Best Friends (New Species Book 15)

by Laurann Dohner

  “You wanted to test the bed. I said I already liked it.” She jabbed her finger at his chest. “Jerk.”

  He lifted a little, grabbed her arm, and yanked it upward, out of his way. “That is a jerk.”

  She shook her head, staring into his gorgeous but very inhuman-looking eyes. He definitely wasn’t like anyone she’d ever known. It wasn’t a bad thing. He did like to play, and he hadn’t hurt her. Just surprised her. “Very funny.”

  He lowered his body, and she spread her thighs to make room for his hips to snuggly fit. His hot skin pressed tight to hers but he didn’t smash her under his weight, making it possible for to easily breathe.

  “Kiss me.” That sexy growled tone made her belly quiver. She reached up and threaded her fingers through his thick mane of hair, pulling his face closer. She closed her eyes right as his lips brushed hers.

  The texture of his tongue as he tasted hers made her moan. Everything about Lash was different, but so much better. It was even forgivable that he could be a big bully. It made him hotter since he could be equally as sweet.

  He shifted his weight on her, one of his hands cupping her breast and kneading it. She moaned louder, frantically kissing him. Lash was a master at getting her hot. He knew just how to touch her. Especially when he ground his stiff, hard erection between her spread legs.

  “In me,” she panted.

  He frustrated her by lifting away, instead, and sliding down the bed. As soon as he spread her legs wider and buried his face, licking at her clit, she forgave him. He was a master at doing that, too. It didn’t take long for her to cry out his name, coming hard.

  Lash flipped her over and came down over her back, using his knee to encourage her to spread her legs. As soon as she did, he entered her from behind and pinned her beneath him. She clawed at the bedding as he moved slow and deep inside her.

  “Fuck,” she groaned.

  “I am,” he growled.

  He slipped one hand under her and against her clit. With every thrust of his hips, it pressed her already oversensitive bundle of nerves against his palm. He moved faster, taking her harder. He got her off a second time, and he made a sexy, animalistic sound as he followed. She could feel the heat of his semen filling her.

  He rolled onto his side, taking her with him. Then he wrapped his big body around hers, cuddling as they both tried to catch their breaths.

  “I like my bed better. It’s softer.”

  She smiled. “It is, but this one is on the floor, and I can get on and off it without the circus act.”

  “I will ask about a safety room.”

  “Safe room,” she corrected.

  He grunted, carefully withdrawing from her body. “Safe room. We’ll do that today since they are already working on my domain.”

  She turned her head to look at him over her shoulder. “You do realize it’s probably going to take some time to build something like that, don’t you? Like weeks or more.”

  He scowled.

  “This is a nice suite. It won’t be bad. That is, if the NSO agrees to making us a safe room and letting us stay here that long.”

  “They will want me happy.”

  “Arrogant,” she muttered.

  “It’s not a bad word.”

  “Right. I heard you the last time. It’s going to be a big pain for the NSO to add anything to that basement. Just keep that in mind and maybe say ‘please’ when you ask.”

  He grunted and released her, rolling away. “I’m hungry. Are you?” He walked to his loincloth and put it on.

  Mary sat up on the bed and scoot to the nearest edge. “No cuddling after sex, huh?”

  He froze, his gaze meeting hers. Then he slowly approached.

  “I was kidding.”

  “I’m your mate. You need this cuddling? You will have it.” He lunged the last few steps and jumped on the bed next to her, hooked her waist with his arm and yanking her flat. Then he curled up against her side, nuzzling her face with his while a deep purr sound came from him.

  Mary laughed as he started stroking her stomach. It tickled a little. She rolled to face him more and touched him back. “I do like cuddling and the sound you’re making.”

  “Good. I want you to like everything about me.”

  “I mostly do.”

  His golden eyes narrowed, and he paused the purring.

  “You need to learn manners.”

  “So you say. I’m nice to you.”

  “You can’t say the same about other New Species.”

  “I do what they want to avoid causing problems. That’s all that matters.”

  “I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree on that. I’ll keep working on you, though.”

  “That means you’ll stay. Say it, Mary. You’re my mate.”

  Mary licked her lips and took a deep breath. He wanted confirmation, which was scary. She’d thought Mel was nuts to agree to marry Snow as quickly as she did, but now she understood how it had happened. The two New Species were drastically different in personalities, as far as she could tell from the little interaction she’d had with Mel’s man, but they were both vastly different from human guys.

  “Say it, or I’ll lick you until you do.”

  Her gaze went to his mouth. “I’m almost tempted to hold out. I love what you do to me.”

  He started to scoot down the bed, but she grabbed hold of his face to stop him. He paused, watching her.

  “I’m your mate,” she whispered.

  He grinned. “You are. I’m happy that you realize it now.”

  “Are you sure you want to be committed to me for life? No take-backs.”

  “Take-backs?”

  “Changing your mind.”

  “You’re mine, Mary. I will never let you go.”

  She really hoped he was telling the truth. Past breakups hadn’t been easy but she’d tended to get involved with selfish jerks. Lash would absolutely break her heart if she lost him. He’d made her feel more in just a couple days, both physically and emotionally, than anyone else ever had.

  “You are mine,” he repeated, his voice deepening. “I will never let you go.” He cupped her stomach with his big hand and gave it a gentle pat. “I will fill you with my cub, and then do it again. We will have many sons.”

  It reminded her of what he’d told her before. “That lion guy like you has a son, right?”

  “The male’s name is Valiant,” he confirmed. “Noble is cute. They are expecting another cub soon. We will be, too.”

  That freaked her out just a little. A baby cub? She had so many questions but decided to wait until later to ask, when she was feeling more prepared to deal with the answers. Instead, she cuddled into his warm, big body when he started to purr for her again. It really was a soothing sound.

  * * * * *

  Lash gently eased away from Mary after she’d fallen asleep. He walked out of the bedroom and opened the door. Flirt stood there with his phone in hand, playing some game. The male turned, flashing him a smile. “I changed duty with Creed. I thought you’d appreciate having a male protecting you who you know better, since he spends most of his time at Homeland.”

  “I’m hungry.”

  “Right.” Flirt closed the game and tapped at his screen. “What do you feel like?”

  “Mary likes the meat with white gravy all over it, and I want steaks.”

  “What kind of meat?” Flirt scowled.

  “They sent it to me before. Mary liked it, but she didn’t want any of my fish.”

  “I’ll have them check and resend whatever it was.”

  “I need to speak to Jaded, too.”

  Flirt grinned. “You are going to ask for mate papers?” The male stepped closer, glancing into the room behind him. “Your female agreed to make it legal?”

  Lash blocked him by filling the doorway. “Mate papers?”

  “Oh. You probably don’t know about them. When a Species mates to a human, we have paperwork to sign to officially make them one of us. It’s some
legal thing. It means she’s agreeing to be New Species instead of human.”

  It was Lash’s turn to scowl.

  “It’s some weird agreement or something Justice created to keep the humans from demanding we return our mates. I think.” Flirt shrugged. “All our males sign those papers with their human mates.”

  “I don’t have to marry her, then?”

  “You should do that too. I think it’s strange, but it seems to make the females very happy.” He lowered his voice. “Humans are different from us.”

  Lash nodded. “I need to talk to Jaded. I want these mate papers and a marriage to make Mary happy. I also need a safe room.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Mary won’t sleep on my bed in my domain. She says it’s too high.”

  “We’re felines. We like heights. Humans probably fear them.”

  “I need a cave built with secure doors, to put a bed on the floor inside for her. Jaded will know how to get that made.”

  “I’ll call the kitchen downstairs, and then let him know you want to talk to him.”

  Lash started to close the door but hesitated. “Thank you.”

  Flirt’s mouth fell open.

  Lash closed and locked the door, but he smiled. Those two words weren’t hard to say, and Mary would be pleased when he told her after she woke from her nap.

  He paced around the room, going to the slider to peer out. The view was good but he missed his domain. He hoped he could return to it soon with Mary.

  It was tempting to go up on the roof to be able to see in all directions, but the food would come quickly once it was cooked. His mate might hear the knock and try to open the door if he wasn’t there. He didn’t want to risk that. She might become afraid if he wasn’t with her, since Species frightened her. He planned to take very good care of his mate.

  He crept to the bedroom down the hallway, watching her sleep. It was even more tempting to get back onto the bed with her, but he returned to the living room, pacing again, and waiting for the food or Jaded to come.

  Chapter Nine

  “I’m going to weigh five hundred pounds if I keep eating like this.”

  Lash peered at Mary from where they sat on the floor in the living room with a coffee table between them. She’d insisted on using it as a surface to eat on. “You like that meal. I had them bring you more.”

  “I can’t eat chicken-fried steak every day.”

  “You can. Just tell the humans to make it for you. Justice pays them well to do what we ask.”

  She rolled her eyes. “That’s not the point.”

  “What is?”

  “Maybe you should let me order our food next time.”

  “Do you feel safe talking to Species now?”

  She paused eating, seeming to think about it.

  “You feel safer around them when I’m near you.”

  She met his gaze and smiled. “Yes, I do.” Then she looked serious. “It doesn’t mean I want to be around them when you’re not with me. I mean, I’m fine with Snow. He swore to Mel he’d never do anything to me. He loves her.”

  Someone knocked. He rose to his feet and strolled to the door, opening it. Jaded stood there with Flirt. Both males turned to him. He stepped out, not wanting them too near Mary.

  “Flirt said you want mate papers and to arrange a marriage ceremony. The papers are being drawn up. The other request wasn’t so clear.” Jaded glanced at Flirt.

  The male waved his hand toward Lash. “Ask him. It’s something about a cave safe room.”

  “Mary doesn’t like my bed. It’s too high for her.”

  “I can see the problem. What is it you want?”

  Lash stepped back. “Come in, but stay by the door. My mate is frightened of Species.”

  Jaded entered, stepping just inside. Flirt tried to follow but Lash bumped into him, pushing him back into the hallway and closing the door in his face.

  “Geez,” Mary muttered. “What did we talk about? Manners, Lash.”

  “Flirt is supposed to protect us from humans out there.”

  Jaded chuckled. “Lash has a point. Hello, Miss Muller. It’s nice to actually get to see and speak to you this time.”

  Lash hated the male a little when he did a little bow to his mate and flashed her a smile with his lips sealed to hide his teeth. He growled low, warning the feline to not even think about charming his mate. They were friends, but it didn’t mean he wouldn’t fight him.

  “Hi.” His mate straightened a little behind the table and stopped eating.

  He gestured for Jaded to stay put as he hurried to her side, crouching next to her but putting his body a bit in front to make her feel safer. He also reached out and stroked her bent leg where she sat on the floor.

  She surprised him by taking his hand, clinging to it.

  “Jaded will stay over there. Tell him what you want the NSO to do for us to make you happy.”

  Color pinkened her cheeks, and she shot him a dirty look.

  He sighed. “Speak, Mary. Tell Jaded what kind of bed you want in my domain.” Then he glared at Jaded. “A safe one to protect us in case humans attack.”

  Jaded lowered to kneel by the door, and then sat. “You’re safe, Miss. Muller. I take it you don’t like Lash having to leap up to his bed platform?”

  “No. I’m not a circus performer, and I never want to become one.”

  Jaded chuckled. “I can understand. I happen to like my bed where I can just get into it without jumping great distances.”

  Lash wasn’t amused but he didn’t say anything.

  “Lash is seriously worried about attacks, if you aren’t aware of that.” Mary squeezed his hand.

  “We know,” Jaded answered.

  “I was thinking of a safe room just for the bed. Do you know what one is? Just a room big enough to fit his bed, with a lock inside, that he’ll feel safe sleeping in.”

  “Bulletproof,” Lash demanded. “With an escape exit so we won’t be trapped.”

  Jaded nodded. “One that looks like a cave?”

  “I came up with that idea,” Mary admitted. “To fit in with his basement theme. The waterfall and artificial trees are super cool.”

  Jaded seemed to mull it over. When he finally spoke, it was to Lash. “How about instead of a cave, we section off a corner of your domain with rock walls that are too high for humans to climb easily, and put in a steel door that is sealable? We can add a few more platforms and perhaps move your old bed to one near that area. That way, you can leap there and still attack invaders from above. I remember that was important to you. Your mate would be safely enclosed in that area, and she could just walk in and out of it when the doors are open. Oak has something like it.”

  “Who is Oak?”

  Lash began to answer his mate but Jaded spoke faster.

  “He’s a primate Wild Zone resident. He would only sleep in the trees when he was first brought here, and it took us a while to make him agree to let us build him a home. We were worried about his health when the weather turned colder, and he needed some amenities. We’re not full animals and shouldn’t have to live like them. He liked Leo’s home that was being built at the time, since that feline had issues, too, with living in any existing homes designed for humans, but Oak didn’t like feeling trapped. He wanted a few escape hatches in the roof to reach the trees around his home.”

  Jaded met his gaze. “You chose the basement because it had high ceilings where humans couldn’t reach you. This would work. Your mate would be secure, and you can still protect her.”

  “I want to see Oak’s home,” Lash decided.

  Jaded flinched. “You know what he’s like. I think there were pictures of it taken after it was constructed, before he moved in. He doesn’t allow anyone too close to his person, but he’s particularly protective of where he lives. Leo is the only one he’s let go there so far. They spend some time together.”

  Lash knew Oak avoided other Species. “I want to see these pictures.” He wa
nted to make sure Mary would be safe.

  “Torrent would probably have them.” Jaded glanced at Mary. “He’s the one who has the most interaction with the Wild Zone residents. I saw him earlier, and he was going to do a wellness check on everyone in the remoter areas. Tomorrow morning, he’s scheduled to fly to Homeland for a few days. Justice wanted an in-person update on how the Wild Zone residents are doing, and Trisha also wanted a meeting with him about getting everyone in for physicals and the best way to go about that.”

  Lash snorted.

  “I know. You Wild Zone residents hate doctors, but Slade’s mate is insistent that they get annual checkups like other Species do.”

  “We come in when we’re really hurt.”

  “Define really hurt,” Jaded snorted back. “Some of you can’t. You’re too stubborn unless you think you’re dying.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “Blue almost bled to death, and would have if Leo hadn’t spotted him, grabbed a few other Species, and forced him to go with them to Medical. By the time they got there, he was unconscious and they were carrying him. I heard he had to have over fifty stitches and needed a blood transfusion.”

  “He was strong enough to fight. They wore him out and probably made his injuries worse.”

  Jaded hissed. “I’m not arguing with you. That’s Torrent’s job. It’s probably best if we just deal with the modifications you want done to the basement in a few days, after Torrent returns from Homeland.”

  “I want it done right away. I don’t want to live up here for any longer than I must. Call him.”

  “Of course you don’t. You’re always impatient, Lash. I’ll call him to see if he even has the pictures on his phone.” Jaded stood.

  Lash watched the male step outside into the hallway but he didn’t totally close the door. He heard Jaded speaking low. A minute later, the male pushed the door open and then closed it. He retook his seat on the floor.

  “Torrent has the photos of Oak’s home on his phone. I asked him to text them to me, but he reminded me that signals can be hacked. He’s right. We never want humans to get views inside our homes. We’re going to have to go out there and meet him to see them.” Jaded peered at Lash. “The choice is yours.”