"So you are the lucky girl?" He extends a hand and I cautiously take it. Most humans would never shake hands with a hybrid. I've not met the priest before, even though he's the masters' godfather. If he's visited before, it must have been while I was running errands.
"Father." I do a courtesy like I've seen other women do it, human women, but I fail miserably. I'm not good at being elegant, I shouldn't even have tried.
"I've told him what's going on," Dan explains and Father Murray nods.
"Who of you three will be the lucky gentleman?"
My masters - fiancées? - look at each other questioningly.
"We could go with the oldest," James says hesitantly. "That would be Dan."
"Let's play dice. Whoever rolls the highest number will be the bridegroom," Dan suggests and produces three dice from his pockets. He must have been planning this.
He gives one each to his brothers and they go over to the low coffee table to play. Luke is first, he rolls a five. James gets a two, Dan another five. My heart is pounding in my chest. Strangely enough, I don't mind who of them will win. I know they'll all be equal in the relationship, and somehow, that doesn't bother me.
"And again," James chuckles, stepping back from the table. Luke spins the die in his fingers before throwing it. Three. Now it's Dan's turn. I hold my breath. Six.
"Congratulations, brother," Luke says and shakes Dan's hand. He smiles happily though; he doesn't seem to mind. Neither does James.
The priest opens the book he has with him. Parish Registry, it says on the front in large golden letters.
Dan and I take our places in front of the fireplace, which is doubling as a church's altar. James stands on Dan's right while Luke is on my left.
"What shall I call you, Miss?" he asks me, pulling out a fountain pen.
"Dex."
"Just Dex?"
"Yes, just Dex." I smile at Dan who winks at me in return. It started out as his nickname for me, but now it's turned into a real name.
"Miss Dex marrying Mr Daniel Walker..." Father Murray mutters to himself as he fills in an empty page in his book.
He looks up at Dan, giving him a stern look that almost passes as paternal.
"Will you love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health? And forsaking all others, keep only to her as long as you both shall live?"
"I will," Dan answers solemnly and my heart does another flutter. Is this really happening?
The priest turns to me. "Will you obey him and serve him, love, honour and keep him, in sickness and in health? And forsaking all others, keep only to these three men as long as you all shall live?"
I startle at the obey and serve bit, but I assume that's the standard vow for all women.
"I will," I answer, my voice hitching only slightly.
Dan takes my hands in his, looking me straight into the eyes.
"I thee wed: with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods, I thee endow."
His eyes are soft and beautiful. For the first time, I'm starting to believe that this is real. That they really want it. That we're going to be husbands and wife.
"I thee wed: with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods, I thee endow," Luke whispers on my left, and James does the same.
Dan looks as if he's going to say something, but suddenly, there are three loud knocks on the door downstairs.
Panic spreads through me and I rip my hands out of Dan's.
"They're here for me," I croak. "I should have run."
The priest pushes a pen into my hand. "Quick, sign here."
He points at a line at the bottom of the marriage certificate. I quickly write my name on there; I've never had to sign anything before. I've not had time to practice a pretty signature.
Dan does an elegant flourish on the groom's line, signing away his life to me. We're married now. On paper. For real.
I'm married to a human.
Oh Lord.
They knock again, louder this time.
"I'll go," Father Murray says and leaves the room to go downstairs. I look at my men, my husbands. They seem less scared than I am, but still worried.
Dex Walker. I try out the name, first in my mind, then with my lips. "Dex Walker."
I smile. I am Dex Walker and I'm going to show them that I'm no longer just a hybrid. I am a woman married to three men, three human men. They can kiss my corset and disappear to where they came from.
I rush out of the room and down the stairs where the priest is talking animatedly with two large men. They don't look impressed by what he's saying. He's waving his registry book in their faces, but they may not even be able to read, let alone understand what it means.
I squeeze past him until I'm standing right in front of them.
"Gentlemen, what's the matter?"
They stare at me as if I've grown a second head.
"You're to come with us," one of them finally growls, his voice that of someone smoking and drinking far too much.
"What did he tell you to do, exactly?" I ask them and they look at each other in confusion.
"Bring the hybrid," the second one says and I nod patiently.
"Well, what Father Murray here is trying to tell you is that there is no hybrid at this address."
The first man's eyes are bulging now. "But you're a hybrid."
I smile. "Not any longer. You see, I am married now. To a human. Which means that you can't take me with you. Go back and tell your master that he can speak to my husband's lawyer, if he still wants me."
Again, they look at each other, hoping that one of them might know what to do. Eventually, they make the right choice and leave, grumbling and threatening.
When they're gone, I breathe in deeply. Showing such confidence wasn't easy.
"Now I know why they're so keen to keep you," Father Murray says kindly. "I better leave and tell their lawyer to make arrangements. In the meantime, the four of you should enjoy your honeymoon."
I look at him in confusion. "What's that?"
He chuckles. "The time when husband and wife get to know each other further. Have some fun with them, you deserve it."
With that, he leaves.
He's telling me to have fun with my husbands? Well, guess what I'm going to do.
Exactly that.
CHAPTER FIVE
Several months later...
I never thought the sky was this blue. I was always under the impression that it was grey, maybe a slight bluish tinge, but nothing like this bright, pale blue that seems to be crashing down on us. There's no smog to keep the sky separated from the endless fields we're travelling through.
It's the first time I've been out of the city. Or maybe I have, but if that's the case, then it was before I was made a hybrid and I can't remember that part of my life.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Dan asks, wrapping an arm around my shoulders as he peers through the dusty window of the carriage.
I can only nod. It's so surreal to be here in this beautiful place. No buildings as far as the eye can see, only fields, blue sky, fresh air. Luke has opened the window in the roof of the carriage, letting in the sweet smell of the countryside. I can't place the scent. There's none of the smoke and dirt of the city, none of the decay and rot in the Lower Zones, none of the opium sometimes wafting through the streets at night. The air here smells like something, but I can't identify what it is. I'm not sure my husbands can, either. It's been years since they last left the city.
Even now, Luke is looking a little pale and Andrew is still coughing every few minutes. There's a reason they never leave the house. For them to do it now, for me, means more than they can imagine.
"It looks like it might snow soon," Dan says, pointing at a few scattered clouds on the horizon.
I turn to him, taking my eyes off the sky for the first time in at least an hour.
"How do you know?"
"It smells like snow and you see how those clouds are torn in places? Our grandma always said t
hat if the clouds look like bedspreads being shaken and crumpled, then it's going to snow."
"It smells like snow?" I repeat. "What does snow smell like?"
Dan grins. "Like this. Breathe it in, Dex. Feel the moisture in the air. Feel how it coats your lungs, how it drives out all the dirt of the city."
I close my eyes, wondering if what I'm smelling is the scent of snow. Of course, it snows in the city, but it immediately turns into a grey sludge that stinks like everything else. It's only pure and white for the few seconds before it touches the ground. Here, it will be different, I’m sure.
“Is it much further?” I ask, opening my eyes and staring at the dirt road making its way through fields and barren lands. The crops were harvested months ago, so now all that remains are weeds. It should look sad and depressing, but all I can see is the hope of new plants making these fields their home in the spring. Despite everything being so brown, there are shades of green as well, so much more green than I’m used to. I think if I could, I’d live in the countryside rather than the city. But of course, that’s not my choice.
“No, we’re almost there,” Andrew replies, his voice hoarse from all the coughing. “See that hill in the distance? The farm is just beyond it.”
“I can’t wait,” I tell him with a smile. “It sounds so beautiful.”
“We should have taken you there before. The journey by itself is worth it, and getting out of the city even more so. And the food...” He grins. “Aunt Laura has the best cook ever.”
“Bread and butter pudding,” Dan sighs. “Treacle tarts. Trifle.”
I’ve not had any of those things before, but the way he says them, they sound delicious. My husbands aren’t poor, but they’re also not rich enough to be able to afford the ingredients needed for some treats. Sugar is one of the most expensive goods there is, almost as pricey as opium. Sweets are a rarity, but they’ve told me that their aunt is so wealthy that she even puts sugar in her tea. It seems like a waste when you can use honey instead.
“She’ll fatten us up,” Andrew predicts. “She thinks everyone should be round and large, especially men. She’s never accepted that our illness means we can’t put on as much weight as other people.”
“I like you how you are,” I say with a shrug. “You wouldn’t all fit into the bed if you were any bigger.”
They all laugh.
“I love the way you think,” Dan mutters and pulls me closer until I’m almost on his lap. “I just hope Aunt Laura got the hint and has put us all in the same room.”
The hill is getting ever closer and tingles of nervousness spread in my chest. This will be the first time I’m meeting my husbands’ family. Neither of their parents is still alive, but they do have an assortment of aunts and uncles, cousins and even two nieces. They’re not close with a lot of them, but Aunt Laura is one of the exceptions. Let’s hope she’ll like me.
“WHY DID YOU BRING YOUR hybrid?”
The words slam into me like a punch and I feel sick.
Andrew puts an arm around my shoulders, pulling me against him. I think it’s supposed to be both for reassurance and to show his aunt who I am.
Aunt Laura is staring at us, her cheeks red, almost matching her bright auburn hair that’s braided in an elaborate style. It’s likely taken hours for it to look that way. She’s wearing a black dress with a high collar, decorated with tiny black pearls. On the way, my men told me she’s been wearing black ever since her husband died five years ago. She’s rather large; her bosom is straining against the delicate fabric and her bum is absolutely enormous.
“You don’t need a servant here, I’ve got my own.”
I’m sure she’s intelligent enough to understand that I’m not their servant, but her stoic expression predicts that she’s not going to simply smile and accept the fact that I’m not human.
“Aunt Laura, meet our wife, Dex.”
Luke’s smiling, but there’s steel in his voice.
“That has to be a joke.” She’s still staring at me in disapproval. I resist the urge to look down at myself and check whether my corset and skirt are flawless and without stains. We’ve been travelling for most of the day, so a few wrinkles in my clothes should be acceptable.
Luke takes his place on my left and takes my hand.
“Dex is our wife and you will respect her as such.”
Aunt Laura frowns, the wrinkles on her face growing deeper.
“But she’s a hybrid! She’s a machine!”
I flinch. That’s about the worst thing she could have said. I may have steel parts in me, but I feel human and she’s not going to take that away from me with her poisonous words.
I step forward, leaving my men behind.
“I am not a machine,” I say coldly, looking her straight in the eyes. I know my mechanical eye will not help convince her, but it’s not like I can simply remove it. It’s part of me, an implant that’s fused with my face just like my metal arm and the metal plates in my legs. I’m a hybrid, part human, part metal, but I’m not a machine. I’m alive.
“I am the wife of your nephews and we’ve come here to spend our honeymoon together. If you have a problem with that, we’re going to move on and find somewhere else to stay. We don’t need your approval and neither do I need to listen to your insults.”
She keeps eye contact, her eyes just as piercing as I hope mine are. We stare at each other, neither of us backing down. She’s a strong woman, that much is clear, but so am I.
I might not be one hundred per cent human, but in my mind, I am. I won’t be bullied.
“Aunt Laura,” Dan begins from behind me but she shuts him up with a wave of her hand.
“Don’t, this is between her and me.” Her frown lessens a little. “Tell me, hybrid, do you love them?”
I don’t hesitate to reply. “Yes.”
“Is your heart human or metal?”
That question surprises me. Nobody has ever asked me that before.
“I’m not sure,” I reply truthfully. “But I can love, so I assume it’s human.”
“How can you not know?” she asks, confusion mirroring in her eyes.
“I only know about the modifications that I can see. There are scars on my body, so I assume that they’ve implanted parts within me, but there’s no record of what they did to me during the conversion, and all I remember is the pain.”
“Pain?” she asks, her expression softening. “You can feel pain?”
I look at her incredulously. “Of course I do. I’m not a machine. I don’t remember who I was before the conversion, so the first memory I have is pain.”
I’ve never told my men that and I don’t know why I’m saying it now. This woman doesn’t need to know. None of them do. It’s private.
Finally, she breaks eye contact and looks at the ground. I’m not sure how to interpret her expression. Is it shame? Confusion?
“Welcome to my home,” she says quietly. “Come on in.”
She turns and disappears in the large house, leaving me and my men standing outside.
“We’re going to talk about this later,” Dan announces tonelessly. I don’t turn around to look at him. I’m scared of what they might think of me now. I should never have said what I said. There’s a reason hybrids are different from humans.
CHAPTER SIX
The house is even bigger inside than it looks from the outside. It’s also old, very old. Aunt Laura’s family has lived here for generations and I can almost feel all the ghosts of her ancestors walking through the corridors.
There are cracks in some of the walls and a few of the rooms are locked, probably because it’s too much effort to keep them clean and tidy. Aunt Laura lives here on her own, now that all her children have moved out, and the house is far too big for one person, even with her servants and the cook.
While the men are bringing in our trunks, I look around. I’ve never been in such a big house before. In the city, everything is much smaller as space is scarce. Even Mr Bradley, the
richest man I know, has a smaller mansion than this farmhouse. Either Aunt Laura is incredibly rich, or things are simply different in the countryside.
There’s a beautiful cast iron bathtub in one of the bathrooms and I make a mental note to take a bath there later on. White candle stubs are stuck to the edges of the tub, signs Aunt Laura must enjoy a relaxing bath here from time to time as well.
The next room I enter is a massive kitchen, currently filled with steam and the smell of fresh bread.
“Are you new?” a male voice asks from somewhere beyond the steam. It takes a moment for me to be able to see him. He’s a large bald man wearing a stained apron.
“New?” I ask in confusion.
“A new servant,” he says impatiently. “Did the Lady’s nephews bring you along? We don’t have hybrids here, but I guess we’ll take what we get.”
“I’m not a servant,” I mutter, unwilling to get into another argument. I turn and leave as fast as I can, ignoring the man’s shouts.
I no longer feel like exploring. Instead, I head towards the sitting room I saw when entering the house. Aunt Laura is waiting there for me, sitting on an armchair in a way that makes me think of a queen on her throne. A fire is burning brightly in the fireplace behind her, filling the room with a soft, warm light. It’s about three times as big as our fireplace back home. It must cost a fortune to get enough wood and coal, but by now, I doubt cost is an issue for my husbands’ aunt.
“Sit down,” she tells me and points at another armchair opposite hers. I do as she asks, still a little hesitant to be in a room alone with her. Even though I seem to have won our earlier argument, I’m still wary of this woman. She’s formidable and I’m not sure she’s accepted me yet. Maybe she’s simply waited until I’m without my men so she can spit her poison without witnesses.
She takes a beautiful ornate teapot from the small side table to her right and pours us a cup each. The tea is a lovely shade of brown, not like the muddy looking tea we have at home. Maybe it’s the water that’s cleaner here or the quality of the tea.
Their Hybrid Page 3
