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.”