New Species 05 Brawn (19 page)

Other worries filled his mind, keeping him awake as he
watched Becca doze. He could have gotten her pregnant when he’d mounted her. He
didn’t dare ask if she was on some form of birth control because it was top
secret that Species males could impregnate a healthy human female who was not
taking preventative measures. He was certain it would be fine. Species sperm
didn’t survive as long as it did with human men. His gaze lowered to her belly
where his hand rested.

She’d hate him. Worse, Becca had gone into heat over the
past few hours. He could pick up the faint scent but it had just started. She
hadn’t been when he met her or even when they’d shared sex. He swore not to
touch her again—he couldn’t risk it.

She was a female human in her late twenties, single and
would be on birth control. He knew that about female humans since he loved to
read. They were smart and took care of their bodies but he still wouldn’t risk
it. No matter how much he wanted to take her again, to sheathe his dick inside
her hot, welcoming body, he’d resist.

Just the thoughts of what it was like to touch Becca made
him hard. He clenched his teeth and forced air through his mouth to avoid her
tempting scent. A woman in heat strongly affected Species males, made them do
wild, crazy things. Being aware of the problem was half the battle or so he’d
heard. He was pretty sure that saying was correct.

919 growled and whined, drawing attention to his plight.
Brawn turned his head to peer across the room, watched the male crouch and dig
at the floor with his hands, testament that he wasn’t sane. He probably should
try to talk him down but it wouldn’t work. Sadness gripped him as he watched
one of his kind suffer.

A howl pierced the room and Becca jerked awake in his arms.
He held onto her, met her frightened gaze and rubbed her back. “They returned
him and he’s drugged.”

She lifted her head enough to peer around his body, which
blocked her view. He hated to see her pained expression and the way tears
filled her pretty eyes when they lifted to meet his gaze.

“He’s going to tear up his hands.”

“I know but he won’t listen. He will be irrational until the
drug leaves his system.”

“I hate these bastards.”

He silently agreed. “Sleep.”

“I can’t.”

She put her hand on his chest as she turned on the narrow
bed, bumped into him and rubbed his skin near his nipple. It hardened instantly
and his dick did too. He was in a world of hurt when she curled into him
tighter, faced him and her thigh brushed between his legs to make room for it.

“I want to get out of here so bad.”

“I do as well,” he agreed.

“What would you do first?”

He hesitated. Take her home with him, to his bed and mount
her until they both couldn’t walk was the first thing that came up on his list.
He wouldn’t mention that one though. “I’d cook a large meal.”

She smiled. “I want a bath.”

The image of her naked and submerged in water only made him
want her more and the urge became so strong that he quickly released her,
rolled off the bed and stood. He didn’t miss her stunned expression as he put
space between them.

“Baths are good.” He looked anywhere but at her, focusing on
the male instead.

The cot creaked as Becca adjusted on it and he breathed in
her scent. His dick throbbed over her being in heat and he gripped the bars to
grab them instead of her. She made it worse when she came up behind him, stood
close and peered at 919 too.

“How long do you think he’s going to be high on that stuff?
Last time he slept for a long time.”

“They gave him too much. He was probably gaining a
resistance to it.”

“They could have killed him.”

He remained silent in agreement.

She rubbed his arm, her fingertips traced his biceps and he
jerked away. A snarl tore from his throat before he could trap it and she
backed away.

“Don’t touch me right now. I’m agitated.”

Pain flashed in her eyes and he felt like a bastard. He
opened his mouth to explain that he didn’t mean to reject her that way but
wasn’t sure how to tell her how he barely held onto his restraint and fought
the urge to pin her over their cot and mount her again. The reasons for that
replayed.
She’s in heat and the humans could show up again to watch
.
Becca distracted him too much for him to stay on guard.

“Becca, I—”

A slight noise distracted him and he turned, listening
intently. The sound had been faint, a squeak from across the room where the
doors were and not something he’d heard before. His gaze lifted to the vents
along the walls. He saw cobwebs blowing and figured it was just the air system
until he inhaled deeply through his nose.

“We have company,” Brawn whispered.

Becca tensed, expecting the goons to step out from the
double doors to haul her and Brawn back to the room where she’d have to take
more sperm samples. She wondered why touching the Species had made him angry.
He always sent her mixed signals and hoped his mood wouldn’t worsen once he was
secured to the bed. Getting him turned-on would be rough if he didn’t want her
to touch him.

Sorrow filtered through at the possibility that he might
begin to hate her for being human. The guards and that crazy doctor weren’t
exactly stellar examples of humanity as its finest. Of course if he was
beginning to blame her, he might rethink her plan to at least try to escape.
Maybe she’d survive. Sure, she would be shot but that didn’t necessarily mean
death.

Brawn glanced her way with a grin on his face suddenly,
surprising her once more with his sudden mood swing as he sniffed the air. “You
might get hit up for another booty call offer from your friend at any moment.”

It took her a second for his words to have meaning and her
knees weakened. Brawn smelled Trey Roberts, knew his scent from his visit to
her house and she trusted his nose. Tears of relief and happiness blinded her.
Her father’s team was coming for them.

Brawn moved fast, grabbed her around her waist and hauled
her off her feet. He stormed for the cot, used one foot to hook a leg of it and
yanked hard. The thing crashed over, he darted around it and took them to the
floor. His body crushed hers against the cold concrete when he flattened over
her.

“Don’t move,” he ordered. “There may be a gun battle.”

He was protecting her from stray bullets with his body and
the cot. Her hands opened on his chest and her heart raced with excitement. “I
can’t believe they found us.”

“They have,” he rasped in her ear. “The vents are pushing
air and their scents are filling the room. It must be from the other doors.
Just stay low and be safe. I scent your friend and other humans along with my
own kind. Many come.”

He eased a little upward. She watched him turn his head to
peer around the fallen cot and stare at the doors. She wished she could see
what was going on but Brawn’s big body kept her still.

“Anything?” she whispered.

“Not yet but the smell is stronger.”

Seconds ticked by into at least a full minute and suddenly
she heard a loud noise as metal hit a wall. Brawn tensed above her, sucked in
air and shouted a warning.

“They are inside the double doors to your left. There’s a
female doctor and several human males armed with guns, Taser darts and they
have drug weapons.”

He moved, rolled off her and was gone so fast she had to
struggle to follow him. She sat up to watch over the top of the cot as men
filled the room. A New Species guy grinned, seemed in charge and rushed for the
other set of double doors with men at his heels. Trey was a sight for sore eyes
as he broke away from the others, rushed toward the cage and grinned as their
gazes met.

“Open the door,” Brawn demanded.

Trey studied the chains and the lock. “Back up.”

Brawn moved to the side as Trey pointed his gun at the
locks, fired twice and tore the chains away. Brawn shoved open the door
quickly, stepped out of the cage and stormed toward where the men had
disappeared.

“They’ve got it,” Trey called out as he walked into the
cage.

Becca stood and walked to him. The second she was in range
he grabbed her with one arm, hauled her against his body and holstered his
weapon. He kissed the top of her head, hugged her tightly with both arms and
chuckled.

“Goddamn are you in trouble. Your old man has been going off
the wall with worry. Are you okay, kiddo?” He eased his hold enough to peer
down to study her face closely. One of his arms released her and fingertips
traced her cheek.

She flinched, had forgotten about being hit and she saw rage
in Trey’s gaze. “I take it there’s a bruise?”

“Who’s the motherfucker who hit you?” He whipped his head
around to glare at something.

Becca leaned enough to see that Brawn stood outside the cage
watching them. She glanced up, followed the path of Trey’s anger and gripped
his shirt to gain his attention. He met her gaze.

“One of the guards did this. Brawn would never hurt me.”

Trey wrapped his arms around her again, yanked her right off
her feet and hugged her tight enough to be considered a bear hug.

“Are you okay, kiddo? Tell me the truth.”

“Put me down.” She squirmed to break free, more than aware
that her nightgown rose dangerously high and she no longer had panties on. “I’m
great besides you trying to break my ribs.”

He laughed as he eased her back onto her feet. “I’m just so
glad you’re alive. We were so damn worried.”

“Stop mauling her,” a deep, harsh voice snarled. “We have
Species males in need of medical care while you are flirting with that female.”

Becca was stunned over Brawn’s anger. Trey totally released
her and turned to face him. “You’re Brawn?”

“I am.” His chest puffed out as he filled his lungs with
air. “I want a weapon.” He threw out his hand.

Trey marched over to him—stood shorter by some inches—and
lifted his chin. “No offense, sir, but no. How are you? Were you drugged?”

“No.”

Gunshots sounded and Trey spun, rushed for Becca and took
her to the ground. She gasped as pain exploded in her back from hitting the
floor and his weight crushed her down. A roar sounded and she knew without being
able to see that it had come from Brawn.

The weight was jerked away and she stared at Brawn, crouched
next to her. He bared his teeth, snarled at Trey who was sprawled feet away,
and she realized what had happened. Brawn had thrown her friend away from her
and now looked ready to attack him. She sat up quickly, ignored her throbbing
head, which had smacked the concrete when she’d been tackled, and put her body
between them. Her gaze met Brawn’s.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Rage glittered in his eyes as he glared back, snarled at her
and he lifted. “Don’t touch her,” he warned, turned his back and stood there.

Trey shot her a what-the-hell look and she shrugged, not
sure why Brawn had attacked him but no more gunshots were heard. Another team
rushed into the room from above and some rushed through the double doors the
first team had disappeared through while the rest approached the cages.

Brawn spoke softly to a few of the Species males. Becca left
the cage and Trey followed closely, almost as if he didn’t want to let her more
than a few feet away. She glanced at 919 and found him cowering in a corner of
his cage, watching the strangers with dread. Pity welled up. He was drugged out
of his head and probably thought more people had come to harm him.

Curiosity made her turn toward the back of the room where
they’d taken the other New Species. She wanted to check on him since no one
seemed aware of his existence. She passed the wall that divided the room and
found another cage. The sight that greeted her brought tears to her eyes.

A male was strapped to a medical bed, his black hair matted
so badly it was shocking and he was hooked up to tubes and machines. She walked
to the bars and gripped them. The male didn’t move at all. She could see a
heart monitor and read the numbers from where she stood. Trey paused beside
her.

“Holy fuck,” he hissed.

“Open the door.”

He hesitated. “No. We’ll get a medical team in here.”

“Open the door,” she demanded again. “He’s not moving and
his heart rate is really low. He’s unconscious.”

“He’ll probably be dangerous if we wake him. I’m sorry but
that door isn’t opening until we’re sure it’s safe.”

She turned to meet his gaze. “Call for help.”

He nodded, reached for his radio but realized quickly that
he couldn’t get a signal to the topside. “Let’s go. I’ll send one of the guys
up to relay that we need medics pronto.”

Becca hated to leave the male alone so she offered to stay.
Trey balked at first but she pointed out no one was there to hurt her and the
Species was locked up and tied down. He stalked away and she turned her full
attention back to the poor victim inside.

Humans sucked at times and seeing what he’d been reduced to
nearly broke her heart. His heart beat but she wondered if he’d survive. He was
big but his skin color was really pale, he looked half starved, judging by the
way his ribs showed.

It didn’t take long for Trey to return with medics and get
the cage door open. She stayed long enough to overhear them state that he was
in critical condition. They planned to call in a life flight. Depression hit
and she just wanted to find Brawn. Trey grabbed her hand as she tried to ease
past him.

“We caught all the bastards and the area is secure. They are
going to transport the New Species to Homeland. Do you want a paramedic to look
at you?”

“I’m fine.”

“Your father is being kept topside. You really should go see
him. He’s been pretty frantic and I think his patience is wearing thin.”

“I just want to talk to Brawn and then I’ll find him.”