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“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.
She’d tried to steer him into releasing the bitterness but he tended to let the anger boil under the surface. They’d been gaining ground though until three weeks ago when his longtime girlfriend had dumped him on the spot after he’d proposed marriage.
Joy had been brokenhearted for him when he’d fallen apart in her office, admitting to her that the woman had refused because there was no way she’d be stuck with his last name. He had been kicked around hard his entire life.
Why is he coming after me? She’d given him sympathy and understanding but it had been
rough on him when his therapist had retired and he’d been reassigned to her. Had missing their appointment while she’d been at Homeland set him off? Had that been the final straw? His next words confirmed her suspicions.
“I’m done being shit on by everyone.”
She hoped she could talk him into being reasonable. He needed to put her down and release the choking hold on her throat. She made a soft noise to indicate she wanted to speak. He tensed against her body but before he could say or do anything in response, a loud pounding started in the other room.
Douglas panicked and dropped her. She was free and slowly turned to face him. She started to speak but the gun he jerked from the back of his pants muted her instantly as she stared at the barrel.
“Joy? I know you’re inside. Open up.”
Moon! There was no doubt who that deep, growly voice belonged to.
“I’ll kill you,” Douglas swore. “Get rid of whoever that is.” He backed up, keeping the gun trained on her.
She trembled from head to foot as she followed the unstable man into her living room. The source of her fear changed from her own safety to Moon’s. No way would she risk his life.
Moon pounded his fist on Joy’s door again. She was there—he’d found her blue car parked behind the building. The background check had given him the license plate number so there was no mistake. The hood had been cold, indicating that it had been there a while. It was the only vehicle registered in her name so she had to be home.
“Joy?” He hated to raise his voice because she lived very close to other humans but he wasn’t going to allow her to hide. He’d break down the door if he had to. It wasn’t his first choice. Someone might call the police. “I’m not leaving until we speak.”
He listened, breathing through his mouth. The stench of the hallway bothered him. Whoever cleaned the floors had used strong chemicals and it competed with the offensive odor of trash. He turned his head, glaring at the bag of it down the hallway. Didn’t humans take it outside and seal it inside plastic containers? He raised his fist again and gave the door two sharp taps.