Botanicaust

Psychiatrist. ”
    Vitus ’ s lips contorted, baring his teeth. “ Don ’ t you dare offer her asylum! Do you hear me? She lost all rights when she reverted. ”
    “ Dr. Dedecus, we don ’ t want any trouble over this. Now or later. Perhaps we should talk to your superiors — ”
    “ I want her to suffer! ” Flecks of spittle dotted the screen on the desk. “ I ’ m the one in control of reversions. If she gets longevity treatments, I promise you ’ ll never see another test subject again! ”
    “ I see. ” Dr. Kaneka steepled his fingers below his chin. “ Well, we do need more test subjects. The ones you send keep dying. ”

    The Fosselite Mountain
    Tula opened an eye and checked on Levi from where she lay next to him on the bed. Her own room was next door, but she wanted him to wake to something familiar. His eyes moved rapidly beneath his lids, the dream grasping him firmly in its hold. His lips twitched, grimaced, relaxed. A good dream or a bad dream? She stroked the back of her hand along his jaw. Her super sensitized skin prickled at the contact of his soft stubble, but she didn ’ t stop. What would it be like to kiss those lips now that she was free of her UV chemicals?
    She ’ d forgotten how bad telomerase therapy hurt. How many children had she talked through it? Told to be strong? Too many to count. The analgesics Dr. Rice gave her didn ’ t do a thing. And the treatment wasn ’ t even a full conversion. Mo underwent this every few months, and she never remembered him complaining. How did he bear it?
    She ’ d managed to keep quiet as the chemicals entered her bloodstream, burning their way across her skin and into her organs and tissues. And she ’ d found the strength to walk herself to their appointed rooms as an escort pushed Levi ’ s gurney. But now, with no one but an unconscious Levi to hear her, she murmured a little song she used to sing to the children to comfort them. It wasn ’ t working.
    As if sensing her thoughts, Levi opened his lids, his eyes immediately finding hers. She jerked her hand away from his cheek, but he caught it, his big, warm palm grasping hers with an urgency she found disconcerting. “ Tula. I thought I ’ d lost you. ”
    She shook her head, words escaping her.
    He pulled her hand against his chest and rolled to face her, his other arm drawing her close. She gasped, ripples of sensation — not quite pain, and not quite pleasure — coursing from his sudden touch. “ Tula? ” He eased his grasp.
    “ I ’ m okay, ” she assured him as much as herself. She tried to recall how long new converts complained about telomerase aftereffects. A few hours? She ’ d worked hard to distract the children as they recovered, offering candy and games, movies and whatever entertainment seemed to ease them. Many of the younger ones wanted to be cuddled. Mo never complained at all, just sat outside and let new UV soak into his skin. Maybe she needed to go outside.
    Levi carefully traced a palm up her back to cup the back of her neck, sending intense shivers to the tips of her fingers and toes. “ Did she hurt you? ”
    Tula blinked. “ Who? ”
    “ That doctor woman. ”
    Dr. Rice. “ No. The medicine. It makes me … ” She didn ’ t want to say hurt . Levi ’ s hands did not hurt. She liked the way he touched her. But she couldn ’ t think of a word to use.
    Instead, she closed her eyes and nuzzled back against his hand. His breath caressed her face, and she opened her eyes to meet his. His pupils were huge, and, for a moment, they simply looked at each other. Time stretched. She tilted her chin a little, licked her lips. His eyes followed the movement, then returned to meet her gaze. A slight pressure against the back of her neck invited her toward him. His mouth met her halfway, the soft press of his lips against hers making her eyelids close.
    That day beneath the blanket in the desert rose into her memory with a clarity she didn ’ t think possible. She thought the passion she felt every time she looked at him was from the chemicals. But she wasn ’ t drugged, now. Neither was he.
    They explored each other ’ s mouths like a gentle question. Her hand slid across the heated skin of his torso to wrap around his waist. Lower, she felt another heat against her, asking, insisting.
    His smooth, strong muscles trembled beneath her fingertips. She ’ d never wanted sex so much in her life. Desire was the only thing that mattered at the moment.
    “