“When his thumb hovered over the red button, she stared at him aghast. “You’re truly going to … torture me?”He cast her a puzzled look. “Why wouldn’t I torture you?”Because you used to love me, used to cherish me. “I thought we had a moment yesterday? Didn’t you like seeing me in lingerie?”In a monotone voice, he said, “Why did the charge throwers have no ill effect on you?”He’s truly going to do it? Then fuck him. DEFCON. “Chase, I’ve tussled with vibrators stronger than your charge throwers.”No reaction. “You consumed energy. And channeled it at will. How?”All Valkyrie consumed it—they were each connected through a grid of mystical energy—but Regin was the only one she knew of who could radiate it through her body. She’d inherited the talent from her birth mother. “So how does one get started as a magister? College or trade school?”“I don’t have the time or patience for games. Now, tell me, why do you … glow?”“I touched a radioactive alien cock once.”He pressed the button.”

“Chase:“I don’t have the time or patience for games. Now, tell me, why do you … glow?” Regin:“I touched a radioactive alien cock once.”

“I don't have the time or patience for games. Now, tell me, why do you...glow ?""I touched a radioactive alien cock once.”

“This was hers and hers alone. Forevermore. Or at least so I thought… but shit didn’t work out that way, and then you came along… and circle be damned, I don’t want to be finished with you.” Now it was her turn to feel poleaxed, her body going numb as she struggled to comprehend what he was saying. “Autumn, I’m in love with you—that’s why I came here tonight. And we don’t have to be together, and you don’t have to get over what I said, but I wanted you to hear that from me. And I also want to tell you that I’m at peace with it, because…” He took a deep breath. “You want to know why Wellsie got pregnant? It wasn’t because I wanted a young. It’s because she knew that every night when I left the house I could get killed in the field, and as she said, she wanted something to keep on living for. If I had been the one to go? She would have carved out a life for herself, and… the strange thing is, I would have wanted her to do that. Even if it included someone else. I guess I’ve realized that… she wouldn’t have wanted me to mourn her forever. She’d have wanted me to move on… and I have.”

“When Kai fell silent, she risked a glance at him. He was staring at her hands [which she always holds mechanic gloves over to hide her...you know, cyborg hands]..."Do you ever take those off?" he asked."No."Kai tilted his head, peering at her as if he could see right through to the metal plate in her head..."I think you should go to the ball with me."She clutched her fingers..."Stars," she muttered. "Didn't you already asked me that?""I'm hoping for a more favorable answer this time and I seem to be getting more desperate by the minute.""How charming."Kai's lips twitched. "Please?""Why?""Why not?""I mean, why me?"Kai hooked his thumbs on his pockets. "So if my escape hover breaks down, I'll have someone to fix it?”

“You're beautiful, Delaney, and you could have anyone you want. Why me?" She knew she wasn't beautiful, not like her mother. But the way he looked at her and touched her, and the tone of his voice when he said it made her almost believe him. He made her believe anything was possible. "Because you make me not want to say no.”