Shaylee paced the house, more than a little nervous. The commanders had sent word that Wrylack was returning today. They’d assured her that Wrylack was fine and hadn’t been injured during his trip, but she still felt like something was horribly wrong. The feeling wouldn’t ease no matter what she did. When the front door opened, Shaylee froze and stared.

Wrylack stepped through, a small girl in his arms. Her skin was such a light lavender that she was nearly as pale as Shaylee. Her black-and-blue-streaked hair was mesmerizing, and her eyes… her eyes looked like that of every cyborg she’d met since coming here. Wrylack set the little girl down, and Shaylee tried to understand what she was seeing.

“She could be your daughter,” Shaylee said. “A mix of both of us, except for the blue in her hair.”

“The blue is a throwback to the original people of my home world.” His gaze was assessing. “This is Mishka. She’s half human… and half Zelranian.”

Shaylee’s heart nearly stopped. “What? But that’s… you’re Zelranian.”

He nodded.

Shaylee stared at her daughter and knelt, holding her arms open. The little girl clung to Wrylack’s leg for a moment before cautiously moving forward. As Shaylee studied her, she saw the slight bruising and wondered what her poor baby had been through. Mishka stopped in front of Shaylee and reached for her hair, playing with the long, black strands.

“I’m your momma,” Shaylee said. “You’re home now, Mishka.”

“She can’t talk. Or won’t,” Wrylack said. “There’s some damage to her vocal cords. I haven’t heard her make a single sound yet, not a cry, a whimper… nothing. I’m uncertain if the damage was bad enough she’s unable to make noises, or if she’s refusing for some reason.”

Shaylee lifted her eyes to her mate, fighting back tears. “What did they do to her?”

“Her birth father had her. He’s one of my kind. I’ve always loathed Bekvir and everything he stood for. He’s a cruel male, and it seems he had no problem harming his own child. He’s been dealt with.”

“Bekvir,” she whispered, digging through her memories. She gasped when she recalled the male similar in coloring to Wrylack who had done so much damage to her. All of the faces of her past tended to blur together, but his didn’t. He’d been worse than the others, more vicious, and had thrilled in her pain and humiliation. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she held her daughter tight.

Wrylack let the door close and came toward them, wrapping them in his arms. “He won’t hurt either of you ever again. I was assured he wouldn’t remain breathing for much longer, and that was days ago. By now, he’s gone.”

“I hope he suffered,” Shaylee said.

Wrylack tightened his arms around them.

“Are you both hungry?” Shaylee asked. “Maggie’s been by the last few days to show me how to make some different dishes. I could cook something for us.”

Mishka tugged on her.

“What is it, sweetheart?” she asked her daughter. “Do you want to eat?”

Mishka blinked up at her.

“Can you talk, Mishka?” Shaylee asked. “Can you tell me what you want?”

Fear crossed the girl’s features, and Shaylee’s gut clenched. She knew that look, had seen it on other slaves. Whatever had been done to her daughter, she feared speaking.

“It’s all right to talk here,” Shaylee said. “You won’t get in trouble if you make noise. I want you to make noise! Make all the noise you want. Scream, laugh, bang things.”

The little girl’s eyes widened, and she looked from Shaylee to Wrylack, as if seeking assurance.

“Your mother is correct, Mishka. It’s all right to speak or make any sounds you wish. You won’t be punished.”

“Hungry,” the little girl said, her voice a raspy whisper.

“You’re hungry?” Shaylee asked. “You can talk louder if you want.”

Mishka stuck her thumb in her mouth.

Shaylee took Mishka’s other hand and began leading her to the kitchen. She set her daughter at the counter. Wrylack placed his hand at Mishka’s back and rubbed gently. After a moment, the little girl pulled her thumb from her mouth. Mishka watched Shaylee’s every move, and Wrylack watched their daughter.

Lathim had provided several fish for Shaylee to cook, and she prepared them for her family. They’d already been cleaned and deboned. She seasoned them, and while they cooked, she made some vegetables on the side. It didn’t take long for the meal to be ready, and she plated everything, then joined her family at the little bar.

Mishka looked at the fish and poked it with her finger.

“It’s fish,” Shaylee told her. “Have you ever had fish before?”

Mishka shook her head.

“I couldn’t get her to eat meat on the ship,” Wrylack said.

“Mishka,” Shaylee said softly. “Were you allowed to eat meat at the other place?”

“No,” Mishka said in that same raspy whisper.

“You can have as much as you want,” Shaylee said. “This is your home now. Do you understand? You’re going to live here with us from now on. No one will hurt you ever again.”

“Bad man,” Mishka said.

“The bad man is gone,” Wrylack said. “He’s not going to come for you. You’re safe here, Mishka.”

Mishka slowly reached for the fish. When no reprimand came, she started stuffing her face until the plate had been cleaned. It hurt Shaylee’s heart to know her daughter had suffered. But she knew the little girl would be well-loved now, not only by her but by Wrylack as well. A chime sounded at the front door, and Wrylack went to answer while she cleaned the kitchen. He returned a moment later, his arms full of clothes and toys.

“Mishka’s things were delivered. Do you have a particular room set up for her?” Wrylack asked.

“I put her next to us. I found a blanket in the market that I put on the bed. It’s a soft green, and I thought the color might be soothing. The commanders assured me that anything we need they can find for us.”

Wrylack nodded and carried their daughter’s belongings to her new room.

“Do you want to see your bedroom?” Shaylee asked.

Her daughter whimpered and turned stiff as stone.

“Mishka? What’s wrong?” Shaylee smoothed the little girl’s hair.

“Dark,” she said.

“No, honey. It’s not dark in there. You have a window where you can look out, and there’s a light for when it’s nighttime.” Shaylee reached for Mishka’s hand. “Come on. I’ll go with you and you’ll see it’s a pretty room. We can decorate it however you want.”

Mishka followed her, but the little girl’s steps were hesitant. Shaylee stepped into the bedroom and gently tugged Mishka in behind her. Light spilled through the window, and the green blanket made the room look a little cheery. Wrylack had placed a stuffed bear on the bed, and the rest of the toys were lined up along the wall. Her clothes were already put away.

Mishka ventured a little farther into the room, looking at everything.

“Come here,” Wrylack said, waving her over.

She went straight to him without any hesitation, and he lifted her into his arms. They walked over to the door, and he pointed to the area around it.

“This door doesn’t lock. Not from either side. If you want to leave, press your hand to the door and it will open. Why don’t you try it?” He set her down, and Shaylee stepped away from the door so it would close. Mishka whimpered, then pressed her chubby little hand to the panel and it slid open.

“See? It will never lock,” Wrylack said.

Mishka smiled up at him and hugged her arms around his leg.

“Do you want to stay in here and play?” Shaylee asked. “This is your room, your own space. You can play in here or sleep. The other door is the bathroom.”

Mishka looked at the other door in curiosity. It was an open doorway, and when she stepped into the bathroom, the light came on. She explored a moment, then went back to the bedroom and started playing with her toys. She paused as Shaylee and Wrylack were leaving, looking at them with a trembling lower lip.

“Safe?” Mishka whispered.

“Yes, baby. You’re safe,” Shaylee said.

That seemed to be enough for Mishka, and she started playing, ignoring her parents. Wrylack led Shaylee out of the room and into their own space next door. When the door closed behind them, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply.

“I missed you,” he said.

“I missed you too. Wrylack, what happened to her?”

“It looks like they inserted rods into her throat and damaged her vocal cords. The wounds look old so I think they were done when she was a baby. Maybe she cried too much. Bekvir is a monster, and it wouldn’t have taken much to set him off. Or he was. She was covered in bruises when I picked her up, but they’ve mostly faded now. I can’t say for certain what all she’s been through the last three years, but they found her in a dark room with no windows. She’d been fed on the floor like a pet.” He paused. “When she’s older, it’s possible that surgery or cybernetics could help her, but for now the damage is irreversible. She’s too young to chance it. She can communicate with us, and she’s safe. That’s the important thing.”

Shaylee wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face against his chest. She cried silently, for all that her daughter had suffered. How could anyone have harmed a child? She was innocent! And from what little Shaylee had seen, so very sweet. But then, the man she remembered as Bekvir wouldn’t have cared how innocent or sweet a child was. He would have done anything in his power to destroy her, and Shaylee was thankful that her daughter lived at all.

“Thank you for bringing her home,” Shaylee said.

“She’s my daughter as much as yours,” Wrylack said. “Once I knew who had her, there was no question about bringing her home. I wanted to give your children back to you, no matter what it took, but I just didn’t know how we were going to pull it off. We’ve been exiled from Zelran and would have been put to death if we’d landed on the planet.”

“How did you get her?”

“Norkov made a deal with some males. He arranged for one to get Mishka and the other to get Bekvir. We met them at the Garva outpost.”

“And my other child?” she asked.

“Nothing yet, but Norkov is working on it.”

“If he hasn’t found my baby, then it means the father didn’t keep it. The Vrotu was the least cruel of my owners. Not to say he was a kind man, because he took what he wanted and demanded obedience in all things, but at least he didn’t share me with others. I’d hoped maybe he’d kept our child.”

“Norkov won’t stop until the baby is found. He’s trying to go through your previous owner’s transactions to see if the child was sold. There hasn’t been a lead yet, but it doesn’t mean there’s no hope,” Wrylack said.

“What about death records?” Shaylee asked. “Did he check those?”

Wrylack held her close. “Norkov will leave no stone unturned. He will not stop searching until we find out what happened to your baby, Shaylee. This I promise.”

“Should we check on Mishka?” she asked.

“Soon.” His fingers trailed over her cheek. “There’s something I need to do first.”

Before she could ask what he meant, his lips lowered to hers, and he kissed her with a passion that took her breath away. Wrylack’s hands caressed her curves and slowly pulled up the hem of her dress. His palms gripped the cheeks of her ass and lifted her until her legs went around his waist. She could feel the hard ridge of his arousal through his pants and knew what he wanted.

Wrylack walked her toward the bed and dropped her onto the soft bedding. As he pulled off his clothes, Shaylee removed her dress and let it fall to the floor. His cock was already hard, and the tip glistened with pre-cum. He stroked his shaft a few times, his hand going up and down the length.

“Spread your legs, sweet mate,” Wrylack said, his voice having a hint of growl to it.

Shaylee’s thighs parted, and he groaned as he stared at her, his gaze fastened on her pussy. She felt herself grow wet, just watching him and knowing what was to come. Wrylack reached for her, his fingers sliding down her wet lips before plunging inside her. She gave a soft cry, trying to stifle her sounds of pleasure so they wouldn’t upset Mishka.

Wrylack pumped his fingers in and out of her tight channel, his thumb brushing against her clit. Shaylee moaned and thrust against his hand, wanting more. It had been a week since Wrylack had left, and she ached for him. He continued to stroke his shaft as he pleasured her with his fingers.

“Come for me, Shaylee. I want you nice and wet when I enter you.”

She whimpered as her body tightened and strained for release. He stroked her faster with his fingers, and the hand on his shaft did the same. She watched, her passion rising, as his cock seemed to harden even more. She came with a soft cry, biting her bottom lip, and as the last tremor left her breathless, Wrylack thrust his cock inside her.

He groaned and grasped her hips with both hands, slamming his cock into her over and over, driving into her deep and hard. The fierceness etched on his face left no doubt that he was claiming her all over again. She was his, and it seemed Wrylack wanted to make sure she knew it. Sweat glistened on his skin as he pounded into her, and soon she was coming, harder than ever before. She bit down on her lip to keep from making too much noise as Wrylack came inside her. With every jerk of his hips, she felt another splash of cum bathe her channel, until he finally stilled.

“I’m sorry that didn’t last longer,” he said, then leaned down to kiss her. “But I promise next time I’m going to make you come and come again, until you’re begging me to stop.”

Her toes curled at his words, and she gave him a soft smile.

“You’re mine,” Wrylack said. “My mate. The mother of my children. My heart. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”

“As long as you love me, that’s all I need,” she said.

“I will love you until I take my last breath,” he promised. “You’re everything to me, Shaylee.”

He withdrew from her body and helped her stand. The room spun, and Shaylee fell against his chest. Wrylack’s arms tightened around her a moment. She closed her eyes and focused on breathing, and slowly, she got her legs back under her.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. “Was I too rough?”

“No. Just dizzy.”

Wrylack frowned and held her at arm’s length. His eyes began to glow, and she knew he was scanning her. When he stopped on her stomach and his gaze seemed frozen, she panicked.

“What do you see?”

The glow in his eyes faded, and he looked at her, stunned. “You’re pregnant.”

“But… you said you went and got that shot, the one that prevents you from getting me pregnant.”

“I did. I never assessed my systems to make sure it was working.”

Shaylee studied him and could tell he was doing that very thing. “And?”

“There’s not even a hint of the serum in my body, but that’s impossible. I watched Liroz dose me.”

“Could he have mixed up the serums?” she asked.

“No, I… “ Wrylack frowned. “Another cyborg was there at the same time, getting an injection of vitamins.”

“It sounds like Liroz accidentally switched them,” she said softly.

“I’m sorry, Shaylee. It’s my fault for not being more careful.”

She reached up and cupped his cheek. “Wrylack, I’m not sorry we’re having a baby. I told you before that I wanted to have children with you. You’re the one who insisted on the shot. Do you… do you think you could be happy about us having a baby?”

Wrylack kissed her softly. “I can’t think of anything I’d love more than to watch you grow round with my child. I just wanted to give you more time.”

“I don’t need time, Wrylack. I just need you. And Mishka. We’re a family, and we’re growing. That’s what families do.”

“Go get cleaned up. I’ll join you in a moment. I need to connect with Liroz and let him know what happened. If that other cyborg already had the serum in his system and got double dosed, it could have bad side-effects.”

Shaylee nodded, kissed his cheek, then went into the bathroom. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, her hand splayed over her belly. A baby had never been something to celebrate for her, but this time would be different. She had the love of Wrylack and could already tell he was a good father. He was so gentle with Mishka, and she knew he’d be the same with this baby.

Her new little family would be perfect… if only they could find her other child.