Tammy gaped at the doctor, mute.
Trisha paused. “We have been doing a lot of testing.
I just wanted you both to be aware of that risk.” Her gaze shifted to Valiant. “You’re more…” She paused again. “Of a more pronounced New Species and unless I test your sperm, I’m not sure you could get her pregnant. Your DNA could be too altered for it to work but I wanted both of you to be aware of the possibility.” Her attention returned to Tammy. “I could put you on something right away if you want to make sure you’re protected.”
Tammy blinked. “But we’ve already been having sex.
That means I could already be pregnant, right?”
Trisha nodded. “Yes. I can order you a pregnancy test in a few weeks.”
Tammy softly cursed and didn’t miss when Valiant’s focus jerked to her. He looked pissed off again.
“Is it such a bad thing?” His gaze dropped to her stomach. “To carry a child of mine?”
Tammy just stared at him. Valiant growled, his eyes narrowed and he tensed. He growled again, deeper.
“Stop,” Tammy whispered. “Don’t get angry. I’m in shock since I didn’t think it was possible, okay? Give me a few minutes to stop freaking out. I never even considered I could get pregnant.”
“It doesn’t change anything. You are mine and I am yours. It will be a good thing if we make a child. I am strong and will provide well for you both. I will protect you and I would welcome a baby. You said I do not embarrass you. Would having my child embarrass you?”
“No.” She frowned. “I just don’t know you well enough to be thinking about starting a family, okay?
People should be together for years before they make that decision. Trust me, I know. My parents were married because my mother got knocked up and by the time I was two years old, they hated each other. They fought all the time until my father finally walked out on us when I was four. My mother started drinking and finally met a man who hated having me around. She just dumped me on my grandma without a backward glance. I never saw her again.”
He took a step toward her. “You are mine. I would never hate you nor would you ever hate me. I would never leave you. Never. You are mine.”
Tammy looked to the doctor for help. “What exactly does that mean to them?”
Trisha hesitated. ““Valiant, could we please talk alone?”
“No.” He crossed his arms over his chest again. “You can speak to her in front of me.”
“I don’t want to offend you.”
He shook his head at Trisha. “You won’t.”
She didn’t appear so sure about that, but Trisha began to speak. “They were never allowed to have anything of their own. A s in possessions. They couldn’t even become attached to any of the other New Species they were exposed to. That was a rare occurrence for the most part since they kept them locked in separate cells. If they did, if the staff figured out they cared what happened to another New Species, it was used against them to punish or make them do what they were told while they were imprisoned. Now when they think something is theirs they will not give it up. They want to keep it forever.”
Stunned, Tammy just stared at the doctor. “Forever?”
“Until one of you dies.”
“So I can’t leave him no matter what he does? He won’t leave me?”
Trisha bit her lip. “What do you think he would or could do that would make you want to leave him? I know he’s kind of pushy but it’s just their way. He really would kill or die to protect you and you can’t say that about many men. Yes, they are controlling but they do it trying to keep the person safe. That actually counts for something once you adjust to their ways.”
“What if he cheats?” Tammy refused to look at Valiant.
A smile curved the doctor’s mouth. “They are very loyal. There are only a few couples so far but from what we have learned, the males will kind of scent imprint you. The more time you spend with him, the more he’ll kind of get addicted to you. A fter a while he won’t be able to stand the smell of another woman if he gets close to one. A s an example, we had a couple where another woman hit on the male by trying to kiss him. He grew very agitated at being touched by her. He almost crushed his wife when he rubbed up against her body to remove the scent of the other woman. He couldn’t stand it. It enraged him and he said he felt sick to his stomach when I later asked him about it.”
“Was it that married couple, Ellie and Fury? The ones on the news?”
“Yes.”
“Fury was mixed with some breed of dog, right?
That’s what I read. Valiant is a lion. Won’t that mean something different? Dogs and lions are nothing alike.”
“I can’t say I know for sure but you could ask Valiant.
If there’s one thing you can count on, trust me, they are brutally honest.”
Tammy finally looked at Valiant. He sighed as he watched her back. “I would hurt another female if she tried to have sexual contact with me. I want you and only you. I would not allow another female to touch me.”
“See?” Trisha drew her attention. “You don’t have to worry about him cheating.”
“I will bathe in his blood if another man touches you.” Valiant growled deeply. “I’ll tear off his limbs. I’ll rip off his head.” He paused, took a deep breath. “He’ll die horribly. I will never hurt you though.”
Trisha managed to keep the smile in place. “Did I mention they are very possessive and graphic too?”
Trisha shot him a dirty look and shook her head. “Can you cut back on the gory details a bit? Humans aren’t keen on hearing that stuff. It isn’t a great selling point.
Work with me here.”
He growled. “I always tell Tammy the truth.”
“I’m learning that. I’m not ready to have a baby though.” Tammy met Valiant’s angry glare. “I want to get to know you better first before we even discuss having one together, if that’s even possible. Please understand that and don’t get mad or hurt. I’m not saying no forever, I’m just saying that right now I want to spend more time with you before I consider that option.”
Tammy faced the doctor. “Could you put me on something?”
Trisha nodded. “Of course. I’ll have to call it in and have it delivered since we don’t carry birth control on Reservation. In a few weeks you will need a pregnancy test to make sure you didn’t already conceive and we’ll put you on the Pill.” Trisha paused. “I don’t want to start them right now in case you’ve already conceived. Let me know immediately if you start your period. I—”
“No sex?” Valiant interrupted.
Tammy frowned. “Quiet and allow her to talk.”
Trisha glanced between them, settling her focus on Tammy. “I would also appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone about this discussion. There are a lot of hate groups out there who would be very unhappy if they learned it was even possible for us to have children with them.”
“That’s an understatement if I ever heard one.”
Tammy grimaced. “They’d go ballistic. I saw a show a few weeks ago about some idiots who started a business taking bets on how long each known New Species will live.”
Horrified at what she’d said, her gaze darted to Valiant, hoping it hadn’t hurt his feelings. He met her stare calmly, not appearing shocked at hearing that someone wanted to make a profit of their deaths.
“Yeah. We heard about that.” Trisha got a sad look on her face. “A nd they’d probably do anything to kill the woman carrying that unborn baby and the baby if it had already been born. A lot of them are looking forward to the thought of New Species dying out in time. It would send some of those assholes into a rampage if they discovered that generations more of them were possible.”
“See? That’s another reason why I don’t want to have a baby right now. I’ve already been targeted once. I may as well buy a bull’s-eye T-shirt and live in it. I’m not ready to take that chance just yet. I want the pills as soon as you’re able to prescribe them to me.”