but only by a few degrees.” “I noticed that you have tattoos. I’ve never seen anything similar to them. Do they have meaning?” He hesitated. “It’s the cyborg language we created. All cyborgs have them but I didn’t like the idea of being branded. It’s our way of identifying each other so it was necessary to have it done. I just had them put my information on one arm and in smaller writing so it wasn’t as irritating to me.” “Oh.” Megan nodded. “What do they say?” “My name and what I do. When we first started to build our city on our new home world, the work was very harsh. Some of our people died and since there were many of us, it was hard to keep track of names. It’s why they decided to brand us this way. They could identify those who were injured or dead.” Her gaze flickered down his leather-clad body. “What kind of implants do you have?” 51
Laurann Dohner He tilted his head, moving away from her touch so she let her hand drop, then he straightened his head again. “There are some inside my head to help me communicate with technology. Emotions were not expected when we were created so they installed chips to shut off sections of our brains in an attempt to block them. I also have a heart monitor in my chest so, in case of failure, it will shock it back into functioning.” Her gaze flicked down to his broad chest and then back up again. “Why the backup system? Do cyborgs have weak hearts?” “I’m designated to be a mechanic and work with electronics. If a strong current is ever introduced into my body during an accident, it could stop my heart.” “Hence the backup system,” she guessed aloud. “Well, I guess that’s handy.” “Yes.” “So your emotions are blocked? That’s weird. I figured you had them since you have a need for…” Her voice trailed off and her mouth slammed closed. His eyebrow lifted. “Sex?” She gave a sharp nod. “Yes. The bots don’t have a sex drive. They just do what they are programmed for. They recharge when they aren’t in use and just stay at their docking stations inside the rooms. They couldn’t care less if they are activated or if they stay dormant for months.” He stared into her eyes. “I have a very active sex drive but I do have the ability to shut it down if I wish. I don’t. I enjoy having access to everything that I am.” “Oh. I would too.” “You have had sex with me and you still believed me to be more bot than humanoid?” She hesitated. “You taste really sweet.” Astonishment widened his stare. “Sweet?” Megan knew her cheeks were warming from the blush spreading there. “When you come, it tastes sweet, which made me think that perhaps they made you flavored that way and that got me to thinking that maybe you were more artificial than not.” An uncomfortable silence stretched as they watched each other. She’d obviously been a little too blunt and had stunned the cyborg speechless. Megan started when a loud buzz sounded in the room. Ice stood. “It’s the food Blackie ordered.” Megan didn’t recognize the cyborg who brought her meal. She wondered how many of them were on the ship in all but didn’t ask. Ice nodded at the other man and accepted the tray. The male at the door hesitated. “Why feed her?” “Silence,” Ice ordered him. The man looked down at the tray of food, paled, and then nodded. “I see.” 52
Touching Ice The man glanced at Megan, a look of pity on his features, and then spun on his heel to walk away. The door closed and Ice faced her with tray in hand. “Here is your meal.” He hesitated, looking uncertain, and took a step back, the movement opposite of his words. It was almost as if he didn’t want to feed her. No one had ever accused Megan of being dimwitted. Why feed her? That cyborg had given her a look that reflected pity. She studied Ice and saw his grim expression. “You are supposed to eat this.”