Torrent scowled. “As if I’d allow her to harm me. She’s a little thing.”
“Females are mean,” Breeze growled. “If you aren’t afraid of her, be afraid of me. She might be underweight and scrawny, but I’m not. Want to tangle?”
“This is irrational,” Jinx rasped. “Hero probably needs time to process all this, and the female needs to be fed and monitored. You heard Doc Trisha. The doctor who kept her didn’t make sure she ate healthy, and the years of drugs have left her in a weakened condition.”
Breeze extended her middle finger. “Tell it to the hand. I’m finding Hero for my female. He can feed her and help her regain her strength. She’d eat for him more so than for one of us. She knows him. I don’t care what is wrong with him, he’s going to man up.”
“Breeze, this isn’t cut and dried. You’re acting as if she’s his ma—”
“Where is he?” Breeze snapped, turning her back on Jinx to talk on the phone. She paused, listening. “Okay. He is? Right now? Say hell no. Do you understand me? I’m pulling rank. That’s a big-ass no way. Thanks.” She hung up and faced Candi.
She’d caught her breath. “You found him?”
“He’s heading toward the men’s dorm to pack. He just called Security and said he wanted to go back to Reservation. Let’s go. How afraid are you of seeing a lot of our males?”
“I’d face anything to see 927.”
Breeze pocketed her phone. “I know you would. He likes to be called Hero now. Say it in your head over and over. We hate the numbers. Okay? It reminds us of being at Mercile, and you know what fun times we had there.” Breeze walked toward her. “Come on. We’ll go find him together.”
Candi was touched that the female was being so nice. “Thank you.”
“I’m putting myself in your shoes.” Breeze glanced down and cursed. “Your feet are bleeding. You need shoes. Mental reminder. Where the hell are the ones you came with?”
“They didn’t fit. I stole them off Penny.”
“The doctor you killed?”
“I knew I’d need them. I took her pants, and found her jacket in the car. I needed to get out of the clothes they kept me in. I was afraid humans would call the police if I still looked like a patient. I didn’t know how to drive so I left the car there. I did take her purse. I remembered cash. She had some of that.”
“You poor thing. It must have been terrifying being out there alone, but you made it to us. We’re going to find your male and make him talk to you, okay? Do you need one of the males to carry you? They will.”
“It doesn’t hurt.”
“I bet not. I’d be feeling no pain either, if I were you. Lift them up though and let me make sure it isn’t bad. I’ll worry otherwise.”
It was a small request. Breeze was concerned with her health. Candi did as asked, noting a small cut on one heel and another on the meaty area by her big toe. “Minor. I don’t have the protective pads on my feet that you were born with.”
“We’ll clean and patch them up at Hero’s place. We all keep medical kits in the bathrooms of our homes. Let’s go. If you start to hurt, speak up. One of the males will be more than happy to carry you.”
Candi glanced at Torrent and Jinx. They both appeared irritated at best, certainly not happy.
Breeze turned, waving an arm. “This way.”
Candi didn’t care if the males were upset. Breeze was taking her to 927. Hero. She needed to learn his name. Her gut instinct was to trust the female canine. They walked on the sidewalk. Others stared, but she knew they were entitled to. They probably didn’t see many humans. She’d only encountered the guards at the gate and the two in Medical—the female doctor and the male nurse.
“Do many humans live here?”
Breeze shook her head. “Only mated ones, and a few of the most trusted ones who work for us. You met Paul. He lives here with his wife. She’s human too. Trisha is mated to one of our males.”
“I liked them.”
“They are good humans and nothing like the technicians and doctors at Mercile. Hell, Trisha would use her scalpel to cut them up, and Paul would assist her by holding them down. They have no love for anyone who harms Species.”
“Why the name New Species?”
Breeze shrugged. “What else were we supposed to be called?”
“What you are. Canine.”
“We have canine, feline and primates here. We wanted it to be fair. We were new since the world didn’t know about us. New Species seemed appropriate and fitting. We took a vote.”
“Did one of you finally make it to the top and go back to save the others? We used to dream of doing that.”
Breeze stopped walking and Candi paused too, staring up at the other female. “You don’t know?”
“They didn’t allow me access to much. I was kept locked inside a room and drugged most of the time.”
“A rumor that we existed started and the human authorities sent one of their females, named Ellie, to work at Mercile. She smuggled out enough evidence to convince them we were real. They came and rescued us. None of ours ever made it to the surface until the good humans brought us out.” Breeze resumed walking. “How did you learn that we were freed and live at Homeland?”
“One of the cleaning staff had a little portable television. She brought it in sometimes when she was mopping the floor in my room. I saw Justice North a few times, and he mentioned Homeland was where his people lived in freedom. I knew I needed to reach here, but I didn’t know where it was. I figured humans would know what I didn’t. No one seemed concerned when I asked them where Homeland was and how to get here. A truck driver told me a little, but I didn’t want to ask too many questions after he looked at me in a way that set off alarms. I hitchhiked since I was afraid to go to the police for help. I killed a human to escape and they are human too.”
Candi stayed at Breeze’s side until they reached a tall building. Breeze stopped. “This is the men’s dorm. Are you ready to see him? I don’t know how he’ll react, but he won’t run away again.” Her voice deepened. “Bet on it.” She turned her head. “Stick close, guys.”
“This is going to be bad,” Jinx rasped. “I can feel it.”
“You should have seen his face. He was enraged for some reason,” Torrent added. “I think we should go in and speak to him first.”
Candi knew why 927 had reacted that way. She said nothing in case they changed their minds and wanted to keep her away from him. Hero. Hero. Hero. She kept replaying that name inside her head.
“Please,” she whispered. “Take me to Hero.” It felt odd saying the new name aloud.
There were at least a dozen males in a large community setting, seated on couches in a wide U shape. A television revealed humans in strange uniforms running on a field with lines painted on it. The males stopped talking, stood and stared when Jinx used a card swipe to open the front doors. Breeze lifted her hand, waving at them once they entered.
“Don’t mind us. Sit and pretend we’re not here. Has anyone seen Hero?”
A primate male jerked his head toward the stairs. “He came in about a minute ago, looking as if he wanted to tear off someone’s head. He didn’t speak, just pounded upstairs.”
“Where are his quarters?” Breeze glanced around. “Anyone?”
“I know,” Jinx admitted. “Let’s go.”
The elevator moved at a snail’s pace to take them to the third floor. It opened and Jinx took the lead. He paused before a door halfway down a hallway. He turned, frowning at Breeze.
“Let me go in first to test his mood.”
Breeze advanced and placed both hands on Jinx’s chest, giving him a light shove to move him out of the way. She fisted her hand and pounded on the door. “Hero? It’s Breeze. Open up or I’ll kick it down.”
“Go away.” The familiar snarl came from inside.
“I’m not kidding. I know I usually do, but not right now,” Breeze yelled back. “Do you want me to hurt my foot? I’m not wearing my work-is
sued boots. I might break a toe. Open up.”
927 snarled as he jerked the door open, showing fangs. “I’m packing, and have to catch a helicopter that is leaving in twenty minutes for Reservation. I don’t have time to talk.”
He tried to slam the door but Breeze moved faster, flattening her hands on the closing door and shoved. It surprised 927 as he backed up. Candi lunged forward into the room, her gaze locked on him.
He paled when he saw her and his lips pressed into a tight line. The color leached from them as if that much pressure pushed out the blood. A muscle in his jaw flexed. He was furious. She gazed into his eyes and understood how the technicians and doctors had once feared the chilling looks he could give.
She licked her lips and her body trembled. He was really alive. She noticed other things about him. He towered above her, having grown much taller since she’d last seen him. His youthful body had matured, adding a lot of muscle and bulk to his frame. He was larger than either of them had ever estimated and he looked as lethal as she knew he could be. She noticed when his hands clenched at his sides. She’d seen it before. He was fighting the urge to attack. She was the target of that rage.
“Can we be alone?” She didn’t turn her head, not willing to look away from…Hero.
“No,” Breeze stated firmly. “But ignore us. We’ll be as quiet as mice.”
It frustrated her, but she didn’t have time to argue. The male she knew wasn’t good at holding his temper for long. She might have only seconds to calm him. She took a step closer, but his lips pulled back and he snarled, flashing fangs. It was a warning.
“Hero!” Breeze growled.
“Stay out of this, no matter what. Please,” Candi whispered. “This is between him and me.” She held still, trying not to approach him again. “It’s always been just us.” She directed that at him. “I did it to save you. They were going to kill you if I refused.”
He tensed further, the muscles in his arms straining, indicating that he battled the urge to attack. Years might have passed, but she knew him. He’d learned more control. It hurt when she saw his rage did not lessen. It actually seemed to incense him more. She had to try though.
“It was agree or be forced to watch you die. You know I would have done anything to protect you. Anything.” Tears blinded her. “Do you think I wanted to let that happen? You’re all I wanted.” She blinked, clearing her vision. The tears slipped down her cheeks, but she didn’t wipe them away. “I did it to keep you alive so we could be together again.”
“You should have let them kill me.”
They were angry words, snarled at her. She understood. She thought he might have felt that way. “We survive. It’s what we do.” She paused. “I survived to be with you. Do you think I wanted that? I wanted to die first, but that would have left you alone. If you had died, it would have left me alone. I did what I had to so we could see each other again.”
He said nothing, but that rage burned in his gaze, the brown seeming to have disappeared, making them actually look as black as she figured his heart had turned. It broke hers into pieces. The pain that ripped through her chest was almost as bad as the day she’d been told he was dead. She’d lost him all the same. He was never going to forgive her.
She turned to Breeze. The female looked worried, confused. “Will you please do me one favor? Can I trust you?”
“Of course.”
“You seem to be in charge of the females, and you said I’m one of yours. Don’t let them punish him for this. I deserve it.”
“What are you talking about?”
She turned toward 927. She didn’t care what name he’d been given. The male in front of her was the one she’d known, just older. She took a step closer. “Hit me, 927. As many times as it takes. Find your payback. Be at peace by causing me pain the way I hurt you with the decision I once made.”
“Shit,” Torrent growled. “Don’t you dare, Hero.”
Breeze stepped farther into the room to stand beside Candi. She gripped her arm. “Stop. What is going on here?”
Candi jerked out of her hold and kept her gaze locked on 927. His eyes narrowed and he watched her. He didn’t move but his entire body vibrated as he growled deep. He was about to snap, his control nearly gone. He just needed that last push and she was willing to give it to him.
“I survived all these years believing I did it to make the ones pay for taking you away from me.” She swallowed. “Now I realize it was what I did that took you from me, regardless of the reasons. I wanted revenge for you, but you can take your own. I understand. Do it, my pup.”
He opened his mouth and howled. The killing rage twisted his features. It was just as before, the last time she’d seen him, minus the chains to hold him back. She didn’t tense, just watched him, waiting for him to lunge. The fear never came. 927 had always been her motivation to keep fighting to survive, but she was willing to allow him to strike her if it made him feel as if they were even.
Candi was offering, no, taunting him to cause her harm. Hero nearly lost his mind. He’d let the rage and pain explode in a violent outburst of sound. He kept his feet planted firmly on the carpet, forced himself to stay away from her. He didn’t want her blood to spill. Never again. He realized he’d closed his eyes. He opened them.
Breeze, Jinx and Torrent flanked Candi. They stood close, ready to defend her if he attacked. He was grateful for their interference. Torrent cocked his head, uttered a curse, and moved fast to the open doorway. The male stepped out, but stayed near enough to return quickly.
“Nothing to see here,” the male called out. “Spread the word. Just leave the floor. It’s fine. Breeze, Jinx and I have it handled. Nobody call Security. It’s just a little, um, argument.”
Hero studied Candi. She remained in the same position, waiting for him to strike her. She showed no fear, no hesitation. A sheen of tears still glistened in her beautiful eyes. Her words had been heard. The adult in him understood, but the youth raged from the pain.
It took time to form words inside his mind and force them to exit his mouth. “Canine or feline male? Was it just the one?”
She took a breath and he glimpsed that fleeting, sad look she quickly erased from her features. “Feline.” Her throat muscles worked to swallow. “One time.” She paused. “To prove to Christopher that it was safe. He swore I was too fragile to survive being bred.”
“Oh shit,” Breeze whispered.
His heart felt as if it were being squeezed in a vise. “Did you suffer?”
Tears spilled down her face, but she remained still. “More than you’ll ever know.” Her voice broke. “But nothing beyond the expected parameters, physically. That’s what Evelyn said, anyway.”
“What about you being too young?” It was tough to breathe and he felt as if he was suffocating. The tightness in his chest worsened. He needed answers though.
“I guess they considered me old enough. Evelyn got permission from the board to use me in a breeding experiment, but Christopher said he’d kill you first. He was in charge of you. He swore he’d make me watch you die. It was no secret that all I wanted was to be returned to our space, to be with you. Evelyn came for me with her plan to allow another male to mount me. She said Christopher couldn’t harm one of hers. I fought at first. She had the techs restrain me and told me it would save your life. She felt Christopher would put me with you once she proved I wouldn’t be damaged by the experience. I had to make a choice and play their game. Evelyn said, either way, someone would mount me. I could get you killed or stop fighting, and be taken to the feline. I couldn’t risk your life. Never you.”
It hurt deeply. He tried to think, to be rational. What if they’d brought him a female and told him they’d hurt Candi if he didn’t comply? What if they had threatened her life? Would he have mounted another? Would it have even been possible? She wasn’t male though. She could be taken whether she was aroused or not. She said she’d suffered. It ripped his gut out to imagine a male touching her.
“Evelyn gave me a shot first.” Candi straightened her head, her arms wrapping protectively around her middle in a hug. “It didn’t knock me out, but it muted some of my emotions. I was crying, and she was having a problem getting the male to comply. He was pacing and snarling, willing to take pain rather than force me. He knew I was a prisoner too, from when they were taking blood tests, and was aware I was being held with you. He treated me as if I were one of your females.”
“He should have suffered a beating instead of touching you.” He fisted his hands so tightly that the bones seemed to show through his skin when he glanced down.
“The drug they gave me took effect and I felt strange, lightheaded. They were beating him because he refused. I just wanted it to end, but we both know it wasn’t going to until they got what they wanted. I asked the male to stop fighting. We needed to survive. Do you hate me for that? I didn’t want him to touch me, but I didn’t want him to be beaten to death either. The technicians were brutal and they could go too far, despite their orders. It’s a horrible way to die.”
He growled and spun away, stalking to the window. It didn’t help, not to be looking at her anymore. He could feel her in the room, inside his space again.
“He was gentle and I don’t remember much. He didn’t want to hurt me. I felt as bad for him as I did myself.” A sob broke from her lips, her pain evident. “No one forced me. I just wanted us all to survive. I closed my eyes and just thought of you until they took me back to my space. I washed to remove his scent and his touch. I scrubbed my skin until it was red, but it’s not as if they gave us soap often. I wanted to be taken to you. I did what they asked. Evelyn said we could be together.” Another sob came from her, and there was a pained hitch in her voice. “Only you still smelled him on me. You lost your sanity and snapped.”
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