by Aurelia Skye
After the others had departed, she turned to Jason—JSN, she mentally corrected—and smiled cautiously. “I can show you to a room. You do sleep, don’t you?”
He nodded. “I do all the things humans do.”
Surely she was imagining the smoky tinge to his voice when he said that, as though he was referring to something more personal than eating and sleeping. “Don’t you require some sort of nutrient fluid?”
He nodded. “I see you are somewhat up-to-date on the science. In the old days, we used to submerse ourselves in a tube filled with the nutrients required. Over time, we’ve enhanced the process, and now the nutrients run through our vascular system, which is why it has a luminescent glow.”
Without thinking, she reached out and ran a hand down his arm, tracing one of the bioluminescent veins with her finger. They both stiffened at the touch, and she immediately withdrew her hand. “How will you get your nutrients while you’re with us? We clearly don’t have anything like that around.”
He chuckled. “I have enough in my reservoir to last me several days. If things got dire, I could reduce to half-rations, though it reduces my strength as well. If I have to do that, I’ll just rest a little more and eat more food. I imagine I’ll be back with the other cyborgs before it’s a concern.”
She nodded, keeping the motion of her head brisk and doing her best to hide any hint of disappointment at the thought. It was ridiculous to be concerned about missing him when he left, especially since he had barely arrived, and he was nothing more to her than a diplomatic contact. “Let me show you to your room then.”
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About Aurelia Skye
Aurelia Skye is the pen name USA Today bestselling author Kit Tunstall uses when writing science fiction romance. It’s simply a way to separate the myriad types of stories she writes so readers know what to expect with each “author.”
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Aurelia Skye
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