Planet Athion: The Complete Series by Angel Lawson
16
Dimka
I ladlethe stew into bowls, one for each of us. Mercy’s color is better now that she’s had some rest. Her hair lays matted against her temple. It’s a sweet look, but the feelings boiling beneath the surface of my skin are anything but pure.
I’d been struck when she stepped out of the bathroom, her body more exposed than I’d ever seen it. The soft swell of her breasts and curve of her hips were visible in the tight fit of her clothes.
It’d been a struggle to sit so close to her at the table and apply the salve and not reveal my true thoughts and intentions. And now that we’re all seated together, sharing a meal, the tension is thick—or maybe it’s just me?
Am I the only one that wonders what her lips taste like? How her flesh feels? What it feels like to hold her in my arms?
From the tight set of Alex’s jaw and the fidgeting of Kai’s feet, I’m thinking not. But the big question is what does Mercy want, if she wants anything at all?
I focus on my food while conversation builds around the table. Talk of the storm and personal stories. I stay away from those, no one wants to hear the sad tale of kidnapping and slavery. Kai knows this and keeps the discussion away from anything heavy.
“Mercy, when do you expect your transfer date to come through?” Kai says after swallowing a spoonful of stew.
“In a few weeks, probably.” She wipes her pink lips with a napkin. “I’m excited to get to work in the field, but I’m not sure I’m ready to go.”
“Why not?” Alex asks. It’d taken me a while to get used to this human male, but Kai vouched for him and slowly we’ve become a solid unit.
“I’m learning a lot from Dr. Kane and we now have several pregnant women at the facility—I’d love to see them through to their births. And…” her cheeks heat and that scent, the one that drives me wild, wafts over the meal. “I’ve enjoyed getting to know you all better, too. It’s been a long time since I’ve made friends. Even before I got on the ship.”
My heart splits into two; one side swelling with pride knowing she considers me a friend. The other panicked, wondering if that’s all she views me as. It’s safer for her to just think fondly of me. She is leaving after all, and we have our orders—relationships aren’t part of that.
“I’m not sure I’m ready to walk away from you,” she glances around the table. “Any of you.”
“I think I speak for everyone when I say we’re not ready for you to leave either,” Kai says in a low tone. “It’s been a pleasure to protect and get to know you, Mercy, and not one of us is ready for you to go.”