I shoved him. “Like I’d ever flirt with you.”
His eyes narrowed. “Like I’d ever help you.” Eric grabbed his pants and shoes. “See ya, cream puff.”
Amie shook her head. “Go after your mate.”
“He’s not my mate.”
“That’s right, imaginary friend, I’m not her mate!” He turned his back to me, making his way down the shoreline.
“Stop him,” she said.
“You stop!” I shouted. “He’s a jerk!”
He stood frozen in the sand. “I’m the jerk?” Eric shook his head, pointing in my direction. “You’re the jerk,” he said.
I couldn’t swallow. My stomach tightened and my fingers trembled. “You’re mean.”
“Yeah, well, you’re going to see just how mean I am.” He stomped closer, grabbing at the ends of my shirt.
“What are you doing?” I resisted, but he was too strong.
Eric tugged on my shirt, pulling it over my head. I struggled, getting my arms caught in the sleeves, my head against his chest. “It’s hot in here and I can’t breathe.”
“Good,” he said. “Maybe you’ll suffocate.”
“I can’t stand you.”
He pulled my shirt off of me, tossing it into the sand. “I can’t stand you, either.” His fingers grabbed at my pants. I smacked him. He ripped the button right off.
“Are you insane?”
“It takes one to know one.” Eric shoved me into the sand, landing on top of me.
“What do you think you’re doing?” My heart pounded and I could hardly speak the words. Where was Amie? Why didn’t she help me?
“You really do need to exercise more,” he said, unzipping my pants. I held onto the belt loops while he resisted, pulling my pants down.
“Stop it!” I cried. “What are you doing?”
He sat with his back facing me, right on top of my stomach. I gasped, the wind knocked right out of me. “You’re a horse. Get off!” I struggled, punching his back with my fists.
Eric ignored me as he took my pants off, one leg at a time, holding me down. “Don’t make me cry rape! You’re scaring me!”
He laughed, standing over me. He pulled off his shirt and tossed it at my face. I threw it as far away from me as I could. “If I wanted to rape you there’d be nothing you could say or do to stop me. We’re in the middle of nowhere. Relax.”
I scrambled from underneath him. He pulled off his pants, stepping out of them. “I’m not going to let you hurt me,” I said.
He grabbed my arm, jerking me forward. “C’mon, let’s go.”
I resisted, digging my feet into the sand. His hands grasped my waist, his fingers gripping me as he lifted me in the air and over his shoulder.
I kicked my feet and pounded my fists into his back. “Put me down, you creep!”
Eric obeyed, dropping me straight into the surf. I landed, the water stinging my back. He stood over me, smiling.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked.
He pointed at me. I glanced down at my undergarments.
They really were see-through.
I gasped, shrinking back farther into the ocean. “I hate you.”
He laughed, diving beside me. His arm interlaced with mine and he dragged me farther into the sea. I gagged, as he dove below, taking me with him.
Salty water filled my nose and lungs and I jerked about. He swam fast and was even stronger than he looked.
We surfaced and I choked, gasping for air to fill my lungs. My nails dug into his skin—he didn’t even flinch. My heart pounded against my chest. His arm wrapped around my waist, holding me tight against him. “Where’s your extractor thing?”
I surveyed the endless ocean for my Amie. She wasn’t anywhere. Had I hurt her feelings? My stomach dropped. Why was I so disappointed? Was she even real to begin with, or was I going insane? Dr. Cole said machines did not emote.
“I’m right here, my Shay. I never left,” Amie said. “Have you finished flirting?”
“I’m not flirting.”
She floated above me, hearts exploding behind her. There were images of Eric and me kissing inside the hearts. Once we kissed, each one would explode into fireworks.
I wanted to shout at her for mocking me, condemn her for the obnoxious exploding hearts, but Eric whispered in my ear. “Where’s the extractor?”
Amie displayed readings before me. I pointed at the code, and Eric swam in the direction I showed him. He winced, as if he were in pain.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. He shook his head, diving forward towards the spot I showed him. I held my breath this time, holding him around the neck, my body against his. I felt his muscles flex with every stroke and tightened my grip.
Eric treaded water, keeping me close. I couldn’t figure out how he could tread water and hold me without even the slightest issue. I’d be exhausted just doggy paddling myself to the spot, let alone hold the weight of another.
He flinched.
“What’s the matter with you?” I asked.
He forced a smile. “You talk to imaginary people and I have jolts of pain. Don’t even try to explain how I’m crazier than you.”
“Why are you in pain?”
“I’m doing it for you, duh.” He rolled his eyes, holding back a smile. “This is your fault.” His grip tightened around me, my bum resting on his arm. I wrapped my legs around his torso as waves crashed into us. He gazed into my eyes, wincing and twitching.
“Okay, you’re making me nervous,” I said.
He held me closer, his fingers digging into my flesh. I flinched, pressing my chest against his. “Look at my neck,” he said.
I pressed my finger into the side of his neck and gasped, jerking away. My finger sunk into flaps of flesh. “Are those what I think they are?”
He nodded, burying his head into my neck. I could feel him tremble. “Gills; I adapt.”
“It’s hurting you,” I said. He breathed onto my neck. I caressed his hair. “I’m sorry; I didn’t know what would happen to you if you helped me.”
He shoved me off of him and dove. Webbed feet peeked over the waters before disappearing. I glanced below, watching as he swam deeper and deeper. Nurse sharks with their long tails snuck out of hiding and even an octopus crawled about. Eric didn’t seem to care about their presence. I did. Being ripped apart by a shark or dragged below by an octopus was not the way I wished to go. My heart pounded and I grew breathless.
“You must return to shore before your legs cramp,” Amie said. “You’re not an active S.H.A.Y.”
I obeyed, struggling to press forward. “See, Amie, he’s not so bad. He’s helping us.”
Amie scoffed. “Do not trust the E.R.I.C.”
“But why not?”
“I understand that it is human weakness to fall blindly for the male species,” Amie said. “This is not a human male with a simple desire to inseminate a host. The E.R.I.C. is programmed for other things.”
“Like what?”
Amie frowned. “I’ve watched over one hundred E.R.I.C.s do vile things and over one hundred S.H.A.Y.s deny their E.R.I.C.s ability to kill.”
My legs cramped. “Oh, no.”
“Relax, my Shay.”
“I’m going to drown. I can’t move. I’ve got a Charlie horse.”
“No, no, you’re going to float until the humanoid finds the extractor.”
“Amie, this has been fun,” I said, sinking. My face disappeared beneath the water and I struggled to sneak in a swallow of air as I kicked my one leg.
“Stop this!” Amie ordered.
I closed my eyes so I couldn’t see her.
She infiltrated my mind.
Her big eyes stared straight at me. “Stay calm! Relax!”
I couldn’t.
“Calm down!”
I grew dizzy and my lungs burned.
Eric’s arm wrapped around my waist and he pushed me towards the surface. I gagged, air filling my lungs.
; “I can’t leave you alone two minutes,” he said. “No wonder your life expectancy is two years. At this rate you’ll be dead by morning.”
I tried to laugh, too weak to even respond.
“Come on, cream puff, let’s get you to shore.”
“Did—” I was breathless. “Did you—”
“Did I get your extractor?” He held up what looked to be an old school paperclip. “I think so. Is this it?”
I nodded, snatching it from him.
“What? No ‘thank you’?”
My eyes set on his. They were deep and I felt warm when I looked into them. What was happening to me?
“It’s chemistry,” Amie said. She floated beside me, pretending to meditate. “It’s how humans procreate. The body emits—”
“Stop!” I shouted.
“Okay, okay,” Eric said. “You’re so weird.” He swam quick, dipping me into the water. I barely had time to catch my breath.
As soon as we were in shallow waters he dropped me and fought against the waves that crashed into him. He sat at the shoreline and created a fire.
I couldn’t move. I sat, letting the waves beat into my back. Amie sighed, shaking her head. “Humans are strange creatures.”
I glanced at my arm. Blue emanated throughout my veins. “What’s happening to me? Is this why we die in two years?”
Amie frowned. “We haven’t much time to save your O.H.P.”
Darla.
I struggled to stand, falling over each time a wave toppled me. My legs felt like mush and I trembled when I forced myself upright. Eric sat by the fire, his eyes on my wet clothes.
“Don’t be a pervert,” I said.
He grinned.
“I’m serious, don’t look at me.”
His eyes wouldn’t avert.
I sat, covering my chest with my arms and keeping my legs bent so he couldn’t see me. “You make me sick.”
“At least I make you feel something.”
“It’s not a compliment,” I said.
He nodded. “Yes, it is.”
“No, I hate you.”
“Love and hate are one and the same.”
“Hate is the opposite of love.”
“Not necessarily.”
“How would you know?”
“Are you referencing my artificial side again?”
“Well?”
He narrowed his eyes. “I am not just a machine. I’ve got feelings and blood pumping through my veins. Maybe my organs are artificial, but I’m not.”
“Yawn, yawn,” Amie groaned. “He’s attempting to create a connection.”
I ignored her, inching closer. “I never meant to make you feel like you weren’t real.”
“Now that you have that extractor thing, what are you going to do?” he asked.
Amie flashed before me against the backdrop of a strobe light. Her arms waved slowly and mechanically, as if she were an old fashioned movie reel. “Don’t tell him anything about Darla.”
I squinted.
“What did I say?” he said.
“Nothing, my eyes hurt.”
“How can they hurt? The sun’s down, and this fire’s barely burning. Are you listening to another voice inside your head?”
I held back a smile.
“You are! You’re nuts, you know that?”
“You’re just jealous.”
He laughed, smacking my leg. “Yeah, I’m jealous, of a crazy girl who has multiple personalities and blue, glowing skin.”
“I’m not crazy and my skin isn’t funny. It’s freaking me out.”
He scooted closer, grabbing my arm. He examined me. His eyes adjusted like a camera lens; his pupils expanded and shrank.
“That’s freaky,” I said, listening to the sound of changing lenses.
“Shut up, cream puff,” he said. “I’m not the one with liquid metal coursing through my veins.”
I gasped. “I have metal in my system?”
“Yeah, it’s generating at a fast pace too. It’s as if there are metallic cells recreating at an abnormal rate sort of like how cancer cells do.”
“I’m going to turn into a metal statue,” I whispered.
“I won’t let that happen,” Amie said. “I’m going to fix you, my Shay.”
I couldn’t swallow. I couldn’t speak.
“What’s going on inside you?” Eric asked. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
“I’m a scientific experiment,” I said. “I have no explanation other than that people like to mess with the laws of nature and then when they’re done, they discard you.”
He glanced up, his eyes intense. “I wouldn’t discard you.”
I trembled.
“You’re shaking,” he said, wrapping his arm around me. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll go to the scientists and get them to help us.”
“No!” I stood, stomping towards my clothes. “How many times do I have to tell you that I’m never going back there?” I snatched my shirt and pants and struggled to climb into them. I missed a pants leg, tripping in the sand. I hated the E.R.I.C.
He stood over me, holding me by the hips.
“I don’t need your help.”
“Then why do you keep running back to me?”
“Fine, if you want to feel needed, that’s on you.” I stepped into my pants and tried to button them. That’s right, he’d ripped the button right off! “You’re never going to see me again after this anyway.”
Eric snatched my shirt, holding it above his head.
“Give that back,” I shouted, straining to reach. He backed up and stumbled into the sand. I fell on top of him, my fingers pressed against his pecs. His eyes set on mine. “Why are you so annoying?” I asked.
He smirked. “I’m annoying?”
“Yeah: you.”
“Then why are you the one on top of me, caressing my body?”
I smacked him, recoiling. “I wasn’t caressing you!”
He sat up, grabbing me by the shoulders. “Okay, enough of this,” he said, before pressing his lips to mine. His breath entered my mouth and chills ran down my spine. I inched closer, wrapping my arms around his neck, straddling his lap.
Eric kissed my cheek, then the nape of my neck, his hands slowly caressing my back and then resting on my waist. I pressed my face into the crook of his neck, breathing quick and shallow. His lips brushed my ear. “How annoying am I?”
I giggled, squeezing him tighter.
Amie groaned, tossing code into the fire that crackled behind us. She shook her head as Eric guided me onto my back. “Please don’t tell me you’re going to procreate with the E.R.I.C.”
She banged her head into the flames over and over.
“That’s fire, not a solid object,” I said to Amie. She rolled her eyes and Eric didn’t respond. He kissed my lips, pressing his body to mine. “I’m not going to procreate with the Eric.” I moaned as he kissed my neck.
He bit my shoulder, then under my chin. His hands brushed along my navel and I arched forward. Eric smiled, gazing at me.
I closed my eyes to the sound of the waves crashing the shoreline and the crackle of the fire.
CHAPTER TEN
LOCATION:
Unknown Lone Key #1, Florida Keys
“Awake, my Shay,” Amie said. Her fingers chilled my skin. I rested my head against Eric’s stomach. “Your E.R.I.C. is uploading data to the scientists. It’s safe to escape. We’ve only a few minutes remaining.”
I yawned. It was dark and my body ached. “He’s not bad,” I said.
“Your thinking abilities have been tampered with. Please abort. Your O.H.P. has exactly two hours remaining before necessary extraction.”
I jumped. “Two hours?” Where did the time fly? It felt as if just minutes had passed. What was I doing with this guy? Was I crazy? I grabbed my bag and tossed it over my shoulder. “Let’s get out of here.”
“The life raft is this way,” Amie said, stepping in infrared markings. “Follo
w me!”
I glanced back at Eric. He lay so peaceful in the sand next to the dying fire. I frowned, wrapping my arms around my stomach.
“It’s normal to yearn,” Amie said. “Time will mend it, don’t worry.”
“I don’t want anything to mend this feeling,” I said.
“We’re wasting valuable time.”
I nodded, following Amie towards the coastline. She skipped about, motioning for me to flip our craft over and push it out. “I’m going to use the paddles. Let’s see if all this strenuous activity has made me into a rower.”
Amie shook her head. “I’m afraid it takes longer than one day to become an active S.H.A.Y.”
“I’m kidding, Amie.”
Her electronic laugh echoed in my ears. “I know, my Shay, so was I.”
“You made a joke?”
I paddled as fast as I could, trying to focus on the code before me. Fish jumped across my boat or, was that more data from Amie? I couldn’t tell the difference anymore. I’d finally grown to love seeing the readings before me. The useless information I gained about each organism I encountered only spurred me with more questions. I loved seeing what Amie saw and soon, my Darla would be safe and I’d be able to rescue the future S.H.A.Y. I couldn’t begin to imagine the possibilities that she’d have outside the research center.
“What sort of S.H.A.Y. is she going to be?”
“S.H.A.Y. 319 will be an active S.H.A.Y.”
I frowned. “Why not a scientist?”
“You’re a scientist,” Amie said.
“A crappy one.”
“You’re my favorite scientist!” Amie somersaulted, fireworks exploding around her. “I love you!”
“That’s because you helped design and create me.”
“I’m partial.”
I giggled. “Yeah, and I don’t mind if you are.”
I watched the stars dance about me. Amie conducted them, as if they were her own private orchestra. “What is your next S.H.A.Y. going to look like?”
“She’s of African descent.”
“That’s cool,” I said. “Pop will love—”
“No, he’ll never know this S.H.A.Y.” Amie frowned, sitting on the edge of the boat. “Are you saddened by this thought?”
“I just miss him, that’s all.”
S.H.A.Y. (The Almost Series Book 1) Page 6
