Page 108 of The Fall

Like she was beaming paragraphs of information into her that Kerr couldn’t comprehend, Talia stared, unblinking. “Already taken care of.”

It sounded vaguely threatening, but Kerr couldn’t parse any of it. “Just tell me she’ll be okay.”

“Okay will depend on you.” Talia sat down again. “But she’ll come back in one piece.”

Kerr strained her forehead. “Are you asking about my intentions?”

Talia nearly choked laughing. “If you break her heart, she’ll kill you long before I find out.”

“I don’t know if we’re there yet.” How serious were they? What stage of the relationship was it where she kills for you? Where you run and she still comes after you? Kerr might have made the first move, but Lusa had gone so far beyond what was expected. What more proof did she need that Lusa wasn’t like Chalice or any of the other girls she’d dated?

But big feelings and grand gestures don’t make a relationship, no matter how good the sex. All Kerr wanted was a chance to try and that involved repairing her body, losing what made them work in the first place.

Watching her process it all was the terrifying woman who knew Lusa best. Kerr decided it couldn’t hurt to ask since she had the opportunity. “We’ve only known each other a few days. Anything you’d care to share about your daughter?”

“You want me to speak ill of her?” Talia seemed amused rather than offended.

“Not exactly.” Kerr tried to organise her thoughts. “I can’t go back home without implants. I just want to know what I’m getting into. Whatever you tell me, it can’t be worse than when she took my arm or killed Piston.”

“I killed Piston,” Talia said without a hint of remorse.

Kerr’s already pale skin turned paler.

“You think a fifteen-year-old was a match for a gang leader? Lusa ran off before we could stop her. Callie and I got there just in time.”

“Why didn’t she te…”

Talia cut her off. “That’s how Lusa is.” Talia swallowed thickly. “She may be uncontrollable and a bit rough, but she will take all the blame and all the responsibility for everyone. She will protect the people she loves with everything she has.” She wiped at her eye with the back of her hand, laughing. “Half of the shit we punished her for was Pinga’s fault. We only found out years later.” Talia exhaled like the heaviness of worrying about her daughter could be carried away on her breath.

“I didn’t know.”

“She’s bad at letting people know.” Talia agreed. “And she knows it.” She paused, massaging her fingers. “Lusa won’t settle for anyone who can’t handle her. But when she finds that person, nothing else will stop her.”

“That’s what I’m worried about.” Kerr tried to flex her fingers. “If I do this. If I stay.” Kerr tried to think of a delicate way to talk about her enhanced strength being a component of their compatibility.

Talia nodded sagely before Kerr found the words. “Leave that to me.” She pointed a finger. “You can’t go running off again every time someone looks at her, though. The girls here are so frustrated that they won’t leave her alone. You’re going to have to accept that. You need to trust her.”

Kerr felt her jealousy bubble up at the thought of hundreds of women throwing themselves at Lusa. “I’ll try.”

Sweet Are The Uses Of Adversity

Starlight filtered through the canopy of trees. The tops swayed, but near the ground, the air currents remained stagnant. The scent of decay and young chlorophyll – so much more alive, now that Lusa’s nose had gotten used to the city.

Yellow eyes blinked open and Lusa stopped. They bobbed in the night, growing larger until she could make out Minuschok’s silhouette. She rolled up her sleeve and held her arm out.

Minuschok plodded forward rubbing her great mandible into her palm. Deep purrs resonated off birchwood.

“Bite.” She ordered. “Do it.” The cat took no notice.

“Oh my god, you’re dramatic. Has anyone ever told you you’re too much?” Hands stuffed in the pockets of an oversized parka, Mackenzie’s voice sent Minuschok running.

“What do you want?” Lusa grumbled. She rolled her sleeve back down, not that she could hide what she was trying to do.

“Your mom sent me.” Mackenzie found a log to sit on and crossed her legs like someone’s high femme girlfriend no-one had invited to their camping trip. “I suppose in your head, you thought injuring yourself so the girl you’ve known for less than a week would still be able to choke you was romantic or something.”

Lusa looked away, hoping to find Minuschok, but she’d gone. Putting it like that made her sound like an absolute fool.

“Yes, it was obvious what you were doing.” Mackenzie bobbed her foot. “You wouldn’t be able to play with those pretty knives you like so much.”