True

  “Never,” True swore.

  “You know you want that bitch.” Polanitis laughed. “You could nail her. Your lion-man friend could too. Hell, all of your buddies with you.” He glanced at the task force team members. “She wouldn’t exactly say no. The drug would take care of that. You should have seen her on the drug. The only reason I didn’t fuck her back then was because Brask said he didn’t want to risk killing her for no good reason. Her heart rate was already too high and he wasn’t sure she would survive a good fucking. He wanted to fix that and he only wanted a Species to fuck her. Once he found the right dosage and made sure it was possible that she could get pregnant, he wanted to do some breeding studies. He asked me to find an animal that would do her willingly, without trying to kill her, when he reached that stage of the project. We finally perfected our formula and started dosing her with drugs to regulate her ovulation cycle so we could inject her but we were shut down before that happened. We were so close.”

  Polanitis glared at True and continued to taunt him. “You lied about her, didn’t you? I should have shoved her into your room and let you loose from those chains. You would have fucked her, right? Just tell me.”

  “I never would have harmed her.”

  “I fucking knew it.” Polanitis threw back his head and screamed in frustration. “Fucking animals! I hate you all.” He looked at Darkness. “Make a deal with me. The formula works and I know you bastards want it.”

  True was sickened. The man was nuts.

  “I don’t have to make a deal with you,” Darkness calmly stated. “I just need to spend a little time with you inside an interrogation room.” He glanced at Trey. “Make that happen.”

  “Done,” Trey agreed. “Find out who they sold it to.”

  “That is a given,” the Species replied.

  “You can’t do that!” Polanitis screamed. “You’ll only get what you want from me if I get all my terms met.”

  “Go, your female needs you,” Darkness quietly ordered True. “We’ll stay until I know what he knows.”

  “Fuck that! Stop them, Tony! Do your damn job or I’ll tell them what you do to the women here,” Polanitis raged.

  True stopped abruptly and glared at Polanitis, then the guard. “What did you say?”

  Polanitis smirked. “The guards like to fuck the women inmates.”

  True snarled and his gaze locked with Darkness’.

  “The guards should have worked for Drackwood. They raped and killed the last woman inmate. I—”

  “I’ve got this. Go home to your female.”

  “Did you hear what he said?”

  “I did.” Darkness lowered his voice. “I have no tolerance for males who harm females. Allow me to make him and the others bleed. I’ll get them to confess all their crimes.”

  True growled at the shaking guard but backed up, spun around and strode down the long passage between cages and then through the double doors. He didn’t stop until he kicked open an already-damaged door and exited the building.

  Justice and Tim Oberto were still talking with Jeff.

  “This place is hellish,” True growled. “The guards killed the last female prisoner.”

  “What?” The human guy gasped. “No. Her cell door somehow didn’t lock and the prisoners got to her during exercise break. The guards were taking lunch and didn’t hear her screams. They came in to lock up the men again and found her dead in her cell.”

  “The guards were sexually assaulting her. Darkness will get the truth.” True turned to Justice. “I wish to return to Homeland. Jeanie might be awake. I wish to be by her side.”

  “I’ll ride with you,” Tim declared.

  “I’ll go as well,” Fury offered as he walked over to them.

  “I want the warden to call me the moment he returns,” Justice demanded. “What kind of place is he running? I’m ordering a full investigation and sending in the task force members to take over until everything is resolved.”

  “I agree,” Tim sighed. “My teams on site will stay and I’ll send replacements in the morning to relieve them.” He withdrew a radio, walking away to inform them of his orders.

  “I had nothing to do with this,” Jeff protested. “I swear.”

  “Save it, Jeff,” Justice grumbled. “I’ve got no love for anyone locked inside there after all they’ve done to my people but they deserve fair treatment. We’re better than they are. We left humans in charge of humans because we believed they’d have compassion. It seems it was a mistake.”

  True just walked away. He stopped at an SUV, opened the door, climbed in and slammed it closed. The other door opened and Fury took the seat next to him. Justice and Tim climbed into the SUV and they turned toward Homeland and Jeanie.

  Chapter Seventeen

  True helped Jeanie out of the SUV when they reached the dorm. He quietly thanked Breeze for driving them from Medical before closing the door and taking Jeanie’s hand. It was a huge relief to finally be back home.

  True used his security card to get them inside the building. They didn’t talk as they rode the elevator up to the third floor. No guard waited in the hallway this time. She paused, staring at what appeared to be a new door as True unlocked it.

  “They fixed it while we were gone but it still needs to be painted.”

  “Why did it need to be fixed?”

  “I kicked it open when I couldn’t get inside.” He pulled her into the apartment and locked the door. “Let’s shower.”

  He flipped on lights as they went, also removing his uniform as they progressed toward the bedroom. He was down to just his pants and boots when they entered the bathroom. He turned on the water and straightened, facing her.

  “I’m mating you. It’s not up for debate. No one is taking you from me, ever. I’m having them bring the paperwork to make it official in the morning. You will sign them.”

  She was a little stunned by the announcement but they’d both just gone through a horrendous ordeal. It really cut through all the crap and boiled down to priorities after almost losing each other. “Okay.”

  He arched both eyebrows in surprise. “You agree?”

  “You could have washed your hands of being responsible for my well-being but instead you risked your life fighting for me. You feel more for me than just grateful that I saved your life once, don’t you?”

  He reached out and his large hands encircled her waist. “Yes.”

  She reached up and gripped the curve of his shoulders. “You changed my life, True. I think I fell in love with you from the moment I met you and you spoke to me. I didn’t want you to mate with me out of gratitude. I need you to care about me as much as I do you.”

  His mouth fell open and his hold on her loosened. Even the look in his eyes indicated she’d totally astounded him with her confession. Damn. He didn’t appear overjoyed at being told she loved him. He said nothing but released her and turned away.

  He stripped naked and just climbed into the shower. She hesitated, unsure of what to do. He finally turned his head, his expression impassive. “I’ll be done in a moment.”

  It wasn’t an invitation to join him and her shoulders sagged. She’d really screwed up by confessing how deep her feelings ran. She dropped her gaze, fighting the urge to flee the bathroom, her pride wounded. The shower door opened and True grabbed a towel.

  “Shower. I’ll be waiting for you in the bedroom.”

  He didn’t even take time to dry off before he was gone. She closed her eyes and silently cursed. New Species were really different from other men but it seemed in one way they were the same. She’d freaked him out by telling him she loved him too soon. She hoped he wasn’t sprinting out the front door and running for his life the way some humans would.

  She opened her eyes and stepped under the warm spray of water, soaking her hair and skin. It would be awkward facing him but she’d apologize. She wasn’t sorry that she loved him but for dumping it on him way too soon. She could chalk it up to all she’d been through
but it was something she’d wanted to confess for a long time. She wouldn’t blame a bad night for her being too honest with him.

  It didn’t take her long to wash her hair and scrub her skin with body wash. Her incision appeared to be completely healed. Jeanie shut off the water, exited the shower and slowly dried off. She’d forgotten to grab something else to put on when she’d followed True into the bathroom. It left her with no choice but to wrap the damp towel around her body and open the bathroom door. She stepped into the bedroom and gasped.

  The lights were off but candles were lit all around the room. A row of them lined the dresser and both nightstands. It was a romantic setting she’d never seen coming. True stood at the end of the bed in the center of the room, still wearing just a towel. He smiled when she stared at his face.

  “What is all this?”

  “We’re celebrating.”

  She didn’t know what to say. He stalked closer, totally doing that animal thing that was kind of sexy as he peered at her with his lips slightly parted and his sharp teeth showing. The look in his eyes was definitely predatory but in a good way. She was still confused but very aware of his sexual appeal. He stopped before her and reached for the top of her towel. She glanced down as he tore it off and tossed it aside.

  “What are you doing?” She didn’t try to cover herself, too stunned to do anything but look up at him.

  “I’m going to mate you.” He dropped his towel. “Being completely naked is the best way to do that.”

  “You lit all these candles…” She glanced at them, then back at him.

  “I wanted it to be special.”

  “Any time we’re naked in a bedroom together is special to me.”

  True smiled as he took both her hands in his, backing up toward the bed, leading her to it. “I am glad we agree on that.” He stopped and let her go. “Get on the bed.”

  She climbed up on the mattress and turned, watching him do the same. His much larger body made the bed dip and she laughed as his hand gripped her waist. He gently shoved her so she rolled over onto her back. She smiled up at him as he climbed over her body to pin her under him, being careful of her side. Their gazes locked.

  “Am I hurting your wound?”

  “No. I barely notice it now. That drug I was given is amazing.”

  “You’re my mate,” he whispered.

  “I’m yours,” she agreed just as softly.

  He used his elbows to keep his upper body weight from crushing her. One of his fingers traced her jawline, from her ear to her chin. His gaze searched hers for a long moment. Then he slowly lowered his face as if he couldn’t wait one more moment to connect with her.

  She closed her eyes and parted her lips in eager anticipation of his kiss. The passion he put into it leveled Jeanie. He was the oxygen she was starved for, her body igniting with want for him, everything in her tightened with the need to have him inside her. She moaned and spread her thighs, wrapping her legs around his waist to urge him to enter her. She wiggled and bucked her hips as the desire to be taken grew into an almost painful need. The man could make her hurt with just his mouth on hers.

  True broke the kiss and lifted his head. “Say you love me.”

  Her eyes opened and she stared up at him, dazed that he’d stopped as much as by what he’d said. “What?”

  He growled. “This is how I thought I’d hear those words for the first time from you. Say them to me again, Jeanie.”

  He always surprised her. “You’re not upset by what I said in the bathroom? It’s not too soon?”

  “Upset?” He looked confused. “Never. I want you to say it again. Right now.”

  “I’m in love with you, True.”

  He didn’t reciprocate the words but instead went for her mouth. The kiss said more than words could as he used his body to show her his feelings. His hips shifted—clearly he was as anxious as she was. She moaned against his tongue as his cock pressed at the entrance to her pussy and pushed inside.

  He wasn’t as gentle as the last time. Their passion ramped up a hundredfold after almost losing each other. True hammered in and out of her, driving her wild with how incredible it felt. She tore her mouth away, fearful of biting him and dug her fingernails into his skin, clinging tighter. The sounds he made only turned her on more as his low growls filled the room.

  She wrapped her legs higher around his waist, lost in the sensations as she tried to meet him thrust for thrust. There was a frantic element to his lovemaking but Jeanie didn’t care. She was right there with him. She felt her body tensing, her stomach clenching, and then she screamed out as she came. True growled, his teeth nipping the side of her neck as he buried his face in it. He groaned loudly, jerking over her as spurt after spurt of hot semen shot deep inside her when he came. He slowed as his dick swelled, locking them together.

  “Jeanie,” he rasped.

  She rubbed his back before she ran her fingers through his hair, playing with the silky strands. He was heavy on top of her but she liked his weight pinning her to the bed. She almost thought he’d fallen asleep but he finally lifted his head from her neck and propped his upper body weight on his arms. Their gazes met.

  “I belong to you as much as you belong to me. I will always protect you and take care of you. I almost lost you again. You have no idea how it would have destroyed me if those males had taken you from me. I will do everything in my control to make you happy.”

  She believed him. “I know. I’ll try to be the best mate by making you happy. I’ll take care of you too.”

  He smiled as his finger pushed back her bangs and trailed down the side of her face. “Are you on birth control of any kind?”

  “I take the shot, of course. It was part of the job for all the women working with New Species. New Species’ sense of smell can pick up a woman on her period and some of the males would become agitated or overly aggressive if the staff was around them at that time of the month. Both Drackwood and Cornas dispensed the shot to all the women on staff.”

  She didn’t mind having a conversation with him about her menses. “Do you smell a change in me? I should be good for another month before I’m scheduled for the next shot but I’ve been under a lot of stress lately. I’ve heard women can start bleeding despite the shot if they suffer any kind of emotional traumas. I’d consider everything that’s happened lately a roller coaster of stress.”

  “Crossbreeding works between Species males and human females. There’s a chance I could get you pregnant if you go off the shot but I have a low sperm count. Dr. Trisha said there are things I could do to help with that if I ever found a mate.”

  It was a good thing she was flat on her back. The news would have floored her. “Seriously?”

  “Yes. That information is highly classified but you’re my mate now. Our doctors are working on getting our females to conceive as well but so far only our males can carry on our race.”

  “Why can’t the women conceive?”

  “They are still trying to figure it out.”

  The idea of having a baby with True had never entered her mind but an image of a little girl or boy with his eyes and that beautiful hair of his suddenly surfaced. Their children would be adorable. “I always wanted to have kids one day.”

  He grinned. “Good. I don’t expect you to want to try to have young ones right away but I’d like them at some point in our future. Would you think about it?”

  “A little girl and a little boy would be great.”

  His smile faded. “They will only be males.”

  “You can’t possible know that.”

  “I do.” He stared at her a moment before continuing. “Some of the mated couples have had young. All of them were males and the doctors are sure it’s because of our altered genetics. We can only create what we are. They will look like me instead of you.” A touch of sadness filled his eyes. “I would like to have a small female who resembles you but it won’t happen. They will be males with my features.”

 
She tried to guess at what he left out. “You mean your engineered DNA is coded to dominate the process of gene assignment at the time the egg is fertilized?”

  Broad shoulders shrugged. “You could discuss it with someone at Medical to get a technical understanding. As a mate they would freely give you that information. All I know is that males only make male babies who greatly resemble them in all ways, right down to their specific features. The pregnancy is also faster than the normal human one.”

  Yeah, good thing I’m lying down. “What exactly does that mean?”

  “Humans are pregnant for nine months but mates give birth at five months.”

  It shouldn’t have been that much of a surprise. New Species were made up of human and animal DNA. True was mixed with canine DNA. Canine pregnancy spanned about nine weeks, if she remembered correctly. Elephants are pregnant for almost two years. “I’m so glad you’re canine.”

  He cocked his head, perplexed.

  “Never mind. Private joke.”

  “Do you want to share?”

  “I just…I think it’s great that I could have a baby that fast. Are there any complications due to the accelerated gestation?”

  “They were born healthy and the mates were fine.” He continued to trace her facial features and her hair with his finger. “We should spend some time getting to know each other better first but I’d like to have a baby with you.”

  Jeanie let it all sink in. “I’d like to have a family with you one day, True.”

  “Good.”

  She smiled. “I’ll give you half a dozen if it makes you happy. I’d love to have children.”

  True grinned. “Half a dozen?”

  She laughed. “Okay. Maybe that’s too many but after the sex we just had I’m feeling generous where you’re concerned.”