B785 by Eve Langlais Page B

room, the sound of her laughter trailing behind him.
    Unfortunately, while he could escape her physical presence, he could do nothing to erase her from his mind. On the contrary, she overtook his thoughts, a fast-acting virus that consumed him with lusty ideas and images. A plague on his usually well ordered slate of a mind, but one he didn’t want to wipe clean.

Chapter Five
    Alone in the shower, a small cubicle with just enough room to wash, Bonnie pondered the strangeness of the circumstances she’d woken to. Despite her light jests, surprise didn’t come close to describing her emotions when she awoke to a gentle kiss. And the surprises kept mounting.
    The cyborgs had freed themselves from military control. They governed themselves. They’d formed a society. They’d found her sister and one other, Fiona, a tough female whom as she recalled, always stood up for them. Bonnie had thought the woman destroyed. It made her glad to know she survived. But her happiness at the news didn’t compare to the elation at discovering Chloe lived.
    My sister is alive! Alive and in love by the sounds of it. If she could have cried in relief and joy, she would have. Damned robotic eyes. Yet despite the lack of tears, she sobbed inside. For so long, she’d carried the burden of guilt of having brought her sister to the general’s attention. It was after all Bonnie’s fault they’d ended up in that hospital.
    “Thanks for coming to get me,” Bonnie had slurred from the passenger seat of her sister’s car.
    “You didn’t leave me much choice,” Chloe replied tersely , keeping her eyes on the road.
    “Not my fault I lost my cab money. I had it stashed in my bra. Must have fallen out.” Or gotten stolen by one of the guys groping her i n a dark corner . Who knew ? Who cared ?
    Apparently , Chloe did. “Bonnie, you can’t keep doing this. You’re a grown woman.”
    “And? There’s nothing wrong with having a little fun.”
    “There is when you’re about to lose your job again because you got drunk and won’t make it in to work for the third time this month .”
    “You’re such a sp-spoilsport.” Damned tricky words struggled to make it past her thick tongue.
    “It’s called being responsible.”
    Bonnie blew a raspberry at her sister. “ Bah. We’re young. There’s plenty of time to get boring later . I want to have fun.” She kicked her legs and stubbed her toe on the dash. Ow.
    A sigh left Chloe. “And how many guys did you have fun with this time?”
    Bonnie didn’t want to admit she didn’t know. It would lend a little too much ammo for her buzz kill of a sister’s argument. “Hey, the more the merrier. You should try it sometime. A good , old fashioned gang bang might loosen you up.” Bonnie leered at her.
    Chloe’s lips tightened. “No , thank you. Some of us prefer to be choosier about our partners.”
    “Prude.”
    “Slut.” The vulgar word, so crude and unexpected , hung in the air between them. Hurtful . True. A slap that almost sobered her. Anger swept through Bonnie, anger and … shame.
    “ God, I hate you when you get all fucking self - righteous. Who are you to judge me? I’m not hurting anyone.”
    “You’re hurting yourself.”
    “ So what ? It’s my choice.”
    “One you keep dragging me into,” Chloe pointed out through gritted teeth . “Usually at three am when I should be sleeping. Unlike you, I intend to make it to work and my classes on time. But now, I get to write an exam on little to no sleep because , once again, you couldn’t control yourself. ”
    “I don’t have to listen to this. Let me out.” Bonnie struggled with the door latch, only to realize her sister had locked it.
    “ Stop that. You’re not getting out. I’m taking you home.”
    “Well I don’t want to go home now. Not with you.” A part of Bonnie recognized she was acting childish , but the alcohol encouraged her petulance . “Let me out.”
    “No.”
    “Yes.” Bonnie lunged for the