New Species 02 Slade (24 page)

rage. At least wash before you rejoin us. There’s a stream

to the east. I can smell her on you and they will too. They

may fear you forced her into sexual submission in your

current condition. I don’t believe that. I know you too

well and I’ve seen you watching her while we’re on duty.

You must have purposely rubbed her scent on you to

keep it.”

Slade remembered biting Trisha and wiping her

blood behind his neck. He hadn’t meant to do it at the

time but he acknowledged that he hadn’t rectified it

either. Having her scent had kept him sane when he’d

killed to protect her.

“Finish what you started if you believe they will be a

continued threat to your female. I never saw you and this

conversation never took place. Just swear you’ll wait

twenty-four hours before you approach her after you’re

ready to be found. There are three dozen of us inside the

woods. We’re doing a grid search for the humans. We

brought along five primates so watch the trees. I knew

you wouldn’t expect it and I waited from above to find

you.”

“Smart.”

Ascension grinned. “I know you, my friend. We’ve

been together too long since we were freed.” All emotion

wiped from his features. “And don’t forget to find that

stream. I’d do it now and then continue your hunt. Just

wash after you find them so you aren’t covered in their

blood when you come in.”

“I won’t forget. You swear she’s safe?”

“My word.”

It was good enough for Slade. “I want to kill them all

for risking her life.”

“That causes me to feel fear. Find the humanity

inside you. I’ll say I searched this area without result.”

He stood. “Go, and watch the trees from now on. I’m not

the only one who will think to hide there to seek you

out.”

Slade rose and took off into the thicker forest,

keeping his attention up as well as on his surroundings.

Primates kept to the treetops when possible, their scents

harder to catch, and he didn’t want to be found until he

cut down some of the numbers of the humans who had

tried to harm his Trisha.

Regret gripped him as he replayed Ascension’s

words. Trisha was human, she was emotionally soft, and

as a doctor, she might hate him for the lives he’d taken.

Later he’d think about that, but for now, he had threats to

take care of.

“I’m coming up, Dr. Norbit,” one of the men called

out about an hour later.

Trisha stood and walked to the edge. The first thing

she noticed was that the two dead bodies were gone and

she couldn’t even spot blood on the ground. It looked as

though someone had dumped dirt over the stained areas

to completely conceal the deaths.

Trisha watched the black-haired Species climb up

toward her easily without any trouble managing the

steep terrain. She almost envied his agility and speed as

he approached her. Slade had to shove and push her to

get her to the top. He came up it as easily as a leisurely

stroll on a flat surface.

He had to be about six feet tall with wide shoulders.

Up close Trisha was sure the man was part primate. He

was really cute with his softer-than-normal features. New

Species were usually handsome in a tough-guy,

attractive way. He had the muscular, large frame of a

New Species though when he stood before her. His

features were nearly adorable with his rounded, pretty

almond-colored eyes and his animated features—

primate cute.

“I’m Smiley. Hello, Dr. Norbit,” he crooned softly as

he crouched at the entrance, balancing on the balls of his

feet. He was too tall to stand inside the hole. He smiled

at her. “The helicopter should arrive here really soon.

They have been pretty busy today transporting all the

humans we caught. We tried not to kill any of them

but… ” He shrugged. “Some of them were just too stupid

to live. How are you doing?”

“I’m fine. Is there any word yet on Slade?”

He slowly shook his head. “I’m sorry but there is not.

He is one of our best and there’s no need to worry about

him. He can take care of himself in any extreme

situation.” His gaze raked up and down Trisha but there

wasn’t anything sexual in the way he studied her at

length.

“Who beat you?”

“I was captured yesterday morning but Slade

rescued me. Unfortunately before he did, this

happened.” She pointed to her still-throbbing cheek and

her swollen, busted lip. Slade kissing her crossed her

mind in a flash but she pushed that memory back. “I’m

fine. A few cuts, some bruising and some pulled muscles

are the worst of it besides what you see on my face.”

“Slade allowed you to be caught?” He looked highly

amused as he laughed. “I’m shocked.”

“He didn’t let me. He got cut off from me while he

left to look for a place to stash me like this hole I’m in.”

Trisha frowned. “Slade has saved my ass in the biggest

ways that you can imagine. Please don’t laugh about

this. He killed men to save me.”

His smile faded instantly. “I apologize. There is

nothing amusing about this. Let me help you down and

we’ll wait for the helicopter. You will be flown to a

hospital to be checked over and afterward, returned

home. Justice was very adamant about securing you and

getting you medical treatment before we return to

Homeland. He’s waiting there to talk to you.”

Trisha glanced around the small area but didn’t see

anything that she should take with her. Her attention

landed on the guns. “Should we take those? I’d hate for

kids to climb up here in the future and find them. They

are all loaded.”

“We’ll take care of all that.” He turned, almost

brushing his head on the dirt roof. “I’m going to help

you down. Do you need me to carry you on my back?

I’m a very good climber and I promise I won’t allow you

to fall.”

“I think I can manage if you just help me down.

Slade had to catch me a few times. I’m afraid I’m not as

coordinated as you guys are.”

He nodded, smiling. Trisha had a good idea why he

was named Smiley. He seemed to do it easily and often.

“It’s a gift we have.”

Trisha slowly walked toward him and studied the

ground below when she reached the edge. She wasn’t big

on heights and it was a long way to fall. Smiley moved,

climbed out first, and looked up at her.

“Just turn around and start down. I’ll be right here

below you. I’ll catch you if you fall.” He winked. “I’m

strong. I promise not to drop you.”

She was scared but she turned and tried not to look

at the ground below. Climbing down was worse than

going up had been. She slipped twice but Smiley’s hands

always gripped her, kept her in place, and finally they

reached the bottom. Trisha had the urge to kiss the

ground but resisted to prevent her rescuers from

believing she’d lost her mind.

The redhead glanced at Trisha and nodded. She saw

his nostrils flare and he frowned. He moved closer to her,

sniffed again, and looked grim.

“I’m Flame. What happened to you?”

Trisha stared back at him, unsure exactly what he

meant. He was about six-foot-three, a good foot taller

than her, and obviously New Species with his wide-

shouldered, muscular body. He looked as though he

could easily kick some serious ass. He was more

frightening to look at with his pronounced cheek bones

and the sharp teeth his lips barely contained.

“I was captured and beaten. I was also in an SUV that

rolled down the side of a mountain and we hit a few

trees along the way. It’s been a rough few days for my

body.”

Flame sniffed again. “You have Slade’s scent on you

but I also smell two human males. You smell of blood,

fear, and sex.” He looked even more dangerous. “You

were raped by the humans?”

Her mouth dropped open but then Trisha closed it.

“Slade saved me.”

She was a little freaked out. She knew their sense of

smell was amazing but it was downright eerie that the

man could pick that much up just by sniffing at her. It

left her really uncomfortable to know they had

heightened senses to that degree.

“I’ll track the two humans down and kill them.”

Flame blinked. “I swear this to you. They won’t live for

what they have done.”

Trisha’s heart pounded. “They’re dead. Slade took

care of that.”

A quick jerk of his head and Flame turned away.

“Good. I’m going to go babysit the four stooges we

captured, Smiley. Don’t allow her out of your sight.”

“I won’t.” Smiley turned to Trisha and examined her

face. “Why don’t you sit down? The helicopter will be

here soon.”

Trisha sat. She was already coated in a layer of dirt

and didn’t care if she got more of it on her. “Where will it

land?”

He hesitated. “It won’t. It will hover. We’ll hook you

up and they will lift you out. The trees in this area are

too dense for a landing and we don’t want to risk hiking

you out. You’ve already suffered enough trauma

without that. It will be a piece of cake.”

“Great.” Dread gripped Trisha. “Did I mention I’m

afraid of heights?”

Smiley grinned. “It’s a good way to face your fear.”

Just great. Soon enough she heard a helicopter in the

distance that grew louder as it approached. Smiley kept

silent as he regarded her, something he’d been doing the

entire time she’d sat there. He finally turned his head

and glanced at the sky.

“They are here. It will be loud. They will drop down

a harness and I will hook you up. It will lift you and

someone inside will pull you in to belt you into a seat.

You will be flown to a hospital and two of our men will

be with you until you reach home. You now know what

to expect.”

“Thank you for everything. Could you please tell

Flame that I said ‘thank you’ too?”

He nodded. “You are welcome from both of us. We

are glad you are alive.”

“Could you tell Slade to contact me as soon as he’s

found? I’m worried about him and I won’t stop until I

know he’s safe.”

“I can do that.” Smiley’s gaze returned to the sky as

he turned his back on Trisha. “Here we go. Cover your

ears. Those things are very loud. They give me a

headache but some things can’t be avoided.”

Trisha stood when the helicopter hovered above the

treetops at just enough distance to avoid hitting

anything. The wind kicked up debris on the ground that

swirled around her until it forced her to cover her eyes.

She completely understood when Smiley swore—a loud,

foul word. She really wasn’t looking forward to the next

few minutes.

Someone touched her arm. Smiley gripped her and

moved her to where a harness dangled nearby. He gently

pushed her toward it and indicated for her to step into

the openings of the thing. He lifted it up her legs and two

belts were pulled over her shoulders and the last belt

snapped closed around her waist. Smiley winked before

he stepped back. Trisha gripped the harness in a death

grip when Smiley gave the helicopter a hand signal. The

harnesses tightened as it lifted Trisha off her feet.

She closed her eyes tightly and tried not to panic

when the wind swung her around. She didn’t open them

until someone grabbed her around her waist. She stared

below and saw Smiley had covered his face with his own

arm, not looking up. Dirt and dust swirled furiously near

the ground from the massive helicopter blades. The

person holding her waist hauled her inside the doors

until she couldn’t see below anymore.

The two men in the back of the helicopter were New

Species. They were canines and she’d seen both of them

at Homeland. Brass appeared grim and she couldn’t

remember the other one’s name. They wrestled her out of

the harness, slammed the helicopter door closed, and

secured her onto one of the seats on the bench. Brass

handed her a set of noise-cancelling earmuffs and

pointed to his headset to show her how to wear it.

The loud noise of the helicopter muted. She nodded

at Brass gratefully, thinking that his name didn’t fit him.