Species Traitor: A Science Fiction Dystopian Novel by Kate Mary (universal ebook reader .TXT) 📗

to say, and the expression on her face was enough to cement a decision I’d been toying with for a while now. I was done with Dean. He’d been playing me this whole time, telling me what I wanted to hear when deep down he felt exactly the way my mother did.

Not that I was going to address that now. My head was pounding too hard, and we were in Finn’s house. The last thing I wanted was to drag other people into my drama.

“Finn is Rye’s cousin,” I said instead. “He’ll make sure I’m okay.”

“That’s right, he will,” Ione piped in. “Or he’ll answer to me.”

When Dean looked her way, his gaze stopping first on her stomach before moving to her face, he was unable to hide his disgust.

I pulled my hand from his, not even bothering to act nonchalant about it. “I could really use some rest now.”

“Okay.” Dean stood, looking down at me uncertainly. “Is there anything I can do for you before I go?”

I hesitated, wanting to say no but realizing there was one thing I needed. “Can you call my house and talk to Lena? Tell her I’m here and okay? I can’t call from inside the District, and I don’t want her to worry.”

“Of course.” He looked at me hopefully. “We’ll talk tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” I said, knowing how that conversation would go.

He must have suspected what I was thinking, because the smile he gave me was tense. I had to force myself to return it.

Ione and I watched him head for the door in silence. When Dean reached Geela and Finn, who were still talking, he stepped around them like he was afraid he’d catch some incurable disease if he got too close. Ione scowled, but I only sighed.

“Boyfriend?” my cousin said only a second after we heard the click of a door shutting in the other room.

“Not in my opinion, and after tomorrow even he won’t be able to claim that,” I said.

“Good.” She plopped down next to me on the bed. “I always thought Dean was a nice guy, but…”

“I know,” I said.

She took my hand. “I can’t believe you risked your life. I still don’t know what you were thinking. Maybe that last head injury scrambled your brain a little.”

“I was thinking,” I smiled up at her, “about you. That’s all.”

My cousin’s expression softened. “The only reason I’m not furious right now is because deep down I know I would have done the same.”

“Then I guess we’re both morons.”

She laughed. “I guess so.”

Geela took her leave, and Finn turned to look at us but didn’t head our way.

“I should get going,” Ione said, hauling herself to her feet with effort. “I need to get some dinner before my class starts.”

“Can you help me get my shoes off first?” I asked, not sure if I would be able to sit up without getting dizzy and knowing I wouldn’t ask Finn.

My cousin nodded as she moved to the end of the bed, calling over her shoulder, “How about a shirt or something she can sleep in so she’s more comfortable?”

“Yeah.” Finn pushed himself off the doorframe where he’d been leaning and headed toward the small closet.

I thought about the other day when we hid together in the alley and how he’d offered me his shirt, flushing when I realized how much more intimate this was going to be.

Ione had my shoes off before Finn came over, shirt in hand. He watched me silently as he passed it to me, and my insides quivered from a mixture of anticipation and nerves. When I took the shirt, I had to force out a smile.

“Privacy?” Ione said when Finn didn’t move.

“Oh, yeah,” he said and actually flushed.

“Men.” She rolled her eyes as he headed off, leaving us alone. “They never think of anything.”

“I know,” I murmured.

My cousin helped me change into the shirt, which was long enough I didn’t feel too immodest, then tucked me in like I was a child.

“Thanks, Mom,” I said.

She rolled her eyes again, but smiled. “We’ll talk tomorrow before you go home, okay? For now, I want you to rest.”

“I doubt I have much of a choice,” I said. “My head is killing me.”

Finn must have been listening, because he reappeared before Ione had reached the door.

“Take care of her,” my cousin said.

“I will,” he promised.

Then she was gone.

Now alone, Finn focused on me. “Can I get you anything?”

“I’m supposed to drink water,” I said, “but I know you guys are already really short on that, so I don’t want to make a big deal about it.”

“Veilorians don’t need as much water as humans, so it’s not a big deal,” Finn replied. “Plus, if Geela told you to drink water, you’ll drink water.”

He left the room before I could argue, coming back only a moment later with a glass.

“Thank you,” I said as I reached up to take it.

Our fingers brushed, and my eyes flitted up. His gaze held mine over the rim as I sucked the tepid water down, not even tasting it. When I was done, I set the glass on the bedside table, still unable to look away from Finn. Despite the drink I’d just taken, my mouth had gone dry. I couldn’t help feeling as if something between us was shifting. Something big and life-altering.

“How are you feeling?” he whispered after a few seconds.

I had to swallow before I could find any words. “Okay. My head is still pounding, but it’s not as bad as it was.”

“Good,” he said, nodding. “What you did was really brave. You know that, right?”

“I don’t know if it was as much brave as it was stupid,” I said, managing a smile despite my pounding head.

Finn rewarded me with a grin. “It was that, too.”

We were still staring at each other, neither of us talking, when the lights suddenly cut out, plunging us into darkness.

I let out a little gasp, more out of surprise than anything else.

“Hold on,” Finn said. “It will