RedeemingZorus (19 page)

Her attention lowered to the collar of his leather shirt.
“Did you care for either of those women?”

“It was intercourse and a role to play. They weren’t
victims, Charlie. They were hardened females who decided they could use their
bodies as a way to turn me on my own people to help them escape. They would
have slit my throat the instant they were freed without hesitation once they no
longer had use of me.”

She lifted her gaze to study him closely. He honestly
believed that. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, Charlie. I am certain. They had no real emotions for
me.”

She tucked her chin. “Okay.”

“Look at me.”

She met his beautiful eyes.

“I love you. I am not lying to you. This isn’t a game or a
charade to get information from you. Our relationship is based on trust and
real emotions.”

“I tend to believe you since I sure don’t have anything
you’d want.” She gave him a sad smile. “I’m flat broke and all I have left are
my boots and bra. You wouldn’t fit into either of them.”

“You do have something I want.”

“What’s that?”

“I want you, Charlie. Your sense of humor, your body, your
touch, and the way you make me feel.”

She had to blink back tears. “That’s so sweet. Okay. I know
we need to leave for this council meeting. Whatever they say, don’t worry about
me, okay? We’re good. You told me the most important thing I need to know about
you. The rest doesn’t matter.”

He hesitated again. “I pushed to make humans property.”

“I knew that.”

“If it hadn’t been for my insistence, that law wouldn’t have
passed. I suffered great bitterness for all humans, had never known one such as
you, and truly believed they held no compassion. I never saw any of them treat
a cyborg as anything other than a thing. I wanted humans to learn what had been
done to us firsthand. I wanted them to suffer, knowing they weren’t counted as
part of society but instead as just tools to be used as we wished.”

“I get it.” She wrapped her arm around his neck and used his
shoulder to pillow her head in a way that she could continue to see his face.
“I even understand how you’d feel that way.”

“I also battled to have males share females. That may come
up as well.”

“Why?”

“Our population needed to increase. We were so few when we
reached Garden, and the survival of our race depends on our ability to breed. A
female with different lovers has a higher chance at procreation. My son knows
that I also couldn’t stand his mother. The idea of sending her to another male
helped me argue for the breeding pact as it has been designed. I wasn’t able to
impregnate her with more children. I stated that I did it to make it possible
for her to have other children.” He sighed.

“You wanted her to be someone else’s problem.”

“Yes.” He blushed just a little, his skin turning a dusky
gray. “I didn’t want to hurt her ego but the idea of passing her off to other
males to live with made me argue with zest for that law.”

“Any more secrets?”

He sighed. “None that I believe will make you dislike me
enough to ask to live somewhere else.”

“Okay. We’re good.”

She eased her arm from around his neck, lifted up to plant a
kiss on his cheek, and winked at him. “I’m not a saint either, hon. I just
never had the ability to pass laws. I can think of some assholes I wouldn’t
have allowed to keep their nuts attached to their bodies. Ever heard that
saying ‘stupid people shouldn’t breed’? Yeah. That would have been a law I’d
have pushed hard to get passed.” She climbed off his lap. “Let’s get this over
with.”

Zorus stood and held out his hand to her. “My people will
stare at us. No one will harm you.”

“Too bad this time they have a reason to gawk.” She glanced
down her body. “I can’t wait to have clothes that fit. Do I look as bad as I
think I do? I feel as though I’m playing dress-up.”

“You are…” He grinned. “Adorable.”

“Right. My bullshit meter is over the line.”

He laughed, tugged her toward the door, and she followed.
Her chin lifted and she straightened her shoulders. She’d faced a lot of things
in her life that she dreaded but this time she really didn’t know what to
expect. She trusted Zorus. He appeared relaxed now, unconcerned, and at ease.

The ride down the elevator seemed too short and then they
left the building. Cyborgs paused to check Charlie out but none approached or
said a word. Zorus kept her against his side, her hand held in his, and they
reached a building she knew housed the council. Two large, mean-looking cyborgs
blocked their way.

“Councilman Zorus.” A blond one spoke. “We must check the
human for weapons.”

Irritation flashed but Zorus released her hand. “He will pat
you down, Charlie. Spread your arms and legs please.”

She did it but sent him a frown when the stranger crouched
to run his big, gloved hands over her body. She blushed when he touched her in
a few places but didn’t protest. Zorus held out his hand the second the guard
rose to his feet to back away.

“She’s unarmed. They are waiting for you. Session has begun.
The other members arrived early and your son is present.”

“I didn’t doubt he would show up.”

The council room reminded her of a courtroom. Eleven seats
were filled but one remained vacant behind the tall desk-like counter that
formed a slightly curved table, like a judge’s bench. She guessed that empty
seat belonged to Zorus. Eight males and three females dressed in matching white
shirts studied them silently.

Zorus led Charlie to two seats, like those used on Earth,
usually designated for the defense. There weren’t tables in this room set up
for briefcases or papers. She sat on the chair, folded her hands in her lap to
hide their trembling, and turned her head to watch more cyborgs quietly enter
the room and fill the seats behind them. Obviously this would be a packed
event.

“It will be fine,” Zorus assured her softly under his
breath, just loud enough for her to hear. “Remain quiet.”

She nodded tensely. A side door opened, drawing her
attention. Darius strode into the room with a dark-haired cyborg. Both men took
seats where the prosecutors usually sat in Earth courtrooms. Approximately
eight feet separated her from her attacker. She forced her gaze away to glance
at anything but him.

The back doors closed along with the side door and guards
stood in front of them. A woman on the council cleared her throat. “Begin.”

A dark-haired cyborg spoke next. “We are the council of,” a
smirk twisted his lips, “twelve, minus one currently. I am Councilman Coval.”
The guy glanced at Darius but then gave his full attention to Zorus. “You’ve
been accused of treason and your human female of being an Earth spy. What the
hell is going on?”

“Coval,” the woman next to him hissed. “This is an official
council session. Refrain from your colorful usage of words.”

“My apologies.” He sighed. “I hate wasting time when I have
better things to do. Address the charges, Zorus. Your title has been revoked
during the proceedings. You stand accused of a very serious crime against
Garden and all cyborgs. Your son, Darius, stated that you have been influenced
by a human. Your loyalty has been brought into question.”

Zorus shot an annoyed look at his son before he addressed
the council. “This is a family matter that never should have been brought
before the council. Darius entered my home last evening, attacked my human, and
didn’t agree with my intention to form a family unit with her in the future. I
threatened him with bodily harm if he ever attempted to harm her again. He
accused me of treason for protecting her.”

By Charlie’s count, at least six council members registered
pure shock. Coval looked highly irritated as did the blond to his immediate
right. One of the women on the council glowered at Darius. She leaned forward.

“Attacked? No mention was made of that before now. How did
he attack your human, Zorus?”

Anger deepened his voice. “I walked into my bedroom to find
he’d torn the clothing from her body, bruised her up, and he intended to rape
her. He’d terrorized her, unprovoked. He’d bound her to prevent her from being
able to fight him off.”

Dark, dull gray wasn’t a pretty color on the woman’s
features when she rose to her feet to almost bend over the table to grip the
edge of it. Anger emanated from her when she focused on Darius.

“Is that true?”

Charlie slid a glance at Darius. His skin had paled a sickly
ash gray.

“She’s property. It’s not as if she is a cyborg female.”

The woman threw her body back hard enough to make the chair
creak. Her green eyes glittered with rage. “I see you toed that line very
carefully, didn’t you?”

“Jazel,” he croaked.

“Silence,” she hissed while her hand jerked up, palm out. It
then slammed flat into the table to make a loud noise. “We’ll speak of this
later, in private, after the meeting.”

A soft chuckle escaped Zorus. Amusement glinted in his eyes
when he met her gaze for an instant. He knew something she didn’t but she could
guess. Darius and the woman obviously knew each other since he’d called her by
her first name, the fact that he’d tried to rape Charlie infuriated the woman,
and Darius sported that “I’m in deep shit” look.

She leaned over enough to brush Zorus with her shoulder.
“His wife?” she mouthed.

Zorus’ grin widened. He stood instead of answering her and
he wiped all emotion from his features. “The accusations are false. There isn’t
a question of my true loyalty to our people. I would ask the charges be
dropped.”

“She’s a spy from Earth and has somehow twisted you inside,”
Darius ground out harshly. “I demand a physical examination be performed on my
father to make sure he hasn’t been drugged or tortured.”

“She rescued me,” Zorus stated coldly. “She planned to move
to Saturn until I talked her in to coming here with me. She is not a spy from
Earth.” He glanced at each of the cyborg council. “She held the status of a
grunt on Earth. She came from the working class, her classification almost the
same ours. The government allowed the females of her family to die when the
black flu hit. They gave her a male name to prevent her from being taken away
to do as they saw fit when she survived her birth.”

The dark-haired cyborg, Coval, leaned forward. “I am very
interested in learning how a human became important to you.”

The blond at his side grinned. “I am as well. Explain it in
detail, Zorus. Humans are our enemy and not to be trusted. How did the female
convince you otherwise?”

A deep growl came from Zorus. “You just want details, Rais.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Are you enjoying this?”

The blond chuckled. “Yes and you are on trial still. You
must answer our questions.”

A few of the council members chuckled. Charlie had a sinking
sensation inside her gut that she was about to witness payback. A pale, blonde
woman laughed aloud.

“Yes, Zorus. Do explain your sudden reversal on this matter.
We have listened to years of your rants about how no human is trustworthy, they
will ruin our society, and how dangerous they are.” The woman pointed at
Charlie. “No chains? She looks shifty.”

“I do not,” Charlie gasped before she could halt the words.
Her mouth slammed closed.

Zorus gave her an irritated look before he faced the
council. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you? All of you?”

“Yes,” a cyborg chuckled. “Explain it to us so we don’t find
you in contempt.”

“Fine.” Zorus dropped his hands to his sides, fisted them,
and took a deep breath. “She makes me feel emotions. She makes me happy for
once in my entire existence. I have discovered love.” His words came out
harshly, his anger clear. “So laugh if you will. I’ve fallen for the thing I
hated most. I didn’t mean for it to happen but she is unique. She risked her
life countless times to save mine. She gave up her freedom for the belief that
mine may have been in question. She once held a weapon on me,” he turned his
head again to meet Charlie’s eyes. His features softened. “I noticed you
adjusted the aim of it to make it impossible to kill me though you believed my
intentions were deadly toward you.” He faced the council again. “She’s taught
me not all humans are evil, intent on doing us harm, and made me finally
understand what one of our males could see in a human female.” He addressed
Coval and Rais. “I apologize for every insult I’ve given to you both for
choosing one of them over our own females.”

Rais gawked. Coval nodded, his features suddenly serious.
“Apology accepted on behalf of our family unit.”

Jazel stood. “I’ve heard enough. Obviously the charges were
greatly exaggerated by Darius.” She glared at him. “Close your mouth and do not
say another word. You have done enough damage today. I vote not guilty and this
matter is closed. All in agreement?”

Every head nodded. Coval stood next. “All in agreement.
Councilman Zorus, you have been cleared, your title reinstated, and this matter
is dropped. There could never be a question of your integrity or loyalty to all
of our people after your years of service with this council. We’ll see you
again when we meet next week.” He paused. “Congratulations on finally embracing
the things we fought so hard to establish the right to have. You are more than
what Earth created you to be. You have stopped being cold inside, released the
hatred you lived by, and have discovered the ability to love.” He paused. “You
are truly alive now.”

Zorus hung his head, his body going unusually still, and the
room started to clear. Charlie sat there watching the man she loved long after
everyone left them alone. She had no idea what to say or do to help him with
whatever thoughts were obviously weighing upon him so heavily.

Chapter Twelve

Zorus had been unusually silent on the walk home. Charlie
kept glancing at him after they reached his apartment but he seemed to be on
autopilot while he prepared food she doubted he’d touch.