Merry & Seduced (5 page)

“I see,” Amme said, giving one of the answers Camryn had suggested if she didn’t quite understand. “That must be…challenging.” Yes, that was the right word.

“Not as tough as a surprise child,” Marcus said drily.

He turned the vehicle up a long driveway, bordered by trees with scarlet flowers. White fences kept animals from wandering onto the road. They drove around a curve and Amme caught her first glimpse of a huge sprawling house.

“It’s beautiful.”

“I like it,” Marcus said. “I enjoy the peace and quiet after the noise of my city apartment. That’s the cottage where your friends will stay.”

“It’s big.”

“That’s what my mother says. She tells me this place is too large for one person.”

Marcus stopped the vehicle and handed her a set of keys. “I’ll get Autumn, if you could open the front door for me.”

“Yes,” Amme said.

She trotted to the door and managed to open it with the third key she tried. The small victory made her want to do a little dance.

“Should I take Autumn to a bedroom?” he asked.

“Yes, she needs to recharge, ah…sleep,” Amme said.

She followed Marcus along a passage and up a set of stairs, taking the opportunity to gaze at him from behind. He wore a jacket and matching trews. Trousers, Amme corrected. He wore a suit. Yes, that was it. His legs were long and he had a fit appearance, much like Ry. She’d enjoy seeing him with fewer clothes, to judge if he had similar muscle tone to Camryn’s mate. Her internal heart-pump started pulsating at a rapid rate. Amme, stilled, frowned then hurried to catch up.

He turned into a big bedroom with two beds. “I think this is the best room for Autumn. It has an en suite. I’ll put you in the bedroom right next door.”

“Does she have more clothes?”

“Yes. Her bag is still in the car. I’ll get it now.” He strode out, leaving her alone with Autumn. Amme’s stomach flipped in an odd manner as she watched him and she did a quick mental assessment. All her cyborg parts were functioning correctly.

Amme took the opportunity to place a translator behind Autumn’s ear. She needed to understand the child at all times, and she didn’t want her own language skills to get into the way. “Are you hungry?”

Autumn shook her head.

“Let’s get you into bed then,” Amme said and led the child into the en suite Marcus had indicated. As she’d expected, it was a sanitizer room, and she quickly washed Autumn’s face and hands with real water instead of the artificial substances they used on board the
Indy
. The child used the facilities, and Amme hustled her back to bed.

“Here you go,” Marcus said.

Something rang in the distance.

“I’d better get that,” Marcus said. “Come and find me in the kitchen once you have her settled. I’ll give you a tour and we can discuss what to have for dinner. Cooking is one thing that I can do.”

Amme whipped off Autumn’s T-shirt and her trews. Trousers. No, jeans, she thought after feeling the blue fabric. She opened the suitcase and found a pair of pink pajamas with weird-looking cats emblazoned on the material. There was also a pink animal. When it didn’t move or attempt communication, Amme picked it up, using caution in case the animal was playing dead and bit her.

“Teddy.” Autumn reached for the animal without fear, and Amme handed it over. Maybe it was one of those toys Camryn had mentioned.

The child fell silent while Amme dressed her. She slid into one of the beds and was asleep before Amme tucked the covers around her small form.

Amme took a moment to unpack the bag and familiarize herself with Autumn’s possessions. A tiny brush for the teeth. Ah, one step she’d forgotten. Time for that tomorrow.

Pleased and excited, she explored. More bedrooms. Ah, Marcus’s bedroom. The room smelled like Marcus and her tronic receptors spiked, sending messages of more than friendly interest to her brain. Those messages transmitted to her heart-pump and her stomach tingled. Amme frowned. That had never happened before when she’d picked a male for intimacy reasons.

In the past, her vitals had remained even without a spike or blip in performance.

Her mind went straight to the horrors of malfunction.
No!
She couldn’t go offline now. She’d miss most of the holiday.

Marcus was the perfect Earthman for her to experience a sexual exchange.

Now, what had Camryn said? Yes, she had to express her interest with subtle signs. This was the way it was done on Earth, although Camryn had mentioned that sometimes the direct approach was preferable. Direct was the cyborg way, but she truly would enjoy experiencing Earth’s customs.

Subtle it was then.

She found Marcus in the kitchen—a huge room with appliances and gleaming surfaces in shades of black, gray and red. Over to one side there was a table with the same glossy black top and a huge window let in light and allowed diners to study the view. More trees and grass and fluffy brown-and-cream animals. To her right the bank of windows curved outward. The glass doors displayed flower gardens, a stretch of green lawn, a pool of water and more trees. A sunny spot to while away part of the daily cycle. It must be nice, Amme thought, to sit in such a place.

“What are those animals?” she asked. “They have such long lashes.”
Oops.
The sec the words left her mouth, she inwardly cringed. Her vision allowed her to see well, but most Earth people wouldn’t see that far.

“Alpacas,” Marcus said, giving her an odd look. “I breed them for their wool.”

“Cute creatures. I like them.”

Marcus grinned. “So do I. I’ll take you and Autumn to visit my herd tomorrow. I have a swimming pool. It’s not fenced, so you’ll need to make sure Autumn doesn’t go out there alone.”

“I will watch her. She won’t come to any harm with me.”

“Would you like a glass of wine?”

“Yes, please.” Camryn had mentioned wine. She’d said it was tasty and similar to the Ornum fizz, although not as strong as the beverage from the convict planet.

“White or red?”

Another decision. “I don’t mind. You choose.”

“I’m going to barbecue some steaks for dinner. We’ll have red.” He poured ruby-colored liquid into two glasses and handed her one. “Is Autumn okay? She didn’t cry again?”

“She’s tired, and this is a big change for her. I’ll watch her closely.”

“I guess we’ll need a schedule or something?”

He sounded lost as a child himself. Amme found herself grinning. “A routine is good for a child.” She took a sip from her glass and a hum of appreciation escaped. “This is delicious.”

“This merlot is one of my favorites.” Marcus gulped a mouthful and set down his glass. “I can’t believe I have a daughter.”

“You didn’t know?”

“Her arrival took me by surprise. No, shocked me, if you want the truth. I remember Candy. I slept with her, but we were together for a long weekend. Neither of us wanted anything permanent. She never contacted me and I thought we’d both moved on with our lives.”

Amme frowned, not understanding some of his terms.
Keep it simple.
Camryn’s voice whispered through her mind—a reminder to speak in short sentences. “She died.”

“Yes. I checked on the net. Candice Kane died last week.”

“Do you want me to help with dinner?”

“No, I’ve got this. I need something to do to keep busy. Gotta figure out how to tell my folks, my next move. Need a plan.”

“Sometimes plans are not necessary. It’s almost Christmas holidays.”

“You think I should take time off work and have a holiday?” He drank some of his wine. “I can’t remember the last time I had one.”

“You’re not working now.”

“No. Where in Romania do you come from?”

“A small village. I haven’t lived there for a long time.”
Like never.
“I…it was a bad period of my life and I don’t like to talk…remember.” She took a sip of her wine and then another.

“More wine?”

“Please,” Amme said. “It tastes very good. You should have a Christmas tree.”

Marcus cocked his head and his lips curled upward in a smile that made her gape. “I’ve never had a tree before. Mum and Dad always go away for Christmas. My sister and I and our nanny used to go with them when we were younger.”

“And now?”

“It’s just another day, one that I work from home instead of going into the office. Or…” He slid her a repentant glance. “I’d spend the day with a girlfriend.”

“You have a child now.”

Marcus bowed his shoulders and resembled someone bearing a heavy weight. “That’s what worries me. I don’t know how to do any of this stuff. I don’t want to take after my parents. I want to do this right.”

Amme placed her fingers over the top of his in silent commiseration. “You will do a fine job.” The warmth from his skin seeped into her own cooler flesh. A breath caught halfway up her throat, and a sort of a lump formed. She coughed and the blockage moved. She shifted her hand and did a quick internal reading of her sensors.

No, nothing seemed out of order.

Well, that was weird.

Marcus didn’t say anything for a long time, merely drank more of his wine.

“Camryn promised us a special Christmas like the ones she used to have when she was little. You should share our celebration.”

“I’d like that. I need to go into the office tomorrow.” He paused and his brow wrinkled.

Amme reached out to soothe the worry lines, and when she realized what she was doing, she let her hand drop back to her side.

He nodded, as if he’d come to a decision. “There are a few things I’ll need to take care of, but I can work here at the farm instead of at the office.”

“I hear a vehicle,” Amme said.

Marcus walked to a window and glanced out. “You have good hearing. I didn’t hear a thing. It’s your friends.” He grabbed a set of keys off a hook. “I’ll show them the cottage.”

“I’ll check on Autumn.” Amme glanced at Marcus and her receptors jumped, transmitting messages to her brain control she couldn’t decipher. Peculiar. She needed to discuss this with Camryn. Maybe it was Earth’s atmosphere.

Autumn was asleep and curled up in a ball. Tight and protected, Amme thought. Poor child. It would take time for Autumn and Marcus to become used to each other, but they’d make it and become a family.

“Amme? Where are you?” Camryn called.

Amme sped down the stairs. “Shush, don’t make such a racket.” It was a relief not focus on her English. “Autumn is asleep.”

“Sorry,” Camryn said, her voice softer. “Marcus told me to come inside. Here’s your bag.”

“Thanks.” Amme took the bag Camryn handed her. “Come and see my room. It’s beautiful.”

“The entire house is gorgeous,” Camryn said.

“I wonder if I should stay. There seems to be something wrong with my receptors. Here keeps tingling.” She cupped her hand over one breast. “My internal heart-pump is going too fast. And my stomach feels funny. It’s the same feeling I get when I’m confronted with a child who needs me, but it’s much, much stronger whenever I’m with Marcus. I think I’m malfunctioning.”

Camryn’s lips moved in an odd tremor. “What were you doing when this feeling started?”

“I looked at Marcus and the second time, I touched his hand. Camryn, do you think it can be fixed? I don’t want to go offline for internal diagnostics. That would make me miss most of our holiday. I like Autumn. I like Marcus.” She shivered when her thoughts drifted to him, her heart-pump banging hard.

“Ah,” Camryn said and the corners of her mouth turned up into a broad smirk. “I think Marcus is the perfect man for a fling.”

“Why are you laughing at me?”

“That feeling you describe is sexual attraction. You’re attracted to Marcus, and this is your body’s way of showing you.”

“You don’t get this with Ry.”

“Yes, I do. Every time he smiles or touches me. My knees go weak. My heart beats faster. You told me when you are with a male, your body responds to stimulation. Your symptoms are the initial signs of stimulation. They’re normal.”

Amme frowned, trying to make sense of Camryn’s explanation. “But I have never felt this before.”

“Because the males you’ve spent time with might have given you sexual pleasure but they didn’t move your heart.”

“I don’t understand,” Amme said.

“Don’t worry.” Camryn gave her a quick hug and a sense of acceptance, spread through Amme.

“I feel a response when you hug me. It’s not as strong but still similar.”

“You say the sweetest things.” Camryn squeezed her arm. “You’re feeling familial love. We—the crew of the
Indy
—are a family. I feel the same for all the crew members, but the feeling for Ry is much deeper and stronger.”

Confusion filled Amme. She tried to understand but needed more information to comprehend. “So it is all right to like Marcus this way?”

“As long as you remember we’re leaving in the new year. You don’t want a broken heart.”

“My heart-pump is indestructible. It is designed not to break and will continue to augment the one I was born with. It gives me extra strength.”

Camryn linked her arm with Amme’s. “Let’s go and catch up with the rest of the crew. It’s good that they’ll be close. Don’t worry about this stuff. Just enjoy spending time with Marcus.”

“Your words make sense.”

“Good.”

They walked down the stairs and tromped outside, Camryn leading the way to the cottage Marcus had pointed out when they arrived.

“Are you and Ry staying with your brother?”

“Yes, my stuff is still in the cottage.”

“Your sister doesn’t like you,” Amme said.

“My sister-in-law,” Camryn corrected. “No, she doesn’t trust me. I understand her attitude and expected it. Max is my twin. We’ve always had each other’s back, but I hurt Max and I put Luke in danger. Ellen can’t forgive me for that. I need to regain her trust.”

“You are not upset?”

“A little. I hope I can fix this before we leave. I’m going to try.”

“Amme, there you are.” Gweneth’s pretty face blazed with pleasure, and the salve hid the cat tattoo so well Amme wouldn’t have suspected its presence. She wore a similar pair of jeans to Amme’s and a sleeveless tunic top that picked out the green of her eyes, the new clothing replicator they’d purchased an excellent investment.