechs are second-class citizens, hot stuff. You’re better than us. You’re a founder.”

Minka turned on them with a fierce glare. “Mechs aren’t second class in my world.”

Then Nigel chimed in, “Not in mine either. The three of you don’t seem to understand that you are the revered founders.”

Batzorg’s thoughts roiled. Mechs were disposable weapons in his future. Could he believe Nigel? If Minka chose to swallow the nanos, then he prayed the council member spoke true. As he waited for her decision, Batzorg, Vilmos and Lorcan held their breath.

Her fierce glare transformed to a wide-eyed look of shock as Minka simply held the weapon and the capsule of nanobots.

Seemingly oblivious to her distress, Nigel turned toward the mechs. “That’s everything I needed to do except marry the four of you.”

“Not happening,” Batzorg snapped.

Lorcan’s brows lowered into a scowl. “Damn straight, Minka is not marrying us.”

“Minka marries a founder—a natural human. Anything else is out of the question.” Vilmos folded his arms and widened his stance.

“What are you mechs thinking?” Nigel blinked at them. “Surely you understand Minka decides who she marries?”

“Of course we understand, but she marries a founder,” Batzorg growled. When the day came, it would kill him to hand her over to a natural human. But he was mech. He did the impossible without missing a beat before fueling up in the morning. He lied to himself then set his jaw and aimed his most intimidating glower at Nigel.

From the edge of his vision, Batzorg caught a glimpse of Minka’s tear-stained face and his aching heart twisted.

Tears streamed down Minka’s cheeks and she didn’t even bother to scrub them away. Instead she blasted her stubborn warriors.
Whoa, you all want me to marry some man I don’t even know
?
How would that work when I love each of you and you love me just as much?

When the stubborn mechs didn’t respond, she continued to gift them with her wounded feelings.
For smart mechs you all sure act stupid.

Batzorg spoke directly into her mind with genuine pain coating his words.
Of course I love you and I want what is best for you. Do not cry, little one.

Please do not cry, dear. I cannot bear for you to suffer so.
Vilmos’ distressed plea tugged on Minka and she sniffled.

Lorcan gave her a clean handkerchief and a hug.
I just want you to be happy, hot stuff.

She bobbed her chin, opened her fist and stared blankly at the hankie, weapon and capsule.
Here inside the quad’s bond there are no barriers between us. I love each of you as you are, but this doesn’t mean I don’t want you to have improved weapons and nanobots. These things do not change the essence of who you are and my love is not conditional.

Your love humbles me, little one.

You are my heart, my life, dear.

You’re right, hot stuff. Whether you’re mech or natural human won’t change my feelings. I’ll always love you.

After mopping her tears, blowing her nose, and dry-swallowing the nanobots, she sent her own plea.
Then marry me.

Without the need for words the quad moved together and melded around Minka in a tight hug. She turned within their embrace and kissed each of her cherished mechs.

They loosened their hold enough for her to say, “Is now a good time for a wedding?”

Nigel stayed out of arm’s reach, offering a stack of folded squares of fabric from one of his pockets. “Perhaps you would consider wearing these. I’d like to make a holographic record of the ceremony.”

After unfolding and admiring the elegant simplicity of one of the garments—nearly identical to the one he wore—she blurted, “How big are your pockets?”

He winked an amber eye. “It’s not really a pocket, more a replicator.”

Impulsively, she took a step closer and hugged him. “You were a great cat.”

“Appreciate the ear scratches,” he said gruffly.

She blinked away tears of joy, straightened her shoulders, and handed out the garments to her mechs. “I’ll meet you at the chapel in twenty minutes.”

With their loving agreement caressing her thoughts, she hurried to get ready for a celebration.

A glimpse of her disheveled mop in the bathroom mirror convinced her to take time for a shower. She shampooed, rinsed and worked in conditioner then shaved her legs, under her arms, and trimmed the thatch of curls covering her sex. When she finished and rinsed the last of the foamy gel, she worked a little conditioner into her feminine curls. She squeezed most of the water out of her now silky hair, toweled off, and wiped steam from the mirror.

The bare-faced reflection was much nicer than expected. She grabbed a dry hand towel and scrubbed the glass again. With a small gasp of surprise, she turned her head to study the image from different angles. Her blonde lashes were thicker, darker and longer. Eyebrows were shaped to frame her pale eyes and perfectly arched. Her lips were full, rosy and moist. Even her still damp hair gleamed under the usually pitiless bathroom lights. Her skin felt softer, more supple. It simply fit better. The nanobots that kept her mechs so gorgeous were already at work improving her just in time for the wedding.

Eager to join her lovers, she tugged on the one-piece garment. The fabric molded to her body as if it had been fashioned just for her, making the most of her slight curves. She tucked her disrupter into a pocket, ran a brush through her hair, and dashed to the mission’s chapel.

Late-afternoon sun poured through the stained-glass windows, adding magic light to the modest room with its polished pews and white walls. In the front Nigel waited on the dais facing Batzorg, Vilmos and Lorcan.

In unison their handsome heads turned to watch her approach.

Her heart sped and her body softened with love for her fierce warriors. As she neared they parted and reformed around her. Batzorg stood behind her, Vilmos took her left hand, and Lorcan threaded his fingers with hers on the right.

Nigel began, “Today we come together to join the lives of four mech warriors and to sanctify the love your hearts chose. Speak your vows.”

“I will serve and protect Minka with love,” Vilmos said with quiet conviction as he slipped a platinum band on her ring finger.

Lorcan took her left hand from Vilmos, slipped on a second gleaming band and winked at her. “I will serve and protect Minka with love.”

“I will serve and protect Minka with love forever.” Batzorg’s baritone rang true while he added a third ring that nested with the first two forming a single band.

Her heart full of tender love, Minka swallowed. “And I will serve and protect Batzorg, Vilmos and Lorcan as long as I live.”

Nigel beamed back at them. “I pronounce you officially married. Congratulations, quad.”

Her warriors captured her mouth in turn and kissed her senseless. She kissed them right back until each one was just as breathless.

The End

About the Author

I’m the dullest person ever—an obsessed writer. When not plotting or writing dangerously sexy stories, I garden, walk the dog and sleep. If it’s too cold and wet to garden then I scour the house, read good books and watch movies.

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