She shook her head, watching Candi and Hero eat their cake and flirt with each other. Her heart went out to the couple. They’d endured a hell of a lot and they deserved pure happiness. “Garza isn’t chatty and hasn’t shared anything that hit the rumor mill. I know she’s been putting in some heavy hours and pissing people off by sending agents out to places they didn’t want to go. I’m sure that mental hospital was a riot for the agents.”
“Sarcasm?”
“Their security is usually anal, and the doctors are pricks in most cases. You’re sitting across from their desks while they are sizing you up like you’re one of their patients. They hate to be wrong. I had to interview one once who accused me of wanting to be a man. Why, you ask?”
“I didn’t. There’s nothing male about you. He was an idiot.”
“It was a she, and I agree. It’s because I started playing hardball with her. The bitch cried.”
“You sound so proud.”
“She was saying my perp was nuts, but he was faking it. I knew, and she should have too. She cracked like an egg. He was a good-looking rich boy who flirted with her, and she fell for it hook, line and sinker. I spelled out exactly what he’d done to other women he’d conned with his bullshit charm, and showed her pictures of the victims. I told her, if he’d scam a lingerie model, what were her chances of him being serious with her? I have confidence, but come on. That model was as hot as they come. I banked on her thinking the same way. She caved.”
“I love how tough you are, and I love your body. You have curves.”
“Sweet talker. Garza is coming tomorrow morning at ten to give an update to the NSO. I know she requested to speak to Candi. Is she going to agree?”
He shrugged. “Hero was supposed to ask her, but he hasn’t told Security either way. He wasn’t keen on the idea.”
Kat glanced at the couple. “Now isn’t the time to bring it up.”
“I’ll ask him if I get him alone for a moment.”
“I’ll cancel my class and be there. I’ll grill Garza like a salmon to make sure she checked out everything to my satisfaction.”
He chuckled. “You can’t cook.”
“You’re not much better in the kitchen. That’s why we eat here so much.”
“It wasn’t a complaint.” He reached over and slid his hand between her thighs. “I’m more interested in your other skills.”
She grabbed his hand. “Tease. Hold that thought until after Candi opens her presents and we go home.”
“Do you miss your job, Kat?”
She shook her head. “No. There was too much bullshit politics. The badge was cool though.” She grinned. “It made people sweat when I flashed it. Cops just scare people. FBI terrifies them.”
He laughed. “I’ll get you a badge.”
“It’s okay. I’ve got you. You’re way better at giving me a thrill.”
Hero watched Candi open another present. The sheer joy on her face assured him he’d done the right thing by having his friends throw her a surprise party. They’d raided some of the online store items for her. She’d been given NSO clothing items, a nice messenger bag to carry her things in, and a few of the adorable stuffed animals wearing NSO shirts that human children enjoyed.
He removed his gift from his pocket, grateful that one of the task force males had gone to a store off Homeland for him. Shane had texted him dozens of photos until he’d found the perfect one. Trisha had helped him by telling him the right size to get when she’d examined Candi earlier that morning before he’d dropped her off at the women’s dorm to start his shift.
“Candi?”
She turned to him. “Yes?”
He was nervous, but he’d never believed he’d do something like this. He slid out of his chair and got to his knees. He handed her the gift and turned her chair to face him when she accepted it. She looked at it, and then him.
“Why are you there?”
“Open it.”
The music died, and the bar grew very silent. He expected it, but she didn’t. Glancing around, she blushed a little. “Everyone is watching us.”
“I know. They are curious. Open it.”
Her hands trembled as she tore at the wrapping. The black box almost fell off her lap, but he grabbed it from her and opened it, removing the contents. He held it out.
“Females wear an engagement ring, and males ask the females to marry them. You are Species, but I don’t want you to give up your heritage by blood. You should have the best of both worlds, Candi. You’re my mate, but I’d also like you to become my wife. Will you marry me?”
Tears spilled down her cheeks but she smiled, nodding. He hesitated, forgetting what hand the ring was supposed to go on.
“Her left,” Kat whispered just loud enough for his hearing to pick up, but not Candi’s. “The one next to her pinky.”
He eased the ring onto Candi’s small finger. It fit snugly over her knuckle but easily fit on her finger. He held her gaze. “We’ll get married next week. I made arrangements.”
She slid off her chair and straddled his lap. He sat back, holding her as she clasped his face with both hands. “I love you so much. Thank you for this.”
“Thank you for surviving and coming back to me.” He fought his own tears. “I’m never letting you go.”
“You couldn’t be rid of me.”
He chuckled and didn’t care if everyone watched as he kissed his mate. Loud cheers and applause sounded around the room. He pulled away and grinned. “Your next party is going to be difficult if I plan to make it better than this one.”
She leaned in and put her lips against his ear. “You could try to have a baby with me.”
He hugged her tightly, holding her. He nodded. “When it’s safe.”
He helped her off his lap and stood. Their friends gathered around them, sharing hugs and congratulations. Candi showed the females her ring, and moved away from him to talk to Species she hadn’t met yet. Darkness stepped next to him.
“Nice job.”
Jinx came to stand on his other side. “It was a given that she’d say yes. That female loves you.”
Hero nodded. “She’s mine. This was just so she knows I accept her. All of her. She’s always felt less because of her human blood. She tried so hard growing up to become stronger, as if she were Species.”
“I hate to bring this up right now, but is she going to be at the meeting with the FBI in the morning?” Darkness paused. “Kat will be there.”
“She wants to speak to the humans and tell her story.” He hated to admit that. It would put Candi in the room with FBI agents. “I can’t be there, but I’ll be close. I’ll lose my temper if they upset her.”
Darkness nodded. “Kat won’t allow them to verbally mistreat her. My mate has a temper and a mouth on her. I’d worry more about the FBI agents leaving in tears.”
“I’d want their blood if they act as if Candi is telling them lies,” Hero admitted. “She really hopes they believe her. I just don’t want her to be disappointed. She’s seen far too much of that in her lifetime.”
“She’s a strong female.” Jinx grinned.
“I know it. I just want to protect her.”
Darkness nodded. “I understand, Hero. Mates are everything, but you have to let her make her own decisions and just be there when she needs you.”
Chapter Thirteen
Candi straightened her shoulders and locked gazes with Breeze. The taller woman didn’t look happy. Her next words proved it.
“Are you sure you want to do this? Some of these humans with authority jobs are pure assholes. I’ve sat in on some meetings between us and the NSO before. They treat us as if we’re children. They can be rude, conceited, and act as if we lie.”
“I will tell you the same thing I said to Hero. I need to do this. I want to do this. I spent years wishing someone would listen to what I had to say. Take me in there.”
“Hero looked angry when he said he was coming with you after all. Why would
n’t you allow him to come?”
“Did you see how stressed he is?” Candi winced. “I was afraid he’d attack someone. I’m not as fragile as he believes.”
“He’s protective of you. We all are. We want you to heal from what you’ve endured.”
“Then let me in that conference room.”
Breeze nodded. “Fine, Candi.” She pushed open the door, but then snarled when another female Species already stood in the room, leaning against a wall. “What are you doing here, Kit?”
The feline pushed off the wall and placed her hands on her hips. Her gaze landed on Candi and her eyebrows rose. “She’s dainty.”
“This isn’t the time or place to be rude.” Breeze jerked her thumb. “Out. The humans should arrive in a few minutes. They are being brought through Security now to speak to Hero’s mate.”
“That’s why I’m here.
Breeze scowled. “What?”
“Hero is my friend, and I don’t want anyone to upset his mate. I’m far meaner than the male assigned to help you control this situation. I told him to get lost and took his place. I’m your backup. We’ll tag team these human males.”
Breeze opened her mouth then closed it. She chuckled finally. “Work on your sayings. That isn’t the right one. You make it sound as if we’re going to share sex with them at the same time and then switch sexual partners.”
Kit lifted her upper lip in disgust and hissed.
“Yeah. Exactly.” Breeze pulled out a chair and indicated Candi should take a seat. “Remember they will probably make threats, but they can’t do anything to you. They are just meaningless words to intimidate. It stops the moment you stand up and leave. You can at any time.” She pointed at Kit. “I’ll let you stay, but behave for once. Don’t aggravate the situation. Let me take the lead.”
Kit inclined her head. “Thank you.”
Candi took a seat and the Species females stood on each side of her, right behind her chair. She felt safe. The door across the room opened and a couple entered. The male wore a suit. The female wore a tailored skirt, jacket and button-down shirt. The male Species who’d escorted them pointed to the chairs across from Candi. The humans took seats, staring at her.
Candi didn’t feel fear. She tried to assess which one of the two was their leader. The human female spoke first. She opened a thick file and pulled out a photo, tossing it on the table. Candi looked at it, and lifted her gaze without touching it.
“I’m agent Mona Garza. Do you know this woman?”
“That’s Penny Pess.” Candi didn’t have to look at it again.
“Did you kill her?”
Candi nodded. “She planned to kill me first. She said my father died, and wouldn’t pay her to keep me locked up anymore. She told the orderlies she was taking me to another hospital, but that was a lie. She pulled far from the road in her car, believing I was still drugged in the backseat. She opened the back door to pull me out of the car to end my life, and I took the knife from her. We fought and I won.”
The woman picked up the picture and closed the folder. “We were informed by the NSO of what happened when they invited us to have a meeting with them. I looked at the file the police had on the murder investigation once the body was discovered. Two orderlies and the gate guard stated that Dr. Pess planned to take you to another hospital. She implied they’d be waiting to receive you as a patient.” She paused. “What the police failed to do was check that out. I had our agents do it. We contacted every hospital within a three-hundred-mile range. Do you know what they discovered?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “You weren’t expected at any of them.”
“That’s because the doctor planned to kill our female,” Kit growled.
Both agents shifted in their seats, watching Kit. Breeze cleared her throat. “It was self-defense. You would have found our female’s body if she hadn’t killed the doctor.”
Agent Garza looked at Candi. “Why didn’t you go to the police after it happened?”
“You’re human. I had to kill one of yours. I told the truth for years while I was locked up, but no one would believe me. I wasn’t willing to risk it. Humans had refused to help me every time. I knew I needed to reach Homeland.”
“I understand. We spoke in depth to the staff where you were kept, pulled your medical records, and even the financials for your care.” Garza paused, her gaze examining Candi. “I wanted to personally tell you that I’m sorry for what you must have endured.”
Candi hadn’t expected that.
“I’m just going to put it out there. We had four consultants go through everything and it reeked to high heaven. Your rights as a patient were violated on a daily basis. Some of the drugs they had you on went directly against the listed medical diagnosis Dr. Pess had put down. Only a hack would do what was done to you. We traced the financials out of the country to an account that belonged to a man who’d died over twenty years ago. It was opened weeks after the first Mercile Industries site was raided. We also located the homicide case from when you were a child. You witnessed the murder of your mother and the next-door neighbor?”
Candi nodded. “Loud blasts woke me. I can’t tell you how many, but there were a lot. The hallway was dark and I wanted to go to my mom. I was afraid of loud noises. My mom and Mr. Cooper from next door were naked and bloody on the bed. There was a gun lying beside to them. I knew what it was, because my father owned one. They taught me never to touch it. He kept it in his office downstairs. I heard footsteps coming so I hid behind the bedroom door. My father walked in with a knife and started stabbing them. He was taking something out of their bodies and putting it in his jacket pocket. He had brought bottles from the bar from downstairs. He opened them, poured them over the bed, and started a fire. It scared me enough to make me move. I wanted to run, but I froze when he turned and looked at me. He took me to Mercile and left me there. I was moved from there to the hospital when I was sixteen.”
“Why?”
Candi glanced at Breeze for help. She didn’t want to explain what had happened that day with the feline, and Hero’s violent reaction.
“Because Mercile were assholes,” Kit growled. “They didn’t inform us of why they abused us or give us any say in the matter. They shipped us off to various locations at times. What kind of question is that?”
Agent Garza looked up at Kit. “I’m just curious because I don’t understand why Christopher Chazel bothered to keep her alive. He had her moved from there and paid for her to be cared for somewhere else. I doubt he had to do that at Mercile. Do you see where I’m going with this?”
The door behind them opened and Kat stalked in. She wore black slacks, a button-down shirt tucked into her pants, and had a badge snapped to her belt buckle. She walked to one of the chairs at the side of the table and took a seat. “I’m Katrina Perkins, former FBI.”
Garza frowned. “I remember seeing you around. I know who you are.”
Kat unclipped her badge and placed it on the table. She tapped it with her finger. “I’m part of the NSO task force now. I’ve been monitoring from the next room to get a feel for what you’re up to.”
Agent Garza glanced up at the camera, and then back at Kat. “I’m not up to anything, Perkins.”
“You’re fishing. How the hell would Candi know what that son of a bitch’s motives were? He wasn’t father of the year, and he didn’t have heart-to-heart talks with her. Maybe he drew a line at killing his own flesh and blood. He could have had some guilt over the shitty thing he did when he locked her up at Mercile for all those years. You should be asking him his motives, but he’s dead. That’s like asking the victim, which she was, why the perp chose her. Move on.”
Agent Garza clamped her lips together, but turned her gaze on Candi. “Penny Pess told you Christopher Chazel died, correct?”
“I viewed the tapes given to you.” Kat leaned forward. “You know the answer to that. She gave details about what Dr. Pess said to her in her office before attempting to kill her. Should I pu
ll a copy of it for you and replay that part of the tape so you can see and hear it word for word?”
Agent Garza glared at Kat. “You know it’s procedure.”
“You came in here with sympathy and kind words, but you’re looking for something to nail her on. I don’t appreciate it. You think I don’t know the dance steps?” Kat smirked. “Let’s cut the shit, Garza. You’re probably getting pressure from some desk jockey who hasn’t been in the field since Clinton was in office. They aren’t good with change or comfortable with the NSO. The cops had her picture all over the news and put it out there that she was a homicidal killer who had escaped from the loony bin. They had her convicted because they were too lazy to actually investigate beyond surface facts. That means the public panicked. She was spotted in what? Four states?”
“Three.”
Kat shrugged. “Three. Then it was leaked that she was here, and some loud-mouthed idiots started tweeting about how the NSO is taking in cold-blooded killers. I have a computer and internet access. I’ve been keeping tabs. They are stirring up shit. Your boss is having his ass chewed out, which means it’s coming down the line tenfold to land right on your desk. Have I said anything that is wrong so far?”
“No.”
Kat pointed at Candi. “She’s a victim. Period. She was five years old when she realized her father was a piece of shit who’d killed her mother. You said you saw the homicide file. Who vouched for his whereabouts at the time of the murders?”
“His supervisor at Mercile Industries.”
“There’s your link to how and why he kept her there. You’re smart, Garza. You did your research on Mercile Industries as soon as you were assigned this case. We both know they had zero morals because of the fucked-up research they did. You want me to level with you? They wanted to see if a Species kid would kill a human one. She was an experiment. They got their answer. Species don’t kill children. She grew up in that hellhole until they had no use for her anymore. Chazel sent her to a new hell and he probably paid for her to stay alive because…who the hell knows? Get a profiler and study him to figure it out. Candi killed Pess so she could keep breathing. You know it. I know it. Hell, your boss would know it too if he stopped playing politician long enough to give a shit about what really went down instead of trying to score points with whoever he’s trying to impress.”