by Mela NoLeuca
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Robyn’s POV
His soft succulent lips enveloped mine, closing every gap to seal my mouth with his. It wasn't hurried or rough, but gentle and unsure as if any moment, I would shatter to a thousand pieces. A wave of bliss pulsed throughout my body, summoning faint warmth swirling in the pit of my stomach.
Oh God I wanted more.
Because he was pinning my wrists above my head, I couldn't move. I couldn't wrap my arms around him and pull him closer; I couldn't make him deepen the kiss. My body slowly throbbed, screaming for more, but I couldn't do anything about it. The way our bodies were pressed against each other with nothing more but a measly gown dangerously increased the heat from my very core.
I couldn't stop him when he pulled away, watching me carefully like he had broken an antique porcelain vase I inherited from my grandmother. His beautiful brown eyes were so intense with shock, slowly I remembered what had just happened minutes before he tackled me to the ground.
Pulling himself off me made my body wail in agony, begging for him to come back. Yet with my willpower, I kept my urges at bay.
Tears slowly pooled in the corners of my eyes and dribbled infinitely to the sides of my temples. I felt so depressed, so angry and so full of raw emotions that couldn't take it in any longer. I turned to my side and hugged my knees, quietly crying to myself.
Minutes of obstinate silence agonizingly stretched to what seemed like forever until a hand gently touched my head, soothing me to hush. Ethan sat behind me, comforting me in his reticence, but did he even understand what I went through?
"They sliced me over and over, hit me so hard several times, and gunned me with so many bullets and broke my bones one by one only to be healed again and again," I explained the horror before my throat knotted tightly. Drained from tears, I remained silent as well.
I heard him sigh heavily; he rubbed his face and then heard a few shuffles behind me. A moment later his arm draped across my torso, intending nothing else but to comfort me. It worked, by that small gesture I’ve never felt so secured, so safe and so serene. This alone encouraged me to get it all off my chest so that my perturbed conscience would finally be at peace.
"They said I couldn't suffocate or drown, get drunk or be poisoned because these things speed up my metabolism," I went on, rambling on so monotonously as if I were some zombie, but with each word that I let go, the lighter and lighter I felt.
"They told me that I was going to replace you and if I refused, my family and all my loved ones and everyone else I knew will die," new tears blurred my vision and slowly I curled some more. The hopelessness that I though I had successfully doused threatened to resurface with renewed strength.
He pulled me closer until my cold back pressed against his warm front, reinforcing my refuge for sanity, a beacon for my lost and hungry soul to come back to and then ever so slightly, he whispered, "they've done that to me too, but I had no family for them to threaten with,"
"Lucky you," I scowled, but of course he wouldn't see that.
"I don't think I was lucky, they lied to me about my family, at least you knew you have a family to live for," he pointed out, his voice was so tender, filled with words that warmed me with ease.
"Ethan," I began again, carefully debating on whether or not I should have spoken. His mere presence seemed to be the remedy to all this mess I was dragged in to and whatever I say next might break this fragile, peaceful moment we rarely shared together.
"What?" he voice drawled slowly. I shouldn’t have asked, now there was no backing down now on this one. The chances of being reminded by this unrelentingly would be a price I’d have to pay if we ever survived tomorrow and the following days after.
"That was my first real kiss," I muttered quickly. The sooner I said it, the sooner he would probably get over it. Being the most unpredictable person I’ve ever met, he pushed himself up behind me, trying to get a good view of my face. The biggest mistake I made was to glance up at him.
"Are you shitting me?" he asked incredulously, an annoying grin plastered his face that screamed ‘I am so not getting over this.’
I slowly turned my head to fully face him, making sure I looked as scary as hell, "I'm still going to kill you for that," I growled vehemently. I couldn’t believe I decided to tell him. What the hell was I thinking? Why did I even give him that satisfaction? I swung my elbow hard, aiming for his chest. Who gives a damn if I crushed this guy’s ribs?
He rolled away quickly, but stood with a playful smile on his face.
"I'm not kidding, you ass!" I was slowly getting to my feet, rage was gradually building within me. I mean sure it was my fault, and I knew there were consequences, but was he seriously this much of a jerk? I was expecting an apology! Was this all his stupid brain could think of doing?
"I dare you to go all crazy again and I swear you're going to have your second," he said, each words oozing with confidence.
Clicking my tongue, I shook my head in defeat. It was useless to try and beat some sense into his neurons. I gathered myself up to hobble over to the corner. My body was still getting accustomed to these damned bots. What if they clump together and block my arteries? I shuddered, I must make sure to take aspirin every day just to be on the safe side.
"Is this what the whole crazy laughing lady act was about?" he asked all of the sudden, amusement rang clear in his voice, "just because they injected you some badass bots, you're going to let them walk all over you?"
My face heated up and I could already tell I was blushing. Like a child sent to time out, I sat down hugging my knees as I faced the wall. Had I really lost it that much back then? I don’t know, I guess I was so annoyed that I needed to laugh at his face. I needed to laugh at the world. I was, at a point, almost losing my head, but at least it wasn’t an act I was trying to pull off.
Who would want to pretend they’re crazy? That wasn’t the thing though. He doesn’t know everything. ERA implanted this into me for the purpose of bearing a baby that would have these bots running in its veins. They also wanted to see what would happen if I tried to have a baby whose father also carried the NIES? In other words, they wanted to make a baby factory out of me.
I didn’t feel like telling that bit to Ethan. Heck, I didn’t feel like talking to him anymore.
“Don’t you even understand how cool this thing is?” Added Ethan, I couldn't believe it, but he reminded me like one of those kids with head lice. This was something that a normal person would gladly decline to, but there he was enjoying every itchy moment of his head-infested life. Except that the infestation was something in our veins, like a blood fluke. I shuddered. Ew.
I shook my head, being a cyborg was nothing to be proud of. Okay, maybe I’m technically not one since it was running inside my system. I don’t know, I don’t want to think about it right now. Silence came soon after.
“Robyn,” said Ethan from behind me. I didn’t look. “My bruises are gone”
“Good for you,” I rolled my eyes. This idiot was definitely not making me feel any better. A faint beep caught my attention somewhere to my south. That was where the door was.
“Did you hear that?” He asked me all of a sudden. Curiously, I craned my neck over my shoulder and saw that he was also looking at the door. We both exchanged glances, the sense of camaraderie instantly returned before he ran over to me and helped me up.
"I'm still not going to let this one go," He firmly stated, waggling his brows at me.
I rolled my eyes, "you're still an ass, Ethan"
Putting all this little issue aside, I soon found myself failing to conjure any more reaction to this but smile along with him the moment we knew the event bound to happen next was inevitable. I didn't intend for that to mean anything else, mind you.
Soon enough both shared the shit-eating grin of a Cheshire cat as excitement bubbled all throughout us, in unison we said: “Ares”
As if on cue, the door exploded.