Tiger grimly nodded. “I won’t deny we’re worried about that. We don’t want recollections of his past to torment him or for him to believe he’s been sent back there.”
“It would only worsen his condition,” she agreed. “What arrangements do you have in mind?”
“We decided to place him in a cell, no restraints, just bars to keep him contained. We can’t keep asking our males to fight to keep him down. He sure can’t be allowed to run loose around Homeland. We have some human staff and he even sees other male Species as a threat. I’m not willing it to risk it. He could also attack our females. This was a unanimous decision by our people and your human doctors who have flown in to examine him. Our NSO doctors agreed too.”
She remembered that New Species always differentiated between themselves and humans. “It was a good call to make, considering what I just saw. He is dangerous.”
Tiger lifted a hand and ran it through his hair, a worried look crossing his striking features. “I know it’s a lot to ask but you don’t have to go inside the cell with him. We thought perhaps you could talk to him from outside it. He can’t reach you but he could see and hear you. We’re hoping it might trigger memories and being a female might also help. The other female he grew close to isn’t permitted near him.”
Jealousy hit, a useless emotion considering she had no right to feel that way. Still, it burned inside her chest. “Why can’t his girlfriend see him?”
“She’s not his,” Tiger said as he watched the Species add more restraints to hold 466 on the bed. “She belongs to another male but they are friends. Her mate would kill Moon if he harmed Trisha, even knowing he’s not responsible for his actions.” He turned back and dropped his hand to his side. “I’d hate for him to die.”
“Mate?” Relief swept through her. “Is she New Species?”
“Human. That’s classified.” His gaze hardened. “Understood? No information leaves here.”
“I got it. I won’t repeat anything. All that was covered before I was given clearance to be here. Besides, I never told anyone I even worked with New Species.”
He stared at her. “No one?”
“No one. Not my friends or family and not even my personal therapist.”
He seemed to believe her and his body relaxed. “Trisha is one of our doctors and she is mated to one of our males. It’s a good thing no one ever learned you worked with us or you may have been targeted by someone who doesn’t agree with our continuing existence. She was in danger because of her association with the NSO. Moon was part of her security detail. They became close friends. Trisha is irritated that Slade won’t allow her to talk to her friend but we’re very protective of our mates. One bruise, or hell, even if he made her cry, Slade would tear him apart.”
“I didn’t officially work for the New Species Organization. The government subcontracted me. I worked at one of the safe locations in the desert where you stayed after you were freed, before Homeland was given to you. The NSO was formed after you left there.”
“Right. Sorry. I’m having a bad day. I read that you dealt with Species after we were freed while everyone was trying to figure out what to do with us.” Tiger smiled grimly. “I bet that was a shit job. I was a mess.”
“What was done to all of you was horrible.” She left it at that. “It was an honor helping where I could.”
He closely studied her. “You must have done some great work. You were at site four and nobody bitches about you. That says a lot. You should have met the shrink they assigned me. She was annoying as hell and really made me angry.”
“I’m sorry. Sometimes it’s our job to push to make a client release some of their frustrations.”
His gaze flicked down her before rising again. He had assessed her coldly, no emotion showing. “It might have helped if she’d looked anything similar to you. It would have been easier when she grated on our nerves. She wasn’t pleasing to the eye or the ears.” He spun around to glance at the other males. “Did you lock him down good? I don’t want him getting up from that bed again when he wakes. We’ve mostly cleared out Medical but I don’t want the few remaining staff injured.”
“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 ass**le 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.”
“It would only worsen his condition,” she agreed. “What arrangements do you have in mind?”
“We decided to place him in a cell, no restraints, just bars to keep him contained. We can’t keep asking our males to fight to keep him down. He sure can’t be allowed to run loose around Homeland. We have some human staff and he even sees other male Species as a threat. I’m not willing it to risk it. He could also attack our females. This was a unanimous decision by our people and your human doctors who have flown in to examine him. Our NSO doctors agreed too.”
She remembered that New Species always differentiated between themselves and humans. “It was a good call to make, considering what I just saw. He is dangerous.”
Tiger lifted a hand and ran it through his hair, a worried look crossing his striking features. “I know it’s a lot to ask but you don’t have to go inside the cell with him. We thought perhaps you could talk to him from outside it. He can’t reach you but he could see and hear you. We’re hoping it might trigger memories and being a female might also help. The other female he grew close to isn’t permitted near him.”
Jealousy hit, a useless emotion considering she had no right to feel that way. Still, it burned inside her chest. “Why can’t his girlfriend see him?”
“She’s not his,” Tiger said as he watched the Species add more restraints to hold 466 on the bed. “She belongs to another male but they are friends. Her mate would kill Moon if he harmed Trisha, even knowing he’s not responsible for his actions.” He turned back and dropped his hand to his side. “I’d hate for him to die.”
“Mate?” Relief swept through her. “Is she New Species?”
“Human. That’s classified.” His gaze hardened. “Understood? No information leaves here.”
“I got it. I won’t repeat anything. All that was covered before I was given clearance to be here. Besides, I never told anyone I even worked with New Species.”
He stared at her. “No one?”
“No one. Not my friends or family and not even my personal therapist.”
He seemed to believe her and his body relaxed. “Trisha is one of our doctors and she is mated to one of our males. It’s a good thing no one ever learned you worked with us or you may have been targeted by someone who doesn’t agree with our continuing existence. She was in danger because of her association with the NSO. Moon was part of her security detail. They became close friends. Trisha is irritated that Slade won’t allow her to talk to her friend but we’re very protective of our mates. One bruise, or hell, even if he made her cry, Slade would tear him apart.”
“I didn’t officially work for the New Species Organization. The government subcontracted me. I worked at one of the safe locations in the desert where you stayed after you were freed, before Homeland was given to you. The NSO was formed after you left there.”
“Right. Sorry. I’m having a bad day. I read that you dealt with Species after we were freed while everyone was trying to figure out what to do with us.” Tiger smiled grimly. “I bet that was a shit job. I was a mess.”
“What was done to all of you was horrible.” She left it at that. “It was an honor helping where I could.”
He closely studied her. “You must have done some great work. You were at site four and nobody bitches about you. That says a lot. You should have met the shrink they assigned me. She was annoying as hell and really made me angry.”
“I’m sorry. Sometimes it’s our job to push to make a client release some of their frustrations.”
His gaze flicked down her before rising again. He had assessed her coldly, no emotion showing. “It might have helped if she’d looked anything similar to you. It would have been easier when she grated on our nerves. She wasn’t pleasing to the eye or the ears.” He spun around to glance at the other males. “Did you lock him down good? I don’t want him getting up from that bed again when he wakes. We’ve mostly cleared out Medical but I don’t want the few remaining staff injured.”
“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 ass**le 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.”
