Amanda was going to flip when Lauren told her what had happened and how she’d been kidnapped by a few of them. New Species were their favorite topic of discussion and sometimes they watched television specials on them together. Two weeks prior they’d watched a documentary on how the New Species had been transferred to remote locations after their initial freedom to get used to life on the outside. The reporter had said they had to learn simple things such as how to use the phones and microwaves. None of those things had occurred to her until then.
Wrath stepped out of the room and she moved with him. She wasn’t about to lose him and risk running into Vengeance. He glanced at her.
“You are safe.”
She nodded, pretty sure he wouldn’t hurt her. “I know.”
His hand lifted and he motioned her to precede him. “Walk straight ahead and I’ll tell you when to turn to reach the kitchen.”
“I’ll just stick to your side, if you don’t mind.”
“Vengeance won’t hurt you. He’s calmed down and will be over his behavior.”
Lauren licked her lips. “I’m not.” She wasn’t embarrassed to admit how much she’d been frightened. “He’s scary.”
Chapter Four
Lauren felt trepidation as Wrath led her down a long hallway that opened up into a large room. There was a pool table in the corner. Couches, tables and a large television sat in the center, and along one corner was a kitchenette with a large refrigerator, cabinets, counters, and a sink. There was also a table and chairs. That’s where her attention fixed and she halted in fear.
A hand gripped her elbow gently and Lauren’s gaze darted up to Wrath’s face. He gave her a small smile. “It’s all right, Lauren. These are the males I work with. You’ve met one of them.”
She had no choice but get closer to the table since Wrath held her arm and tugged her along. Two men sat at the table opposite each other. One was the large blond from the warehouse, minus his sunglasses, and his eyes were clearly displayed. He was obviously New Species. He had blue eyes, unlike Wrath, but their features were similar. The blond man frowned as he watched their approach.
“This is Shadow,” Wrath introduced.
Shadow glanced at Wrath. “Why is she out of the holding cell?” He studied her with a quick sweep of his gaze. “Was her perfume bothering you so much while you interrogated her that you made her wear your clothing?” He sniffed. “I do admit I prefer being in her presence now more than before.”
Wrath ignored Shadow. He nodded toward the second man. “This is Brass.”
Lauren studied the man with brown hair and almost-black eyes. He was big too, had wide shoulders, and was as muscular as Wrath and Shadow. Brass frowned too.
“Why is she out here? We were trying to intimidate her.”
Wrath hesitated. “We’ll discuss that later. Right now she needs food. I believe she is not Bill’s girlfriend but only works with him. She told me that he said he likes to hang out at a bar within walking distance of his home. We should have Tim send a team there and put it under surveillance. Perhaps he will show if it is a regular place he visits.”
Footsteps sounded behind Lauren and she turned her head. Vengeance stepped into the room. He had changed into a tank top and cotton shorts. The skimpy outfit showed off his big muscles. It only took one look at him before terror hit her faster than a bolt of lightning. She whimpered and jerked out of Wrath’s hold. She stumbled backward, looking for a place to run.
Wrath moved fast and grabbed Lauren around her waist. Strong arms hauled her against his chest. He turned in a way that blocked her from the source of her fear and glanced down. “It’s fine, Lauren. He won’t touch you again.”
Her fingers clawed at Wrath’s shirt. She didn’t fight to get away but instead clung to him. He had saved her once and she felt safe huddled against his big frame.
“What is going on?” Brass stood. “I can smell pure terror coming from her.”
“That’s an interesting reaction to Vengeance. Is it his shaved head? It does look strange. Was she too distracted to notice him when we took her from that building?” Shadow chuckled. “Are you all right, Wrath? Do you need help before she climbs up you?”
Wrath snarled and his body tensed against hers. The sound was vicious and threatening. Lauren would have pushed him away and tried to flee but his arms were locked tightly around her waist. One of his hands rubbed her back even as he made another scary sound.
“See, Vengeance? See what you’ve done? If you can’t contain your temper then you should be back at Reservation until you can.”
Another growl sounded inside the room. “I said I was sorry.”
“Sorry for what?” Brass snarled now. “What did you do, Ven?”
“I scared her,” Vengeance admitted.
“How? I think if she could climb up Wrath to escape you, she would.” Shadow even sounded angry. “Did you cross a line?”
“She shared sex with that monster.” Vengeance’s voice deepened. “I lost my temper. She’s protecting him when she shouldn’t. I’m going for a walk.”
Long seconds ticked by but Lauren wasn’t willing to release Wrath until she was sure Vengeance had left. Brass finally spoke.
“What happened?”
Wrath continued to rub Lauren’s back. “I heard her screams and ran in there. He had torn her clothing off and was about to force breed her to get her to talk. He thought mating her would make her switch loyalties to him.”
Wrath stepped out of the room and she moved with him. She wasn’t about to lose him and risk running into Vengeance. He glanced at her.
“You are safe.”
She nodded, pretty sure he wouldn’t hurt her. “I know.”
His hand lifted and he motioned her to precede him. “Walk straight ahead and I’ll tell you when to turn to reach the kitchen.”
“I’ll just stick to your side, if you don’t mind.”
“Vengeance won’t hurt you. He’s calmed down and will be over his behavior.”
Lauren licked her lips. “I’m not.” She wasn’t embarrassed to admit how much she’d been frightened. “He’s scary.”
Chapter Four
Lauren felt trepidation as Wrath led her down a long hallway that opened up into a large room. There was a pool table in the corner. Couches, tables and a large television sat in the center, and along one corner was a kitchenette with a large refrigerator, cabinets, counters, and a sink. There was also a table and chairs. That’s where her attention fixed and she halted in fear.
A hand gripped her elbow gently and Lauren’s gaze darted up to Wrath’s face. He gave her a small smile. “It’s all right, Lauren. These are the males I work with. You’ve met one of them.”
She had no choice but get closer to the table since Wrath held her arm and tugged her along. Two men sat at the table opposite each other. One was the large blond from the warehouse, minus his sunglasses, and his eyes were clearly displayed. He was obviously New Species. He had blue eyes, unlike Wrath, but their features were similar. The blond man frowned as he watched their approach.
“This is Shadow,” Wrath introduced.
Shadow glanced at Wrath. “Why is she out of the holding cell?” He studied her with a quick sweep of his gaze. “Was her perfume bothering you so much while you interrogated her that you made her wear your clothing?” He sniffed. “I do admit I prefer being in her presence now more than before.”
Wrath ignored Shadow. He nodded toward the second man. “This is Brass.”
Lauren studied the man with brown hair and almost-black eyes. He was big too, had wide shoulders, and was as muscular as Wrath and Shadow. Brass frowned too.
“Why is she out here? We were trying to intimidate her.”
Wrath hesitated. “We’ll discuss that later. Right now she needs food. I believe she is not Bill’s girlfriend but only works with him. She told me that he said he likes to hang out at a bar within walking distance of his home. We should have Tim send a team there and put it under surveillance. Perhaps he will show if it is a regular place he visits.”
Footsteps sounded behind Lauren and she turned her head. Vengeance stepped into the room. He had changed into a tank top and cotton shorts. The skimpy outfit showed off his big muscles. It only took one look at him before terror hit her faster than a bolt of lightning. She whimpered and jerked out of Wrath’s hold. She stumbled backward, looking for a place to run.
Wrath moved fast and grabbed Lauren around her waist. Strong arms hauled her against his chest. He turned in a way that blocked her from the source of her fear and glanced down. “It’s fine, Lauren. He won’t touch you again.”
Her fingers clawed at Wrath’s shirt. She didn’t fight to get away but instead clung to him. He had saved her once and she felt safe huddled against his big frame.
“What is going on?” Brass stood. “I can smell pure terror coming from her.”
“That’s an interesting reaction to Vengeance. Is it his shaved head? It does look strange. Was she too distracted to notice him when we took her from that building?” Shadow chuckled. “Are you all right, Wrath? Do you need help before she climbs up you?”
Wrath snarled and his body tensed against hers. The sound was vicious and threatening. Lauren would have pushed him away and tried to flee but his arms were locked tightly around her waist. One of his hands rubbed her back even as he made another scary sound.
“See, Vengeance? See what you’ve done? If you can’t contain your temper then you should be back at Reservation until you can.”
Another growl sounded inside the room. “I said I was sorry.”
“Sorry for what?” Brass snarled now. “What did you do, Ven?”
“I scared her,” Vengeance admitted.
“How? I think if she could climb up Wrath to escape you, she would.” Shadow even sounded angry. “Did you cross a line?”
“She shared sex with that monster.” Vengeance’s voice deepened. “I lost my temper. She’s protecting him when she shouldn’t. I’m going for a walk.”
Long seconds ticked by but Lauren wasn’t willing to release Wrath until she was sure Vengeance had left. Brass finally spoke.
“What happened?”
Wrath continued to rub Lauren’s back. “I heard her screams and ran in there. He had torn her clothing off and was about to force breed her to get her to talk. He thought mating her would make her switch loyalties to him.”
