Moon (Laurann Dohner)

“Moon, I really—”

“A year?” He spoke over her, almost nose to nose with her, staring intently into her eyes. He snarled. “More than a year. I can read you.” He released her, backing away so fast he almost tripped on one of the chains but righted before he fell. A snarl tore from him and he spun, facing her. “Get out!”

Joy hated how tears filled her eyes again. She wasn’t prone to them unless it involved Moon. “Okay.” She backed up. “I’ll leave.”

He suddenly lunged forward and fear jolted through her as strong hands gripped her waist. Her feet left the floor and her back slammed into the bars. It didn’t hurt but it was sharp enough to knock the breath from her lungs. Moon pinned her with his body so they were face level. His chest and thighs were plastered against hers to keep her exactly where he wanted.

“Why?”

“I had to…before we ended up having sex. They wouldn’t have allowed us to be together. I did it for you more than myself. I swear. I was afraid you’d attack someone out of retaliation and end up getting hurt. That was the last thing I wanted.”

He leaned in until his hot breath fanned her lips. “No. Why are you here now? I want the truth. Don’t look away from me.”

“You were in trouble and I thought you needed me.”

“I needed you before.”

It was torture being so close to him. Every breath he took made her aware that he wasn’t wearing a shirt and his body heat transferred to hers through the thin material she wore. Her hands trembled when she lifted them and gripped the top of his shoulders. Firm, thick muscles bunched under her fingertips.

“Not a day went by,” she admitted, “that I didn’t regret leaving. I thought about you all the time. I wished things could have been different. I came as soon as Homeland called. I wanted to see you again.”

He softly growled, his chest vibrating against hers. “You said this isn’t site four. My people guard this place and make the rules? Is that correct?”

“Yes.”

He glanced away, his gaze sweeping the basement. “Where are they?”

“Upstairs. Seeing them upset you more.”

“We are alone here?”

“Yes.”

“My people here know me?”

“Yes. Everyone at Homeland really cares about you. Your best friend especially.”

Confusion clouded his features.

“Do you want to know his name?” She wondered if hearing Harley’s name would help him remember.

“My people called you to help me?”

“Yes.”

“Good enough.”

She didn’t know what that meant and opened her mouth to ask him but gasped instead when he pressed against her tighter, almost crushing her against the bars, and his hands slid higher until his thumbs rested under her breasts. His fingers tightened their hold on her ribs.

“Then they would know what I’d do to you.”

He spun without warning, yanking her away from the bars, and moved fast. Joy was too stunned to react until he twisted her around in his hold and flung her. She felt terror as she fell but didn’t slam into the unforgiving floor. Instead a soft mattress caught her weight as she landed on her stomach. The bed dipped to her right as she sucked in air. Chains rattled.

She looked over her shoulder, her heart racing, and was shocked as she watched Moon straddle her thighs. One hand flattened on the middle of her back to keep her in place while his other one reached for the waistband of her skirt. The zipper was loud as he yanked it down.

“What are you doing?”

Air touched her spine and then fingers slid against her underwear. He yanked hard, lifting his weight up at the same time, and her skirt was jerked down her hips to her upper thighs where the material bunched. She tried to turn but couldn’t when his knees trapped her in place.

Moon released her skirt and crouched over her. His hand flattened on the mattress next to her shoulders as he leaned in until their faces were close together to balance his weight.

“I’m trying to avoid ripping your clothes from your body but they are coming off. You can help by rolling over or I’ll shred them.”

All the warnings she’d received flashed through her mind as his words sank in but she wasn’t afraid of him. She was ready for this. She even wanted it. She’d wanted it far too long.

The hand on her back slid down to cup one of her butt cheeks, giving it a good squeeze. The rough feel of his calluses was very noticeable with so much skin revealed by her bikini-cut panties. “Your ass is mine now, sweetness. Anyone who knows me would know how much I want you.” He studied her eyes as his hand massaged her ass where he gripped it. “And they sent you to me.” He lowered his gaze to her mouth, fixating on it. “Say it.”

She had to swallow to find her voice. “What do you want me to say?” Her pulse quickened as she relaxed her tense muscles under him.

His eyebrows arched as he met her stare again. “You have no excuses? No words of rejection?”

She very slowly braced her arms and began to turn over. It was difficult with his body restricting hers but his grip on her ass eased and Moon allowed it. She rolled onto her back, not breaking eye contact. She reached up, hands trembling, and cupped his face.

Surprise showed when his eyes widened as she tugged gently to pull him closer. She tilted her chin slightly and licked her lips.

“Kiss me.”

He sucked in air and another soft growl rumbled from him. “I’m going to do everything to you.”

Chapter Seven

Excitement and a little nervousness shot through Joy as she closed her eyes and Moon’s mouth lightly brushed hers. He was surprisingly tender. It was more of a tease than a kiss as he pulled back. She peeked at him to find him hovering above her. The dark intensity of his look made her feel hot all over.

“Take off your clothes. All of them.” Moon lifted up and carefully got to his feet. “Now.”

It took her a second to get her mind to work. She sat up and reached for the bottom of her shirt but hesitated. She’d fantasized about this moment for so long. Her hands shook when she tugged it up. Her cheeks warmed, knowing he watched her, and she hoped he wouldn’t be disappointed when he got what he wanted. Other unanswered questions plagued her. He was used to Species females. Their bodies were firm and toned. Hers wasn’t. Had he ever slept with a human? She wanted to ask but knew he probably couldn’t give her an answer.

Another part of her suffered guilt. Her training screamed how wrong it was to proceed when his mental acuity was so obviously compromised. What if he had a girlfriend he couldn’t remember? Would he hate her later? Would he feel she’d taken advantage of him? Speak now, she demanded, her conscience not allowing for anything else.

“Moon?”

“Take off your clothes.” His voice deepened, almost inhuman.

“You are missing big chucks of your memory. There could be someone special in your life that you have feelings for. No one mentioned you having a girlfriend but that doesn’t mean you aren’t at least interested in someone. I know so little about your current circumstances but you would never willingly cheat on a woman. This might fall under that.”

He stepped forward and grabbed the shirt she’d removed but still clutched in front of her. He jerked it out of her hold and tossed it on the floor.

“You’d hate me later if we do this and you have feelings for someone else.”

“No excuses,” he snarled.

It gave her pause as she regarded him with alarm.

He slowly crouched. “If there is a female, she’s not here. You are.”

Ouch. Would anyone with breasts do it for him right now?

He seemed to guess where her thoughts went. It shouldn’t have surprised her. The man she’d known had been deeply insightful.

“I am certain there is no female I want more than you, Joy. If I was dating, I settled for her.”

“You can’t know that for sure.”

He leaned forward, gripped the edge of the bed with both hands, and nodded. “I have no doubt.”

He was completely sincere. It was almost embarrassing how close to the surface he brought her emotions. She prided herself on keeping a tight leash on them but then Moon had come along, tearing at the very foundation of her soul until she’d had to walk out of his life to avert disaster for both of them. She’d suffered regret and misery.

“Okay.” She reached back and unhooked her bra.

His gaze lowered to watch her remove it. She dropped it over the side of the bed before stretching flat on her back and lifting her hips. Her thumbs hooked the band of her panties and pushed, widening her fingers to catch her bunched-up skirt, sliding both down her legs as she drew them up to do it. Both garments fell to the floor when she kicked them away. She was totally naked. Moon took in every inch of her body with a methodical gaze.

His feelings were closed off as she watched his face, looking for hints of what he was thinking or feeling as she lowered her legs. She had no idea what to do with her hands so she rested them flat on the mattress, next to her hips.

Moon stood and reached for his sweats. His cock pressed tightly against the cotton material, stretching out the front. He had to ease the waistband over his arousal and it stood straight out when he worked it free. He bent, hiding that sight from her, and softly cursed.

“The damn chains.” Material tore as he ripped off his sweats to get rid of them since the shackles prevented him from getting naked otherwise.

Joy gasped when he straightened again and moved to the bottom of the bed. He put one knee on the end, dropped forward, and his hands braced his upper body. His gaze swept up her legs to her face.

“Spread open for me, sweetness.”

“Don’t you want to kiss me first?”

“I’m going to.” His gaze dropped to her shaved mound. “Open.”

Oh shit. She broke out in a sweat. “Maybe we should take this a bit slower? Um, it’s been a while and, um, I’m a bit rusty. Maybe we should kiss first and work up to that, or down? Yeah. That would be down, wouldn’t it?”

Moon held her gaze and smiled. It was devastating. “You aren’t a virgin. I remember that.”

So did she. He’d gotten furious when she’d explained she’d had ex-boyfriends she’d been intimate with. He’d seemed so naïve, thinking lasting love and sex always went hand in hand with female humans. It had drawn her to him more.

He crawled a few inches higher and one of his chains caught. The smile died as he lifted a hand and jerked, making it scrape along the bottom rail.

“Hold on!” She drew her legs up from between his arms and rolled to her side, escaping the bed to stand.

Moon snarled. “Get back here.”

“Give me a second.” She raced to the cell door. The metal dragging on the floor was the only warning she got before it slammed closed when his hand flattened against it.

“No. You aren’t leaving.”

She spun, staring up at him. “I’m going to go get the key for your shackles. You want out of them, don’t you?”

Indecision played across his face.

“I’m coming right back. I threw the key when I unlocked the door so you couldn’t take it from me. I can remove them.”

He hunched down until their faces were close, to study her. “You could be lying.”

She reached up and caressed his chest. “Trust me, Moon. I want you. I’m getting the key and I’m coming right back.”

It stunned her when he slid to his knees, keeping her trapped between his hands, which gripped the door at her back. He released the bars to cage her ribs and dipped his head. The feel of his hot, wet mouth on her right breast almost made her knees collapse under her.

Her fingers trailed upward and into his hair while he sucked on her nipple. There was nothing gentle or tender about his mouth now. Strong tugs made her quiver all over, sending jolts of pleasure directly to her clit and warming her belly until she felt as though she had ignited in flames.

“Yes.”

He released her breast to go for the other one, giving it the same aggressive attention. Growls tore from him and the hands that gripped her tightened. Joy clung to him to stay upright. She feared melting into a puddle of need on the floor.

Moon suddenly released her and lifted his head to stare into her eyes. He sniffed and a deep rumble came from his parted lips. “You want me. I can almost taste your desire.”

It was impossible to speak. She nodded instead.

The hold on her eased until he backed away on his knees. She had to let go of him, something she didn’t want to do but had no choice. “Get the key. If you’re lying to me…” The threat hung in the air.

She nodded mutely and reached back to open the door but realized her body blocked it when it tapped her ass as she pulled. Joy stepped to the side, opened it enough to fit through, and turned her back on him while she frantically searched for the key she’d tossed.

Silver glinted on the basement floor under the dim overhead lights. It took control not to run to retrieve it but instead calmly take each step. Another snarl tore from Moon when she bent and picked up the key from the floor. She turned to discover he’d opened the cell door wide and blocked it with his impressive body.

“Come to me,” he demanded harshly.

His cock twitched, appeared incredibly hard, and she put one foot in front of the other until she stood before him. They almost touched. Moon snatched the key out of her hand, keeping eye contact while he freed both his wrists. The shackles and chains fell to the floor with a loud clank. Then he bent and unlocked both ankle shackles.

Joy didn’t expect him to grab her but he did. One arm hooked around her waist and she was lifted as he swept her up against his body. Long strides took them to the bed. He dropped her there and stunned her again when he turned his back. She watched as he crossed the cell, slammed the door closed, and then grabbed one of the shackles that was attached to a front corner of the cell.

“What are you doing?”

He didn’t spare her a glance as he wrapped the chain around the bars multiple times and locked it, securing the door. He took the other front corner chain and wrapped it at least five times over that one and locked it as well. The chains would have to be cut in several places to breach the small room. He faced her then.

“Why did you do that?”

“No one is coming in here to stop me. At least, it will take them some time to get to me.”

“No one will interfere.”

“I’m not taking any chances, sweetness.”

This was the man she knew, the one she’d come to love. He approached her with the grace of a predator and she wasn’t fool enough not to see the reminder that he wasn’t completely human.

“Spread open for me,” he demanded gruffly. “Now. I won’t wait any longer. I can’t. I’m about to snap.”

Part of her was tempted to see what would happen if he did. She’d fantasized countless times about him making love to her without restraint. He’d be wild, his Species instincts barely controlled, completely unlike anyone else she’d ever known intimately. It was part of his sexual appeal. Another part of her remembered that while he seemed one-hundred-percent lucid, he could relapse again. She wasn’t going to push her luck. They were together in the here and now.

Joy spread her legs and bent her knees up, settling her heels on the edges of the mattress. Moon stalked closer, paused at the end of the bed, and his attention locked on her sex. She swallowed hard, heart racing, and once again she was at a loss as to what to do with her hands.

Nerves were also playing hell with her. She hadn’t had sex in almost three years. At first she’d been recovering from the betrayal by a boyfriend. Then she’d met 466. Her job kept her at the desert location and once she’d left, the few dates she’d had only amplified how much other men lacked. No one could compare to the man of her dreams. Male of my dreams, she corrected, remembering he hated to be called “man”.

He stood there watching her as she did him. His eyes appeared black instead of dark brown. His features seemed to grow harsh and she worried he might not like what he saw, despite his cock still jutting out, large and hard in her view.

“Moon?” The uncertainty in her voice was apparent.

One ragged breath and he eased a knee onto the end of the bed, his hands bracing his weight as he came down, and his shoulders maneuvered between her knees to push them farther apart. He didn’t give any other warning before he dropped his elbows and gripped her inner thighs. His silky hair ticked her skin before the feel of his hot breath fanned the seam of her sex.

The growl was sexy and deep, a tiny bit scary due to how inhuman it sounded, but then she had other things to concentrate on. He pinned her hips down tight and his thumbs spread her wider open to his mouth as his tongue made one long lick across her clit.

Joy finally knew what to do with her hands as they grabbed for something to claw as pleasure shot through her body. She dug her fingernails into the bedding, tightly fisting it. Moon’s mouth nuzzled in and that talented, strong tongue of his lapped at her with a determination that left her panting and unable to form coherent thoughts.

The taste of Joy nearly snapped his control. His dick hurt and raw pain pulsed through his entire system from the need to be inside her, but he fought to resist. He wanted her to come first. It would help him enter her if she was really wet and prepared. Her hips bucked against his hold. She twisted her body in a frantic, desperate way that assured him she was close enough to coming that she couldn’t hold still.

She was so responsive that it almost made him lose his hold on his human side and allow his animal instincts to take the helm. He pinned her down tighter and rubbed his tongue rapidly against the swelling bud until she cried out his name. The feel of her soft thighs enticed him to explore every inch of her but he would have to do that later. The need to be inside her overruled everything else. Her body seized, jerking, and he kept going until the scent of her release was the final push that snapped his determination.

He tore his mouth away from heaven and rose, crawling higher over Joy. Her eyes were closed, head thrown back, mouth open. Her face was flushed and rosy—the most beautiful, sensual thing he’d ever seen. Finally, she was his.

He wanted to savagely enter her, take her, own her. He even searched for the perfect place to bite where it wouldn’t do much damage so it would be displayed to all other males when she wore her clothing. The swell of her breast halted his search. She liked to wear shirts that revealed a little cleavage. One bite near the top would be perfect to stake his claim.

One of her hands released the bedding and blindly reached up, opening on his chest. He glanced down and it was a reminder that she was delicate. Her fingers were slim, her palm small, and her skin much paler than his. The urgency of his desire to fuck Joy abated slightly. Easy, damn it, he ordered the instincts pushing to get out.

He braced one arm near her face and reached between them to grip her knee, shoving it up higher to lock against his hip. He didn’t need to guide his dick to her. It had a mind of its own at that moment, all focused on the slick wetness it located. He adjusted slightly and bit back a snarl when he pressed against her.

Slow. Don’t hurt her, he chanted silently.

Beautiful blue eyes opened and he forgot how to breathe for a second, frozen above Joy, while she peered up at him in half-lidded contentment. My female. Memories rapidly flashed through his mind of all the times they’d shared, all the ways he’d wanted the female, and now the wait was over. He pushed gently, her body receptive but snug and sleek as he sank into her.

The snarl wouldn’t be denied as he entered deeper, her pussy fisting him so tightly he feared it would hurt them both. Her eyes widened but no pain creased her features. The hand on his chest didn’t claw at him but instead dug into muscle, clinging to him. Her other hand gripped his biceps, holding on as if her life depended on it. Her lips parted as she moaned.

Her hips moved, shifted under him, and muscles clenched around his shaft. It felt so good he wanted to howl but instead he focused on his female. In. Out. Slow. Let her adjust. He repeated those words to keep from taking her too fast and hard. Pure rapture threatened to drown his good intentions. He had always known it would be good with Joy but this was beyond anything he’d ever experienced. She was heaven, hell, and everything intoxicating—a drug for his senses and all he’d ever dreamed about, wrapped up in one small female.

“You’re mine,” he rasped, knowing he couldn’t last long. His seed threatened to spill, his excitement too great as his balls tightened.

He released her knee, wiggled his hand between them and pressed his thumb down on her clit to rub furiously. He knew she’d be sensitive from his mouth and she reacted instantly, nails digging into his skin, marking him. He lowered his mouth to her neck. Joy turned her face away to give him access and he gently bit down. She jerked under him and screamed out his name. Her muscles gripping his dick squeezed tighter and milked him as they began to quiver.

He tore his mouth away from her delicate throat as a white-hot fog of ecstasy ripped through his body. The base of his dick swelled as he filled Joy with his semen, strong jets of it surging out so hard it hurt. It hurt so good.

She’d been worth the wait. He’d known it would be incredible but had never believed anything would feel so right until he’d finally gotten Joy. One thing was clear above all else as his body rode though the sheer ecstasy of finally knowing the taste and feel of his female. He would never allow her to push him away again.

She’s mine to keep! It was his last conscious thought before everything turned black.

Joy tried to catch her breath but it was nearly impossible with Moon’s heavy body pinning her to the bed where he’d collapsed.

“Moon?”

He didn’t respond. Her hands ran along his arms and upper shoulders, struggling to shift him enough to see his face. His eyes were closed, his expression lax.

“466?”

He didn’t budge or wake. Worry hit hard and fast. He was in prime physical condition so it wasn’t logical that he’d pass out from exhaustion caused by sex. Of course, it could be the effects of the drug. He probably had worn himself out with all that pacing and snarling. He’d fought his chains too.

She relaxed, unable to do anything else and jostled him enough to allow her to breathe normally. No way could she move him off her without rolling him onto the floor, something she wasn’t willing to do. He could get hurt. Their bodies were still intimately joined and she realized he was probably locked inside her. The feeling of how big and snug his cock felt would account for that.

Joy knew all about Species’ physical differences. Not only did most of them have sharp canines and the thick, calloused skin on their fingertips and palms, but canine Species locked inside a female after ejaculation. The feline Species didn’t but their semen was warmer than normal. The primate Species tended to be really touchy-feely.

She ran her hands over Moon’s shoulders, arms, just anywhere she could touch him. There had been countless nights she’d fantasized she’d be in the exact position she found herself. Of course, in those fantasies he’d been awake and kissing her.

They’d finally had sex and it had blown her mind. It was ten times better than anything she’d expected. A shiver, the good kind, ran down her spine. Her Species lover not only knew how to perform amazing oral sex but he didn’t even move like a normal man did while making love. He’d ground his hips against hers, every drive of his cock searching and finding the right spot to hit. Just thinking about it turned her on again, wishing they could go another round.

I’m in love with him even more now. It was a sobering realization. 466—Moon—would be a danger to anyone’s heart. Any red-blooded woman would be drawn to his extraordinary personality and his physical dominance. She was no exception.

What happens when he gets all his memories back? She worried about that while she continued to stroke and explore his body wherever she could reach. There was a chance he no longer felt a strong emotional tie to her. People could change a lot in two years—the video Harley had shown was proof of that. The male she’d known wouldn’t have joked around about playing sports with women.

It still bothered her that he might have met someone else. Harley would have mentioned a girlfriend or a woman if Moon was seeing anyone but that didn’t mean he hadn’t lost his heart at some point. She knew that life-altering events could trigger people to take stock of their lives. What if he recovered and decided to pursue whoever he had lost? What if he didn’t want her? It would shred her to lose him yet again.

Joy closed her eyes and clung to Moon. One day at a time, one step at a time. It was advice she’d given to countless clients when they faced upheaval and uncertainty in their private lives. The first priority was getting Moon well. She’d worry about the future later.

Chapter Eight

Something is different. It was his first impression as he became conscious. An arousing feminine scent filled his lungs as he inhaled. His other senses awakened next. Warm flesh was pinned beneath him. Soft breasts were plastered against his chest and the female’s thighs were spread apart under him, the light weight of her legs hooked over the back of his.

He opened his eyes to the sight of chestnut curls spread across a pillow and the pale column of her throat only inches from his mouth. His gaze followed the curve of her chin to her dainty face. She seemed familiar but he couldn’t understand the protective instincts that rose so strongly inside him as he studied the female while she slept.

His dick was hard and buried inside her. He tried to remember how the female had entered his cell but nothing surfaced. Breeding drug. It took him seconds to associate the thought with the meaning. A foggy memory of being shot with a dart and intense pain flashed inside his head. The drug had been used on him before but the details of how many times and exact circumstances were out of reach. He knew it was a weapon used against him to force him to mount females.

Human. He lifted his head enough to stare down at the slumbering female lying on his mat. To be certain. Rage engulfed him and his heartbeat accelerated. Enemy. More images and partial memories surfaced—humiliation, abuse and sadistic behavior unleashed on him by her male counterparts.

He lifted his hand, careful to make no sudden moves that would alert her to his intent. The lower half of him throbbed, more than aware of how wet she was and how tightly she gloved his shaft. Desire to take his pleasure from her almost overrode his urge to seek revenge. It would feel good to drive his body in and out of hers. Helpless. She is too small and weak to fight me. That made him pause. He was not cruel.

He would show mercy. It enraged him that he’d been used for more tests. They obviously had wanted to breed him with a human. His gaze scanned her shoulders, throat, and down her arms, which were bent upward, resting near the pillow. No bruises or bite marks marred her pale skin. He hadn’t taken her as aggressively as he somehow knew he would have on the drug. It was also confusing that she faced him, their bodies joined that way, when she should have been facedown. He would have mounted her from behind.

He wrapped his fingers tenderly around her fragile throat. One quick twist and it would be over. She’d die without pain. The test would be a failure. He focused on her face, studied every detail of her features. Her mouth was a temptation. Her nose was so different from his—smaller and narrower. Her cheekbones were less pronounced. Even her eyelashes were dainty.

The memory of her gazing at him slammed into his mind. He knew her eyes would be blue, beautiful, with flecks of yellow. He couldn’t remember where he’d seen them before but it was a certainty that would be what he saw if her eyelids parted. His hand on her throat relaxed.

The protective instincts grew stronger until his chest felt as though it actually constricted. He had to swallow the lump forming in his throat as he nearly choked on raw emotion. It was confusing why he felt such self-loathing over even considering snapping her neck. The sight of his hand against her throat was even more alarming. He withdrew it and fingered a thick lock of her hair instead.

Soft. He inhaled, breathing her in. His dick hardened until his balls ached. He was so focused on the female that it wasn’t easy to concentrate but he forced his attention elsewhere to assess the situation.

The mat was thicker than the one he was accustomed to and it wasn’t on the floor. He turned his head, stunned by his surroundings. The cage he knew so well was gone. Bars ran from floor to ceiling on three of the walls. Chains wrapped the bars of the door but the locks were all inside. Logic told him the door had been secured from the inside.

He wasn’t a prisoner. He had secured the area to keep humans out. His gaze returned to the slumbering female. Her chest rose and fell steadily. He growled and her breathing changed. Her eyelids remained closed but she wasn’t so drugged that she couldn’t wake.

Think. How did I get here? Who is this female? He turned his head the other way, staring past the bars to a cavernous, dim room beyond. The smell of the place was different from Mercile. A howl threatened to explode from him as rage heated his blood. He hated them. It took him a moment to remember why. Mercile employees were vile humans who caused him pain and kept him at their mercy. They had none. They were cruel, cunning, vicious adversaries. Even females were cruel at Mercile.

He pulled back his lip into a snarl as he turned his head again to stare down at the female. Enemy. Human. Kill. He hesitated, unable to do it regardless of his need to seek vengeance on one of them. His lungs constricted again and it was difficult to draw breath as tenderness swamped his senses. It was a foreign concept.

Why? There was no answer. He couldn’t hurt her. Other needs grew stronger until he couldn’t resist any longer. She was his, at least for the moment, on his mat. No one could reach them without cutting through the bars or the chains. He’d secured his space…unless she’d done it after he’d been drugged. It didn’t make sense though. Humans locked him inside a cage to keep him away from them. They would not willingly trap themselves with their victims.

I did it. I must have locked us inside. He was certain of that now, despite his lack of recollection. The condition of his dick was a hint as to why he might have kept her captive. One more survey of her skin and its lack of trauma verified that she hadn’t struggled.

Some of the sluggishness faded from his mind, making it easier to think. The smell of sex hung in the air, a mixture of himself and her. He growled, wanting to find pleasure in her body. She stirred under him and her lips parted slightly. Her eyes under the closed lids moved and then they opened. Blue with yellow specks—exactly as he’d somehow known.

He expected her to scream when she became aware that he had her pinned. Instead, she smiled and the warmth in her gaze was devastating to his libido. She moved leisurely, her hands uncurled and lifted to touch the tops of his shoulders. Fingernails didn’t claw his skin in protest but gently caressed him.

“Good morning.”

Her voice was husky and feminine, honey to his ears. He wanted to hear her speak more. She did, as if she could read his thoughts.

“You passed out.”

Her palms and fingertips slid over the curve of his shoulders to the front of his chest, exploring and almost destroying his tight control. It was difficult to remain still when all he wanted to do was drive his hips against hers. Many questions bothered him but he refrained from speaking.

The expression on her face changed to one that he identified as concern.

“Are you okay?” Her touch paused. “What’s wrong?” She paled. “Do you know who I am?”

He didn’t like seeing her distressed and instantly responded by shifting his position, making sure she couldn’t struggle if panic set in. The concept of harming the female in any way was offensive to him. His arms settled next to hers to keep her caged.

“Easy.” He wanted to assure her she wasn’t in danger.

Fear filled her eyes and his heart rate increased at her distress. She lowered her gaze, but he wasn’t fooled. He might be crushing her so he braced more of his weight on his arms and legs, lifting half an inch. It gave her the opportunity to wiggle out from under him but she didn’t.

“You are safe,” he rasped, mindful of his tone to avoid frightening her more.

He didn’t tense when her hands slid up his chest to his shoulders again. She wasn’t strong enough to really harm him. Her nails would hurt if she dug them into his skin to draw blood but he could handle that discomfort. She wasn’t going for his face, where she could do actual damage to his eyes. The female gripped him, clinging in a way he liked.

“I’m Joy. We know each other.”

Very well. He took a deep breath, drawing in the scent of their spent passion, still lingering in the air. His dick inside her, combined with their lack of clothing and what his nose told him assured him of that. He wanted to mount the female again.

“Do you know your name?”

He had no answer but it didn’t matter. They were together. He shifted his hips carefully and the silken confines of her pussy were torture. The small movement was enough to send him into a frenzy of mindless passion. She was hot, wet, and tight around him. She didn’t scream or struggle when he tested how she’d take him while sharing sex. Surprise was the only emotion she showed, urging him to sink his shaft deeper inside her.

Her legs tightened around the back of his while her hands gripped him with more force. He paused, waiting to see if she’d protest. Her tongue darted out to lick her lips but she stared at him now without fear. He noted the way her breathing increased but as he slowly dragged his dick almost all the way out of her, she lifted her thighs higher to his waist and clamped them firmly against his hips.

That was definitely a yes. He buried his nose against her throat, his mouth parting to taste her skin, and growled in excitement. The flavor of her was delicious and he wanted more, to lick her all over and explore…later. He plowed his hips into the cradle of her thighs, careful not to be too rough. She was human after all. They bruised easily and harm was the last thing he wanted as she moaned next to his ear.

He nearly came from the feel of her. She squeezed his dick to the point of pain but it was the best kind. He drove in and out of her pussy, moving faster until he had to stop kissing her and clench his teeth to resist losing control. Her moans rose in pitch as her vaginal muscles tightened even more. The feel of her climax was the final straw as her sex grew wetter, hotter, and she dug her nails into his skin.

His head snapped back and he howled as his body exploded. The ecstasy left him blind. He was not sure if he’d closed his eyes or if all his senses had been overridden by his swelling dick as he locked inside her, filling her with his seed. He shook violently from the intense experience.

He dropped his face into the curve of her neck before he could pull his thoughts together and find rationality. She was his. He sank his teeth into her tender skin and blood coated his tongue. He snarled, loving how good she tasted—so right. He felt her body jerk under his but it barely registered until she cried out. It wasn’t a sound of pleasure but one of pain.

Horror jolted through him as he realized what he’d done. He jerked his mouth away and stared at the bite he’d inflicted upon the female. Bright-red blood from two puncture wounds stained her neck and shoulder and dripped on the bedding. The indentations of his lower teeth were already forming bruises on her pale flesh near the base of her throat in the curve of her shoulder.

She released him and grabbed at the injury. He looked at her eyes then. They were filled with distress as she stared at him.

He would have rolled away but his swollen dick held him captive inside her. He snarled, enraged at what he’d done. Regret didn’t undo the action. Her legs released his hips and straightened along the length of his. Tears slipped silently down the side of her face. A ragged sob escaped her.

“I didn’t mean to.” He winced over how raw his voice came out but he couldn’t mute his sorrow.

He grabbed her trembling hand and pulled it away from the wound. He studied what he’d done to the female. The bite would scar where he’d pierced her skin. She’d carry his mark for the rest of her life.

She turned her head away, giving him a better view of the damage he’d inflicted, and used her other hand to hide her upper face. He would have urged her to trust him but it seemed insincere under the circumstances.

“I’ll tend it. Relax.”

She didn’t say a word but it had to hurt. He lowered his mouth and prepared to hold her securely if she struggled. His swiped the injury with his tongue as gently as possible. It drew a gasp from her but she didn’t flinch away.

The taste of her made his dick twitch and harden. It was uncomfortable instead of arousing with the swelling still receding from the knot that had formed near the base of his shaft. They both suffered a little as he finished cleaning the wound.

Joy shielded her eyes while she attempted to get a handle on what had happened. She didn’t argue about germs or how unsanitary it was for 466 to lick at the bite. Animals tended to wounds that way and there was no denying his DNA.

He bit me. She couldn’t get over that fact. It was bad enough that he didn’t know who she was. It wasn’t much of a surprise, albeit disappointing. He could have reacted in various ways when he’d awoken to find an unknown woman naked under him. It took control not to shudder as those scenarios scrolled through her mind. The worst being that it could have cost her life.

Where is he right now? Still at Mercile? She was afraid to ask. He might think she was the enemy. He could go from being tender to tearing her apart with his bare hands. The stories she’d heard about Species killing their captors were the makings of nightmares. Nope, don’t go there, she decided. A bite suddenly didn’t seem so bad.

He finished licking her and raised his head. She needed to get a read on his emotional state but kept her hand over her eyes. Dragging out the moment didn’t seem so terrible as she dealt with her own turmoil.

“Joy?”

Hope flared that his memory had finally returned. She wiped at her tears, blinked rapidly to clear them, and shifted her hand to peer at his handsome face. “You remember me?”

His frown and the confusion in his eyes was answer enough. It would be a terrifying situation if she wasn’t in love with him.

“That is your name?”

That is a question, not a statement. She cleared her throat. “Yes.”

He glanced away to stare at something near the center of the room. “I did that?”

She followed his gaze, spotting the chains on the door. “Yes.”

Dark eyes fixed on her. “Why?”

“You wanted to make sure no one could come in here.”

Keep calm, and damn it, stop crying. Her emotions were so raw that the hated tears were always just below the surface, waiting to escape at the most inopportune times. She felt like an emotional wreck and had to constantly battle for composure. She almost never cried, yet it seemed she fought tears at every turn now. Only Moon could do that to her.

She’d just shared intimate relations with someone who considered her a stranger. It hurt on many emotional levels. What they had was something she cherished yet to him she could have been any woman. She’d made love to him but he’d fucked her.

He glanced at her throat then held her gaze. “I didn’t mean to draw blood. I am sincere.”

“I believe you. It’s okay.”

“No.” He softly growled. “I’m furious.” His hand suddenly cupped her cheek. The loving way he regarded her was promising. “I don’t understand why but you are important to me.”

Somehow he sensed they had a strong connection. “You’re having a difficult time remembering your life.”

“I was given the breeding drug.”

“No. It’s something else.”

“What?”

“I don’t know. We haven’t seen it before.”

“We?” His voice deepened and his eyes narrowed with suspicion. “You are Mercile?”

“No!” She shook her head in denial. “You were freed from there.” She paused. “Does the name 466 or Moon mean anything to you?” She hoped one of them would trigger some clarity.

“466.” He seemed a little excited. “I know that. It’s my name!”

“Yes, it is.”

He glanced around again, lowering his tone. “Where are we?”

“Homeland. It’s safe here.”

His voice lowered as he inched their faces closer until their lips almost touched. “Tell me what is going on. What is wrong with me? Who are you and why are we sharing sex? Is this a trick? Are you being forced into a breeding experiment with me? I want the truth, female.”

Her hands flattened on his chest and fear inched along her spine. “Please listen to me. Mercile is gone. You are no longer being controlled by them. An unknown drug has affected your memory. You get confused. You don’t need to hurt me to get me to tell you anything you want to know. Just ask. I’m here because I want to be and I care about you.”

His chest vibrated when he snarled. “You care about me?”

“Yes.”

“You’re human.”

“I am.” She couldn’t deny that.

“They are my enemy.”

“I’m not.”

The concentrated way he studied her made her optimistic that he’d at least reflect on her words. “466, what is the last thing you remember? Focusing on a fixed point in time seems to help you remember more. Will you please close your eyes and try to tell me anything that comes to mind?”

He continued to watch her. “I want you again.” He slowly withdrew his semi-stiff cock from her body though. “Don’t distract me anymore with sex. I demand answers.”

“I’m giving them to you. You need to help me help you.”

He smirked. “I don’t like that saying. I’ve heard it before.”

“That’s good. It means you’re recalling something. What is it?”

His eyes closed and she patiently waited. It was paramount that he concentrate on any fragments he could locate to piece together any part of his life. She wanted to get the man she loved back. The ache in her chest grew stronger as time passed while she worried he wouldn’t find lucidity. His expression began to change. His dark eyes snapped open and the pain in them almost stole her breath.

His gaze slid to the bite mark and he snarled, released her, and moved faster than she thought possible. One second he was over her and the next he had rolled away. She turned her head in time to see him land on the floor on all fours.

She struggled to sit up, deeply concerned when he stayed crouched there with his back to her. “466?”

His head whipped around and the shimmer of tears pooling in his eyes had her reaching out to him. He rose to his feet, turned to face her as he backed away, and didn’t stop until his ass hit the bars. He growled, spun, and crossed the room to the far corner.

Joy watched him grip the bars and every muscle in his body seemed to grow rigid. The sight of him totally bare was distracting since he was so beautiful but her worry about his mental state made her feel guilty about noticing his perfect physique.

“466?”

“Get out of here,” he rasped. “I hurt you.”

“It’s not your fault.” She stood on unsteady legs. Between the sex and having him sleep on her, her body felt a little sluggish and achy. It was a reminder of how out of shape she’d allowed herself to get over the years, sitting behind a desk. A heavy workload didn’t allow any spare time to go to the gym. “Look at me.”

“I can’t.” He drew in a deep breath, his back expanding. “Get out, Joy. Now. I’m dangerous.”

He’d realized who she was. His tortured tone was a clue to the deep regret and anguish he must feel if he had regained some of his memory. “It’s okay. I’m fine. It’s nothing a bandage and a few days won’t take care of.”

He shook his head, his hair brushing against his back. “I savagely mauled you. Get out!” He snarled. “Go!”

“I’m not leaving you. It’s a bite. I won’t die from it or anything.”

He released the bars and slowly turned around. She almost wished he hadn’t when she saw his face.

“You already left me. Why did you come back? Why are you here?”

“I have told you many times. What do you remember?”

“You left me there. You quit.” He took a step forward but halted. His hands clenched at his sides. “I was drugged by an enemy, suffered memory loss, and you came to help me claim my life again.”

She nodded, ignoring the chill in the room that was becoming increasingly noticeable. She no longer had his body heat to keep her warm. “That’s all true. What is the last thing you remember?”

“All of it.”

She wasn’t sure if that statement was accurate. He couldn’t know that for sure, the way he kept relapsing. “What is your name?”

His chin rose a little and his eyes narrowed. “Moon. I live at Homeland and sometimes Reservation. We were transported from site four, given Homeland by the United States government as a way to bribe us into forgiving them for their part in funding Mercile Industries. We bought Reservation on our own.”

Her heart pounded. He wasn’t exactly the man she’d fallen in love with but he was Moon, the person he’d become after she’d left his life. “Do you remember the attack? The one where you were drugged?”

She tried hard to be clinical. The woman in her was heartbroken though at the cold way he stared at her. Her worst fear was becoming reality. He said he remembered everything and if that was true, he’d decided to reject having her in his life. She’d always been afraid he wouldn’t be able to forgive her. It seemed that fear was justified.

“Some bastard shot me with a tranquilizer dart. I was at Reservation.” He looked away from her then, studying the room. “Is this the basement of Medical at Homeland?”

“Yes. You were brought here.”

“I attacked my friends.” His tone deepened and his fingers unclenched. Anger flushed his features as his gaze turned her way.

The way he perused her naked body from her toes upward until he met her gaze made her blush. “Put on your clothes.” He glanced down at his chest, seeming to notice his own naked state. “Shit.”

“This is the first time you’ve been completely lucid since you were drugged.” She didn’t move toward her discarded clothes. It was pure agony for her to resist doing as he ordered. He was angry that they’d had sex and didn’t bother to spare her feelings. She pushed aside her embarrassment and hurt to focus on his mental state. “How do you feel?”

“I’m calling for help. Put on something,” he demanded harshly, “or they will see all of you.”

“Talk to me. Are you in pain? Do you have a headache? Buzzing in your ears? Any numbness in your extremities?” It was tough to keep in therapist mode. “Do you know what happens to you when you lose your memories?”

“Goddamn it,” he growled, staring at her. “Cover yourself now. I can’t get dressed since I destroyed my sweats when I tore them off over the shackles.”

Joy blushed and bent, her hands trembling as she attempted to get dressed. Pain pierced her chest as though a dagger had been jabbed directly into her heart. He regretted what they’d done. She’d screwed everything up by having sex with him when she should have known better.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, dragging her skirt up her legs and failing to zip it all the way. The shirt was easier to put on.

“For what?” Chains rattled. He still sounded angry.

She looked at him and was surprised to see him use the key on the shackles. He unwound the chains from the bars, dropped them to the floor, and yanked open the door. He didn’t leave the cell though but instead stalked her way. Joy kept her gaze on his face.

Her thoughts were jumbled. He respected the truth so she couldn’t lie by apologizing for what had transpired between them on his bed. He might regret it but she didn’t. “I’m sorry you’re upset.” That was the best she could do under the circumstances.

Moon walked past her, ripped the sheet off the mattress and proceeded to wrap it around his waist to cover his lower half. She got one good look at his ass before he knotted the material to keep it in place and slowly faced her. One quick glance down her body and he held her gaze.

“You shouldn’t have come back. You made your choice a long time ago not to be a part of my life.” He reached up suddenly and gripped her arm. Strong fingers dug in but it didn’t hurt. “What the hell were you thinking by coming into this room with me when I was out of my mind? You’re lucky I didn’t kill you.” His gaze flicked to her wound and his mouth compressed into a tight line. “Cover your ears.”

She hesitated.

“Do it. When I yell it will echo in here.”

She lifted both hands to do as he’d ordered.

“Security!” he shouted. “We need assistance now!”

Joy stopped pressing her palms against her ears when he released her and stepped back. Moon’s furious gaze swept the cell before he looked at her again.

“Get out. I’m still dangerous. I have no idea how long I’ll remain rational but I think it won’t be for long.”

The elevator doors slid open but Joy ignored whoever entered the basement. She fixed her attention on Moon. “I’m not going.”

A muscle jumped along his jaw. He didn’t glance at her but instead at whoever had come when he’d yelled for help. Surprise changed his expression.

“Jessie? What the hell are you doing here?”

Joy turned to watch a pretty redhead wearing all black approach the cell. The woman gripped a dart gun that was aimed at Moon. Her hair was really long, falling over one shoulder in a braid that nearly reached her waist. The woman halted, a frown firmly on her face.

“Moon?” The uncertainty in the guard’s voice was clear. “You know who I am?”

“Of course I do. I’m not screwed up at the moment but I could lose it at any time. Get her out of here and lock me up. I’m dangerous.”

The weapon lowered and the redhead shot Joy an angry glare. “You totally unchained him and left the door open?”

“Jessie?” Moon interrupted before Joy could answer. “Catch. I can’t keep that.”

He tossed the key to his shackles. The redhead caught it. Joy was stunned when Moon bent and grabbed one of the chains. He dragged it over and secured the shackle to one ankle then pressed the auto-lock into place until it clicked.

“What are you doing?”

He glanced up at her while he secured the second one. “Fixing your mistake. You never should have set me free.” Anger deepened his voice. “I could have attacked my friends again. They put me in these for a damn reason.”

His admonishment left Joy reeling. She’d allowed her personal feelings to cloud her judgment. He’d called her on it and she couldn’t even deny her culpability. Harley’s accusations that first time she’d met him came back to her. All the good intensions in the world didn’t matter when faced with Moon’s anger.

“Moon?” The male voice surprised Joy and she jumped, staring at Justice North standing behind his wife. She hadn’t heard him come into the room.

“Good to see you, Justice. I wish the circumstances were better.” Moon snapped the restraint onto his wrist. “Why the hell is your mate close to me? She shouldn’t be. Have you lost your mind too?”

Justice entered the cell and gripped Moon by the shoulders. “Moon?”

“I’m present. Currently.” Moon reached up and clutched Justice’s arms. “Did you catch the bastard who shot me?”

“Not yet but we have solid leads. We managed to capture a few of the humans who attempted to steal Beauty. They didn’t want to talk at first but I was persuasive.”

“You took off the tie again and started stripping to avoid getting blood on your fancy suit?” A smile tugged at Moon’s lips and his gaze softened. “Is the Gift okay?”

“She’s fine. Safe. Shadow and Beauty mated.”

“Good. I’m glad this shit wasn’t for nothing. What is my condition besides being fucked?” He glanced at Joy then, before staring at Justice. “I could have killed her. Why is she here?”

“We thought you’d just been tranquilized but you woke feral. Our doctors are consulting with specialists all over the country.”

“A Mercile concoction? Those bastards are the ones who tried to grab the Gift?”

“It was the rich prick who once owned her but we believe he’s working with Mercile.”

“You didn’t answer my question. Why is she here?”

Justice hesitated. “We were desperate to try anything. I sure wasn’t going to allow Kregkor near you. I know how you feel about him.”

“Thanks.” Moon released Justice and stepped back. “I’m not sure how long I have before I lose it again.”

“Are you sure you will?” Justice studied him. “Maybe it’s over.”

“I don’t think so. I have a headache and a bad feeling.”

“What kind?” Justice asked.

It hurt Joy that he’d answer his friend but had ignored her questions, making it obvious that her help wasn’t welcomed by Moon. She remained silent as the two of them talked.

“I don’t know, but I’m worried I’ll lose my sanity again.” He lifted one arm, staring at the restraint on his wrist then let it drop. “Keep me confined. It’s better to be safe than sorry. My memory is not real clear. There are fuzzy gaps. Besides biting a few people and kicking some ass, have I done any real damage to anyone?”

“No.”

“Apologize for me, will you?” Moon took another step back. “It gets all screwed up in my head. I can’t tell what is real and what isn’t. I am confused most of the time and believe I’m back at Mercile or in the desert. I feel pure hatred to the point that I could hurt anything that moves.” He paused. “Murderous rage. Do you understand? That’s the emotion driving me.”

“We’re doing everything we can and we won’t give up.”

“I know that.” Moon hesitated. “I’d be noble and ask you to put me down but I’m not ready to toss in the towel yet. I want to beat this shit and get my life back.”

“We wouldn’t do that,” Jessie assured him, moving closer to the cell. “We’ll hunt down the sicko who created the drug and make him tell us how to reverse the effects.” She’d holstered her weapon. “Even if I have to go at him. I can be pretty mean when I’m pissed and I’m livid.”

Moon grinned at the redhead but it appeared strained. “Are you working with the task force again to track him down?”

“No. I was pulling guard duty because you believed you were at site four. It’s the only uniform I have.”

“I’ve been with her,” Justice softly added. “You wouldn’t have gotten the chance to cause Jessie harm. I was inside the elevator the entire time, ready to come to her aid.”

“Don’t put your mate at risk.” Moon pressed his back against the wall and reached up, rubbing his temple. “Damn. It’s getting worse. It feels as though my head is being squeezed.”

“Call Treadmont,” Justice ordered.

Jessie grabbed her cell phone. “On it.”

Moon’s gaze lifted and he stared at Joy. Fear gripped her that he’d order her to be sent away but he didn’t say anything. Jessie’s voice was soft as she explained the situation to whoever answered and requested a medical team be sent downstairs.

Joy knew her time with Moon was limited. Dr. Treadmont would probably demand to examine Moon in privacy. She slowly approached him while they continued to stare at each other. Justice didn’t try to stop her. She paused a few feet away from the man she loved.

“I’m not leaving,” she whispered and hated the tears that once again filled her eyes. “Please don’t ask them to keep me away from you.”

He surprised her by reaching out and cupping her face. His thumb was gentle as he stroked her cheek. “We have unfinished business, sweetness.”

The tears slipped out but she didn’t wipe them away. It gave her hope that he didn’t hate her after all.

“You’re the only one who can reach me when I’m lost.”

She wanted to lunge and hug him, relieved that he acknowledged that something special was between them. It took a huge effort to resist the urge. His hand dropped away and he broke eye contact to stare over her head at Justice.

“Don’t give her the key to my restraints again. I bit her. Keep bars between us from now on. That’s the only way she can stay with me. Am I clear? Send her upstairs to have the wound checked.”

Chapter Nine

Frustration and worry were two emotions Joy could live without. They seemed to be her constant companions since she’d been escorted by Jessie to the elevator. The male nurse had cleaned the bite, bandaged it, and given her an antibiotic shot. Stitches hadn’t been required.

“How is Moon? Is he still lucid? It’s been four hours since Dr. Treadmont and his team went downstairs.”

Paul, the nurse, frowned at her from across the desk. “We’re still waiting for word.”

“Can’t you check? May I go see him?”

“Ted said to keep you here.”

“Of course he did.” The jerk was territorial and didn’t like her. Sex therapist! Anger burned at that insult.

“I could call for an escort to take you back to your housing.”

“No. I’m not leaving Medical.”

“Then we wait.” The nurse opened a drawer and offered a pack of gum. “Want a piece?”

“No thanks.”

He returned it and glanced at his computer. “You could sit at that other desk. We have a few games loaded on these things.”

“I don’t want to play draw poker.” She leaned forward to glance at the screen, having noticed that it kept most of his attention. “Is this what you do all day?”

“It is when we’re shut down for the most part. Trisha is treating people at her house if they need something minor. Only emergencies are cleared to enter Medical.” He smiled. “I patched you up since you were already here or you would have been sent to her house too. It’s been a slow day, luckily.”

“Moon is locked in a cell. There’s no way he could get up here to hurt anyone.”

“It’s not why Medical is still shut down. He howls when he’s in a mood. It upsets anyone within hearing distance. Species can’t stand to hear their own suffer. We had a few incidents.”

“What kind?”

He sighed and leaned back, staring at her. “They tried to go to him, thinking they could help. It only made it worse. He broke free a few times. It wasn’t pretty. We were keeping him up here at first. Even in the basement, if he raises a ruckus, well, Species have good hearing. It’s best if we keep the building cleared.”

She glanced at the clock. “What is taking so long?”

“I don’t know since I’m not there. They are using Species nurses with Moon now. He tried to kill me a few times so I’m not complaining. He’d want me to avoid him.”

Joy stood and paced. “I want to know what is going on.”

“We’ll find out when they come upstairs.”

The nurse’s nonchalant attitude drove Joy a little nuts but part of her envied him. Moon’s well-being was all she could think about. Had he lost touch with reality again? Was he talking and sane? She should be with him.

Footsteps sounded and she spun, watching as Justice, Ted Treadmont, and a few tall Species nurses entered the reception area. It took control not to lunge forward to demand answers. She didn’t bother glancing at the white-haired doctor, sure he wouldn’t tell her anything. Justice North held her full attention.

He met her gaze. “Moon needed to be sedated. His state of mind deteriorated.”

Pain sliced through her. “Did he attack anyone?” She glanced at all the men, not seeing any visible signs of an altercation.

“His headache grew worse until he stopped talking altogether.” Justice paused, running a hand through his hair. A grim frown marred his mouth. “It became clear that he didn’t recognize us anymore when he snarled and tried to take a bite out of Ted. I called it quits at that point. He needed rest.”

The older man scowled. “Moon’s condition is improving. His moments of lucidity are growing more frequent and lasting longer.”

“I’ll send these samples to the lab.” One of the nurses left the room carrying a case. The other two followed him.

“Blood samples?” Joy knew they took a lot of those.

“And hair.” Ted threw himself into a chair and sighed loudly. “I wish we could find the chemist who brewed whatever Moon was given. I’d love to know how he did it.”

“I only want to know how to cure him,” Joy added, trying not to take offense at Treadmont’s line of thought. He was not emotionally invested, as she was. The method of how something was done would be important to him, as well as how to reverse the effects. “May I go downstairs?”

“He’s sleeping.” Ted shook his head. “She’s not necessary, Justice. We should send her home.”

Outraged, Joy opened her mouth to protest but Justice spoke first.

“No, Ted. Moon responds to her.”

“Of course he does. Sex is a basic need to any man. Like food. Sleeping. Urinating. Any woman would do. We should use Species females instead of having her underfoot.”

Joy felt as if he’d slapped her. “It’s not only about sex. He’s talking to me. He—”

“Enough.” Justice’s voice deepened. “Ted, you’re being rude. I don’t believe he’d struggle to find his memories if just any female was sent to him. He had no coherent moments before her arrival. We were able to speak to him and carry on a lengthy conversation.”

“They had sex.” Disgust lined the doctor’s face. “Spare me the pretense that they didn’t. I don’t have your hyper sense of smell but even I could tell by the state of his bed and what remained of his sweats what went down.”

“I don’t care what they did. The results matter.” Justice’s hands fisted. “It’s not your call. It’s mine. She stays.” His gaze slid to Joy. “You may return to him but the door remains locked. Moon had me promise to keep bars between the two of you from now on. He was deeply upset that you were hurt. Keep out of his reach.”

She started to argue but he didn’t give her time to utter a word.

“That’s the rules. Accept them or leave. I gave my promise that he wouldn’t be given the opportunity to harm you a second time. I was willing to allow you to risk your life to save his but he made it clear that wasn’t acceptable. I have to respect his wishes.”

It was obvious that Justice had made up his mind. She nodded in agreement. It was better to be near Moon than to be asked to leave Homeland. “Okay.”

Justice’s cell phone rang and he withdrew it from his pants. “Hello?” He listened a moment. “Good. How far out are the SUVs?” He paused again. “I’ll meet the team when they arrive. Prepare an interrogation room.” He hung up, depositing the phone in his pocket.

“What happened?” Ted straightened in his chair.

A cold smile curved Justice’s mouth as his gaze hardened. “We couldn’t get the one who invented the drug Moon was given but we have someone almost as good.”

“Who?” Joy was curious.

“For the past few days the prison guards have questioned the Mercile employees we arrested. It took some convincing but we have just picked up one of their research team leaders. Four different prisoners gave him up. He will know what drugs they were developing.”

Ted stood. “I want to be there.”

“Of course.” Justice glanced at Joy.

“I want to see Moon.”

“Go ahead.”

She didn’t need to be told twice. She almost ran from the room. There was no guard at the elevator. The ride down was fast. When she entered the dim basement a New Species male she hadn’t met hovered just inside. He inhaled and waved her by.

“He’s been tranquilized. It will be a few hours before he wakes.”

She crossed the room to the bars. Moon had showered. His hair was wet and a new pair of sweats had been given to him. He lay on his side facing her, appearing too large for the cot with his knees slightly over the edge. His steady, slow breathing assured her he was fine.

She wished she could touch him. It wouldn’t happen any time soon, according to Justice. He’d made it clear she had to stay far enough away that there was no chance of any physical contact.

“You’re too close, female,” the male rumbled from behind. “Justice said you are to stay five feet from the cell at all times.”

Her shoulders sagged as she glanced back. “Moon is still sleeping so he can’t reach me. My name is Joy.”

“Smiley.” He walked closer. He had pretty eyes. She studied his face. Primate. She knew the feature distinctions. They weren’t as aggressive as the canines or felines, in her experience.

“Were you here when they were talking to Moon?”

“Yes.”

“How was he after I left?”

“Very clear that you aren’t to be put in harm’s way again.” He paused, his gaze slowly wandering up and down her body. “I agree that you’re fragile enough to easily be hurt. He was frustrated and angry over what was done to him. His headache grew worse until he became completely disorientated.”

She hated hearing that. Every time she grew hopeful that he’d recover, he relapsed. It was disheartening. “It’s my decision about what risks I’m willing to take.”

“It was…until Moon stated otherwise. You are to be protected from him.”

She hated feeling helpless but she’d have to live with it. Justice had a valid point and he made the rules. She’d either follow them or be escorted off Homeland.

“We’re going to get him back. Moon is a determined male. No one here will give up hope.”

“Are you close to him?”

“Everyone loves Moon.” He shifted his stance enough to get a good view of the sleeping Species. “He’s closest though to Brass and Harley. They are like brothers but then, we’re all family at the NSO.”

“I’m sure you are.”

His gaze jerked back to her. “You’re the head shrink?”

She nodded and turned back toward Moon. The peaceful expression on his handsome face did little to alleviate her worry about what the future would hold for him. “May I ask you a favor, Smiley?”

“I refuse to allow you inside his cell.”

“You said he’d be out for hours. I just…” Emotion choked her voice. “I don’t know when I’ll be allowed near him again. I won’t stay long. I just…need to touch him.”

“I can’t do that.” He reached out and touched her shoulder gently, turning her to face him. He watched her eyes carefully. Whatever he saw there made him wince. The Species lowered his voice to a whisper. “Shit. You care deeply for him.”

“I do.”

“This isn’t only a job to you, is it?” His hand dropped away. “Do you love him?”

She didn’t even consider denying it. “I do.”

Keys jangled. “Don’t tell anyone I did this. They haven’t come to adjust the camera feeds yet. Five minutes and I stay inside with you in case he shakes it off sooner than anticipated. We have been forced to adapt to so many drugs in our lifetimes that some of us work through them faster. Keep your voice low. Though the cameras are still on blackout, the sound is active. They get a live feed into Security.”

“Thank you,” she whispered back. “I appreciate it.”

“I’m a sucker for love but don’t tell anyone.” He unlocked the door and pushed it open. “Sorry,” he stated loudly. “I can’t do that. I’d get into trouble.”

Joy rushed inside and sat on the edge of the cot. Her hand trembled slightly as she brushed back damp strands of Moon’s hair from his cheek and caressed his jawline. She glanced at his chest, noticing his taut nipples and seemingly chilled skin.

“Is there a blanket?” she murmured, remembering to keep her voice low.

“He doesn’t need one.” Smiley crept closer. “This is a comfortable enough environment for him. It’s the calming drug that cools his skin. It slows his heart rate. He needed the rest and a reprieve from the headache. Warming his external temperature too much would only remove the sedative faster through his pores. We actually even lowered the heat to make sure he stays down longer. He’ll warm quickly when he wakes. All that pacing and fighting he does causes him to sweat.”

Joy nodded, touching Moon’s chest. He did feel cooler than normal to her. His skin always seemed hot. Something nagged at her and a crazy thought suddenly popped into her head. She looked up at Smiley. “Species sweat out drugs?”

“Of course. It’s part of the reason we’re all in such great shape. We realized at a young age that rigorous exercise not only kept us from being bored while we were locked in our cells, it helped us rid our systems of their drugs. The cycle became routine to us. I feel restless if I don’t keep an active regiment of working out.”

Her attention returned to Moon. “You keep adjusting the temperature down here?”

“Yes.”

Her head whipped in Smiley’s direction. “Is there a sauna at Homeland?”

“No.” His expression became almost comical. “Those hot rooms? They would be a form of torture to my kind. The heat would be unbearable.”

“It would make you sweat a lot though, right?”

“Buckets.”

Her gaze slid to Moon. “And maybe sweat out any drugs you’d been given?” She glanced back at him.

Smiley’s eyes widened. “We didn’t try that.” He reached for his radio but paused. “He’d dehydrate.”

“Not if he is monitored and it is done correctly.”

Smiley backed out of the cell and walked far enough away that all she could hear were the soft tones of his speech but not the words. She focused on Moon.

“I’m here.” She stroked his cheek. “I know you want to protect me but you wouldn’t hurt me, regardless of your mental state.” She believed that. He’d be more inclined to want sex instead of bloodshed.

Footsteps sounded and Joy turned her head. Smiley waved to her and whispered. “Get out. They are coming down here. You can’t be found on that side of the door.”

Regret was a bitter pill to swallow as she released Moon, her gaze lingering on him as she rose to her feet. Smiley locked the door and pointed.

“Five feet back.”

“What did they say about the sauna?”

“I don’t know what the doctors will say but Justice was interested in the theory.”

Joy stared at Moon’s still form. “I hope it works.”

“We’re desperate. We’ll try anything at this point.”

She glanced at Smiley.

He shrugged. “That’s the truth.”

* * * * *

466 couldn’t move when he woke. He raised his head and snarled. The human standing a few feet in front of him started, paled, and turned to speak to someone.

“I still protest.”

“Do it, Ted.”

The male who replied had a deep, gruff voice for a human and it sounded as if he spoke through a door or wall. It gave 466 time to glance down his body. Restraints held him upright on his feet and tightly bound to a flat wooden surface. Thick straps were wrapped around his wrists, elbows, chest, waist, thighs and ankles.

The strange tubes that were taped to his body were alarming. Were they injecting some fluid directly into his veins? He snarled again, lifted his chin, and gave the human a glare that promised swift death. He struggled but the straps across his body didn’t break.

They should have used chains. That was a mistake, he decided. Mercile usually didn’t do stupid things that could allow them to escape but their error would cost the life of the white-haired human. It might take time to break free but he would, then he’d snap the human’s neck. He’d worry about the other human after he got through with the first one.

“We should wait until the task force arrives. You can interrogate the man they are bringing in and get answers that way. This could do more harm than good.”

“The prisoner could lie. It could take days to break his spirit enough to trust his words. There’s no guarantee he even knows about this drug Moon was given.” The other voice deepened even more, almost sounding inhuman.

“What if he is so bitter that he purposely gives us an answer that will cause Moon’s death?” A third human had an unusually deep voice too. He also remained out of sight. “Let’s stick to what we know are facts. We can sweat out certain drugs. It might not work in this case but it’s safer to try this than to trust some chemist with a grudge.”

The white-haired human appeared flustered. “We’ll call in more experts and have them double-check anything the asshole does before we try it on Moon. I understand your reservations to trust anyone who worked for that company but that’s why we have good people on call.”

“So far those experts haven’t figured out what was done to Moon. They don’t know much about Species. Unfortunately, only Mercile does. Do it, Ted. Otherwise, move out of the way and I’ll do it myself.”

“Justice.” The white-haired human reached up and gripped the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb, pinching it. “Some days working for the NSO is a pain in my ass. This isn’t professional.” His hand dropped to his side. “At a hospital we would call this hack medicine.”

“Then go work for one.” It was a female who spoke. “Come on, Ted. You knew when you took the job that the rule book would go out the window. They didn’t cover Species in med school.”

“I don’t like it, Trisha.” The white-haired human hesitated. “Fine. I’m stating on the record, though, that I protest.”

“Noted,” the female agreed. “We’ll monitor his vitals closely and we have an emergency team standing by if Moon gets into trouble.”

466 glanced around with worry. The technicians usually didn’t mind inflicting pain on his kind. It had to be a particularly gruesome torture for one of them to balk at doing whatever they planned.

The room was small with wood planks lining walls and very hot. It appeared that planks had also been laid over a tile floor—he could see through some of the wider cracks. A big drain was to his left. He had to twist his head to get a view of the thing he was strapped to. It appeared to be some kind of wooden table that had supports that kept it about an inch off the floor. The thing he stood on wasn’t long enough to keep his toes from dangling over the edge as he wiggled them. He glanced up. Four big round metal things with many holes were attached to the ceiling at one end of the tight space. At least none of them were pointed in his direction. A few feet in front of him there was a strange-looking little burner or stove of some kind with rocks on top. A bucket of water and a ladle sat beside it.

He wondered if this was the end of his existence. Had the technicians decided to kill him? It appeared that way. Gas could come from above. The drain implied easy clean up and the wood-lined walls would be easy to replace if bloodshed was involved. He struggled again.

The white-haired human faced him, his expression grim. 466 snarled a warning.

“You’re about to get very hot,” the human whispered. “Tell me if it’s too much, okay? We’re monitoring your vitals but we need your help too. We don’t want to overheat you.”

They must be testing new chemicals but they weren’t doing it with a hose. 466 glanced at the metal handles just behind the man. Did they control the flow to the metal objects overhead? Fear and rage combined as he struggled harder but couldn’t break free.

“Please,” another female voice reached his ears. “Let me go in there with him.” There was something familiar about her voice.

“No.” The white-haired human backed away to the other side of the cramped room. “It’s crowded and uncomfortable enough in here.”

“I don’t care!” The female voice rose. “Please, Mr. North? He’s struggling and he looks panicky. I don’t think he knows that no one is going to hurt him.”

“Go,” the deep voice responded.

A human female stepped in front of him. He ceased his struggles with the straps when he saw her face. Wide, big blue eyes met his. She froze for a heartbeat. Dark hair fell over her white T-shirt to hang just below her breasts. The sight of her did something funny to 466. The urge to kill left him. It somehow didn’t apply to her.

She approached him cautiously, her small hands lifted and she opened her palms toward him. They held no weapons or medical devices. She shoved her hair out of her face when it stuck to her cheeks. She was beginning to sweat from the heat.

“Hey,” she whispered. “It’s me.”

He looked down at the shirt molded over the swell of her breasts. Through the material of her shirt he clearly saw something black that hid her nipples. The human wore a much smaller shirt under the T-shirt for some strange reason he didn’t understand.

“Nothing will hurt you. I promise,” she crooned. One hand reached out and she almost touched his skin. “See? It’s just really hot to make you sweat.” She glanced at the white-haired human. “You can go a hair hotter. I think I can tell if it’s too much.”

466 pulled back his upper lip and allowed her to see his sharp canines as he growled a warning. It was a reminder that he’d stopped fighting the restraints. He sucked in air, expanding his chest to push against them while flexing his muscles. It might have been wishful thinking but the restraints seemed to give him a little more wiggle room.

“I’m Joy.”

She didn’t flee the way he thought she would. Movement drew his attention and he watched as the white-haired human moved to the bucket, dipped out some water and poured it on the rocks. Steam rose and the room became noticeably hotter. Sweat broke out all over his body.

Gentle fingers brushed his chest and his eyes widened in shock. Though the human wasn’t wearing gloves, she made direct contact with his skin. He threw back his head and howled in rage. Mercile must be attempting to kill him since this hadn’t ever happened before. He struggled again, jerking his body violently in hopes that he’d be able to slip free.

“Look at me!”

The human suddenly did the unexpected. She gripped the top of one of his shoulders and used it as leverage to haul her body higher. Her small feet planted right between his on the platform where he stood. The female’s body was soft and moist as she pressed tightly against him. He looked down at her.

He could slam his head against her forehead to knock her away. It wouldn’t kill her but it would hurt. Her chin lifted and she met his glare. She exposed herself to death now. All it would take was for him to slam his chin into the bridge of her tiny nose with enough force.

“Please stop fighting.”

“Get down from there!” the white-haired human yelled. “Are you crazy?”

466 agreed. The female had to be insane to put herself within striking distance. The yellow flecks shining in the blue of her irises fascinated him though and held him utterly still. She had beautiful eyes. The pleading look in them made his stomach muscles clench.

“We’re trying to sweat the drugs out of you.” The tone of her voice was almost sad.

She adjusted against him and her fingers rose to touch his cheek. He could have flinched away to avoid contact but curiosity held him still. Soft skin caressed him and he liked the feel of her fingertips stroking his face. She was gentle and the way she peered at him was as if she cared deeply for him.

“Talk to me,” she whispered as her breasts smashed against the wall of his chest. “Think. Remember.”

The weight of her hand on his shoulder and her fingers trailing along his jawline weren’t offensive at all. He liked her against him, so close. His nostrils flared as he drew in a deep breath and her scent filled him. Blood rushed to his groin as his dick hardened. An image flashed in his mind. He tried to grasp it but it vanished. She was what he wanted.

“Damn it!” the human yelled. “Get away from him!”

466 turned his attention to the human, directing his rage there. If he’d been able, he’d have wrapped his arms around the female to keep her close. The human seemed the threat now. The white-haired man took a step in their direction and it seemed his intention was to take the female away by force.

466 growled. “I’ll rip your arms off if you touch her.” He couldn’t get free at the moment but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t. The human would die a painful death if he came any closer.

The white-haired human gasped and stumbled back.

Chapter Ten

This is my fault. Joy had been the one to suggest they try to sweat the drugs out of his system. It had never crossed her mind that he’d mistake their intentions.

She’d managed to get Moon’s attention again once he stopped threatening Dr. Treadmont. No recognition sparked in his dark gaze. It seemed a plus though that he hadn’t tried to shake her off. He was restrained but not totally defenseless. He could have bitten her. Her hands and face had been within reach of his mouth.

She debated, not sure if he’d respond to Moon or 466, or at all. She softened her tone, hoping it would soothe him. “You can talk so I’ll assume you can understand me.”

His gaze narrowed. She was sure he didn’t recognize her—again. She slowly inched her fingertips closer to his face again. He didn’t pull away. He allowed her to push back some of his hair, which had fallen into his face. Her palm caressed his cheek in the process.

“You’re at Homeland.”

Confusion clouded his expression a second before he masked his features. Where was he in his mind? She paused, trying to figure out the best way to continue without sending him into a rage.

“It’s a safe place. Have you ever exercised to help get the drugs out of your system?”

His mouth firmed into a tight line and he glanced over her to Dr. Treadmont, then back. “Yes.”

That one terse word gave Joy hope. “That’s what we’re doing. A bad drug has left you really confused and disorientated. You’ve suffered memory loss.”

“Make him leave.” He growled low.

“Not a chance,” Treadmont sputtered.

“Ted?” Justice North spoke from the other room. “Get out of there now. That’s an order. He’s calmer with her and you agitate him.”

Joy didn’t glance back to see how the doctor would react but she could guess he wouldn’t be happy about being overruled by the NSO leader. She heard Treadmont leave the room.

“What drug?” He kept his voice low, almost a hiss. “Who did this to me? That technician?”

“No. We don’t know what drug but we’re hoping you can sweat it totally out of your system.”

He shifted, tugging at the restraints but did it slowly enough that she wasn’t dislodged from him. “Free me. I won’t harm you.”

“You need to get a little better first. Do you remember me?”

“I like how you smell.”

Her lips curved and she couldn’t help but smile. “I like how you smell too. I guess that’s a start.”

He glanced down his arm. “They are still giving me drugs.”

She looked at the IV in his arm. “The line is not open. It is just there as a precaution. It’s only saline solution and won’t be used unless you show signs of dehydration.”

Some emotion flickered in his eyes. “I don’t like sports.”

YES! She wanted to fist pump the air but didn’t dare. She barely had a toehold on the footboard with him. She didn’t want to fall and land on her ass. “That’s right.”

He closed his eyes. “You’re a shrink. You want to fix me and make me more human.” His eyes snapped open. “I’m not.”

“You’re definitely not like human guys. You’re better.” She had a timeframe now.

“Yes.”

Sweat beaded his upper lip and his brow. She knew it was happening to her as well. The makeshift sauna was creating the environment they needed.

“Your hair is longer than I thought it would be. You always keep it in a tight ball at the base of your neck.” A muscle in his jaw clenched. “Who are the other humans in the next room? Guards?”

“They are your friends. Some of them are like you.”

That surprised him, judging by his expression. He closed his eyes again and a look of concentration tensed his features.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“It’s so hot.”

She glanced down his body. Sweat poured from him. She was pretty sure she was sweating as much. Her hold on him slipped and she had to grab the strap on his upper biceps to keep from falling back. The temperature in the room was nearly unbearable.

She waited for him to speak again. Time seemed to stand still. Every inch of her clothing felt as if it were glued to her skin.

“Joy, I remember,” he suddenly said. “Where is Justice? I told him to keep you away from me.” He frowned. “Get down before you fall.”

Hands gripped her hips and she gasped. Justice was behind her and easily lifted her to the floor. His clothes were already plastered to him but he seemed oblivious as he released her to address Moon.

“She has a calming effect on you.” Justice shrugged. “It wasn’t as if we could ask you nicely to work out until you dropped from exhaustion.”

“I thought about killing her, damn it.” Moon didn’t even look at Joy. “This is the big cure? Melt me?”

“You’re back to being you so don’t complain.” Justice reached up and pulled at his shirt. “It’s like standing in hell, isn’t it? I’m going to need a shower.”

“Let me loose.”

“We’re hoping this will get whatever you were exposed to out of your system.”

“I didn’t say I was going to walk out of here. Get me out of this damn contraption.”

Justice freed Moon’s upper body and bent to free his lower half. The ripping sound of Velcro was loud. Joy backed into a corner to give the two men more room.

“Couldn’t you just dunk my ass in a hot tub?” Moon was free and stepped down to the floor. “Are we in Medical?”

Justice pulled off his shirt, tossing it to the floor. He bent, tearing at his shoes. “Yes. This is the biggest bathroom we had. You have no idea how many males it took to rig this up. And a hot tub wouldn’t have worked. Even if it had, you know how impossible it would have been to put you in and keep you there. Imagine the risks involved with someone drowning if you struggled too much? You haven’t exactly been friendly.”

“Get out of here.” Moon finally glanced at Joy again. “There’s no reason for anyone else to suffer. How long do I have to stay in here?” He lifted the arm that was still attached to the IV and asked Justice, “Can I get rid of this?”

“Only if you keep Ted informed about anything that feels off to you. I mean anything and everything. We’re not sure how long to keep you overheated. We want that drug out of you for good.”

“Twenty minutes,” Treadmont shouted. “Then we can take you out for a few hours and assess your long-term prognosis.”

Moon tore out the IV and Joy winced at the sight of blood. “There was a better way to do that.”

He shot her a dirty look before grimacing at Justice. “Get out of here. It’s hotter than hell.”

“No shit.” Justice chuckled. “We decided to try this before we force information out of a resident from Fuller. He’s a chemist. You can appreciate my hesitation at depending on anything he might have to tell us. The humans imprisoned at Fuller aren’t to be trusted.”

“Moon?” Harley suddenly barged into the cramped space.

The expression of elation on Moon’s face hurt Joy’s feelings. He hadn’t ever reacted to her that strongly or positively in all the time she’d known him. The big Species nearly shoved Justice out of the way to reach his friend. He grabbed the other man in a bear hug.

“It’s so good to see you. I missed the other time you were lucid.” Harley eased back but still kept hold of his friend. “You’ve got to beat this thing.”

“I’m trying.” Moon grinned, his chin dropping to his chest to stare downward. “I’m more important than your favorite biker boots? The leather might shrink in this hellish heat.”

“I don’t care. I’ll buy more.” Harley shook his head. “Duck next time someone shoots at you.”

“It was bad luck. It missed my vest and hit my arm. It didn’t hurt, if that helps. Just a little sting and then a whole lot of nothingness.”

Justice turned and motioned for Joy to leave. She hesitated but Moon was smiling at Harley. He didn’t seem to even remember she was there. The burning sensation in her chest had little to do with the heat. It came from knowing that Moon didn’t need her. She shoved away from the wall and exited the bathroom ahead of the NSO leader.

It was a drastic difference in temperature when she opened the door and eased into the other room. Chills racked her body before she made it ten feet into the room. Trisha, Treadmont, and four New Species stared at her.

She crossed her arms over her sweat-soaked clothes and shivered, sucking in the much cooler, fresher air. “I, um, need a shower and dry clothes.”

Trisha, the female doctor, gave her a sympathetic look. “Follow me to the next exam room. I’ll get you hooked up. I bet you’re freezing.” She glanced at Justice. “You know your way around.”

“I can manage on my own and I know where the spare scrubs are stored,” he agreed.

Ted Treadmont turned to watch the monitor. “I’ve got this, Trisha. Take your time. I’ll yell if we need you.”

Embarrassment was a stupid emotion, Joy decided. She still felt it though as she avoided looking at the Species males she passed. Moon hadn’t even said goodbye or thanked her for going in there to help him. He has other things on his mind, she reasoned. More important people in his life to talk to. Ouch. Yeah, it hurts. What did you expect? She had no answers.

Moon watched Harley strip down to his black boxer briefs and smirked as he took a seat on the floor. “You don’t have to stay in here and babysit me. Nice shorts though.”

Harley settled next to him. “Friends suffer with friends. Humans like it this hot in a room? What is up with that?”

“No clue.” It was miserable being that hot. He studied his friend’s face. “Did you miss me?”

“You know it.” Harley cleared his throat and pointed up. “We’re on camera.”

Moon glanced at the camera. “Who is out there?”

“Ted, Trisha, Justice, Flame, Jericho, and Fury. We’ve all been worried about you.”

Moon let it sink in. “Do they think this is going to work?”

“We’re hoping.”

“Did they catch the one who did this to me?”

“We’re still searching for him.”

“Who was Justice talking about from Fuller then?” Moon rubbed his chest, hating the feel of sweat covering his body. Fuller was the prison where the humans who had worked for Mercile were incarcerated. Fuller had been created to house them. Species wanted and needed to be kept away from them so only human guards worked there.

“One of the jerks who used to run some of their drug trials.”

“This drug is something new?”

“That’s what we figured. No one remembered ever being subjected to a drug like this one. It is probably something Mercile was screwing with before they were shut down.”

“It’s worse than the breeding drug. At least we knew it was only temporary.” He rubbed his arms next, wiping away the sweat that was gathering on his skin. “Tell me about her.”

Harley frowned.

“Joy,” Moon stated softly. “Who called her? How did she react?” He was almost afraid to hear the answer. “How much did it cost to bribe her into coming?”

“I don’t know who called her. I flew to Reservation to be with you and she was already here when I returned to Homeland. I was delayed a few days though to clear up the mess after our walls were breached.”

“Were any lives lost?”

“None of ours.”

“Good. How much money? Don’t dodge the question.” It pissed him off that his best friend wasn’t being forthcoming but he understood Harley’s desire to protect his feelings. “Be honest. That’s what I need most.”

“No money was involved. She made it clear that she didn’t want to be paid.”

Some of his anger eased. It also confused him. “Then why is she here?”

“That’s what I wanted to know. I was rough on her when we met. I caught her flashing her breasts at you.”

Astonishment slammed into Moon. “What?”

Harley grinned. “Yeah. That’s what went through my mind. I was ready to toss her over my shoulder and jog her to the front gates, thinking she was a pervert about to take advantage of you or teasing you just to be cruel. You wouldn’t respond to anything but her showing her goods, Moon. That was about the sum of it. I was leery at first of her reasoning but it worked. It seems sexy humans showing a lot of skin tames the beast in you or at least makes you talk to get to see more.” He laughed.

Hazy images surfaced of Joy and her very appealing cleavage. “I kind of remember. Not much though.”

“You were pretty out of it that day.” Harley reached up and pulled his hair away from his neck. “I can feel the pounds rolling off as we speak. Is it just me?”

“No. Humans pay for this? Doesn’t it open their skin pores or some such shit?”

“My pores are so open that my skin wants to fall off.”

“Ten more minutes,” Ted called out. “Do you need water?”

“I’m in a puddle of it,” Moon answered. “We’re good.” He lowered his voice and wiped more sweat off his chest. It was running down his body. “Do me a favor though, Harley.”

“Anything.”

“Make sure I don’t get the chance to hurt her if I lose my mind again.”

Harley hesitated.

“I didn’t feel the urge to kill but I still had the idea of slamming my chin into the bridge of her nose when she came in here and got too close to me. That would have killed her instantly if I’d had enough momentum to send the bone into her brain.”

Harley reached out and gripped his wrist. “She knows the risks. She signed a waiver absolving the NSO of responsibility in case of her death or injury.” He let go.

Moon was glad he was sitting down. Was that even possible? It astonished him that Joy would willingly do something of that magnitude to stay at Homeland.

“She is aware of the damage we can do. This morning I read the files she made on some of us. Justice let me read them after we argued a bit. I wanted to look out for you. All the shrinks’ notes on patients were transferred to Homeland when we were. One of our males told her about how he tore out the throat of a technician who leaned in too close to him while he was strapped down on a table. He could only move his head. Another Species described how he got an arm free and snapped the neck of a guard before the human could even react.”

Harley swallowed, shoving at his damp hair to keep it out of his face. “That female knows how dangerous you can be yet she doesn’t shy away from rushing to your aid. What does that tell you?”

Frustration rose in Moon. He was hot, irritable, and angry.

“She’s willing to die for you. I didn’t trust her at first and was wary of her motives but she has strong, true feelings for you, Moon. She regrets bailing on you at site four.”

“She never even attempted to contact me once we came to Homeland. Or Reservation.”

“You should speak to her.”

“I’m talking to you.”

“Okay.” Harley cast a hesitant look in his direction. “I think she loves you.”

“Love?” Moon rubbed his arms again, harder this time, trying to wipe away sweat and the uneasy feeling that made him a bit lightheaded.

His finger found something odd and he rubbed the spot while he mulled over Harley’s words. He had been obsessed with Joy when they’d been at site four. She was the female he’d wanted above all others.

Her leaving had depressed him and he’d sulked for a long time over her loss. Every time he even thought about her it was as if he’d eaten something bad and pain gnawed at his gut. Can that be love? He wasn’t sure since he had never experienced it.

“Love,” Harley repeated. “I can’t think of any other reason she’d face off against you when you were feral. Hell, you scared me and I’m not a weak little human.”

Moon frowned, distracted. His finger probed the spot again. The small lump moved against his bone, actually hurting.

“What is this?”

“There’s something under my skin.”

Harley looked down. “Is that where you were shot?”

“Yes.”

“It was a dart, not a bullet.”

“What did you say?” It was Ted, yelling from the other room.

“I found something in my arm.” Moon’s voice rose and he looked at Harley. “It’s small and it hurts when I press on it.”

“Get out here,” Ted ordered. “Let me see.”

Moon rose to his feet but swayed when he stood, the room spinning a little. Harley didn’t have that problem though as he grabbed him at his elbows to steady him.

“You okay?”

“I think the heat is getting to me.”

“Me too but I’m not wobbly. Let’s get out of here.”

Suddenly Fury was there to help, putting an arm around him. It humiliated Moon a little to need help walking but both males kept a firm grip on him as they led him out of the bathroom. Ted pointed to the bed on the far side of the exam room.

“Put him down there.” He glanced at Flame. “Get Paul. Tell him that playtime is over and our patient won’t try to kill him. I need the ultrasound machine. Your people haven’t been trained on them as well as he is.”

“I’m on it,” Flame announced, spun, and dashed down the hallway.

“What do you think it is?” Moon nearly collapsed onto the mattress. His body was wet and he’d gone from sweating to being cold. “Did part of the dart break off in my arm?”

“Where did you feel it?”

Moon showed the doctor by placing the human’s index finger over the area. “Right there.”

Paul drew everyone’s attention as he pushed a machine on wheels into the room. He smiled when Moon met his gaze. “There’s the guy I know.” Paul came closer. “I hear you’re with us again. I’m so glad. Really. Last time you tried to take a bite out of my arm.”

“I’m sorry.”

Paul halted and bent to plug in a cord. “No problem. It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye…or an arm, in my case.”

“Knock it off,” Ted snapped. “Joke around later. That’s the problem with you young people. You’re more concerned about bedside manner than treatment.”

“No one would ever accuse you of that,” Paul muttered as he turned on the machine and prepared it. “What are we looking for? Did he get injured? Does your chest hurt? I told them to make sure they didn’t tighten the straps too much and to make sure you could breathe without difficulty. We should run you through X-ray though if you think you might have fractured some ribs.”

Ted produced what looked like a marker and drew a circle on Moon’s upper arm. “Search this area right here.”

“That makes it easy.” Paul withdrew a bottle of ultrasound gel and hesitated. “Do you want me to warm this?”

“No. I’ve had enough heat to last me forever.” Moon never wanted to be that hot again.

Paul nodded and slathered the clear substance over a handheld instrument attached to the machine. He pushed it against Moon’s arm and watched the screen, which Moon couldn’t see. It slowly moved over his skin but then stopped. Paul pushed a little harder, adjusted the thing, and softly cursed.

“What the hell is that?”

“Damn it. I need a scalpel. We’ll excise whatever it is and examine it.”

“Did the tip break off in the bone?” Moon didn’t like the idea that part of the dart was still inside him.

“No, I’m sure it is not the dart tip. We didn’t check for foreign objects because the dart was intact,” Ted ground out in an angry voice. He appeared unusually concerned. “It’s an oblong object, very small. Definitely not anything that could be part of a dart.”

“Uh-huh,” Paul agreed. “Shit. It’s almost like one of those pet chips my wife had implanted in our dog in case he ever got lost. Maybe a bit bigger.”

“He was tagged with a tracking system of some sort?” Justice had returned. He wore the same type of outfit as the nurse, only in a larger size.

“I don’t know what it is,” Ted admitted. “We won’t know until I remove it.”

“Do it,” Fury demanded.

Moon nodded. “Yeah. Get it out of me. I don’t know why they’d want to be able to track me though. Our enemies know exactly where we are. Here or at Reservation.”

Harley growled. “What if they have some kind of weapon that could target a certain location? A missile of some sort. It could be sending out a homing signal.”

“Get it out of him now,” Justice ordered. “I’m calling Tim and getting his input. He’d know all about military-grade weapons.”

Moon’s first thought was of Joy as he stared up at Harley. “Get Joy out of here. Take her to human housing and stay with her.” He didn’t want her anywhere near him until he could be sure of what was going on. He also didn’t want to lose Harley if Medical came under attack.

“I’m not leaving you.”

Damn stubborn Species. “Are you really a brother?”

Harley’s dark eyes narrowed and he softly growled. “You’re pulling that card?”

“Yes. Get her to safety and stay with her.”

“Fuck.” Harley spun away and marched toward the door. “You don’t play fair.”

“Put on some pants first,” Moon called out. The idea of Joy seeing so much of Harley didn’t sit well with him. What if she found him more sexually appealing? The concept alone had him ready to call Harley back. He didn’t say anything though and lay still.

Chapter Eleven

Joy paced the living room of the cottage and chewed on her bottom lip. Harley watched her from the couch, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Is that helping any? This exercise of yours?”

She resisted the urge to flip him off. The male was annoying but she knew he was worried about what was going on with Moon at Medical. So was she. Harley had told her about the object in Moon’s arm.

“You should have told me about his arm before we left Medical.”

“Would you have left?”

She stopped walking. “No.”

“That’s why I didn’t tell you.”

“Doesn’t the NSO have antimissile systems or something similar to shoot anything down if someone launches an attack?”

“We have armed guards with weapons to deal with anything that is a threat. We aren’t sure why anyone associated with Mercile would put a tracker inside Moon but that’s the nastiest scenario we could think of and it’s better to be prepared for the worst. Maybe they only wanted to see if we’d fly him to Homeland from Reservation. They may have wanted to track our flight patterns. We change them often after one of our helicopters was shot down. I can think of a dozen more reasons they might have done it.”

“I don’t know how you live like this.” Joy paced again. “So many assholes to deal with and so much danger. Why can’t they leave Species alone?”

“We wish they would stop harassing us too. Wishing doesn’t make it so.” He crossed his ankles, his bare toes wiggling. “Your world isn’t so safe either. We get your news on our televisions. There are no muggings, rapes, or carjackings on NSO lands.”

Joy kept pacing.

“We don’t steal from each other. We don’t—”

“I get it!” She groaned. “I’m overreacting and not being reasonable. Your crime rate is much lower here. I’m a bit freaked out over the whole tracker-missile thing. You have to admit that is kind of sinister.”

“The term enemy implies they aren’t pleasant to deal with.”

Joy knotted her hands together at her waist and shot him an exasperated look. “I’m ranting, Harley. It’s a normal way for people to express their frustrations. I’m worried about Moon and what is going on with him.”

“Oh. This is a human thing?” One eyebrow arched.

“Yes.” She shrugged and relaxed. “More specifically, a woman thing. You’re supposed to nod, not start an argument with me.”

“Got it.”

She studied him. “You’re pretty calm for a Species under stress.”

“We’ve come a long way since we were freed, Doc. Don’t expect me to lie back on this couch and start discussing how I feel. It isn’t happening. I’m also not going to tear up my fists punching your nice walls. It’s tempting but it won’t accomplish anything unless you want a more open feel between the kitchen and living room.”

Joy smiled. She liked the Species when he wasn’t threatening her or accusing her of doing nefarious things to Moon. “I doubt the NSO would appreciate you remodeling one of the guest cottages.”

“Probably not.” He glanced at his wrist and then sighed. “I keep forgetting I don’t have a watch.”

“What happened to it?” She was curious about how dependent Species had become on technology. It had been a long time since she’d been around them. Gadgets had been foreign to them after Mercile.

“I laid everything too close to that stove. My watch and boots were ruined.” He glanced down his body at the sweats and NSO-logo T-shirt with a grimace. “I miss my jeans but I promised Moon I’d make sure you got here and stayed.”

“I won’t try to find my way back to Medical. I realize I’d need an escort and that it would alarm anyone who saw me walking around without one. That’s the last thing I want to do.”

“I keep my word, Doc. Even to a head shrink.”

Her good mood fled. “Your people agreed to therapy as well as mine. Do you know how irritating it is to be called that? Head shrinking implies something horrible and it sounds painful. All we wanted to do was help you adjust to life outside Mercile. You needed to have had someone there to talk to and connect with after all you’d been put through. That’s basic compassion and common sense to help someone in need. It wasn’t easy for us either.”

His eyebrows rose again as he regarded her.

“You guys weren’t exactly friendly at first. I was terrified one of you would suffer a posttraumatic break in my office and don’t think for a moment that I didn’t know that even the burly male guards would have been ill equipped to handle that situation. Even your women could have kicked their butts and handed them their balls. Females,” she corrected, knowing they preferred that term.

Harley grinned.

“Do you know how much grief I got from my parents and friends when I packed up and told them I had gotten a job I couldn’t talk about? They had no idea where I was and my mother thought I was being cruel by keeping her in the dark. We couldn’t leave site four and it was boring. I would have killed to go for a drive or take a walk to a coffee shop. Anything normal.”

“You’re ranting again, aren’t you? Should I nod now?”

“Sorry. What is taking so long? Can’t you text them or something to get an update? Rusty did that.”

“I forgot my cell phone was in the back pocket of my jeans. I was afraid to turn it on until it cools down. It might be fried.”

“Damn.” She stared at the house phone on the table by the door. “Can you call someone?”

“They’ll let us know when they figure out what is going on. All we’ll do is make them drag their asses more if we interrupt whatever is happening right now.”

“Impatience used to be a common Species trait.”

“Isn’t progress a wonderful thing?” He chuckled. “I see why Moon likes you. You’re kind of cute when you’re not in shrink mode.”

“You’re single, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Big surprise,” she huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Sarcasm isn’t lost on us anymore either.” He stood. “Do you want something to eat? It might keep your mouth busy before you get too insulting.”

Joy knew she was being bitchy. She’d thought up the crazy plan. They could have at least told her if it worked or not. It was driving her nuts, wondering if he’d been able to retain his memory or if he’d slipped back into the mental fog.

The doorbell rang and she started. Harley strode to the door and threw it open. His big frame blocked her view but she was close enough to hear his surprised gasp.

“Moon!”

“And a Security detail,” a familiar, husky voice answered. “To watch me to make sure I remain myself.”

“You’re out of Medical?”

Joy inched closer, a little stunned as well that he’d been released from supervision. Elation hit next. It must mean he had broken free of the drug’s hold on his system. Her heart speeded up and she hugged her waist, trying to get a look at him around his bulky friend.

“We’ll talk later. I came to speak to Joy. Do me a favor and go to my house. I’d kill for a few steaks and some coffee. I should be there about the time you’re done making them.” Moon chuckled. “I assume you won’t mind.”

“No.” Harley stepped forward and hugged the other Species. “Not a damn bit. I’m glad you’re back.”

Moon stared at Joy over his friend’s shoulder while he hugged him back. “Me too. I’ll be there soon. We have a lot to catch up on.”

Joy barely noticed Harley’s departure, staring at the man she loved instead. Moon had obviously showered. He wore a black tank top and sweats. His dark gaze locked on her as he stepped inside then turned and spoke to the Species who accompanied him.

“Wait there. This is private. You’ll hear if there’s a problem and I won’t lock the door so you can gain entry if there is.” He didn’t wait for a response as he closed the door firmly between him and the security detail on her porch. He leaned against it and looked at her.

“It worked.” It was all she could think to say. Moon stood in her living room. His handsome face held a grim expression, a stark reminder that he wasn’t the same person she’d once known. Wariness shone in his eyes and a little anger too, if she were to guess. Nerves struck hard as her stomach clenched. He’d either come to thank her for rushing to his side or to ask her to leave Homeland.

“We found an implant in my arm. It was dosing me with the drug to keep it in my system longer. At first we believed it was a tracking device but realized the truth once it was examined under a microscope and tested. Traces of the same chemical in my system were held within it.”

She was too stunned to speak. He was cured but it wasn’t because of her suggestion to use the sauna after all. It didn’t matter to her as long as he was better though.

“Ted figured it would have kept drugging me for a few more days at most but then it would have finally been over.”

“I’m glad you’ve recovered.” Her voice came out shaky. Her shoulders straightened a bit as she pulled herself together and forced her arms to her sides. She wanted to appear calm and composed. “How are you feeling? No lasting headache or fogginess?”

Moon cocked his head. Anger definitely flashed in his dark eyes. “Is that all you have to say to me, Dr. Yards?”

She gave up on being professional. It was bullshit to even pretend to be able to pull that off and they both obviously knew it after the mocking way he’d just addressed her.

“No.” She took a hesitant step forward, the urge to touch him strong enough that her fingers flexed. It probably wouldn’t be smart to try it though so she paused, keeping a good ten feet of space between them. “What do you want me to say? I’m no longer your therapist but that’s the role I’m most comfortable with at this moment because you are glaring at me. I’m trying to determine why.”

He pushed away from the door and slowly stalked closer. Joy took in the lithe way he moved. An alarm went off in the back of her mind. That wasn’t a man coming at her but a predator, a pissed-off and dangerous one. She took a step back before he could touch her. He froze and softly growled.

“You of all people should know better in my current mood. You turn and run, I’ll take you down.” He glanced behind her before holding her gaze. “The carpet looks thick but I doubt it would prevent you from getting hurt if I tackle you to the floor.”

It was tough to think as she battled fear and logic. He wouldn’t intentionally harm her though she knew his threat was real. She stared up into his face and his exotic beauty struck her once more. He looked fierce and sexy at the same time. His full lips were slightly parted, reminding her of his sharp canines. The bite mark on her didn’t hurt but her awareness of it was suddenly heightened, along with the memory of how he’d put it there.

“I’m almost tempted to push you,” she admitted, throwing caution aside. His beautiful eyes widened, his surprise apparent. “What would you do to me?”

His gaze moved down her body slowly, taking in every inch, and his nostrils flared as he inhaled. She glanced down to the front of his sweats. There was no missing his response. The outline of his cock thickened and lengthened as she watched.

“Fuck,” he softly hissed.

She jerked her gaze away from his groin to look into his eyes again. He glared at her. She took another small step backward, knowing it would provoke his instinct to give chase.

“Don’t do it, Joy. I came to talk.”

That’s what she dreaded. She was afraid he’d ask her to leave Homeland. He must regret what had happened between them and it wouldn’t be a stretch if he blamed her for them having sex. His need to speak to her implied he wished it hadn’t happened. She tried to hide her pain.

“Okay.”

His eyes closed. “Don’t use that tone.”

“What tone?” she whispered, not trusting her voice to hide the fact that her heart was breaking.

His eyes opened. “Damn you. You have no right to act injured. You left me! You’re the one who walked away.” His voice rose into a snarl. “Don’t expect to return to my life as if all that time hasn’t passed. I’m not the same male.”

“I know that.”

The front door opened and Flame peered in. “Is everything okay?”

“Get out,” Moon ordered. “We’re having an argument. She’ll scream for you if she needs assistance. I’m fully aware of who I am and not losing it again. Stay outside at your post and stop interfering.”

Flame glanced at Joy, making sure she was well. She nodded, worried he wouldn’t give them privacy otherwise.

“Um, understood.” He withdrew, firmly closing the door.

Joy studied Moon. One of his hands lifted to run his fingers through the side of his hair, pushing it back, away from his face. Anger still burned in his brown eyes as he grimly regarded her. Her gut twisted. This was going to be a painful end to their reunion.

Moon fought down his rage. Joy had always been a sore spot with him. It had been hell when she’d disappeared, leaving him no recourse but to accept that he’d never see her again. It wasn’t as if he could track her down in the foreign world she’d fled to. It had crossed his mind a few hundred times though his chances of actually locating her hadn’t been good. Pride hadn’t allowed it in the end and it would have been sheer stupidity to put his life at risk to pursue a female who had rejected him in a very final way.

She stood in front of him, appearing fragile, her emotions clear on her face. That hadn’t changed about her. Her eyes had always been too expressive and got past his defenses every time. Even now he wanted to soothe her and make that hurt look fade. The fact that she still affected him strongly only strengthened his bitterness.

“I appreciate you taking time out of your busy life to come to Homeland.” He kept his tone neutral.

Joy lowered her gaze to stare at his chest. She nodded as her shoulders stiffened.

He stifled a snarl and was grateful for once that he’d spent a lifetime hiding his feelings. After all she’d put him through, he wouldn’t allow her to step back into his life as if no time had passed. He’d changed over the years, learned to get past his obsession with her, and he’d done a good job of it. The risk of her walking away from him a second time was too high to chance. He wouldn’t allow her to creep into his heart again. Once burned, twice shy. It was a human motto he had become familiar with.

“What do you want from me?” He refused to apologize for his harsh tone but he needed answers. “Why did you really come here?”

She raised her gaze to his. The sadness in her gaze weakened some of his resolve to send her back to her world. But only for a moment. She had no right to sympathy. He’d been the injured party.

“I’m glad you’re well, Moon.”

He snarled low to show her his patience had reached its limit.

She didn’t flinch away. “I missed you.”

“A lie,” he accused. “There are always choices. You were too weak to face the tough one of sticking around to find out what was between us.”

“I don’t know how much you remember of our discussions while you were under the influence of the drug but I want to be sure you know that I’m so sorry I left. I had to.”

“I don’t believe that.”

“You’re still naïve then.” Her chin jutted out and a defiant look appeared on her face. “Do you know how much money they had invested in keeping Species protected from the press and any possible threats? I would have been considered a security risk. It was top priority to keep all the sites hidden at any cost. Even if it meant tossing me into a jail cell and dragging out the paperwork or whatever else they had to do to keep me from speaking to anyone not involved with the program. My supervisors would have removed me by force.”

His temper flared and he cupped her face before he realized his intention. His hold was gentle but he knew it was a mistake touching Joy. It wasn’t enough and he wanted more. He wrapped his other arm around her waist to keep her from withdrawing from him.

“They wouldn’t have taken you away because you allowed me to get close to you.”

She slumped a little in his hold but didn’t look away. “Yes, they would have. I wasn’t military, 466. The rules were very strict on my interaction with Species. The only physical contact allowed was in the event I was attacked and had to defend myself until one of the guards arrived.”

Use of his Mercile-assigned number was an insult but he didn’t believe she meant it as such. “Moon,” he corrected.

“I’m sorry.”

“You left before I took a name.”

She intently peered up at him. “You have to believe me. Did you know at Site Two they kept one of the therapists locked inside her room for six days as punishment for holding the hand of one of your females?”

“Why was she kept in her room? Why would she hold the hand of a female and be punished for that? Did the female protest?”

“The female had experienced a horrific trauma. The therapist held her hand to show emotional support. The client didn’t mind but the guard in the room reported the physical contact.” She blew out a breath and he identified frustration in her expression. “It was stupid but that’s how the supervisors responded to it. Barbara was suspended six days without pay and secluded, just to make an example of her. She was a really nice lady with a lot of compassion. I spoke to her often because we were both getting some grief from Geraldine, who looked down on our qualifications to treat Species.”

Moon believed Joy. Humans could overreact and he remembered her telling him that was the cause of friction between her and Geraldine.

“I wanted to touch a lot more than your hand,” she softly admitted as she leaned close enough that her breasts nearly brushed his chest. “I wanted to sit on your lap, let you do anything you wanted to me, and I knew I couldn’t keep saying ‘no’ much longer.” She wet her lips, drawing his focus there, and his dick hardened to the point of pain. He ached to have her. “You made it crystal clear that I wasn’t just a curiosity, to see what it would be like to share sex with a human. Once never would have been enough for us. Someone would have figured it out.”

He closed his eyes and fought the strong desire to take her to the floor. Her clothes would shred easily in his hands and then nothing would be in his way. He could explore and lick every inch of her. It had always been his desire to memorize her body by taste and touch.

One of her hands hesitantly settled against his chest. Her palm rested on his shirt but her fingertips found skin. It was enough to snap his control. Moon was done fighting his hunger for Joy. She was right in front of him and almost daring him to take her. This time there wouldn’t be any drugs in his system to give it a surreal quality. No dreamlike memories would haunt him afterward or leave him questioning how good they really were together.

He slid his hand from her waist to her ass, squeezed her there as he pulled her firmly against his body and lifted. Joy’s gasp of surprise was so slight he barely would have noticed if he wasn’t so closely paying attention. He strode forward, looking for the nearest bedroom. He wouldn’t take her on the carpet. He released her face to wrap his other arm under her ass to keep her from sliding down.

“Hold on to me,” he demanded.

He almost expected her to protest but her fingers clutched at his shoulders. She didn’t say a word as he carried her through the living room and into the first bedroom down the hallway. He paused, used his foot to hook the door and push it closed. There wasn’t a lock. He silently promised to beat Flame if the male came to investigate what was taking him so long.

Human housing had smaller beds that were closer to the floor but it beat not having one at all. He stopped at the bottom and met her gaze as his hold loosened. She slid down until her feet touched the carpet.

“Take off your clothes.”

Her smooth white teeth dented her lower lip and he studied her eyes carefully to search for any signs of fear. There weren’t any. She reached for her shirt. It amazed him when she began to undress. His dick jerked in response, wanting to rise even more to the occasion of her surrender. He was going to fuck Joy and this time there was no question that they both knew what they wanted.

He hated the way his hands trembled when he tore his tank top over his head and tossed it aside. He didn’t give a damn where it landed. They hadn’t had shoes at Medical so he didn’t have to bother to remove them. His thumbs hooked the waistband of the sweats but he paused, contemplating if the bare evidence of how much he wanted her would cause her to change her mind. Some humans were afraid when they saw a Species male totally naked.

Faint images surfaced in his mind of him and Joy inside the cell. He’d claimed her body before and she hadn’t flinched when she’d seen the length and thickness of his dick. He only wished he could vividly recall the details. The memories might resurface but he was about to make new ones that he damn well would remember. He shoved the sweatpants to his ankles as he bent, working them over his feet. She wanted him and she was going to get him. He straightened and gave her his full attention.

His knees almost buckled as he gazed at her creamy skin. Joy’s naked body was a vision. She was so different from Species females. No muscles lined her belly—it was smooth, soft flesh. Her breasts were rounded and more generous, the nipples fuller. He swallowed hard, longing to wrap his lips around each one to test how well it fit inside his mouth.

Blue eyes drew his attention when she eased back to sit on the edge of the bed. The hesitancy he recognized in them didn’t prevent him from taking a step forward, then another, and leaning over her as she lay back flat. He braced his weight to keep from falling on top of her.

“Spread your thighs wide for me, sweetness.”

She did it, her legs brushing against his as she maneuvered on the bed. He tucked his chin to watch as she opened her sex to his view. She’d shaved her mound free of hair. He breathed her in—all the wonderful scents of Joy. A hint of arousal also teased his nose. She wasn’t ready to take him yet but she would be by the time he joined their bodies.

Joy was addictive and did crazy things to him. It was a bit unsettling and he suddenly understood why males wanted to mate females. The idea of wrapping a blanket around her and tossing her over his shoulder flashed through his mind. He’d never allow her to leave his home though if he carried her there. His gaze lifted to the headboard, deciding he’d definitely be tempted to tie her to it if it meant keeping her in the bed.

“Moon?”

Her voice drew his focus. A hint of uncertainty made him realize he’d stilled all movement while he debated the logistics of how to get her to his home without anyone alerting Security that he’d carried her out of the human guest quarters. They might assume he’d had a relapse and wasn’t acting sane. It wasn’t rational to want to do that but it had nothing to do with all he’d recently endured. She drove him crazy.

She sat up and gripped his shoulders as she peered deeply into his eyes, her worry apparent. “Are you okay?”

He glanced down at the soft mounds of her breasts and growled. Images of all the things he wanted to do to her swamped his senses, making his dick ache from how hard it had grown. It made him grateful that he was already on his knees or he might have collapsed. “I’m fine,” he managed to rasp.

She didn’t appear to be convinced. “Are you getting a headache?”

He gripped her hips, his touch gentle as his fingers curved around the top of her supple ass. He pulled her closer until the head of his dick brushed her where she was spread to fit his body. He hated the way his hand shook when he slid it around to brush his thumb against her clit. Joy gasped, eyes widening, but didn’t pull away. He rubbed it in slow circles.

“No headache. I can’t wait to be inside you.” His restraint was slipping away as the alluring scent of her arousal grew. “Tell me to slow down.”

She did the unexpected by reaching between them and wrapping her fingers around his shaft. It was his turn to gasp when the slow torture began as she explored the length with her hesitant touch.

“Fuck.” He was done waiting. “Tell me if I’m going too fast.”

Chapter Twelve

Joy moaned in pleasure when Moon suddenly lunged and warm, full lips wrapped around one nipple. His mouth was hot, wet, and he sucked hard, as if he was starving for a taste of her. Strong tugs shot jolts of awareness through her body.

Her hand fisted in his hair to keep him in place as she spread her thighs wider to give him room to play with her pussy. Her hips rolled and she arched her back in protest when he released her breast but he only turned his head to give attention to the other one.

“Moon… Don’t stop.” She’d have to kill him if he did. It would be beyond cruel if he got her hot and bothered then abruptly called a halt. Not that she’d blame him for wanting to punish her for the past. “Please.”

Yes, I’ll beg, she silently admitted. I’ll do damn near anything for him. To have the male she loved that close, reveling in his touch, her fingers tangled in his silky hair, was worth any price.

She leaned back, refusing to let him go as he followed her down. Her other hand frantically stroked the rigid length of his cock. He was steel-hard but velvety soft at the same time. The thumb caressing her clit pressed down a little tighter, changing from a circular pattern to strum it up and down. Her belly clenched as she almost came.

“Please?” She wanted him inside her more than she wanted to breathe. The climax would seem less fulfilling without their bodies joined. The emptiness had become a torment that only he could cure. “I need you inside me.”

Moon nipped her breast and she cried out from the sharp pain but his tongue soothed the hurt before he released it. His chin rose and those sexy eyes of his gazed at her. They narrowed as his nostrils flared while he inhaled deeply. A growl rumbled from him before he jerked her down the bed a few inches more until her ass rested right at the edge. He looked down, shifted his hips. It was easy for her to guide the crown of his shaft to where she wanted it.

The wetness of her desire was slick when the head of his cock rubbed against her until they were positioned just right. Moon closed his eyes and she watched his handsome face as he hesitated. Joy wrapped her legs around the back of his thighs, tugging at the base of his shaft, encouraging him to enter her.

“Goddamn you,” Moon snarled. Dark-brown eyes snapped open to lock gazes with her as he pushed his hips forward. “Damn us both, sweetness.”

It was an emotional slap but before she could reel from the blow of him cursing them both, he was stretching her open and his thick cock was buried in her pussy. The fit was snug enough to draw a sharp moan from her. He grabbed her wrists and her arms were jerked upward above her head. His weight pressed down over her, almost crushing her into the soft mattress.

Moon repositioned his body by bracing his elbows to lift some of his mass so he wouldn’t restrict her breathing and his mouth took possession of hers. A growl vibrated his chest and made her very aware that they were skin to skin.

The wild passion of his kiss and the savage sounds he made heightened her desire. He drove inside her deeper, filling her until she was sure she couldn’t take any more and they were linked as completely as two people could get. She shifted her legs higher, wrapping them around his waist to cling to him since he refused to release her wrists, though she franticly jerked her arms.

He withdrew a little and her vaginal muscles clenched, trying to prevent him from leaving her. He paused, his tongue slowing its exploration of her mouth, before driving into her with one strong plunge. She cried out in ecstasy and turned her head, breaking their kiss to avoid biting him.

His nose brushed along her throat as he softly growled. “You okay?”

“Yes. You feel so good.”

“You’re so tight and hot. Wet.” His breath tickled a little and the tip of his tongue traced the shell of her ear. “I’ll be gentler.”

“No.” She wanted Moon, all of him, just the way he was. “Don’t hold back.”

His fingers uncurled from her wrists and she cupped his face the moment her hands were free, loving being able to stroke his cheeks while staring into his beautiful eyes. She could stare into them forever.

“I’m pretty strong.”

“I can take it.” Her hips wiggled enough to make both of them groan from the pleasure of the slight rub of their sexes. “I want you.”

Indecision flickered in his gaze.

“You’re Species and I don’t want you to pretend to be anything less.”

One corner of his mouth twitched as amusement showed. “Do you want me to fuck you like an animal?”

She licked her lips, missing his kiss. “I want you,” she repeated, stressing the point. “Don’t torment me.” That inner doubt surfaced that he might be toying with her.

An unknown emotion twisted his features before he burrowed his face against her neck. “Hold on to me, sweetness.”

Her hands slid from his cheeks to the tops of his shoulders. She clung to him as he started to move. The unhurried glide of his thick shaft sliding in and out of her renewed her lust for Moon. Every stroke drove her higher. Moans tore from her throat as her fingernails bit into his back.

“Yes,” she urged.

Moon lightly nipped at the sensitive skin under her ear. Each bite was sheer delight and her entire body wound tighter, tensing. He pounded harder, the headboard slamming into the wall with each potent thrust.

Joy threw her head back and whimpered his name. A haze of rapture stole her ability to think. Moon wasn’t as quiet when he found his release. He threw back his head and snarled.

“Fuck.”

She loved the feel of him coming inside her, each tremor of his body filling her with his seed. The swelling that happened at the base of his shaft was even nice, locking them together in a way that seemed right. They both lay spent and panting. He recovered first and lifted his head.

She opened her eyes to stare into his flushed features. There was something really sexy about the soft look in his gaze and the way his hair fell forward. He cleared his throat before licking his lips. He suddenly twisted his head toward the bedroom door.

“Don’t you dare come in here,” he called out. “Go away!”

Joy glanced at the closed door. Moon’s Species hearing would account for how he’d know the house had been breached. He faced her with a grim expression.

“You and I are going to have a long talk later. I have to go. Harley is waiting and I’d hate to beat up Flame because he’s concerned about me being with you so soon.”

He was leaving. It wasn’t a surprise since she’d overheard him making plans with Harley but it still stung. She wanted to linger in bed with him. There was a lot to say and she really wanted to know if what they’d shared was only sex to him…or more.

“Will I return tomorrow to find you gone again?” Anger suddenly narrowed his eyes and sounded in his deepening voice.

“I’m not going anywhere.” A hundred things popped into her head that she wanted to tell him. “You’ll come back to see me?”

“Tomorrow,” he confirmed. “Medical wants me to return tonight for another checkup but they’re letting me go home tonight with Security standing by. Other than Security only Harley can be there. The doc wants to be sure I’m drug-free and safe to be around. You know how doctors are.”

“They are worried.” She could understand that.

The silence stretched as they watched each other. Moon broke eye contact first as he lifted off her and withdrew from her body. They weren’t locked together anymore now that the swelling had abated. He slid off the end of the bed and she sat up, grabbing at the covers to pull over her naked body. It was slightly uncomfortable suddenly to be so exposed.

Moon kept his back to her while he dressed. A part of her resented that he wasn’t sticking around. She was reminded of the bitter history of her last boyfriend. Jeff had a way of making her feel used after sex. He’d never spent the night or even bothered to stick around to cuddle afterward. It was impossible not to compare the past with the present as Moon crossed the room.

Pride kept her silent as he opened the door. The rational side of her knew they hadn’t planned to end up in the spare bedroom for spur-of-the-moment sex and that Harley was waiting at Moon’s home for him to arrive. He had to go. Another part of her wanted to cry because he could have made a phone call to say he’d be late so they’d have some time to work a few things out.

He took one step into the hallway but stopped. He didn’t glance back but his body language indicated he was torn between going or staying. She hoped he’d turn around and come back.

“Don’t leave.” He still didn’t move, as if he were waiting for a reply.

“I won’t,” she answered.

That’s when he slowly looked her way and his gaze found hers. “I’ll see you tomorrow. And Joy?”

Her heart hammered at that intense look.

“What?”

“Be here.”

It was an order. Pure and simple. She nodded. “I promise, Moon.”

He closed the door when he left. Her shoulders sagged as she released the tight grip on the bedding. It slipped away from her breasts. She glanced down and her fingers trembled a little as she traced the bite pattern he’d left there. The skin wasn’t broken but he’d definitely left another mark. It was sensitive but didn’t hurt.

“Damn,” she whispered.

She was madly in love with someone who might not be able to forgive her for the past. Just because he’d gone to bed with her after he’d become lucid didn’t mean he wanted a future with her. She wasn’t that naïve. Sometimes sex was only sex. The saving grace was that he wanted to see her again. It might be to tell her to go to hell but she’d have to wait until he came back to find out.

The sticky feeling between her thighs became more apparent. A shower was in order and food wouldn’t hurt either. She had a feeling that it was going to be a very long night. No way would she stop worrying about their next conversation until they had it.

She wrapped the blanket around her body when she stood, not sure if Moon had thought to lock the front door. The last thing she wanted was to walk down the hallway butt naked and run into Security, checking on her well-being.

No one stopped her as she fled the short distance to the master bedroom and locked the door. The blanket dropped at her feet and she headed toward the bathroom, debating whether to take a long bath instead.

A slight buzz sounded and she paused, glancing around. It came from her purse, where it rested on the nightstand. She changed direction and slid her fingers into the outside pocket, glancing at her phone as she checked the caller ID.

“Great. Just what I need.” She slid her thumb over the screen and jerked it to her ear. “Hello, Eric.” Her boss had left six messages already and he was probably pissed that she’d taken off without giving him notice despite the calm tone he’d used. He was pretty mellow but he did have a business to run. “I’m so sorry I haven’t returned your calls. I told you an emergency came up and I haven’t had any free time.” She remembered his last voicemail. “Things are a little better but I still need a few days.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” He hesitated. “We, um, have a serious problem.”

Dread hit. Was he going to fire her? It was a possibility. As much as she hoped things would work out with Moon, being fired was not an option. She didn’t want that on her work record.

“Someone broke into our offices a little while ago.”

That was the last thing she’d expected to hear. “Was anyone hurt?”

“No. It’s Susan’s birthday and we threw her a party at the burger joint down the street. Our entire wing was closed so no one was there when it happened.”

She cringed. The receptionist was a sweetheart. She made a mental note to call a florist as soon as they hung up to send a gift basket. She had the woman’s address stored in her phone.

“That’s horrible. Did they steal the computers?” There was a television in reception too but nothing else came to mind that a thief might target. “How did they get past hospital security or down the elevator without being caught?”

“They didn’t steal any electronics.”

“Let me guess. A junkie thought we store drugs up there?”

Eric hesitated again. “I need you to come down here immediately.”

“I can’t.”

His voice lowered. “You need to come in, Joy. Whoever they were, they broke into our file cabinets. We’re all going through them to see what is missing or has been tampered with but you’re the only one who can check your files. You could tell if any are missing or if anyone messed with them.”

“We keep session notes in there.”

“Exactly. Personal, confidential, very private information.”

“You think they were going for the files? Maybe they believed that’s where the drugs were stored. Someone high on drugs might have thought the cabinets were locked because they held narcotics.”

“I have three clients who have stalkers. One of them has a sexual addiction that could put his job at risk.” His voice lowered even more until she had to strain to hear him. “A few are having extramarital affairs. We’re liable if any sensitive information has been breached and we don’t warn them. What if it was someone’s stalker? What if they were looking for information to use to blackmail someone? Do you get where I’m going?”

Unfortunately, she did. “I understand.”

“Good.” He spoke in a more normal voice. “The police have arrived. How long will it take you to get here? They are waiting for us to figure out if any of our clients were targeted. Do you have any high-risk cases?”

“Four.” Jenny, who lived with an abusive boyfriend who took jealousy to an extreme level. She had encouraged the poor woman to leave him but it was a slow process. That jerk would probably kill her if he ever got his hands on those notes and read about their discussions. Paul was gay but wasn’t ready to make that known for fear of hurting his career. He was a professional athlete with a lot of fans. The press would tear his life apart if they got wind of his secret. Maggie was new and it was too early to tell if someone really was watching her the way she claimed. It could be a possible stalker or a case of paranoia. Lesley was a rape survivor who had come in after her attacker had been released from prison. He had made threats and the constant fear she experienced had caused her to seek help.

“Joy?”

“I’m still here. I was thinking.” She glanced at the clock on the nightstand and calculated. “I can make it there in about two hours.”

“I want you here now.”

“I’m not in town.” She didn’t mention needing to shower before she left. “It’s going to take me that long to drive there and I will probably get a speeding ticket or two at that rate.”

“Get here ASAP.”

“I’m on my way.” She ended the call and rushed into the bathroom. She had no choice. She was responsible for her clients. She had to go.

Moon wouldn’t come back until morning. She could easily drive to the hospital, deal with the crisis and return to Homeland before he arrived. She had no way to contact him so she’d leave a note on the door and a message at the gate. She wouldn’t risk any more misunderstandings between them. If she was delayed for some reason and he found her gone… Well, she didn’t even want to think about what could happen. She didn’t wait for the water to warm before stepping into the stall. She had to hurry.

* * * * *

“This was great. Thank you.” Moon grinned and pushed away from the counter to lean back in his chair. “You somehow make better steaks than I do.”

Harley chuckled. “It’s all in the seasoning. I keep telling you to use salt and a little pepper before you sear them.”

“You could leave Security to work in the cafeteria.”

“Hell no.” Harley sipped his soda. “I couldn’t stand to be stuck indoors all day even if it was to cook.”

It was a common issue with Species and the reason they had humans working at Homeland. Humans didn’t mind being cooped up inside buildings. “Fresh air is wonderful.”

They exchanged a knowing look, both remembering all the years they’d been locked in cells at the mercy of Mercile.

“So…” Harley arched an eyebrow. “Are we going to keep avoiding the subject? We’ve eaten and I updated you about the Gift Female and Shadow. They are happy and in love. Breeze is fully recovering at Reservation. I’ve talked. You haven’t.”

Moon sighed.

“You came in smelling of shared sex. She’s still all over you since you didn’t shower before dinner. What are you doing?”

“Spending time with my best friend.”

Harley grumbled deep within his throat to sound his displeasure.

“I don’t know.” It was tough to admit. “Joy’s always been a complication.”

“Is she leaving?”

“Not right away,” he hedged.

“Damn it. Stop that. What is going to happen between you two?”

“I don’t know.” It frustrated him. He stared down at his legs, resisting the urge to kick the kitchen island he sat in front of. It might feel good to put a hole in something.

“You have to give her some credit for trying to help you when you were drugged out of your mind.”

He looked up and held Harley’s gaze. “Which she shouldn’t have been allowed to do. I could have killed her.”

“That’s what I said at first but I got outvoted. I changed my mind once I realized she was the only one you could connect with. She is an adult female who knew the risks.”

His temper flared. “I was dangerous.”

“True.” Harley shrugged. “But you wanted to fuck her more than anything else. She could have gotten you to bark and do dog tricks just by flashing her tits.”

It took control not to reach over and punch his friend. It would be satisfying to knock him right off the barstool onto his ass.

“Quit pushing my buttons.” He knew him too well. “You are hoping that if we go a few rounds fighting that I will confess that I still have feelings for her once I calm.”

Harley’s quick grin made him regret not following through with his fist.

“There’s no need to push me to talk. She ties me up in knots. I went to human housing because I couldn’t stay away. You being there was my excuse to see her.”

“Ouch. I missed you too.”

“Don’t.” Moon was in no mood to play games. “You know you’re a brother. She’s the one I think about when I’m alone.”

“Stroke material, huh? Is she the one you picture when you—”

Moon snarled, flashing his canines. “You’ve either really missed sparing with me or you’ve grown foolish while I was drugged. I meant that the memory of her has tormented me when I feel lonely. It’s not just sexual.”

All humor vanished from Harley’s features and his eyes narrowed. “Are you going to allow her to leave Homeland or not? That’s what I want to know.”

“It’s not up to me. We’re going to talk tomorrow.”

“She’s little and it would be easy for you to keep her around if you wanted to make sure she stays. Refuse to let her leave. I’d like to see her try to get around you to walk out a door if you said otherwise. You’re no longer a newly free male who is finding his footing in life. You’re in control now instead of the other way around. She’s got no authority here.”

“I can’t force her to stay if she wants to return to her world.”

Harley snorted. “I would if I ever wanted a female that bad.”

“I’m still angry at her for the past and she never came to Homeland to see me until this happened.”

“Ah.”

“What does that mean?”

Harley leaned in closer and peered at him, frowning. “The female is yours. Face it. You’ve come in late for other meals right off a work shift stinking of sweat. You always shower to wash it away no matter what I put on a plate or how hungry you are. I’m smelling her because you’re having one of those weird reactions we experience when a female has us by the balls. You probably need her scent on you in order to keep sitting there instead of sniffing after her to get another whiff.” A smile curved his lips. “Deny it to yourself but I know you too well. You have that whipped expression we’ve both witnessed on the males who have mated.” He laughed. “That’s the one. It’s that oh-shit look as it sinks in that it’s true.”

Moon knew the color had drained from his face. His best friend was right. He wouldn’t lie to Harley.

“Go to human housing and wallow in your female. Be sure to tell her that I expect to still spend time with you. She made a mistake. Get over it. I refuse to watch you sulk and beat on the task force members we train with when you unleash your anger on them. They aren’t cute and fuckable. She is. Don’t allow her to leave because you hold a grudge.”

“Sometimes I think you’ve grown too human.” It amused him though and Harley was right. He might hate what she had done to him once but she’d come back. They had things to work out but he did want to try. That meant he needed to ask her to stick around to be able to do that. He didn’t want to dwell on the past when Joy could become part of his future.

“I spend way too much time with Trey and the guys. They are a bad influence in the best way.” He jerked his thumb toward the door. “Go get her.”

As Moon slid off the chair the doorbell rang. He glanced at Harley, who shrugged.

“I’m not expecting anyone.” Moon crossed the room in quick strides. It wouldn’t be Joy. Her escort would have called first to get his permission to bring her to his house.

“Everyone was worried about you. Word spreads fast. It’s probably someone wanting to make sure you’re really back to normal after being told you’re home.” Harley followed. “Let’s hope it’s not a female to offer you a sympathy fuck. They won’t know you’re already taken until they smell her all over you.”

Moon jerked open the door and bared his teeth when he glared at the human waiting on his porch. It wasn’t anyone he wanted to see. “You.”

“Hello, Moon. Are you going to ask me in?”

He stepped to the center of the doorway, spread his arms, and gripped the frame to completely block the entrance with his body. “No.”

“You’re being extremely rude.”

“Go away, Kregkor.”

“I have come to evaluate you.”

“You’re not my shrink. I don’t need one.”

The annoying human gave him a chilly smile. “You’ve suffered a trauma and might still be experiencing side effects. Please invite me in. We’ll discuss all that has happened to you and how you feel about it.”

“He thinks it sucks that an asshole shot him.” Harley paused behind him. “He’s fine now that the drugs have left his system. Evaluation over.”

Moon resisted laughing. Justice had asked them to tolerate the shrink. That didn’t mean he’d invite him inside his home or waste time being asked stupid questions. His friend’s responses didn’t please the human. A scowl creased his face.

“I came to speak to Moon. You can set an appointment with me if you wish to discuss your feelings, Harley. I have a few open timeslots tomorrow. I know you have a lot of serious issues that need to be addressed. It will save me the headache of going to Fury or Justice to make you come see me.”

Harley’s chest pressed against Moon’s upper arm and he gripped the wood frame tighter to prevent his friend from reaching the shrink. Moon shot Harley a warning look that he hoped conveyed that he needed to remain calm. Kregkor had a habit of infuriating Species with his belief that all of them were desperately in need of his help. As much as the shrink might deserve to be knocked on his ass, they weren’t allowed to touch him. Harley growled but eased back.

“I have things to do.” Better things to do than waste my time, he silently amended, forcing a smile. “It was thoughtful of you to drive to my house but I’m leaving.”

“In other words, you’re in our way.” Harley glowered. “Don’t you have a mate to get home to? I’m sure she misses you. You’re so pleasant to be around.”

Moon almost winced at the clear sarcasm. It wasn’t missed on the shrink either as his face reddened while his hands twitched at his sides. He needed to smooth things over.

“I am to return to Medical tonight for a follow-up. I’m sure you don’t want me to be late for that.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. He’d go there after paying a visit to Joy.

“This is part of the follow-up.” Kregkor’s beady eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “It’s mandatory that you be given a clean bill of health. That means you need to speak to a trained professional about the emotional ramifications of the trauma you’ve suffered. Justice agreed.”

Moon bit back a curse. No one had told him that.

“He won’t be talking to you.” Harley leaned in again to growl at the human. “It just so happens that you aren’t the only head shrink at Homeland. He’ll go see Dr. Yards.”

That was brilliant. Moon grinned. “Good idea. I’ll go see her right now.”

“That woman?” Kregkor shook his head. “She’s not qualified.”

“She cared for me right after I was freed from Mercile.” Moon released the doorframe, not caring anymore if Harley wanted to intimidate the human. No one was allowed to dismiss Joy. “She knows more about Species than you ever will.”

“She doesn’t want to kill us and would be smart enough to never verbally harass a mate.”

Kregkor’s face flushed red as he shot Harley a furious glare. “You are of line. That was a special circumstance.”

“I don’t like you.” Harley growled again, deeper, more menacing.

The human paled slightly and stepped back. He addressed Moon. “I realize I’m not popular but you do need to be evaluated.”

“Joy will do it.”

“Dr. Joyce Yards left,” he said smugly. “When I was being processed in at the main gate, her vehicle was being checked for departure.”

Moon’s heart skipped a beat. “You’re wrong. She’s at human housing.”

“She has long brown hair and was driving a blue four-door sedan. They said she was Dr. Joyce Yards.” He jerked out his cell phone to wave around. “Do you want to call the main gate? It was odd seeing a stranger leave Homeland at this hour. Most of the day staff leaves at five.”

Rage filled Moon as he spun, bumped into Harley, and rushed to his home phone. Security answered on the second ring.

“Where is the female shrink?” He figured whoever answered would be able to identify her easiest with that description.

“She left, Moon. Her car was searched to make sure she didn’t take anything with her that belonged to the NSO. Do you want me to find the one who spoke to the female?”

“No.” He threw the phone and it smashed apart when it impacted with the wall.

“Damn.” Harley sighed.

He spun to face his friend. Harley held his gaze with an equally harsh expression. Kregkor had crept inside his door while they were both distracted. It made him a target in the worst way. Moon lunged before considering what he was about to do. Harley grabbed him before he got to the human to throw him out. He would have sent the male flying out the door into the yard.

“Breathe,” Harley ordered. “That’s it. Let me handle this first and then we’ll deal with what to do about your female.”

He nodded, his control held by a thin thread. Strong emotions were crushing into him. Joy had promised she would stay. It was the past repeating. The howl that wanted to burst loose nearly choked him.

Harley let him go and stalked over to the shrink. “I’ll give you a five-second head start. If you’re still here, I won’t stop him from turning you into a screaming punching bag. Lesson number one about Species that you should learn is to never fuck with one when he’s about to snap. Take a look.” He jerked his thumb in Moon’s direction. “See that murderous glint in his eyes? Remember what we are. Run, human.”

Kregkor turned tail and bolted. Harley slammed and locked the door.

“Easy, man.” He slowly turned and his dark eyes narrowed. “Don’t mess up your house. Or my face. You like us both. We’ll deal with how to handle this as soon as you calm down.”

Chapter Thirteen

Joy unlocked the front door to her condo a little after ten o’clock that night. It had been a nightmare dealing with the problem at work. She’d managed to reach the hospital within two hours but she hadn’t expected the three-ring circus she encountered there. Her boss had called in a legal team to protect their clients’ rights.

The lawyer had demanded she respond to him in whispered answers to every question from the police. He’d been the one to speak to them directly after filtering what she said. It had been a slow, annoying process that had taken hours.

She kicked off her shoes inside the door and locked it. She hit the switch and light filled the open-concept living space that combined the kitchen with the living room. The seven-hundred-square-foot home wasn’t big but it was affordable. A long counter she used as a dining table was the only thing that separated the rooms. The lone barstool was a reminder of her solitary life. She missed Moon.

The trip to her bedroom was a quick one. The twin bed with matching furniture was more suitable for a teenager but with the limited space it allowed her to use one side of the room as a home office. She turned on her computer to check emails and noticed her answering machine blinking as she waited for them to load. She hit the button to check them.

“Hi, Joy. It’s Mom. Don’t forget to call Aunt Margie on Tuesday. She’s having surgery again and you know how she gets. Make sure she doesn’t rewrite her will. Poor Markus is fed up with her saying she’s going to die. Give your cousin a break by calming her down. Love you.”

Joy winced as she listened to the next four terse messages from her boss. He’d left them before they’d spoken on her cell. The last message was another reminder that she’d totally lost touch with her own life when she’d rushed away to be with Moon.

“Are you okay?” It was Meg’s voice. “I know you’re stressed with the flood of new clients that were shoved on you when your coworker retired but you never stand me up. I’m worried. Call me.”

She grabbed up the phone and dialed. Meg answered on the first ring.

“I’m so sorry. I hope it’s not too late to call.”

“Never. I was making a snack. Right from my lips to my hips at this hour but I’m counseling someone with a food disorder. I suddenly don’t care if I gain a few pounds. Being the perfect weight is overrated. Enough about me. How are you?”

Joy grinned and sat down at her desk. “I’m good.”

“You always call me if you aren’t able to make our movie night.”

“I am sorry about that. Life kind of took a surprising turn.”

“Do you need me in professional mode?”

“No.” Joy laughed. “Just relax and be my friend.”

“You say that so you don’t have to pay me.”

It was a standing joke between them. “It cuts both ways. I didn’t charge you when you rambled on about your ex-boyfriend.”

“True. What’s going on? Are they working you too hard at the hospital? I keep telling you private practice pays more and the hours are very stable.”

“No.” Joy debated what to say. “My past kind of came up and bit me.” She subconsciously rubbed where Moon had sunk his teeth into her. It was still a bit tender. “I took some time off work to deal with it. I knew you’d freak out if you didn’t hear from me and I don’t want you to be concerned. I’m alive and well. I won’t be around for a bit until I get this sorted out.”

Meg was silent for long seconds. “What is going on? I can’t think of anything that would distract you to the point of blowing me off and having to take time away from your clients.”

“Remember when I moved in with you for a few weeks? It’s about him.”

“Shit. The guy you fell for? Did he show up at your office asking you to counsel him again?”

“No. Let’s just say we ran into each other and I’ve been spending some time with him.”

“Is he still massively hot?”

“Even more so.”

“And he’s not your client anymore.”

“Nope.”

Meg softly cursed. “You went there, didn’t you? I remember how depressed you were. I’ve never seen you so hung up on a guy. You even refused to tell me anything about him.”

Joy knew what Meg wanted to know. “I went there. We had sex.”

“Oh my god!” Meg sounded astonished. “Okay. It’s been a few years. No one could accuse you of anything unethical. At least in theory.” She paused. “How was it? Please tell me he isn’t one of those types who is all looks but totally clueless in the sack. You went through hell over that guy. Was it worth it?”

Heat warmed Joy’s belly just remembering the intimate moments she’d shared with Moon. “It was a hundred times better than anything I ever fantasized about.”

“I’m glad and a bit jealous.”

“Thanks. I only came home to pack some of my clothes and then I’m going back to him. I don’t want you to worry if you don’t hear from me.”

“So you’ve temporarily moved into his home?”

“Um, not exactly. I’m staying at the same place he is.”

“That sounds mysterious and vague. Do you want to expand on the details?”

She couldn’t tell Meg about Homeland without giving away that Moon was New Species. “Not really. I’d still be with him but I had to handle an emergency at work. I stopped home to pack my bags since I’m only a few blocks away from the hospital.”

“Is everything all right?” She didn’t ask for specifics, knowing she couldn’t give precise details on anyone she treated.

“Someone broke into the offices while everyone was out.”

“A drug addict looking for a score?”

It was a common problem in their line of work.

“No. Whoever they were, they opened and screwed with every one of my files.”

“You’re sure?”

“The pages were out of order in some of the files and I’m meticulous about that. Nothing was missing though and the copier we use keeps records of everything we print. They didn’t make duplicates. Of course, that doesn’t mean they didn’t use some other technology to do it. For all we know, they could have snapped pictures of every page with their phones.”

“Shit!”

“I know. The police were still dusting for prints when I left. Hopefully they’ll locate some and find out who did it. I had to call all my clients to let them know about the breach of privacy. The lawyer had a fit but what else was I supposed to do?”

“It was your duty to inform them.”

“That’s what I said but the jerk was worried we’d get sued.”

“Great.”

“Yeah.” Joy glanced at the clock. “Look, I need to get going. I have to get back to, um, him, and I’d prefer he not know I’m gone. We’re meeting in the morning. I have to pack enough clothes to last me for a good week just in case I’m there that long. It would be good to get some sleep tonight.”

“You’re not even going to give me a name, huh?”

“No.” She hoped that would change though if she and Moon could work beyond their issues. One day she’d love to introduce him to the important people in her life.

“What does your boss say about your leave of absence?”

“He’s not happy but I had vacation time. I used it. I have nine days to figure out if I should return to work or quit.”

Meg didn’t say anything.

“Are you there?”

“I take it he lives too far from the hospital to commute to work daily if things become serious between you two?”

They already were but she didn’t state that. She loved Moon. It didn’t get any more serious than that. “Yes.”

“Don’t you think you might be acting on impulse? This is your career, Joy. I feel the need to point out that it would be a mistake to make a rash decision. Date him for a while and give it time before you alter your life to mesh with his.”

It wasn’t as if Moon could leave Homeland to live with her. She’d have to make the sacrifices. He might be willing to have a long-distance relationship but she wasn’t. It had only been six hours since she’d seen him and she missed him so much it gnawed at her. The concept of only spending time with him on her days off wasn’t acceptable.

“You’ve got a job and your condo to think about. I know you’re not independently wealthy,” Meg gently prodded. “You can’t afford to quit and make your mortgage payment. Keep all that in mind before you do anything that might have dire consequences.”

“Noted, therapist,” she quipped. “I’m grateful that you care and you’d be impressed if you could peek into my thought process. I need to go.”

“All right.”

“Don’t worry about me. I have hope that things might work out in a way that would really make me happy.” She hung up and focused on the computer.

* * * * *

Moon couldn’t sit still and he knew it irritated Harley. “Stop watching me as if I’m going to explode into a rage. I haven’t hit anything yet but that could change.”

“You’re acting like a caged tiger.” A gleam of amusement flashed in his expression. “And you sure don’t look like one. Your eye shape is wrong, plus you’re no longer behind bars.”

“Is this your version of helping me? She left. Again. Stop with the attempts to tease me out of a bad mood. It won’t work.”

Harley shifted his position slightly where he sat on the couch. “Did you argue?”

“No.”

“Was the sex bad?”

Moon flipped him off.

“She is human. It was a legitimate question. You tamed it down, right? Made sure you didn’t frighten her? You know the drill. You have to give them polite compliments and take it real slow so they don’t believe we’re rabid when things get heated.”

“She wasn’t afraid.”

“I’ll take your word for it since I wasn’t there. She did handle you well when you were on drugs. Hell, I wouldn’t have taken my clothes off around you when you were in that condition and I know I’m not even your type. You were pretty out of it. There was no telling what you’d do.”

“Harley!”

“Perhaps she fled in fear of something else.”

“Like what? No one here would dare threaten her.” Suspicion struck. “Do you think one of the males said something to her? Two of them were stationed outside human housing.”

Harley rose to his feet. “Smiley is too human friendly and Darkness would avoid her. That male isn’t social but he wouldn’t terrorize a female. I meant that she might have needed some time to think things through without you invading her space.”

“I should speak to them to be certain there wasn’t a problem.”

“Now you’re just being thickheaded. She’s a female. It’s in their nature to do things we don’t understand. It’s part of the reason we are so drawn to them.” He crossed his arms over his chest and smiled. “She will return. Think as if you are a human.”

“I’m not.”

“True.” Harley nodded. “Her life will drastically change if you two mate. It’s forever and she isn’t naïve about what we are. Divorce isn’t on the table if she agrees to become yours. It would mean giving up a job that I’m certain means something to her and leaving the outside world. They have family and friends to consider too. I have no young but if I did, I’d be leery of sending mine to the out world where they could get hurt. Her people might feel the same about our world. Maybe they are not Species fans and believe all the bad hype they hear from our enemies.”

Moon frowned, not enjoying the queasy sensation he experienced. It would be difficult to talk her into being his mate if her people were set against it. The emotional turmoil it would cause to decide between them or him would be great. Only she could guess at their reactions since he’d never met anyone from her personal life.

“It’s been a long time since she was around Species and we have evolved. That will take some adjustment time too, Moon. Humans panic when they are faced with long-term commitments. That’s why they have that ‘cold-feet’ saying.”

“I didn’t mention anything about making her my mate.”

“She’s not blind. You’ve got all the symptoms that are easy to spot.”

“Not to her.”

“She learned a lot about us after we were freed.”

“She dealt with Species right out of Mercile. There were no mated couples at site four.”

“True.” Harley let his arms drop to his sides and shrugged. “I believe she has strong feelings. She’ll return. Give her some time.”

“What if she doesn’t come back?”

“We could have the task team go after her and bring her back. She’d be easy to locate and grab.”

Moon was tempted to call Trey Roberts. They were friends and the male was always helpful. It would only take about an hour to assemble a team. He mentally picked out three other members he’d entrust Joy to. Better yet, he’d go with them. They’d only need one vehicle. Tim Oberto needed to be kept out of the loop since that human would want approval from Justice, Fury, Slade, or one of the council members to collect a human female from the out world.

“You’re plotting it in your head right now, aren’t you?”

Moon stared at Harley. The male had the audacity to laugh.

“It was a joke. You have it bad. Are you sure your balls are still attached?”

He snarled, insulted.

Harley threw up his hands as he stood. “Okay. I get it. This isn’t humorous to you. I’m sure you’ll tease me if I ever find a female I go insane over. No more kidding around. You can’t send a team after her. Can you imagine how terrified she’d be to have the equivalent of their SWAT team suddenly surround her? She might handle it well but the ones near her would flip out. It would draw media attention and Justice would have to hold press conferences to undo the damage. He’d be unhappy at having to assure the public that we’re not going around kidnapping their females to be our mates.”

But when? In another two years? He couldn’t even get the words out to express that fear.

Harley looked concerned. “She has strong feelings for you. You weren’t there when she was facing down a roomful of males. The female is fierce when it comes to you. I would guess it’s a case of cold feet. They aren’t as focused as we are on getting and keeping what we want. They tend to chase after something, catch it, and panic when they realize they have it within their grasp. You fell for a human so you need to accept her flaws.”

“Fine.” He needed to be alone and think.

“What does that mean?”

“She’ll return to me.” Even if he had to make certain she did.

“Why don’t we go for a run? It will drain some of your restless energy. You’re still wound too tight.”

“I’m fine.”

“Lie,” Harley accused. “You are anything but fine. I’d be pissed if she had abandoned me. You need to run and sweat it out.”

“I’ve had enough of that to last me a lifetime.” He had a flashback what he’d endured at Medical.

Harley grinned. “True. That was hellish.” He sobered. “I can’t hand over the bastard who hurt you so you’re able to pound him into a bloody pulp or track down your wayward female. What I can do is help you deal with the anger. We’ll run or take it to the mats if you need to fight. You sure can’t seek out a female to distract you since you only want Joy.”

He did want her in the worst way. First, he’d yell at her for leaving him but then he’d seduce her to prove she belonged to him.

“I am angry,” he admitted. “I know they’ll catch the ones involved with the attack. Patience still isn’t my best trait but I know it’s only a matter of time before they are brought to us. I need to be alone to think about Joy.”

Harley glanced low and smiled. “Miss her that much, huh? It must make it harder with her scent clinging to you.” His eyes sparkled with amusement when he looked back up.

“You said you’d stop making jokes.”

“Sorry.” He shrugged. “You wouldn’t have let that one pass either if it were anyone else. I’ll sleep here tonight to keep you company.”

“Go home. I promise I won’t destroy my house or call Trey to assemble a team.”

Harley studied him with suspicion.

“I found my mate but she’s fled Homeland. I only want to take some time to adjust to everything. I need some space and quiet. It was easier to find calm in the silence of our cells at Mercile.”

“Okay. You call me though if you need anything. I’ll keep a phone within reach at all times. We’ll share breakfast in the morning if I don’t hear from you by then.”

“Thank you.”

The hug they shared wasn’t awkward. It was a reminder that someone cared about him and the bond between them was strong. He had found family in Harley. They separated.

“Call me if you need to talk,” Harley murmured. “Or want someone to sit with you.”

“I will.”

Moon watched him go and waited a full minute to make sure he wouldn’t return before spinning on his heel and stomping into his bedroom. He threw open the closet door, flicked on the light, and scanned his clothing. He picked black leather as he pulled the jacket from the hanger. He threw it out into the bedroom to land on the bed. Jeans followed, along with his boots.

A team wouldn’t be sent after Joy. Harley had reminded him that it would cause a scene if there were any witnesses around her when they arrived. One male wouldn’t draw too much attention though. He growled low, exiting the closet to take a quick shower.

“I’ll go after her myself.” Fuck waiting. He’d spent two years without Joy after she’d run from their feelings and he refused to allow her to do it a second time.

* * * * *

Guilt was an emotion Moon rarely experienced. He didn’t tell lies or do things he knew were wrong. Until tonight. He made sure to mask his expression as he held the gaze of the officer on duty at the concealed gate. It was an emergency exit in case of attack or if they needed to sneak someone in or out of Homeland.

“I didn’t recognize you in that outfit, Moon.” True was a male who’d been stolen by some of Mercile’s employees before the facility had been breached to free Species. He’d been located later and recovered with a few dozen others. “Is that a motorcycle?” He studied the machine between Moon’s thighs. “I’ve never seen one other than on television.”

“Harley loves them and we each keep one here. He has five of them at his home at Reservation.”

“It’s beautiful.” The male walked around the bike, admiration in his gaze. “Is it difficult to drive with only two wheels?”

“I’d suggest learning on a dirt bike at Reservation first. That’s what we did.”

The male smiled when he paused in front of him again. “I won’t be going there for a while. I’ve been assigned to start working with the task force soon.”

“I remember. You’re going to go on rescue missions with them so you can make first contact with Species.”

“I like the humans on the force.”

“Trey was impressed with your ability to deal with your aversion to humans when you trained with them. He recommended you for the job.”

“They aren’t our enemy.” His voice deepened. “I only have a problem with the ones who harm others who can’t fight back.”

“I’m glad you’re adjusting so well. Open the gate.”

The male didn’t move. “Why?”

“I’m going to patrol.” He shoved on the helmet, hating the lie. “It’s something I do from time to time.”

“Species don’t leave Homeland without a full escort.”

He knew the rules. “Take a good look at me. The helmet covers my face and the glass is tinted. Can you see my face through it, even with your vision?”

True stepped closer, peering intently at him. “No.”

“Exactly.” He flexed his gloved hands on the handlebars. “Every inch of me is covered. I’ll appear human. It’s a great disguise.” He had hoped the male would take a direct order from him but True wasn’t a pushover. “No one knows we bought the house on the other side of this gate. I’ll pull out of the driveway as if I’m a human living there. Sometimes we patrol outside our wall.”

“No one informed me of this.”

“Not all know about the location of this gate either.” He hoped that would settle the matter. “Open the gate. I’ll come back in through the main one. The humans watching won’t think anything of a bike coming in but they might grow suspicious if one leaves.”

“I need to contact someone to get permission.”

“You’re wasting time.” Moon growled to show his displeasure and frustration. He needed to go after Joy. “Open the gate now. That’s a direct order.”

True frowned. “You chose this location because you hoped I wouldn’t know procedure, didn’t you? I’m not naïve. They would have informed me if you were going to arrive here. You want to leave Homeland without anyone knowing about it. Why?”

Shit! Moon knew his plan had failed. He could attack the male and go but it would leave the location unguarded. He’d have to knock True out to get around him. He wouldn’t risk a breach at Homeland.

“You’ve been ill.” True stepped closer. “Are you experiencing instability? I was told you were fully recovered.” His tone softened. “Tell me the problem and I’ll do whatever I can to help. Do you want out because you are feeling closed in?”

Moon’s shoulders sagged. The level of remorse at attempting to fool the male rose. “I apologize. I did hope you wouldn’t question me. I don’t have permission to leave.”

“Do you wish to go hunt for the ones who hurt you? I understand if you do but the task force hasn’t had any leads yet. I’m friends with some of them and would have been told if they were gearing up for a mission. Going out there blindly won’t do any good.”

“That’s not why I want to leave.” He was a bad liar and wouldn’t try it again.

True reached out and gripped his leather-covered forearm. “You wanted to break free. Homeland is large but you’re probably feeling contained within our walls. Why don’t you ask to be sent to Reservation? Perhaps a few days in the Wild Zone with some of the residents will do you some good.”

Moon reached up the second True released him and tore off his helmet. “My female is out there. She left and I want to get her back.”

Surprise widened True’s eyes.

“She’s human. Ever hear of the term ‘cold feet’? Harley believes she suffered a bout of it when she realized I want to mate with her. I left her at human housing but found out she’s gone. They verified at the main gate that she left that way.”

True shook his head. “I don’t know that term but does it mean she was frightened and ran away?”

“Yes.”

“That’s annoying.” The male stepped back a few feet. “How will you find her?”

“I looked up her address. They did a full background check before they sent for her after I was drugged. I’ve been out with the task force teams enough to know their driving laws. I want to speak to her and talk her into coming home with me.”

“You’re sure she’s your mate?”

“Pretty sure. I’m telling lies and breaking rules trying to see her.”

“Do you believe she feels deeply for you?”

Moon nodded sharply. “Yes.”

“My shift ends at six a.m.” He reached for his belt and withdrew his sidearm, offering it to Moon. “Take this. You may need it. I hear the outside world is pretty dangerous.”

Moon was too stunned to move.

“I cared about a human once. I might have done something really foolish if I’d been given the chance to be with her. I was wrong about her being a good female so it didn’t work out for me. Good luck, Moon. Be back before my shift ends so I can let you in. We’ll both be in trouble if they find out I let you go.”

Gratitude finally broke through his shock. He accepted the handgun, tucked it into the waistband of his jeans, and zipped his jacket. “Thank you.”

“Be careful. Don’t forget, my shift ends at six. Sometimes they come five or ten minutes early.”

“Thank you. I owe you a huge favor.”

“Get your female and be happy. I wish that for you.”

Moon shoved the helmet back on while True unlocked the gate, swinging open the solid partition that resembled brick on the other side to match the rest of the wall. He started the engine and slowly pulled forward. He shot the male a grateful look that he couldn’t see through the tinted glass as he entered the backyard of the house next door, not turning on the headlight until he reached the residential street.

He was driving in the out world to go find Joy. He’d done it!

Chapter Fourteen

Joy cursed as she sucked on her bleeding finger. “Damn it.” The small injury had everything to do with her suitcase being overstuffed. She had shoved her weight over the top of it and struggled with the zipper to get it closed all the way.

She stepped back and studied the two suitcases. It had been her intention to only pack enough clothes for seven days but she hadn’t figured on how tough it would be to pick out outfits. The black cocktail dress was a little too over the top but it was sexy. The blue almost-identical gown matched her eyes. It had been too tough to pick between them so she’d packed both.

Jeans had been a must since Moon might want to take her on a tour of Homeland. She hoped he’d want to spend time with her. She’d had to take long- and short-sleeved shirts to match each pair depending on whether it was a day or evening stroll. The real trouble had happened when she’d thought about inviting him over to dinner. She’d yanked open her lingerie drawers at that point, seduction on her mind.

What was sexy to a Species? Oversized nightgowns? Silky teddies? Maybe he’d enjoy seeing her in stockings and garter belts with nothing else but a matching panty and bra set? He had liked to watch porn videos when she first met him.

That’s when she’d totally gone crazy by pretty much deciding to take it all. It was important that he found her as appealing as the women he’d obviously been drawn to.

“I’m being such a girl,” she muttered, taking a seat on the side of her bed. “I know better.” She’d told her clients a thousand times that it was important that people accept themselves for who they were instead of focusing on changing their appearances. Of course, she’d never been so worried about her appeal to men before either. “It’s kind of sad,” she decided.

The doorbell rang and she frowned, getting up. It was a little after midnight when she glanced at the clock near the television. She paused and hesitated in front of the door. It had been on her to-do list to have a peephole installed in the door but she’d never found the time. Her job kept her pretty busy during the week and her time off was spent with family or friends.

“Who is it?”

“Mr. Johnson.” The voice was muffled.

She still didn’t unlock the door. The building manager had no reason to be there so late. He lived on the first floor and she hardly saw the older man. He kept to himself unless someone broke the rules. She’d parked in her own space. “What do you need?”

“There’s a water leak upstairs,” he muttered low enough that she barely made out the words.

She groaned, twisting locks. A few months before she’d heard about a water pipe breaking on the fourth floor. The dump truck outside hauling away wet drywall had been an eyesore. It was a given it had been more unpleasant for the tenants involved to see that mess inside their homes. The walls involved on two floors had to be ripped away and replaced once the plumbing was updated. She jerked open the door to let him in.

“I haven’t seen any wat—”

It wasn’t a frail body that plowed into her but a solid, big one. It happened so fast that she barely registered what was going on before she was falling, landing on her back on the entry tile. The door slammed and the distinctive sound of a lock clicking drew her out of the pain of having the breath knocked out of her to stare in fear at the man planted between her spread, bare feet.

He wore a gray hoodie that kept most of his features shaded from the light in the living room. His lips were thin and pulled back in a grimace to reveal his teeth. He bent before she could recover and cold fingers wrapped around her throat. They squeezed enough that she wasn’t able to scream. She really wanted to.

“Where have you been, Joyce?”

His voice was familiar as she fought down panic. It registered that the intruder knew about Mr. Johnson and he’d said her name. This wasn’t some random crime.

His other hand fisted her shirt and he dragged her to her unsteady feet. It hurt, choked her, but she was able to get air into her lungs when the fingers eased slightly around her throat. He was about nine inches taller than she and she placed him at about a hundred-eighty pounds. She really hoped this was only a robbery. The other options weren’t ones she wanted to consider.

Everything she’d read or heard about criminals flew through her head as she kept her eyes lowered to stare at his chest. He might not want to kill her if she avoided looking at his face, giving him a sense of security that she couldn’t identify him. Instinct demanded she fight but she resisted. Statistically her chances of survival were better if he deemed her nonthreatening. Of course it depended on his motivation. The fact that he had attacked her in a private location drastically increased her chances of being raped or murdered.

She’d attempt to talk to him but he kept a bruising hold on her throat. It was tough to breathe. Forming sentences would be impossible. Her hands fisted to prevent her from clawing his wrists, something she really wanted to do in hopes of getting free. She knew paying attention was important. Every interaction with him would give her clues on how to proceed.

“Where have you been?” His high-pitched tone implied he was agitated and she was struck by a sense of familiarity. She’d heard that voice somewhere before but couldn’t quite place it. “You just disappeared.”

It was tough not to glance up at his face. She closed her eyes to resist the temptation. What did he mean? He wasn’t rational. Not good.

“I went to your office,” he confessed. “I thought I’d find a clue there to where you went. I drove by your parents’ house and all your friends’ places.”

Joy locked her knees when they threatened to buckle. The situation was far worse than she had suspected if he knew so much about her life. She was the target. The motivation was out of her reach though. Was he someone linked to one of her clients who thought she could be used to somehow gain whatever he wanted from them? Maybe he blamed her for some action one of her clients had taken. A scorned boyfriend or perhaps a family member who feared she had too much influence over the person he loved?

Worse, he could be a former client. There were times she’d counseled someone and they hadn’t meshed. The latest one she’d referred to another doctor had issues with women in general. He’d been easily offended at any spoken word by her and spent the hour putting her down. She’d known it was a lost cause to see him a second time so she’d given him Bill Core’s card. That might have been viewed as rejection though she’d wanted him to be seen by someone he’d feel comfortable talking to.

He spun her around roughly enough to almost knock her over. The hand released her shirt but he kept a firm grip on her throat. One arm wrapped around her middle, jerking her off her feet. He stumbled forward through the living room in the direction of the bedroom, her back pressed against his front. The terror of being raped became a real possibility.

She’d fight. The moment he put her down, all bets were off. The building was older, the walls thick enough to muffle noise from the neighbors, but they might hear her screams. She planned to do a lot of that once she got his hand off her throat. He obviously felt slighted some way by her and had stalked her without her suspecting a thing. Rape wasn’t about sex.

The suitcases would prevent him from throwing her on the bed. He’d have to either kick them off or shove them out of the way. He couldn’t do either, the way he had her pinned. The lamp was a good weapon but so was the heavy art deco statue on her nightstand—a Greek god. The powerful build of the male figure had been a sad reminder of 466. She’d still purchased the thing, even knowing why she was drawn to it.

“You’re going somewhere?” His anger was clear as he spit out the words. “The camera didn’t show you carrying anything in so you’re taking them out.”

He was watching her place? How? A dozen questions went unanswered. It was deeply disturbing in any case. He held still, panting a little from carrying her dead weight. It was a good thing. It meant he wasn’t in good shape, which increased her chances of hurting him when given the opportunity.

Her gaze darted to the bathroom door. It was hollow-core, all the inner doors were, but it had a lock. Hairspray would be a great weapon and so would the scissors she kept in the top drawer of the vanity. It was gruesome, considering plunging them into a living human being but she was certain she wouldn’t hesitate. Stabbing him in the throat would be her best bet to take him out fast. It was disturbing to discover where her mind went at that moment but she pushed the dismay away. Survival meant everything.

“I knew breaking into the office would bring you back.” He took another step, taking her closer to the bed. “I knew you’d show up here. There’s too much security in the parking lot at the hospital. This is much better for what I have planned.”

His voice had gained a normal tone now that he was secure and had the situation under control. Icy fingers speared her heart when she remembered that voice. Douglas Peed had been her client for four months, a referral from a coworker who had retired. He’d been bullied all his life. It had started with kids making fun of his last name, taunting him to the point that he’d attempted suicide a few times in his early teens. The cruelty from others hadn’t lessened much as an adult.