Chapter 32 · The Symbiosis Pact

"Sit. Still. Or I’ll let the surge fry your nervous system while I watch," Kael snapped, his voice vibrating against the back of my neck.

I didn't sit still. I tried to jerk away from the cold metal of the synchronization chair, but his hand clamped onto my shoulder, pinning me down. The grip was bruising, a reminder that right now, I wasn't the apex predator. I was a glitching piece of hardware and he held the reset button.

"You're shaking, Vesper," he whispered, leaning closer. I could feel the heat radiating off him, a sharp contrast to the sterile chill of the med-bay. "Is it fear, or is your DNA finally admitting it needs me?"

"It's called a seizure, you arrogant prick," I spat, though my voice sounded thin, even to me. "Maybe if your tech didn't feel like it was trying to rewrite my soul with a rusty nail, I'd be more cooperative."

Kael didn't laugh. He didn't even smile. He just shifted, his chest brushing my shoulder as he reached for the console. The proximity was suffocating. Every time he moved, the scent of expensive ozone and something dark—like rain on hot asphalt—filled my lungs.