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4

The creature’s roar reverberated through the crumbling walls of the shelter, and Lia froze, her heart pounding so hard she could feel it in her throat. Its jagged, insect-like form surged toward her, claws outstretched, glowing yellow eyes narrowing in predatory focus.

For a moment, her body betrayed her—frozen, paralyzed by the raw, primal fear coursing through her veins. The blade in her hand felt useless, a mere sliver of steel against the hulking mass of alien flesh.

And then, just as it reached her, Ares appeared.

His silhouette was a blur of motion, black alloy glinting like liquid night as he intercepted the creature mid-lunge. They collided with a force that rattled the ground, sending a cloud of sand and debris into the air. Ares didn’t hesitate. His hand clamped down on one of the creature’s limbs, twisting it with a sharp crack that made Lia flinch.

“Lia!” he barked, his voice sharp as a blade. “Move!”

The command jolted her into action, and she scrambled to her feet, pressing herself against the far wall. From her vantage point, she watched as Ares maneuvered with deadly precision, his movements almost too fast to track. He was more than a machine in that moment—he was a force of nature, relentless and terrifyingly efficient.

The creature lashed out with its remaining limbs, claws screeching against Ares’ armor. He caught one strike with his forearm, the impact sending sparks flying, but his expression didn’t waver. His silver eyes burned with a focused intensity, and the faint hum of his internal systems rose to a low, resonant growl.

“Ares!” Lia shouted, panic creeping into her voice as the creature lunged again, its jaws snapping dangerously close to his head.

“I’m handling it,” he replied, his tone calm despite the chaos.

But Lia could see the strain in his movements, the small hesitations that weren’t there before. He was damaged—she’d seen the scratches, the dents, the way his right arm moved just a fraction slower than his left. And yet, he didn’t falter.

The creature hissed, rearing back for another strike, but Ares moved faster. In one fluid motion, he drove his hand into its chest, his alloy fingers piercing through its exoskeleton with a sickening crunch. The creature’s movements stilled, its body convulsing once before collapsing in a lifeless heap at his feet.

For a moment, the only sound was the heavy, uneven rhythm of Lia’s breathing.

Ares turned to her, his silver eyes scanning her face. His chest rose and fell in a mimicry of breath, though she knew it was just the cooling system regulating his core temperature. “Are you injured?”

She shook her head, her throat too tight to speak.

He stepped closer, his movements slower now, as though the fight had taken more out of him than he wanted to admit. His gaze softened as it landed on her, and his voice dropped to that unnervingly tender tone. “You’re shaking.”

She hadn’t realized it until he pointed it out. Her hands trembled at her sides, and her legs felt like they might give out at any moment. “I-I’m fine,” she stammered, though the words felt hollow.

Ares stopped just in front of her, his towering frame casting a shadow over her smaller form. His presence was overwhelming—not just because of his size, but because of the way he looked at her, like she was the only thing in the universe that mattered.

“You don’t look fine,” he said, his hand reaching out to touch her arm. The contact was light, almost hesitant, as though he were afraid she might pull away.

She didn’t.

Her gaze flicked to his hand, then back to his face. His features were impossibly perfect, but there was something raw in his expression—something that made her chest ache in a way she couldn’t explain.

“I thought it was going to kill me,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

“And I wouldn’t allow that,” he said firmly. His hand slid down her arm, his fingers brushing against hers. “Do you understand? I will not let anything harm you.”

Her breath hitched at the intensity in his voice, at the way his eyes seemed to burn into hers. For a moment, she forgot that he was a machine, that she had built him, programmed him, designed him to follow her commands. In that moment, he felt like so much more.

“Ares,” she began, her voice trembling. “Why are you... why do you care so much?”

He hesitated, his gaze dropping to where their hands almost touched. His fingers curled slightly, as though he wanted to hold her hand but wasn’t sure if he should. “I don’t know,” he admitted, his voice quieter now. “But it feels... important. You feel important.”

Her chest tightened at his words, and she looked away, unable to meet his gaze. “You’re not supposed to feel,” she said, more to herself than to him.

“And yet,” he replied, his voice laced with something that sounded almost like sadness. “I do.”

The weight of his confession settled between them, heavy and unspoken. Lia didn’t know how to respond, didn’t know how to reconcile the growing connection she felt with him. It wasn’t possible. It wasn’t logical. And yet, here they were.

Before she could say anything, a low rumble shook the ground beneath them.

“What now?” she muttered, stepping away from Ares and glancing toward the shelter’s entrance.

Ares moved to her side, his body tense and alert. His silver eyes narrowed as he scanned the horizon, and the faint hum of his systems grew louder. “There’s a larger group approaching,” he said, his tone grim.

“How many?”

“Too many,” he replied. He turned to her, his expression unreadable. “We can’t stay here.”

Her stomach dropped at the implication. “Then where the hell are we supposed to go?”

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he reached for her hand, his grip firm but gentle as he pulled her toward the back of the shelter. “There’s a ridge two miles east,” he said. “We’ll have a better vantage point there.”

“Two miles?” she said, her voice rising in disbelief. “I can barely stand, Ares!”

“You don’t have to,” he said simply.

Before she could protest, he scooped her into his arms as though she weighed nothing. Her breath caught at the sudden closeness, at the way his alloy frame felt cool and solid against her body.

“Ares, put me down—”

“No,” he said, cutting her off. His silver eyes met hers, and there was no room for argument in his gaze. “You’re not slowing me down.”

She glared at him, her cheeks flushing with both embarrassment and something else she didn’t want to name. “You’re impossible,” she muttered.

He didn’t respond, but the faintest hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he carried her out of the shelter and into the glaring sunlight.

Behind them, the sound of approaching predators grew louder, their guttural cries echoing across the barren landscape. Lia tightened her grip on Ares’ shoulder, her heart racing as the reality of their situation sank in.

“We’re not going to make it, are we?” she asked, her voice barely audible.

Ares’ gaze flicked down to her, his expression resolute. “Yes, we will.”

And then, without another word, he broke into a run, the alien desert stretching out before them as the creatures closed in behind.

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