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

Something shuffled to my right, and a second later a spark broke through the blackness when Finn lit a match. It flickered, illuminating a small area around him as he held it against the wick of a homemade candle.

The flame caught, and the light grew brighter, illuminating more of the room, and Finn shook the match to extinguish the flame. Once he had, he set it on the table and turned to face me.

“It’s getting late, and I know you need to rest, so I’ll head to the living room. If you need anything, just yell.”

He’d only taken two steps when I called out, “Wait.”

Finn stopped, turning halfway to face me, but said nothing. It was too dark to see his expression, and I briefly wondered if he was hoping I’d ask him to stay. I wanted him to, which was strange considering how much we’d disliked each other when we first met.

“You can’t possibly sleep on the couch,” I said. “It’s too small.”

“I can sleep sitting up.”

“No.” I scooted over and patted the empty space at my side. “This is your bed. There’s more than enough room for two people.”

He lifted an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth quirking up into a small grin. “What do you think your boyfriend would say about that?”

“He is not my boyfriend.” I rolled my eyes, returning his smile. “In fact, after tomorrow he won’t even qualify as a friend.”

Finn’s smile widened, and my heart jumped to my throat as he took a step toward me. “In that case, I think I’ll take you up on the offer.”

He pulled his shirt over his head, and a flutter of excitement moved through me, and I had to force myself to look away when he started unbuttoning his pants. I couldn’t possibly expect him to sleep in his clothes—I wasn’t—but it still made me flush from head to toe when I thought about him climbing in next to me. Not that I was going to tell him I’d changed my mind.

The bed dipped when he eased himself onto the mattress at my side, and it wasn’t until he was lying down, his legs stretched out, that I realized the bed was too short. It shouldn’t have surprised me. Everything in the District had been cast off by a human at some point, and the furniture was no different. They’d managed to alter some things—like putting couches and beds on blocks so they were higher—but nothing could be done to make the mattress longer.

With him lying at my side, I also realized the bed wasn’t actually that big. Maybe if another human had been lying next to me it would have felt different, but Finn seemed as broad as he was long, and his body took up most of the bed. Our shoulders touched, as did our arms, and even though part of me wanted to pull away, I didn’t. His scent had grown more powerful, surrounding me, and his presence warmed me even though his skin was cool, making me feel like I was on the verge of suffocating. In a good way, though.

I swallowed, keeping my gaze on the dark ceiling because I was too afraid to look his way. Afraid of what, I wasn’t sure. Afraid of how drawn I was to him. Afraid of how attractive I found him. Afraid I’d learn he didn’t feel the same, or even that he did. It was impossible to know for sure.

Feeling like I had to fill the silence somehow, I said, “Thanks for letting me stay.”

“It was stupid of Johnson to think you could travel through the city right now.”

The rustle of fabric filled the room, and I sensed that he’d turned toward me, but still I kept my gaze on the ceiling.

After a moment, Finn whispered, “Ava.”

Hearing my name on his lips made my heart beat twice as hard.

Even though I had a feeling it was a very, very bad idea, I turned my head. His face was inches from mine, close enough that my hair rustled every time he exhaled. Our nearness took my breath away, and I had a sense it did the same for him, because neither one of us seemed to breathe for a few seconds.

The room was dark, masked in shadows, but the flickering light from the candle was enough to illuminate his features. He was so beautiful. So utterly breathtaking.

“I’m sorry for how I’ve acted in the past,” he said after a second.

I swallowed, searching for my voice, and managed to get out, “It’s okay.”

“It isn’t. I know that now. You don’t hate me, and you’re right, you’re not the only one. I’ve ignored that for so long, but it’s true, and I can’t ignore it anymore. Not all humans are bad.”

I forced out a smile. “I’m glad you can see that now.”

The longer we stared at one another, the more my scalp began to tingle. I had the urge to reach out, to run my hand down his face or even press my lips against his, but I knew it was a step I couldn’t take. Not right now. Things were still uncertain, and even though I was here now, I didn’t know when I’d be able to come back. Not only because it was dangerous, but also because any day now it could become illegal.

Wanting to change the subject, I let out a long breath and said, “You should apologize to Ione, too. Let her see the softer side of you. The side you’ve shown me.”

“I’m not sure she’d trust it, but I’ll try.”

“Good,” I said, nodding as I thought about my cousin and the half-human baby she was carrying. “She’s gotten so big so fast. I can’t believe it.”

“Veilorian pregnancies are shorter than human pregnancies.”

“Really?” I asked, surprised. “I hadn’t even considered that.”

“Veilorian women carry their babies for only three Earth months. Even half-human babies.”

“Is that how it is with human women, too?”

“Their pregnancies are shorter