Page 94 of Tyton: The Spider and the Dragonfly
“Elena was the golden child?”Callie guessed.
Talia shook her head.“The opposite.Our family received special treatment, but it was never directed toward Elena and me.We were all expected to conform, but us especially.”
Callie drew calming circles across Talia’s chest.She found herself distracted by Talia’s small, rose-coloured nipple.Her soul as bare as her skin didn’t help her resolve.Sesi would kill her if she wrecked her arm, though.
“And I did.”Talia continued.“I knew what I had to do to avoid punishment and I did it.Everyone praised my parents and I caught a bit of their reflected light.”
“Then why did you run?”
“Callum Black made a huge donation.Except it wasn’t a donation.It was a purchase.Any children would inherit NovAITech and they thought that would buy them the power and influence they needed to start forcing their horrible beliefs on everyone.”Talia stroked Callie’s hair, as though she were the one who needed comforting.“I had spent my life until then being the perfect daughter and my reward was to be punished forever.So, I told Elena I was leaving.”Talia grew quiet.She knew she had to change and there was no safer place to shed her skin than here.
Talia inhaled sharply.“I thought we were close.I thought Elena would come with me.She held the loose corner of corrugated aluminium open that led to the tunnels and then to the subway, before they got shut down.Instead, the moment I slipped through, she ran to tell the others.”A tear fell, but Talia didn’t wipe it away.Her face grew hot and angry.“I’ll never forget the way she smiled when I turned to look at her as I fled.She knew exactly what would happen to me if I was caught.”
“She said you would be unharmed because you were already paid for,” Callie said softly.
Talia’s forehead wrinkled.“What?”Had she made a mistake?
“That’s why she was attacking me.She said someone needed to be punished in your place.”Talia’s neck muscles tensed against her fingers.
“Even more glad I killed her then.”Talia muttered, flexing her jaw.But tears still fell.Callie could see that Talia still felt something for Elena.She decided to steer the conversation in another direction.
“Then you met Georg, right?”
Talia nodded.“He was also running.From the same arsehole as I was, it turned out.He was just better at it.”
“And Sesi came along later?”
“Yeah,” Talia confirmed.“That’s her story to tell, though.”
Callie nestled against her chest.Talia’s heart thudded quickly against her ear.But there was nowhere to go.Nowhere to be.She could wait for Talia’s new shell to heal a bit more.
Her heartbeat slowed.Callie’s lips turned against her skin, catching the rise and fall of her curves in her periphery.How could someone so hard be so soft?
Callie couldn’t resist anymore.She planted seedlings of kisses along the tender flesh of Talia’s breast.Her hungry mouth sunk into her blossoming nipple.Talia arched into her.
“Sesi is going to be very upset with me if I damage you.You’re supposed to be recuperating.”Talia warned.
Callie scraped her teeth, warmth pooling between her thighs.She settled back down.
“Good girl.”Talia raked her nails through Callie’s hair.The praise only stoked her libido.
“Did you fall as quickly for her?”
Talia’s eyes grew unsettlingly large.Callie thought the comment was innocent, but she must have gone too far.
“It’s not a secret.Yesterday you refused to give Sesi an egg unless I did too.”
Talia made to leave, but Callie held her arm.She flinched and Callie winced.
“Stop,” she pleaded.Talia seethed, but she turned to look at her.“I know you’re not a soft mushy person.I don’t need you to be.”
“Then why would you…” Talia started.
“I agreed.”Callie let go of her arm and bit her fingernails.
“But that’s madness.”Talia collapsed back onto the bed.
“So is everything I’ve been through in the past two weeks.”Callie reached for Talia again.Talia didn’t flinch away this time.“It’s been more fucked up than I could ever have imagined.”Callie snorted a laugh in disbelief.“It’s also the happiest I’ve been in,” She shrugged.“I don’t know.I can’t remember.”
