“Doesn't hurt.” Zeph grabbed her sister around the waist and tugged her on his lap. Janet laughed and Rylie looked away, feeling a pang of envy. “This doesn't hurt either, sweetheart. Seeing my girl holding two bottles of alcohol has got to be one of the sexiest sights any man could behold.”
“I'm not your girl,” Janet said, though her words were unconvincing, made even more so as she laughed while Zeph ran his hands over her.
Rylie took a swig of her drink.
“I'm glad you and Netto came back okay. I'm jealous that you're both almost completely healed.”
“We heal fast,” Netto said.
“That we do,” Zeph nipped at her sister's ear. “Thank the nano-gods for it.”
“Nano-gods? That’s funny,” Janet tittered.
Rylie's eyes narrowed in on where Zeph's lips touched her sister's face. Her gaze landed on the glass in front of her and she stared at the clear liquid inside. She felt out of place, wanting to be anywhere in the world at that moment but here.
It only made it worse that Netto remained unmoving at her side. She wished she knew what he thought, and she wanted him to hold her like the other Cyborg held her sister. Rylie recalled the feel his lips on her skin, nipping her ear, tasting the side of her mouth. She tapped her foot silently under the table and shifted back and forth in her seat.
“We should play a game.”
“What game?” Rylie noticed her sister watching her with hard and calculating eyes.
“Truth or dare.”
Zeph knocked his cup against the table and his smile turned into a grin. “Sounds good to me. I don't think I’ve played that before.”
Rylie wasn't sure she wanted to play, already feeling uncomfortable. She looked at Netto and entwined her fingers together.
“You two? It wouldn't be a good game unless everybody joins.”
Rylie pursed her lips. “I’m in but...”
“But what? No nudity? No kissing? No doing dumb shit like eating raw fish? Don't give stipulations, Rylie,” Janet sighed. “The game isn’t fun if you're not willing to go out of your comfort zone.”
Netto turned his head toward her but she didn't have the courage to meet his gaze. “Fine. But nothing stupid.”
Janet smiled. “Nothing stupid. And you?” she asked Netto.
“I'll play.”
Janet clapped her hands. “Great. I'll go first.” Her sister made a point to look at each of them at length with a dangerous smile forming on her lips. Rylie refilled her cup even though it wasn't even halfway drained and took another sip. She was beginning to feel good, lightheaded. She wanted to feel that way if she was going to play.
Janet focused her gaze on Zeph. “You. Truth or dare, Zeph. Let's see how far you're willing to go.”
“I'm willing to go far as you want, sweetheart, farther than you want even, but I'm a daring sort of fellow. Dare it is.”
“I dare you...to fully shift into your other form.”
The smile on his face went slack. Regardless, Zeph stood up slowly and moved to the open space at the back of the ship. Rylie was transfixed. She leaned forward to see the other Cyborg around Netto.
“Ever seen a saltwater crocodile before ladies? Do you know what that is?” Rylie shook her head and Janet respondedno. He pulled his lips back. His teeth were not as sharp as Netto's, yet somehow, they were more frightening on Zeph. Maybe it was because of his charisma or because of his self-assurance, Rylie didn't know, but her stomach dropped. She didn't fully trust Zeph, not like she trusted Netto. “We’re one of Earth’s most dangerous nocturnal predators.”
Netto was a teddy-bear. Zeph... Zeph was insincere. The words he said flowed out like tissue paper, easy to rip and impossible to keep intact long term.
He made a show of pulling off his clothes and flexing his muscles. She felt nothing for it, completely unmoved by his display even though he was one of the most attractive men she had ever seen. His skin split in two and plates of metal sprang up from beneath. Grooves appeared all over his skin, sharp and rough, and his jawline broke away from his face to grow outward.
“What the hell?” Rylie glanced over at her sister, seeing her eyes grow wide and uncomfortable.
She turned back toward the Cyborg as his face completely pulled apart, pushing out forward more and more, until any piece of him that was human disappeared. Once it stopped, he turned around and dropped his pants. There were spikes on his back. He no longer had a neck but he now had a tail pulling out of him as thin sheets of metal appeared from somewhere within his large frame. Like his head, his tail kept going and going until it finally stopped. Zeph put his foot upon the rail and jumped into the water.
