New Species 03 Valiant (24 page)

“I’m with them.” He studied Tammy and winked.

A growl tore from Valiant as he instantly moved,

released her hand and took a threatening step toward the

other New Species. He’d put his body in front of

Tammy’s, blocking Brass from seeing her.

“Do not look at her and do not flirt.” Valiant snarled

louder. “Mine!”

“Wow, and I thought you were possessive,” Trisha

muttered. She stood. “Calm down, Valiant. Brass didn’t

mean anything by that facial twitch. He winks at

everyone. Even men. I need to have a private discussion

with you two.” She paused. “Inside the bedroom.”

“But―” Slade protested.

Trisha spun to face him. “Enough. I know you guys

wouldn’t give a damn what is discussed in front of you

about any topic under the sun but she’s a woman. I

wouldn’t want to have this conversation in front of two

men I don’t know. Now please sit back down and work

more on that patience—or lack of—issue you have.” She

turned back around to meet Tammy’s shocked stare.

“You, me, and Valiant need to have a talk.”

“Just tell us whatever you need to say.” Valiant

crossed his arms over his chest. “The faster its out, the

faster you leave, and I can take Tammy to bed for a

nap.”

Tammy sighed, stepping from behind him. “He does

that arm-crossing thing a lot. Valiant has spoken. Subject

over.” She glanced up at his face and grinned at his

threatening expression, which he seemed to use to

intimidate others. “Do what he says or get glared at.”

Trisha laughed. “They all do that. It’s a New Species

thing. It’s adorable, isn’t it?”

Tammy wasn’t sure she’d go that far but as she

glanced up at the scowl on Valiant’s face as he regarded

the doctor, she refrained from laughing. Her focus

returned to Trisha.

Trisha edged around Valiant and took Tammy’s arm.

“Trust me. This is a talk we should have in private.”

“Let’s go into the bedroom. He’ll follow.” Tammy led

the way.

Trisha took a seat on a chair and her hands gently

massaged her extended belly. Tammy grabbed the

comforter off the floor and tossed it over the messed-up

sheets. She tried not to feel embarrassed about the state

of the bed. It was obvious that they’d had sex on it

recently. Valiant stood by the door doing his New Species

thing. She smiled as she looked away from him, sitting

on the edge of the bed near Trisha.

“I don’t want to embarrass anyone,” Trisha explained

softly. “But I now know for sure that you two are having

sexual intercourse.” She kept eye contact with Tammy.

“A re you on the Pill?”

Tammy shook her head. “No.”

Trisha glanced at Valiant. “Have you been using

condoms?”

He snorted. “Never.”

Tammy winced. “I see where you’re going with this.

Okay. Last year I dated this asshole and he cheated on

me.” She refused to glance at Valiant. “I found out and

flipped out. I immediately got in to see my gynecologist.

I was terrified he might have given me something. We

used condoms but not for everything. I had my doctor

run every test, it all came back clean, and six months ago

she retested me. I’m venereal disease free. I’d be happy

to allow you to examine me and run tests if you’re

worried I might give Valiant something.”

Trisha’s mouth opened and closed. “That’s good to

know but they don’t catch venereal diseases easily. They

are different enough that most of the common ones

won’t transfer to them. They have a really tough immune

system that would attack most of them anyway.”

“That’s good to know.” Tammy smiled. “I figured it

was fine. I mean, I kind of got that Valiant hadn’t slept

around much by things he’s said.”

Trisha blinked a few times. “He could get you

pregnant.”

Tammy let the words sink in and shook her head.

“That can’t be right. I mean, I watch the news. They are

always discussing how New Species are sterile. They can’t

have children. The testing facilities purposely made them

that way. It’s a well-known fact.”

“Do you believe everything you hear on the news?”

Trisha sighed. “Forget that question. It’s not general

knowledge. It’s actually classified information that only

New Species, or in this case, women who are having

unprotected sex with them need to know. You fall under

that category since you’re not on the Pill or taking other

preventative measures. You needed to be told of the risk

of pregnancy.”

Valiant growled. “I am not sterile.”

Trisha glanced at him and then back at her. “I am a

New Species doctor, Tammy. Mercile Industries did

breeding experiments on New Species trying to make

them reproduce but it never worked. They never

sterilized them since they encouraged them to procreate.

It was just recently that we discovered that it is possible

that a human and a New Species can have a child

together under the right circumstances.”

Tammy gaped at the doctor, mute.

Trisha paused. “We have been doing a lot of testing.

I just wanted you both to be aware of that risk.” Her gaze

shifted to Valiant. “You’re more…” She paused again. “Of

a more pronounced New Species and unless I test your

sperm, I’m not sure you could get her pregnant. Your

DNA could be too altered for it to work but I wanted

both of you to be aware of the possibility.” Her attention

returned to Tammy. “I could put you on something right

away if you want to make sure you’re protected.”

Tammy blinked. “But we’ve already been having sex.

That means I could already be pregnant, right?”

Trisha nodded. “Yes. I can order you a pregnancy

test in a few weeks.”

Tammy softly cursed and didn’t miss when Valiant’s

focus jerked to her. He looked pissed off again.

“Is it such a bad thing?” His gaze dropped to her

stomach. “To carry a child of mine?”

Tammy just stared at him. Valiant growled, his eyes

narrowed and he tensed. He growled again, deeper.

“Stop,” Tammy whispered. “Don’t get angry. I’m in

shock since I didn’t think it was possible, okay? Give me

a few minutes to stop freaking out. I never even

considered I could get pregnant.”

“It doesn’t change anything. You are mine and I am

yours. It will be a good thing if we make a child. I am

strong and will provide well for you both. I will protect

you and I would welcome a baby. You said I do not

embarrass you. Would having my child embarrass you?”

“No.” She frowned. “I just don’t know you well

enough to be thinking about starting a family, okay?

People should be together for years before they make

that decision. Trust me, I know. My parents were married

because my mother got knocked up and by the time I

was two years old, they hated each other. They fought all

the time until my father finally walked out on us when I

was four. My mother started drinking and finally met a

man who hated having me around. She just dumped me

on my grandma without a backward glance. I never saw

her again.”

He took a step toward her. “You are mine. I would

never hate you nor would you ever hate me. I would

never leave you. Never. You are mine.”

Tammy looked to the doctor for help. “What exactly

does that mean to them?”

Trisha hesitated. ““Valiant, could we please talk

alone?”

“No.” He crossed his arms over his chest again. “You

can speak to her in front of me.”

“I don’t want to offend you.”

He shook his head at Trisha. “You won’t.”

She didn’t appear so sure about that, but Trisha

began to speak. “They were never allowed to have

anything of their own. A s in possessions. They couldn’t

even become attached to any of the other New Species

they were exposed to. That was a rare occurrence for the

most part since they kept them locked in separate cells. If

they did, if the staff figured out they cared what

happened to another New Species, it was used against

them to punish or make them do what they were told

while they were imprisoned. Now when they think

something is theirs they will not give it up. They want to

keep it forever.”

Stunned, Tammy just stared at the doctor. “Forever?”

“Until one of you dies.”

“So I can’t leave him no matter what he does? He

won’t leave me?”

Trisha bit her lip. “What do you think he would or

could do that would make you want to leave him? I know

he’s kind of pushy but it’s just their way. He really would

kill or die to protect you and you can’t say that about

many men. Yes, they are controlling but they do it trying

to keep the person safe. That actually counts for

something once you adjust to their ways.”

“What if he cheats?” Tammy refused to look at

Valiant.

A smile curved the doctor’s mouth. “They are very

loyal. There are only a few couples so far but from what

we have learned, the males will kind of scent imprint

you. The more time you spend with him, the more he’ll

kind of get addicted to you. A fter a while he won’t be

able to stand the smell of another woman if he gets close

to one. A s an example, we had a couple where another

woman hit on the male by trying to kiss him. He grew

very agitated at being touched by her. He almost crushed

his wife when he rubbed up against her body to remove

the scent of the other woman. He couldn’t stand it. It

enraged him and he said he felt sick to his stomach when

I later asked him about it.”

“Was it that married couple, Ellie and Fury? The ones

on the news?”

“Yes.”

“Fury was mixed with some breed of dog, right?

That’s what I read. Valiant is a lion. Won’t that mean

something different? Dogs and lions are nothing alike.”

“I can’t say I know for sure but you could ask Valiant.

If there’s one thing you can count on, trust me, they are

brutally honest.”

Tammy finally looked at Valiant. He sighed as he

watched her back. “I would hurt another female if she

tried to have sexual contact with me. I want you and only

you. I would not allow another female to touch me.”

“See?” Trisha drew her attention. “You don’t have to

worry about him cheating.”

“I will bathe in his blood if another man touches

you.” Valiant growled deeply. “I’ll tear off his limbs. I’ll

rip off his head.” He paused, took a deep breath. “He’ll

die horribly. I will never hurt you though.”

Trisha managed to keep the smile in place. “Did I

mention they are very possessive and graphic too?”

Trisha shot him a dirty look and shook her head. “Can

you cut back on the gory details a bit? Humans aren’t

keen on hearing that stuff. It isn’t a great selling point.

Work with me here.”

He growled. “I always tell Tammy the truth.”

“I’m learning that. I’m not ready to have a baby

though.” Tammy met Valiant’s angry glare. “I want to get

to know you better first before we even discuss having

one together, if that’s even possible. Please understand

that and don’t get mad or hurt. I’m not saying no

forever, I’m just saying that right now I want to spend

more time with you before I consider that option.”

Tammy faced the doctor. “Could you put me on

something?”

Trisha nodded. “Of course. I’ll have to call it in and

have it delivered since we don’t carry birth control on

Reservation. In a few weeks you will need a pregnancy

test to make sure you didn’t already conceive and we’ll

put you on the Pill.” Trisha paused. “I don’t want to start

them right now in case you’ve already conceived. Let me

know immediately if you start your period. I—”

“No sex?” Valiant interrupted.

Tammy frowned. “Quiet and allow her to talk.”

Trisha glanced between them, settling her focus on

Tammy. “I would also appreciate it if you didn’t tell

anyone about this discussion. There are a lot of hate

groups out there who would be very unhappy if they

learned it was even possible for us to have children with

them.”

“That’s an understatement if I ever heard one.”

Tammy grimaced. “They’d go ballistic. I saw a show a