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

than they are with full-blooded humans, but not as short as Veilorian pregnancies. Ione’s baby would be considered full term after five months, but it’s doubtful the midwife will let her go that long.”

For the first time it occurred to me how much bigger Veilorians were than humans. Were their babies bigger? Was Ione safe?

“Is it dangerous for her?”

“I’m not going to lie to you,” he said. “Even half-Veilorian babies are bigger than human babies. While some human women can deliver naturally, they still need to be induced before the baby gets too large. Usually a cesarean is required to keep both the baby and mother safe. Ione will definitely require surgery. I’ve heard her and Rye talk about it.”

“She never told me,” I murmured.

“She probably didn’t want to worry you.”

But I was worried, and it must have been written on my face, because Finn reached out—hesitantly—and took my hand. “She’s going to be okay.”

It was the second time he’d taken my hand since bringing me to his house, and like before, I found myself staring at it. I’d been trying to focus on something other than the attraction between us, but it was impossible.

What could I do about it, though? Nothing. Finn lived in the District, and I lived outside the walls, and getting involved with him at this point would have been reckless and irresponsible. I had Lena to think about, and with all the changes Mayor Waters was making, I couldn’t risk putting myself in a position where I ended up in prison. Or worse.

Gently, I pulled my hand from his. “I think I should rest.”

He nodded, disappointment but also understanding in his eyes. “That sounds like a good idea. Geela told me to wake you every two hours, so unfortunately it’s going to be a long night.”

His gaze traveled down as if thinking about the two of us in this bed all night long, and heat spread from my face and neck to the rest of my body. But like me, he seemed to think better of whatever was going on between us, because he rolled away from me and blew the candle out.

“Goodnight, Ava,” he said.

“Goodnight,” I whispered in reply.

I woke the next morning disoriented and uncertain where I was. The pounding in my head didn’t make it easy to think, but when I sucked in a deep breath and Finn’s scent filled my nostrils, it all came screaming back. Lying beside him, talking, the gentle way he’d woken me every few hours to make sure I was okay.

The bed beside me was empty, and I could hear footsteps in the other room, so I knew he was already up. Thinking about facing him after the long, intimate night had my stomach twisting into knots, but I couldn’t stay in bed forever. It was my day off work—thankfully, because I was exhausted after a night of fitful sleep—but I still needed to go home and let Lena know I really was okay.

I headed into the other room after pulling my clothes back on, finding Finn in the kitchen, dressed for the day and cooking eggs. He smiled when he saw me, but the expression in his eyes said he was as uncertain as I was.

“You feeling okay?”

“Better, but I still have a killer headache.” I shrugged. “Sorry you didn’t get much sleep.”

“Veilorians can go longer without sleep than humans,” he said.

“Even half-Veilorians?”

Finn smiled again. “Yes, even half-Veilorians.”

“That’s handy,” I replied.

“I don’t want to rush you, but I have to get to work,” he said as he turned back to the eggs.

It occurred to me that I’d never thought of Finn having a job before now, and I found myself asking, “What do you do?”

“This and that,” he replied, not looking at me.

That he wasn’t staring at me said something because he always seemed to be staring at me, but sensing he wasn’t willing to share that part of his life with me just yet, I let it go. Maybe it was better. Maybe the less we knew about one another, the easier it would be to ignore this attraction.

Finn finished cooking and dumped the eggs onto a waiting plate, nodding to it while still avoiding looking my way. “Eat something before you go.”

“I don’t want to take what little you have, Finn.”

“I have plenty.” He glanced over his shoulder long enough to give me a smile, and after all the scowls he’d thrown my way, the soft expression made my legs weak. “Trust me.”

He said it with an assurance I found impossible to question, and when my stomach growled, I moved to the plate automatically.

I grabbed the fork Finn had set on the counter and began shoveling eggs into my mouth, suddenly ravenous, while he washed the skillet in the sink. His back was to me, and I watched his movements, mesmerized as the muscles in his shoulders and arms flexed.

I was so intent on watching him that I nearly jumped out of my skin when he said, “Ione wants you to stop by before you leave.”

I managed to swallow my eggs before choking on them. “You talked to her?”

He looked over his shoulder. “She called.”

“I didn’t realize the phones in the District still worked.”

“They can’t call out, but they work.” Finn shrugged as he glanced over his shoulder again. “Most of us had no one on the outside to call, anyway.”

“I guess that’s probably true,” I said.

I finished the eggs off, and he held his hand out for the plate, which I passed to him. He didn’t turn back to the sink right away, though, instead holding my gaze.

“I don’t know when we’ll see each other again,” I found myself saying.

“I know. I’m sorry, I really am, but I also don’t want you risking your life to come here, and neither does Ione. It’s not worth it.”

“I’m not sure that’s true,” I said. “I don’t have a whole lot in my life other than Ione, and if it wasn’t for my sister,