Healed By The Cyborg: Cyborg Protectors, #4

By Alyse Anders

To save his mate, he must first heal his heart.

Hallam had wanted a mate and family before the war. But with his death and subsequent rebirth as a cyborg, those things appeared to have slipped from his grasp. When he's faced with the arrival of a ship of human women, he must fight past his primal urges to claim his human mate and do what needs to be done to save the lives of the women trapped in stasis and prevent the Sholle from discovering their ship.

Ina is a brilliant engineer who is losing her sight. When the process of having her vision repaired backfires, she must put her trust in a man who claims her as his own while attempting to use her skills to save her friends.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alyse Anders
• Release date: Mar 27, 2020
• ISBN: 9781777038229

Book preview

Chapter One

Hallam stood in the middle of the old complex that had once served as a medical facility for the Grus people, his assessing gaze traveling over his patients who’d been brought to him for help. While the Grus no longer lived on the surface of Zarlan, the planet was still populated with a scattering of cyborgs, bounty hunters, and outcasts from other sectors. The prison wasn’t far from here, and occasionally he’d be brought a patient to care for. The fights below the surface in the prison facility were brutal and more often than he cared to admit, by the time they were transported to the facility there was little he could do to save them.

Before his rebirth as a cyborg, that fact would have upset him.

Currently, he had three patients resting comfortably in beds. One was a cyborg who’d become trapped by a rockslide during the last storm. His biological leg was pinned and the subsequent damage required the limb to be amputated and replaced with cybernetics. The second was a female bounty hunter who’d captured her quarry hiding on a small settlement away from the city, only to get surprised when her target’s gang arrived to free him. She’d gotten caught in the ensuing firefight, sustaining injuries to her chest. Her recovery had been initially questionable, but Hallam was able to use a technique he’d pioneered after the war to help save her life.

The last patient – a Grus technician who’d come down to Cimacha, Zarlan’s capital city – had gotten into a fight with a cyborg. While the cyborg hadn’t started the altercation, he was now held in the prison and threatened with decommissioning if this Grus died. Like everything that had happened to the Fallen – from their initial rebirth, to the rules that were forced upon them – this wasn’t something the cyborg had asked for, but he would be the one to suffer the consequences.

Unfortunately, the wounds the Grus suffered were severe enough that there was little Hallam could do to save the man’s life. His only regret was that it would also cost the life of the cyborg as well. Walking over to where the man lay, he checked the readings on the display.

Computer, run a scan on patient three. Compare against previous scans and predict patient outcome.

The computer’s pause was far shorter than he would have liked. Scan complete. Patient’s life signs are fading. Life termination imminent. Projected death, one hour.

When that occurred, Hallam would notify the prison and the cyborg in custody would be decommissioned. No trial, no justice, only swift punishment. Another one of his duties he hated but necessary to keep the peace between their people. If the Grus thought for a moment that the Fallen couldn’t be controlled, then the potential that they would turn on the race who created them was too much for the Grus high council. Hallam had no idea what they’d do if they were placed into that position to chose between the safety of the Grus people and the lives of the cyborgs on the planet. He didn’t want to ever be put in the position to find out.

Pressing a few buttons on the console, he gave the Grus one final scan. Computer, notify me before death occurs.

Affirmative.

With his rounds completed, Hallam made his way to the small office he’d commandeered as his own when he’d taken up the role of lead doctor after the war with the Sholle was won. Before his rebirth, he’d been little more than a medical technician, but after Hallam had taken charge of the medical needs of the Fallen. Initially, he’d worked with Commander Aidric to help the dead be implanted with the cybernetic matrix that initiated their rebirths. But as the war continued, and the consequences of what they’d done registered with him, he stopped.

Aidric hadn’t.

Taking his seat, Hallam opened his matrix link with the computer network, letting the blast of information wash through him. There’d been some action up on Grus Prime, but the details were thin at best. No doubt he’d be informed of what was happening the moment someone got hurt and they needed him to bail them out. That was the way of things when you were a doctor for cyborgs.

He broke the link, and immediately reached up to scratch the back of his head. The itch was deep, as though it was originating somewhere in his brain, rather than on his scalp. Thankfully, it faded away after a few moments, leaving him able to concentrate on his report. With his patient’s life hanging by a nanometer, there was little point in putting off writing the words he’d inevitably need to send. Connecting to the system once more, he set about mentally constructing the report. He was nearly complete, when the itching in the back of his brain started once more.

Then the facilities communicator sounded. Ignoring the itch, he opened the feed. Hallam here.

Rykal, the leader of the Fallen, appeared on the screen. Doctor, how full is your facility?

Three patients, soon to be two.

Rykal frowned. I’m sorry to hear that. Please pass on my thoughts to the family.

That was odd. In all the years that Hallam had informed Rykal of a death, not once had he shown any trace of concern or sympathy for any of the patients here. His foolish actions will also cost the life of cyborg. The moment the Grus dies, he will be decommissioned.

Hallam should have a handle on the anger that simmered beneath the surface by now, but each time a cyborg’s life was impacted by the actions of a Grus, no matter who they were, it ate away at him.

Rykal nodded, his lips pursed and the muscle in his jaw jumping. Send me the cyborg’s designation. I’ll see if there’s something I can do.

He knew it was a nearly pointless action, but Hallam appreciated the attempt. Done. What can I do for you?

Rykal hesitated, his gaze slipping to someone off screen for a moment. We have a number of patients of alien physiology who will require assistance. They’re currently in stasis on a ship, but we need to move them to a more permanent location until we can process them.

You’re unable to wake them? Hallam reached up and scratched his head once more. Have they been processed through quarantine protocols?

Partially. Rykal reached up and placed the call on hold for a moment, temporarily blocking communication. When he came back, he stared at Hallam with something akin to determination. I’m coming to you to discuss the details.

Hallam cocked an eyebrow. "This is a secure channel."

You’ll understand once I give you the details. We’ll be there within the hour.

The screen went black, leaving him with more questions and unease than he’d had moments before. The itching continued, but he was able to ignore it the longer it went on. If it continued after Rykal left, he’d connect his matrix to the computer and run a diagnostic to see if there was a problem he’d missed with his internal scans.

Hallam was in the process of calibrating the new cybernetic leg on his patient when the doors to the medical facility opened and Rykal strode in, a small female trailing behind him. Instinctively, he ran a scan of her physiology – heat signature, oxygen co2 exchange rate, pheromones – and was mildly surprised at the results. She’s not Grus.

Rykal reached his hand and taking the woman’s as they got close. Hallam, it’s been too long since I’ve visited you in person.

There’s been little need. While he made his base of operations the medical facility, Hallam had taken charge of all major medical decisions when it came to the Fallen as a people. My reports have been adequate for our needs.

They have. But things have changed for some of our people that will impact those needs. Rykal encouraged the woman to step closer. "Hallam, this is Lena. She’s a human from a planet