“Please stop fighting.”
“Get down from there!” the white-haired human yelled. “Are you crazy?”
466 agreed. The female had to be insane to put herself within striking distance. The yellow flecks shining in the blue of her irises fascinated him though and held him utterly still. She had beautiful eyes. The pleading look in them made his stomach muscles clench.
“We’re trying to sweat the drugs out of you.” The tone of her voice was almost sad.
She adjusted against him and her fingers rose to touch his cheek. He could have flinched away to avoid contact but curiosity held him still. Soft skin caressed him and he liked the feel of her fingertips stroking his face. She was gentle and the way she peered at him was as if she cared deeply for him.
“Talk to me,” she whispered as her breasts smashed against the wall of his chest. “Think. Remember.”
The weight of her hand on his shoulder and her fingers trailing along his jawline weren’t offensive at all. He liked her against him, so close. His nostrils flared as he drew in a deep breath and her scent filled him. Blood rushed to his groin as his dick hardened. An image flashed in his mind. He tried to grasp it but it vanished.
She
was what he wanted.
“Damn it!” the human yelled. “Get away from him!”
466 turned his attention to the human, directing his rage there. If he’d been able, he’d have wrapped his arms around the female to keep her close. The human seemed the threat now. The white-haired man took a step in their direction and it seemed his intention was to take the female away by force.
466 growled. “I’ll rip your arms off if you touch her.” He couldn’t get free at the moment but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t. The human would die a painful death if he came any closer.
The white-haired human gasped and stumbled back.
This is my fault.
Joy had been the one to suggest they try to sweat the drugs out of his system. It had never crossed her mind that he’d mistake their intentions.
She’d managed to get Moon’s attention again once he stopped threatening Dr. Treadmont. No recognition sparked in his dark gaze. It seemed a plus though that he hadn’t tried to shake her off. He was restrained but not totally defenseless. He could have bitten her. Her hands and face had been within reach of his mouth.
She debated, not sure if he’d respond to Moon or 466, or at all. She softened her tone, hoping it would soothe him. “You can talk so I’ll assume you can understand me.”
His gaze narrowed. She was sure he didn’t recognize her—again. She slowly inched her fingertips closer to his face again. He didn’t pull away. He allowed her to push back some of his hair, which had fallen into his face. Her palm caressed his cheek in the process.
“You’re at Homeland.”
Confusion clouded his expression a second before he masked his features. Where was he in his mind? She paused, trying to figure out the best way to continue without sending him into a rage.
“It’s a safe place. Have you ever exercised to help get the drugs out of your system?”
His mouth firmed into a tight line and he glanced over her to Dr. Treadmont, then back. “Yes.”
That one terse word gave Joy hope. “That’s what we’re doing. A bad drug has left you really confused and disorientated. You’ve suffered memory loss.”
“Make him leave.” He growled low.
“Not a chance,” Treadmont sputtered.
“Ted?” Justice North spoke from the other room. “Get out of there now. That’s an order. He’s calmer with her and you agitate him.”
Joy didn’t glance back to see how the doctor would react but she could guess he wouldn’t be happy about being overruled by the NSO leader. She heard Treadmont leave the room.
“What drug?” He kept his voice low, almost a hiss. “Who did this to me? That technician?”
“No. We don’t know what drug but we’re hoping you can sweat it totally out of your system.”
He shifted, tugging at the restraints but did it slowly enough that she wasn’t dislodged from him. “Free me. I won’t harm you.”
“You need to get a little better first. Do you remember me?”
“I like how you smell.”
Her lips curved and she couldn’t help but smile. “I like how you smell too. I guess that’s a start.”
He glanced down his arm. “They are still giving me drugs.”
She looked at the IV in his arm. “The line is not open. It is just there as a precaution. It’s only saline solution and won’t be used unless you show signs of dehydration.”
Some emotion flickered in his eyes. “I don’t like sports.”
YES!
She wanted to fist pump the air but didn’t dare. She barely had a toehold on the footboard with him. She didn’t want to fall and land on her ass. “That’s right.”
He closed his eyes. “You’re a shrink. You want to fix me and make me more human.” His eyes snapped open. “I’m not.”
“You’re definitely not like human guys. You’re better.” She had a timeframe now.
“Yes.”
Sweat beaded his upper lip and his brow. She knew it was happening to her as well. The makeshift sauna was creating the environment they needed.
“Your hair is longer than I thought it would be. You always keep it in a tight ball at the base of your neck.” A muscle in his jaw clenched. “Who are the other humans in the next room? Guards?”
“They are your friends. Some of them are like you.”
That surprised him, judging by his expression. He closed his eyes again and a look of concentration tensed his features.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“It’s so hot.”
She glanced down his body. Sweat poured from him. She was pretty sure she was sweating as much. Her hold on him slipped and she had to grab the strap on his upper biceps to keep from falling back. The temperature in the room was nearly unbearable.
She waited for him to speak again. Time seemed to stand still. Every inch of her clothing felt as if it were glued to her skin.
“Joy, I remember,” he suddenly said. “Where is Justice? I told him to keep you away from me.” He frowned. “Get down before you fall.”
Hands gripped her hips and she gasped. Justice was behind her and easily lifted her to the floor. His clothes were already plastered to him but he seemed oblivious as he released her to address Moon.
“She has a calming effect on you.” Justice shrugged. “It wasn’t as if we could ask you nicely to work out until you dropped from exhaustion.”
“I thought about killing her, damn it.” Moon didn’t even look at Joy. “This is the big cure? Melt me?”
“You’re back to being you so don’t complain.” Justice reached up and pulled at his shirt. “It’s like standing in hell, isn’t it? I’m going to need a shower.”
“Let me loose.”
“We’re hoping this will get whatever you were exposed to out of your system.”
“I didn’t say I was going to walk out of here. Get me out of this damn contraption.”
Justice freed Moon’s upper body and bent to free his lower half. The ripping sound of Velcro was loud. Joy backed into a corner to give the two men more room.
“Couldn’t you just dunk my ass in a hot tub?” Moon was free and stepped down to the floor. “Are we in Medical?”
Justice pulled off his shirt, tossing it to the floor. He bent, tearing at his shoes. “Yes. This is the biggest bathroom we had. You have no idea how many males it took to rig this up. And a hot tub wouldn’t have worked. Even if it had, you know how impossible it would have been to put you in and keep you there. Imagine the risks involved with someone drowning if you struggled too much? You haven’t exactly been friendly.”
“Get out of here.” Moon finally glanced at Joy again. “There’s no reason for anyone else to suffer. How long do I have to stay in here?” He lifted the arm that was still attached to the IV and asked Justice, “Can I get rid of this?”
“Only if you keep Ted informed about anything that feels off to you. I mean anything and everything. We’re not sure how long to keep you overheated. We want that drug out of you for good.”
“Twenty minutes,” Treadmont shouted. “Then we can take you out for a few hours and assess your long-term prognosis.”
Moon tore out the IV and Joy winced at the sight of blood. “There was a better way to do that.”
He shot her a dirty look before grimacing at Justice. “Get out of here. It’s hotter than hell.”
“No shit.” Justice chuckled. “We decided to try this before we force information out of a resident from Fuller. He’s a chemist. You can appreciate my hesitation at depending on anything he might have to tell us. The humans imprisoned at Fuller aren’t to be trusted.”
“Moon?” Harley suddenly barged into the cramped space.
The expression of elation on Moon’s face hurt Joy’s feelings. He hadn’t ever reacted to her that strongly or positively in all the time she’d known him. The big Species nearly shoved Justice out of the way to reach his friend. He grabbed the other man in a bear hug.
“It’s so good to see you. I missed the other time you were lucid.” Harley eased back but still kept hold of his friend. “You’ve got to beat this thing.”
“I’m trying.” Moon grinned, his chin dropping to his chest to stare downward. “I’m more important than your favorite biker boots? The leather might shrink in this hellish heat.”
“I don’t care. I’ll buy more.” Harley shook his head. “Duck next time someone shoots at you.”
“It was bad luck. It missed my vest and hit my arm. It didn’t hurt, if that helps. Just a little sting and then a whole lot of nothingness.”
Justice turned and motioned for Joy to leave. She hesitated but Moon was smiling at Harley. He didn’t seem to even remember she was there. The burning sensation in her chest had little to do with the heat. It came from knowing that Moon didn’t need her. She shoved away from the wall and exited the bathroom ahead of the NSO leader.
It was a drastic difference in temperature when she opened the door and eased into the other room. Chills racked her body before she made it ten feet into the room. Trisha, Treadmont, and four New Species stared at her.
She crossed her arms over her sweat-soaked clothes and shivered, sucking in the much cooler, fresher air. “I, um, need a shower and dry clothes.”
Trisha, the female doctor, gave her a sympathetic look. “Follow me to the next exam room. I’ll get you hooked up. I bet you’re freezing.” She glanced at Justice. “You know your way around.”
“I can manage on my own and I know where the spare scrubs are stored,” he agreed.
Ted Treadmont turned to watch the monitor. “I’ve got this, Trisha. Take your time. I’ll yell if we need you.”
Embarrassment was a stupid emotion, Joy decided. She still felt it though as she avoided looking at the Species males she passed. Moon hadn’t even said goodbye or thanked her for going in there to help him.
He has other things on his mind
, she reasoned.
More important people in his life to talk to. Ouch. Yeah, it hurts. What did you expect?
She had no answers.
Moon watched Harley strip down to his black boxer briefs and smirked as he took a seat on the floor. “You don’t have to stay in here and babysit me. Nice shorts though.”
Harley settled next to him. “Friends suffer with friends. Humans like it this hot in a room? What is up with that?”
“No clue.” It was miserable being that hot. He studied his friend’s face. “Did you miss me?”
“You know it.” Harley cleared his throat and pointed up. “We’re on camera.”
Moon glanced at the camera. “Who is out there?”
“Ted, Trisha, Justice, Flame, Jericho, and Fury. We’ve all been worried about you.”
Moon let it sink in. “Do they think this is going to work?”
“We’re hoping.”
“Did they catch the one who did this to me?”
“We’re still searching for him.”
“Who was Justice talking about from Fuller then?” Moon rubbed his chest, hating the feel of sweat covering his body. Fuller was the prison where the humans who had worked for Mercile were incarcerated. Fuller had been created to house them. Species wanted and needed to be kept away from them so only human guards worked there.
“One of the jerks who used to run some of their drug trials.”
“This drug is something new?”
“That’s what we figured. No one remembered ever being subjected to a drug like this one. It is probably something Mercile was screwing with before they were shut down.”
“It’s worse than the breeding drug. At least we knew it was only temporary.” He rubbed his arms next, wiping away the sweat that was gathering on his skin. “Tell me about her.”
Harley frowned.
“Joy,” Moon stated softly. “Who called her? How did she react?” He was almost afraid to hear the answer. “How much did it cost to bribe her into coming?”
“I don’t know who called her. I flew to Reservation to be with you and she was already here when I returned to Homeland. I was delayed a few days though to clear up the mess after our walls were breached.”
“Were any lives lost?”