“This is Tiger. Justice and Slade have lost contact. They were at Fury’s. He’s gone feral from the medication and he’s hunting his mate. I’m at Doctor Norbit’s house with Ellie. I need one team sent to Fury’s now and I need a second team sent here to extract her from the kill zone.” He hung up.
“Kill zone?” Ellie gasped. “Have you all gone crazy? If Fury is mad it’s because you took me from the house and he’s worried.”
Tiger reached down and gripped Ellie’s arm firmly. “He’s not worried. He’s nuts. Move your ass. Your mate is one of the best trackers we have. We need to get you out of his reach.” He yanked her to her feet.
“Stop it!” Ellie yelled. She jerked out of his hold.
“Let me remind you what I already said if you didn’t catch it the first time. The drug he’s been given can override his human side and let the animal loose. Your mate is mainly animal right now, and if I’m right, and he scented you, that means he’s hunting you as if you’re prey. Being prey means he will probably harm you if he finds you.”
“Fury loves me. He’s just mad that—”
“He could kill you. Imagine how he’s going to feel when the drugs are gone from his system and he has to live with something he had no control over. He’ll have to withstand the painful knowledge that he killed the one thing he loves. Now if you give a damn about him, move your ass, Ellie. Let me get you somewhere safe to make certain he doesn’t do something that will destroy both of you.”
Ellie stared at Tiger. There was a lot about New Species that wasn’t known. Is it possible he’s right? Fury did act kind of crazy from the moment he burst into the bathroom. Of course leaving him wasn’t an option to her if he needed her.
“I need some spare clothes and I have to use the bathroom. Where are we going?”
“We need to get you away from Homeland. That’s a certainty. Homeland isn’t big enough to hide you and we don’t need a scene with human witnesses.”
Ellie entered the bathroom and yanked open cupboards, searching for aspirin, feeling a stress headache coming on. The doctor didn’t seem to keep any medicines inside her bathroom. Ellie turned, startled a bit at seeing Tiger hovering at the doorway.
“I need to use the bathroom and that isn’t going to happen with you watching me,” she warned. “Have you ever heard of privacy?”
“Hurry,” Tiger demanded. “He might not have to track you if he guesses we brought you here.”
* * * * *
Breeze climbed out of the car and grimly assessed both males. Justice and Slade waited outside Fury’s home. She’d expected the worst when she’d gotten the call but Fury hadn’t hurt either of them. She’d been informed of the situation, of their only plan to save the Species male, and she’d agreed. She approached them with dread.
Justice spoke first. “Breeze, I’m sorry to ask this of you.” His gaze dropped to her feet, where it stayed. “He could really hurt his female. She’s so much frailer than our women. He could break her bones just by holding her and she would probably die if he’s as aggressive as we fear.”
Breeze winced inwardly. “I understand. She might hate me for this later but I won’t allow her to be killed. I’ll go inside and deal with the situation.”
Justice finally raised his sad gaze. “I’m so sorry.”
Breeze nodded. “I am very fond of Ellie. I would do this for you because you asked but I need to do this for her.”
“She’ll understand once it is explained.”
Breeze snorted at Justice. “Males know nothing.”
That response drew a frown from him. “If we go in and attempt to restrain him, he will try to kill us, or we will have to kill him,” Justice explained softly. “Until we can assess him, it’s too dangerous to tranquilize him. The added drugs could cause an overdose or heart failure. Sending you in to calm him is the only thing we could think to attempt. Scream for help if he won’t allow you to help him. I won’t allow you die. We’ll have to put him out regardless of the consequences if he attacks.”
Breeze opened the front door and stepped inside the house. She closed the door firmly behind her and paused there, fighting down fear. She’d only seen this situation once before and she’d barely survived it. She straightened her shoulders. Ellie had become her friend and this happened to be a Species problem. She only hoped he didn’t kill her outright since she wasn’t the female he wanted.
Breeze froze a few feet inside the living room, inhaled deeply, and then backed up. She yanked open the door to speak to Justice. “Who has been inside this house?”
“Why?”
“Tell me,” Breeze growled.
“Me, Tiger, Slade, Fury, Ellie and the nurse were here. Why?”
Breeze glared at him. “Is the nurse a short female with green eyes?”
Justice nodded. “That describes the nurse, Belinda Thomas. What is wrong?”
“I know this scent. She worked inside my section of the testing facility. Didn’t you ever meet her? Her name isn’t Belinda Thomas. It’s Beatrice Thorton.”
“Are you sure?” A deadly cold glint entered Justice’s angry eyes.
Breeze showed her own anger by barring her teeth. “I would never forget the stench of someone so evil. She took care of Fury?”
Justice paled. “She’s in charge of his medications.”
“Kill zone?” Ellie gasped. “Have you all gone crazy? If Fury is mad it’s because you took me from the house and he’s worried.”
Tiger reached down and gripped Ellie’s arm firmly. “He’s not worried. He’s nuts. Move your ass. Your mate is one of the best trackers we have. We need to get you out of his reach.” He yanked her to her feet.
“Stop it!” Ellie yelled. She jerked out of his hold.
“Let me remind you what I already said if you didn’t catch it the first time. The drug he’s been given can override his human side and let the animal loose. Your mate is mainly animal right now, and if I’m right, and he scented you, that means he’s hunting you as if you’re prey. Being prey means he will probably harm you if he finds you.”
“Fury loves me. He’s just mad that—”
“He could kill you. Imagine how he’s going to feel when the drugs are gone from his system and he has to live with something he had no control over. He’ll have to withstand the painful knowledge that he killed the one thing he loves. Now if you give a damn about him, move your ass, Ellie. Let me get you somewhere safe to make certain he doesn’t do something that will destroy both of you.”
Ellie stared at Tiger. There was a lot about New Species that wasn’t known. Is it possible he’s right? Fury did act kind of crazy from the moment he burst into the bathroom. Of course leaving him wasn’t an option to her if he needed her.
“I need some spare clothes and I have to use the bathroom. Where are we going?”
“We need to get you away from Homeland. That’s a certainty. Homeland isn’t big enough to hide you and we don’t need a scene with human witnesses.”
Ellie entered the bathroom and yanked open cupboards, searching for aspirin, feeling a stress headache coming on. The doctor didn’t seem to keep any medicines inside her bathroom. Ellie turned, startled a bit at seeing Tiger hovering at the doorway.
“I need to use the bathroom and that isn’t going to happen with you watching me,” she warned. “Have you ever heard of privacy?”
“Hurry,” Tiger demanded. “He might not have to track you if he guesses we brought you here.”
* * * * *
Breeze climbed out of the car and grimly assessed both males. Justice and Slade waited outside Fury’s home. She’d expected the worst when she’d gotten the call but Fury hadn’t hurt either of them. She’d been informed of the situation, of their only plan to save the Species male, and she’d agreed. She approached them with dread.
Justice spoke first. “Breeze, I’m sorry to ask this of you.” His gaze dropped to her feet, where it stayed. “He could really hurt his female. She’s so much frailer than our women. He could break her bones just by holding her and she would probably die if he’s as aggressive as we fear.”
Breeze winced inwardly. “I understand. She might hate me for this later but I won’t allow her to be killed. I’ll go inside and deal with the situation.”
Justice finally raised his sad gaze. “I’m so sorry.”
Breeze nodded. “I am very fond of Ellie. I would do this for you because you asked but I need to do this for her.”
“She’ll understand once it is explained.”
Breeze snorted at Justice. “Males know nothing.”
That response drew a frown from him. “If we go in and attempt to restrain him, he will try to kill us, or we will have to kill him,” Justice explained softly. “Until we can assess him, it’s too dangerous to tranquilize him. The added drugs could cause an overdose or heart failure. Sending you in to calm him is the only thing we could think to attempt. Scream for help if he won’t allow you to help him. I won’t allow you die. We’ll have to put him out regardless of the consequences if he attacks.”
Breeze opened the front door and stepped inside the house. She closed the door firmly behind her and paused there, fighting down fear. She’d only seen this situation once before and she’d barely survived it. She straightened her shoulders. Ellie had become her friend and this happened to be a Species problem. She only hoped he didn’t kill her outright since she wasn’t the female he wanted.
Breeze froze a few feet inside the living room, inhaled deeply, and then backed up. She yanked open the door to speak to Justice. “Who has been inside this house?”
“Why?”
“Tell me,” Breeze growled.
“Me, Tiger, Slade, Fury, Ellie and the nurse were here. Why?”
Breeze glared at him. “Is the nurse a short female with green eyes?”
Justice nodded. “That describes the nurse, Belinda Thomas. What is wrong?”
“I know this scent. She worked inside my section of the testing facility. Didn’t you ever meet her? Her name isn’t Belinda Thomas. It’s Beatrice Thorton.”
“Are you sure?” A deadly cold glint entered Justice’s angry eyes.
Breeze showed her own anger by barring her teeth. “I would never forget the stench of someone so evil. She took care of Fury?”
Justice paled. “She’s in charge of his medications.”
