He relaxed. “You look too young to be a doctor.”
“I started medical school at fourteen. I’ve always been kind of smart.”
“You really work at Homeland?”
“Yes.”
Valiant smiled, all traces of his anger disappearing. “You are attracted to Slade?
He’s kind of gruff.”
She smiled. “He has his moments.”
“I hear some of our women are kept at Homeland. Do you take care of them too?”
“When they need me.”
“Will you do me a favor when you return there?”
“Yes,” she agreed instantly. He’d helped save her life.
His cat-like golden eyes narrowed. “Don’t you want to know what I want from you before you answer?”
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“You helped save my life and I owe you. What do you need from me?”
He hesitated. “I want a mate. Will you talk to the women and see if anyone is interested? It gets lonely out here. I want a big, sturdy woman. I’d prefer a feline mixed species but as long as she’s tough I wouldn’t be picky.” He paused. “I frighten most of my own kind. Our women don’t scare easily since they were raised in testing facilities. I bred with a feline female once inside while in captivity and she didn’t scream at the sight of me or beg the men who brought her into my cell to take her away. All the others refused me. Primates were especially terrified when were introduced to me.”
Trisha had to swallow and remember to keep her mouth closed. He wanted her to find him a girlfriend? She swallowed again.
“I can talk to them. There are about three dozen New Species women living in Homeland dorms. I’m just not sure how many of them are feline but I’ve seen some.”
He nodded. “I had heard that. Talk to them for me and tell them I am not as scary as I appear.” He suddenly stood. “Are you hungry?”
“A little.”
“I’ll get you some good food. Pregnant women should eat often and you need to do that more than most. You are too skinny.” He stalked out of the room.
Trisha hugged her waist and let the conversation settle into her thoughts. Valiant was one big man. If someone took her into his cell and asked her to have sex with him, she probably would freak out too.
She shook her head in disbelief. He seemed nice once he calmed and wasn’t snarling. Maybe one of the New Species would be interested in him but she didn’t envy that woman. He was just too big and ferocious. She didn’t believe he’d hurt anyone he was with but just the sight of him angry would be enough to scare the hell out of anyone dating him if he lost his temper.
Slade returned alone and sat on the couch inches from her. “I spoke to Moon.
Harley made it to surgery and he’s holding his own. All the men who attacked you have been taken care of but most of them died. The three who survived are being transferred to human authorities and will be questioned.” He studied her. “How are you holding up, sweet thing? Since you involved yourself with my kind your life hasn’t seen too many dull moments, has it?”
She hesitated. “I didn’t work for New Species when I met you the first time. You made me curious enough to want to send my résumé into Justice so I blame you.”
He smiled. “Really?”
“Yes.”
“You’d think it would be the opposite. I grabbed you when I woke and pulled you into my bed. I pinned you under me and told you what I planned to do to you.”
She could feel heat warm her cheeks. “Yeah, well, maybe that’s what got me interested.”
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Slade’s smile widened and he reached for her. His hand slid across her thigh to rub her leg. “What part interested you? I know I was sure I wanted to keep you under me for days.”
“That part kept me up nights, wondering what it would have been like if you’d had your way with me.”
He inched closer. “I haven’t had the opportunity to do that yet, sweet thing. I want to spend days with you under me.”
“You won’t pin her there on my couch,” Valiant growled.
Slade sprang back and his hand released Trisha. He smiled at Valiant. “Sorry. I didn’t hear you enter the room.”
“You were too concentrated on the female.” Valiant handed Trisha a soda and a banana-nut muffin. “It amazes me how soft our kind have grown since we were freed.
Once, no one would have been able to creep up on you before you were aware of them.”
“Once we were chained to walls and slept on mats on the floor. Once we were prisoners. Once is over.”
Valiant nodded. “True enough.”
“I have to go handle the fallout of what has happened.” Slade gave Valiant an intense look. “Is it okay if I leave her and Brass here with you?”
“Fine but remember you said you were going to take her out of my home tonight.”
Slade stood and his gaze met Trisha’s. “You’re safe here and I’ll be back in a few hours when the sun goes down. I’m going to take you to my house. Get some rest.”
“Okay. Hurry back.”
Slade smiled. “I will. I’ll come for you soon.”
Trisha cringed. She’d heard him say that to her before yet he’d never returned.
Instead he’d avoided her by accepting a job overseeing Reservation. She watched him go, realizing she had to learn to trust him or she would always be afraid every time he walked away from her. She didn’t want to live that way.
“Don’t look so fearful. You are safe here with me. You’re too skinny to draw my sexual interest, Slade has claimed you, and I’m too angry at what was done to my home to be aroused by your tempting female scent. He’ll be back for you.” Valiant growled low. “He knows I’d kick his ass if he left a human with me for more than a day. I have some cleaning to do. Relax. Sleep. Just don’t leave. There is a bathroom by the front door in case you need it. The intruders who breached my domain didn’t damage it.
Brass is going to help me right everything.”
“I am?” Brass stood in the doorway.
Valiant nodded. “I’m bigger and I say you will help me.”
“Works for me.” Brass winked at Trisha. “I’m going to go help the large feline clean up.”
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“I’ll be right here resting and not helping,” Trisha teased.
Brass chuckled before he turned and followed Valiant out of the living room. Trisha finished her muffin and lay down on the comfortable couch until she realized her hands were still bloody from Harley’s wounds. She’d been so distracted by all that had happened, she hadn’t noticed it before.
She stared at the dried blood and fought the urge to be sick. She stood and went in search of the bathroom, knowing it was a losing battle. Her stomach heaved and she barely made it in time before she lost her snack. Ten minutes later she stretched out on the couch. Exhaustion helped her fall asleep quickly.
* * * * *
“I’m glad to hear it.” Slade hung up the phone, his gaze meeting Tiger’s, and he blew out a deep breath. “Harley survived surgery. Justice sent a human team to back up Moon. Guard him with a few more of our men. He’ll be safe.”
“We’ve heard from the authorities. They wanted permission to go to the crime scene but Justice is handling it with Fury’s help. We can’t allow them to go into the wild zone and I had one of our males sent to retrieve all of the doctor’s belongings. We don’t want any trace of her left there in case the police manage to talk Justice into allowing them to see where the attack took place.”
“Thanks.” Slade leaned back in his chair. A hand lifted to run through his hair. “I could have lost her. Again.”
“But you didn’t. This is why I don’t envy you for having a human.”
“One day you might meet one you can’t resist.”
“Don’t make threats.” Tiger glared.
A grin curved Slade’s lips. “It’s not so bad.”