Page 33 of Stars in Nova

The shimmering lights of the lagoon reflected in her gaze, casting her face in an ethereal glow.

He tried to speak, but his throat tightened as the toxin spread to his neck, cutting off any words. His jaw clenched, his muscles twitching as he clung to consciousness.

The water pressed against his skin, cool and soothing, but now it felt like a betrayal, just like the woman before him.

He attempted to move away from the pulse of her hands, steadying him as she whispered, ‘Forgive me.’

He’d lost all ability to register her utterance when her lips captured his once more.

His physique locked, his metanoids—the microscopic bio-mechanical enhancers integrated into his cells—stiffening under her control as she slicked more toxin into his mouth via her tongue.

He tried to pull back, but his extremities refused to obey, his muscles frozen.

The glow in her skin dimmed as she pulled away, her breath soft against his lips.

Her eyes flicked to his, and a smile curled the edge of her mouth—not playful or tender, but calculating.

Fokk, what had she done to him?

He forced the remaining energy in his metanoids to his vocal cords.

Twas to no avail, and he gasped, flailing, until she touched her wet hand to his throat, and he spluttered, this time with some audible control.

‘Samira, why -’ he rasped, his hoarse utterance laced with confusion and betrayal.

She placed a finger against his lips, her touch silencing him.

‘It’s not personal,’ she murmured, her voice carrying a chilling calm. ‘I won’t hurt you; all I need is access to your home, and you’ll let me in.’

Ever-lovin-fokk-why?

He tried to activate his neural node, reaching for Mirage’s prescience, but his connection faltered.

The neuro-toxin Samira had transferred through her kiss had disrupted his systems, severing his ability to call for assistance.

However, his mind remained alert. His thoughts parsed and raced, and he tried to understand what was happening even as the rest of his body was no longer in his control.

‘Take me to your place,’ she commanded in a murmur that sent a ripple of dread through him.

His legs moved, not of his own accord but under the control of his overridden metanoids. He attempted a kinetic takeover, but that, too, failed.

Fokk.

His soul sunk, and rage roiled in his chest as he fought the betrayal of his form and metanoids.

Whateverfokkin’ neural bio agent she’d given him was too potent.

He was forced to follow her instructions, step out of the pool, and walk to a compact bench where his clothes were folded.

At her whispered command, he dressed with mechanical jerked movements.

The smooth fabric of his black gear clung to his damp skin as he pulled it on. He glared at her from the corner of his eye.

Samira slipped into a flowing cloak, its shimmering textile hugging her figure before falling in fluid folds around her.

She walked with a grace that belied the small, concealed firearm she now clutched beneath the cloak’s edge.

The weapon remained hidden, but its presence was unmistakable as she gestured for him to follow her.

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