you might not believe this…”
“I’m sure I won’t.”
“But I haven’t felt this way about anyone in a really long time.” He took a deep breath. “In fact, before last night, I hadn’t even slept with anyone in over a year.”
This revelation stunned me into silence. It’s unheard of for men and women past the age of sexual initiation to remain abstinent for such a length of time. Sex is indulged in as generously and casually as eating. It’s the reason I have a job.
I didn’t know what to say. “You must be joking.”
He shook his head, then gave me just a ghost of a grin. “Not until I met you.”
Our eyes met and our gazes locked. Who was this man? He’d fooled me into thinking he was something he was not, he’d made my body sing and my heart leap. Could I admit he’d also given me hope?
“I wasn’t out at the hut last night looking to get laid,” Declan said. “But then you swaggered up to me and flashed me your badge. Hell. I’ve been dreaming about something like that since my first wet dream. Fucking a cop? I couldn’t refuse.”
“Declan.” I rolled the name on my tongue like it was fine piece of chocolate. “I have to tell you. I’m—”
Then he reached out to tuck a strand of hair away behind my ear. The gesture, so simple, so insignificant, took my breath away. How long since someone had touched me like that? Without needing something from me? Without taking something from me? I was lost, and I knew it. Lost in a casual gesture from a man I barely knew.
“What, Gemma?”
I’d meant to tell him the truth. I’m not a metalgirl, and I’m not a fleshgirl. I’m mecho, something both and neither.
He cocked his head, waiting for me to speak, and I thought of how he’d whispered my name over and over. Like some sort of prayer. I thought of his lips pressed to mine, and I answered him.
“Nothing, Declan,” I said. “It doesn’t matter.”
Chapter Five
We parted with the pledge to meet again the next night.
“I’ll come for you,” he promised, and left the garden before I’d had the chance to ask him for his address or how I could reach him.
Mysterious. I laughed softly to myself as I let myself into the dark apartment. In Newcity, the only people who have a private life are those wealthy enough to afford one. Everyone else’s vital information is stored in System, and readily available at a retscan’s notice. Everything from shoe size to favorite beverage can be found in those databanks. If I really wanted to find him, I was sure I could. For now, not knowing anything about him other than the taste of him was exciting.
I paused to peek in at Kaelyn, huddled in her closet. When I’d first brought her home, I’d made a bed for her in my room. I hadn’t known nights on Eloven are perfectly, seamlessly black. It had taken several sleepless weeks before Kaelyn could explain to me why the faintest glow of light from the viddy screen’s sleep setting made it impossible for her to sleep.
Even now, the faint glow let in when I opened the door made her stir. She blinked, slowly, and sighed.
“My Gemma.”
“I’m home, Kaelyn. Go back to sleep.”
With a drowsy nod, she snuggled back into the nest of blankets she preferred over a mattress, and went back to sleep. I paused a moment longer to stare at the strange creature I’d brought into my home. An impulse I didn’t understand moved me to tuck the blankets around her more firmly, and to smooth the line of her folded wing as she dreamed. It wasn’t my right to own her, this alien child, but I couldn’t be sorry about it. She’d have died if I hadn’t bought her and taken her to live with me. I was sure of that.
I closed the closet door and went to my hygiene room. I tossed my drab gray outfit into the recycling chute, then opened the small key panel next to my mirror and punched in the codes for a new set of clothes, a couple chocobars, and some other supplies for the next day.
System’s smooth female
“I’m sure I won’t.”
“But I haven’t felt this way about anyone in a really long time.” He took a deep breath. “In fact, before last night, I hadn’t even slept with anyone in over a year.”
This revelation stunned me into silence. It’s unheard of for men and women past the age of sexual initiation to remain abstinent for such a length of time. Sex is indulged in as generously and casually as eating. It’s the reason I have a job.
I didn’t know what to say. “You must be joking.”
He shook his head, then gave me just a ghost of a grin. “Not until I met you.”
Our eyes met and our gazes locked. Who was this man? He’d fooled me into thinking he was something he was not, he’d made my body sing and my heart leap. Could I admit he’d also given me hope?
“I wasn’t out at the hut last night looking to get laid,” Declan said. “But then you swaggered up to me and flashed me your badge. Hell. I’ve been dreaming about something like that since my first wet dream. Fucking a cop? I couldn’t refuse.”
“Declan.” I rolled the name on my tongue like it was fine piece of chocolate. “I have to tell you. I’m—”
Then he reached out to tuck a strand of hair away behind my ear. The gesture, so simple, so insignificant, took my breath away. How long since someone had touched me like that? Without needing something from me? Without taking something from me? I was lost, and I knew it. Lost in a casual gesture from a man I barely knew.
“What, Gemma?”
I’d meant to tell him the truth. I’m not a metalgirl, and I’m not a fleshgirl. I’m mecho, something both and neither.
He cocked his head, waiting for me to speak, and I thought of how he’d whispered my name over and over. Like some sort of prayer. I thought of his lips pressed to mine, and I answered him.
“Nothing, Declan,” I said. “It doesn’t matter.”
Chapter Five
We parted with the pledge to meet again the next night.
“I’ll come for you,” he promised, and left the garden before I’d had the chance to ask him for his address or how I could reach him.
Mysterious. I laughed softly to myself as I let myself into the dark apartment. In Newcity, the only people who have a private life are those wealthy enough to afford one. Everyone else’s vital information is stored in System, and readily available at a retscan’s notice. Everything from shoe size to favorite beverage can be found in those databanks. If I really wanted to find him, I was sure I could. For now, not knowing anything about him other than the taste of him was exciting.
I paused to peek in at Kaelyn, huddled in her closet. When I’d first brought her home, I’d made a bed for her in my room. I hadn’t known nights on Eloven are perfectly, seamlessly black. It had taken several sleepless weeks before Kaelyn could explain to me why the faintest glow of light from the viddy screen’s sleep setting made it impossible for her to sleep.
Even now, the faint glow let in when I opened the door made her stir. She blinked, slowly, and sighed.
“My Gemma.”
“I’m home, Kaelyn. Go back to sleep.”
With a drowsy nod, she snuggled back into the nest of blankets she preferred over a mattress, and went back to sleep. I paused a moment longer to stare at the strange creature I’d brought into my home. An impulse I didn’t understand moved me to tuck the blankets around her more firmly, and to smooth the line of her folded wing as she dreamed. It wasn’t my right to own her, this alien child, but I couldn’t be sorry about it. She’d have died if I hadn’t bought her and taken her to live with me. I was sure of that.
I closed the closet door and went to my hygiene room. I tossed my drab gray outfit into the recycling chute, then opened the small key panel next to my mirror and punched in the codes for a new set of clothes, a couple chocobars, and some other supplies for the next day.
System’s smooth female
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