Taking Mercy Page 3

  “Can I help you?” he asked, standing from the desk near the front door. I saw his uniform, the one similar to the other Custos I’d seen around the facility.

  “I’m just looking for a quiet place to read.”

  His blue eyes softened. “You’re welcome to sit down here.”

  I didn’t move.

  He frowned. “Is something wrong?”

  “You’re human?” It came out as a question.

  “I am.”

  “And working with the Custo?” It seemed weird. Like a trick.

  “I am. They recruited from Earth’s police and military. I applied and joined up.”

  I could see why. His shoulders were broad and his chest obviously muscular under his uniform. There was a sense of calmness about him, although there was little doubt of his strength. Not just from the weapons on his belt but the confident way he carried himself.

  I didn’t stay downstairs that night, too shaken, but after confirming that Alex was indeed a human and a Custo, a series of sleepless nights and the claustrophobia of my room drove me back downstairs.

  He’d given me a small smile and a nod, not bothering me as I curled onto a soft chair and read until dawn.

  Since then, I’d done the same at least three times a week. Over time, we’d begun opening up to one another. Small chit-chat at first that turned into talk about being back home. Despite his imposing demeanor, I learned he’s a bit of a teddy bear.

  A teddy bear with a laser gun.

  I step into view.

  “I wondered if you’d make an appearance tonight,” he says once he spots me. He reaches for something on his desk. A mug. “I went ahead and made you a cup of tea when I made my own. Thought I may have to drink it myself.”

  “I stayed up a little later talking to my roommate—then tried to sleep.” I sigh. “Didn’t happen.”

  “Well, you’re always welcome to come down here and keep me company.”

  I laughed. “I think it’s really the other way around and you know it.”

  I take the mug from him and feel the warm heat on my hands. The Athions have amazing crockery—that heats and cools depending on what you put inside. The tea would stay warm as long as it’s needed. There’s no need for a lid other than storage, so I take a sip of the delicious tea as I sit in my favorite chair.

  “How was the clinic today?”

  “Pretty standard. Mostly examinations for women processing out soon. A few actual health concerns. Nothing serious, though.” I take another sip and feel the warm liquid warm my belly. “What about you? I heard there’s been some security issues.”

  He visibly tenses. “Where did you hear that?”

  We stare at one another for a moment. Finally, I say, “I overheard something. You Custos aren’t always as discreet as you think you are.”

  He thinks on this for a moment, arms crossed over his chest. “There has been a security issue. A woman went missing—vanished right off the streets.”

  “Gossip says there was a breach.”

  His eyes narrow. “Possibly. It’s hard to tell. The lab is processing evidence right now. What we do know is that she’s gone. If it was willing or not—that’s the concern.”

  The Custos are not just focused on their job when it comes to the women on Athion. We are their passion—in a way that’s almost hard to understand. They cherish human females. Our bodies, our minds. It’s a conflict to even what life was like back home. There’s no doubt in the way Alex speaks and carries himself that he has those values, too.

  For me, I know my worth comes from my ability to work with the fertile women, the ones that can save this planet. They don’t discriminate in value here—and I’m okay knowing they care for me because of my skills. I’d worked hard to attain them.

  “I’m sure you’ll figure out what happened soon,” I tell him.

  What Alex does next surprises me. He walks across the room and takes my hand, lifting me from my chair. My blanket falls to the floor at my feet.

  “I need you to promise me that you’ll be careful.”

  I nod, slightly unnerved by his closeness—his intensity. “I’ve already told Kai and Dimka that I would. I go nowhere without a Custo, not that they would let me.”

  “They’re good men. I’m glad they’re keeping an eye on you.” His hand balls into a fist by his side, and at this proximity I can’t help but notice how soft and pink his lips are.

  I swallow. “They’ve been very protective.”

  “I’m not surprised. You…” he inhales, “you’re a gift to this planet, Mercy.”

  Ah, right. The midwifery.

  I give him a tight smile. “It’s my calling—I’m here to help keep the women of Earth safe, just like you are.”

  There’s a beat between us—a current—one I don’t exactly follow. He looks at the screen on his wrist. “Time for me to make my rounds.”

  I hold up my data pad. “Time for me to read. Thanks for the tea.”

  “Of course.”

  He walks away from the seating area, turning just as I’ve covered myself again with the blanket. “If you see or hear anything else, let me know, okay?”

  “I will.”

  I watch him leave the lounge, already missing his company. It makes sense for two refugees from Earth, both here to work to make this a safe place for all of us, to want companionship in the middle of the night.

  8

  Alex

  A shadow crosses over the window and I pause, hand instinctively reaching for the weapon at my hip. These dormitories are exceedingly safe, locked down and secured by a system unheard of back on Earth, but with the recent disappearance of one of the women and a possible perimeter breach, I can’t help but be overcautious.

  Especially knowing Mercy is just down the hall.

  I brace myself, waiting for the shadow to appear again. It could be another Custo on patrol, or just the wind blowing the wide-leaved trees with large yellow flowers that dot the landscape. There are times when I don’t understand how I found myself in such a strange new land, then I remember the savagery on Earth. The invasion. The destruction.

  I came here to fill a need as much as to escape the bleak reality of my home planet.

  The shadow moves and just as I’m about to lift my laser, a face appears in the window.

  Kai.

  I exhale and use the sensory pad to unlock the door. The door opens with a whoosh, confirming how sealed and safe the building is built. Kai steps in and the door closes behind him, locking silently.

  “Everything okay out there?” I ask, recognizing the worry on his face. Kai and I met on Earth when he and I were both fighting the Trads that had infiltrated South America.

  “It’s definitely quiet,” he says, which isn’t a confirmation. “There’s something that’s bothering me about this whole thing.”

  “How so?”

  “The breach seems to be from the inside—as a way to take the female out of the facility. It doesn’t appear to have been the other way—outside in. Also, the girl in question, Debbie? Her classmates and roommate said she was accounted for at all times. Apparently, she was a hard worker, stayed after class on numerous occasions, asked for extra assignments.”

  I study the man who’d become not only my friend in the trenches down on Earth, but a brother. He’d been the one to ask me to come back to Athion with him and his unit. That it would be a good place to heal from the horrors of war. “She was conscientious.” Sounds like another woman we know. “Have you talked to her instructor?”

  He hesitates. “I haven’t. Not directly. That’s one of the things that’s nagging at me.”

  “How so?”

  “Her professor is a scholar of intergalactic history. Well-renowned in his field, from what I’m told. He’s young—handsome. The students are all very charmed by him.”

  “And?”

  “And it seems Debbie spent a lot of time with him—maybe too much time, according to our rules and conditions.”
>
  “So you think the rumor about her running off to the city may be true, that she had her heart broken? That she’s pregnant?”

  “It’s possible.”

  The educators, professors, doctors, and other staff at the transitional facility are not to have relationships with the women when they arrive. It seems harsh because of the close quarters, but it’s for the security of the women who have just arrived from Earth. They spent years unsure of their safety from the Trads who preyed on them. They needed time to acclimate without fear and uncertainty. Once they transfer into society, they’re welcome to pursue whatever relationships they would like. The differences in Athion relationships alone is one of the reasons for the transition period. I’ve learned things are different here than back home. Due to the lack of women, men were more likely to seek comfort and relationships with one another. Homosexual relationships are the norm. Women are often shared—harems encouraged, but only on the terms dictated by the female. Other men settle into a life of celibacy that is understood and revered.

  It’s all incredibly advanced from what I’m used to back home, and some of the studies the women receive are to prepare them for these differences.

  “So you’ll talk to him soon?”

  “In the morning.” He looks down the hall, toward the lounge. “Did she come down tonight?”

  I nod. “She had questions. It seems you’ve been speaking too loudly in her presence.”

  He raises an eyebrow. “Oh, I was well aware that she was around the corner. I wanted her to hear and understand how serious this situation is.”

  “Why not just tell her directly?”

  “She’s already been reprimanded for being too informal with the Custo. It was to protect us all.”

  Kai is aware of my attraction toward Mercy, just as I am aware of his. We also both understand our limitations and hers, as well. Since there is no way to act on our feelings, we do what we can. Protect her while she’s in the facility.

  “Can I come with you for the interrogation?”

  He nods. “Dimka will escort her to the medical center in the morning. Meet me at the education wing when your shift ends.”

  “Perfect.”

  He unlocks the door again, slipping back into the Athion night, leaving me alone to protect the women in the dormitory. After what I’ve seen, it’s a reprieve, and I continue on my patrol until sunrise.

  9

  Mercy

  The warm, musky scent taunts me in my sleep. I burrow in my blankets and pretend the man that it belongs to has his arms wrapped around me. That his hard body is pressed against mine. It’s my own shifting that wakes me, the feel of heat between my legs, the want in my belly. I blink, forcing myself awake—aware enough that I’m not alone in my room on Earth, but in shared space on Athion.

  The first thing I see is the lounge—so no, even less alone than the privacy of my dorm room. The second thing I see is Kai’s handsome face and I’m hit again by that scent. Fuck. It was real. Flustered, I sit up and brush my hair out of my face.

  His expression is a bit strained and I ask, “W—what are you doing here? Is everything okay?”

  “Yes,” he says in a quiet voice. “Sorry to wake you, I just wanted to show you something.”

  I stand, my heart racing. Did he know that I’d been dreaming about him? Of course not. Why would he?

  I shake the dream and push the feelings away. Leaving my blanket and tablet on the chair, I follow him. “Where are we going?”

  His amber eyes dart to mine. “It’s a surprise—if that’s okay?”

  For a brief moment I wonder if this is a trick. Did he lure me into complacency so I’d willingly go with him? Then he’d kidnap me like the other woman?

  He’s waiting for an answer, and God, I’m a fool.

  “Yes,” I say. “Surprises are nice.”

  He leads me to an elevator and we get in the small, oval car. His scent is heady here, bringing back my dream in full force. Kai doesn’t request one of the floors accessible to residents. Instead he uses a code to override the system, saying “rooftop” as a voice command.

  I glance over at him and he gives me a shy smile.

  “What are you up to?” I ask.

  We’re at our stop in an instant, the doors opening and revealing the roof of the dormitory. It’s warm out—the temperature here is pleasant—comparable to the 70 F back home. There isn’t a lot of variation, but I’ve heard it’s not the same everywhere on Athion. They have weather extremes, as well.

  Like a gentleman, Kai gestures for me to exit the car first and I do, noticing a slight difference in his behavior. I suspect I’m seeing a bit of Kai the Athion, instead of Kai the Custo. The change is slight, but enough, and again my skin tingles at his attention.

  “This way,” he says, taking me to the edge of the building. It’s still dark, four of the moons are visible above—that is a sight that is hard to get used to. Also, the awareness that they’re occupied—beings live on those moons. The world seems so big now.

  He points to the horizon. “The sun will rise from that direction.”

  “You brought me to see the sunrise?”

  He shrugs. If I’m not mistaken, a bit nervously. “I knew you wanted to see it and I know it has to be stifling to be trapped in that building all night. I thought…well, I thought you deserved something special.”

  His voice is soft—miles away from the commanding officer that escorts me to and from work.

  “Thank you, Kai, that’s so…” I’m at a loss of words. My heart swells. “That’s really kind of you.”

  His amber eyes are soft and full of…something…longing? Maybe Dr. Kane was right. Maybe I’ve been oblivious. But instead of scaring me off, I’m drawn in.

  Bright light glints at the edge of the horizon, the surface flat unlike any place I’ve been on Earth. I watch, feeling the heat of the man next to me, seeing the sunlight warm his blue-tinted skin. He’s so foreign to me but at the same time I feel like I know him, I understand him, and that he understands me. It’s the little things in life. A good book, helping someone, a sunrise.

  The back of his hand grazes against the back of mine and my belly clinches in response.

  “Tell me something about yourself,” I say suddenly. I’m filled with the desire to know more about him, despite Dr. Kane’s warnings.

  “Like what?”

  “Where are you from? How long have you been a Custo?” I don’t add but think, what’s that low-boiling energy under the surface.

  “I’m from the capital of Athion. My father was a commander of the Custo and I had a very comfortable childhood. My mother—”

  I lean forward. “What about her?”

  “She and my sister died when the virus wiped out most of the women. It was a hard time for us all. My father was devastated and didn’t really know how to raise me on my own. He sent me to the military academy when I was eight.” He gazes toward the horizon.

  “That must have been lonely.”

  “It was a challenge, but I excel in difficult situations. Thrive, really. I focused hard on my studies and became the top of my class. I spent several years with the unit tasked with locating the Master and his criminal ring.”

  “Who?”

  He shakes his head. “There are bad people everywhere, Mercy, even on Athion. Our people are peaceful but we have to fight against the tide of evil out there.”

  “Like the Trads.”

  “Yes. Exactly.” His hand is still touching mine and I fight a shiver at his closeness. “When they invaded Earth, we were on high alert, ready to assist in any way possible—offering refuge was the easiest decision the Emperor ever made.”

  “We owe your people so much,” I say quietly.

  “No. We owe you. The compatibility of our people gives us hope—salvation, really. You deserve more than a rooftop sunset,” he says, quietly, “but it’s what I can give you. For now.”

  His words imply a promise—one I’m eager to know more
about--and to let him know that, I rotate my hand, slipping my fingers into his. My own promise.

  And together we watch the world come alive.

  10

  Mercy

  The boxes of lunch sit in the breakroom of the clinic and I grab the one with my name on it. Things are run with efficiency here, and it’s my understanding they run similarly outside the transition facility—a trait of Athion society.

  I see that Dr. Kane hasn’t picked up his box yet and after a moment of hesitation I grab it too, carrying it down the hall toward our office suite. His door is ajar and I can see him sitting at his desk, engrossed in his data pad. I knock gently.

  “Come in,” he calls and I push open the door, smiling when he looks up at me with that handsome face.

  “I thought you may like your lunch?”

  “It’s already time?” he checks the data pad for confirmation. “Ah, I suppose it is.”

  “It’s been a busy morning,” I reply, handing him the box and starting back out the door.

  “Ms. Ladd?”

  “Yes?”

  “Would you care to join me?” He holds me with a welcoming gaze. There’s no way I can say no to that.

  “That—that would be nice, thank you.”

  “Would you shut the door, please,” he asks and once I do, gestures to the chair across from his desk, making room for me to place my lunch. I take off my lid and eagerly watch as he removes his. Our meals are specified for our palates. I love spicy food and the Athions have a wide array of spices and roots that make everything taste amazing. Dr. Kane seems to have a less adventurous palate.

  “Are you a vegetarian?” I ask, pointing to his plate.

  “I am. Meat doesn’t sit on my stomach well.” He picks up his fork and makes note of the reds and yellows of my food. “I see you like spicy food.”

  “I do. The hotter, the better.”

  “I suppose we both have to be the adventurous sort to come to Athion as one of the pioneers. Although it’s interesting here—way less stressful than any other job I had on Earth.”