“Did you know that she was cyborg?” asked a woman in an unhidden tone of disgust.Kai stared at her, appearing confused, then let his gaze dance over the crowd. He shuffled his feetcloser to the podium, a wrinkle forming on the bridge of his nose.Cinder bit the inside of her cheek and braced herself for adamant disgust. Who would ever invite acyborg to the ball?But instead, Kai said simply, “I don’t see that her being cyborg is relevant. Next question?”Cinder’s metal fingers jolted.”

“I don’t see that her being cyborg is relevant.”

“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?”

“I was afraid. Of getting hurt in other ways. To be truthful, I still am."His thumb stroked her cheek. "I would never hurt you.""I don't think you can promise me that." She squeezed his bruised fingers. "But it makes things a bit more equal, to know that I can hurt you, too."His gaze fell to her lips. He said simply, without any trace of irony, "You are killing me.”

“He rubbed his thumb over the smoothness of her cheek, thinking she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever known. “You don’t think you’re worth killing for?”Her laugh was brittle. “Hardly.”For a moment, there was only the sound of their breathing and the wind gusting through the trees. And then he said, “I disagree.”She stared up at him, trembling, her eyes filled with the questions she couldn’t put into words.“I mean it,” he rasped. “I would kill for you. Easily. Without remorse. Again and again.”

“Livia pictured herself holding Blake’s hand on a walk in the forest, the sun prickling through the leaves to dance on his face. She pictured his smile. She imagined she felt the gentle touch of his finger on her cheek. She pressed her lips together. He will kiss me again. I know it.”