“Get that bitch,” one of the men yelled.
Ellie grabbed the fire poker and spun to face her attackers. She struck the man closest to her using the metal rod as if it were a baseball bat. Pain shot through Ellie’s hands from the sharp impact when it made contact with the man’s body. He howled in pain and jumped back but stared at his torn shirt where blood appeared on the damaged material.
The man glared at Ellie. “You’re going to pay for that,” he hissed.
The other man unsheathed a hunting knife from his waist as both men moved apart. Ellie kept her back to the fireplace and waved the fire poker between the men, trying to keep them back. They inched apart more to make it harder for Ellie to keep an eye on both of them. Both rushed her. She swung. Ellie managed to hit one of them right before the second one tackled her. She hit the floor hard with a heavy weight crushed down over her. She gasped, tried to scream, but she couldn’t even draw breath.
“You bitch,” the one she’d hit roared. “I think she broke my fucking hand. You got her, Roy?”
The man on top of her grabbed her hair at the base of her neck and smashed her facedown against the carpet. She tried to fight but couldn’t get away from him. He shoved her harder against the carpet and a knee dug painfully against the back of her leg.
“I got the rabid bitch, Chuck.”
He adjusted enough for her to turn her head. Ellie inhaled air and instantly regretted it. The man had putrid breath. He kept her pinned down and held her head in place with his fisted grip on her hair. She couldn’t get out from under the heavy man. He had to be close to three hundred pounds.
“Let me cut the bitch up,” Chuck whined. “I think she really broke my hand. It hurts like hell.”
Roy grunted. He shifted and Ellie cried out in pain when his body pressed flush with hers, pushed tighter against her until her ribs threatened to break. Something poked into her ass cheek. The other guy tore the fire poker from her hand.
“Help me get her up,” Roy rasped. “I know how to show this bitch her place in society and then I’ll let you slice her damn throat like she’s a rabbit. We’ll watch her twitch until all the blood drains out.”
Ellie could only manage to buck and squirm when she tried to fight. The object pressed against her ass wasn’t a mystery anymore. Roy was horny. She had a horrible idea what he planned to do to her to show her what her place in his messed-up idea of society would be. Sheep, rabbits, she guessed anything breathing was the asshole’s speed.
Hands grabbed her ankles and a second later Roy shifted his weight off her and let go of her hair to grab her other wrist. They hauled her up by her arms and legs, carried her between them, her back inches above floor. Ellie screamed and fought, tried to kick out at the man who held her legs, but they wouldn’t let her go. Chuck sure seemed to have no problems holding her ankles in a crushing hold for a guy with a suspected broken hand.
“Toss her over the couch. Then move on the other side of it to grab her hair.” Roy panted, out of breath from restraining her while she struggled.
They swung Ellie’s body and she hit a coffee table. Sharp pain exploded in her side. She wondered if they’d broken her rib when it hurt to gasp air into her lungs. The men swung her again, this time she hit the couch, and they twisted her body with brutal hands. Roy had her arms and Chuck dropped her legs.
She attempted to kick at Roy when they bent her over the back of the couch. Roy slammed his body down on hers instead, crushed her under him again and pinned her tightly to the couch. She screamed into the cushion when hands grabbed her hair and pressed her face tighter into the material. Sheer panic shot through her when she realized she couldn’t breathe. They were suffocating her.
“Hand me the knife.” Roy sounded excited and breathless.
One of the hands left Ellie’s hair. She twisted her face, gasped air into her starved lungs, and screamed when she exhaled. Roy grabbed the back of her shirt and the knife slid along her spine. Numb with terror, she didn’t know if he cut her too. She tried to kick at him but she couldn’t get any real force behind the motion.
She blindly reached out, trying to claw Chuck. A brutal hand gripped her hair again but she grasped his arm. She dug her fingernails into skin as he shoved her face back into the cushion, attempting to suffocate her again. She heard his savage curse and Ellie sucked in a large gasp of air when he tore his hand away to stop the pain she inflicted.
Her pants were shoved down her legs, leaving no doubt they planned to rape her. Ellie fought harder, screamed, and then suddenly the weight was torn away from her. She threw her body away from the couch the second Roy’s body moved. She tripped and collapsed to the floor on her ass. She sucked in precious air while gaping at the men around her. She instinctively yanked her pants back up.
Roy lay sprawled on his stomach on the floor with a gun pointed at the back of his head. Chuck had his hands up and looked absolutely terrified. Four men dressed in black SWAT-styled outfits with NSO printed in white lettering on their vests stared down at her. Their faces weren’t totally human and she identified them immediately as New Species. They held guns and had large knives strapped against their thighs. She heard movement from behind her and jerked her head toward the noise. Fury stood there, bristling with rage far darker than the black outfit he and the other men wore.
Something ugly twisted inside Fury. He’d pushed his men hard to reach the women’s dorm the second Justice had called the team and stated Ellie was in danger. He’d been terrified he’d arrive too late and damn near had. When he’d rushed into the room to see the scene before him, those men ready to do horrific things to his Ellie, a murderous impulse hit him. It took everything he had not to roar out in wrath and kill them. His animal wanted to watch them bleed and die.
He breathed hard, his gaze fixed on her face as she gasped for air while attempting to right her pants. Her hair tumbled around her bruised face, her shirt cut apart in the back, and he could see bruises forming on her pale, delicate skin. The scent of her terror clung in the air, making it more difficult for him to gain control of his urges to tear her attackers apart with his bare hands.
He darted a glance toward the cameras and their presence helped him hold his composure. He knew, if they weren’t there, he would have murdered the humans without a second thought for daring to touch Ellie. Even now, he was tempted, consequences be damned. They’d gone after his woman and had harmed her.
He took a threatening step toward one of the men but then Ellie softly moaned. His gaze zoned on her instantly and it forced him to rethink his decision. Caring for her became his first priority. He could kill those bastards after he made certain she wasn’t acutely injured.
He took breaths through his mouth to help dilute her terrified scent and he fought his animal for control. He glanced at each of his men, acknowledged their rage as well, and knew they were looking to him for guidance on how to handle the situation. That assisted him as well to calm down as he forced his fists to unclench. He gave hand signals to his men to secure the assholes responsible for the attack. He didn’t trust his voice.
Fury tried with great difficulty to appear composed, something he definitely wasn’t, as he approached Ellie. He wanted to drop to the floor and cradle her in his arms and give comfort. It reassured him that he’d reached her in time but then the male human scents mingled with hers.
It enraged him, smelling them on her. She was his, damn it, and he’d fought hard to stay the hell away from her after Justice’s warning. He had, except for a few nightly trips to glimpse her from afar, and now she’d nearly died. Orders be damned, he’d touch her now. He moved with care not to startle her. He needed to make certain she was really all right even if he had to strip her to inspect every inch. He wouldn’t settle for less.
Fury knew he had to keep a cool head. Ellie had to be leery of him after the incident at his house and he didn’t want to show her how much she meant to him. The last thing he needed would be Ellie understanding how badly she
could hurt him.
Keep it cool, he ordered himself. Act as if I can control myself in her presence. He hoped he could anyway. She would be safe and he would remain with her since she’d been traumatized. To have her worry that he’d toss her over his shoulder, carry her back to his house, and tie her down on his bed again wasn’t something she needed at that moment. No matter how much that was exactly what he wanted to do. He’d keep her safe even if it meant he’d guard her around the clock. He knew he really couldn’t do it but it soothed his animal to at least consider doing exactly that.
He needed to be with her right now, to talk to her, to stick close to her until he had no doubt she’d be okay. Otherwise he’d breach the edge of insanity knowing how close she’d come to death and how he could have lost her forever.
Ellie stared up into Fury’s intense, dark gaze when he crouched down in front of her. He hesitated a second before his finger curled under her chin. He wore black gloves, leather from the feel of them, and his touch gentled while he examined her. He turned her head to study her neck and face. He released her chin. Without any warning or word, he grabbed Ellie’s arms under her elbows, and gently pulled her up, to stand.
She realized the back of her shirt parted and exposed her skin. Fury’s hold tightened on her as she nearly collapsed when her legs wobbled. A soft growl came from the back of his throat and rage once again gripped his features. It frightened Ellie’s, wondering why he’d made that scary noise directed at her. His hands eased their hold from her arms but in a heartbeat he leaned down, gripped behind her legs and back. He swept her into his arms to secure her tightly against his chest. He didn’t look at her.
“I’ll clean her up and check for injuries. Hold ground with them outside.” Fury snarled the words. “No one comes inside the dorm.”
A fierce-looking man with long black hair nodded. “Understood.”
Fury strode forward. Ellie hesitated a second before wrapping her arm around his neck. She was tired, hurting, and too traumatized to care where he took her. She rested her cheek against his shoulder and closed her eyes. For whatever reason, he and his men had come to save her from a horrible death at the hands of the two assailants. Another few minutes… She shivered at the thought of what would have happened to her. She burrowed closer against Fury and didn’t miss it when his body tensed. He kept walking though.
Ellie opened her eyes when he paused and kicked something. He pushed open the door to carry her inside the women’s bathroom. He frowned, glanced around, and then headed for the long counter of sinks. He gently set her down so she perched on the edge, facing him. She had to let him go when he slowly backed away.
Fury spun and glanced around the room. She followed where he searched and realized he looked up into the corners. She immediately knew what he searched for.
“There are no cameras in here,” Ellie informed him softly. “Security wanted to install them but I argued about the women’s privacy.”
Fury nodded and turned his attention to the sink next to her. He stripped off his gloves and tossed them onto the counter. He waved his hands under the faucet, activating it to turn on. As water started to flow he washed his hands then moved away to a paper napkin dispenser. Ellie watched him with raised eyebrows as he yanked fistfuls of brown paper towels out and piled them next to her on the counter. He completely emptied the dispenser and moved to the next one.
“I think that’s plenty.”
Fury frowned at her. He put the rest of the napkins down and stalked toward her in a graceful way that reminded her of a cat about to pounce. “Take your clothes off now.”
A gasp tore from her lips and she had to close her gaping mouth from the shock of his demand. “I won’t.”
He growled softly at her. “You’re covered in their stink and blood. I can’t tell what is yours and what is theirs. I’m going to wash you and find your injuries. If you can’t undress I’ll do it for you.”
Ellie relaxed, understanding why he made insane demands now. “You want to clean me up to treat my injuries? That’s all?”
His eyes narrowed. “Would you prefer I send one of my males inside here to strip you down? Your security is still trying to retain order.” He snorted. “We might be here for a while. One of us is going to remove your clothes and clean you to see if you are hurt and how badly. Decide now if it will be me or one of my men. I don’t want to waste time and that’s what you’re doing.”
Ellie clenched her teeth. He could be such a rude bastard at times. She’d just gone through the worst trauma of her life and he didn’t need to be so abrupt. “I think I can manage.”
“I caught you before you fell. You can’t even walk.”
“I just killed two men, could have been brutally raped, and they were going to murder me. Excuse the hell out of me for being a bit weak-kneed.”
He moved closer to her. “You killed two? I didn’t search the house since I heard you struggling and knew where to find you. I just rushed to your side.”
“They didn’t trip and kill each other.” She trembled still. The reality of what she’d done to survive sank in. The blood drained from her face and a wave of dizziness made her sway where she sat. “I killed them. I really killed them.”
Fury growled out a soft curse. “It was self defense. Don’t go there, sweetness. You had no other choice and they had it coming. You did the world a favor by taking them out. They would have killed you without a second thought.” He closed the remaining distance until only inches separated them. He grabbed the front of her shirt and yanked it up until her shirt peeled from her body. It made it easy for him to do with the back already sliced open. “Do you understand? They aren’t worth that haunted look in your eyes. Argue with me, talk to me, but think about something else. Don’t fall apart because I can’t stand to see your tears. Call me names instead and get angry.”
She blinked her tears back. He was being kind and it only served to draw her emotions closer to the surface. He had the most beautiful eyes in the world. The urge to throw herself into his arms and cling to him became almost overwhelming. He tore his gaze from hers before she could act on it.
“I need to get you cleaned up now. I really can’t stand smelling their stench on you. It’s a New Species thing but it makes me have to fight my rage.” He paused, glancing at her. “I have instincts that were a side effect from what they did to me and sometimes I have to fight those urges. It’s worse when I’m angry, agitated, or afraid. If that stink isn’t gone from you soon I’ll be obligated to go out there to rip their heads off.”
“Okay.” She nodded. “As much as I wouldn’t protest someone doing that to those jerks, I don’t want it to be you. You’d get into trouble.”
Ellie realized her bra had been sliced along with the back of her shirt and made a grab with both hands to cup and cover her bare breasts. Fury grabbed her wrists before she could hide them from him and yanked her arms out wide. He didn’t look at her chest but instead inspected her bloody hands.
“Don’t touch yourself with their blood. Get down and face the sink. I will clean you.”
Fury’s soft, husky tone made her relax and not fight with him when their gazes met again. She inched off the edge of the counter, not wanting to argue with him. He tried to distract her from the pain of reality and she realized it was almost sweet. She also hadn’t missed the fact that he’d used an endearment by calling her “sweetness”. It warmed her a bit from the shock she suffered.
Her feet touched the floor and her legs wobbled. Fury turned her until he hovered at her back and released her arms. He reached around her waist and waved his hands under the faucet, activating it to turn on again. He gripped her wrists gently and shoved them under the cool water. Ellie looked down to watch the water change color as blood washed from her wrists and hands. She closed her eyes tightly to fight the sick feeling that gripped her at seeing the water turning red.
“Why the hell don’t they have showers down here?” Fury growled.
“
We have our own private bathrooms with showers inside our apartments. No one ever thought the dorm could be breached.”
He sighed. “Well, you need one now and all I have are these sinks.”
Ellie kept her eyes closed, grateful that he kept her mind busy by asking questions. Fury leaned against her bare back, his clothes a bit scratchy, and his arms brushed against the side of her ribs while he rubbed the blood from her skin. He ordered her to bend forward and she didn’t hesitate. He kept cleaning her by spreading water up her arms all the way to her shoulders. Water trickled down her body and soaked her pants. There was nothing to be done about it, nor did it matter since her clothes were already soaked with blood.
“Kick off your shoes.” His voice whispered near her ear.
Ellie complied, toeing off her slip-on flats that had once been white but were now bloodstained. She’d slid in blood in the kitchen, crawled through it, and knew her shoes were destroyed. She forced those thoughts away. Fury’s hands eased her cotton pants down a few inches but then hesitated.
“I’m just cleaning you. Be strong for just a while longer. You’re safe and no one will hurt you, Ellie. I won’t allow it. They’d have to go through me to reach you and it wouldn’t happen.”
She believed him. “Okay.”
She kept her eyes closed to prevent seeing if Fury stared at her body. His hands were gentle when he tugged her pants the rest of the way down and hooked her panties with his thumbs to remove those too. She lifted one leg and then the other to help him when she realized he wanted them totally off her body until she stood naked. Fury turned the water back on and dumped water over her body with cupped hands. When every inch of her from the neck down dripped with water, he used wet paper towels to softly scrub at her skin while Ellie held unnaturally still.
“That’s the best I can do,” Fury said in a deep, tight voice. “You’ll need a shower but I can’t see any more blood. You managed not to get it in your hair from what I can see and smell.”