Page 12 of Saved By the Servali

That’s the voice that called me “My Queen.”

He’s the one who talked to me like I was awake and in the conversation.

As he scurried back to the kitchen, Nessa watched him go, eyes clearly focusing for the first time since she’d woken.

He must be almost seven feet tall. And look at how his fur shines in the light—and hugs all those long, lean muscles.

No, no, no. We arenotinto Felids, Nessa Beatrice Kinney.

Her eyes drifted back to the other occupants of the room who were talking to her and to one another. In particular, her eyes found Layla and Rupex as they each held a cub, Ardol and Jade who were peeling out of the room like they had a detonator to defuse, and Talos and Wendy, who were engaged in an earnest conversation, lost in each other.

Are wesurewe’re not into Felids? Because... apparently, there’s something worth being into.

Kamau walked past her on his second trip around the table, taking her dishes and adding them to the pile in his arms. He collected them with a nervous smile and hurried back to the doorway that led to the kitchen. His tail tapped the keypad that opened the sliding door and then caught a cup that slid from the stack as he turned.

Nessa blinked slowly, partly because she was easily exhausted and partly because she couldn’t help but notice how strong and graceful her new Felid neighbor was—and she couldn’t stop imagining what else Felids could do with their tails.

Chapter Five

Kamau didn’t know whether to curse Wendy or bake her some of the special floribunda sugar biscuits she’d been craving.

She is a Queen carrying a cub.

There was never any doubt how that would go, was there, Kamau?

He got out the ground floribunda and swallowed the purr buzzing in his chest.

Wendy said Marcus should put her next to me. Can she tell that I am besotted with Nessa? I have no right to be. Does she think I’m simply the most flexible member of the crew? I don’t have to constantly scan for threats, steer the ship, or keep the credits flowing in by coordinating freight runs. Meals can be made with little fuss if need be.

He felt a little indignation, even though Wendy had never said any such thing.A fleet flies on its stomach, isn’t that what they say? I could feed everyone automatically prepped meals—bastardized one-pot dishes and tasteless soups for months. No! Every nutritional need is considered. Studied. I study the recipes from their cultures, source human ingredients...Kamau stopped gathering his ingredients and gave a longing look into the corridor. He could hear Layla and Marcus’ voices echoing along the metallic walls of the decks as they escorted Nessa to her new quarters.Ididtry to help with her care. Wendy just thought I would continue to do so, and after all, nutrition and rehydration are the most critical parts of her recovery.

The biscuits could wait. He would make his Queen a classic dish of noodle soup, making the pasta by paw with fresh milletflour and the last of the fresh marsh duck eggs. Savory. Hearty. Yet soft and probably easy to digest.

And I will take it to her in her quarters, of course, because she must be so fatigued.

Maybe she will be too tired to feed herself. Didn’t her hand tremble when she drank her custard?

Kamau’s mind went to a forbidden place where he would cup the brave Queen’s cheek, steadying her strong chin as his pads stole the luxury of touching her satiny skin. Her lips would part as he gazed into her eyes, feeding her. Watching her lips close softly around the spoon and suck the noodles from it...

“Snap out of it!” he scolded himself out loud, ashamed to find that he was having a physical reaction to something so necessary as nourishing a sickly human Queen.

Pervert. She will have nothing to do with you.

“TALOS IS GOING TO HANDLEall the initial calls and set up times when you can talk with the contacts we’ve already made regarding trafficking from Sapien-Three. We’re going to have Dane, a sheriff from Lynx-Nineteen, on with you. His wife is a human, and she already had to navigate this whole procedure of reporting trafficking. I know it’s horrible, but at least you have someone who knows the procedures.” Layla explained as she sat next to Nessa.

Nessa nodded, eyes roving around her borrowed room. “I got it. I’ve seen a hundred things at the MWIP. Bad things. This is... actually not the worst. I can’t say what those other women went through, but at least I wasn’t harmed—directly.”

“They threatened you, and you almost died because of them! As for the other two women, I hope their experience was something as mild as what I went through. Don’t get me wrong, it was horrible, but no one laid a hand on me. And comparedto my life on Sapien-Three...” Layla gave an uneasy shrug. “I was just drugged one night when I let my guard down and accepted a date with some sleazy guy, then woke up here in quarantine, confused and scared. When I met Marcus, he tried to sell me on becoming a surrogate to see if his chromosomal compatibility serum and fertility protocols actually worked. Then he introduced me to Rupex, and I couldn’t volunteer fast enough.” Layla’s eyes went dreamy. “Um. Sorry. Yeah, it became so much more than business.” With flushed cheeks, she began to fiddle with a stray piece of hair falling over her twinkling blue eyes.

Nessa gave her an understanding smile. “I see.” Did she? Maybe she was getting a few hints. There was something masculine, rugged, and powerful about all the Felids she’d met, not to mention the Canid mechanic who filled out a uniform in a way that would surely make all the women on Sapien-Three chuck humans without much hesitation. There was also something imposing and authoritative about the Felid crew members, too.

Well, of course, Nessa. They’re captains, security officers, and doctors. This was a scary situation where someone needed to lead. Everyone was kind to you! Helpful. Caring.

But her thoughts kept coming back to Kamau. He had been kind, caring, andcomforting. A magical blend of strength and service that she had never encountered.

Maybe that’s just his job. He has to serve food. Take care of guests and the crew. Wish I could find out a little more before I leave.“How long will I be here?” Nessa asked.

“Oh, you can come and go whenever you like. There’s a map of the ship by the door,” Layla explained.

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