The mat was thicker than the one he was accustomed to and it wasn’t on the floor. He turned his head, stunned by his surroundings. The cage he knew so well was gone. Bars ran from floor to ceiling on three of the walls. Chains wrapped the bars of the door but the locks were all inside. Logic told him the door had been secured from the inside.
He wasn’t a prisoner. He had secured the area to keep humans out. His gaze returned to the slumbering female. Her chest rose and fell steadily. He growled and her breathing changed. Her eyelids remained closed but she wasn’t so drugged that she couldn’t wake.
Think. How did I get here? Who is this female? He turned his head the other way, staring past the bars to a cavernous, dim room beyond. The smell of the place was different from Mercile. A howl threatened to explode from him as rage heated his blood. He hated them. It took him a moment to remember why. Mercile employees were vile humans who caused him pain and kept him at their mercy. They had none. They were cruel, cunning, vicious adversaries. Even females were cruel at Mercile.
He pulled back his lip into a snarl as he turned his head again to stare down at the female. Enemy. Human. Kill. He hesitated, unable to do it regardless of his need to seek vengeance on one of them. His lungs constricted again and it was difficult to draw breath as tenderness swamped his senses. It was a foreign concept.
Why? There was no answer. He couldn’t hurt her. Other needs grew stronger until he couldn’t resist any longer. She was his, at least for the moment, on his mat. No one could reach them without cutting through the bars or the chains. He’d secured his space…unless she’d done it after he’d been drugged. It didn’t make sense though. Humans locked him inside a cage to keep him away from them. They would not willingly trap themselves with their victims.
I did it. I must have locked us inside. He was certain of that now, despite his lack of recollection. The condition of his dick was a hint as to why he might have kept her captive. One more survey of her skin and its lack of trauma verified that she hadn’t struggled.
Some of the sluggishness faded from his mind, making it easier to think. The smell of sex hung in the air, a mixture of himself and her. He growled, wanting to find pleasure in her body. She stirred under him and her lips parted slightly. Her eyes under the closed lids moved and then they opened. Blue with yellow specks—exactly as he’d somehow known.
He expected her to scream when she became aware that he had her pinned. Instead, she smiled and the warmth in her gaze was devastating to his libido. She moved leisurely, her hands uncurled and lifted to touch the tops of his shoulders. Fingernails didn’t claw his skin in protest but gently caressed him.
“Good morning.”
Her voice was husky and feminine, honey to his ears. He wanted to hear her speak more. She did, as if she could read his thoughts.
“You passed out.”
Her palms and fingertips slid over the curve of his shoulders to the front of his chest, exploring and almost destroying his tight control. It was difficult to remain still when all he wanted to do was drive his hips against hers. Many questions bothered him but he refrained from speaking.
The expression on her face changed to one that he identified as concern.
“Are you okay?” Her touch paused. “What’s wrong?” She paled. “Do you know who I am?”
He didn’t like seeing her distressed and instantly responded by shifting his position, making sure she couldn’t struggle if panic set in. The concept of harming the female in any way was offensive to him. His arms settled next to hers to keep her caged.
“Easy.” He wanted to assure her she wasn’t in danger.
Fear filled her eyes and his heart rate increased at her distress. She lowered her gaze, but he wasn’t fooled. He might be crushing her so he braced more of his weight on his arms and legs, lifting half an inch. It gave her the opportunity to wiggle out from under him but she didn’t.
“You are safe,” he rasped, mindful of his tone to avoid frightening her more.
He didn’t tense when her hands slid up his chest to his shoulders again. She wasn’t strong enough to really harm him. Her nails would hurt if she dug them into his skin to draw blood but he could handle that discomfort. She wasn’t going for his face, where she could do actual damage to his eyes. The female gripped him, clinging in a way he liked.
“I’m Joy. We know each other.”
Very well. He took a deep breath, drawing in the scent of their spent passion, still lingering in the air. His dick inside her, combined with their lack of clothing and what his nose told him assured him of that. He wanted to mount the female again.
“Do you know your name?”
He had no answer but it didn’t matter. They were together. He shifted his hips carefully and the silken confines of her pussy were torture. The small movement was enough to send him into a frenzy of mindless passion. She was hot, wet, and tight around him. She didn’t scream or struggle when he tested how she’d take him while sharing sex. Surprise was the only emotion she showed, urging him to sink his shaft deeper inside her.
Her legs tightened around the back of his while her hands gripped him with more force. He paused, waiting to see if she’d protest. Her tongue darted out to lick her lips but she stared at him now without fear. He noted the way her breathing increased but as he slowly dragged his dick almost all the way out of her, she lifted her thighs higher to his waist and clamped them firmly against his hips.
That was definitely a yes. He buried his nose against her throat, his mouth parting to taste her skin, and growled in excitement. The flavor of her was delicious and he wanted more, to lick her all over and explore…later. He plowed his hips into the cradle of her thighs, careful not to be too rough. She was human after all. They bruised easily and harm was the last thing he wanted as she moaned next to his ear.
He nearly came from the feel of her. She squeezed his dick to the point of pain but it was the best kind. He drove in and out of her pussy, moving faster until he had to stop kissing her and clench his teeth to resist losing control. Her moans rose in pitch as her vaginal muscles tightened even more. The feel of her climax was the final straw as her sex grew wetter, hotter, and she dug her nails into his skin.
His head snapped back and he howled as his body exploded. The ecstasy left him blind. He was not sure if he’d closed his eyes or if all his senses had been overridden by his swelling dick as he locked inside her, filling her with his seed. He shook violently from the intense experience.
He dropped his face into the curve of her neck before he could pull his thoughts together and find rationality. She was his. He sank his teeth into her tender skin and blood coated his tongue. He snarled, loving how good she tasted—so right. He felt her body jerk under his but it barely registered until she cried out. It wasn’t a sound of pleasure but one of pain.
Horror jolted through him as he realized what he’d done. He jerked his mouth away and stared at the bite he’d inflicted upon the female. Bright-red blood from two puncture wounds stained her neck and shoulder and dripped on the bedding. The indentations of his lower teeth were already forming bruises on her pale flesh near the base of her throat in the curve of her shoulder.
She released him and grabbed at the injury. He looked at her eyes then. They were filled with distress as she stared at him.
He would have rolled away but his swollen dick held him captive inside her. He snarled, enraged at what he’d done. Regret didn’t undo the action. Her legs released his hips and straightened along the length of his. Tears slipped silently down the side of her face. A ragged sob escaped her.
“I didn’t mean to.” He winced over how raw his voice came out but he couldn’t mute his sorrow.
He grabbed her trembling hand and pulled it away from the wound. He studied what he’d done to the female. The bite would scar where he’d pierced her skin. She’d carry his mark for the rest of her life.
She turned her head away, giving him a better view of the damage he’d inflicted, and use
d her other hand to hide her upper face. He would have urged her to trust him but it seemed insincere under the circumstances.
“I’ll tend it. Relax.”
She didn’t say a word but it had to hurt. He lowered his mouth and prepared to hold her securely if she struggled. His swiped the injury with his tongue as gently as possible. It drew a gasp from her but she didn’t flinch away.
The taste of her made his dick twitch and harden. It was uncomfortable instead of arousing with the swelling still receding from the knot that had formed near the base of his shaft. They both suffered a little as he finished cleaning the wound.
Joy shielded her eyes while she attempted to get a handle on what had happened. She didn’t argue about germs or how unsanitary it was for 466 to lick at the bite. Animals tended to wounds that way and there was no denying his DNA.
He bit me. She couldn’t get over that fact. It was bad enough that he didn’t know who she was. It wasn’t much of a surprise, albeit disappointing. He could have reacted in various ways when he’d awoken to find an unknown woman naked under him. It took control not to shudder as those scenarios scrolled through her mind. The worst being that it could have cost her life.
Where is he right now? Still at Mercile? She was afraid to ask. He might think she was the enemy. He could go from being tender to tearing her apart with his bare hands. The stories she’d heard about Species killing their captors were the makings of nightmares. Nope, don’t go there, she decided. A bite suddenly didn’t seem so bad.
He finished licking her and raised his head. She needed to get a read on his emotional state but kept her hand over her eyes. Dragging out the moment didn’t seem so terrible as she dealt with her own turmoil.
“Joy?”
Hope flared that his memory had finally returned. She wiped at her tears, blinked rapidly to clear them, and shifted her hand to peer at his handsome face. “You remember me?”
His frown and the confusion in his eyes was answer enough. It would be a terrifying situation if she wasn’t in love with him.
“That is your name?”
That is a question, not a statement. She cleared her throat. “Yes.”
He glanced away to stare at something near the center of the room. “I did that?”
She followed his gaze, spotting the chains on the door. “Yes.”
Dark eyes fixed on her. “Why?”
“You wanted to make sure no one could come in here.”
Keep calm, and damn it, stop crying. Her emotions were so raw that the hated tears were always just below the surface, waiting to escape at the most inopportune times. She felt like an emotional wreck and had to constantly battle for composure. She almost never cried, yet it seemed she fought tears at every turn now. Only Moon could do that to her.
She’d just shared intimate relations with someone who considered her a stranger. It hurt on many emotional levels. What they had was something she cherished yet to him she could have been any woman. She’d made love to him but he’d fucked her.
He glanced at her throat then held her gaze. “I didn’t mean to draw blood. I am sincere.”
“I believe you. It’s okay.”
“No.” He softly growled. “I’m furious.” His hand suddenly cupped her cheek. The loving way he regarded her was promising. “I don’t understand why but you are important to me.”
Somehow he sensed they had a strong connection. “You’re having a difficult time remembering your life.”
“I was given the breeding drug.”
“No. It’s something else.”
“What?”
“I don’t know. We haven’t seen it before.”
“We?” His voice deepened and his eyes narrowed with suspicion. “You are Mercile?”
“No!” She shook her head in denial. “You were freed from there.” She paused. “Does the name 466 or Moon mean anything to you?” She hoped one of them would trigger some clarity.
“466.” He seemed a little excited. “I know that. It’s my name!”
“Yes, it is.”
He glanced around again, lowering his tone. “Where are we?”
“Homeland. It’s safe here.”
His voice lowered as he inched their faces closer until their lips almost touched. “Tell me what is going on. What is wrong with me? Who are you and why are we sharing sex? Is this a trick? Are you being forced into a breeding experiment with me? I want the truth, female.”
Her hands flattened on his chest and fear inched along her spine. “Please listen to me. Mercile is gone. You are no longer being controlled by them. An unknown drug has affected your memory. You get confused. You don’t need to hurt me to get me to tell you anything you want to know. Just ask. I’m here because I want to be and I care about you.”
His chest vibrated when he snarled. “You care about me?”
“Yes.”
“You’re human.”
“I am.” She couldn’t deny that.
“They are my enemy.”
“I’m not.”
The concentrated way he studied her made her optimistic that he’d at least reflect on her words. “466, what is the last thing you remember? Focusing on a fixed point in time seems to help you remember more. Will you please close your eyes and try to tell me anything that comes to mind?”
He continued to watch her. “I want you again.” He slowly withdrew his semi-stiff cock from her body though. “Don’t distract me anymore with sex. I demand answers.”
“I’m giving them to you. You need to help me help you.”
He smirked. “I don’t like that saying. I’ve heard it before.”
“That’s good. It means you’re recalling something. What is it?”
His eyes closed and she patiently waited. It was paramount that he concentrate on any fragments he could locate to piece together any part of his life. She wanted to get the man she loved back. The ache in her chest grew stronger as time passed while she worried he wouldn’t find lucidity. His expression began to change. His dark eyes snapped open and the pain in them almost stole her breath.
His gaze slid to the bite mark and he snarled, released her, and moved faster than she thought possible. One second he was over her and the next he had rolled away. She turned her head in time to see him land on the floor on all fours.
She struggled to sit up, deeply concerned when he stayed crouched there with his back to her. “466?”
His head whipped around and the shimmer of tears pooling in his eyes had her reaching out to him. He rose to his feet, turned to face her as he backed away, and didn’t stop until his ass hit the bars. He growled, spun, and crossed the room to the far corner.
Joy watched him grip the bars and every muscle in his body seemed to grow rigid. The sight of him totally bare was distracting since he was so beautiful but her worry about his mental state made her feel guilty about noticing his perfect physique.
“466?”
“Get out of here,” he rasped. “I hurt you.”
“It’s not your fault.” She stood on unsteady legs. Between the sex and having him sleep on her, her body felt a little sluggish and achy. It was a reminder of how out of shape she’d allowed herself to get over the years, sitting behind a desk. A heavy workload didn’t allow any spare time to go to the gym. “Look at me.”
“I can’t.” He drew in a deep breath, his back expanding. “Get out, Joy. Now. I’m dangerous.”
He’d realized who she was. His tortured tone was a clue to the deep regret and anguish he must feel if he had regained some of his memory. “It’s okay. I’m fine. It’s nothing a bandage and a few days won’t take care of.”
He shook his head, his hair brushing against his back. “I savagely mauled you. Get out!” He snarled. “Go!”
“I’m not leaving you. It’s a bite. I won’t die from it or anything.”
He released the bars and slowly turned around. She almost wished he hadn’t when she saw his face.
“You already left me. Why did yo
u come back? Why are you here?”
“I have told you many times. What do you remember?”
“You left me there. You quit.” He took a step forward but halted. His hands clenched at his sides. “I was drugged by an enemy, suffered memory loss, and you came to help me claim my life again.”
She nodded, ignoring the chill in the room that was becoming increasingly noticeable. She no longer had his body heat to keep her warm. “That’s all true. What is the last thing you remember?”
“All of it.”
She wasn’t sure if that statement was accurate. He couldn’t know that for sure, the way he kept relapsing. “What is your name?”
His chin rose a little and his eyes narrowed. “Moon. I live at Homeland and sometimes Reservation. We were transported from site four, given Homeland by the United States government as a way to bribe us into forgiving them for their part in funding Mercile Industries. We bought Reservation on our own.”
Her heart pounded. He wasn’t exactly the man she’d fallen in love with but he was Moon, the person he’d become after she’d left his life. “Do you remember the attack? The one where you were drugged?”
She tried hard to be clinical. The woman in her was heartbroken though at the cold way he stared at her. Her worst fear was becoming reality. He said he remembered everything and if that was true, he’d decided to reject having her in his life. She’d always been afraid he wouldn’t be able to forgive her. It seemed that fear was justified.
“Some bastard shot me with a tranquilizer dart. I was at Reservation.” He looked away from her then, studying the room. “Is this the basement of Medical at Homeland?”
“Yes. You were brought here.”
“I attacked my friends.” His tone deepened and his fingers unclenched. Anger flushed his features as his gaze turned her way.
The way he perused her naked body from her toes upward until he met her gaze made her blush. “Put on your clothes.” He glanced down at his chest, seeming to notice his own naked state. “Shit.”