New Species 03 Valiant (42 page)

“Is this really necessary?”

“Do you want me to kill your 927 because his scent

on you is driving me insane? I was relieved at first that

you were fine but I can’t be locked inside a small space

with you for a long period of time without it making me

angry, Tammy. You are mine but you smell of another

male. The drive to Reservation will take too long for me

to keep fighting my urges to mark you again.”

“Shit. Really?”

He nodded. He pulled his shirt over his head and

bent to remove his shoes. “I can’t take the scent of

another male on you. It’s agitating me.”

Tammy glanced around the area, seeing nothing but

trees and water. “Fine but if anyone sees me naked, I’m

going to be mad and really embarrassed.”

going to be mad and really embarrassed.”

Valiant grinned, stepping out his pants. “I would beat

them bloody and remove their eyes for looking at you.”

“Funny.”

Tammy stripped out of her clothes until she stood

there naked. Valiant didn’t stop removing his clothes until

she could view every inch of his body. She stared at him.

The man turned her on every time he was naked, the

sight was that appealing. Her gaze lingered on his chest

and muscular arms.

“Tammy,” Valiant growled. “Do not look at me that

way unless you want me to fuck you on the ground right

here.”

She forced her gaze away from his. “That wouldn’t be

a good idea since they are waiting for us.”

“Wash your skin in the water. I would do it for you

but if I touch you I will want to do more. Much more,” he

growled.

Tammy moved. The water was icy. She washed her

body as best as she could. Valiant waited for her on the

bank. She shivered hard as she left the water. Valiant

smiled at her, staring at her taut nipples.

“Beautiful.”

She wrapped her arms over her breasts, hiding them

from his view. “I’m not excited. I’m freezing.”

“Sorry.” He chuckled.

He handed her his shirt and boxer briefs for her to

put on. They were still warm from his body. She felt like

a small kid in his large, baggy clothes. Valiant just wore

his pants and footwear. His arms opened as he walked to

her, hugged her tightly, and began rubbing against her,

nuzzling her with his face. She laughed, wrapping her

arms around him.

“What are you doing now? That tickles.”

“Returning my scent to you. When we’re safely home

I’m going to remove those clothes and mark every inch

of you.”

“Mark me, huh? What does that mean?”

“Lots of rubbing and touching,” he growled. He

shifted her in his hold, one arm hooking behind her legs

as he swung her up, the other one clutching her tightly to

his chest. “Let’s get back. Justice is waiting.”

Tammy glanced at her discarded pile of clothing as

they walked away. She sighed. I loved that top. Oh well.

She had to admit they’d probably only bring back bad

memories if she insisted he didn’t abandon them in the

woods. He carried her back to the warehouse.

One of the SUVs waited. Justice, 927, and Tiger had

remained behind. The three prisoners and the five other

New Species officers were gone. Justice smiled at the

couple when they walked out of the woods.

“Is it better now, Valiant?”

“Much.” Valiant grinned at him. “She smells more of

me than him.”

“It’s a weird thing,” Tiger sighed. “Mated men get

obsessive about their women having their scent and no

one else’s.”

927 nodded. “Do we all have mates now? Will I get

one?”

Justice laughed. “We would be lucky to find one but

only a few of us have found women to claim. I do not

have one.”

“I don’t want one.” Tiger looked horrified. “They are

cute as hell and the regular sex would be nice but I want

to keep my freedom.”

“I am free,” Valiant growled.

Tiger arched his eyebrow. “Really? Do you want to

go hunting with me for a solid week? I know you love

chasing deer.”

“I won’t leave Tammy for that long but I would go if

she comes with me.”

Tiger nodded. “My point is made. You would have

said yes in a heartbeat before. Now you always have to

think of her before you make a choice. I like it just being

me.”

“The sex is not regular,” Valiant growled. “It’s

amazing, addicting, and worth every second I won’t be

chasing deer with you. I’ll have a better time with my

Tammy.”

Justice laughed. “I can believe that. Nicely said,

Valiant.” He grinned at 927. “Don’t listen to Tiger. A

mate would be a wonderful thing. I am sure you will find

one when the time is right.”

“But you have not found one? Do you want a mate?”

927 cocked his head to study Justice curiously.

Justice hesitated. “I would love to have a mate but I

haven’t had the time to look for one yet.”

“You are very busy,” 927 agreed. “Tammy explained

your job to me and everything you do for us.” He

paused. “Will you find where I came from and set them

free?”

“Yes,” Justice swore. “We are already working on it.

We’ll do whatever it takes to bring them home.”

“I would like to be there when you do.”

Justice hesitated. “We’ll see. First we need to get back

to Reservation. We don’t like to be away too long and we

usually have a human security detail with us. It’s a task

team that I control. We didn’t want them to be part of

this mission though because we weren’t sure what we’d

have to do to retrieve her or you. I didn’t want to make

the task team uncomfortable or feel torn between their

loyalty to their own kind and ours. Some of the humans

who don’t work with us feel hatred and fear toward

Species. Most don’t but the ones who do have a tendency

to try to kill us when given the chance. We’re vulnerable

to attack without more backup. We’re safe on Reservation

but not always in the outside world yet.”

927 nodded. “I think I understand.”

Valiant took a seat in the SUV with Tammy on his

lap. He wouldn’t let her go but she didn’t mind having his

arms wrapped around her. She clung to him. Tiger drove

with 927 in the front passenger seat. On their drive they

wanted him to have the best view of the world he’d

missed out on seeing.

Justice took up the back bench seat. He’d brought his

computer and cell phone. He removed his shoes and his

shirt to get comfortable before he started talking softly

on his phone while viewing something on the laptop

screen. Tammy realized he never stopped working. She

turned her head to glance forward. 927 grinned widely as

he peered, with sheer amazement, out the windows at

the world. She smiled, finally turning her attention to

Valiant.

“I’m kind of glad this happened.”

Valiant growled, a look of horror crossing his

handsome features. “I’m not.”

“I was a little afraid to get married. You were so set

on it and I felt as if we were rushing into it too fast. I

learned something from all of this. I want to marry you

and spend every day of the rest of my life at your side. I

even want to have a baby. I hope we have at least three.”

He laughed. “Only three? I was thinking of trying to

get eight.”

“Come on,” she gasped. “Eight? A re you kidding

me?”

He laughed. “Yes. I am kidding you.”

“Thank you.” She chuckled. “A s I was saying, I’m not

afraid anymore. This whole thinking I would die and

afraid I’d never see you again really slammed home how

much I love you and how I want my future to be with

you.”

“Good. Now your heart, your body, and your law will

know you belong to me forever.”

“Yes.” She ran her fingers through his hair. “A nd

we’ll get married the first chance we get.”

“Tomorrow,” Justice spoke up.

Valiant and Tammy turned to stare at him and he

grinned. “I just heard from my staff. The license came

through. We can schedule your wedding for tomorrow if

you want. I’ll still be here. I postponed everything on my

schedule for a few days to be on hand for this crisis. I

want to be present while we plan the assault for

Colorado.”

Valiant grinned. “Tomorrow is perfect.”

“Tomorrow is perfect,” Tammy agreed, hugged him

hard, buried her nose against his neck and just clung to

him. She’d been so terrified she’d never see him again

and now she knew exactly what she wanted. Him.

Valiant closed his eyes, breathing in Tammy, and his

arms refused to release her. She sat on his lap, safe, and

once again he realized what a phenomenon she was to

him. A ll the things that could have gone wrong began to

filter through his thoughts.

She could have died, the newly freed male in the

front seat could have forced bred her and killed her.

When they breached the building the human males could

have rigged the cell with explosives they might have set

off. She would have died before he reached her and that

would have torn his heart—

“Valiant?”

Tammy halted his grim thoughts and his eyes

opened to stare deeply into her beautiful ones. Her small

fingers slid into his hair and she caressed his scalp.

“It’s okay. You look so angry but I’m fine. I’m right

here with you.”

“Don’t ever leave me.”

She smiled. “Never.”

He pulled her tighter against his chest, brushing a

kiss on her forehead, and knew he’d never survive if he

lost her.

Tammy frowned at Valiant. “No.”

He stared back at her. “I told Justice I would go.”

“But we’re going to get married today, remember?”

He frowned. “We will when I get back. Justice

personally asked me to go with them, Tammy. Please

understand. We all owe Justice so much. He asks little of

me. When you were taken, he did everything to get you

back to me. He asked and I couldn’t say no.”

She nodded. “I’m being kind of petty when you put it

that way, aren’t I?”

He moved forward, pulling her into his arms. “It is

not petty to feel disappointed that we won’t get married

today. Nothing will stop us tomorrow. We are leaving on

helicopters to go to Colorado within the hour and I

should be back by morning.”

Tammy nodded. “Be very careful and come back to

me.”

“I will always come for you.”

“Is this going to be dangerous?”

Valiant hesitated. “It is a heavily armed place. They

are holding over ninety of our people, Tammy. Species

just like 927.”

“I understand. Is he going too?”

“Justice decided not to bring him. He is too fresh

from the experience. We need control and the skills we

have learned since we were freed. 927 is angry but he

understood. The important part is getting our people

free.”

“Did that crazy doctor jerk tell Justice where the other

places are too?”

“Yes. They are working on that. We will find them

and get our people freed.”

“We? You would go too?”

He hesitated. “No. This will be my one and only

mission. I’ve calmed since I met you and Justice is

worried that this place might be rigged with explosives.

My senses are stronger than most Species and he needs

me as an asset on this one. The doctor we captured isn’t

sure if they rigged the cells or not. I plan to take care of

you and this is the last time I’ll risk my life. I just need to

do this one thing and I feel I owe them that much for all

that was done to get you back to me. I’ll work with some

of the others in the Wild Zone who are like me, have the

same keen sense of smell, and make them more stable.

That way Justice can take them if he needs help in the

future.”

“Explosives?” Fear gripped her, imagining him being

blown up.

“That’s why I must go. I can smell them. I’ll be safe.”

She nodded. “Good. Spending one night away from

you was horrible and I don’t want to do it again.”

“But another man held you.” His jealousy showed.

“It was cold and I didn’t really have a choice. There

was one bed and he scared me. I wasn’t going to fight

with him, Valiant. I was too happy he hadn’t broken my

neck or tried to touch me in a bad way.”

“I am angry still. I hate that anyone held you besides