Текст книги "True"
Автор книги: Laurann Dohner
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Текущая страница: 17 (всего у книги 24 страниц)
“The guards were sexually assaulting her. Darkness will get the truth.” True turned to Justice. “I wish to return to Homeland. Jeanie might be awake. I wish to be by her side.”
“I’ll ride with you,” Tim declared.
“I’ll go as well,” Fury offered as he walked over to them.
“I want the warden to call me the moment he returns,” Justice demanded. “What kind of place is he running? I’m ordering a full investigation and sending in the task force members to take over until everything is resolved.”
“I agree,” Tim sighed. “My teams on site will stay and I’ll send replacements in the morning to relieve them.” He withdrew a radio, walking away to inform them of his orders.
“I had nothing to do with this,” Jeff protested. “I swear.”
“Save it, Jeff,” Justice grumbled. “I’ve got no love for anyone locked inside there after all they’ve done to my people but they deserve fair treatment. We’re better than they are. We left humans in charge of humans because we believed they’d have compassion. It seems it was a mistake.”
True just walked away. He stopped at an SUV, opened the door, climbed in and slammed it closed. The other door opened and Fury took the seat next to him. Justice and Tim climbed into the SUV and they turned toward Homeland and Jeanie.
Chapter Seventeen
True helped Jeanie out of the SUV when they reached the dorm. He quietly thanked Breeze for driving them from Medical before closing the door and taking Jeanie’s hand. It was a huge relief to finally be back home.
True used his security card to get them inside the building. They didn’t talk as they rode the elevator up to the third floor. No guard waited in the hallway this time. She paused, staring at what appeared to be a new door as True unlocked it.
“They fixed it while we were gone but it still needs to be painted.”
“Why did it need to be fixed?”
“I kicked it open when I couldn’t get inside.” He pulled her into the apartment and locked the door. “Let’s shower.”
He flipped on lights as they went, also removing his uniform as they progressed toward the bedroom. He was down to just his pants and boots when they entered the bathroom. He turned on the water and straightened, facing her.
“I’m mating you. It’s not up for debate. No one is taking you from me, ever. I’m having them bring the paperwork to make it official in the morning. You will sign them.”
She was a little stunned by the announcement but they’d both just gone through a horrendous ordeal. It really cut through all the crap and boiled down to priorities after almost losing each other. “Okay.”
He arched both eyebrows in surprise. “You agree?”
“You could have washed your hands of being responsible for my well-being but instead you risked your life fighting for me. You feel more for me than just grateful that I saved your life once, don’t you?”
He reached out and his large hands encircled her waist. “Yes.”
She reached up and gripped the curve of his shoulders. “You changed my life, True. I think I fell in love with you from the moment I met you and you spoke to me. I didn’t want you to mate with me out of gratitude. I need you to care about me as much as I do you.”
His mouth fell open and his hold on her loosened. Even the look in his eyes indicated she’d totally astounded him with her confession. Damn. He didn’t appear overjoyed at being told she loved him. He said nothing but released her and turned away.
He stripped naked and just climbed into the shower. She hesitated, unsure of what to do. He finally turned his head, his expression impassive. “I’ll be done in a moment.”
It wasn’t an invitation to join him and her shoulders sagged. She’d really screwed up by confessing how deep her feelings ran. She dropped her gaze, fighting the urge to flee the bathroom, her pride wounded. The shower door opened and True grabbed a towel.
“Shower. I’ll be waiting for you in the bedroom.”
He didn’t even take time to dry off before he was gone. She closed her eyes and silently cursed. New Species were really different from other men but it seemed in one way they were the same. She’d freaked him out by telling him she loved him too soon. She hoped he wasn’t sprinting out the front door and running for his life the way some humans would.
She opened her eyes and stepped under the warm spray of water, soaking her hair and skin. It would be awkward facing him but she’d apologize. She wasn’t sorry that she loved him but for dumping it on him way too soon. She could chalk it up to all she’d been through but it was something she’d wanted to confess for a long time. She wouldn’t blame a bad night for her being too honest with him.
It didn’t take her long to wash her hair and scrub her skin with body wash. Her incision appeared to be completely healed. Jeanie shut off the water, exited the shower and slowly dried off. She’d forgotten to grab something else to put on when she’d followed True into the bathroom. It left her with no choice but to wrap the damp towel around her body and open the bathroom door. She stepped into the bedroom and gasped.
The lights were off but candles were lit all around the room. A row of them lined the dresser and both nightstands. It was a romantic setting she’d never seen coming. True stood at the end of the bed in the center of the room, still wearing just a towel. He smiled when she stared at his face.
“What is all this?”
“We’re celebrating.”
She didn’t know what to say. He stalked closer, totally doing that animal thing that was kind of sexy as he peered at her with his lips slightly parted and his sharp teeth showing. The look in his eyes was definitely predatory but in a good way. She was still confused but very aware of his sexual appeal. He stopped before her and reached for the top of her towel. She glanced down as he tore it off and tossed it aside.
“What are you doing?” She didn’t try to cover herself, too stunned to do anything but look up at him.
“I’m going to mate you.” He dropped his towel. “Being completely naked is the best way to do that.”
“You lit all these candles…” She glanced at them, then back at him.
“I wanted it to be special.”
“Any time we’re naked in a bedroom together is special to me.”
True smiled as he took both her hands in his, backing up toward the bed, leading her to it. “I am glad we agree on that.” He stopped and let her go. “Get on the bed.”
She climbed up on the mattress and turned, watching him do the same. His much larger body made the bed dip and she laughed as his hand gripped her waist. He gently shoved her so she rolled over onto her back. She smiled up at him as he climbed over her body to pin her under him, being careful of her side. Their gazes locked.
“Am I hurting your wound?”
“No. I barely notice it now. That drug I was given is amazing.”
“You’re my mate,” he whispered.
“I’m yours,” she agreed just as softly.
He used his elbows to keep his upper body weight from crushing her. One of his fingers traced her jawline, from her ear to her chin. His gaze searched hers for a long moment. Then he slowly lowered his face as if he couldn’t wait one more moment to connect with her.
She closed her eyes and parted her lips in eager anticipation of his kiss. The passion he put into it leveled Jeanie. He was the oxygen she was starved for, her body igniting with want for him, everything in her tightened with the need to have him inside her. She moaned and spread her thighs, wrapping her legs around his waist to urge him to enter her. She wiggled and bucked her hips as the desire to be taken grew into an almost painful need. The man could make her hurt with just his mouth on hers.
True broke the kiss and lifted his head. “Say you love me.”
Her eyes opened and she stared up at him, dazed that he’d stopped as much as by what he’d said. “What?”
He growled. “This is how I thought I’d hear those words for the first time from you. Say them to me again, Jeanie.”
He always surprised her. “You’re not upset by what I said in the bathroom? It’s not too soon?”
“Upset?” He looked confused. “Never. I want you to say it again. Right now.”
“I’m in love with you, True.”
He didn’t reciprocate the words but instead went for her mouth. The kiss said more than words could as he used his body to show her his feelings. His hips shifted—clearly he was as anxious as she was. She moaned against his tongue as his cock pressed at the entrance to her pussy and pushed inside.
He wasn’t as gentle as the last time. Their passion ramped up a hundredfold after almost losing each other. True hammered in and out of her, driving her wild with how incredible it felt. She tore her mouth away, fearful of biting him and dug her fingernails into his skin, clinging tighter. The sounds he made only turned her on more as his low growls filled the room.
She wrapped her legs higher around his waist, lost in the sensations as she tried to meet him thrust for thrust. There was a frantic element to his lovemaking but Jeanie didn’t care. She was right there with him. She felt her body tensing, her stomach clenching, and then she screamed out as she came. True growled, his teeth nipping the side of her neck as he buried his face in it. He groaned loudly, jerking over her as spurt after spurt of hot semen shot deep inside her when he came. He slowed as his dick swelled, locking them together.
“Jeanie,” he rasped.
She rubbed his back before she ran her fingers through his hair, playing with the silky strands. He was heavy on top of her but she liked his weight pinning her to the bed. She almost thought he’d fallen asleep but he finally lifted his head from her neck and propped his upper body weight on his arms. Their gazes met.
“I belong to you as much as you belong to me. I will always protect you and take care of you. I almost lost you again. You have no idea how it would have destroyed me if those males had taken you from me. I will do everything in my control to make you happy.”
She believed him. “I know. I’ll try to be the best mate by making you happy. I’ll take care of you too.”
He smiled as his finger pushed back her bangs and trailed down the side of her face. “Are you on birth control of any kind?”
“I take the shot, of course. It was part of the job for all the women working with New Species. New Species’ sense of smell can pick up a woman on her period and some of the males would become agitated or overly aggressive if the staff was around them at that time of the month. Both Drackwood and Cornas dispensed the shot to all the women on staff.”
She didn’t mind having a conversation with him about her menses. “Do you smell a change in me? I should be good for another month before I’m scheduled for the next shot but I’ve been under a lot of stress lately. I’ve heard women can start bleeding despite the shot if they suffer any kind of emotional traumas. I’d consider everything that’s happened lately a roller coaster of stress.”
“Crossbreeding works between Species males and human females. There’s a chance I could get you pregnant if you go off the shot but I have a low sperm count. Dr. Trisha said there are things I could do to help with that if I ever found a mate.”
It was a good thing she was flat on her back. The news would have floored her. “Seriously?”
“Yes. That information is highly classified but you’re my mate now. Our doctors are working on getting our females to conceive as well but so far only our males can carry on our race.”
“Why can’t the women conceive?”
“They are still trying to figure it out.”
The idea of having a baby with True had never entered her mind but an image of a little girl or boy with his eyes and that beautiful hair of his suddenly surfaced. Their children would be adorable. “I always wanted to have kids one day.”
He grinned. “Good. I don’t expect you to want to try to have young ones right away but I’d like them at some point in our future. Would you think about it?”
“A little girl and a little boy would be great.”
His smile faded. “They will only be males.”
“You can’t possible know that.”
“I do.” He stared at her a moment before continuing. “Some of the mated couples have had young. All of them were males and the doctors are sure it’s because of our altered genetics. We can only create what we are. They will look like me instead of you.” A touch of sadness filled his eyes. “I would like to have a small female who resembles you but it won’t happen. They will be males with my features.”
She tried to guess at what he left out. “You mean your engineered DNA is coded to dominate the process of gene assignment at the time the egg is fertilized?”
Broad shoulders shrugged. “You could discuss it with someone at Medical to get a technical understanding. As a mate they would freely give you that information. All I know is that males only make male babies who greatly resemble them in all ways, right down to their specific features. The pregnancy is also faster than the normal human one.”
Yeah, good thing I’m lying down. “What exactly does that mean?”
“Humans are pregnant for nine months but mates give birth at five months.”
It shouldn’t have been that much of a surprise. New Species were made up of human and animal DNA. True was mixed with canine DNA. Canine pregnancy spanned about nine weeks, if she remembered correctly. Elephants are pregnant for almost two years. “I’m so glad you’re canine.”
He cocked his head, perplexed.
“Never mind. Private joke.”
“Do you want to share?”
“I just…I think it’s great that I could have a baby that fast. Are there any complications due to the accelerated gestation?”
“They were born healthy and the mates were fine.” He continued to trace her facial features and her hair with his finger. “We should spend some time getting to know each other better first but I’d like to have a baby with you.”
Jeanie let it all sink in. “I’d like to have a family with you one day, True.”
“Good.”
She smiled. “I’ll give you half a dozen if it makes you happy. I’d love to have children.”
True grinned. “Half a dozen?”
She laughed. “Okay. Maybe that’s too many but after the sex we just had I’m feeling generous where you’re concerned.”
True chuckled. “I would love six children with you. Half a dozen sounds good to me.” He cupped her face and placed a quick kiss on her mouth. “I would make sure you never got pregnant if it was dangerous. I won’t risk your life, Jeanie. You mean everything to me.”
It wasn’t a declaration of love but True saying she meant everything to him was just as good. “You really did change my life, you know.”
“How?”
She tried to think of the right words. “I was drawn to you from the moment we met. I thought about you all the time and I never stopped, even after you were released from Drackwood.”
“I was attracted to from the start as well. You were so sweet and your smile melted the coldness from my heart.” He grinned. “And you smelled so good I wanted to take your clothing off and investigate every scent.”
She laughed. “I used to mess up some of the blood samples when I took yours so they would have to send me back. I’m so sorry. I felt guilty when I had to take more blood but it gave me a chance to see you again.”
He didn’t look angry. “You touched me and got close enough for me to smell your wonderful scent. It was worth a small sting and a little bloodletting.”
“I would stop what I was doing and watch you every time they took you outside for training in the north area. I hated the endurance testing when they hit you. I would cry.”
He shifted, moving them onto their sides, still facing each other. She hated the loss of their connection when he slowly withdrew his cock. The swelling had dissipated.
“I hated endurance testing too.”
She debated telling him more but decided to be honest. “I did enjoy the time you broke that one asshole’s leg. You snapped it at the knee when you kicked out. I heard him scream all the way in my office. He cried in Medical while they set his leg. I went down there, pretending to be updating test results just so I could watch him suffer.”
True laughed. “He cried? He was cruel. He liked to hit me a lot. I enjoyed it, too, when I broke his leg. He got too close and I’d been waiting for an opportunity to do some damage.”
“I just wanted to get you free.”
He leaned in closer, studying her face. “Why didn’t you try to find me after I was taken to the NSO?”
“I was told you didn’t want to see me. Agent Brice swore he gave you my message. Now, I realize he lied about that. He lied about everything and I believed it all.”
Confusion clouded True’s features. “What message?”
Jeanie frowned. “I was so worried about you after the raid that I told Agent Brice I planned to drive to the New Species Homeland to make sure you’d gotten out safe. He told me that would be too dangerous and he’d arrange for a safer way for me to see you because of all the protesters at the gate. The next day he texted me a few pictures of you wearing jeans. You were outside at Homeland. He said he’d taken them to prove you were really alive and well but that you told him you wanted nothing to do with me.”
True’s tone was harsh. “He lied. I want to find this asshole. No one ever mentioned your name to me or ever gave me a message.” He calmed a little but still looked angry. “He had photos of me outdoors, in jeans?”
She nodded. “It looked like you were in some kind of park. You were barefoot, wearing jeans and a black tank top, standing next to a blond New Species a little shorter than you are and there was a lot of grass and trees in the background. You were smiling and looked happy. It was three days after Drackwood was taken down.”
A growl sounded deep within his throat. “Who is this human? We were taken to Reservation at first. That photo must have been taken there. How did he get it? It’s highly secure there. He has access to information from the hotline here at Homeland and he had access to get pictures of me at Reservation.”
“And he’s a big fat liar and a vicious jerk since he could have gotten help to your people a hell of a lot faster than he led me to believe. He kept telling me I didn’t have enough evidence. I always needed more.”
True rolled abruptly, pinning Jeanie on her back with him looming over her again. “When we find this Agent Brice, I’m going to kill him with my bare hands after my people get the information out of him that they need.” He stared down at her, his rage apparent. “Why did you let them drug you to save me? It must have been difficult. I was given the breeding drug once. It was some of the worst pain I ever experienced.”
“I love you. I couldn’t let you die. Polanitis said you’d be spared if I agreed to take the drugs and let them test how they affected me.”
“How did that monster know you had feelings for me?”
“He’d placed a hidden camera inside my office. I stopped working every time they brought you to the north area and I told you I’d cry sometimes. It was pure hell watching you be hurt for their experiments. I knew how many lives it could save but…” Emotion choked her, remembering all the suffering he’d endured. “It wasn’t worth it. It tore me apart watching them hurt you.”
True nuzzled her cheek with his. “You suffered when they tested their drugs too.”
Her fingers brushed over him, rubbing where she could touch his skin, which was always hotter than hers. “It doesn’t matter anymore. All that matters is that we’re both alive and here together.”
“You took pain for me.” His voice deepened. “You suffered so I could live. I never thought anyone could love me, Jeanie. I will give you so much pleasure to erase the memories of the pain if you’ll allow me.”
“I love you, True.” She cupped his face and stared into his eyes. “The past doesn’t matter. A future with you more than makes up for it.”
True kissed her nose. “I’m so happy you’re my mate.”
She smiled at him. “Me too, True.”
He took possession of her mouth, kissing her soundly. One hand lowered as he shifted over her, a big palm curved around her breast and his thumb circled her taut nipple. She arched her back to press more firmly against him as she adjusted her legs to wrap around his thighs. She wanted him again even though they’d just made love. She could never get enough of True.
The doorbell rang. True growled as he stopped kissing her. “We should ignore that.”
The doorbell rang again and someone knocked loudly a few times, using their fist.
“It sounds important. You know what happened last time.”
“You’re right. Stay here.”
She was loath to let him go as she spread her legs and unhooked her ankles from the back of his thighs. He lifted up, rolled over and slid off the edge of the bed. She turned on her side, smiling at the sight of her aroused, very naked mate. The heated stare he gave her showed how much he hated leaving but then he turned away, moving toward the door.
“Uh, True?”
He turned and stared at her. “What?”
“As much as I love to see you naked, you might want to put something on before you answer the door.”
He grinned. “You love seeing me naked?”
Her gaze slowly traveled down the long length of his body. “Oh yeah.”
He walked to the dresser as the doorbell rang again. He quickly yanked on a pair of sweats and gave her a brief glance before striding out of the bedroom. “Don’t get dressed,” he called out. “I’ll be right back.”
“Hurry,” she urged, grabbing for the sheet since he’d left the bedroom door open. She covered up in case whoever was at the door needed to come inside. She just really hoped it wasn’t bad news. One glance at the clock assured her it had to be something important for someone to show up in the middle of the night.
True unlocked the door and yanked it open. He growled and showed his teeth as he glared at Jinx. “What do you want?”
Jinx’s nose wrinkled as he inhaled. “I interrupted you sharing sex with Shiver.”
Jealousy over the male’s interest still burned. “She’s my mate. And yes, you did interrupt. What do you want?”
“Easy. I know she’s yours. She agreed to mate with you?”
“She did.”
“You signed the papers?”
“Not yet but I plan to call for them to be printed out in the morning then we’ll sign.”
“I’m glad.” The male didn’t reflect any joy on his face.
“What do you want? It’s late. My mate needs sleep.”
“We all know what happened and have been awake since the human males attempted to take her.” He paused. “We met again in the library while we waited for word of her condition. We were overjoyed to know that all the drugs left her system.”
“I am as well. Did you come to make threats because I wasn’t here to protect her? I don’t need a reminder.” Feelings of guilt surged to the surface. “I believed she was safe or I never would have left her side. Be assured it won’t happen again.”
The other male frowned. “Don’t beat yourself up, True. We were all shocked that she was attacked. It was ballsy of the humans to sneak into the dorm and we just now figured out how they got inside. At first we believed they must have broken a seal on a window on the first floor but no damage was discovered. It was the computer logs that archive every entry to the building that proved they used a security card to get in through the back door that is used for food and supply deliveries.”
True growled. “Only Species have access to the dorm.”
“And some of the task force team still do, we’ve discovered,” Jinx whispered. “Do you know what that means?”
His shoulders slumped as the information settled into his stunned mind. It wasn’t good news since he liked the members he worked with. “I do. I know most of them.”
“We consider them friends but they are suspects. I thought you should know right away. Don’t trust them when it comes to your mate. The card they used was an old one issued to the task force when they ran things here. It wasn’t deactivated for some reason when we took over internal security. There’s no way to know who used it since it was a general security card and was not assigned to an individual.”
“Damn.” True reached up and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “Has it been deactivated or can they still gain entry to the dorms?”
“Luna is all over it. She is at the control center right now, going through the computer systems to find other irregularities and errors in our security measures. She’s making certain only Species’ cards work on the dorms and double-checking to make sure Control is secure. The only human with access is Jessie, Justice’s mate. We know we can trust her.”
He agreed. “Is that card how Tim got in to interrupt our meeting?”
“No. A male allowed him inside. It won’t happen again. Everyone living at the dorms knows not to permit any humans inside while your mate is in danger, even the ones the males want as overnight guests.” He paused. “She is still in danger. You realize that, don’t you? I find it suspicious that she was due to view photo records of human staff at Homeland and they attempted to steal her before it could happen.”
True had been too worried about Jeanie’s well-being after her trauma to really give much thought to anything else. “Shit.”
“That’s good news.”
He growled at Jinx. “How can you say that?”
“They must fear she’ll find something and the one pretending to be the agent has to be in our records.”
“You think it’s a task force team member?”
“We do. It adds up. They knew how to gain her information in the first place when she contacted Homeland about Drackwood and even when we were going to strike the locations where Species were being held. Two males arrived tonight to grab her. Did she recognize one of them as the human who lied to her?”
“No. She would have told me.”
“Then we’re looking at two humans being involved—the supposed agent and the surviving male accomplice who came after her.”
True tried to be rational but it was difficult with his boiling temper.
“The guards they interrogated at Fuller are corrupt. Darkness called to inform us that they admitted they’ve been taking bribes from some of the prisoners. They never dared allow any of them to escape for fear they’d share the location with someone from the outside world. They weren’t just afraid someone would break out the prisoners, they were afraid of being killed in retaliation for all the abuse they dished out to them. They gave some of them extra food and smuggled in illegal luxury items for them to use as money. Darkness hasn’t been able to interrogate every guard yet since they weren’t all on duty but they have interaction with the task force team members on a regular basis. It’s his theory that it wasn’t just money that exchanged hands. The guards could have traded for information with the prisoners and then shared what they learned with the one pretending to be the agent. That’s how he might have known about other locations where Species were being kept.”
“That’s how he knew the location of Cornas Research, where he sent Jeanie,” True guessed.
“That is what Darkness suspects.”
“What about Polanitis? Was Darkness able to gain information from him?”
Jinx shook his head. “Not yet. The human is mental and smashed his head against the bars until he caused a bad concussion. He’s in Medical at the prison, being treated for that injury. They believe he will heal but he did it on purpose to save himself from being questioned. He feared Darkness that much.”
“I hate that human male,” True snarled, wishing death upon him. He glanced down the hallway. “I want an officer guarding the door again.”
“Already done. I asked them to step away to talk to you in private. There are two now. Jericho volunteered and so did Flame.”
“Good.” He was sure he could protect Jeanie but he wanted help, refusing to allow his pride to affect his judgment and ignore the fact that the odds of keeping her safe were better with backup.
“I also came to ask if you would bring your mate to Security to view those files now. The longer we wait, the greater the risk of them making another attempt to stop her. Tim wasn’t at that meeting when we spoke of our plan but other Species were. They were with him at dinner and I’m not sure what he may have overheard at the bar if they discussed those plans.”
True’s teeth clenched as he gave a sharp nod. He was furious. “It had better not be Tim.”
“His daughter is Species and so is his grandson. He’s one human I would trust but he may have mentioned what he overheard to one of his team members about your mate planning to view photos of those employees’ faces. He might have made some calls to his team members to update them on what was happening here after he went back to the office.”
“Give me ten minutes and you can help me escort her to Security. You said Luna is in Control?”
“She’s already preparing the employee records for viewing and will include everyone who works on the task force.”
“We’ll dress fast but I need a few minutes to let her know what is going on. Ten minutes,” True repeated, closing and locking the door.
Jeanie sat on the bed with the sheet pulled up to cover her breasts. The sight of her was tempting but her life was in danger. The need to mount her would have to wait. He perched on the side of the bed and took her hand.
“That was Jinx.” He hated to give her more reasons to be fearful but she needed to know what was going on. He quickly gave her a rundown of what he’d been told and waited for her to respond.
“Shit,” she whispered, clutching his fingers tightly.
“That was my response as well.”
“You work with them.” She appeared worried as she watched him. “Maybe it’s not someone on the task force team.”
“It’s likely that it is. It makes sense with the access they’ve had to accomplish all this.”
“I’m so sorry, True. You consider them friends and I don’t want you hurt if one of them betrayed your trust.”
“The only one in danger of being hurt is the male or males responsible.” It pissed him off that anyone had used Jeanie but it just made it worse that it might be someone trusted by the NSO. “We need to dress and you need to see those files.”
“You think they’ll make another attempt to grab me?”
“It’s possible. One of the males responsible for taking you from our home is still at large and the human pretending to be an agent is still unknown. They have proven their ability to gain access to Homeland. You’ll be well guarded from now on, Jeanie. I won’t leave you alone again. I’m so sorry about that.”
