按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
“And I always request whatever a planet’s equivalent is。 It seems more… right。 But I could be put into a
man and I would function just fine。”
“But you’re not in a man’s body。”
“See？ That’s my point。 Body and soul。 Two different things； in my case。”
“I wouldn’t want it without you。”
“You wouldn’t wantme withoutit。 ”
Ah； the finality of it。 Yes； I would die in this body。 The final death。
And I will never live in it again；Melanie whispered。
It’s not how either of us planned our future； is it？
No。 Neither of us planned to have no future。
“Another internal conversation？” Ian guessed。
“We’re thinking of our mortality。”
“You could live forever if you left us。”
“Yes； I could。” I sighed。 “You know； humans have the shortest life span of any species I’ve ever been；
except the Spiders。 You have so little time。”
“Don’t you think； then…” Ian paused and leaned closer to me so that I couldn’t seem to see anything
around his face； just snow and sapphire and ink。 “That maybe you should make the most of what time
you have？ That you shouldlive while you’re alive？”
I didn’t see it ing the way I had with Jared。 Ian was not as familiar to me。 Melanie realized what he
was going to do before I did； just a second before his lips touched mine。
No！
It wasn’t like kissing Jared。 With Jared； there was no thought； only desire。 No control。 A spark to
gasoline—inevitable。 With Ian； I didn’t even know what I felt。 Everything was muddled and confused。
His lips were soft and warm。 He pressed them only lightly to mine； and then brushed them back and
forth across my mouth。
“Good or bad？” he whispered against my lips。
Bad！ Bad； bad！
“I—I can’t think。” When I moved my mouth to speak； he moved his with it。
“That sounds… good。”
His mouth pressed down with more force now。 He caught my lower lip between his and pulled on it
gently。
Melanie wanted to hit him—so much more than she’d wanted to punch Jared。 She wanted to shove him
away and then kick his face。 The image was horrible。 It conflicted jarringly with the sensation of Ian’s
kiss。
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
。
“Yes？”
“Please stop。 I can’t think。 Please。”
He sat back at once； clasping his hands in front of him。 “Okay；” he said； his tone cautious。
I pressed my hands against my face； wishing I could push out Melanie’s anger。
“Well； at least nobody punched me。” Ian grinned。
“She wanted to do more than that。 Ugh。 I don’t like it when she’s mad。 It hurts my head。 Anger is so…
ugly。”
“Why didn’t she？”
“Because I didn’t lose control。 She only breaks free when I’m… overwhelmed。”
He watched as I kneaded my forehead。
Calm down；I begged her。He’s not touching me。
Has he forgotten that I’mhere？Doesn’t he care？ This is me； it’sme！
I tried to explain that。
What about you？ Have you forgotten Jared？
She threw the memories at me the way she’d done in the beginning； only this time they were like blows。
A thousand punches of his smile； his eyes； his lips on mine； his hands on my skin…
Of course not。 Have you forgotten that you don’t want me to love him？
“She’s talking to you。”
“Yelling at me；” I corrected。
“I can tell now。 I can see you concentrate on the conversation。 I never noticed before today。”
“She’s not always this vocal。”
“Iam sorry； Melanie；” he said。 “I know this must be impossible for you。”
Again； she visualized smashing her foot into his sculpted nose； leaving it crooked like Kyle’s。Tell him I
don’t want his apologies。
I winced。
Ian half smiled； half grimaced。 “She doesn’t accept。”
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
。
“So she can break free？ If you’re overwhelmed？”
I shrugged。 “Sometimes； if she takes me by surprise and I’m too… emotional。 Emotion makes it hard to
concentrate。 But it’s been more difficult for her lately。 It’s like the door between us is locked。 I don’t
know why。 Itried to let her out when Kyle —” I stopped talking abruptly； grinding my teeth together。
“When Kyle tried to kill you；” he finished matter…of…factly。 “You wanted her free？ Why？”
I just stared at him。
“To fight him？” he guessed。
I didn’t answer。
He sighed。 “Okay。 Don’t tell me。 Why do you think the… door is locked？”
I frowned。 “I don’t know。 Maybe the time passing… It worries us。”
“But she broke through before； to punch Jared。”
“Yes。” I shuddered at the memory of my fist striking his jaw。
“Because you were overwhelmed and emotional？”
“Yes。”
“What did he do？ Just kiss you？”
I nodded。
Ian flinched。 His eyes tightened。
“What？” I asked。 “What’s wrong？”
“When Jared kisses you； you are… overwhelmed by emotion。”
I stared at him； worried by the expression on his face。 Melanie enjoyed it。That’s right！
He sighed。 “And when I kiss you… you aren’t sure if you like it。 You are not… overwhelmed。”
“Oh。” Ian was jealous。 How very strange this world was。 “I’m sorry。”
“Don’t be。 I told you I’d give you time； and I don’t mind waiting for you to think things through。 I don’t
mind that at all。”
“What do you mind？” Because he minded something very much。
He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly。 “I saw how you loved Jamie。 That was always really
He was looking away； staring at the wall over me。 I had to look away； too。 I stared at the sunlight where
it touched the red door。
“How much of that is Melanie？” he wanted to know。
“I don’t know。 Does it matter？”
I could barely hear his answer。 “Yes。 It does to me。” Without looking at me or seeming to notice what
he was doing； Ian took my hand again。
It was very quiet for a minute。 Even Melanie was still。 That was nice。
Then； as though a switch had been flipped； Ian was his normal self again。 He laughed。
“Time is on my side；” he said； grinning。 “We’ve got the rest of our lives in here。 One day you’ll wonder
what y