Page 50 of Saved By the Servali

Something is wrong.

His paw slammed down on the panel and then down on his wrist, activating his device and sending an alert across the ship. “Talos! Ardol! Something is wrong, come to the bay!”

“What? What’s wrong?”

He didn’t answer, just ran.

When he skidded into the shuttle docking area, he fell to all fours, running like some beast—and he didn’t even slow down, didn’t even hesitate to spring and tear open the closed door of the capsule.

“Kam!” Nessa cowered over her father.

The scent of her blood hit his nostrils and turned everything inside of him lethal. No more kind, caring Kamau. No more sweet, subservient chef. Was he the littlest Felid Knight on board? It didn’t matter. He was bigger than the man wielding a knife and smirking as he turned it towards him.

“Back up, kitty. I’m armed.”

“So am I—but my knives are built in!” Kamau snarled and lunged.

The blade went into his chest, but not deeply. Kamau’s thick muscles, thick fur, and lightning speed helped minimize the damage—to him.

Merton was another story.

Claws laid open his chest in seconds, plunging in and tearing with perfect savagery.

Beside him, Nessa, his strong, powerful Nessa, yanked her father forward and out of the capsule, dragging him away from the human scum with the blade.

Merton’s shout pierced the air and rapidly died—as did the man.

“Oh. Nessa!” Kamau exclaimed, even though the woman he had killed for was no longer beside him. He blinked, rose, and looked at the body underneath him. “What have I done?”

“Move!”

Nessa was back. She stepped over Merton’s body without a glance, opened the storage compartment, and tossed bags and boxes from it. There were only a handful. Kamau scooped up the largest ones in a daze and she dragged the smallest over the carnage without a second glance. She marched past again, silent, jaw like granite. “Move!”

He followed in a fog, mouth drying out, well aware of the blood streaming down his chest and covering his paws. Merton’s blood on his hands. His own was seeping over his fur and his apron.

“Nessa, I—”

Kamau let himself be shoved through bay doors and onto the deck. He toppled next to John, who was sitting in one of the observation seats, looking confused.

“You saved us. You’re not taking the rap for this alone,” Nessa hissed as she stepped in after him.

“What are you—”

He never got to finish. Didn't need to. Nessa’s fingers hit several buttons in quick succession—opening the bay and the airlock now that they were securely on deck.

The capsule with Merton Barry’s body slid into space, sucked out without its power engaged, falling into the vastness of space, floating far and fast in intergalactic winds as theComet Stalkerleft Leonid-One’s atmosphere behind.

“My Queen. You’re bleeding. We have to get you to Marcus. Come.” Kamau put one arm around her shoulders, gathering her to his side. “Mr. Kinney, sir.” He gave a bow that was pure reflex, feeling like he was outside of his body. “It is my great honor to meet you. I am so sorry you were held hostage by—”

“What are you talking about? I was the only one on that shuttle.”

Kamau blinked, stopping in his tracks. He exchanged a look with Nessa.

“Daddy,” her voice was gentle. “I don’t know what Merton told you, but—”

“Who the hell is Merton? I was the only one on that vessel!” Her father’s voice was loud and fractious, but his eyes were cold and clear. He might hover between confusion and clarity, but this time he was fully lucid. “There was a problem with my harness. I tried to cut myself free. Ended up swinging too wide and lost control of my old Sapien-Three Ground Forces knife and whoosh—cut your arm, didn’t I, baby? And your shoulder, didn’t I, boy?”

Kamau looked between Nessa and her father.

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