Loka made certain to keep Heather behind him. She was so close, he could feel the buzz from her electro rods on his skin.

“Exit the ship.” The emotionless voice of a cyborg spoke just out of sight of the open docking ramp.

Instead of heading toward the ramp, Loka led Heather in the opposite direction. They wouldn’t be able to escape their attackers, but going out of the emergency hatch at the back of the ship would buy them time to assess the situation. There could still be a way to get Heather out.

Easing the panel open, Loka dropped to the floor. He crouched on his knees and scanned under the ship. He spotted six pairs of black-clad legs and five pairs of metal ones.

He placed his electro rods down and grasped Heather around the waist before lowering her down next to him. Loka placed a finger against his lips.

Heather stared at the enemy before nodding.

Picking up his electro rods, they crouched low as they emerged from the back of the ship.

“Movement detected.”

Loka froze as he heard the cyborg.

“What do we do?” Heather whispered.

Gripping his electro roads, Loka’s claws slid out. “We buy time while we see who we’re dealing with.” He led the way as they rounded the side of the ship.

The cyborgs lasered in on them. Five red sensors slid over them.

“Drop your weapons,” one of the cyborgs said.

“We’d rather not,” Loka said. “Why are you detaining us?”

“You left the station without permission.”

“We’re not prisoners,” Heather said. “We need no permission.”

“You logged no flight plan.”

“That’s not a reason to drag us back using a tractor beam,” Heather said. “Who’s in charge here?”

One of the Bantis moved in front of the cyborgs. His mask remained in place, his claws flexed.

Loka’s shoulders stiffened. Banti were vicious and known for fighting dirty. As his attention slid to the rest of the Banti, he sensed their urge to attack. A thin sliver of drool slid from beneath a Banti’s mask. They desired Heather’s flesh. They would be happy to get Loka out of the way in order to get their hands on her. That would not happen.

“Take the human to the holding cells,” ordered the Banti who had stepped forward.

“She goes nowhere.” Loka kept Heather behind him.

“We take her, or you die.”

“No, he doesn’t.” Heather pushed forward to stand next to Loka. “Take us both.”

“We do not need a Picar.”

“What have you done to the station?” Heather asked.

“Nothing you need to be concerned about. You will soon be leaving here. This station will be nothing more than space debris in a few hours.”

“You’re stealing humans,” Loka growled.

The Banti waved a hand in the air, gesturing the cyborgs forward. “Take them. Use force if you need to but keep the female alive.”

“Run when you can.” Loka flexed his shoulders and looked down at Heather.

“I’m going nowhere without you.”

He knew she’d want to stay. “Then stay back. Don’t engage in the fighting.”

Loka charged the closest cyborg and jabbed his electro rods at it, catching it in the stomach. Sparks flew as the cyborg’s system overloaded with the power surge.

Loka stepped backward but not fast enough. The second rod was smashed from his hand. He gouged the attacking cyborg’s arm with his claws before spearing its stomach with a horn.

Heather’s cry of alarm had him turning his head, sending the cyborg impaled on his horn flying across the room.

She was backed against the ship, waving the electro rods in front of her, keeping two Bantis from reaching her.

A cyborg caught Loka off-guard. Pain flashed across his side. Roaring with anger and agony, his fist slammed into the cyborg. He felt a bone shatter in his hand.

“Enough!” a Banti yelled.

Loka kept fighting, his claws slashing and tearing into anything that got too close. Heather had to get out. He had to keep her safe.

“I said enough.”

Turning his head, fear gripped Loka’s stomach. The Banti who’d spoken bore down on Heather, his claws raised.

Rising to his feet, Loka made it two steps before being slammed to the ground by a cyborg. He kicked back, dislodging the cyborg, and rolled over.

Pride flashed through him as he saw Heather duck around the Banti and run toward him.

“Get out of here,” he yelled.

She kept running, aiming straight at him. The Banti were right on her heels.

Heather’s fear-filled gaze flicked to the cyborgs. She raised her electro rods, determination crossing her face as she sped up.

Loka’s eyes widened. She wasn’t stopping. Heather was fighting to protect him.

As she rammed the electro rods forward, the Banti pursuing her slammed into her back. Her carefully aimed electro rods poked into Loka’s side.

“Oh, crap!” He heard the words as he hit the ground. His body twitched from the surge of electrical energy pumping through his system and short circuiting every nerve.

Loka tried to speak, to tell Heather everything was okay, and his heart wasn’t about to burst out of his chest or flat line. Nothing came out. The power of speech had left him, his tongue too swollen to move.

“Loka! I’m so sorry.” The Banti dragged Heather backwards. One either side, pinning her arms behind her back.

Loka could do nothing more than twitch uncontrollably, doing his best not to bite off his tongue.

“Our little human has done the job for us.” The Banti who spoke sounded unbelievably smug.

If Loka could figure out how to get his arms working again, he’d punch him out of the docking bay.

“We have what we want. Cyborgs take him.”

Loka bucked on the floor, trying to put distance between him and the cyborgs. His eyes wouldn’t focus. Nothing worked.

He rolled onto his side, trying to get himself upright, willing his body to cooperate.

A kick in the back by a cold metal foot had Loka sprawled onto his face. He lay there, breath panting out of him, unable to move.

They couldn’t win against the Banti and the station’s cyborgs. He never was a fighter. It was why Loka had chosen science. He wasn’t good enough, not for Heather. He had failed her. Loka should never have believed such an incredible woman had a place in his life.

He’d been wrong to consider her his mate. He should have stuck to the science, kept his head down, and not interfered. He wouldn’t be writhing on the floor, his heart beating too fast and drool sliding from his mouth, if he hadn’t gotten involved.

But what about Heather? If he hadn’t tried to fight, she could already be gone. Sold off to some sick alien bastard who wanted to play with his food.

“Take them to the holding cells.”

“I’m not leaving without him.” Heather’s voice sounded desperate as if she was about to cry.

“She goes in with the other humans. Put the Picar in with those marked for a long spacewalk.” The smug sounding Banti laughed before walking away with his comrades. He left a single Banti and the working cyborgs to supervise.

Gritting his teeth, Loka forced himself to his hands and knees. Another pulse of energy from an electro rod had him back on the ground, twitching and groaning.

“No! Don’t do that,” Heather cried.

Loka struggled in the grip of two cyborgs as they grabbed him under the arms. He twisted as he tried to see Heather.

“If he causes you trouble, get rid of him,” the remaining Banti said.

A hard, cold, metallic fist slammed into the side of his head, and Loka blacked out.