Numbers

  “I’m getting better at learning how to please you,” he rasped.

  She opened her eyes and was enthralled at the way Mourn looked at her, as if she were someone very special to him. It might have been wishful thinking. She could easily fall in love with him and suspected she had already started to. Realization came next. It was going to tear her apart when he figured out she was just an emotional crutch. He might not regret the sex, because it had been fantastic, but he’d realize he didn’t want to spend the rest of his life with her. She would return home with her heart in tatters.

  “What are you thinking?”

  She wasn’t going to share her worries. “I’m just enjoying being so close to you.” That was the truth.

  “I am too.” He turned his head, glancing around the shed. “We need a home. I don’t want you to have to live in the men’s dorm. It can get loud sometimes when the males play games. I doubt Paul will want to share his home with another male. We’re territorial. It’s his space.” He smiled when he looked at her again. “I’ll request housing in the morning. They will assign us to a house like Paul’s. We can sleep here tonight.”

  “We can’t just move in together.”

  That wiped his good mood away. “We can. I know you aren’t ready to mate with me. You want time. I understand that you need to learn more about me before you sign the mate papers. The best way to convince you that I’m your male will be sharing quarters.”

  New Species don’t date. Paul’s words sounded in her head again. Most men were afraid to commit. Mourn wanted to go full speed into a live-in relationship, to jump in with both feet.

  “I’ll hold you while we’re sleeping. We’ll share meals. It will be nice. At least try it.”

  It was tough to say no when he looked at her with those gorgeous eyes, and was holding her, their bodies entwined. His husky voice didn’t help matters. She had a hard time resisting. It’s also how he’d gotten her thighs spread open to him in the first place. No man had ever talked to her that way, and it had been a turn-on she couldn’t resist.

  “Sleep with me and see how you like it.”

  He gently withdrew from her body and rose. “This bench is too narrow. I’ll sleep on it and you lie on top of me.” He stood and held out his hand to her.

  She hesitated and then took it. “Paul will worry when he realizes I’m not there.”

  “I’m an early riser. I’ll take you home to get your things before he wakes. We’ll tell him you’re safe with me.”

  She imagined her brother’s face if she announced she was getting a place with a New Species. He’d probably lose his shit. He’d told her not to get involved with Mourn. She was pretty certain he wouldn’t be overjoyed or accept it without a lot of yelling first.

  “I’ll stay with you tonight, but I have to think about living with you. That’s a huge step, Mourn.”

  He growled softly at her, and his eyes narrowed. “I’ll make you happy.”

  “It’s not that. It’s just that this is moving too fast for me, and living together is a huge step.” She didn’t mention that having sex was too, and she was having a difficult enough time coming to terms with what they’d just done. “Let me think about it.”

  His expression softened. “I understand. Thank you for staying with me tonight, Dana. I really want to hold you and have you sleep in my arms.”

  She took Mourn’s hand and allowed him to pull her upright. He stretched out on his back on the bench and smiled. She had to admire how incredibly sexy he looked naked. The flag wasn’t wrapped around his waist anymore.

  “Lie on me.”

  She hesitated. “I might be too heavy.”

  He chuckled and sat up just enough to capture her hand in his, pulling her down. She ended up sprawled over him, her legs slightly parted so she didn’t smash his cock. It hardened between her thighs. Mourn adjusted her so his chest pillowed her head near his shoulder. He yanked her flag down to cover her ass, and then wrapped his arms around her waist.

  “You are safe. Are you warm enough?”

  He put off a lot of body heat. “Yes.”

  He nuzzled his jaw against the top of her head. “Good. This is nice, isn’t it?”

  She relaxed and had to admit, it was. “Yes.”

  He was big and solid under her. Warm. His arms around her felt nice. She even liked hearing his heartbeat under her ear. He began to stroke her back. That felt really good and relaxed her further.

  “You feel right here,” he rasped. “Is the light bothering you? I forgot to turn it off.”

  “It’s not bright.”

  “Try to sleep. I’m with you.”

  She closed her eyes, but sleep didn’t come right away. Mourn kept stroking her back, his big hand lightly massaging the curve of her ass every few minutes. There was no desire to ask Mourn to take her home. She’d just have to sleep in the guestroom alone. It wasn’t something she wanted to do when being held by him felt so good. She finally drifted off.

  Chapter Six

  “I apologize for sleeping longer than I believed I would.” Mourn didn’t look sorry when he smiled. “That’s the best sleep I’ve had in a long time.”

  Dana had to agree. “Me too.”

  “I usually wake from nightmares. I even worried I might turn in my sleep and dump you on the floor.”

  She grinned, fighting to get her pants on. The still-wet material clung to her legs. She managed to get dressed and faced Mourn. He’d put his wet clothes on too. They were probably a sorry-looking pair with their worse-for-wear clothing and messy hair. It was obvious they’d just woken.

  “I’m glad you didn’t. That wouldn’t have been the best way to wake up.”

  “You should just wear the flag. Your clothes are still too wet.”

  “My brother is going to have a conniption fit as it is. I’ll wear my damp clothes. Trust me. He’ll really freak out if I come home without them on.”

  He chuckled. “Tonight we’ll sleep in a real bed together with plenty of room. I’ll have housing arranged for us.”

  She was ready to panic when she jerked her head up to stare at him. “I’m not ready to move in with you yet.”

  All trace of his good mood faded. “Don’t say no.” He stepped closer and brushed her hair off her cheek. “Try it for seven days. I’ll let you go if you don’t want to stay. This is a compromise.”

  “That’s putting a lot of pressure on both of us.”

  “No pressure. Be yourself, Dana. I care about you. Let us live together. I think we will be happy, and I hope you will learn this can work between us.”

  She chewed on her bottom lip, pondering it. The damage was done. She wasn’t going to forget about Mourn any time soon. They’d been intimate. To return to her old life without trying to see if a relationship between them could work would leave her with regrets. She had enough of those to last her a lifetime.

  “Let’s date.”

  He stepped closer. “I want to sleep with you every night.”

  “We’re already moving too fast. I’ve been told that New Species don’t date, but humans do. We already skipped right to the sex.” She glanced around the shed. “You have a home, right? Tonight you can take me there and we can spend time together. I don’t expect you to take me out to dinner, or to see a movie. I get that it’s not really possible to do that at Homeland. The bar seems like the only social place to hang out, and that’s not exactly romantic. I haven’t seen a movie theatre here.”

  “I don’t want to take you to the men’s dorm. I’m worried it will be uncomfortable.”

  “Why?”

  “The males hang out in the living spaces on the first floor. They might be alarmed, seeing you with me, and try to prevent me from taking you to my apartment.”

  Sympathy for him came fast. “Because you picked fights with them?”

  He nodded. “They’d wish to protect you, believing I’m unstable.”

  “You don’t think they’d try to stop us from living together?” r />
  “We’d be assigned to couples housing—the cottages where Species live with their mates. It’s more private and we’d have fewer males to deal with. Darkness might help us get a home. He thinks you are good for me.”

  She remembered that name. “Isn’t he the one you fought with when we met?”

  “Yes.”

  “You talked to him about us?”

  He nodded. “I didn’t have a choice. He knows we’ve been meeting at night, and wanted to know why. He threatened to send me to Reservation if my intentions weren’t good.”

  “Why would he do that?”

  “He worried I would do to you what Vengeance has attempted in the past.”

  “What’s that?”

  “He has tried to grab human females and take them.”

  She gawked at him. “Take them?”

  “Ven’s mate died at Mercile. He’s considered unstable too. He just wants a female to love and care for. He needs purpose in his life. Darkness was concerned I’d steal you from your brother and take you home with me by force. I told him I’d never do that.”

  “Did this Vengeance do that to someone?”

  “He has tried to grab a female a couple of times but the males stopped him. He’s very lonely. He just wanted to take one home and keep her.”

  “Has he had counseling? It sounds like he needs it.”

  “We’ve all had to speak to head shrinks, but they don’t understand us. They think the way humans do, and not like a Species.”

  She let that sink in, pondering what it meant.

  “The head shrink I spoke to grew angry with me when I told him about how 139 became my mate.”

  “Why was he angry?”

  “Kregkor said it was akin to rape when we mated, and asked Justice to keep me away from 139. Justice refused his request and banned him from going near us. He tried but the officer at the gates of Species housing refused to allow him to come to our home. Kregkor no longer works for the NSO. The US government assigned him to work at Homeland but Moon’s mate got him fired. Joy is a head shrink too, and said he was an asshole. She spoke to me after someone told her what he’d said to me, and the accusations he’d made about how letting me care for my mate would damage her more. Joy understands Species much better.”

  “He does sound like an asshole.”

  “Thank you for taking it well when I told you how 139 became my mate. I understand that’s not how humans form bonds.”

  She closed the distance between them and took his hand. “You’re an amazing man, Mourn. You’re sweet and kind. I’m so sorry for what Kregkor said to you.”

  He smiled. “Why do you always apologize for other humans?”

  She grinned. “I don’t know.”

  “It’s adorable, but not necessary. I didn’t take it personal. He thinks human. Our history is vastly different. We didn’t have choices, even once.”

  She had the urge to kiss him but wasn’t that forward. “We should get to Paul’s before he really freaks out.”

  “I want you to live with me.”

  “I know, but I need to think about that.”

  “May I ask Darkness to get us couples housing so we can go there at night? I’ll move into the cottage and you can visit me so we have privacy.” He glanced around the shed, and then at her again. “I want to take you somewhere nicer than this.”

  She nodded. “Do you think he can do that?”

  “I do. I get off at four today. May I pick you up at around four thirty? I’ll get takeout food for us, and we can eat at the cottage together. It will be like a date, but no one will try to intervene.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “What do you like to eat?”

  “I had their fried chicken dinner when Paul took me to the bar. I liked that a lot.”

  “I’ll order it for you.”

  Mourn stepped around her and opened the door. The bright light blinded her for a moment, but she followed him. Mourn spun and she wasn’t surprised when he just scooped her up into his arms. He seemed to enjoy carrying her, or maybe he thought her walking on grass wasn’t acceptable. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he closed the door.

  “Let me do the talking when we get to the house.” She felt better prepared to handle Paul. “I have no idea how to make my brother understand why I spent the night with you, but I’ll do my best. Just promise me you won’t deck Paul. No picking a fight with him. He’s not going to react well when we show up there. He’s probably already discovered that I’m not in the guestroom.”

  “I have no desire to fight with males anymore, especially one who matters so much to you. I’ll restrain him if he attacks me.”

  She winced. “I don’t want you two to fight.”

  “You’re a fully grown female. It’s your decision to sleep with me, not his.”

  “You don’t understand big brothers.”

  “That is true. I have no family.”

  The park seemed abandoned. They approached the back of Paul’s house. It was the first indication of what waited inside. Two uniformed New Species officers were on the patio, one of them talking into a cell phone.

  “Shit. Paul must have called Security.”

  “It will be fine,” Mourn murmured.

  The guard on his phone hung up and slid his cell into his front pocket. Mourn stepped over the divider wall and carried Dana to them. He lowered her gently to her feet. The guard shot a glare at him but addressed Dana when he spoke.

  “Are you harmed?”

  “No.”

  The slider opened and a tall, black-haired New Species stepped out. The harsh expression on his face made him kind of scary. He wasn’t wearing a uniform though. Instead he wore jeans and a black button-down shirt.

  “Darkness.” Mourn stepped closer to Dana and put his body between her and the other man.

  “It’s ten thirty. Paul woke and was very alarmed when he realized his sister wasn’t in her room. He called for a full-scale search of Homeland to find her. I intervened and have kept him here. I did, however, have to inform him that you two have been spending your evenings together.” He swept his gaze over Dana—a quick examination. “I promised him she’d be fine. She looks it.”

  “We slept too long. I apologize.” Mourn reached back and took her hand. “I’ve asked Dana to live with me, but she needs more time before she feels at ease with that. I’d still like to request a place at couples housing so she can visit me there. Would you speak on my behalf and make it happen?”

  Darkness hesitated, apparently thinking it over. “What’s wrong with the men’s dorm?”

  “The other males might wish to protect her from me. I don’t want issues to arise.”

  The black-haired guy seemed to ponder it for long seconds. “I could arrange that.”

  “I go on shift at noon, but I get off duty at four. Do you think it can be settled by then? I don’t want to have to take her to the shed every time we meet.”

  Darkness nodded. “I think I can.” He looked at Dana then. “Would you feel safe in a more private location with him?”

  She squeezed Mourn’s hand, grateful to be holding on to him. The big black-clad guy scared her. “Yes. We’re trying to get to know each other better,” she responded, feeling the need to explain. The situation kind of reminded her of the first time she’d met Tommy’s father after they’d started dating. She’d been terrified he’d tell her to get lost and not to go near his son.

  Darkness sighed. “All right. You might want to speak to your brother. He’s been pacing his living room, and refused to calm until you were found.” He looked at Mourn. “You stay put. He wishes to punch you. I refuse to allow you to fight a human, especially that one.”

  “I gave my word I’d only restrain Paul if he attacks me.”

  Darkness growled. “Let her go inside alone. Her brother won’t harm her. It is best if she talks to Paul without you within his sight. You are going on duty in a little over an hour. You smell like the female. You need a s
hower, and it will give you some time to pack your belongings before shift.”

  “I should speak to Paul and reassure him that Dana is safe with me.”

  Darkness shook his head. “It’s obvious, even to a human, what the two of you did. Trust me, he will attack you. You shared sex with his sister. This is a family issue that she needs to address without you. Say goodbye to her, and you can pick her up after your shift ends. I’ll contact you with your new address. I’ll stay here to make certain all is well. I won’t allow anything to happen to her, but you will just exacerbate the situation.”

  Dana tugged on Mourn’s hand until he looked at her. “He’s right. I’ll handle Paul. You should shower before you go to work. I’ll be okay.”

  He scowled.

  She rushed on before he could protest. He looked as if he planned to. “Go pack your things if you plan to move today. You should eat something too. You said you get off work at four. I’ll be ready when you show up for our date.”

  “I don’t want you to face Paul alone if he’s angry that I kept you out all night.”

  “Fuck,” Darkness muttered. He glared at Mourn. “Trust me. Go home, shower, and do what your female said. Eat breakfast and pick her up after your shift. Do you want to make things easier on her? Don’t make her watch her brother attack you. He will.”

  Mourn growled low. “Fine.” He released Dana’s hand. “I’ll be here when my shift ends, right after I pick up food.”

  “I’ll see you then.”

  He spun and stormed away. Dana watched him go, worried. He looked angry. Darkness cleared his throat, and she tore her gaze off Mourn to face him. She tensed, not liking his grim expression.

  “Am I in trouble?”

  “For sharing sex with Mourn?”

  She nodded. “I tried to talk him out of it.”

  Darkness stepped closer. “Did he force the sex?”

  “No. It wasn’t like that.”

  “Why do you think you’d be in trouble then?”

  “He’s grieving the loss of his mate. I told him it was a bad idea to get involved so soon with someone else, but he didn’t agree. I can understand if you think I took advantage of him, but I promise that hurting him is the last thing I want.”