Factor by Viola Grace Page A

standard com units instead of her implant felt weird, but it distracted her from the waves of heat that were constantly lapping at her in all her sensitive places.
    “Twist, there is a man in a mask on your left. His right arm is a problem.” Jianne blinked and smiled as her ability to locate the factor reared up for the first time in days.
    Twist shifted into a wolf-like creature and took out the offending arm with one snap of his jaws. The man screamed, but the switch that was wired along his arm dropped to the floor. Another snap of Twist’s jaws and the detonator shattered into shards.
    Watching from the sealed shuttle, Jianne grinned. That was it. The rest of the men pulling the heist lost their enthusiasm while their commander bled to death on the polished tile.
    There was nothing that could be done about the two hostages who had been killed before they arrived, but the remaining folk were whole and healthy. She wanted to take the shuttle for a victory lap, but the Guardians wouldn’t be too happy with her.
    Even working in the shuttle, she felt the triumphant surge of adrenaline as the evil were punished and good won the day. It was a basic joy that transformed into an urge for a more personal celebration.
    She paced inside the shuttle, eager to be in Cowl’s arms. The moment that the door opened and she saw her mate, she rushed forward, only to stop with a jerk when she realised something was wrong. “You must be the brother.”
    He grinned and flipped his cowl back, “I am indeed. I am glad to meet you, sister.”
    She backed up. “What?”
    “Sadly, you are no good to me now. I will have to seek out another possible female. Tell my brother that I wish him well.”
    She crossed her arms and gave him a narrowed-eyed look. “You had Cyber tamper with my programming. You had people shot.”
    “No one died, and as for the other…it seemed the best way to get to you before my brother did, but his arrival queered things. He knew what you were before he arrived and that was not something I had counted on.” Sarlok bowed. “I consider myself bested now that I have sensed for myself that you are his true mate. May you be happy and enjoy many years together.”
    He turned to leave, but she stopped him. “What about Cyber? Is she back to normal, does she remember what she did?”
    Sarlok gave her a surprised look. “Of course. It was her idea for me to court you after all.”
    “You call that courtship?”
    “Different strokes for different species, sister. Have a good life.” He left the shuttle, and Jianne sat heavily on a seat in the kitchenette.
    She was still sitting there when Cowl came in. He inhaled and immediately rushed to her side. “Sarlok was here?”
    She nodded.
    “What did he want?” He ran his hands over her face, neck, shoulders and arms.
    She frowned. “I think he wanted to make sure that we were actually mates. He called me sister and wished us luck.”
    Cowl chuckled and lifted her, sitting down and tucking her on his lap. Just being close to him made her feel better.
    “I asked him about Cyber. He said it was her idea to tamper with my software.”
    He brushed his lips across her forehead. “He was right. She was worked over by a Reader, and Cyber originally thought that you were the perfect match for Sarlok. She and he were friends, and she was trying her hand at matchmaking, of a sort. She is being given several years community service on a low-tech world.”
    Jianne leaned against him in relief. “She will hate that, but she will survive it.”
    “She will. She will also be able to resume her duties as a Guardian as there was no malice in her lapse. When she is released, she will be given a partner who can keep an eye on her, a complementary talent that she can’t deceive.”
    Roil, Twist and Flare entered the shuttle, noted that they were both still dressed and set the shuttle for take-off.
    Jianne was content to sit in Sarnvil’s arms. They had joined the mile-high club on