Awakening

[Morven]

Vellas didn’t give an awful lot away, but it did nothing to dampen her triumph considering how plainly he spoke of his strength. Morven certainly wasn’t shy about her smugness for having impressed him. His look was assessing, and she presumed he was ruminating on whatever the experiment informed him. She had little interest in the academics of study herself, just in the practical application, but she was willing to help how she could for as long as he decided it was useful. And anything she gleaned would be useful for dealing with the aforementioned men.

Her smile turned sly when he tried to wiggle off her hook. A brow arched, though she recognised it as banter and let him have the moment. Was that even a smile?

It’d been a while since she’d had dinner with anyone. ER hours didn’t exactly leave any time spare for socialising, and neither military training or the Facility had been much better. Michael’s mannerisms were stiff as a board for all the tiny flashes of humanity beneath, so she imagined he was little different in his habits. That was a lot of stoicism for someone so young. But then, being hunted down for what you were, then finding yourself with the weight of the Garden’s responsibility on your shoulders probably did that to a man.

She excused herself to find the quarters he had arranged soon after, though she paused at the door for his final word. Her laugh was full on throaty in response. “Of course not. That’s your job, eh?” she teased. “Besides, I promise I’m a total pussy cat.”