.jpg)
“We did. I hate to see him this way,” one of the Species males grumbled.
Tiger gripped the male’s arm. “I know. I do too.”
The second male growled. “It could have been any of us but Moon was unlucky. I wish we’d been able to capture the asshole who shot him.” He glared at Joy. “Human.”
Tiger moved between them and snarled. “She’s not the enemy. We’re all angry and distressed right now. Focus that rage where it belongs. She worked with Moon after we were released from Mercile and he respected her. Do the same.”
“Fine.” The male sighed. “He bit me too.” He lifted his arm and twisted it. Blood flowed from the nasty wound.
“Let’s get it looked at.” Tiger turned and met Joy’s gaze. “We’ll be right down the hall talking to the doctor and having their injuries treated. Stay away from Moon. I’ll call one of our females to escort you to human housing to get you settled. You were told you’d be here a while, weren’t you?”
She hadn’t been, but nodded. She didn’t want to leave Moon again when he needed her. “That’s fine. I’ll stay as long as you think I can be of use.”
She’d have to call her work at some point within the next two days and tell them there was some kind of emergency. Her coworkers would need to handle her clients but that was the good thing about working for a hospital. They had the extra staff. The worst they could do was fire her but she was willing to risk it.
The three males left the room. She stared at the big body restrained on the bed. They’d not only shackled Moon’s arms and legs but run rope around his body a few times from his upper chest to his thighs to prevent him from moving. Moon wasn’t going to break free again without a heavy-duty cutting device.
She approached him slowly until she stood next to his head and peered down at a face she’d been sure she’d never see again. He was a little tanner, his hair had grown a good foot, and he’d filled out a lot. He’d been leaner when she’d met him, still recovering from being half starved by his captors. She lovingly examined each feature. He looked really peaceful.
Her hand trembled as her fingertips lightly traced his cheek. She glanced at the door, could see down the hallway, and hoped the Species weren’t within hearing distance. They had enhanced senses but she felt safe whispering. His hot skin drew her attention as she caressed him. He’d chosen a name she liked. Moon. She said it a dozen times in her head.
“Hi, Moon. I’ve dreamed about seeing you again but I didn’t want it to be this way or for this reason. I’m going to do everything in my power to help you. I won’t abandon you this time. I’ve regretted taking off on you more than you’ll ever know.”
She brushed back an errant lock of his silky hair. “Please forgive me but I would have lost everything and I couldn’t risk it because you were vulnerable. They wouldn’t have allowed it anyway.”
She released his hair and backed away, not wanting to be caught touching him again. Joy hugged her chest, knew she was in emotional turmoil and the smart thing to do would be to leave. It might ruin her career if it ever came out that she had developed a strong emotional and sexual attachment to a client but she didn’t care. She’d help him by doing her best to figure out how to restore his sanity and then she’d leave once he didn’t need her anymore.
Her time with him at site four was fresh in her memory as she longingly gazed at Moon. Excitement had made the days drag until those evening sessions when he’d been escorted into her office. She’d missed the sound of his husky voice. He’d slowly opened up about some of the abuse he’d suffered at Mercile. It had torn her to shreds listening to each horrific detail but he had needed to get it out. It was part of the healing process.
She’d managed to hide her rage while learning that he’d been beaten just to test some miracle drug that improved healing ability. Those sons of bitches had ganged up on him while he’d been chained, sometimes breaking bones as well as skin, just to see how long it would take for his body to mend. She’d silently wished she could go back in time and spare him all the pain. She was a strident advocate against violence but she’d had plenty of thoughts about performing some gruesome acts on the men and women responsible for his torture.
A few times he’d lifted his shirt to show her scars on his stomach or back. The urge to kiss them in an attempt to soothe some of his residual emotional pain had been almost irresistible. She’d been attracted to Moon in every way and wasn’t able to see those flashes of skin without having unethical thoughts. It had grown harder with every session to restrain the urge to reach out to him. Guilt had surfaced many times as well because of her fascination with his muscular, tempting body.
He’d always turned the topic to sex. It might have been a defensive gesture, a way to distract her from his real issues. Whatever the reason, listening to him speak of the sexual things he wanted to do to her had a strong effect. She’d wanted him too. It had grown harder to keep reminding him of their professional limits.
Half of her had wanted to believe him when he said sex would cure all that ailed him, despite the fact that she knew better. The line between what was best for him and what her heart demanded had blurred with each passing day. Meg had been right to tell her to quit her job but it had broken her heart to leave. Site four had severe rules when it came to contact between Species and humans. Had she stayed, it might have destroyed both of them.
Only minutes passed before footsteps sounded in the hallway. The tall Species female who appeared wasn’t one she’d counseled, and she was happy for that since she had no ready explanation for why she’d suddenly quit on them. Joy forced a smile.
“You’re the shrink?” The Species scowled when she stopped five feet away.
“Yes. I am.”
“Come with me. I’m escorting you to your living quarters and then we’ll go over what you’ll need that you didn’t bring. You don’t seem to have any luggage. You’ll need more clothes and personal items.” Her gaze flicked to where Moon slept. “I hope you can fix his head.”
“Me too,” Joy admitted honestly. “I wasn’t aware this was going to be a long stay. I have one spare set of clothes in my car if you can get someone to retrieve them.”
“We can do that and we can order whatever else you need through Homeland.” The woman evaluated her. “It may take a day or two to get clothes that fit. I apologize.”
“That’s fine.” Joy wasn’t worried about how she looked. Her gaze lingered on Moon. He was all that mattered.
* * * * *
“You will not leave your home unescorted,” Rusty informed her sternly. The Species woman growled and glared to make her point. “All your meals will be brought to you.” She studied Joy critically from head to foot. “When is your cycle?”
“My what?”
“When you bleed.”
“I don’t have regular periods.” Joy shifted her weight, glanced around the house she’d been assigned, and wished Rusty would finish her lecture. The Species seemed determined to go over every rule ever made by the NSO concerning human guests. “I take a birth control shot and have for some time.”
“Good. I will spare you the regulations and procedures then.”
“I have a good idea that I already know them.”
That drew a curious look from Rusty. “Really? I checked your history and you have never visited Homeland or Reservation before today.”
“I helped write the handbook they probably based your regulations and rules on. I was there after your people were freed from Mercile Industries. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that your males have a hypersensitive sense of smell and I’m aware of their reactions to an ovulating or menstruating woman. Also, you should keep breastfeeding women away from them.” She shrugged. “Some of your males love milk and harassed a few nursing mothers when the employees returned to work after maternity leave. I’ve talked a lot of your guys out of cornering women for many reasons. I’m the one who made it standard procedure for all female employees dealing with the mal
es to take the shot if they weren’t already pregnant. Nursing mothers were reassigned to duties that didn’t include interaction with your males.”
Rusty frowned. “You did?”
“Yes. Someone was smart to assign pregnant women to guard the Species males but they didn’t consider what would happen beyond the pregnancy. Though they wouldn’t attack women, the scent of an ovulating one turned them on. So did the blood scent of a menstruating one. The desert heat made it worse. There wasn’t even a breeze out there sometimes so the males could pick up a hell of a lot with their noses. It was trial and error but we got it right. I changed procedure immediately after a few confrontations and called the other sites to warn them of the situation.”
A slight smile curved Rusty’s mouth. “How did you lure the males away from the females?” She gave her a once-over again. “Did you offer your body in exchange for them releasing the females they wanted?”
“No! I talked them into returning to their rooms.” Joy relaxed her tense stance. “Why can’t I eat with the general public? I read in one of the newspapers that there’s a cafeteria on site where most of your meals are prepared. Was that incorrect?”
“Head shrinks are not popular and everyone is aware you are here. We didn’t want any issues to arise. We’re keeping you separated from everyone except the ones assigned to you or Moon. Some of our people could become testy in your presence.”
“That makes sense.” She glanced around the living room again, remembering the way the Species male at Medical had glared at her and called her human. “When are they moving Moon?”
“They have already done so.” The woman removed a cell phone from her pocket, touched it, and glanced down. “They texted me to let me know he’s been safely transferred.”
“Has he woken?”
Shoulders shrugged. “They didn’t state that information.”
“We waited for my spare clothes to be delivered, I changed my shirt and ate a sandwich. I’m ready to go see where he’s being held.”
“I was told you’d start in the morning.”
That didn’t sit well with Joy one bit. She was impatient to see 466 again. “He needs help now and I’m ready to go.”
“Fine.”
Rusty led the way and Joy followed. Two males had been assigned to guard her as well though they didn’t speak and stayed far back until they reached the street. She didn’t allow it to bother her. The Species would warm to her or they wouldn’t, their choice. They drove her back to Medical and it confused Joy.
“I thought you said they transferred him.”
“They did. To a secure part of the basement. It’s divided into two parts.” Rusty motioned her to follow. “We have hospital rooms downstairs but we also have a large storage space we converted to hold him. That is where he’ll be kept. We’ll take the freight elevator.”
That kept Joy silent as they entered the building, walked down a corridor, and ended up at a huge elevator. A solitary New Species officer sat in a chair with a weapon strapped to his hip. He looked up as they approached. A laptop rested over his thighs.
“This is the head shrink.” Rusty paused. “Is Moon awake?”
“No.” The Species assessed Joy with a sweep of his gaze and obviously found her nonthreatening. “Proceed.”
The two guards remained behind as they entered the elevator. Rusty pressed the down button. The doors slid closed while nervousness gripped Joy. She hugged her chest.
“Are you cold?”
“No. I’m worried that I won’t be able to do anything for Moon.”
“He needs your help.”
“I’m going to try my best.”
The elevator stopped and the doors slid open to reveal a dim room. Rusty stepped forward and Joy followed. The basement area was big and a few cells sat across the room. From floor to ceiling were bars separating the area into three rooms, the center cell had the door closed. That one had been stripped down. The ones on either side were set up hotel-room style with a partition, a bed, nightstands and a TV. Moon’s cell contained only a bed, sink and toilet.
“It is sad to see him this way.” Rusty paused. “I will bring a chair for you to sit on and a blanket to keep you warm. I’ll return shortly. Do not go near the bars.”
“No one is down here with him?” She peered around the dim basement. “Someone should be monitoring him at all times.”
“He’s sleeping and the officer upstairs will hear if he wakes. Moon has been very loud since his attack. Seeing other males sets him off. It’s best if none are within sight or smell.”
It felt odd to be in the scary basement but Joy didn’t protest when Rusty left. She knew it was an irrational fear. The only danger was the sleeping Species male locked behind the bars. She hesitated before slowly approaching until she paused about five feet from his door.
They’d washed Moon’s hair and changed his clothing. He wore black sweatpants and his hair had been spread out above the pillow to dry. Someone had taken the time to brush the long strands and she inched a little closer. No restraints held him now. The slow rise and fall of his bare chest assured her he lived.
“I’m here, Moon.”
He must have heard her because his eyes snapped open. He sat up so fast it startled a gasp from Joy. Moon came off the bed in a fluid motion and his big body slammed into the bars. Long, lean fingers gripped the thick metal as he snarled. His dark gaze narrowed as he stared directly at her, his sharp fangs bared.
“Easy,” she crooned, refusing to back away. He couldn’t reach her.
He sniffed loudly and snarled again.
“It’s Joy. Do you remember me, Moon?”
His eyes narrowed further as he sniffed louder.
“Please remember me.” She held very still. “I’m your friend.”
He suddenly shoved away from the bars and turned to glance around the cell. He lunged at the back wall, hit it with his fists and growled when it didn’t break. He turned, attacked another wall, and Joy feared he’d hurt himself.
“Stop it!”
He jerked his head in her direction and paused.
“Easy,” she whispered. She kicked off her high heels and stepped away from them. She slowly lowered to the floor to sit on the hard surface, hoping he’d see her as less of a threat. “It’s okay, Moon.” Her hands adjusted her skirt to avoid flashing her panties as she crossed her legs to get comfortable. “I’m here with you. You’re not alone.”
He turned to face her, stalked closer and gripped the door. It rattled when he fisted the bars and shook them enough to make the muscles in his arms strain but they wouldn’t give. He sniffed at her again but lowered to his knees.
“That’s it. Remain calm.” She smiled. “You don’t want to break your hands. You’d need a jackhammer to dent the metal or concrete.”
He kept hold of the bars as he pressed his face against them. His intense stare locked on her and she realized that she studied a stranger. Moon’s personality wasn’t there, nor was there any sign that he recognized her. At least, nothing that she could assess. He peered at her as if he didn’t even know what she was. The memory of pinning her to the wall a few hours earlier seemed to have been erased.
“It’s going to be okay. I’m going to somehow help you.”
One of his hands released the metal to slip between the bars as he reached out to her. She wanted to go to him but wasn’t foolish enough to believe it would be safe. Just because he seemed calm didn’t mean he wouldn’t bite the hand she offered or try to rip her arm from the socket.
“I wish I could but you need to talk to me first.”
The elevator doors slid open behind them and Moon jerked his arm inside the bars, stood, and snarled. Joy turned her head to watch Rusty carry a folding chair and blanket closer. A loud howl ripped through the room and she gaped at Moon.
He attacked the bars and slammed his shoulder against them, trying to batter them down. Joy stood and faced the Species woman. “He was calm.”
&nb
sp; “Not anymore.” Rusty set down the chair and dropped the blanket on it. “I’ll have them sedate him again before he hurts himself.”
“No, don’t. He was fine until you came.” Joy glanced at Moon again, saw his agitated state as he kept trying to break through the bars, and made a decision. “Leave us alone.”
“I’m supposed to stay here. We’re females and shouldn’t be threatening to him.”
Moon howled again, the sound echoing loudly through the basement. Joy winced. “He was calm until he saw you. Please, Rusty. Go. He’s going to get hurt.”
The woman hesitated. “I’ll wait inside the elevator but close the doors. I’ll remain on this floor. Yell out if you need assistance.”
Rusty spun and jogged away. Joy turned and lowered herself back to the floor.
“Moon?” Her voice softened. “Easy.”
He stopped attacking the bars as soon as the elevator doors closed, panted from his attack on his cell, and glared at her.
“It’s only you and me again. Do you remember? We used to talk a lot.”
He sank to his knees as he calmed. It gave Joy hope that some part of him did remember their sessions and he was on a slow road to recovery.
She couldn’t stand to see him so changed. It was a little petty, she admitted that, but it was upsetting that she’d done the hardest thing of her life by walking away from him only for him to end up locked inside a cell. Regret tore at her as she wondered if somehow things might have been different if she’d thrown ethics out the window, broken all the rules, and fought to remain a part of his life.
Don’t do this, she ordered herself. She knew better than to play the “what-if” game. Reality was right in front of her. Someone had done something horrific to the man she loved and all she could do was try to help him recover.
Chapter Two