Slade
Laurann Dohner
Book 2 in the New Species series. The books can be read as stand-alone stories, but it is advisable to read them in order to get the most enjoyment from the series.
Dr. Trisha Norbit is flat on her back in a hospital bed, pinned under a really big New Species male. Though drugged out of his mind, he promises her ecstasy and is determined to deliver—but hospital staff intervenes. 215 is a man Trisha will never forget. But, when she meets him again at Homeland…he doesn’t even remember her!
The nosy new doctor wants to know all about the breeding habits between humans and Species. Slade proposes a hands-on education but she’s not interested in a one-night stand. He can’t offer more because he’s haunted by the memory of a woman he once tried to claim. He’s shocked when he realizes they are one and the same. He’s blown it—she’ll never give him a chance now.
But, when her life is in danger, he’s the only one who can save her. As they flee through the wilderness, their desire ignites and cannot be denied. Hot sex, on the run, has consequences that are even more dangerous and will change their lives forever.
Reader Advisory: There is a scene of an attempted rape.
Ellora’s Cave Publishing
www.ellorascave.com
Slade
ISBN 9781419935831
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Slade Copyright © 2011 Laurann Dohner
Edited by Shannon Combs and Pamela Campbell
Cover art by Syneca
Photography by Vishstudio on Shutterstock.com
Electronic book publication August 2011
The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing.
With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.
Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.
The publisher and author(s) acknowledge the trademark status and trademark ownership of all trademarks, service marks and word marks mentioned in this book.
The publisher does not have any control over, and does not assume any responsibility for, author or third-party Web sites or their content.
SLADE
Laurann Dohner
Dedication
To my always and forever—Mr. Laurann.
Laurann Dohner
Prologue
“Didn’t you used to work for a veterinarian, Trisha?”
Trisha frowned, taking a sip of her iced coffee. Her body tensed when she heard the man’s voice. Dr. Dennis Channer was a prick. He always tried to go out of his way to harass her by any means possible. The guy just had it in for her.
It was difficult for people to get to know her, she’d come to grips with that, but it still hurt her feelings sometimes. She’d graduated high school at the young age of fourteen and by the time she was twenty-four, she’d finished medical school, had completed her residency, and spent a few years in the trenches of some of the toughest hospitals known for incoming trauma victims. At twenty-eight she had landed her dream job at one of the top-rated hospitals within the U.S.
Most people were either intimidated by her or believed she had to be pretty conceited. She wasn’t a snob, didn’t think she was better than anyone else, and she definitely wasn’t a cold fish. Her social skills just sucked. She had always been a bit shy, led a busy life that hadn’t allowed her friendships for the most part, and then there was the fact that few people were friendly to her. It wasn’t easy to warm up to people who gave her the cold shoulder.
Dennis Channer was her boss and he resented the hell out of her. He’d been in his thirties, a full decade older than Trisha, when he’d come to work at Mercy Hospital. He thought her too pretty and he hadn’t hidden his opinion that her looks had landed the job rather than her skill. She’d worked her ass off to get where she had. She’d sacrificed having a personal life for her career.
“Yes, I did. I worked at an emergency veterinarian hospital through med school.”
“No scholarship?” He sneered at her.
She counted to ten silently. “No.”
“You’re up next.” His lined face appeared highly amused, too pleased to suit Trisha. “We have an incoming that is right up your alley.” He laughed, obviously making some private joke, targeting her.
Her teeth clenched to prevent her from saying something she’d regret. She dumped her iced coffee and the rest of her sandwich into the trashcan before following Dennis down the hallway from the lounge. It will probably be another unfortunate soul, Trisha guessed. Dennis loved to toss drunks, vagrants, or gang members her way. Since he’d mentioned alley, a homeless person came to mind.
An image of a highly smelly, unwashed body that would knock her back with its stench flashed through her brain. It might even be one of the crazy ones who would yell about how aliens from Mars were going to kidnap them all. Trisha had dealt with many 6
Slade
of them, unfortunately. A lot of them tended to wrap foil around various body parts to prevent aliens from supposedly scanning them. Removing the stuff to evaluate their injuries usually resulted in at least four of the staff having to hold them down.
Trisha passed Sally, a nurse she had become friends with, as she moved quickly toward the emergency doors. The frightened, grim expression on other woman’s face made Trisha tense more. Whatever was coming in had to be pretty ominous since the woman was one tough cookie, having seen a lot of horrendous things in her fifteen years working the emergency room.
Trisha started to worry. There wasn’t much that scared Sally. The nurse hadn’t even flinched when two weeks before a gang member had been brought in with three gunshot wounds to the back. While they’d been working on the young man, a rival gang had sent one of their members into the emergency room to finish him off. Sally had calmly helped Trisha wheel the unconscious man into a closet to hide him while security cleared the building to locate the armed thug.
Dennis turned, smiling smugly at Trisha. “We have an incoming half man, half dog.”
“That’s not funny.” Trisha sighed. “I dumped my dinner for this? Grow up, Dennis.”
He lifted his hands, still smiling. “I wish this were a joke but I’m serious. He’s been rescued from some Frankenstein research facility for a drug company. We have incoming to different hospitals to the tune of about sixty-five patients. We’re the nearest trauma center and they are flying him to us because he’s the worst of the victims. The onsite paramedics and the life-flight crew have confirmed that this man is human with doggy parts.” Dennis appeared downright gleeful. “And he’s all yours since you know your dogs.”
Trisha put her hands on her hips. “You should have saved this one for April’s Fool’s Day. What is the real story? Are they bringing in a victim wearing a dog suit? Is he a character actor who tripped at some kid’s birthday party while playing a mutt?”