Tiger

  He laughed as he suddenly lifted his foot to show her his socks. She kicked her shoes under her desk.

  “You don’t have to dress up so much either. They like us to look casually nice. No sweats or stained shirts but you don’t have to go all out.”

  “Thanks.” She moved around the desk to the bag on the left.

  Richard walked over and gripped the top of the bag on the right. “It’s easier if you just drag these to the side of your desk.”

  She gripped her bag. It was the size of a large duffel bag. She pulled it by the cords to her desk. It was heavy.

  “We’ll really get through all this in a day?”

  “Yeah.”

  * * * * *

  Tiger sighed, ran his fingers through his hair and frowned at the two males. “Enough. You’re giving me a headache.”

  The two males glared at each other. Their clothing was torn and they appeared ready to fight again. Tiger stepped between them and finally twisted his head to arch a questioning eyebrow at the female.

  “Kit? Do you want to explain why you invited two males to your room to share sex with you at the same time? You had to know they’d challenge each other.”

  She bit her lip and put her hands on her hips, a defiant expression on her face. “Would you believe me if I said it was a simple mistake?”

  Anger surged and Tiger growled. “Don’t lie. It’s unacceptable.”

  She had enough honor to lower her gaze and give him a submissive stance to show remorse. “I was bored. I thought they could fight and the winner could warm my bed for a few hours. It was exciting until you arrived to break them apart.” She shot Tiger a pouty look. “You ruined my fun.”

  A growl rumbled from both males and their anger turned toward the female instead of each other. Tiger was tempted to leave her to her fate. Two pissed-off males who’d been purposely pitted against each other and wanted a little revenge would serve her right. He knew they wouldn’t harm her, both males were friends who had good control usually, unless it was directed at another male. He made a quick decision.

  “I’m out of here.” He spun, storming down the hallway.

  “Wait!” The panic in Kit’s voice was clear. “Make them leave with you.”

  Tiger halted and slowly faced her. “You wanted them to fight, you wanted excitement and you have it now. You created this problem so solve it on your own.” He glanced at the males. “Will you harm her?”

  Both shook their heads. Tiger nodded. “Good enough. I have things to do besides this. Work it out!”

  That’s why he avoided females. They caused him headaches and were always doing the unexpected. He left the hotel and headed for his Jeep. The memory of one certain female filled his head and he growled. The human. Just thinking of her made his cock twitch so he pushed the images back. Females were bad news but human ones were to be avoided at all costs. Especially pretty redheads with haunting green eyes.

  Chapter Two

  Richard sat down hard in his seat. “We don’t have to respond to the hate mail. Sometimes if I really get pissed I’ll send them one back.” He grinned. “Just be polite. That’s what I was told. No one said I couldn’t be polite and sarcastic.”

  Zandy laughed.

  Richard turned his computer screen in her direction. “Read this letter and let me know when you’re done. I’ll show you my response.”

  She walked to his desk, leaned over and began to skim the letter. Her temper flared as she finished it. Some man was calling New Species a bunch of rabid animals who should all be neutered and put to sleep. Her gaze met Richard’s and he clicked to the page he was working on.

  Zandy began to laugh almost immediately. He’d written an extremely polite letter to tell the jerk that they felt the same way about him and they shared his loving sentiments about men like him. It was all polite unless you actually read the original letter he’d sent. Richard winked.

  “I felt compelled to respond to this one.”

  “That’s a riot. I hope when he gets it that it chaps his ass.”

  “Me too.”

  The mailbag was filled to capacity and she opened it, grabbed the one on top and used a letter opener to unseal it. Her coworker told her to scan each one into the computer—they saved them digitally as well as filing them—and type any responses she felt were needed. The outgoing department would print and send any letters she typed. It was grim work. Most of the incoming mail angered her but she did find a few good ones that kids had sent in.

  The time flew by. Zandy sat Indian style, her skirt tucked between her thighs, typing out a response to a sweet little girl in Iowa who had written to say that she loved the New Species and thought they were really cool when the door opened. Zandy looked up as Slash walked inside.

  “Lunchtime,” Richard announced.

  Zandy yanked her skirt down and put on her shoes. She grabbed her purse.

  “You won’t need that. Your money is no good here. Just drop your purse in your desk. It’s safe. Theft is never a problem.”

  Zandy nodded to Richard and followed the men out of the building. Slash studied her when she sat in the front seat of the Jeep.

  “How do you like your job?”

  “I am happy to have one.”

  He nodded. “Good.” His gaze fixed on the rearview mirror. “How was your day, Richard? Did you lose your temper yet?”

  Richard laughed. “Not so far today. Zandy kept me in a good mood through the worst of the mail.”

  Slash started the engine. “Good. I am glad it is not my job to read that shit. I would be mad all the time.”

  They were driven a few blocks over to a large building. It wasn’t marked but she was pretty sure it used to be a hotel. There were a lot of Jeeps and golf carts parked along the street and in parking spaces. Nervousness struck her.

  “It looks crowded.”

  “We all eat lunch at the same time.” Richard climbed out of the back. “They do a huge buffet but the lines move fast. We have an hour to eat.”

  When Richard said the word “huge” Zandy instantly thought of her fallen angel. She gritted her teeth, knowing she had to stop doing that. He had a name. Tiger. She glanced around a big lobby just inside the building as she, Richard, and Slash walked through double doors.

  She remembered high school suddenly when they reached the cafeteria. It was all coming back to her as she eyed the gymnasium-sized room. Tables were lined up in rows with trash cans placed strategically. She felt totally out of place. There were four lines and a long steel counter on the opposite side of the room. A lot of the long tables were already filled.

  Zandy glanced around at the people as she followed Slash and Richard to one of the lines. The line really did move quickly. There were just a handful of fully human employees and they had to be outnumbered thirty to one. It left her feeling uneasy.

  There had to be over two hundred New Species at lunch. The women were tall and athletic looking but the men were bigger. She watched one man walk by her and the amount of food on his tray amazed her. His plate was platter-sized and it was piled about six inches high with meat.

  “Don’t stare,” Richard ordered softly.

  She turned her head. “I was looking at the amount of food.”

  He chuckled. “I guess I should warn you that most of them eat their meat raw inside. Don’t be shocked. When we hit the buffet head, move to the left, not the right. The left has fully cooked meats. The right is the raw side. It looks cooked until you bite into it. I made that mistake my first day here and while it was amusing for everyone around me, not so much for me.”

  “Thanks.” She meant that. She’d hate to end up with raw meat as her selection for lunch.

  Slash headed right and Zandy followed Richard to the left. Not all of the New Species chose raw meat for their meals since a few remained ahead of them in line. Her coworker handed her a regular-sized plate and grabbed his own. She followed him down the long buffet, amazed at the amount and selection of food. She end
ed up with meatloaf and gravy, mashed potatoes, corn, a few chicken strips, some fries, and a slice of chocolate cake. She grabbed a soda and silverware last.

  They sat by the back wall near the entry doors at an empty table. Richard smiled.

  “Did I tell you they really serve a buffet or what?”

  She unwrapped her paper napkin, spread it over her lap and nodded. She cut up her meatloaf and took a bite. It stunned her when the flavor filled her mouth and she moaned slightly.

  “Just like Mom made, huh? They have a catering service and they are damn good.”

  “This meatloaf is amazing. The gravy is mushroom and it’s so good.”

  He nodded. “You can always go back for seconds. And thirds. No one is going to look at you weird if you do that. We eat a hell of a lot less than they do.”

  Zandy saw someone walking toward the table and recognized a familiar face. “Hi, Creek. Are you eating with us?”

  “Yes.” Creek took a seat next to Zandy and flashed a smile at Richard. “Hello, male human.”

  He laughed. “Hello, Creek. I’m Richard.”

  Creek turned in her seat. “How was your first day so far, Zandy?”

  “Great. I love my job.” Zandy glanced at her new friend’s plate, saw a few steaks with a big salad and then noticed what looked like an iced coffee.

  “I didn’t see those. I love iced coffee.”

  Creek pointed. “They are over there in the corner to the right. They have a chocolate flavor, one with mint, and a nutty one. We love caffeine.”

  “Who doesn’t?” Zandy grinned.

  She glanced around the room. Everything seemed fine. Some of the New Species were glancing her way but she figured they had to be as curious about her as she was about them. Motion from the door drew her attention as two tall men entered the cafeteria.

  It was him, her fallen angel. He wore his black uniform, minus the bulletproof vest, and walked side by side with a man equally as large. They were talking softly but she ignored his friend. Her focus locked on Tiger. She couldn’t believe she was seeing him again but knew without a doubt she wasn’t mistaken.

  His hair appeared a striped honey color in the daylight—highlights of red, shades of blond and soft brown combined. It hung freely around his shoulders and she vividly remembered how soft and satiny it felt to the touch. He passed her table and she got a view of the back of him.

  Her angel’s pants were molded to a nice, beefy ass. He had a trim waist and his upper body was as large and muscular as she remembered. The fact that she’d been drinking had nothing to do with how sexually appealing he’d been since she had to swallow hard not to gasp. He was gorgeous—all man. Even the way he moved showed a grace and sensuality that had her taking notice.

  He glanced over his shoulder, almost seemed to sense her intense scrutiny and scanned the area until he came to her. Their gazes met for a few heartbeats before he faced forward, took a few more steps and his entire body appeared to turn to stone. He came to an abrupt halt.

  Zandy’s heart raced and she forgot to breathe as he whipped his head around again, this time finding her immediately. She studied his breathtaking eyes. They were exactly as she remembered—catlike, an amazing blue, but she couldn’t make out the gold color in them from that far away. His face was just as rugged, masculine and fascinating too. His lips parted, forcing her to remember vividly how he’d tasted of cherry when they kissed and how hungry those generous lips could feel on hers.

  His friend took a few more steps before he realized he’d lost his companion, turned and said something. Tiger actually jerked, as if startled. Zandy bit her lip and dropped her gaze to her plate. He recognized her. Shit. The sound of Richard and Creek talking assured her they hadn’t noticed her lack of attention.

  She waited a few seconds before glancing up again. He still stood there staring at her. She forced a smile she didn’t feel, not sure what else to do. What if he walks over here? What do I say? Please don’t, she silently chanted. Please just walk away. He turned away almost as if he’d heard her and continued toward the buffet. Zandy let out the breath she’d been holding.

  It’s her. Tiger moved on autopilot to collect his lunch, his mind reeling from seeing the human he’d saved at that bar. It had been a few weeks but he was certain it was the same female. She was eating in the cafeteria, sharing a table with Creek and Richard Vega, and he didn’t know why.

  His hands trembled enough to feel relief when he sat at his regular spot and placed the tray down. The last thing he needed was to drop his lunch. The memory of the small female not only affected his ability to think and his coordination but his dick stirred too.

  “Are you okay, Tiger?”

  Tiger stared at Snow, speechless.

  The white-haired Species male sitting across from him frowned. “You look angry.”

  “I’m fine.” He wasn’t but he refused to admit it.

  Snow nodded. “I noticed you saw the female human when you came in. She is hot, isn’t she? I spotted her the second we walked in.”

  Hot? That word doesn’t cover it. She’d made his blood boil all right. Tiger wanted to groan but managed to shrug, pretending indifference. “She is attractive.”

  “Do you think she’s into our males?” Interest sparked in his pale-blue eyes. “I wouldn’t mind experiencing shared sex with a human if it were her. She looks a little small though and would probably be frightened of us.”

  Tiger remembered her pulling his hair at the base of his neck to jerk his face down to meet her lips after she’d demanded he kiss her. His dick grew harder at the memory of having her wrapped around his body, pressed tightly to him. She was aggressive for a human female. Her lips had been soft, she’d smelled so good and her moans had driven him insane to be inside her body.

  No, she wasn’t a human afraid of Species males. She’d known what she wanted. She went after me and initiated sex. He wasn’t going to admit that to Snow though or anyone else. He’d left out those details on the reports to avoid being teased about making out with a human on the hood of one of the NSO Jeeps, as if he had no control. He had totally lost it with that female. It wasn’t exactly his proudest moment.

  “Should we sit with her and see how she reacts to me?”

  “No.” Tiger avoided snarling or lashing out to deck the other male for even thinking about trying to gain the female’s sexual interest. The thought of watching her touch Snow put him in a foul mood.

  “That’s right.” Snow’s humor died. “You aren’t fond of human females. You like ours better.”

  Tiger just nodded. He didn’t want to dwell on the fact that if she decided to share sex with a Species male, he wanted to be the one she chose. They’d started something together they hadn’t been able to finish. His dick ached, trapped inside his too-tight pants now that there was a lot less free space inside them. He barely refrained from snarling.

  Slash took a seat next to Snow, stared directly into Tiger’s eyes and grinned wickedly. “Guess what my duty is today?”

  He knows she’s here, Tiger guessed, grimly glaring back at his amused friend. He hoped his silent warning came through and held his breath, waiting to see if Slash would say something he shouldn’t.

  “There’s a new human female who works in building C. I get to escort her between doing security rounds. She’s sitting at the last table by the door to the left.”

  “I saw her.” Snow chuckled. “Was she fearful of you? I was wondering if she’s into our men. She is hot.”

  “She is hot,” Slash agreed. “She didn’t seem fearful. Her name is Zandy Gordon and I looked at her file. She is unmarried, single, thirty-one years old, and lives about eight miles from the east gate of Reservation.” He never looked away from Tiger, clearly sending his own message.

  Tiger’s blindly grabbed the top steak off the pile, lifted it to his mouth and viciously bit down. The taste of blood filling his mouth helped ease some of his anger and kept him from staring across the room as if he were o
bsessed with the female.

  Slash refused to stop taunting him. “I get to escort her back to building C and at the end of the day I’m taking her to the east gate. That is where we moved her car since it will be easier for her to drive home from there.”

  Tiger felt his temper flare. Slash was baiting him by telling him where he could find the female later. Zandy was an odd name for a human but she wasn’t exactly typical in any way. He lost the battle and his gaze searched her out.

  Her long red hair was in a ponytail and she was laughing at something one of her two companions had said. She didn’t wear much makeup, hadn’t the night he’d met her either, but she was very attractive without it. He heard her laugher over the din of voices and clenched his teeth. His dick throbbed against his thigh where it was trapped and the urge to go after her gripped him strongly.

  He knew he’d regret it if he rose to his feet, stormed across the room and grabbed her. He wanted her back under him, but this time he wouldn’t stop and he didn’t give a damn who saw him share sex with her. It would warn all the males to stay away from her too. They will know she’s mine. That thought shocked him enough to leash his desire and even caused a jolt of fear to strike. What the hell is wrong with me?

  “Tiger?”

  He jerked his gaze away from Zandy to stare at Snow. “What?”

  Snow laughed. “I was talking to you but you were thinking something so deep you didn’t hear me. What is on your mind?”

  “I was thinking about something else.” Tiger didn’t go into detail.

  Slash laughed. “I bet you were thinking about your next shift on the night duty and how you hope the human sheriff doesn’t call us out on any more emergencies.”

  Tiger growled a warning at Slash but he just grinned in response.

  Snow frowned. “I don’t understand.”

  “The human sheriff is always calling us for stupid things,” Slash explained. “We dread it. That is why Tiger just growled. It is annoying.”