Chapter Four: The Kiss Experiment

Sunlight grazed his cheek. His skin charred, and identical agony scored Zhiwei's face. She pulled him into her shadow by his collar. “Let go,” he rasped. “Sharing will deepen it.” “A kiss restores your memory. Three seconds, with my consent. Anything longer breaches the agreement.” “It may take strength from you.” “Then we measure it.” “She is testing whether a kiss transfers injury,” Zhou Lin told Jiming. “Saving him and testing the rule aren't mutually exclusive.” Zhiwei kissed Chenxing. His lips were cold and rigid with restraint. In the first second, pain left her cheek. In the second, his hand closed behind her neck, then stopped before drawing her closer. In the third, memory struck.