Zune is an ancient cyborg that was built one thousand years ago to protect. When Xian is saved by her from a giant destruction unit, they quickly fall into an intense sexual relationship. Zune is so ancient, however, Xian worries if she is still capable of love, or if having taken on cybernetics has made her more robot than human. When they meet a robot who needs help repairing her friend, it gives them both the chance to find out. Don't miss the first installment in this lesbian romance series!

—

Xian stuck her hands on her hips. "What is so amusing?"

"You," said Zune, "and your gentle heart. Twenty-three years in the ruins," she went on, ignoring it when Xian blushed, "and you never let life here harden you, even after the robots killed your family, even after all you have suffered, you didn't let it make you distant and cold. . . Like me."

Xian was still blushing hard but looked Zune directly in the eye as she said, "You are not cold! No one ever . . . k-kissed me the way you have."

It was Zune's turn to be embarrassed.

—

"No," said Zune at once. She was sitting with her knees wide, her elbows resting on them as she leaned toward the fire, and Xian thought the position made her seem broody and grim. "It is my job to protect people. If Micro were being attacked by a giant Xubertron, I'd gladly step in. But instead, we are running errands, fetching a battery from across the sector, and putting you at great risk by—"

Xian suddenly kissed Zune. She couldn't help it: Zune was so cute when she was worried about her.

—

Blue eyes softening, Zune knelt before Xian, hesitated, and touched her cheek. It was warm. So warm. So many parts of Zune were icy metal, she had nearly forgotten what it felt like, the warmth of skin. Even the parts of her that were still human flesh had a cold layer beneath that was unpleasant, stiff. Xian was the first woman she had touched in one thousand years, and doing so always left an ache in her.