New Species 06 Wrath (16 page)

Brian nodded. “Good.” He glanced at Lauren. “Do you think they will talk to you?”

She nodded. “They should. I work there too.”

Brian’s eyes widened in surprise. “Okay. Good. Are we ready to go? I assume I’m driving since I know the area?”

“Yes,” Shadow sighed. “Let’s roll.”

Wrath slowly released Lauren’s waist but gripped her hand quickly. She noticed he still appeared slightly upset over her shaking Brian’s hand and wondered if that was taboo with his kind. Maybe it was rude to touch an unknown male in Species culture. She wasn’t too sure about the reasoning but she made a mental note not to do it again. Wrath led her to the SUV and opened the back door.

“Get in. You sit in the middle.”

“What about my purse and keys? I need them.”

“I’ve got them,” Shadow called out, rushing to catch up.

Lauren scooted across the seat to the middle and Wrath climbed in after her. Shadow opened the other door and took a seat next to her, while Brass and Brian entered the front. They all reached for their seat belts and she did the same.

The New Species all put on dark sunglasses before Brian even started the engine and Brass shoved a cap on. It made her really notice the tight braid at the back of his head for the first time. Her eyebrows arched but she didn’t ask why he had long hair when the other two New Species had cut theirs so short.

Wrath was careful not to touch her and it became more apparent as the miles passed that he avoided her on purpose. He leaned away from her when the vehicle swayed through turns. She studied his features, hated the dark glasses that hid his eyes and leaned into him until he turned his face in her direction.

“Are you mad at me?”

“No. I’m preparing for the mission. I like to go over all possible scenarios we may encounter and plot my reactions.”

“Okay.” She wasn’t sure what that meant but it must be a man thing.

Shadow laughed. “We all do that. This is your world and not ours. Everything is strange to us and we try to make sure our responses are as smooth as we can make them.”

She could see how out of place they would probably feel in the big world. She’d read about the NSO Homeland and the NSO Reservation. They were massive properties that housed all New Species and were run by the New Species Organization. They had their own civilizations on those two properties but little was known beyond bits and pieces of information that the press got wind of. No one really knew what was true or not.

Curiosity piqued her. “What is it like where you come from?”

“I lived at Reservation for over a month before I took this assignment. Wrath and I both agreed our time would be better spent tracking down our enemies than learning how to play sports. Reservation is a big, forested area with few buildings. They have a hotel, just opened a movie theater, and we have a bar where our social events are held. We don’t enjoy drinking alcohol but a lot of us like to dance. It is a good place to live.”

“Do you miss it?”

Shadow hesitated. “What we do is important and we had less to lose than most since we were so recently freed. We volunteered for this duty and we’re honored to represent our people.”

Wrath growled. “Enough.”

Shadow frowned, shot him a dirty look and continued. “We not only hunt criminals who harmed Species but some of our people are still being held captive. Wrath and I are examples of that. We were not rescued in the raids of the original testing facilities that were located. Before that even happened, we were stolen by some of the staff and taken to new locations. They used us to make money to begin new lives in other countries and escape justice.”

“Shadow, enough.” Wrath’s voice came out a growl now.

“She needs to know and I don’t hear you telling her.” Shadow paused. “We are hoping that anyone we capture who worked for Mercile will have information to help us locate other Species.”

Lauren turned her head and stared up at Wrath. He frowned at his friend and once again she wished she could see his eyes. “What is wrong with him telling me that?”

His lips parted but then he sealed them in a tight line.

“He is probably worried that you might think he is cruel to go after humans despite the harm they caused Species.”

“I don’t believe that.” Lauren reached out and placed her hand over Wrath’s. “I think it’s very brave.”

He didn’t pull away and she relaxed in her seat. She turned to Shadow again to get more answers since he was talkative. “I thought all the New Species had been found and freed.”

“We didn’t know a fifth testing facility existed but it was located. There is evidence there may be more and who knows how many others were stolen away in the manner Wrath and I were.”

“That’s horrible.”

Shadow jerked his head in agreement. “Yes. That is why we live away from our kind and sacrifice so much to do our duty.” His chin lifted and he stared at Wrath. “We must not forget the commitment we have made to our people.”

Wrath growled, his head snapped in Shadow’s direction and his fangs flashed in a scary show of temper. “Enough.”

Lauren glanced between the two men, wondering what she was missing.

“What’s your address?” Brian’s gaze met hers in the mirror. “It’s hard to drive there if I don’t know where I’m going.”

Brass gave Lauren’s home address before she could. He turned in his seat to meet her surprised stare. “We learned everything we could about you the second you showed up at that warehouse. I could tell you how much money you made four years ago and what you charged on your credit cards if I wished.”

The silence in the SUV stretched on until she realized they were near her home. “It’s the tan building with the big bushes. You can take the driveway to the left and park in the back. I have a visitor’s parking space.”

Brian parked where she indicated and Wrath helped Lauren climb out of the SUV. She spotted her neighbor and waved at Mr. Adams, flashing him a big grin. Amusement made her chuckle at the way his eyes widened behind his glasses as she passed him with her four large escorts.

“What is funny?” Wrath handed her purse over when she paused in front of her door.

She unlocked the door, pushed it open, and stepped inside. “Sorry if my place is a mess. I wasn’t expecting company.”

Wrath paused next to her. “Why did you find it amusing when the old man gaped at us? You are still smiling.”

Lauren chuckled. “Mr. Adams is a gossiping busybody with a wild imagination.”

“I don’t understand.” Brass spoke. “What is that?”

Brian laughed. “It means he’s very nosy. He’s always talking to everyone and makes things up.” Brian turned to Lauren. “They don’t understand some of our terms.”

Lauren chuckled. “By tonight he’s going to be telling everyone in the complex that I brought four big guys home and he’ll probably say we had an orgy.”

Brian grinned.

Wrath inched closer to her side. “Is that a party?”

Lauren laughed. “Kind of. An orgy is…” She looked at Brian for help. “Do you want to explain that one?”

He laughed. “The old man will tell everyone that Lauren had sex with all of us at once. An orgy is where a group of people all strip down naked and have sex together in a pile of bodies.”

Wrath growled as he turned his head to Lauren, his lips pressed in a tight line from anger before he shot a warning look at every other male in the room. “I’d hurt anyone who touched her.”

Shadow’s mouth twitched with a near smile. “Easy, friend. She wouldn’t survive four of us at once and we don’t share well.”

“Um, okay. I’m going to go change clothes so we can get this over with. Make yourselves at home.” Lauren spun and walked down the hallway.

Wrath followed, his presence something she couldn’t ignore, and both of them paused inside her bedroom. She glanced at him to watch his face as he peered around her room. She really hated that he wore the dark glasses that hid his eyes, more than a bit curious what he thought about her large four-poster bed and feminine décor. It was a far cry homier than what he was used to if his own bedroom was an indication.

Her cat leaped up on top of the bed, startled them both, and Wrath shot his arm out. His hand flattened on Lauren’s stomach and he knocked her back roughly, against the wall.

The cat stared at Wrath and suddenly tensed, his back arched and he hissed. Wrath bent slightly, snarled and showed his own teeth. Lauren was stunned as both of them continued to hiss and snarl at each other.

“Wrath?”

“Don’t move,” he rasped and reached for his weapon.

“No!” Lauren shoved the hand pinning her to the wall and lunged for his body, put hers between him and the bed, and caught his wrist as he raised the gun. “That’s my cat! Don’t shoot him.”

His head snapped down. “What?”

“That’s Tiger. He’s my cat. My pet.”

Tiger hissed again behind them but Lauren didn’t spare him a glance, too worried the man in front of her would shoot her cat. Wrath slowly holstered his weapon at his waist and frowned.

“That is your pet? It’s not some wild creature that managed entry inside your home?”

“I know he probably needs to go to the groomer but he’s not wild. He goes outside since I hate litter boxes but yeah, he’s my pet.”

He relaxed, the tight muscles bunched under her hand softened just slightly, and Wrath lifted his head.

“Your pet doesn’t appear to be friendly.”

She glanced at Tiger. “He’s usually not like this. Stop it, Tiger. Bad kitty! Stop hissing at Wrath.”

The cat bolted, rushed out the door, and Lauren laughed at the situation. “I take it you don’t like cats?”

“I don’t like cats who are small and don’t talk.”

A loud growl sounded and glass broke. Lauren cursed and darted around Wrath to rush toward the living room. Tiger yowled loudly and a deep, scary growl quickly followed. She halted just inside the entryway where Brass and Shadow had cornered her cat. The poor, terrified cat had his claws extended, his hair stood on end and he hissed at the men.

“Stop that!” Lauren lunged, getting between the men and her pet.

“What is that?” Shadow snarled.

Brian laughed. “They are canine. Dogs and cats don’t get along. You should have warned them you had one.”

“It’s not an animal that got into your home?” Brass stopped growling and straightened to his full height.

Lauren turned and dropped to her knees. “No. Come here, Tiger. It’s all right. They didn’t mean to scare you. Come here, baby. Come here, Tiger.”

“Tiger?” Brass laughed. “You named him Tiger? I have a friend by that name. I can’t wait to tell him about this.”

Lauren scooped up the shaking cat and used her body to shield it from the men in her living room. She moved, keeping her cat from seeing them as well and walked back down the hallway. Wrath stood inside her room at the foot of her large bed. She walked in and placed Tiger in the bathroom away from her guests, closing the door so he didn’t rush back into danger.

“You sleep here in that?” Wrath turned his head to face her.

“Yeah.”

He walked to the side of her bed and shocked her by tearing back the covers, exposing her sheets. She stood there mute as he bent over, pressed his nose against the pink material and sniffed loudly. He straightened and smiled as he adjusted the blankets back to where they’d been.

“What are you doing?” It was weird but she wasn’t about to state that aloud.

“I only smell you and the cat. No one has slept here with you.”

Anger stirred. “I live alone. I told you I haven’t dated in a while and I wasn’t lying about that. I’ve told you the truth. You didn’t have to do that to check up on me.”

He closed the distance between them and one hand raised to cup her cheek. “I’m sorry. I was curious. I do believe you.” His hand dropped to his side. “You need to get ready. Is your animal safe in the bathroom? I won’t snarl at it. I was startled and I thought it would attack you.”

“He’s fine in there. He’s an indoor and outdoor cat and I keep the window open in there for him since I don’t have a pet door. He’s probably already fled after the way you and your friends scared him.”

“I am sorry.”

She shrugged. “I should have told you I have a pet. I take it that you aren’t around too many cats?”

“Not small, domestic ones.”

Lauren let that one slide. He wanted her to get ready for work and the team waited in the living room for her. She spun around, jerked open her closet, and grabbed clothes off the hanger. Tiger was gone when she opened the bathroom door and stepped inside. She closed the door while she changed, washed her face, and applied light makeup quickly. Wrath was touching things on her dresser when she stepped back into her bedroom. He spun to face her.

“You put your hair in a bun,” he rumbled. “I enjoy seeing it down more.”

“I have to put it up for work to appear more professional. It’s too curly and tangles too easily otherwise.” She bent by the door, grabbed a pair of black pumps and put them on. “I’m ready.”

Wrath slowly stalked closer to her. The way he moved once again reminded her that he wasn’t a normal guy, and it was kind of hot. She still wished she could see his eyes. He stopped inches away from touching her body.