Valiant

by Laurann Dohner

  “Yes.”

  “I love walnuts and brownies. Chocolate hard-shell syrup.” She took a bite. “And small chocolate chips. This is so good. You have to thank Ellie too.” She paused. “You can eat chocolate? Valiant says it makes him sick.”

  “Some Species get ill from it and some don’t.” She grinned, took a big bite, the enjoyment showing on her face. “I love it.”

  * * * * *

  Valiant watched silently as six women were led past him by one short human female. His gaze followed the woman. Her hair was eye catching. It was flaming red and in a ponytail that fell to her ass. The human female led the Species women to the waiting helicopter and they climbed inside. Valiant frowned. He turned, looking at Tiger.

  “Who was the small human woman with the bright hair?”

  Tiger glanced at the helicopter. The woman was clearly visible since the doors were still open. She checked each seat belt of the six Species before taking a seat last. The pilot closed the side door and climbed in the cockpit.

  “That’s Jessie Dupree. She’s the human female who usually is on hand when our Gift females are found. She is part of the human task force assigned to us by the government. She comforts our women when they are found. I am surprised she is here. She usually only deals with our women who were sold.”

  “You would think she would be afraid of our females. She is small compared to them.”

  Tiger shrugged. “I don’t know what her deal is but she’s the one the humans send in when they locate one of our females. I don’t know why she’s here since these women weren’t sold but instead were still contained for testing. We did invite the humans in on this one and it was their call to bring her with them.”

  Valiant nodded. “She is flying with them to Reservation? Are the rest of the humans on her team coming as well?”

  “No. Just her. She demanded to personally deliver them and get them settled. I got tired of arguing with her so I agreed she could go. She is small but her mouth is loud.”

  “Justice doesn’t mind?”

  Tiger shrugged. “I do not know. He is still inside with the human task teams, thanking them for their help and smoothing niceties. He didn’t get to meet her and he’s lucky for it. She’s fierce with her mouth. He’ll take the last flight with us.” Tiger glanced at his watch. “Do you want food? The humans had pizzas delivered to feed everyone. They taste amazing.”

  Valiant nodded. “I could eat. I need to learn more about human food. I don’t think Tammy enjoys watching me eat. I’ve noticed she avoids looking at me during meals.”

  Tiger chuckled. “Let me guess. Seared meat? Yeah, most humans get grossed out by that. You’ll enjoy pizza. It’s really good. She’ll love it too. I think all humans eat it the way we do meat. It must be a nutritional requirement or something for them.” He shrugged. “Everything on it is cut up into bit-sized slices to help them because of the flat teeth they have.”

  Valiant followed him. “If we have a baby this must be good to feed them.”

  “Yeah. They probably just cut the slices smaller for their little mouths.”

  “I must try this food. Tammy will be pleased I am preparing for fatherhood.”

  Tiger patted his back. “You’re a good mate, my man.”

  “I will try to be.” Valiant missed Tammy. He couldn’t wait to return home to marry her and remove her underwear. Not in that order though.

  * * * * *

  At 5:10 in the morning Breeze’s pocket chirped. Both women jumped. They had been watching a scary movie on the television. Tammy laughed. Breeze grinned, reaching inside her pocket. She fished out her cell phone.

  “This is Breeze.” She listened. “I am on my way now. Thank you.” She stood and smiled at Tammy as she hung up. “I must go. The helicopter is about twenty minutes out. It is the one delivering our freed women. We have made arrangements for them to live here inside the hotel. It is going to be a long morning for me. I do not know how bad they will be. I got elected to do this job and I am not really good at dealing with women in shock. I know I suffered from it when I was freed. We aren’t equipped to deal with newly freed women. We usually send them elsewhere but it happened too fast and Justice decided they would be happier here. He is probably right. I just wish I had some experience in this. All I have is my memories of the humans who took care of me.”

  Tammy stood. “Do you still want help? I wasn’t just offering to be polite.”

  “You helped make a list to order clothing for them. You want to help greet them and get them adjusted too?”

  “I’d love to. I’m not going to sleep. It’s already morning.” Tammy grinned. “Can I go with you? It beats sitting around here waiting for Valiant to return. I won’t sleep until he’s back.”

  “Yes. I would appreciate that.”

  “Give me two minutes to toss on some clothes and run a brush through my hair and brush my teeth.”

  “May I use your bathroom?”

  “Make yourself at home. There’s a second bathroom down this hall. Follow me.”

  Tammy hurried. She put on one of Valiant’s discarded sweaters from the floor. It smelled clean enough. She wanted to carry his scent and hopefully the women would accept her a little easier. She put on a pair of black cotton pants. Once she used the bathroom, brushed her teeth and her hair, she met Breeze in the living room.

  Breeze inhaled and grinned. “You are smart.”

  “The sweater? It came to me the second I saw it draped on the back of a chair. I think Valiant wore it two days ago. I take it you can still smell him on it?”

  “It’s faint but enough. You smell of Valiant. They will know you are human of course, your features show what you are, but they will see you as less of a threat.”

  “Good. So where are we going?” Tammy put on her slip-on flats and grabbed the key to the room. She shoved it down the front of her bra since she didn’t have pockets and wasn’t taking a purse.

  “We are meeting them at the helicopter pad. We have a van ready to drive them here.”

  “Have the clothes we ordered been put in their rooms yet?”

  Breeze chuckled. “Yes. It was done immediately. Clothes and food will be waiting for them. I had each room fully stocked and they have cleaning products for their bodies.”

  “Sounds good. Let’s go.”

  A bunch of New Species males Tammy had never seen before were milling around inside the old hotel lobby. Breeze and Tammy stepped out of the elevator and all conversation stopped. Tammy took a few steps and then paused when Breeze did.

  Tammy glanced at the taller woman. “What’s wrong?”

  Breeze suddenly growled and turned. Tammy saw a man quickly approach. Two more men followed him. All three New Species appeared angry. Breeze stepped between the oncoming men and Tammy.

  “What do you want?” Breeze sounded pissed.

  The man growled back. “Move.”

  “Back off,” Breeze growled deeper. “She’s with me.”

  Tammy nervously stared at the three men. She realized that the room had gone deadly silent. There had to be at least thirty New Species but none of them spoke. She didn’t recognize a single face as she glanced around. Tammy’s gaze slid back to the man who’d been the most aggressive.

  “Is there a problem?” Tammy frowned at him.

  “She’s human.” He flashed sharp teeth at Tammy, taking another step closer.

  Breeze kept in his path, putting her hands out. “She’s a human who lives here with one of our males. She belongs to him and he will beat you to a pulp if you so much as breathe wrong at her. Justice North invited her to live with us. She’s one of us despite being human. I realize, as a Primate, your sense of smell isn’t that strong but she belongs to him.”

  The man growled again and so did the two men behind him. Tammy sensed danger. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her fear. Valiant always told her his kind could smell it. She lifted her chin.

  “Calm down. I’m not the enemy.” She was pro
ud her voice came out strong and didn’t shake as badly as her hands started to.

  “What is going on?” 927 suddenly spoke. He had silently strode up behind both women.

  Tammy started, glanced at him, and smiled, feeling a little relief at seeing him there. “My guess is they don’t like me.”

  927 snarled, glaring at the males. He stomped forward to stand next to Breeze. She looked uneasy when she glanced at the new male and her body tensed more. 927 didn’t spare her a glance. He continued to defiantly stare at the three men.

  “She’s the reason you are free. Dr. Zenlelt kidnapped her and her mate tracked her to me. She isn’t like the humans we have known, 861. Back off. She is family to us.” 927 glanced around the room, meeting every man’s curious gaze, and his voice rose. “She is family and a friend.”

  “Humans will never be family,” 861 growled. “It offends me to look at her.”

  “Get over it,” Breeze snarled. “She isn’t going anywhere. She lives here too. So does another human woman who is a mate to one of us. Smell her. She belongs to one of our own.”

  861 moved closer to Breeze and inhaled. He frowned and moved closer. She backed up to keep him from touching Tammy. The man inhaled again and stepped back. “I do not like this.”

  “You do not have to. She is here and no harm will come to her. Where is your gratitude? We would still be locked up inside our cells if not for her mate’s love for her and our people helping him find her. Show respect,” 927 demanded in a harsh tone.

  861 snarled back. “Never for humans.”

  Breeze softly cursed and reached back. Her fingers fisted the front of the sweater Tammy wore and pushed, moving Tammy toward the elevator. The pounding of booted feet drew everyone’s attention as more New Species wearing the NSO black uniforms rushed into the lobby. They quickly assessed the two men circling each other and Tammy saw what they saw—the men were going to fight. 927 would protect and defend her.

  “It’s the primate in the red,” Breeze called out loudly. “He came after Valiant’s mate.”

  The man in the red, 861, lunged for 927, and the fight was on. The New Species officers rushed forward, pushing everyone out of the way. In seconds they had grabbed 861 and restrained him flat on the floor.

  Tammy relaxed. Breeze’s hold on the sweater eased and she turned her head, studying Tammy.

  “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine. What was that about?”

  927 approached. His hand was gashed from where he’d hit the other man in the face. A sharp tooth had cut his skin. He stopped a few feet back. “I apologize. These men are from the same place where I was locked up. They do not trust or like humans. When he calms I will speak to him rationally.”

  “It’s all right.” Tammy sighed. “I guess I can understand that.” Her gaze dropped to his hand. “Do you want me to clean that up and bandage it?”

  One of the New Species officers approached. “We’ll let him calm down and have a talk with him.” He glanced at Tammy. “Are you unharmed?”

  “I’m fine.”

  He inhaled. “Just frightened.” He turned and met 927’s gaze. “Thank you for defending her until we were able to take him down. Let me take you to medical and they will care for your injury.”

  927 agreed. “Of course.” He flashed Tammy a smile. “I apologize. I will talk to all of them. You will be safe from harm. It would not hurt if Valiant spoke to them as well. He will intimidate them if I don’t.”

  Breeze laughed. “He’s good at that. I’m Breeze. Thank you for the backup there.”

  927 studied her carefully and smiled. “I’m 927. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

  Breeze’s smile widened. “You are a charmer. You’re also new. Come look for me if you need any help settling in.”

  “I will.”

  The officer smiled. “Let’s go to medical, hero.”

  Breeze gripped Tammy’s hand and led her out of the lobby to where a white van waited. One of the New Species officers sat behind the wheel to drive them. Breeze turned to Tammy the second they were inside and the door closed.

  “You know that male? He’s gorgeous and did you see those dark eyes?” Breeze fanned her face. “I need to change my pants. I’m that wet. When he picks a name it should be something as sexy hot as he is.”

  Tammy grinned. “You like him, I take it?”

  “I think I’m definitely in lust. Do you think he is attracted to tall women?”

  “He looked interested in you to me.”

  “He did? I will make a point of finding him later after I get some sleep. I wish to be well rested when I seek him out.”

  In minutes they reached the helicopter pad. The helicopter had just landed and was already being refueled. The side door opened when the van pulled up and women began to climb out. Tammy stayed with the van at Breeze’s side to welcome the new women. She hoped none of them would attack her. Tammy had never considered that anyone would hate her on sight or want to hurt her. 861 sure had.

  “Wow,” Tammy whispered, spotting the flaming-red hair of the woman who climbed out of the helicopter first. “She’s the smallest New Species I’ve ever seen and what do you think she was mixed with to get that hair color? It looks as if someone set her hair on fire with something really bright. It’s gorgeous.”

  Breeze laughed. “She’s one of yours. I would say she’s mixed with a hair dye. That can’t be natural.”

  “Maybe the black pants and black shirt just makes her hair more striking.” Tammy shrugged.

  Breeze smiled and shrugged too. “We could ask her.”

  “No!” Tammy laughed. “Never ask a woman if her hair color is real or her age. Human women get all pissy about it.”

  “Really?” Breeze let it sink in. “I’ll try to remember that.”

  The redhead approached. She nodded and stopped by Breeze. She lowered her gaze and her head. She waited a few seconds before glancing up.

  “I am Jessie Dupree. I wanted to personally escort your females here. I’m the human representative for the United States Government, a part of your human task force that handles search and retrievals of your lost females. I ask your permission to escort them to their new homes and stay to help with their integration into your society. They trust me.” Her gaze flickered to Tammy and took her in at a sweeping glance. The woman frowned slightly. “I don’t know you. Who brought you in?”

  Tammy blinked at her. “Valiant did.”

  Breeze chuckled. “You think she’s New Species, do you not, Jessie Dupree? She is not a recovered Gift Species. She is a human mate to one of our males. Her name is Tammy Shasta.”

  The redhead with bright blue eyes blinked and her eyes widened. “Oh. I apologize. I was under the impression that no humans lived on Reservation. Because of your size and your lack of facial markings I assumed you were one of the rare Gift females. Some have been recovered, and until you see their teeth or ears, you can’t really tell they aren’t fully human.”

  “Valiant told me what was done to them. It is so horrible it makes me sick. But I’m human. Sorry for the confusion.”

  The woman nodded. Her attention returned to Breeze. “May I have permission to help get them settled? I’d really appreciate it. I know they are not Gift females but I have the time and I am very experienced in helping your females handle the sudden change in lifestyle.”

  Breeze glanced at Tammy, who shrugged. “She’s got experience.”

  A grin split Breeze’s face. “Sure. They put me in charge of this task and to tell you the truth, I have no idea what I’m doing. We don’t handle this kind of thing. They are usually sent somewhere else but Justice wanted them brought here. We would appreciate the help.”

  “Thank you.” Jessie smiled. She was a really pretty woman in her late twenties or early thirties. “I’d love to do everything I can.”

  Tammy studied the New Species women who exited the helicopter. They were all tall, sturdy women. They were muscled and in excellent physica
l shape. Their clothes were off-white and their pants were exactly like the ones 927 had worn. She even spotted the same thick side seams of their clothing as one of the woman walked past. The woman glanced at her and Breeze but no one objected to her being there.

  “What is up with the clothes? Why are they all dressed that way?” Tammy kept her voice low, her gaze on Breeze.

  The taller woman showed signs of anger when her nostrils flared. “We were restrained with chains on all our limbs. It was easier for our captors to strip us and change our clothing with seams that pull apart. They have Velcro that sticks when pressed back together. It kept them from having to pull the pants down our legs or shirts over our heads.”

  The answer sickened Tammy and she felt a whole new appreciation for the kind of hell the survivors had endured. The ugly clothing had a purpose and it wasn’t a good one, in her mind. She pushed those grim observations back and tried to appear friendly to the freed women.

  Everyone fit in the van. Tammy smiled at the women but none of them returned the friendly gesture. Five out of the six New Species women openly stared at her though. A few of them looked baffled while one of them appeared frightened. Two of them completely hid their emotions. Tammy focused on the frightened woman sitting on the seat behind hers.

  “I’m Tammy. It’s safe here. Everything is going to be fine.”

  “They are in shock,” Jessie explained softly. “It will take a few days for everything to sink in. Their entire lives have drastically changed forever in a matter of hours.”

  Tammy smiled sadly at the woman still staring at her with fear on her face. “It really will be okay. This is a great place to live. I live here now and I love it.”

  The woman licked her lips. “What are you?”

  Tammy blinked. “Human.”

  The woman shook her head. “You’re more.”

  “Oh.” Tammy moved slowly and extended her arm. “You smell Valiant. I’m wearing his sweater. He’s New Species and we live together.”

  The woman gave her a blank stare.

  Jessie spoke. “New Species is what you all are called. It is the name your kind came up with since you are all different mixes of different species.”