Numbers (22 page)

“Candi, I…”

He didn’t seem to know what to say but she did. “Forget that
I said I’d leave. I refuse to let you go. I found you, and you’re mine. I will
fight any females who try to touch you. I’ll chase you if you run. I will find
you again.”

He lifted her off her feet and she wrapped her legs around
his waist. He turned with her in his arms and walked toward the bedroom. “No
more running, Candi.”

She clung to him. “Good.”

“I’m not mounting you until you’re stronger. Help me do that
by keeping covered.”

She could live with that. “But you plan to?”

He growled. “Yes. When you’re stronger and we’re sure you’re
healthy after Doc Trisha gets all your test results back. I can’t live with
knowing I’ve hurt you in any way.”

“May I stay here with you? Sleep with you?”

“Yes.” He stopped by the bed and gently lowered her. “But
you need to help me get you better. That means rest and sleep. I’m going to
care for you.”

She didn’t want to let him go but he stepped back and
straightened from the bed, forcing her to. “You want to take things slow. I’m
okay with that as long as you’re with me.”

“I won’t leave. I’m going to call my friend Tammy. She’s
human the way you are, and always complains about how difficult it is to keep
weight off after having her cub. She will know how to put weight on you.”

“Cub?”

He crouched. “That’s another reason I won’t mount you right
now. I could get you pregnant.”

She was stunned. “Mercile found a way to do it?” Horror came
next.
They made more Species to torment? To torture with their drugs?
“Oh no.”

“Easy,” he rasped, reaching out to stroke her hair. He
seemed to understand her reaction and the thoughts that came with it. “Mercile
never accomplished that. It was after we were freed. Species can’t breed
together, but some mated human females have had babies with Species males. It’s
possible.” He glanced at her body. “You’re so weak that I fear a pregnancy
right now might harm you more. I won’t take that risk.”

Mated
. She heard him say it. “You’re going to claim
me as your mate?”

His mouth compressed into a tight line.

“That’s okay with me. I want that.”

His lips twitched upward a little before he opened his
mouth. “You’re mine, Candi.”

They were the sweetest words she’d heard him say since she
realized he still lived. “You’re mine too.”

“I’m going to make that call. Rest. You can’t gain weight if
you’re using up all your energy. I’ll return to you soon and I’ll keep you warm
until you’re hungry.”

She smiled.

Hero stood, pulling his hand away from her hair. He snagged
his cell phone off the table next to the bed and left. He did keep the bedroom
door cracked open. She lay down and curled into a ball. She couldn’t wait for
him to return, to feel him wrapped around her the way he used to do all those
years ago in their cell.

She’d missed him. Part of her still feared going to sleep,
terrified she’d wake inside her room at the asylum. Some of the drugs they’d
forced into her body had caused very realistic dreams and hallucinations. She
pressed her nose against 927’s pillow and found his scent. It helped her relax.

Tammy took the news of his secret really well, even
understanding his reaction when he learned Candi was still alive, sympathizing
with the guilt that came with it.

“The important part is that you got a second chance,” she
stated. “Any mistakes you made in the past don’t matter. What does are the
things you do from this moment forward. You have her back, Hero. This Candi is
the woman you’ve always loved and wished you had a future with. Grab hold, my
friend. This is your chance at happiness.”

“I’m flawed,” he admitted.

“Aren’t we all?” Tammy snorted. “Nobody is perfect. You’re
Species. I might be biased because of how much I love Valiant, but you guys
make amazing mates. You’ll meet her needs and you’ll do whatever you can to
make certain she’s happy. That’s the best thing you can do for her, Hero. She’s
survived pure hell so now you get to show her all the wonderful things about
life.”

“I’m worried about her. She’s so frail.”

“Chocolate is the answer. I look at it and gain five pounds.
See if she likes bacon cheeseburgers too, and French fries. Add in some ranch
dressing for dipping and she’ll have some cushion around those bones in no
time. Pretty much go on the internet and find foods that they say not to eat
while dieting and feed them to her.”

“I can do that.”

“I know you can. Get some of the human mates involved.
They’ll help you out on what to feed her and how to cook it.”

“I was considering bringing her to Reservation. I trust you
to help me care for her.”

Tammy hesitated. “I think it would be better if you keep her
at Homeland for now. After telling me how those assholes kept her on drugs for
so many years, she needs to be near Medical. Trisha is an amazing doctor and
she’s there right now. Besides, there are some excellent hospitals near
Homeland in case she needs a specialist. Trisha can have them consult with her
and that’s easier to do if they can actually check your Candi out themselves.
That means taking her to them. Flying back and forth would be tough if she does
end up having some health issues. I want your Candi to have the best medical
care, and I know you want that too.”

“I do, but I’m concerned I won’t be able to care for her the
way she needs.”

“You’ll do fine. Old Doc Harris doesn’t have the best
bedside manner, and he’s on duty here. Do I need to say more to convince you?”

“No. I’d have to hit him if he upset her.”

Tammy laughed. “He’s a good doctor but yeah, he needs a lot
of work on the things that come out of his mouth. He blurts out whatever comes
to mind. I think she’ll feel more secure having so many Species living in the
dorm too, after what she’s been through. Exposing her to the Wild Zone
residents might be something you want to do at a later date. You know how some
of them are less than social. It took them a while to warm up to me because I’m
human. They might see her that way instead of as a Species.”

“She’s one of us. So are you.”

“I know that. Some of the Wilds really hate humans though.
They had it far worse than other Species. Valiant tells me stories about how he
was treated while at Mercile that makes me want to kill people too. They kept
him in a lion cage and the staff would stare at him like some circus
attraction. Get her stronger before you bring her to Reservation. You want your
scent stamped all over her. It helps them accept us if we smell just like our
mates.”

He hung up with Tammy and felt better about everything. That
was what good friends could do. She’d seen him at his worst when she’d been
kidnapped and locked up with him. Her faith that he could become a good mate to
Candi helped with some of his insecurities.

Hero returned to his room. The sight of Candi sleeping in
his bed felt right. He bent down and removed his shoes. He’d dreamed about
holding her again. It had been hell when they’d taken her away from him. She
had been as much a part of him as one of his limbs. He stripped out of his torn
shirt and even removed his pants, but put on a pair of boxers.

He managed not to wake her as he curled up against her back
and wrapped his arm around her waist. Her steady, slow breathing assured him
she wasn’t having bad dreams. There had been plenty of times as children when
nightmares had plagued her. She’d witnessed her mother’s death at the hands of
her own father. She’d loved the woman who’d given birth to her, always sharing
stories of love and laughter.

He loved Candi. His life had been lonely until she’d arrived
inside his cell. He hadn’t believed until then that he could learn to trust
anyone fully human. She’d been nothing like the technicians. Even knowing Dr. C
was her father hadn’t dissuaded him from forming a deep bond with her. Now here
she was, alive and where she belonged.

He lowered his chin to rest against the top of Candi’s head,
her small body molded to his front. He no longer wished to run from his
feelings or her, and would make sure it worked out between them. This was their
new beginning. She hadn’t been freed when he had been, but unlike him, she
wouldn’t have to navigate that new life mostly on her own. Friends were great
and he appreciated them, but a mate was someone to spend the rest of his life
sharing every moment with. There was no question that Candi was his. She’d
always been his.

His body responded to having her so close but he ignored his
stiff dick. He was terrified he’d harm her or get her pregnant. She really was
frail. He made a mental note to talk to someone about what was being done to
the humans who’d kept her imprisoned. They needed to pay.

Candi watched 927 carefully. He’d changed his entire
attitude toward her and while she appreciated it, she wondered why he’d become
so enthusiastic to accept her into his life. She finished the breakfast he’d
brought her.

“Well?”

“I liked it a lot. My stomach hurts a bit. That was a lot of
food.”

“Tammy suggested it. It’s one of her favorite things to eat.
She said bacon cheeseburgers and fries are good for adding weight. I asked one
of the males to cook it for you. He offered to teach me, if you like
hamburgers, so I can make them.”

“That was nice of him.”

“Some of our males have really enjoyed learning things, but
especially cooking. We like food.”

“It was really good. There were so many flavors.”

“What did they feed you after you left Mercile?”

“Mostly oatmeal, eggs and lots of soup. It wasn’t that good.
I barely got meat since I was only allowed to use plastic spoons.”

“No wonder you are so thin.”

She smiled. “I actually missed the meat strips from
Mercile.”

“I’ll cook you a steak. I am good at that.” He stood.

“Not right now. I’m full.”

He grinned. “Sorry. I’m eager to get you better. The females
at the women’s dorm are baking for you. They are going to drop off a cake, a
few pies and some cookies today.”

“That’s really nice of them.”

“Everyone is concerned about you, Candi. They want to help
you gain weight. I went there while you showered this morning and told them
Tammy said you need lots of chocolate.”

It touched Candi to learn that so many people wanted to help
her. It also made her wonder if any of those females were ones he’d shared sex
with. She didn’t ask, not wanting to ruin the morning because of her jealousy.
It was something she needed to deal with. 927 was really trying to integrate
her into his life and that’s what she needed to focus on, not what had happened
in the time they were apart.

“How would you like a tour of Homeland today? Everyone is
excited to meet you.”

She hesitated.

“Too soon?” Concern showed in his eyes.

“I just want to spend time with you,” she admitted.

“I understand. I remember when I was freed. It was amazing
to see all those Species, but it was a little overwhelming. I spent a lot of
time in the room they assigned me, just touching things and trying to figure
them out.” He suddenly grinned. “Television! It’s a wonderful thing. How would
you like to watch a movie with me? I have some of my favorites on DVDs. Those
are round disks that store it and you can play it over and over, as much as you
want.”

“Okay.”

“Do you know what is good for movie watching? Popcorn. I’m
out, but I know a few males who also got hooked on that treat. I’ll go knock on
their doors and see if they have any. I’ll be right back.”

“Popcorn?”

“You’ll like it, and it has lots of butter. That’s probably
helpful to gain weight. I’ll be right back.” He moved fast, unlocked the door,
and left.

She shook her head, amused. 927 seemed determined to feed
her until her stomach burst. She stood and carried the plate to the sink. She
paused, glancing at the dishwasher. She had no idea how to use it. He’d given
her a tour of his home that morning, and pointed out what things were. She
decided to hand wash her plate, something she was confident she could do.
Someone knocked on the door so she turned away and opened it.

Breeze smiled at her. “How did it go? I heard you spent the
night with Hero.”

“I did. He let me sleep with him.”

“Good. I’ll relieve the officer since he’s no longer
needed.”

“Come in.”

“I’m on my way to work so I just have a minute.” Breeze
lowered her voice. “Did it work? I smell him on you, but you showered. Did he
mount you?”

“No, but he held me while I slept. He’s afraid he’ll cause
me damage.”

Breeze glanced down her. “Understandable.”

“He’s going to wait until I weigh more.”

“Does he understand that could take a bit of time?”

“I don’t think so. You should have seen the huge breakfast
he fed me, and now he went to get some kind of treat. Popcorn. He might hurt me
with too much food instead of sharing sex with me.”

Breeze chuckled. “A for effort.”

“What does that mean?”

“Sorry. You look so human I forget. It means he’s trying and
going all out to do it.”

“He has his friends cooking for me.”

“Aw. That’s so sweet.”

“I know. I just wish he wouldn’t worry so much about me. I’m
strong.”

“Did you tell him that?”

“Yes, but he’s not listening. He told me I could have a baby
and he’s afraid, in my condition, it could be very bad.”

Breeze entered and closed the door. She lowered her voice.
“He’s not here, right?”

Candi shook her head. “He went to find popcorn.”

“Okay.” Breeze lowered her voice. “I heard you yesterday.
You have almost zero experience with males and sex since you only were mounted once
when you were young and drugged up. Are you afraid of touching Hero?”

“No.”

Breeze smiled. “Good. Our males have a high sex drive. It
means they constantly get hard-ons. They all keep lotion in their nightstand
drawers and use it. You could do that for him and he could use that lotion on
you if he doesn’t actually want to mount you.”

“Lotion?”

Breeze groaned. “You’re probably the only Species female not
to know about masturbation. Have you ever seen a male completely nude?”

Candi shook her head. “927 never removed his pants at
Mercile in front of me. He even had me close my eyes and turn away when he
needed to use the toilet. Christopher ordered him to hide that from me. I never
pushed because I didn’t want him to be punished. He’d get hard sometimes and I
could see the outline of what he looks like down there.”

“What about the feline?”

“I closed my eyes. He took me from behind so I couldn’t have
looked even if I wanted to. I didn’t.”

“Did he prepare you? Go down and put his mouth on you?”

“No. I didn’t want him to touch me in any way he didn’t have
to. I just wanted to get it over with and asked him to do it fast.”

Breeze snarled and annoyance creased her features. “That had
to have hurt.”

“I try to forget everything that happened inside that cell.”

“I don’t blame you. It won’t hurt with Hero.”

“It wouldn’t matter. He’s my male.”

Breeze reached out. “I’m going to hug you. Deal with it.”

Candi didn’t mind when the female put her arms around her
and gave her a squeeze. “Thank you.”

Breeze released her and lowered her head, peering into her
eyes. “Okay, males like to put their mouths on your sex down there. It feels
amazing. You’ll like it. Don’t be shocked when Hero wants to do that. There’s
nothing to fear. Our males really enjoy it if you put lotion on your hands and
rub up and down on where he gets hard. Expect a mess when he gets off. That’s
normal. I can understand why he is leery to share sex with you, but you can do
those things without fear of getting pregnant. He’d have to come inside you for
that possibility. Is that clear enough?”

“Yes.”

“Find his lotion and get him undressed. That should motivate
him to want to touch you back. It’s going to be at least a month or two before
you’re at a size that will make him feel secure with mounting you. I don’t want
him picking fights with other males out of sexual frustration, and sleeping
with you every night is going to make him snap at some point. I also don’t want
you to have to suffer his bad moods. Our males get testy when they are sexually
frustrated. You’ll both be happier.”

The door opened and Hero entered. “Breeze.”

“I was just checking on your female.” She smiled. “My shift
is starting. I have to go. Carry on.” She left.

Hero closed the door and locked it. He showed her two flat
bags wrapped in clear paper. “I got us popcorn. I’ll throw them in the
microwave. How long was Breeze here?”

“Not long.”

“What did she say?” He entered the kitchen.

“She said it could be months before I gain lots of weight.”

He spun, horrified. “Months? No. I’ll feed you plenty.” He
turned away and yanked open a metal box thing that was built into the cabinets,
and opened the packets. “Meat will help. Every meal will have some.”

She didn’t say anything. He was in denial that it would take
time. It was their first day spending their new life together. She didn’t want
to argue with him. Everything Breeze had said replayed through her mind. It
would be easier to change his plan to wait to mount her than to allow that much
time to elapse.

“I’m deciding what movie to show you first.”

“I remember them but it was before I was brought to you at
Mercile.”

“Did you have a favorite?”

She shook her head. “I can’t remember that much about them.
They were cartoons.”

He smiled. “I have some movies that are cartoons. That
helps. There’s one about a superhero family. I think you’ll like it.” He
grinned at her.

“Okay. I’m going to use your bathroom. I’ll be right back.”

“Our bathroom,” he corrected. He faced the microwave and put
one of the packets inside. “This will take a few minutes. I’ll find the movie.”

She liked that he was excited. “I’ll hurry.” She rushed out
of the room and entered the bathroom. She even took the time to brush her hair
and teeth. It didn't take long to search the drawers and find the bottle of
lotion. She returned to the living room.

Hero didn’t glance her way, too busy pouring something into
a large bowl. She shoved the lotion behind one of the cushions on the side of
the couch and took a seat. He’d turned on the television and a colorful menu
showed on the screen. Two sodas were placed on the coffee table with napkins.
He strode toward her with two bowls and a grin on his handsome face.

“This will be fun.”

It brought her pleasure to see his joy. “I’m excited.”

He took a seat a few feet away, placed the bowls on the
table and reached for the remote. She studied his clothes. “Can you do
something for me?”

He froze and turned his head. “What?”

“I want to curl up to you. Your jeans are rough. Can you put
those soft shorts on?”

His eyebrows rose.

“The ones you wore to sleep with me.”

He frowned. “They are called boxers, and that’s not a good
idea.”

“It is. I want us to be comfortable.” She glanced at his
chest. “No shirt either. I want to be able to touch your skin.”

“It’s best if I keep fully clothed. I’d prefer you wear
more, but you seem to only like wearing my shirts.”

“Please?”

He growled. “Fine.”

“Don’t get angry.”

“I’m not. I enjoy torture.” He stood fast and marched into
the bedroom.

Candi grinned. Her male looked cute when he was annoyed. He
might not admit it, but she knew why. He expected sexual frustration. She
glanced at the cushion next to her. He wouldn’t be if she had anything to say
about it. She just needed him to relax before she attempted to get him
completely naked.

He wore black silky boxers when he came out. Candi swallowed
hard. She’d rather watch him than some movie. Her male was beautiful and she
loved seeing so much of him. He sat down again and snatched the remote off the
table. His body looked tense and so did his expression, but he started the
movie. He dropped the remote, grabbed one of the bowls, and placed it on his
lap.

“Thank you.” She inched over and leaned against his side. He
remained rigid but didn’t complain when she snuggled closer. He actually lifted
that arm and wrapped it around her back to hold her close. He used his other
hand to eat his popcorn.

It smelled good, but she wasn’t ready to eat more. Her gaze
fixed on the big screen and she had to admit to a little excitement at the
prospect of watching a movie. She just didn’t plan to see it all. It was just a
matter of time before Hero let his guard down. She’d strike then.

Hero loved the sound of Candi’s laughter. He glanced at her
face and saw sheer joy as she watched the movie. He leaned forward a little and
shoved the empty popcorn bowl onto the table and turned his body a bit toward
her. It felt right to have her against his side. She didn’t take her attention
off the television, but leaned more solidly against him, resting her cheek on
his chest. Her hand stroked his skin. Her soft fingers were playing hell on him
when they brushed over his nipple. His dick hurt. He’d been hard since she’d
started running her hands over him, but managed to keep his dick trapped
between his thighs. He didn’t want her to become aware of how she affected him.

The shower beckoned to him. He would tend his needs once he
locked a door between them. His gaze lowered to her curled legs. The shirt rode
up too high, exposing her thighs. He longed to touch her there, but kept his
hand loose on her hip. It had been hell sleeping with her, but he’d thought the
days would be better when they were out of bed. He’d been wrong. He wanted
Candi so bad it was all he could think of.

He stared at the movie but couldn’t get into it. That was
new. He’d watched it dozens of times and always enjoyed the story. He hadn’t
had Candi next to him then though. She laughed again and ran her hand from his
chest to his stomach. He clenched his teeth when her fingertips stroked the
skin just over the waistband of his boxers. His dick throbbed when he imagined
her sliding that hand lower.

She kept her hand there, rubbing and exploring. He tensed,
unable to take it anymore. His dick was getting too hard to keep it trapped. “I
need to shower.”

She lifted her head and peered up at him. He tried to mask
his emotions. “What? Now?”

“Now.”

She sniffed. “You smell good. Why do you need a shower?
We’re watching the movie.”