“Don’t be ridicules,” Ellie sputtered. “Fury loves me. He was just upset that Nurse Bitch in there threw herself at him. He didn’t hurt me and he wouldn’t.”
Tiger watched her face closely. “We can’t take any chances.”
She hesitated. “I understand but I’m not leaving him. Let’s just go talk to him and you’ll see that he’s fine.”
A car pulled up in front of the house. Ellie turned as Slade opened the driver’s door of the car and Justice climbed out of the passenger side. Trisha and a stranger got out of the back.
“You’re safe.” Justice looked relieved. “You need to leave. Tiger will drive you to Doctor Norbit’s house.”
Trisha held out keys to the tall New Species. “These are to my house. I have a guestroom.” She visually scanned Ellie from head to foot. “Help yourself to my clothes and anything else you need. My closet is your closet.”
“Where is the nurse?” Slade glanced around the area.
“Inside still.” Tiger shrugged. “She’s packing her things.”
“Damn it,” Justice growled. “He might attack her. She started this. Get Ellie out of here.”
Slade jerked open the front door and stormed into the house, Justice right behind him. Trisha and the stranger stood outside. Ellie studied the man with curiosity.
“This is Doctor Ted Treadmont. He’s the leading scientist on New Species,” Trisha said. “You need to go, Ellie. You can come back when it’s safe.”
“How many times do I have to say that Fury isn’t going to hurt me before someone listens? I’m not leaving.”
Tiger cursed. “He’s going to kill me for this.” He suddenly lunged, grabbed Ellie around her waist, and clamped his hand over her mouth. He jerked his head at Trisha. “Don’t stand there, Doctor Norbit. Could you please go open the trunk of the car for me? There’s a release pull for it on the dash. I need to get her away from him in case he goes nuts.”
Trisha ran for the car. Ellie struggled and clawed at Tiger’s arms but he wouldn’t put her down and she couldn’t do more than make soft sounds with his palm cupped firmly over her mouth. She kicked at his legs but no matter how many times she nailed him with her bare feet, it didn’t slow him down. The trunk opened and Tiger dumped Ellie inside.
“Don’t,” Ellie screamed. The trunk slammed closed, leaving her in the dark. Ellie kicked at it and shouted. “Let me out!”
The car started. Ellie kicked again but the trunk lid above her wouldn’t open. She screamed, still shocked that she’d been locked inside the trunk of a car by Tiger. She’d trusted him. She stopped screaming as the car speeded away.
She hated small, cramped places. She fought a panic attack. The car turned suddenly and Ellie rolled to bang into something hard. Pain slammed into her knee. She screamed again. She’d take a beating inside the trunk from being thrown around if he made a lot of sharp turns at that speed. The car turned sharply again and Ellie slammed against the back of the trunk against the passenger compartment. Pain shot up her arm.
Ellie curled into a ball and struggled to breathe normally until the car finally stopped. She knew there was plenty of air but it didn’t stop her from suffering. Her claustrophobia had never been this bad. The trunk opened and Ellie tried to frantically claw her way out. She gasped in gulps of fresh air as Tiger reached for her.
Ellie smacked at his hands. He jumped back when Ellie practically threw her body from the trunk. She stared at him wildly.
Tiger frowned. “What is wrong with you? We’re at the Doctor’s house.”
“Don’t you ever lock me inside a small space again!” Ellie shouted. She stumbled back a few steps. Hot tears slid down her cheeks. “I hate small, dark places!”
“Stop shouting,” Tiger ordered. “I’m sorry. Calm down, Ellie. Just take some deep breaths. You’re fine. Breathe in and out. That’s it. I didn’t know you had hole sickness.”
“I don’t have hole sickness!” She stopped shouting. “What is hole sickness?”
“You panic when you are put inside dark, small places. That’s what we call it. I’m sorry. Are you all right now? We should go inside. That nightgown is thin and I am afraid we will draw unwanted attention here. This is the human area of Homeland.”
His words sank in, she realized she was nearly nude and wanted clothes immediately. Then, I’ll find my way home. Ellie nodded and followed Tiger to the front door. He unlocked the door. Ellie walked in and then turned, kicking Tiger in the shin hard enough to hurt her foot.
Tiger cursed and growled at her. “What was that for?”
“Everything. I don’t suffer from hole sickness. I have claustrophobia.”
He frowned. “Doesn’t that mean the same thing?”
“Go to hell.” Ellie stormed away from him into Trisha’s bedroom, remembering where it was from her last visit. She slammed the door between them and headed to the doctor’s dresser.
Ellie borrowed a pair of sweatpants, an exercise bra, and an oversized T-shirt from a rock concert Trisha must have attended. She tried on a pair of the doctor’s shoes but they didn’t wear the same size. She had to remain barefoot. Ellie grabbed up the phone from the bedside table and called home, wanting to talk to Fury. She shot a nervous look at the door, afraid Tiger would walk into the room and stop her.
“Ellie?” Fury sounded pissed.
“Hi, Fury. They made me leave. Are you all right?”
“Where are you?” He growled.
“Don’t tell him!” Tiger yelled, nearly exploding into the room.
“Where are you?” Fury repeated, roaring the words.
Tiger tore the phone from her fingers and slammed it down into the cradle. He glared at Ellie. “Did you not hear the whole scent and prey talk we had?”
“I just wanted him to know I’m safe and ask him how he is doing. You guys are seriously overreacting if you think Fury is a danger to me.”
Tiger arched an eyebrow. “Really?” He picked up the phone. “Let’s see how off the mark we are.”
“Who are you calling?”
“Justice.”
Ellie sat on the edge of Trisha’s bed, glowering up at Tiger. He listened and a frown marred his features. He hung up. “Something is really wrong. Justice didn’t pick up his phone. It connected to his voice mail after six rings.”
“So he’s busy.”
“He always answers.” Tiger dialed another number. He listened and his face grew pale before he hung up.
“Slade didn’t pick up either and he always answers by the third ring. They both entered the house and they aren’t answering their phones. Shit.” He dialed another number. He cursed after a minute and hung up. He waved the phone at Ellie. “Doctor Norbit isn’t answering either.”
“Maybe they are talking to him right now and don’t want to be rude by answering their cells.”
“Call home, talk to him for a few minutes to see how he is, but don’t tell him where you are. Can you do that?”
Ellie accepted the phone. “This is just moronic.”
“Just talk to him. You know Fury. See if he’s your male or if he’s not quite himself. Ask him where Justice and Slade are.”
“You’re going to feel stupid.”
“I’ll risk it. Just don’t tell him where you are. Promise?”
“Sure,” she muttered, glad to speak to Fury. Tiger was being paranoid.
Fury answered on the first ring by snarling her name. He sounded so mad she barely recognized her own name coming from his lips.
“It’s me. Are you all right?”
“Where are you?”
“They were afraid you were reacting to one of the medications they’ve been giving you and think you’re dangerous to me. I’m fine. Are Justice and Slade still there?”
“Where are you?” He ground out the words harshly. “Tell me right now, Ellie.”
Ellie met Tiger’s concerned gaze, having to admit that Fury was acting weird. “I’ll be home soon. Are Justice and Slade still ther
e?”
“They are outside,” Fury growled. “I will come find you if you won’t tell me where you are. Come home right now to me. You don’t want to make me have to search for you.”
“You need to calm down. The doctors just wanted to check you out and I’ll be right home after they are sure everything is fine.”
“I’m coming for you,” he snarled. He slammed the phone down.
“Fury?” She shook her head, stunned. “He’s really angry. He said he’s coming for me and hung up. It sounded like…a threat.”
“Damn it,” Tiger groaned. “He’s in total hunt mode, just as I feared. We need to get you the hell out of here.” He hung up the phone and then snatched his cell phone from his back pocket. He dialed.
“This is Tiger. Justice and Slade have lost contact. They were at Fury’s. He’s gone feral from the medication and he’s hunting his mate. I’m at Doctor Norbit’s house with Ellie. I need one team sent to Fury’s now and I need a second team sent here to extract her from the kill zone.” He hung up.
“Kill zone?” Ellie gasped. “Have you all gone crazy? If Fury is mad it’s because you took me from the house and he’s worried.”
Tiger reached down and gripped Ellie’s arm firmly. “He’s not worried. He’s nuts. Move your ass. Your mate is one of the best trackers we have. We need to get you out of his reach.” He yanked her to her feet.
“Stop it!” Ellie yelled. She jerked out of his hold.
“Let me remind you what I already said if you didn’t catch it the first time. The drug he’s been given can override his human side and let the animal loose. Your mate is mainly animal right now, and if I’m right, and he scented you, that means he’s hunting you as if you’re prey. Being prey means he will probably harm you if he finds you.”
“Fury loves me. He’s just mad that—”
“He could kill you. Imagine how he’s going to feel when the drugs are gone from his system and he has to live with something he had no control over. He’ll have to withstand the painful knowledge that he killed the one thing he loves. Now if you give a damn about him, move your ass, Ellie. Let me get you somewhere safe to make certain he doesn’t do something that will destroy both of you.”
Ellie stared at Tiger. There was a lot about New Species that wasn’t known. Is it possible he’s right? Fury did act kind of crazy from the moment he burst into the bathroom. Of course leaving him wasn’t an option to her if he needed her.
“I need some spare clothes and I have to use the bathroom. Where are we going?”
“We need to get you away from Homeland. That’s a certainty. Homeland isn’t big enough to hide you and we don’t need a scene with human witnesses.”
Ellie entered the bathroom and yanked open cupboards, searching for aspirin, feeling a stress headache coming on. The doctor didn’t seem to keep any medicines inside her bathroom. Ellie turned, startled a bit at seeing Tiger hovering at the doorway.
“I need to use the bathroom and that isn’t going to happen with you watching me,” she warned. “Have you ever heard of privacy?”
“Hurry,” Tiger demanded. “He might not have to track you if he guesses we brought you here.”
* * * * *
Breeze climbed out of the car and grimly assessed both males. Justice and Slade waited outside Fury’s home. She’d expected the worst when she’d gotten the call but Fury hadn’t hurt either of them. She’d been informed of the situation, of their only plan to save the Species male, and she’d agreed. She approached them with dread.
Justice spoke first. “Breeze, I’m sorry to ask this of you.” His gaze dropped to her feet, where it stayed. “He could really hurt his female. She’s so much frailer than our women. He could break her bones just by holding her and she would probably die if he’s as aggressive as we fear.”
Breeze winced inwardly. “I understand. She might hate me for this later but I won’t allow her to be killed. I’ll go inside and deal with the situation.”
Justice finally raised his sad gaze. “I’m so sorry.”
Breeze nodded. “I am very fond of Ellie. I would do this for you because you asked but I need to do this for her.”
“She’ll understand once it is explained.”
Breeze snorted at Justice. “Males know nothing.”
That response drew a frown from him. “If we go in and attempt to restrain him, he will try to kill us, or we will have to kill him,” Justice explained softly. “Until we can assess him, it’s too dangerous to tranquilize him. The added drugs could cause an overdose or heart failure. Sending you in to calm him is the only thing we could think to attempt. Scream for help if he won’t allow you to help him. I won’t allow you die. We’ll have to put him out regardless of the consequences if he attacks.”
Breeze opened the front door and stepped inside the house. She closed the door firmly behind her and paused there, fighting down fear. She’d only seen this situation once before and she’d barely survived it. She straightened her shoulders. Ellie had become her friend and this happened to be a Species problem. She only hoped he didn’t kill her outright since she wasn’t the female he wanted.
Breeze froze a few feet inside the living room, inhaled deeply, and then backed up. She yanked open the door to speak to Justice. “Who has been inside this house?”
“Why?”
“Tell me,” Breeze growled.
“Me, Tiger, Slade, Fury, Ellie and the nurse were here. Why?”
Breeze glared at him. “Is the nurse a short female with green eyes?”
Justice nodded. “That describes the nurse, Belinda Thomas. What is wrong?”
“I know this scent. She worked inside my section of the testing facility. Didn’t you ever meet her? Her name isn’t Belinda Thomas. It’s Beatrice Thorton.”
“Are you sure?” A deadly cold glint entered Justice’s angry eyes.
Breeze showed her own anger by barring her teeth. “I would never forget the stench of someone so evil. She took care of Fury?”
Justice paled. “She’s in charge of his medications.”
Breeze growled deeper. “She was one of the cruelest of them. This is no coincidence. She was in charge of test drugs given to us.”
They heard something break from the back of the house. Breeze clenched her hands into fists. “Where is she?”
“I had her taken to security while they process her out of Homeland. We couldn’t retrieve her things yet so she’s waiting for them to be delivered.” Justice reached for his cell phone and then realized in the rush to flee Fury’s rage, he’d left it inside the bedroom. When he’d been thrown into a wall, it had fallen from his pocket. “I’ll have her taken into custody.” He spun and walked to the car to use the radio.
Breeze closed the door, worried by the sounds coming from the back of the house. If their enemy had been giving Fury the wrong drugs, they could be dealing with something really bad. Breeze trembled slightly and then she straightened her shoulders. Maybe he could be reasoned with and it wouldn’t be as bad as she feared. She heard more things breaking. It sounded as if Fury had started to destroy at least one room of his home.
* * * * *
“I’m coming,” Ellie snapped, glaring at Tiger who waved her toward the front door. “Let me put on socks first though. I don’t want to be walking around barefoot wherever we go.”
“Hurry up. The team will be here at any moment and I want us ready to go when they arrive.” He strode toward the front door. “I just hope Breeze can stop him before he leaves the house in search of you.”
Ellie heard what he said and she took a step toward him. “Breeze? Why would Breeze go to Fury’s house?”
Tiger turned. “She’s going to attempt to get him to scent her instead. She knows he would kill you in the state he’s in and she wants to save your life. Out of all of our females, she is the strongest. We wanted one of Fury’s testing facility females since he’d be familiar with them but they were too frightened. They’ve seen this happen before in
side the testing facilities when they overmedicated one of our males. Only Breeze was brave enough and willing to risk her life for yours. Now, hurry, Ellie. If Fury won’t scent Breeze he will come for you.”
“She’s going to allow him smell her? Why would that be risking her life?”
Tiger cursed. “Sometimes if we’re in hunt mode and crazy, the rage can be turned into sexual desire.” He paused. “It’s not something a female would enjoy, Ellie. If he accepts Breeze in your place, let me assure you, it will be hell for her. He could still kill her.”
Ellie felt punched in the gut, hard. “You mean she’s…he’s…they’ll…”
“It would be down to basics animal sex and violent, Ellie. Now do what you need to and let’s get out of here. There’s no telling if he’ll accept her or not. He could just kill her and she might only be able to slow him down. They think if they try to drug him more after whatever has been given to him, it could kill him outright. We’re trying to save you both.” Tiger turned his back to peer out a window, watching for his team to arrive.
Her heart pounded. She closed her eyes and let everything slam into her. Son of a bitch.
“I think I’m going to be sick.”
She fled to bathroom, slammed the door, and flipped the lock. Ellie turned on the water full blast in the sink to cover the noise and yanked open the bathroom window.
Chapter Nineteen
Ellie had gotten lucky. Tiger had left the car keys in the ignition when he’d taken her into Trisha’s house. He probably had assumed she remained inside the bathroom until he spotted her streaking across the yard for the street. He’d yelled as she’d thrown open the driver’s door but by the time he’d made it outside, she had the engine started and left tire tread along the street in her haste to prevent him from stopping her.
She parked the car at the back of Fury’s house, glanced around and made sure no one waited to stop her. She shut the engine off and jumped out of the car. She studied the backyard fence, deeming it wasn’t too high to climb. Ellie cursed and grabbed hold of the top of it. She hadn’t sneaked over a wall since she was a teenager.