Free Cyberella: Preyfinders Universe by Cari Silverwood

more distant, as if trying to stall any relationship. It would’ve worked if he hadn’t felt so connected to her. If he wasn’t sure she was about to fall into a heap of trouble if left alone on Riptide.
    And if he didn’t see her step out of the shower naked, water dribbling down her, over all those curves, wetting her breasts and making them seem plump and edible as fruit.
    His color was coming out on her. She was bondmating. He stopped, frozen in place.
    Did she know?
    “Hey! Privacy! Shoo.” She grabbed a blue towel from the wall rack and wrapped it about her.
    “Your door was open.” He struggled to keep his emotions in check and let stillness settle over his face.
    “Oh. Yeah. The things on this ship that need repairing...”
    “Yes.” For once he was glad the Finatar was rundown.
    What he’d seen meant this was at a whole other level. Her nipples and even the hint of labia he’d glimpsed were rosier in color than before. Not just any shade. She had the early signs. Any male would recognize his own color.
    But would she understand? And why was she resisting the pull that must be there? It was like someone was hauling him to her with hooks in his flesh.
    She clutched the towel more. “Why are you still here and staring?”
    “Don’t you feel it? The attraction?”
    Ella blushed. “What?” She stared at the floor, frowning before looking up. “Being attracted to the opposite sex is natural but we agreed, no strings attached. I need to be my own person. I need to be me , and I’m already getting a vibe that says you’re not keen on that. Torgeir, please go.”
    Her ridiculous argument tipped him past sensibleness.
    “You’re showing signs of bondmating with me. I didn’t think it was possible with an offplanet female, but it’s happening.” She stared blankly so he explained. “Your sexual characteristics are becoming my color – a special shade of red.”
    “Uhhh. What?”
    “Your nipples and labia, even your lips, are redder than before.”
    She didn’t even look, just hugged the towel to her. “Fuck off. Okay. Go away. I knew sex with you was a mistake. Besides, red? You’re not red. Anywhere.”
    He pulled up his shirt and showed her the markings on his chest.
    “Oh. So? A red tattoo or whatever doesn’t mean anything to me.”
    He wanted to haul her off by her hair and do bad things to her ass. She was his and didn’t get that? Earth women were infuriating. If they had sex again she would see. The change would progress.
    He stepped closer, grabbed the towel and ripped it loose, then tossed it aside. “Here.” He took hold of her breast. To not take hold of the rest of her was agonizing.
    “Let go!” She put her hands on his wrist and tried to tug free.
    “Look.”
    “What? So? It’s the heat from the shower. Nothing.”
    He ground his teeth. “You’re mine.”
    “Fuck. No. You’re no better than the captain or that buyer. When we land, I’m going my way, and you’re going the hell elsewhere.”
    He had no choice. “No. You’re legally and indisputably my slave.”
    “I am not. Prove it in court. This isn’t Sicar.”
    “Court? Easily. I inserted my code into you.”
    “You did what?”
    He released her breast but dragged her closer by her hair, gathering it tightly to her nape as he spoke, so she had to look up at him. Her pert nipples touched his shirt and wet him.
    “It’s an unbreakable encryption stamped on your every cell and every part of your body. Only I, the owner, can ever remove it. You run from me and I will have you brought back to me in chains.”
    She growled, literally growled at him. It was ridiculous, this little female growling at him and showing her teeth. He held back a smile.
    “Mister Torgeir, you do that and I will hate you forever. What you’ve done already is unforgiveable. I swear...the things I would do to you. Remove this code!”
    That gave him pause. Made him think. She wasn’t the same as most women. If he did this, maybe she