Page 65 of Invasion of Sorority Z

When she finally begins, I am immediately lost. Her voice flows like a melody around us, painting the words with such a passion that images play alongside them.

It is somewhere along the fourth chapter when my mind begins to wander. Having my mate tucked against my red arm, her head resting on my chest, I allow treacherous thoughts to dance around my brain.

“Marrec, honey?” My little blossom asks, pulling me from my troubled mind. “What’s wrong?”

“I did not mean to interrupt your story.” It is true, I did not. “I am enjoying it very much. I’m afraid that my mind took me away from it, I apologize—”

“Don’t apologize,” she interrupts. “Always tell me what’s on your mind, in the middle of reading or not.”

“You are sure?”

She nods, closing the book in her lap and taking my hand. “Any other person tries to talk to me while I’m reading and I’ll scream inside, but you? You’re always going to be an exception.”

Her words have such powerful truth to them, and it makes my chest warm. I will admit this insecurity to her, even if it brings me shame. Stee-vee deserves my thoughts if she wishes for them.

“I… I worry that my arm may have been one of the best decisions of my life and one of the worst.”

“Worst?” Her little nose scrunches. “Do you regret it? You’ve never mentioned that before.”

“I do not think that I can regret the choice,” I tell her softly. “It has proven to be a smart thing time after time. And yet, I did not imagine I would ever hold a mate in my arms when I made it.” I touch her lips softly with my metal fingers. “I did not imagine I would have such a delicate creature, or imagine how uncomfortable it might be for her.”

“I’m not uncomfortable,” she immediately protests. “Not at all.”

“It is cold,” I reply simply. “It is hard, and it is dangerous. There are weapons in it, my Stee-vee. I am always wary of how I snuggle with you when I hold you close.”

“Oh, Marrec.” She expels a breath and presses small kisses to my fingertips. “Sweetie, I’m never even thinking about that. I promise. You need to trust yourself. You’d never let me get hurt, even by accident.”

“The touch of the metal to your skin does not make you shiver?” I press, needing the truth. I can look for a safer upgrade, or find some kind of warming metal. Perhaps I should do this no matter her answer.

“No,” she vows. “I’ve never even noticed it being cold.You’rewarm. You hold me, and all I feel is your warmth.” Her palm settles around the light of my soul seed. “I feel this, softly pattering like a heartbeat. I feel great in your arms, nothing else.”

It is a heavy relief that her words bring me. “I am glad for this. You will tell me if that changes, my mate?”

“It won’t change.” Not allowing me to protest, she brings our mouths together, kissing away any words I might have. “I love you just how you are, you know. Your arm is included in that.”

“I love you as you are too. Always.”

26

Pinguicula Gigantea: Plant that grabs hold of anything that lands on its leaves and immediately digests it. Can also absorb nutrients from pollen.

Stevie

In our backyard forest, there’s a small stream that rolls water down the hill and distributes it to the plants naturally. It’s not crafted to do that, like my system back on Earth, it made itself this way. And today, it’s not running.

Marrec says that occasionally rocks fall into the path that connects the stream to the waterfalls of the mountains, and he can easily fix it. He left a while ago, running up the hilly path into the deep trees, and I’ve been exploring on my own since.

Without the water trickling, the sounds of the forest are much more ethereal. Wispy winds dancing through trees, and small bird-like chirps echoing around me. It smells a bit different too, almost warmer. Like without the stream flowing, the plants are all bathed in the sun, absorbing more of it without the cool relief of water.

My ears prick at the familiar sound of rushing water, and I smile to myself, knowing that Marrec must have unclogged the rocks. He’ll be back soon, which makes me smile wider.

Continuing to walk around the same area, refusing to accidentally get lost amongst the bushes, I stop at the sight of another unfamiliar plant. There are lots of them here, but these just happen to catch my eye.

This particular flower is orange and puffy, sort of like a lion’s mane. Without thinking much of it, my fingers dust across the bloom, regret hitting me as soon as they do.

Immediate disgust and furious discomfort swarms me, and I drop the flower as a scream bursts from my lips. Frantically rubbing my jeans like I can wipe the memory of the touch from my body, I feel tears begin to well.

“My Stee-vee?” Marrec yells in the distance, panicked. The forest ground vibrates under the pounding of his boots until he’s right next to me, breathing hard. It feels as if he’s gotten to me at lightning speed.

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