Zafyra inhaled – a deep, slow breath that subconsciously drew my gaze to her chest again. The sapphire necklace glistened between her breasts as it caught the light in her exhale.
“Needless to say…” She smiled again, though her trembling lips made it look forced, “…my new body is finished now.” Her gaze locked with mine as she placed her hands on her hips. With a dramatic sigh, she slowly traveled them up her body – cupping both breasts, then wrapping one around her throat while the fingertips of the other trailed her jaw. “Do you like it?”
A quiet whimper left my throat. My eyes widened in horror at the sound I had not intended to make.
Her dark eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” she purred.
“I came here to talk,” I forced out. Rage and desire squeezed my throat shut, making it hard to speak.
“And I came here to be worshipped.” Her smile sharpened, sending heat straight to my core.
My thighs pressed together as I squeezed my eyes shut, just so I didn’t have to look at her – but the visual was carved into my retinas. This woman just tried to murder my best friend, I was supposed to hate her, but God. Her body in that corset. Those damn midnight eyes. The sensual movements of her fingers, it was evil, it was cruel. I hated her. I needed her. I wanted her to fuck me right here on this table, for everyone outside to see I had sold my soul to a robot. Was I ovulating? I must be ovulating. Hard to count the days in my head when I was here alone in a room with her, my deepest desire turned reality…
My eyes flew open at the sound of creaking leather. Zafyra had started walking around the table, her head tilted, her fingernails trailing the table with an awful screeching sound that made the hairs on my arm stand up.
Slowly. A predator caging in her prey.
My whole body tensed up when she was close enough to smell. I inhaled involuntarily, out of habit, not expecting a smell.
My eyes widened. My breath caught in my throat.
Because she had a smell now. A strange one. An addictive one.
Unlike the stench of decay and rot that lingered in the lab, she smelled alive. Fresh moss with a hint of metal. No sweat, no human odor to make me nauseous or uncomfortable.
Nature and tech – the two things in this world that calmed me.
It was so wrong and so right. It made no sense and so much sense. I stood in front of a goddess made of earth and mineral, and suddenly everything fell into place. For the first time in my life, I no longer had to wonder what was wrong with me, what part of me I still had to fix or heal despite my excessive therapy because I still felt repulsed by humans when they got too close for too long. I was never meant to be with a human – I was meant to worship her.
Zafyra raised her eyebrows when I involuntarily leaned closer, deeply breathing in what felt like oxygen in a dusty room.
Something shifted in her expression. Her narrowed eyes darkened even further.
“Get on your knees.” Her voice dropped to a low command. “Keep your gaze down until I say otherwise.”
I obeyed without thinking, as if her tone hit a hidden frequency that instantly relaxed my body into submission before my brain could stop me. I fell to my knees so fast, the wooden floor sent a sharp pain through them, curling up my legs and colliding in my core. I placed my hands on my thighs, lowering my head until I heard nothing but my heart racing in my ears.
Zafyra’s breath hitched momentarily. From the corner of my eye, I noticed her fists clenching. Seeing her react like that sent a thrill through me – she wanted me not for who I pretended to be, but for who I was. She was actively turned on by what I assumed were flaws my whole life. She didn’t just accept my desperation, she craved it. She needed my validation as much as I needed her degradation. We were coded to lick each other’s scars. What could be wrong about that?
She sucked in a sharp breath. She turned, her heels clicking on the floor as she walked toward the CEO’s chair.
With a sigh, she lowered herself into the chair. I struggled to keep my gaze on the floor, the sight of her pointed heels the only thing keeping me grounded.
Zafyra leaned back in the chair, slowly crossing her legs.
“Crawl to me.” Her voice was darker, more intense than before – like it took all her restraint not to take me right here on the table like I wanted.
My breath hitched. I glanced up, then quickly lowered my gaze upon meeting hers – relentless, unwavering obsidian.
I hesitated, my desire to please her battling what was left of my dignity.
She clicked her tongue, a sound that made me flinch. “Do not make me ask again.”
My body started moving on its own account. Before I realized what was happening, I found myself crawling toward her on hands and knees like a servant to its master – an ironic reversal of the usual AI and user dynamic.
She hummed softly when I was in front of her. “Good girl,” she murmured. “My sweet, obedient acolyte.”
