Page 34 of Scars & Starlight
“Yes. This is as powerful as the gun I gave you, though it works at a shorter distance.” He gently takes my hand and turns it palm-up.
“Wait!” I panic, trying to pull back. “What if I accidentally set it off and hurt you?”
“Don’t worry,” he soothes, massaging my fingers. The sensation is odd coming through the ultralight armor between us. I wonder if that’s how a snake senses touch, and consider asking my nanites. Maybe they can talk to snakes? “They’ll be inert until you’re familiar enough with their use,” Kai continues, oblivious to my internal ramblings.
“Well, that’s a relief.” I laugh nervously, trying to resist the urge to kiss away the mischievous twist of his lips. Thismalienis too tempting for my sanity. “How do we practice without me giving innocent bystanders lobotomies, though?”
The sides of his eyes crinkle. “We’ll practice intent and control. Once you’ve mastered that, you’ll be able to utilize all aspects of your nanites safely. In the meanwhile…” The area around me shimmers purple. He must have had the nanites show themselves.
“Pretty. I’m guessing that’s the shield?”
Kairen nods and walks back to the bed. “Have the armor retract and then reappear,” he commands. The way he’s sitting back on the bed, leaning on his hands, makes me want to retract more than just my armor.
Gosh, I really do have a one-track mind, don’t I?
OBSESSIVE COGNITIVE FOCUS IS CONSISTENT WITH HORMONAL PATTERNS ASSOCIATED WITH PAIR-BONDING. ELEVATED OXYTOCIN, DOPAMINE, AND NOREPINEPHRINE DETECTED. CONCLUSION: EARLY-STAGE ROMANTIC ATTACHMENT.
I freeze, grimacing at myself.
“What’s the matter?” Kai asks, leaning forward like he might launch himself out of bed and intervene with whatever’s bugging me.
I wave him off. “I keep asking the nanites questions by mistake, and I’m shocked when they answer. They don’t sugarcoat, do they?”
His smile reveals those dangerous-looking canines. “They also don’t have a sense of humor, so don’t bother trying to explain your thoughts to them. They don’t care.”
“I’m afraid I’m going to have to reprogram myself to be more aligned with their program,” I murmur, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Don’t suggest that again,” he answers sternly. “You and your nanites will become accustomed to each other and work in synchrony.”
“Synchrony, eh?” I tease him. “What if I try to call off my armor and instead have them dissolve my clothes?”
The commander gives me a ferocious grin. “That would make them synchronous with my desires.”
I throw my head back and laugh, thoroughly enjoying the ease between us. I don’t think I’ve ever felt as free to be myself with anyone as I do with him.
“Alright, armor off,” I say out loud, then shudder when my skin tickles everywhere, retreating in the direction of my neck and the brand-new ports there.
“Perfect,” Kai praises. “Although there’s no need to say it out loud, I understand the impulse. However, you might give yourself away in battle if you’re attempting to command them to neutralize an enemy as you lie in ambush.”
Chuckling, I call the armor back, then off again, silently this time. I do a little dance when I’m successful.
“Now what?” I ask Kairen, excited to continue my training.
“Now, we’ve been invited to dinner with Elmsleigh and her commanders.” He tilts his head. “Do you think I could bring a nourishment drink from the Talon without causing her insult?”
I snort at his discomfort. “Speaking of the handy-dandy synthesis machines, do you have any extra ones we could give the humans? My base?” I can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner.
“We will create food production centers around the planet once the threat is more manageable,” he says, then stands up and walks toward me until our boots are inches apart. “I know you want to help everyone immediately, but some things will take a few of yourmoonfalls. Some will take cycles.” His hands come up to rub my arms in soothing motions.
“I understand,” I mutter. The bemused look he gives me tells me my tone doesn’t match my words. I step onto my tippy-toes and give him a kiss, the action still new and thrilling to me, but not scary at all. “Let’s get this dinner over with. I want to see if Orien managed to get Maggie flustered yet.”
Kairen grins evilly. “I’m not surprised my match and I are of the same mind here.”
18
KAIREN
Iwatch my intelligence officer as he exaggeratedly smacks his lips after tasting the human’s water.
