Free Cyborg by Kaitlyn O'Connor Page A

organs that had only become hers after they’d been transplanted into her body.
    She was as self-righteous and bigoted as any other member of her kind.
    She knew now why The Company was so hot to destroy the cyborgs. They were trying to cover their asses, not protect mankind from machines. They didn’t want it to be discovered that they’d so far forgotten themselves as to create life when the morality laws forbade such tampering.
    “I’m sorry,” she said, finally nerving herself to meet his gaze. “That was …
    unforgivably stupid and careless of me.”
    She knew the moment the words were out of her mouth that he’d misinterpreted them. “Already regretting it?” he asked coldly.
    “Yes, but not the way you’re thinking.”
    “I don’t think. I collate. I’m sure you haven’t forgotten that. You make certain to point it out every time I come near you.”
    “Stop it! I’m trying to apologize. I know, now, that I was wrong.”
    His lips tightened. “I failed to perform as expected? You do realize your revulsion of cyborgs creates a problem. Next time, close your eyes. Maybe you’ll be able to pretend I’m human, not a machine.”
    Amaryllis felt her temper spark to life. “I know you’re not just a machine,” she said tightly.
    “You discovered something?”
    “Damn it, Dante! You could at least give me a chance.”
    He shook his head. “I already did. My life might mean nothing to you, but I’m fond of it.”
    “He wasn’t supposed to be there, damn it! How was I to know he’d show up?”

    His eyes narrowed. “He wasn’t supposed to be in his own cabin?”
    “Not at this time … he never has been before.”
    “But you were expecting me?”
    Amaryllis blushed. “Yes.”
    “The shower was a nice touch. You could have disposed of me and it would’ve looked like an accident.”
    Amaryllis gaped at him. “You can’t be serious!”
    “That wasn’t the plan?”
    “No!”
    “What was the plan, then?”
    The blush that had barely died, rose once more. “I didn’t really have one.”
    “The human capacity for half truths, complete lies, and malicious subterfuge never fails to amaze me. You did not decide, when you saw that I wanted you, to wait until I was half crazed with need and dangle the promise in front of me? It was not your plan to use my weakness to dispose of me, to rid yourself of the only one aboard this ship that is aware that you are human?”
    Horror washed through Amaryllis that he’d so completely understood her original plans. In point of fact, she’d forgotten them in the time since. Having him recite them back to her as if by rote brought them crashing back into her memory, however, and she could not prevent the guilt that showed on her face.
    No wonder he hadn’t touched her since! No wonder he’d avoided her as assiduously as she’d avoided contact with him.
    “I didn’t know you then,” she said a little weakly.
    “You do not know me now,” he said tightly.
    A shaft of fear stabbed through her. “What do you mean by that?”
    “I mean, if you are so determined to reveal your presence, I see no reason to risk my freedom, and perhaps my life, to preserve yours. I could turn you in now and claim that I found you hiding in the ship.”
    He was angry and, she thought with a touch of surprise, it was as much because he was hurt as from sheer sexual frustration. He’d said that he wanted her--that was why he’d taken the risk of protecting her--but all that she’d done from the moment they’d met was to throw his origins in his face.
    She couldn’t reason with him, though. She’d done a hell of a good job convincing him that she held him in contempt, couldn’t see him as anything but a cyborg. He wasn’t going to listen to any attempt to explain that she really didn’t feel that way, probably never had.
    She couldn’t resist the temptation to try, though.
    “I wasn’t trying to get caught and I wasn’t trying to seduce you to hurt you. I