Page 58 of May the Stars Have Mercy
“An emotion, when you care for someone so much that it hurts when they’re away,” she continued, watching his features brighten. “How I feel when I see you. I can’t help but smile. Like I search for you everywhere and I crave your touch. I love you, it’s how this feels.”
Her mate chuckled, cocking his head in confusion. “Oh! That’s a good word. Thank you for teaching it to me.”
Stammering, she struggled to find new words. “I know we’re mates but it wasn’t like I didn’t like you I just suddenly—as I waslooking at you thought about how much… You love me back, right?”
“Of course, we are mates?” He cupped her cheek with his wet palm. Water trickled down her throat, tickling her. She squirmed in his lap. He laughed, running his hand into her damp hair and pulling her forehead to his. “I continue to forget humans are not normally receptive to fate. But I loved you the moment I saw you, Aphrodite.”
She wheezed, “Yeah, well, some of us have been learning as we go and the first time I saw you, I thought you were there to kill me, so.”
He tossed his head back again, roaring with laughter. She swatted at his chest. Yet, the warmth blooming behind her ribcage only grew in strength and size.It shouldn’t have been a surprise to hear or know but it was comforting to hear spoken out loud.They were mates after all.
“I learn much every day with you, Aphrodite Kerso.” He brought her with him out of the tub and toward the towels. “However, I understand you are at a slight disadvantage.”
“Being human?” she snorted.
“Being soft and squishy.”
She slapped him across the bicep, snatching the towel from his outstretched hand. Xexis continued to laugh as he stomped proudly back toward the room. She scowled. Drying off viciously, she spotted Buddy hovering at the door. He bounced up and down before clapping two tentacles together. The chirp of his taser teeth cut through the air. Aphrodite blurted out, “Don’t. Tase. Him!”
“What?” Xexis bellowed from the closet.
“Nothing!” She called out sweetly before giving Buddy a knowing look. “I mean it, even as a joke—do not tase my mate.”
She crossed to the data pad on the driest part of the bathroom and picked it up. Buddy left a message on the screen.
It would be funny.
“No! Bad Buddy!” She hissed under her breath. He twirled, mechanically whirling after her as she headed out into the bedroom. Aphrodite came to a skidding halt as Xexis held out a flight suit to her. Her eyebrows furrowed as she studied it. It was a unitard and a separate pair of pants. She squinted at it then up at him. “Is this? What I think it is?”
“Well, you will need to wear it under your armor.”
Her mouth fell open. “Wait, but we didn’t make armor yet?”
“It is not tradition, but it is quite fitting that we shall craft and fit your armor to you on the way to the hunt.”
Glee bubbled through her as she bound from the floor and into his arms. She thrashed back and forth squealing, “Like a real hunter?”
“Well,” he laughed, trying to contain her enthusiasm. “You are my mate, and you are soft and squishy. Armor is necessary.”
“I’m. Gonna. Get. Armor!” she cried, dropping out of his hands and pulling on the flight suit. Unlike regular clothes, flight suits were meant to be worn commando. They filled every crevasse and were practically painted on. Aphrodite was wiggling into her unitard, finding perfectly sewn holes for her breathers already ready. Then she stabbed her legs through her pants and stood proudly. Her reflection in the walls made her dance happily.
I’m going on the hunt with him…I’m going to help destroy those fuckers!
Chapter Thirty-Four:
Reevar,Grooug,Kiefgr,Xexis,and Aphrodite boarded the slender ship together as a pack. Rexna and three other scientists were there along with their pilot. Aphrodite noticed the large trunk being dragged onto the ship as they headed up the small dock. It wasn’t the official Kannatch ship, which she was used to—this was a hunt ship. It was outfitted for a quick entry and escape for a small pack. There weren’t individual rooms, just the bunkroom, the one laboratory space in the belly of the ship, the cargo hold, and command deck.That meant it was slumber party time.Aphrodite tried not to feel a little nostalgic at putting her bag away in the compartment holding her bunk. Xexis was pouting subtly that there wasno waythey were both fitting in one bunk.
And she refused to try sleeping on him like a sea lion does a warm rock. As much as the idea was cute in theory, her back and neck reminded her of their existence.
Reevar and Grooug got the bunk directly next to theirs with Rexna and Kiefgr taking the bunk down from them. The cabin was filled with whispered conversations. Kiefgr was elated, energetically explaining to Rexna what happened on the last hunt. Aphrodite scrambled up into her top bunk and lay flat against the mattress. Despite how thin it was, it was still better than the one she had on the Apollo. Buddy crawled across the slim space between her and the wall.
Turning her head to the side, she watched Xexis lean against the frames. A pair of arms folded over the mattress and his chin resting against his forearms, he analyzed her face tenderly. “You will sleep alright?”
She twisted to be on her side. “I’ve slept in worse bunks.”
He moved a hand from under his jaw to cup the back of her head. Bringing it to his, he stood there quietly with their foreheads touching. When he pulled back she pressed a kiss to his brows. “It’s gonna be fine,” she whispered, “We’ll find them and eradicate them, and this will be a glorious last hunt as a pack.”
Her data pad trilled, and as if summoning the devil himself, Reevar was up against the bed, nearly elbowing Xexis from view. “Is that Vivian?”
