“What?”
“You heard me. Turn it on. By the way, how do you like married life?”
“It’s our one year anniversary, and we’re both still alive.”
“So it’s a success. You have a nice life, now, you hear?”
“Mino, wait!” Jaymes said, but the linx was dead. Pointing it at the wall opposite the big bed, he pressed one of the top corners. A holoscreen floated out of the wall and brightened. A simcaster’s image coalesced, and her words became audible. “Listen,” Jaymes told Drue.
“This morning, the Bioware civil rights bill, commonly known as Valens’s Law was approved by the World Economic Combine Council. Those tagged as Bioware will now enjoy the same rights as Citizens and will in fact be Citizens. This great change has not come without great struggle, and there are those especially in the Bioware industry who will oppose the new laws. But for today, celebrations are going on all over the city.”
Jaymes flicked the screen off. “How about that?” he said.
“Couldn’t they have passed the law before we paid all that money for my contract?”
“You’re worth every cent.”
“What’s a cent?”
“No idea. It’s just an old saying.” Jaymes wiped tears from his eyes.
“What’s wrong? Aren’t you happy about the new law?”
“Of course. I just wish Valens was here to celebrate with us, and Parry, and Cade Londean, and everyone who died to make this happen.”
Drue hugged Jaymes tightly. “I think they’d think the sacrifice was worth it.” After a few moments, he made a clumsy attempt to change the subject. “How’s the murk?”
Jaymes lifted his head from Drue’s shoulder. “He didn’t say, but the fact that he’s still alive makes me oddly happy.”
“Speaking of happy, now that I’m awake, do you want to ravish me again, or do you need to get back to sleep?”
“I’m not doing any work tomorrow. I promised, and I’m going to keep my promise.”
“I don’t mind your work. It’s glamorous. You get to wear nice suits and go to stellar parties, and the best part is that you take me with you.”
“I do more than attend parties.”
Drue snorted. “You’re a wonderful ambassador, love, but you have to admit that a large part of your job takes place at parties. Not that I’m complaining.”
Abruptly the room was lit by a flare of bright red radiance. Jaymes and Drue got out of bed and went naked to the balcony. With their arms around one another, they watched the fireworks and honored all those who had made this victory possible.
About the Author
CONNIE BAILEY is a Luddite who can’t live without her computer. She’s an acrophobic who loves to fly, a fault-finding pessimist who, nonetheless, is always surprised when something bad happens, and an antisocialite who loves her friends like family. She’s held a number of jobs in many disparate arenas to put food on the table, but writing is the occupation that feeds her soul.
Connie lives with her ultralight designer husband at a small grass-strip airfield halfway between Disney World and Busch Gardens. Logic and reality have had little to do with her life, and she likes it that way.
Visit her blog at http://baileymoyes.livejournal.com/.
By CONNIE BAILEY
NOVELS
Kaji Sukoshi and the Shining One
Miles to Go
Moonlight, Tiger and Smoke
Revenant
Something for Nothing
True Blue
NOVELLAS
The Raw Prawn
Human After All
Published by DREAMSPINNER PRESS
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Romantic Suspense from CONNIE BAILEY
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Contemporary Romance from CONNIE BAILEY
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Sci-Fi Suspense from DREAMSPINNER PRESS
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Copyright
Human After All © Copyright Connie Bailey, 2012
Published by
Dreamspinner Press
5032 Capital Circle SW
Ste 2, PMB# 279
Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886
USA
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors’ imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover Art by Anne Cain
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This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. This eBook cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this eBook can be shared or reproduced without the express permission of the Publisher. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press at: 5032 Capital Circle SW
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Released in the United States of America
October 2012
eBook Edition
eBook ISBN: 978-1-62380-057-4
Human After All Page 16