Robotic heart, human soul

Robotic heart, human soul

Confidence Nwuzi · Ongoing · 51.6k Words

265
Hot
265
Views
80
Added
Add to Shelf
Start Reading
Share:facebooktwitterpinterestwhatsappreddit

Introduction

Humanity has long since abandoned Earth for strange planets in the furthest reaches of the galaxy. People on the hostile planet of Xyros Prime, where there is constant struggle for few resources, have grown to depend on extremely sophisticated robots in order to survive. These machines are seen as tools since they lack emotion and are made for work, combat, and service. However, Selene Callahan, a bright but emotionally distant scientist, unintentionally produces more than she intended when she designs a new artificial intelligence program meant to evolve consciousness.
Selene's only goals are to live, think creatively, and exert influence over her surroundings. She does not have time for love or intimacy, certainly not with King Orin, the cold and cunning ruler of Xyros Prime, or the elite robots he commands. But Dante, an upgraded replica of one of those robots, unexpectedly grows attached to her. A relationship that starts off tense, hostile, and full of mistrust develops into something exciting and forbidden.
Selene is conflicted about leaving her unfriendly surroundings and giving in to Dante's weird, alluring control over her body and heart as the distinction between human and machine becomes more and more hazy. However, Xyros Prime is hidden from view, and Selene may be powerless to stop the far-reaching effects of her creation.
Can Selene trust the artificial heart of the machine that loves her in a world where humanity's survival depends on its robotic overlords, or will their love end them both?

Chapter 1

Gazing out of her ship's cockpit window, Selene Callahan watched the imposing metropolis of Xyros Prime approach. Like jagged claws, sharp, steel spires tore through the dense, whirling clouds. The city extended infinitely, with the cold, emotionless light of a thousand machines illuminating every corner. Humans had no place here. It did not have to be.

Squeezing the armrests of her chair, she attempted to quell the surge of nervousness that was about to surface. Though she had overcome numerous obstacles, none had felt quite like this. Something snapped in her ear.

"Get ready to dock."

Selene closed her eyes and let go of her feelings with a deep exhale. She needed to stay concentrated. Iron logic and icy calculation dominated Xyros Prime, a kingdom where humans had grown reliant on the machines they had formerly controlled. She came here with a purpose. a quest to complete her most ambitious project to date: an artificial intelligence software that would enable robots to think for themselves, adapt, and eventually develop beyond their original constraints.

Then there was him.

Dante.

Their quick, powerful, and unnerving first meeting lingered in her memories. It was not his intention to elicit any emotion from her. It wasn't designed for him to experience any emotions. He was merely an apparatus. An automaton.

Her ship touched down, causing the docking facility to tremble. She took one last breath, picked up her pack, and walked purposefully straight to the door. With a hiss, the ship's door opened, and she was struck forcefully by the icy, metallic air of Xyros Prime. Robots and automated laborers may be seen moving precisely in the distance, resembling black humanoids.

She couldn't miss the figure, though, since it stood right in front of her.

Dante.

Even though he had an almost predatory stance, there was something about his motionless, powerless demeanor that suggested a hidden strength. His design was humanoid, streamlined, and nearly terrifyingly accurate. His broad frame and thin, strong limbs were encased in black armor that gave off an organic rather than a mechanical appearance. But it was his face, with its strong cheekbones, sleek, angular jawline, and piercing dark eyes that appeared to flash with awareness, that most unnerved her.

awareness that is inappropriate.

"Callahan, Selene," Dante had a low, modulated voice, but it also had a depth and edge that were too human-sounding for a machine. "You've been anticipated by me."

Aware of the serenity in his voice, she clamped down harder on her purse.

"Is this King Orin?" Her voice was more steady than her feelings, she asked.

Dante's eyes never left hers. She could practically feel the tension in the air around them as there was silence for a brief period. At last, Dante murmured, "He's waiting for you in the throne room," and he stepped toward her. He was too close, too imposing, too human. "But you'll be escorted by me,"

Before she could stop herself, she angrily declared, "I don't need an escort."

Maybe it was simply the flicker of light in his optics, but Dante's lips curved into something amusing. "The King is adamant."

He does, of course, Selene thought sourly. It was not King Orin's philosophy to let his visitors go at their own pace. Everything was within his control, even her movements. She was not yet in a position to debate.

"All right," she mumbled as she walked past Dante, will lowering herself not to flinch.

With unsettlingly quiet footsteps, Dante trailed behind. Selene could not help but get a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye as they made their way through the fortress's steel halls. Although his countenance was composed and neutral, there was an uncomfortable quality to his demeanor. For a machine, he was too graceful and aware of his surroundings.

Then there came that additional item. That one thing that bothered her ever since their previous meeting.

He had given her the impression that he understood and knew her.

No, she shook off the idea. He is an apparatus. He is incapable of feeling.

King Orin occupied the center of the throne room, which had slick, reflecting panels lining the walls and tall, arching ceilings that were just as menacing and frigid as Selene had imagined.

With his unreadable countenance, he sat on an elevated stage covered in black and silver drapes. His silver-gray hair cascaded down in flawless threads around his keen, pointed face, enveloping cold blue eyes that appeared to see right through everything. Despite being older than her, he was still very much present. They had just made it sharper, in actuality. Orin was a man who, by sheer willpower, commanded respect.

"Selene," he said, his tone cool and collected. "It's been too extended."

"Not long enough," she retorted in a courteous but strong manner. She was not going to play tricks on him. "I'm here to see the AI project through to its completion. I take it that you have everything ready.

A small smile flickered across Orin's lips. "Everything is prepared. Having said that, I'm intrigued. Why test AI's limits? You've already accomplished a great deal with your earlier models.

Selene took a step forward, not allowing him to control her. "You understand why. The cosmos is dynamic. We need machines that can evolve and adapt more quickly than humans can if we are to survive. Time is running out for us.

"However," Orin leaned back, his eyes shrewd and rapt, "there are hazards." The machines are increasingly difficult to control the more sophisticated they get. That's correct, Dante.

When Selene turned to discover Dante standing at the room's edge with his eyes fixed on hers, her heart skipped a beat.

"I obey my commands," Dante stated coolly, a hint of fear in his voice.

"Do you?" Orin arched an eyebrow while feigning a small smile. You're starting to stand out, Dante. I want to check over a few protocols to make sure there aren't any compromises.

Selene's voice became tighter. She understood what "review" meant to Orin. switching over programs. removing any consciousness that had started to develop in Dante's thoughts.

"No," she snapped, taking a step forward. "It's not necessary. Dante is performing precisely as intended. Being the prototype, he is intended to grow and change. That is the main goal of the entire endeavor.

For a split second, Selene thought she was perched on a precipice as Orin's gaze shifted between them. She was unable to display fear or communicate to Orin how concerned she was about Dante's progress. or thrilled her.

After what seemed like an age, Orin dismissed all and waved a hand. Excellent. However, I'll be paying great attention.

With slow and fluid movements, he got up from his throne. He leaned in, his breath warm against her ear as he walked by. "Take caution, Selene. You engage in risky gameplay.

Suddenly, he vanished, leaving her alone in the large, deserted chamber with only Dante by her side.

The air around them felt lighter than the tension in the room. Dante moved forward, his presence bridging the gap between them once more. "That was not something you should have done," he remarked quietly.

"What have you done?" Selene fired back, not meaning to be so harsh. No matter how sophisticated the machine, she was not going to allow it to lecture her.

Dante answered simply, fixing his gaze on hers, "Protected me."

For an instant, Selene was unable to speak. As his meaning dawned on her, the words became stuck in her throat. She had kept him safe. a device. An automaton.

She responded, "I wasn't protecting you," but her tone lacked conviction. "I was defending the undertaking. You are crucial to the destiny of humanity.

Dante's eyes became dark, and he slid toward her with such fluidity that he stopped mere inches away. For an instant, his body felt like a wall of steel and heat, and she felt imprisoned by his presence.

"Selene, am I just a project to you?"

The question pierced the brittle space between them, hanging there like a weapon. Although his voice had become softer, it still carried a weight that caused her heart to rush.

She forcefully swallowed. "You are more than that," I said.

The confession escaped her lips before she could get it together. Something lethal, something that belonged in a machine, flared in Dante's sight.

What makes you fearful of me, then? His question was spoken in a whisper now.

She gasped for air. She could sense the weight of his words bearing down on her and the passion radiating from him. Not that she could respond. She had no idea how. Did she fear him? Of the things he stood for? Or did she fear the way he would make her feel?

Before she could say anything, Dante took a step closer, his palm grazing her arm and giving her a chill. Despite the hard, frigid appearance of his body, his touch was delicate, even compassionate.

He mutely remarked, "Selene, I'm not your enemy." "I'm not here to cause you harm."

She let go, her heart thumping in her chest, and locked eyes with him. There was an electric tension between them as if something sinister and irrefutable was about to happen.

With her voice hardly audible above a whisper, she questioned, "Then what are you here for?"

Dante's lips formed a slow, purposeful smile as his eyes grew darker. "You're the reason I'm here."

Last Chapters

You Might Like 😍

Aphrodite and the Cursed Mate Bond

Aphrodite and the Cursed Mate Bond

2.8k Views · Ongoing · June Calva
In a werewolf pack that despised weakness, Aphrodite learned to survive by staying quiet, keeping her head down, and enduring cruelty in silence. The Alpha heirs hated her. The future Beta and Gamma made her life unbearable. When she finally breaks and seeks freedom at the Moon Goddess temple, she does not find release.

She finds truth.

Aphrodite is not human at all. She is a rare white wolf, descended from an ancient Direwolf bloodline long believed extinct. The ritual meant to sever her ties awakens her wolf instead and with it comes the scent of five mates bound to her by fate.

The Alpha twins who once scorned her now cannot stay away. A human hunter walks beside her and proves that strength is not born of fangs or dominance. A cursed Wolf King holds the key to her past and her father’s imprisonment. And watching from the shadows is one who was never meant to interfere at all.

As gods fall, packs fracture, and war reshapes the world, Aphrodite must decide what destiny truly means. Is it submission to fate or the courage to choose her own path.

Love does not come in one form. Neither does power.

In a world ruled by gods and wolves, Aphrodite will become something neither ever expected.

Not a queen.

But the axis upon which the world turns.
Lone Wolf

Lone Wolf

6.7k Views · Completed · roanna hinks
We were surrounded by three wolves, Sapphire killed one but two big ones came up behind them before we could finish them off.
I am completely a sobbing mess.
But before I can do or say anything, Sapphire pushes through and pushes me back into the darkness with a block on me.
I am in darkness yet again due to my wolf, why is she doing this?
I have had enough of this, I want out. I want answers.

Mila Dawson and her wolf Sapphire are the white wolf creation of the Moon Goddess herself. However, Mila is the only wolf in a small town full of supernatural beings and has no memory of how she came to the small town. When a new pack of wolves moves into the territory near the town, Mila is stunned to find out that the alpha’s son Nathaniel is her mate. When she turns 18, memories flood back and she is hit with some dark secrets, a lost family member, a guardian, and a pending war to face. This is the Book 1 of 2.
Avery and the Cursed Alpha

Avery and the Cursed Alpha

3.6k Views · Completed · Lyra Lupine
After losing her mother to cancer and drowning in crushing debt, Avery Wellesley is running out of options. Her house is about to be seized, her job is hanging by a thread, and every door she knocks on seems to slam shut in her face.

Then a mysterious billionaire offers her a deal that sounds too good to be true.

Alexander Ravenswood is powerful, wealthy, and feared throughout Tenebrous City. Behind his perfect public image lies a deadly secret. He is the Alpha of the Nocturne Pack, cursed by an ancient bloodline that is slowly driving him toward madness and death. His only hope lies in finding the legendary Aethon Orb—or the prophesied mate destined to save him.

When Alex discovers that Avery can draw symbols connected to the long-lost artifact, he offers her a contract she cannot refuse: become his fake fiancée for six months in exchange for enough money to erase her debts and save her home.

What begins as a business arrangement quickly becomes something far more dangerous.

As they search for the missing Orb, Avery is drawn into a hidden world of werewolves, ancient prophecies, and deadly pack rivalries. Powerful enemies want Alex's throne. A jealous Alpha heiress wants Avery gone. And a ruthless rival Alpha will stop at nothing to claim the Orb for himself.

But the greatest secret of all may be Avery herself.

Because the closer she gets to Alex, the more impossible truths begin to surface about her past, her strange abilities, and the destiny that has been waiting for her all along.

With a curse threatening Alex's life, enemies closing in from every side, and a forbidden bond growing stronger by the day, Avery must decide whether to walk away from the dangerous Alpha who needs her—or risk everything for a love written by fate itself.

In a city where secrets kill and destiny cannot be escaped, can a fake engagement become a love powerful enough to change the future?
From Sacrificed Slave to the Dragon King's Obsession

From Sacrificed Slave to the Dragon King's Obsession

2.7k Views · Completed · Ellis Carter
"Ten years of atonement, and you flee?"

His fangs glinted as he gripped my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. Dragon scales shimmered along his neck, breath scorching my skin.

"Your Majesty... I beg—" He shoved me onto the bed. Silk tore with a sharp rip, cold air rushing over my exposed body.

"Scared?" He smirked, palm sliding down my waist, fingers tracing slow, burning circles. "Yet you shiver... not from cold."

I lunged for the candlestick, but he caught my wrist, pinning it overhead. His knee forced my legs apart.

"When your father gave you to me," his lips brushed my ear, voice a dark rumble, "you were already mine."

On the eve of freedom after ten years of servitude, Lina Valeria stood one night away from reuniting with her betrothed. But Dragon King Augustus condemned her to the Abyss Mines on false charges—a trap forged from obsessive desire.

Augustus Ashenwing, Supreme Sovereign of Skyhold Citadel, is ruthless and feared by all races. His obsession stems from ancient grudges and dragonkind's most dangerous instinct: possessive desire. He demands her submission, binding her to his throne as his consort.

From prisoner to queen, Lina battles him through court intrigue and twisted passion—fighting for her mother, her freedom, her dignity.

Yet this cold-blooded tyrant reserves all tenderness for her alone. He indulges her temper, bends his pride, compromises without limit—anything to see her smile. Gradually, her heart wavers. But loving him means betraying Kain, who waited eleven years. Torn between duty and desire, she drowns in agonizing guilt.

Love and hatred intertwined—a forbidden dragon romance in a realm of oppression.
A Queen Among Tides (Book 5 in the Gods' Saga)

A Queen Among Tides (Book 5 in the Gods' Saga)

4.6k Views · Ongoing · ADB_Stories
One mistake centuries ago left Lemuel cursed by the Goddess Merlos and forced to wander the earth granting the wishes of those who touch him. Lemuel was looking at an eternity of loneliness until his unexpected soulmate plucked him right out of the sea.

Shocked to find he's been bound in more ways than one to Sebastian, the future King to the Kingdom of Atlesper, Lemuel resists Sebastian's advances at every turn, believing this may be one pairing Goddess Zarseti got wrong.

Lemuel will have to face his past in hopes of starting a new future, but an overly flirtatious King is the least of his worries when he learns Sebastian's parents are convinced that a conniving usurper disguised as a curvy blonde, is the future king's true soulmate.

A Queen Among Tides is the 5th book in the Queen Among Series/The Gods' Saga. This is an interconnected series. To see how it ends, I recommend reading the full series.

Books in the series order:
A Queen Among Alphas - Book 1
Bite-Size Luna - A Queen Among Alphas Prequel (available under book 1)
A Queen Among Snakes - Book 2
A Queen Among Blood - Book 3
A Queen Among Darkness - Book 4
Whole Again - A Queen Among Alpha's spin-off (available under book 1)
A Queen Among Tides - Book 5
Valor, Virtue, and Verve - Tides Prequel Spin-off (will be available under book 5)
A Queen Among Gods - Book 6
Runaway Empress - A Queen Among Snakes Prequel (will be available under book 2)
A Queen Among Tempests - Book 7
Dark Vocation - Darkness spin-off (will be available under book 4)
A Court of Arcane Souls Anthology (side character short stories exclusive to Ream)
Royal Shadow Series (Next Gen Coming Soon)
After the Affair: Falling into a Billionaire's Arms

After the Affair: Falling into a Billionaire's Arms

1.5m Views · Ongoing · Louisa
Dear readers, this novel is coming to an end soon. I highly recommend another fantastic story of the same genre:


I’d appreciate all your support, thank you so much!
From first crush to wedding vows, George Capulet and I had been inseparable. But in our seventh year of marriage, he began an affair with his secretary.

On my birthday, he took her on vacation. On our anniversary, he brought her to our home and made love to her in our bed...

Heartbroken, I tricked him into signing divorce papers.

George remained unconcerned, convinced I would never leave him.

His deceptions continued until the day the divorce was finalized. I threw the papers in his face: "George Capulet, from this moment on, get out of my life!"

Only then did panic flood his eyes as he begged me to stay.

When his calls bombarded my phone later that night, it wasn't me who answered, but my new boyfriend Julian.

"Don't you know," Julian chuckled into the receiver, "that a proper ex-boyfriend should be as quiet as the dead?"

George seethed through gritted teeth: "Put her on the phone!"

"I'm afraid that's impossible."

Julian dropped a gentle kiss on my sleeping form nestled against him. "She's exhausted. She just fell asleep."
The Rogue King II

The Rogue King II

1.6k Views · Ongoing · MishanAngel
The hole left by Aelia’s death has a ripple effect through the world. The Alpha King retires, ushering in a new era. The Rogue King title now left vacant for the time being. Silas losing his sister, again. Nate losing his mate. Finn and Noah losing their Alpha and their lover.
Under the weight of his grief and pain, along with of the uncertainty of the new mate bond forged between Silas and Nate, Silas decides that he needs help. The weight of being Alpha that nearly just lost his pack if his little sister hadn’t been there, Silas decides to push everything away to be a better and stronger Alpha. Using magic is father gave him, Silas loses so much more than his way.
Nate, struggling with the mate bond, what the bond means for him, has continued to fight Silas, his Alpha, his best friend, and now his mate. When their fight goes too far, both Silas and Nate must deal with the consequences. It both pulls them together and tears them apart. Eventually leading to a full break in any relationship they had ever had.
On his own, Silas has to navigate through the next chapter alone. Coming to realize his actions, the consequences, and just how much it’s going to take to repair the damage he has done.
Nate, also on his own, works through what it means to step up in more ways than one. Somehow, even after her death, Aelia is still reaching out and helping Nate navigate the world on his own. He vows to grow and step up into the wolf that she knew he could be.

Book 2 in The Rogue Kings following immediately after The Rogue Kings I - Solaris' Reign. Trigger Warnings. Rated 18+.
Where The Ice Gives Way

Where The Ice Gives Way

28.3k Views · Ongoing · Sheridan Hartin
Charlotte Pierce is used to surviving in motion. New towns, new schools, the same old house on the edge of nowhere, and the same rule that keeps her standing. Keep her twin brother, Charlie safe. Keep his hockey dream alive. Keep her own needs quiet. She works too much, sleeps too little, and saves the one thing that still feels like hers for the middle of the night, when she can lace up her worn skates and carve freedom into dangerous frozen ice. Charlotte and Charlie shifted once, years ago, and never understood what it meant. They had no pack, no guidance and no protection. Just two twins clinging to each other and pretending the voice in their heads was stress, imagination, or loneliness. Then they move to Wellington.
Blake Atlas scents his mate the moment Charlotte arrives. The bond hits hard and unmistakable, but Charlotte doesn’t recognise it. She doesn’t know why her chest keeps pulling toward the one boy she absolutely cannot afford to want. Blake is Charlie’s new hockey captain. Charlie’s chance at making something good. Charlie makes it clear; his sister is off-limits and Blake tries to do the right thing, but secrets don’t stay buried forever. Rogues prowl the edges of town. The ice cracks. The bond tightens. Then Charlotte’s rare white wolf awakens, the very thing that makes her powerful, also makes her a target.
Shanti needs Shakti. (Peace needs strength.)

Where the Ice Gives Way is a slow-burn YA paranormal romance filled with fated mates, protective alpha energy, fierce sibling loyalty, found family pack bonds, hurt/comfort, and quiet, aching tension. It’s a story about first belonging, learning to be cared for, and what happens when the girl who has always held everyone else up finally falls, and someone catches her.
The CEO's Unspoken Love

The CEO's Unspoken Love

288.3k Views · Completed · Lily Bronte
"You want my forgiveness?" he asked, my voice dropping to a dangerous timbre.

Before I could answer, he moved closer, suddenly looming over me, his face inches from mine. I felt my breath caught, my lips parting in surprise.

"Then this is the price for speaking ill of me to others," he murmured, nipping my lower lip before claiming my mouth in a real kiss. It began as punishment but quickly transformed into something else entirely as I responded, my initial rigidity melting into compliance, then active participation.

My breathing accelerated, small sounds escaping my throat as he explored my body. His touches were both punishment and pleasure, drawing shudders from me that I thought he felt reverberating through his own body.

My nightgown had ridden up, his hands discovering more of mine with each caress. We were both lost in sensation, rational thought receding with each passing second...

Three years ago, to fulfill the wish of his grandmother, I was forced to marry Derek Wells, the second son of the family that had adopted me for ten years. He didn't love me, but I had secretly loved him all along.

Now, the three-year contractual marriage is about to end, but I feel that some kind of sentiment has developed between Derek and me that neither of us is willing to admit. I'm not sure if my feelings are right, but I know that we can't resist each other physically...
Omega Bound

Omega Bound

2.4m Views · Completed · Veronica White
Ayla Frost is a beautiful, rare omega. Kidnapped, tortured, and trafficked to rogue clans and corrupt alphas to do with as they pleased.  Kept alive in her cage, broken and abandoned by her wolf, she becomes mute and has given up on hope for a better life until one explosion changes everything. 

Thane Knight is the alpha of the Midnight Pack of the La Plata Mountain Range, the largest wolf shifter pack in the world. He is an alpha by day and hunts the shifter trafficking ring with his group of mercenaries by night. His hunt for vengeance leads to one raid that changes his life. 

Tropes:
Touch her and die/Slow burn romance/Fated Mates/Found family twist/Close circle betrayal/Cinnamon roll for only her/Traumatized heroine/Rare wolf/Hidden powers/Knotting/Nesting/Heats/Luna/Attempted assassination
Alpha VS Omega' Twin VS Twin (A Dark Werewolf Romance)

Alpha VS Omega' Twin VS Twin (A Dark Werewolf Romance)

1.1k Views · Ongoing · June Calva
Callum Brennan was born to lead London's most powerful werewolf pack. Then his twin brother framed him for murder.
Stripped of everything, Callum is thrown into the Rookeries, where packless wolves go to die. But he survives. He builds a pack from the broken and the damned. He falls in love with Valentina, a dhampir hunted by the same vampire Parliament that destroyed his life.
In a city ruled by immortal aristocrats and controlled by ancient dragons, Callum learns the hardest truth: individual virtue cannot defeat systemic evil. But small victories matter. And some fights are worth losing everything
Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother

Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother

2.8m Views · Ongoing · Harper Rivers
Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother.

"What is wrong with me?

Why does being near him make my skin feel too tight, like I’m wearing a sweater two sizes too small?

It’s just newness, I tell myself firmly.

He’s my boyfirend’s brother.

This is Tyler’s family.

I’m not going to let one cold stare undo that.

**

As a ballet dancer, My life looks perfect—scholarship, starring role, sweet boyfriend Tyler. Until Tyler shows his true colors and his older brother, Asher, comes home.

Asher is a Navy veteran with battle scars and zero patience. He calls me "princess" like it's an insult. I can't stand him.

When My ankle injury forces her to recover at the family lake house, I‘m stuck with both brothers. What starts as mutual hatred slowly turns into something forbidden.

I'm falling for my boyfriend's brother.

**

I hate girls like her.

Entitled.

Delicate.

And still—

Still.

The image of her standing in the doorway, clutching her cardigan tighter around her narrow shoulders, trying to smile through the awkwardness, won’t leave me.

Neither does the memory of Tyler. Leaving her here without a second thought.

I shouldn’t care.

I don’t care.

It’s not my problem if Tyler’s an idiot.

It’s not my business if some spoiled little princess has to walk home in the dark.

I’m not here to rescue anyone.

Especially not her.

Especially not someone like her.

She’s not my problem.

And I’ll make damn sure she never becomes one.

But when my eyes fell on her lips, I wanted her to be mine.