“You are trying to kill me,” he groaned.
She laughed. “Not yet.”
Her hands traced down his stomach to his hips and curled around the girth of his shaft. Valiant growled deeper, closing his eyes. Tammy leaned closer until her body brushed against his. She used her hands, rubbing and massaging his cock, increasing the pace as Valiant started to breathe heavily. Growls and purrs tore from his throat.
Tammy stepped even closer, until the tip of his cock rubbed against her belly while she stroked him faster, her hands tightening enough to make him react by growing even stiffer inside her hold. He suddenly tensed, threw his head back, and a loud, unusual sound tore from his throat. Not quite a roar but close. Tammy leaned her body in closer, making sure his heated semen spread across her stomach as she trapped his shaft between her skin and hands. Valiant shook slightly in the aftermath.
“Feel better?”
He opened his eyes and his lips twitched into a near smile. “Your turn.”
Tammy laughed, releasing him. “Not yet. I have to finish my shower and get dressed. I need to eat and have that conversation with Sheriff Cooper. You can return the favor after he leaves.”
“You are aroused. I can smell you.” He reached for her hips.
“No!” She laughed. “I mean, yes, I am. You turn me on but we don’t have time right now.”
He sighed. “Does this sheriff mean more to you than I do?”
Tammy had turned into the spray to wash the front of her body. She looked at Valiant over her shoulder. The hurt look on his face was an easy one to read. “No. Why would you even ask that?”
“Because you could have me touching you but you prefer talking to a human instead.”
She faced Valiant. Her hands flattened over his chest until she pushed him back against the wall. He allowed it. Her gaze met his and she refused to look away, wanted him to see the sincerity of her words.
“It’s because I want to make sure those men stay locked up. He’s the sheriff and locking those bastards away in prison for a really long time is important. I need to help him accomplish that. Without my statement, and if charges aren’t filed, they could go free. Do you understand? No witness, no victim, no crime. That’s how the law works in my world.”
“I understand.” His body relaxed and he nodded.
“The sheriff is also a friend. He and my grandmother were close. He’s almost an uncle to me. He’s not more important to me than you are, don’t ever think that, but I told him I’d do this. He needs my help and I need his to make sure those assholes pay for kidnapping me.”
He nodded. “I could carry you to our bed and lick you until you scream my name if I had just killed them instead of allowing my people turn them over to yours.”
The guy had a point. Tammy grinned. “Yes, but it would have been wrong.”
“Licking you until you scream my name is not wrong.”
“I meant about the killing part.” She laughed. “I love the licking part a hell of a lot. That’s definitely not wrong.”
He growled. “Let the sheriff wait.”
She backed up and her hands dropped away from him. “I’ll talk to him and he’ll leave. Once he does, we can go back to bed. Okay?”
He nodded. “Fine.” He turned, grabbed the pumice stone, and studied his free hand, palm up.
“What is that for anyway?”
He made certain she could watch as he used the stone on his fingernails. “It cleans them.” He opened his hand palm out to her. “It also helps keep the rougher spots on our skin smoother.”
Tammy reached out and ran her fingertips over his fingers. She could feel calluses on the tips of his fingers and at the top of his palm where his fingers began.
“What causes that?”
“Being Species. Some of my kind have this. Some don’t. I do. It helps me climb trees without tearing up my skin.” His eyes narrowed warily. “Does that make me less appealing to you?”
She shook her head. “I kind of find the rough texture of your hands a turn-on. They make me shiver and goose bumps break out. I like it.”
“Good. I worried my differences from a human male might make me less able to attract your sexual interest.”
She fought a smile. “Don’t worry, Valiant. I am learning to appreciate all your differences.”
He stared into her eyes, seemed to gauge her honestly, and smiled. “I am glad.”
Tammy quickly finished her shower while Valiant attended to his nails and his calluses. She quickly dried off, wrapped a towel around her body, and walked into the bedroom. Four shopping bags waited on the bed. She dumped them out to see what she had to work with. Two bags contained clothing for Valiant but the other bags were for her. She chose a pair of cotton knee-length pants and a black, oversized T-shirt. They had bought her bikini-cut underwear and two exercise bras that were stretch-to-fit.
Valiant entered the bedroom behind her. His wet hair had been brushed back. He looked different with it combed away from his face. He kind of looked more frightening to her. His mane-like hair softened his features a little and made him look more cuddly and attractive. Tammy smiled but didn’t say a word while Valiant dug through the pile she’d made for him of the large-sized men’s clothing.
Tammy nearly stepped on a shoebox peeking out from the bottom of the bed. She retrieved it and opened it, guessing they were for her since the box wasn’t big enough to contain anything for Valiant’s big feet. Inside was a pair of white flip-flops. She hated them but she at least had shoes. She left them in the box. She wasn’t planning on leaving the suite. She heard a doorbell chime and her startled gaze flew to Valiant.
Valiant smiled. “There are doorbells in the suites. It’s our food.” He had pulled on a pair of black boxer briefs. “I’ll go get it.”
“I’ll go. I’m dressed.” She smiled at him. “You’re showing way too much skin. It could be a woman delivering our breakfast.”
He laughed. “Would you feel jealous if a female looked at me?”
She hesitated. “Yes,” she answered honestly.
His humor faded. “You are mine and I am yours. You don’t need to feel jealous. I would not allow another to touch me.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Tammy called out as she quickly left the bedroom. She liked that he’d said that. She walked through the living room and opened the door. “Hi,” she said instantly.
The woman who stood there had to be just over six feet tall. She had long brown hair and dark eyes. Tan skin and strong features made the woman appear intense but beautiful. It was the first time Tammy had been that close to one of the females. The woman had wide cheekbones, the flatter nose, and she looked down at Tammy with a smile that showed off some sharp, pointed teeth. Her expression wasn’t threatening.
“Hello back, small human. I have brought you food.”
Tammy couldn’t help but laugh. “Thank you very much. I’m Tammy.”
“My name is Breeze.”
Tammy moved out of the way to allow her to push a cart from the hallway into the living room. Tammy almost winced as she saw food containers nearly slide off the tray. The tall woman didn’t seem to notice or care when she turned, her gaze studying Tammy from head to foot. She chuckled.
“So you are Valiant’s mate.” The woman didn’t hide her amusement. “You’re so small. I believed he would pick Sunshine. She’s as tall as I am.”
“Sunshine?”
“One of us. He has been looking for a mate. I had to see for myself the human woman I heard about from last night. They said you were small the way Ellie and Trisha are. They were right. Are all of your woman about your size? I don’t get to be around many of your females.”
“I met Trisha last night, right? The pregnant doctor? Who is Ellie?”
“She’s a human mate to Fury. He is canine but they are not here. They live at Homeland. She is my good friend. I came here with some of our women months ago to help with the opening of Reservation. I miss my friend and I wanted to meet you. I e
njoy being around human females.” She grinned.
Tammy smiled back at her. She saw the woman’s grin swiftly turn into a tense line when her gaze fixed on something behind Tammy. She guessed Valiant had entered the room. The growl that rumbled a second later dispelled any doubt. The New Species woman backed toward the door, her gaze dropping to the floor. Fear showed on her face.
Tammy spun and put her hands on her hips. “Don’t growl at her.”
Valiant’s angry glare shifted to Tammy. “I don’t want anyone near you.”
“Deal with it. I’m making a friend.” She turned back around and smiled at Breeze. The woman looked surprised as her gaze lifted to meet Tammy’s. “Don’t mind him. He’s,” she shrugged, “protective.”
Breeze nodded. “He has reason to be. Some of our people don’t tolerate humans.”
“Well, you aren’t one of them. You said so yourself that you are friends with women like me. It was really nice meeting you. I hope I get to see you again soon.”
The woman flashed Tammy a smile. “I will be delivering all your food. No one else wanted to.”
“Because they don’t want to see me?”
The woman’s gaze flashed to Valiant as she shook her head. She glanced at Tammy. Her attention returned to Valiant. “I’ll see you again at lunch.” The woman fled, closing the door behind her.
“They are avoiding me.” Valiant walked to the cart to remove the lids on the plates.
Tammy frowned. “Why would they do that?”
“I frighten them. I’m not,” he shrugged, “social.”
“You mean because you roared at them last night when they stared at me?”
“Yes. Exactly.” He nodded. “Let’s eat.”
Tammy and Valiant moved the food to the coffee table. Someone had sent a few different drinks. Tammy lunged for the chocolate milk. Valiant made an unpleasant face.
“What’s that look for?”
“That stuff is disgusting.”
“Chocolate milk?”
He nodded. “It makes me sick.”
She hesitated. “Oh. I see.”
“What do you see?”
“Well, I had a dog once. He ate a candy bar and threw up. It’s probably that animal DNA of yours. I love chocolate.”
“I’m not a dog.”
She managed not to laugh at his horrified expression at the mere thought of being accused of something he obviously thought was insulting. She found it cute. “You’re a lion. I bet chocolate makes lions sick too. It probably doesn’t agree with your stomach.”
He set the plate of meat in front of him. Tammy noticed for the first time what had been brought to him for breakfast. She couldn’t help but stare. Four thick, partially cooked steaks dominated the plate, nothing else, and they were really rare. Blood pooled under them as though it were gravy.
“That’s what you eat? Is that even cooked inside?” She managed not to shiver with dread.
He took a bite. Tammy verified the meat was almost raw after he bit into it. She forced her eyes away. Valiant ate barely seared meat. She studied her food, grateful she’d ended up with a typical breakfast of bacon, hash browns, scrambled eggs and toast. She wouldn’t have touched them if they’d brought her mostly raw steaks.
“Do you want some? It’s good.”
She shook her head. “It’s all yours. I only eat my steaks cooked all the way through and with some steak sauce. A nice baked potato to go with it too.” She hesitated and glanced at his plate. “How many pounds of meat do you eat in one sitting?”
He shrugged. “A few.”
“Is that all you eat?”
“No. I eat deer too. Cows are good. I enjoy chicken and pork but I want them cooked more. Fish raw is excellent. I catch them with my hands from the river. I will catch you some when we move to my house. You probably want them cooked though.”
She just nodded. Man, I’m so totally not going to watch him eat. She forced her attention to her plate and kept it there while she finished her meal. She tried not to glance at Valiant.
The doorbell chimed again about fifteen minutes later. Valiant opened the door. Tammy set her empty plate on the tray and smiled as Sheriff Greg Cooper walked inside the suite. Two New Species officers flanked him, obviously escorts. The sheriff smiled back at Tammy.
“You’re looking much better, Tam.” He peered around the suite with a whistle. “And they are sure taking good care of you. Nice place. Fancy.”
“Thank you. Would you like to sit down?” Tammy smiled at the security officers. “All of you?”
The two New Species shook their heads and remained standing by the door they had closed. Sheriff Cooper walked to one of the chairs to drop into it. Tammy sat on the couch. Valiant took a seat next to her.
“You need me to make a statement, right?”
Sheriff Cooper reached into his pocket. “Actually, that was kind of taken care of already. They,” he glanced at Valiant, “are very efficient. I just need you to read it and sign this if it’s accurate.”
“Oh.” Tammy accepted the papers and unfolded them. She started to read. Someone had typed out an account of what had happened, most of it anyway, minus the stuff about the doctor who ordered the men to take her or any mention of an informant. Some of it wasn’t quite precise but it was all damning for the four men.
Valiant stood and walked away. He returned quickly and handed Tammy a pen. “Here. Sign it with that.” His features were grim.
Tammy nodded and signed the last page. She handed the statement back to the sheriff. “Here you go.”
“It’s all correct? I take it they interviewed you already?”
She nodded. New Species had written it up and she trusted them. “Yes. It’s perfect.”
“How are you feeling today? You look good. The bruising on your face isn’t as bad as I thought it would be.”
“I’m feeling a hundred percent better. One of their doctors came by last night to give me pain medication and examined me.”
Valiant rose to his feet. “I’ll get you the pills. You ate.” He walked out of the room.
Sheriff Cooper leaned forward and whispered, “Are you good here? You can leave with me if you want to.”
“I’m great.” Tammy smiled at him. “I have to call Ted though to tell him I won’t be to work for a few days.”
Sheriff Cooper leaned back with a grimace. “What happened is all over town. You know how it is. Ted called me first thing this morning wanting to know if the rumors were true. I told him what happened and where you were. I wasn’t sure how long you’d be out here.” He paused. “Your friends would appreciate it if you would call them. Tim was especially worried about you. He tried to call you here but they told him you weren’t accepting phone calls.”
She blinked. “I was sleeping until just a little while ago. I’ll call Tim first chance I get.”
Sheriff Cooper stood. “Well, I better get going. I have four of my deputies with me. We’re here to collect two of your attackers. The third had to be moved to a hospital in Sherver. He survived surgery.”
Tammy stood and hugged Sheriff Cooper. “Thank you for everything. Especially for thinking to call the New Species to help find me.”
“I’m glad I did the right thing. It was all I could think to do. Once a person goes missing, the longer they are gone, the less chances of finding them alive. I promised your grandma on her deathbed that I’d look out for you like my own family.”
Tammy walked the sheriff to the door where his escort waited. Valiant walked up behind her. The second the door closed, Valiant held out a glass of water and two pain pills. She swallowed them and handed the glass back to him. He slammed it onto the nearest table, spun, grabbed her and lifted her off her feet. Tammy gasped, staring at him as he curled her against his chest. He headed for the bedroom.
“Put me down.”
He ignored her request. “You spoke to that man, you ate, took your pills, and now I get to take you to bed. That was the deal.”
“It was.” She laughed as he tossed her onto the bed.
Valiant gripped her cotton pants and pulled them down her legs. Her panties were quickly removed. He crouched over her on the bed, grinning. “I get to lick you now.”
The doorbell chimed. Valiant’s humor instantly vanished, anger tightened his features and he snarled. “Ignore it.”
Tammy hesitated. “But…”
His hands gripped her thighs, spread them wider, and he lowered his head. Tammy fell back against the mattress, digging her fingernails into the sheets, no longer caring who was at the door as his mouth fastened over her clit. He nuzzled his face tighter between her thighs, rapidly tonguing her clit in strong flicks that instantly made all thought leave her head. He growled against her.
“I love when you vibrate,” she moaned.
Valiant purred, vibrating more. The sensation became so good she could barely stand it, her thighs tightened around his head and his strong hands forced them apart again. He held her immobile until all she could do was arch her back and cry out her pleasure. In minutes Tammy screamed his name, twitching under his mouth, as she came hard.
He lifted his head away and dragged her limp body toward him at the edge of the bed. Her eyes opened and she peered at him where he knelt on the carpet. Valiant’s eyes were narrowed, his beautiful gaze intense and filled with passion. He released her when her butt nearly slid off the edge of the mattress and gently placed her feet on the carpet to keep her from slumping to the floor.
He didn’t look away from her gaze as he tore open the front of his pants, shoved them down his legs, bent to completely remove them, and kicked them away. He leaned down, grabbed her hips, and rolled her over onto her stomach.
Valiant bent her over the mattress. He used his feet to gently urge her thighs apart. She spaced her knees and he crowded in behind her. She moaned as his cock nudged her pussy and slowly pressed inside, parting her vaginal walls.
“Mine,” he growled as his big body curled around her and his arms braced his upper body from crushing hers under him.
“Yes,” she moaned, gripping his hands on the bed next to her. “God yes.”
Valiant tensed for a second but began to rock his hips against her ass to drive his cock into her harder and deeper. He moved his legs to the outside of hers, lowering his hips to fuck her at a new angle and Tammy urged him on with soft moans and pleas to move faster.