New Species 03 Valiant (26 page)

through my heavy-metal stage? She put a petition

together then too and asked all the neighbors to sign it

by saying I worshipped the devil by trying to call demons

into the backyard every time I lit the fire pit. They just

laughed at her.”

“This isn’t her hating your taste in music. This is

super serious. There are at least twenty protestors on

your yard carrying signs that are accusing you of liking to

screw anything on a leash with four legs.”

“That bad, huh?” Tammy winced again. “Well, even if

I came to your house it wouldn’t make them go away,

would it? They would only start picketing at your place if

they learned I’d gone there. I’m staying here.”

“You need to come back to town and tell everyone

the news had it wrong. You need to denounce that guy

until it stops.”

“What do they have wrong? I am seeing one of

them.”

Tim remained silent for a long minute. “Why?”

“Why do you think? He’s wonderful, sweet, and I just

want to stay with him.”

“You could have told me if you were that lonely. You

don’t need to date one of them. Let me take you out.”

“Oh, stop it. Don’t even go there, Tim. I swear, just

don’t. You and I are best friends. I get asked out often, if

you must know. I’m not desperate for any guy. I really,

really am attracted to him.”

“But he’s―”

“Don’t say anything bad,” Tammy warned, cutting

him off.

“Fine. I hope you realize it’s going to ruin your life.

When you stop seeing this…him…no guy in town is going

to want to touch you. I have to go. You obviously have

your mind made up and I just can’t even talk to you right

now.” Tim hung up.

Tammy held the receiver in her hand for long

seconds before returning it to the cradle. She wiped at

tears that momentarily blinded her. Tim had never hung

up on her before. She scooted off the bed, walked into

the bathroom and filled a glass with water. On her way

back to the bed she stopped in her tracks when her gaze

met Valiant’s. He leaned against the wall inside the

bedroom right next to the door, his expression grim.

“You’re back.”

His golden eyes regarded her and a frown marred his

full lips. His arms were crossed over his chest and he

took a deep breath.

“You are going to lose your house?”

“You were listening.”

He shrugged. “I have good hearing. I took a walk

downstairs to get some fresh air and came back when

you were talking on the phone. I stood outside the door

so you could talk to your friend without interruption. You

said he was your best friend.” He shifted his weight,

pushing away from the wall. “He made you cry. A nswer

me. A re you going to lose your house?”

She shrugged. “It was a shitty one with a leaking roof

anyway, but I doubt it. Most of the neighbors have been

there forever and have known me for most of my life. My

next-door neighbor is the A ntichrist. She’s making waves

but she always does that kind of bullshit. I have

protestors picketing at my house.”

“You don’t need your house anymore, sexy. You

have my home and you have me.”

Tammy stared at him. “But for how long?”

He moved. “You won’t ever get rid of me.” He stalked

toward her. “Not even if you try. You belong to me and I

belong to you.”

Tammy stared up at Valiant when he stopped inches

from her. He reached for the glass and set it down. They

stared at each other for a long moment before Valiant

suddenly grabbed her, taking her flat to the bed. His

hands tore at her clothes as his lips kissed her throat.

Tammy moaned.

Valiant pinned Tammy under him tighter, inhaling

her wonderful scent, wanting to get her totally naked to

be skin to skin. She’d stood up to her best friend for him,

refused to leave him, and he wanted to make sure she

didn’t change her mind.

She might lose her home because of her association

with Species. Guilt ate at him as his hands caressed her

bare breasts. He stared into her passion-filled eyes and

swore he’d make her forget everything but him. He’d

make sure she knew being with him was worth any

sacrifices she made.

He growled at her, working at getting her pants off

as he slid off the bed to the carpet, onto his knees. The

scent of her growing arousal drove him nearly insane to

taste her, to claim her, but she suddenly wiggled up the

bed. He snarled at her and gripped the bed, intent on

going after her. Her hand lifted, palm out, in a gesture to

stop him and he froze.

“Condoms.”

He wanted to roar. She was his. He knew what the

things were but he wanted nothing between them when

he took her. He wanted to mark her with his scent, fill

her with his seed, and if life took hold—so be it!

“Please? I’m not ready to have a baby.”

He stared into her eyes while he fought his anger and

hurt.

“Valiant?” Her gaze softened. “You could totally

seduce me, I want you, but I’m just asking for more time

before we risk that. Can you please do this for me?

Please?”

He closed his eyes, snarled, and jerked to his feet.

“Get naked. I’ll be right back.” He stormed out of the

bedroom, down the hall, and to the suite door. He jerked

it open and glared at Flame. They’d just changed guards.

Flame watched him warily as he backed away.

“What’d I do?”

“I need condoms.” He spat the last word.

Flame did a poor job of hiding his amusement. “Um,

all right. No glove, no love, huh?”

Valiant snarled at him.

Flame backed up a few feet more, reaching behind

him. Valiant tensed, believing the officer reached for his

weapon. Instead he pulled out a wallet, opened it, and

removed something that crinkled in a long wrapper.

“Here.” He stepped forward. “The no-glove-no-love

thing was mentioned in a class we held at Homeland

about human women. It means some of them don’t want

sex without a condom.” He braved another step. “We

carry these in our wallets at Homeland if we interact with

human women just in case we decide to share sex. I’ll

make sure more are brought to you but that’s all I’ve got

for now.” He held them out. “Do you know how to use

them?”

“No.” Valiant hated to admit it. He accepted the weird

package that had four round things sealed in weird-

looking plastic on one side and shiny stuff on the other.

Flame swallowed. “We really need to hold classes

here at Reservation. You carefully open one of the

packages containing a round rubber thing. You put it

over the tip of your dick and it rolls down to the base of

it.” He glanced at Valiant’s hands. “Let her do it. You’ve

got the sharp-nail issue. You’ll tear them. Just look cute

and helpless while you tell her you need help. Human

women dig that.”

“Thank you.” He met Flame’s eyes. “I appreciate the

advice.”

Valiant backed up, slammed the door closed and

locked it. He clenched his teeth, gripped the condoms,

and stormed back toward the bedroom. The things I will

do for my Tammy.

Tammy knew Valiant was angry when he returned to

the bedroom and slammed their door closed. She had

stripped, climbed under the covers, and watched him

face her. He held up a roll of four condoms.

“I don’t know anything about these.”

She was extremely touched that he’d gotten them

somehow. She threw back the bedding and rose to her

feet. “It will be fun.”

His eyebrows arched and he didn’t appear convinced.

“Will you trust me?” She slowly approached him and

took the roll from his open palm.

“I want you to be happy,” he grudgingly admitted.

“But I am not.”

She backed up. “Remove your clothes. I can remedy

that.”

“Will it hurt?” His gaze fell to the condoms.

“No.”

“It’s not natural.” He began to strip though.

This coming from a guy who is part lion. She kept

that observation silent. The sight of his bare body always

did wonderful things to her. He followed her to the bed

and glared down at her, showing his displeasure, but she

gave him credit for getting condoms. A n idea struck and

she grinned.

“Will you stretch out over the bed on your back for

me?”

His gaze narrowed. “Why?”

“Because I asked?” She grinned at him. “Pretty

please?”

He blew out a deep breath. “This better not be

painful.”

He turned and just threw his big body across the

mattress. She held back a laugh as he rolled onto his

back, locked his arms behind his head to use his hands

for a pillow and glared at her. She climbed on the bed

and straddled his thighs. The shock on his features was

instantly apparent.

“What are you doing?”

She dropped the condoms on the bed next to his hip.

“Just lie back and I’ll show you that condoms can be

fun.”

He softly growled at her. “You’re acting strange.”

“I like seeing you this way.” Her gaze lingered over

his taut, muscular belly, his broad chest, before lowering

to his partially erect cock. He’d been circumcised. She

hadn’t noticed that before since he’d never given her time

to really examine that part of him. He also had no pubic

hair although he did have a thin trail of hair from his

bellybutton down to his lower belly. She leaned forward,

kept eye contact with him, and braced her arms as she

hovered over him. A smile curved her lips.

“Can you hold real still for me?”

“Why? What are you planning to do?”

“Getting you so turned on that you don’t mind

wearing a condom.”

“I always want you.”

“Just hold still, okay? Don’t sit up. Don’t grab me

either or roll me onto my back. A m I clear? Freeze just

the way you are.”

He seemed to ponder her request. “You’re my

Tammy and you may do as you wish to me.”

He wasn’t happy about it but still agreed. It amused

her but she refrained from laughing. She leaned up,

studied his rib cage, and her mouth lowered to his body.

The muscles tensed along his abdomen when she licked

his skin and her hair fell forward to brush against his

side. She kissed him, allowed her teeth to lightly nip him

and began to explore down over his six-pack abs with

her lips.

A growl tore from Valiant. “What are you doing?”

“Relax.” She felt his cock stiffen against her ribs

where it lifted and poked against her as he became more

aroused. “Enjoy this.” Her mouth returned to his skin.

The muscles of his legs tensed against her thighs as

she inched lower until her face hovered above his cock.

He was big, thick and impressive. She glanced up at his

face to see his eyes were closed, his sharp teeth dented

his bottom lip and he had an edgy expression on his

face. She wondered if anyone had ever done any of this

to him before. He’d admitted to having limited sexual

experience.

She licked her lips to wet them, lifted one hand and

wrapped her fingers around his rigid shaft. A snarl tore

from Valiant and his eyes opened, his head lifted, and he

stared at her with obvious surprise.

“You are putting one on me now?”

“No. Not yet.”

He swallowed and breathed a little faster. “You wish

to study me?”

“Nope.” Her gaze lowered and she tilted her head a

little as her tongue dipped out to drag over the crown of

his cock.

Valiant jerked, a strange sound coming from him,

and his ass pressed tighter against the mattress, enough

to pull him away from her mouth. She glanced up at

him.

“What are you doing?” He gaped at her in absolute

shock.

That answers that question. “You’ve never had a

woman do this before?”

“Lick me? Not there. Males do it to females to

prepare them for sex and to enjoy their taste but I’m

ready to take you.”

“Shut up and enjoy this, baby.”

She gave her full attention to his erection and opened

her mouth wide. She was afraid he’d protest so she

decided to show him how good it would feel instead of