* * * * *
Tiger glared at Charlie Artzola. The man had been found tied up inside his car near Reservation. He’d pleaded innocent to willingly stealing Tammy but Tiger wasn’t buying it. The human was ignorant of their sense of smell or he just thought they were really stupid.
“I told you. I was in my office and suddenly this man entered. He held a gun on me until Miss Shasta and her officer arrived. I didn’t have time to even warn them before he killed her security officer. It horrified me. He forced me outside with her and explained if I didn’t drive them out of the gates, he’d blow her brains out. I was trying to save her life when he shoved her into the trunk, climbed in with her, and told me to close the trunk. I knew he’d kill her if I tipped off the officers at the gate. I was terrified for her life so I did what he said.”
Tiger growled and took two menacing steps toward the attorney. He didn’t even glance at Justice for permission. He reached the human and backhanded the man’s cheek hard.
“You lie,” he snarled. “We scented your office and followed your trail to your car. We also scented your car. Only she was inside the trunk. There was no other human male. You took her and you are going to tell us where you are holding her. Where did you take her?”
The man groaned from the pain and he licked his bloodied lip where it had split near the corner. A red mark marred his pale skin. Charlie Artzola’s wide gaze focused on Justice.
“You know I’d never lie to you. I’ve worked for you for almost a year. I’m trusted, and everything I’ve said is the truth. That is what happened. I had no choice. The guy with the gun told me where to drive and that’s what I did. Maybe he wore something to hide his scent. He did have military-type clothes on and a cap over his hair. That’s why you probably didn’t smell him. Another man waited at the location where I was told to drive and he held another gun on me, ordered me to open the trunk, and his friend climbed out. They took Miss Shasta, tied me up, and drove away with her. I sat there helpless until your people found me. I swear, Justice. I’m a victim in this as much as that woman is.”
Justice slowly reached up and loosened his tie. He kept a calm expression on his features. He yanked the tie off over his head and reached for his jacket buttons next, unfastening each one. He shed his jacket and unbuttoned his white shirt. He removed it and his chest was bare. He reached for his belt next as he kicked off his loafers.
“What are you doing?” The attorney’s voice shook with fear. “Justice? Why are you getting undressed?”
Justice snapped his gaze up and glared at Charlie Artzola. “This is a two-thousand-dollar suit. I don’t want to get your blood all over it. My people found you because we put trackers on all your vehicles but unfortunately we can’t track your destinations until they are activated. We don’t know where you took her because you’d already parked when we realized she’d been taken. You knew that though since you were the one who drafted the agreement that allows us to make all human employees agree to those devices and you knew your car would be found. You should have disappeared. Instead you counted on my trust and your ability to lie well to shield you from our rage.”
“I’m sorry you lost one of your men but it wasn’t me. It’s that guy’s fault who forced me to drive him and Miss Shasta out the gates. I didn’t tie myself up. See? That’s proof I’m not lying.”
Justice folded his pants, now wearing only his black boxer briefs. He turned and handed all of his folded clothing to one of the New Species officers positioned at the door. “Please take these to another room. Blood splatters.”
“Jesus Christ,” Charlie Artzola moaned. “What are you doing? It’s me, Justice. I’m your friend. You know I would never betray your people. Never. I know we are all upset that Miss Shasta has been taken but I just drove her out of here to prevent them from blowing her brains out.”
Justice turned, growling. “Friends don’t kidnap one of our women and hand her over to the enemy.”
“She’s not New Species. She’s a human. I wouldn’t do that to your kind and I sure as hell wouldn’t do it to mine.”
“She is one of ours regardless of her blood. Talk, Charlie. Talk now or I will make you. No one but New Species know we have you. There is a lot of ground on our Reservation to dispose of your body when we are done. You will tell us where to find the woman if you want to live.” Justice prowled closer, growled, and barred his teeth. “We learned torture from having it done to us. I’m an experimental prototype, Charlie. They really hurt me badly and there are thousands of ways to make you scream and bleed without killing you. You will suffer.”
“Justice, I swear. There was another man and he ca—”
“You didn’t kill my officer,” Justice snarled. “He survived. Whoever you are working with, and we are aware since someone did tie you up that you have at least one partner, is either an idiot or set you up to die. Did he or she give you the drug you used on Flame? It was a very strong sedative but not enough to stop his heart. He’s going to wake soon and when he does, he’ll be able to tell us exactly what happened when he escorted Miss Shasta to your office.”
* * * * *
Valiant jerked out of Brass’ hold, had seen more than enough on the monitors, and wanted to tear the human apart to get answers. He’d told Justice he’d give him a chance, knew his rage was too great at that moment, but it was taking too long. He lunged toward the holding cell.
The door exploded open when he entered. Valiant snarled as he stormed into the room. His attention locked on the man tied to the chair in the corner of the room. Valiant threw his head back and roared at the human who’d taken Tammy.
“Jesus!” Charlie Artzola screamed, staring at Valiant.
“Do not kill him,” Justice ordered softly. “He needs to tell us where he took her and who he delivered her to. He has a partner.”
Valiant growled, showed teeth, and his body shook. His hands fisted. “I understand. I will contain my rage but it’s difficult.”
Justice cleared his throat. “I was just about to show him how much pain it will take to get him to tell us the information we need.”
“Allow me that pleasure,” Valiant snarled, opened his mouth wide, and his muscles strained while his body tensed in anticipation of beating the truth out of the human. He wanted his blood. “I’ll make him tell us everything.”
“Jesus Christ,” the attorney moaned. He wet himself and piss pooled on the chair until and ran down its legs. His terrified gaze darted to Justice. “Don’t let him near me. She said he’d tear out my guts and feed them to me.”
Justice glanced at Valiant with raised eyebrows as their gazes met. Justice turned suddenly, putting his back to the attorney, to only reveal his grin to the Species. “So she told you what Valiant would do to you?” He growled the words. “She warned you what betrayal would cost you.” Schooling his features, Justice faced the prisoner again. “Where is she? Where did you take her? To whom did you deliver her? I want answers or Valiant will do exactly what she threatened he would. We will watch him do it without lifting a finger to make it stop. You will suffer untold agony and it will take hours to die.”
“It is very painful,” Valiant growled. He licked his lips and showed his sharp teeth to prove the point. “Flesh is easy to tear apart.”
The attorney nodded frantically. “Just swear he won’t touch me. I want to live.”
Justice paused. “You will live if you help us get her back and she is still alive.”
“He doesn’t plan on killing her but it’s not my fault if the New Species he took her to kills her,” Charlie Artzola stammered quickly. “He wanted her to give to one of your kind. The man I work for is Dr. Adam Zenlelt. He worked for Mercile Industries and approached me after I got the job at Homeland. He offered me a lot of money and I needed it. I’ve got an ex-wife and a ton of bil—”
Valiant roared again, edged closer, and his fingers curved into claws.
Justice glanced at him and then the attorney. “He doesn’t give
a shit why you did it. Stop excusing your betrayal and tell us where the woman is and more about this human who has her.”
“I don’t know all that much about him. He wanted Miss Shasta because I told him that one of yours planned to marry a human woman. He pays me to tell him that stuff. He has a New Species and he’s been trying to run tests on him but it’s an insane one who keeps killing any women shoved inside his cell. Zenlelt likes to be called “doctor”. He realized that two New Species can’t breed and he’s planned on testing one of you against a human woman to see if she can get pregnant. Zenlelt thought that since one of you would fuck her, his guy would do her too. That’s why he needed her so bad and bribed me to take her to him. He’s going to lock her inside a cage with that thing to see if he’ll fuck or kill her the way he did the others. That New Species he’s got is really an animal, Justice. I saw him once and he doesn’t have an ounce of humanity left inside him.”
Valiant lunged. Justice moved, grabbed him, and tossed him back into the wall. Justice struggled but managed to pin him there. “We won’t find her if you kill him,” he snarled.
Valiant closed his eyes and nodded. Justice eased his hold and released the bigger male. He turned to glare at the human he’d mistakenly trusted.
“Tell us everything you know.”
The attorney nodded frantically. “I will. They have a house they’ve rented and that’s where I saw them a few days ago. They had the New Species locked up and drugged inside a cage at the time but he wasn’t fully asleep. He scared the hell out of me because he’s got these black stone-cold, dead eyes. Serial-killer type. I was ordered to take her to the house, which I did. Zenlelt has two guys working with him and they took her into the house. They have another location but I don’t know where it is or the location of where they are keeping the New Species. I just know I heard them say they were going to wait until dark to get the New Species prepared for her before they took her to him. They call him 927 and sometimes they call him the beast.” Charlie Artzola swallowed. “I heard Zenlelt say that out of all the males he had, that one tested with the highest sperm. I don’t know where they brought him from or where Zenlelt’s set up normally but he came here looking for a woman who had sex with a New Species.”
“Where is this house?” Justice inched closer, his hands curled into fists.
Charlie Artzola paused. “You swear that you won’t kill me or let him hurt me?” His gaze jerked to Valiant, who stood against the wall where Justice had pushed him, before staring at Justice again. “I want your vow on the lives of New Species I’ll walk out of here alive and in one piece if I help you find her.”
“I do not break my word,” Justice growled. “I am a man of honor. I swear you will not be killed and I will not allow Valiant to have you if she’s still alive. As for walking out of here, that I refuse to promise. You betrayed my people but I’m willing to hand you over to your justice system. It’s far kinder than ours.”
The attorney gave the address of the house but paused. “But they have moved her by now. The sun was going down when your men found me.”
“What were they going to move her in? Did you see the other car?”
“It was a large white van without windows. It wasn’t marked and I didn’t look at the plates. These aren’t guys you want to be nosey around. The back two doors had no windows either. It’s all I can tell you.”
“You do not know where they were taking her?”
The man hesitated for a second too long. “No. I don’t.”
Valiant growled. Justice glared. “You lie again. You stink of dishonor. Tell me where they took her or I will let him hand you your guts.” He glanced at the officer by the door. “Tiger? Have you scoped out a good location to bury the human’s remains if we have to kill him?”
Tiger smiled coldly. “Of course. It’s smack dab inside the Wild Zone. He will never be found.”
“I really don’t know,” the attorney nearly sobbed. “I just know it was close to where the house is. Yesterday I took Zenlelt information and one of his men left to go feed the beast. He was only gone about twenty minutes. I swear, God as my witness, that’s all I know.”
Justice relaxed. He turned and met Valiant’s gaze. “Let’s go.”
Outside the door someone handed Justice a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. He’d asked for clothes to be brought to him before he’d entered the room. He nodded his thanks as he accepted the clothing and studied Valiant.
“Well, she was alive when he left her. She is strong, Valiant. She threatened that man to the point he felt terror the second you walked into the room.” Justice smiled. “Where did she think up tearing out his guts?”
Valiant shrugged, too worried and angry to be amused. “I don’t know but that’s my Tammy. She’s smart.” His voice broke.
Justice reached out and gripped his arm. “We will find her.”
Tiger nodded. “We’ll get her back, Valiant. The SUVs are ready. Let’s go.”
Chapter Fourteen
Valiant buried his face against the mattress of the small bed. He inhaled deeply, growled, and fought the urge to roar. “My Tammy was here. They had her chained down and she was very frightened. I’m also picking up a strange smell mingled with her sweat. They drugged her with something. It’s faint but there.”
Tiger examined the handcuffs still attached to the metal frame of the headboard and foot rail. He didn’t see or scent blood on either set. “We’ll find her.”
Justice nodded. “We hiked in from the woods so we wouldn’t be spotted. The upstairs bedrooms are currently lived in. Someone will return. Their things are still here.”
Tiger nodded at the five men inside. “We watch and wait.”
Valiant moved, climbed up on the bed, and pressed his nose against the mattress again. Tammy’s scent lingered there. The smell of her terror was strongest there. He didn’t want to move for fear it would fade away. He had to find her. He sensed Justice and Tiger watching him.
Justice sighed. “Does it help?”
“A little,” Valiant admitted softly. “I do not want to live anymore if we don’t find her.” He turned his head to stare at them.
Tiger cringed and Valiant understood why. They all knew it happened sometimes with New Species inside the testing facilities. They gave up hope and just stopped eating. They allowed their bodies to die. He never thought he’d be one to release life once they were freed. He refused to regret falling in love with his Tammy though.
“I hope I never fall in love if it means losing a woman makes me want to give up my hold on life,” Tiger muttered.
“Hopefully the male she’s been taken to won’t hurt her,” Justice said. “He will scent you on her unless she showered and changed her clothing after you left her.”
He shook his head. “She did not. She’d already changed into her clothing when I left. I held her and my scent is all over her. He won’t be able to miss it.”
“Good.” Justice turned his attention on Tiger. “There are more of Species still imprisoned by Mercile. We need to find them and we’ll be able to if we find her.”
Tiger lifted his cell phone. “I’ll go upstairs and let the others know. We will try to find out who bought or rented this house. Maybe they are using the same name or funds to pay for wherever Tammy is being kept. I doubt that Zenlelt is a real name. They set Charlie Artzola up to die. They’ve been dealing with New Species who’ve never known freedom. I’m sure they assumed we’d behave the same and kill him instantly. They gave him the weapon that took Flame down and had to know he’d survive. I can’t figure out why they didn’t just shoot the attorney instead of sending him back to us alive.”
Justice growled. “Mercile enjoys trying to make us appear dangerous and unstable to humans to justify what they did to us. They probably thought we’d murder the bastard with humans around to witness it. That or they just think we’re stupid and it was worth the risk of leaving him alive on the chance of keeping an insider in place if we believed everyth
ing he tried to lie about. I dread trying to discover how much he’s betrayed us and what information he’s passed to them.”
Tiger glanced at Valiant. “I’m sorry, man. We’ll get her back.”
Valiant couldn’t speak. Emotion choked him. Justice turned away to whisper to Tiger but he still heard the words.
“He’s so fierce. To see him this way breaks my heart. Let’s give him some privacy with his mate’s scent. Make those calls and order our men to stay hidden. Hopefully they will return here. I don’t know what else to do.”
* * * * *
“Wake up,” a voice growled next to Tammy’s ear. “They come to feed us. Stay on the bed and do not go near the bars.”
Tammy’s eyes snapped open. She met 927’s gaze as he lifted off her. He stood, putting his body in the path of the cell door and her. Tammy sat up and noticed with some alarm that the broken glass wall had disappeared but the debris from it remained on the metal floor. How did I sleep through that?
Her attention lifted to the top of the room when a hum sounded and she saw a two inch gap in the cage roof. The length ran across the room where the glass wall had been. She heard a louder noise, a whine of an engine, and another glass wall was lifted by some kind of crane system from the other side of the warehouse.
She gaped, watching as it was positioned over the cage, lined up with the slot of the opening and lowered slowly from the ceiling. She stared in shock at it. Obviously the glass walls were removable from the top and the broken one had been lifted out. A new one slid in all the way to the floor to separate the cell from the door.
The New Species with his back to her tensed and growled deeply. Tammy realized he did it in an attempt to protect her. That seemed a vast improvement from being sure he’d kill her when she’d been tossed into the caged room with him. He’d held her instead while she slept and hadn’t hurt her. Gratitude toward him and hope that Valiant and the New Species at Reservation would find them flooded her. She just needed to stay alive.