Brawn

by Dohner, Laurann

  She parked in front by the door, shut off the engine and released her seatbelt. She stood, stretched a little and wiggled her butt. The bumping around on unpaved road always made her rump feel a little numb. She shoved the door shut, opened the back passenger one and leaned in to grab the two grocery bags.

  “Hungry? I am starving! We missed breakfast when we ran out of milk and it took longer to get to town than normal thanks to that logging truck hogging the road. I wasn’t about to try to pass him.”

  She hefted the bags, used her hip to close the door and climbed the porch steps, careful not to trip. The chair next to the door took one bag as she used her keys to get inside, turned and grabbed the bag again. Her foot shoved the door closed behind her.

  “I want a big ole steak. Doesn’t that sound good? And milk.” She walked into the kitchen, dumped the bags on the counter and reached in for one of the meat packages. “Sorry for the tummy rumbling you’re hearing.” She chuckled. “I bet it’s pretty loud in there where you are since I can hear it out here.”

  She grabbed a pan she’d left on the stove, pulled it to the front burner and tore open the plastic. Starved was an understatement. Hunger seemed to plague her constantly. She dumped the steak into the pan and tossed the packaging in the trash next to the stove.

  “Five minutes, kiddo. We’ll be slurping milk and chowing down on a T-bone.”

  She turned to put away the rest of the groceries and movement caused her to gasp. A tall man dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt stepped into her kitchen from the dining room. Terror gripped her instantly. She hadn’t locked the door when she’d entered the house and her frightened gaze jerked up to his face.

  “Oh shit,” she muttered. It wasn’t just some random stranger bent on robbing or killing her. He was a New Species. His light-red hair was windblown and his catlike eyes blinked at her. His hands slowly rose, palms out at his side.

  “Easy, female. I am not here to harm you. I came to talk. Doctor Trisha sent me. I’m Flame. Don’t be alarmed.”

  Becca backed up. Alarmed? A New Species was inside her cabin. Her hands darted protectively over her stomach and his gaze lowered, noticing her reaction. He looked at her, held her gaze and remained where he stood. She backed up more.

  “Careful. There’s a hot pan behind you.” He tensed. “Don’t get burned.”

  “Get out,” she whispered, heart pounding.

  She stopped moving but panicked inside. She’d made a huge mistake trusting that doctor and they’d obviously traced her call. They would have had to do that to find her. The proof stood in her kitchen, watching her.

  “Doctor Trisha is worried. You’re safe and no one will harm you. She just wants to make sure you and the baby are fine. She flew to Reservation two days ago when she talked to you last. She didn’t trace your call. We did, to the local cell tower that relayed your call. Do not be angry with her. She didn’t break her promise but had no control over what we did.” His gaze lowered to her stomach again and he sniffed. “Your baby is New Species and you need special care during your pregnancy.”

  “Just forget you found me and go away,” Becca pleaded as she blinked back tears. “Just leave me alone.”

  He met her gaze again and sorrow filled his exotic eyes. “I can’t do that. You and your baby need to see a doctor. You are about halfway through your pregnancy. If we left you alone you would be in for a shock when you hit your fifth month. That’s when your baby will come full term.”

  Becca’s mouth fell open. It took her a second to recover. She’d guessed the baby might develop faster but nothing had prepared her for that. ”What?”

  “It’s a Species baby. It will be male, it will look Species and it will be born at around five months, full term. We develop faster. You told the doctor enough for her to know the father of the baby is like me. I’m feline. The baby will have features like the father. You won’t be able to pass your child off without anyone taking one look and knowing what he is. Hate groups will come after you and your child. They will try to kill you both. Mercile Industries might come after you and your child as well.” He paused. “Some of the employees are still out there avoiding capture, being hunted, and they might try to use you both as leverage against us or worse. You are putting yourself and your baby in severe danger by not coming to us. We would never hurt you or your child. We’d never take him away from you. Your pan is burning. May I turn off the fire under it?”

  Becca turned her head, saw smoke rising and the smell of burning meat finally registered. She reached over to turn it off. She stepped away from the stovetop but kept her distance from him. He held still, not moving as she watched him warily.

  “No one knows about this baby. I’ve gone to a lot of trouble to hide. I’m good where I am and you can leave.”

  The New Species frowned. “Reservation is fifteen miles from here. Let me take you there to allow Doctor Trisha to look you and the baby over. If you refuse, we will just put a detail of security around your home to keep you and the baby safe. That isn’t up for debate. You and the child need to be guarded around the clock. It’s more dangerous for you here but we would never force you to live in captivity. We know all about that.”

  She shook her head. “I can’t go with you and you can’t send people here to protect me. You don’t understand. I don’t know you, which is good, but there’s going to be hell to pay if anyone recognizes me.” Terror gripped her. “Are there any humans around or is it just you?”

  “It’s just me.”

  “Thank God.” She could breathe again. “Please just forget you found me and go. The worst thing you could do is send a security detail here. Swear to me you won’t do that.”

  “Explain why that’s dangerous. It would protect you.”

  The baby kicked hard. Becca flinched and rubbed her stomach. The New Species male smiled suddenly as he met her gaze.

  “I saw that. He is strong. Trisha said that by the time she was in her sixteenth week it felt as though her son might kick his way out.”

  Shock tore through Becca. “Doctor Trisha?”

  Flame nodded. “I am allowed to tell you. It is confirmed that you are pregnant with one of my kind. She has a son named Forest who is Species. Trisha is married to one of us. She had her baby at twenty weeks. Would you like to see her son? Would you like to see what your baby is going to resemble? Species are cute as infants. He is canine mix so his features are a little different but I think you will be less frightened to have a Species baby if you see Forest. He claims the hearts of everyone.”

  “I can’t go. You need to leave and don’t let them send anyone else.”

  He frowned. “You need to see a doctor. You are frightened. I can smell your fear. Please stop being afraid. I’d rather shoot myself than cause you any harm. What is your name? We searched but couldn’t find anything with your name on it.”

  “We?” Her fear increased.

  Flame frowned. “You are terrified.” He suddenly paled. “Did one of us harm you?” His focus jerked to her stomach and then back to her face. “Did the father hurt you? Did he force you?”

  She shook her head.

  Flame’s frown deepened. “But you are afraid. Why?”

  She met his eyes. “I don’t want the father of my baby to know. At least not yet. I have enough to worry about without dealing with the crappy situation with him. I also don’t want my family know. It’s…complicated.”

  “You’re terrified. Tell me why now.”

  She bit her lip. “I can’t. Let’s just say my family is in a situation to hurt the father and while I’m not a fan of his, I don’t want anything to happen to him. I also don’t want my baby growing up without any family since mine will be in prison for murder. You need to just leave.”

  Flame watched her and his features softened. “You’re giving me no choice but to do this the way I didn’t intend. I won’t reconsider and leave you this way without a security detail. I was certain I could talk you in to going with me but I see
now that you are determined to stay.” He glanced at her stomach once more, took a deep breath, and his gaze hardened when he met her eyes. “I’m so sorry. Don’t be afraid but you are going with me. You’ll see the doctor, have round-the-clock security and that isn’t up for debate. You’re obviously in extreme danger anyway and it was a good thing we found you. Please don’t fight me. Think of your baby.” He moved.

  Becca backed up and her ass hit the counter. “No.”

  In four long steps he had her and his hands carefully gripped her arms gently. “The helicopter comes. You would have heard it in a moment and known I planned to take you whether you agreed or not. I don’t wish to cause you fright and remember no one is going to hurt you. We are going to Reservation where Trisha will look you and the baby over. You have no choice in this. Remain calm for the baby.”

  “Let me go, damn it!” Becca yelled and tried to twist away.

  He suddenly released her and easily scooped her up into the cradle of his arms. Becca screamed and clawed at his shirt. “Put me down.” She didn’t struggle, too afraid he’d drop her and he was tall. It would be a long fall to the floor.

  “Think of your baby,” he growled loudly. “Relax and slow your breathing. Calm.”

  Terror hit Becca but she stopped tearing at his shirt. Her fingers fisted the material though, clung to him and tried to find words that would make the big New Species put her down.

  “This is kidnapping! Yeah. It’s illegal and you’re not on NSO property. I’m a US citizen and I refuse to go with you. You can’t do this. It’s against the law.”

  He glanced down at her and arched an eyebrow as he carried her through the house. “I’m aware of some of your laws. Possession is nine tenths of it and I have you.” He adjusted her in his hold to secure her tighter against his bulky chest. “You are safe.”

  She knew she couldn’t get away from him and he wasn’t going to change his mind. She studied his handsome face, didn’t see anger there, but pure determination was easy to read. Flame was taking her to Reservation come hell or high water. She heard the helicopter approaching as he reached the front door. It was wide open now, something he must have done before startling her in the kitchen, making her suspicious that he had planned to carry her out in the first place.

  Please don’t be my dad’s pilot, she prayed silently, watching the helicopter land between the tree line and her rental cabin. She’d met her father’s pilot but couldn’t remember his name. He’d remember her though for sure. Her dad boasted that he kept pictures of her in his office at work. The pilot might have forgotten her from the brief meeting they’d had at her dad’s house but looking at her pictures in an office almost every day tended to make someone learn a face.

  Relief swept through her when she saw the helicopter pilot. He was much older than her father’s pilot, not anyone she’d ever seen before. The back doors opened. She tensed again, praying none of the task-team members were inside. It was two Species males who jumped out. No one else was inside the belly of the helicopter and she relaxed. She was still safe and unknown for the moment. Her dad wouldn’t be getting any calls that would trigger a rampage.

  Flame carried her down the porch steps and addressed the two NSO officers who stood next to the waiting helicopter. “Get her things and lock up the cabin. She has food on the counter that needs to be put away. The helicopter will return for you in half an hour,” he yelled.

  The men nodded. Becca glanced at the new faces, neither familiar, and gasped when they suddenly gripped Flame’s upper arms. They lifted him, with her still resting in his strong arms, off the ground and into the helicopter. Flame ducked his head, carried her to a bench and sat. The doors closed.

  He adjusted her to put on his belt but was careful to keep one arm hooked around her ribs at all times in case she bolted. She considered it but the helicopter lifted off. It was too late and she wished it wasn’t so loud inside. She’d love to try to convince him to take her back, even if it was pointless. The guy was stubborn and she knew the type well. Her dad’s image flashed through her mind. He’d murder Brawn, go ballistic and maybe even take out other Species. No way would he believe she hadn’t been forced to have sex with Brawn. Even if he accepted that she’d been attracted to him, in her father’s eyes, the circumstances would have made her consent invalid.

  Memory surfaced of two days after she’d been home from her ordeal. Her father had suddenly walked into her home, hugged her and pulled back to study her face. His words still haunted her.

  “It put me in a hell of a situation when you were taken, baby. I swore to protect them but damned if I wouldn’t have killed New Species if that had been some kind of breeding project they’d taken you to. I wouldn’t have cared if they’d been drugged or victims. You’re my girl and every single one who touched you would have had to die. I couldn’t sleep nights knowing that you were helpless in there, scared. I couldn’t bear to think that anyone had laid a finger on you.”

  She’d lied and assured him nothing had happened but he’d refused to stop going on about what he’d have done. She’d stood there and let him hug her again, knew he’d go to prison to show her his version of love and been terrified of what he’d do if he ever found out she’d had sex with Brawn.

  The helicopter hit a little turbulence, pulling her from her thoughts and panic struck. Doctor Trisha would recognize her the second they met. She’d been the doctor who’d examined her after she’d been rescued from that warehouse basement. She turned her head to stare at Flame.

  “You can’t do this to me. Let me go, damn it. You don’t understand.” She yelled to be heard, knew he caught the words and it encouraged her. “Please?”

  He looked apologetic look but shook his head. His hold on her tightened as if he feared she’d try to get up and rush for the door. She wasn’t stupid or suicidal. More turbulence shook them roughly and Becca felt suddenly sick. She threw her hand up to her mouth to cover it.

  Flame cursed and lifted her off his lap, holding her inches above it to lessen the motion of flying. “Close your eyes and breathe through your nose,” he ordered loudly. He adjusted his hold enough to grip her wrist and tapped her skin there with his thumb over her pulse.

  It distracted Becca enough that the nausea eased but not by much. His hold on her was very gentle, almost reminded her of Brawn. She closed her eyes and buried her face against his neck. His warm skin, the strong arms and the big body felt eerily similar to Brawn as well.

  “We’re almost there,” Flame said loud enough to be heard. “I’ve got you and it’s almost over.”

  Becca’s thoughts ran rampant. Brawn was going to find out about the baby soon. Her father had told her he was a council member. He’d be informed she was at Reservation as soon as Doctor Trisha recognized her. Tears filled her eyes and she hated how some of them spilled out against Flame’s neck. He nuzzled her with his head, probably trying to comfort her and that made it worse.

  She didn’t want to see Brawn. He hadn’t called and she was still hurt and angry that she’d meant so little to him when she’d believed they had shared something special. He’d be shocked to learn she was pregnant, probably as stunned as she’d been, but she worried he’d be mad too.

  Worst-case scenario—Brawn might want to take the baby from her. Flame had said they wouldn’t do that but she knew enough about New Species to know most laws didn’t apply to them. Could they just toss her outside the NSO walls after she gave birth and keep her from ever seeing her baby again? Who would stop them? Their property was considered sovereign territory. They answered to no one, had their own laws.

  Obviously Brawn didn’t give a damn about her but he might want the baby. More tears spilled and the idea of her father killing him didn’t seem that horrible anymore. She forced her mind to stop that line of contemplation. She didn’t trust men, they lied and pretended to be what they weren’t. She’d learned that painful, horrible lesson with her first marriage.

  She’d never have pegged the b
ig, fearless Species as an asshole but she’d been wrong. He had a reason to return to her house—to collect his belongings—so they could talk in person after they’d been freed but he’d avoided the entire issue by having her father pack his things. He wanted to forget all about Becca and what had happened between them. The message had been loud and clear, a severely painful one for her.

  The helicopter set down, bumped the ground hard and shook her from her thoughts about Brawn. Flame rose to his feet, tucked his head and walked to the door that opened from the outside before they reached it. Becca lifted her head, glanced into his eyes and swore she saw pity there.

  She turned her head to stare outside, worried someone who knew her would be waiting. A female New Species stood there instead and smiled. She was tall, muscular and sported an NSO uniform. Her gaze fixed on Becca’s midsection and she had no doubt the New Species knew she was pregnant. Worry ate at her that word might be spreading far enough to reach her father but so far she didn’t think they knew her name. It was only a matter of time.

  Two male New Species startled her when they stepped from each side of the open doors and reached up. Becca hadn’t known they were there. Once again Flame was gripped by his upper arms and lifted. The males placed him gently on his feet. The redheaded Species flashed them a thankful look.

  Her captor strode toward a waiting black SUV and she looked over his shoulder to watch the female follow. When they were clear, the helicopter lifted off again. Becca jerked her head back around to avoid the rush of air from the big blades.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” the Species woman called out, rushing to catch up. “I’m called Pink.”

  Becca met the woman’s eyes. She’d only seen a few of the New Species women but they were very attractive if the ones she’d seen so far were an indication. The males were photographed sometimes but never the females. It was rumored they had to look pretty bad for them to be hidden from cameras. It just proved how wrong rumors could be.