Laurann Dohner - Moon (Laurann Dohner)

“Sit on my lap. I won’t do anything. I want you close.”

He sat on the hard floor of a cell, not a chair, watching the female with tears in her eyes. He tried to distinguish memory from reality. She really was there but bars separated them now. That was real, the other was something from the past. She watched him as intently as he did her. Words were hard to form but he managed.

“Sit on my lap.” He repeated the words he knew he’d said to her once. “I won’t do anything. I want you close.”

Her eyes widened.

He fought to remember more and lifted his hands to her. Chains rattled, distracted him, as he frowned at them. He looked back at her. “How did we get here?”

“Where do you think we are?”

He glanced around. “I don’t know. We were in…an office.” That was right. He knew it. “Yours. I wanted you closer.”

She bit her lip. “What else do you remember?”

“You wanted to do it.”

She nodded. “I did.”

“Come to me.” He shifted position on the floor and tapped the top of his thighs.

She hesitated and then rose to her feet. He growled in protest when she turned her back on him to walk to a chair.

“No.”

She bent and picked something up, turning to face him again. “What is your name?”

He struggled for an answer and it came to him. “I am 466.”

She approached slowly, something fisted in her hand. “Who am I?”

It was on the tip of his tongue. It wouldn’t come to him though. He said what felt right. “You’re mine.”

She walked right up to the door and her gaze lowered to the lock. She did something and it clicked. She hesitated and then threw something across the room. A key hit the floor. His heart raced when the door opened and nothing was between them. The urge to lunge to reach the female was strong but fear showed on her face. He didn’t want to frighten her so he remained very still.

“Sit on my lap. I won’t hurt you.”

He held his breath when she stepped inside the cell. The chains would prevent him from reaching her if she fled. They weren’t long enough to go beyond the open door. She took one hesitant step and then another until her scent was something he couldn’t resist anymore. He drew air into his lungs, inhaling her deeply. He knew her. It confused him because he could only remember bits and pieces.

“I won’t hurt you,” he swore. He meant every word. He didn’t know her name or how they knew each other but she meant something to him. “What is wrong with me?”

“You’ve been sick.” She spoke softly as she lowered to her knees inches from him. One of her hands slowly lifted and she touched the side of his face. Her caress was light, hesitant, and fearful. “I’m Joy. Try to remember me.”

“I do. I…I’m confused.”

She surprised him when she inched closer and her other hand gripped his shoulder. He looked down as she turned a little and gently lowered herself across his thigh. Her weight was slight as she sat almost where he wanted her. He couldn’t resist anymore as his arms wrapped around her waist to position her across both legs so her ass rested over his dick. She gasped but he was careful not to crush her. She was small but he wasn’t going to let her go.

“Easy,” he demanded. “No fear of me.”

Her features changed as she relaxed in his arms. The hand clutching his shoulder eased its tight hold but she didn’t remove it.

“You can remember my office? What else is happening that you remember?” Her voice trembled.

“You wouldn’t sit on my lap but you wanted to.”

“Yes.”

“That really happened?”

“Yes.”

“It is hard to think.”

“Why are you having trouble focusing on things? Do you know?”

“I forget.”

She leaned in closer and he battled back a growl. He wanted her and his dick ached—it was hard and trapped inside the pants he wore.

“What else can you remember about that day?”

“Why do you resist me? You want me too.” He knew that about her even though he couldn’t remember how he did.

“I do,” she admitted. “I always have.”

Reality was better than memory. Joy wasn’t rejecting him. A moment of clarity hit and it made him doubt his sanity. His arms tightened around her.

“Is this a dream?”

“No. I’m really here. I’m with you. Can’t you tell the difference between what is real and what isn’t?”

“Not always.” He wouldn’t lie to Joy. The name fit her, seemed right. “I get flashes of memory but then they disappear and I forget.”

A worried expression creased her features. He knew that was the right emotion, sure of it because deep down, he was very familiar with this female. “Do I have a head injury?”

“No. You were given an unknown drug and you’ve had psychological issues ever since.”

“Who did this to me?” Rage hit fast and hard as he growled.

She bit her lip and didn’t respond.

“Don’t fear me. Who did this to me?”

“Mercile,” she whispered.

Ice ran through his veins as he looked around for the technicians but didn’t see or smell anyone besides Joy. “They have recaptured me? Taken you as well?” His arms tightened as he pulled her closer and shifted his leg. His toe caught the edge of the cell door and he kicked it closed. “I’ll fight them. I’ll get us free. Don’t leave my cage. I won’t let them inside without killing them before they reach you.”

She released his shoulder to cup his face with both hands, drawing his searching gaze to her. “Listen to me. You remember being freed, right?”

“Yes. We were at site four.”

Worry showed in her direct stare. “I’m going to tell you the absolute truth but I know you’re strong enough to take it, okay? I’m making a judgment call because I don’t want you to attack anyone here thinking we’re in danger. We aren’t.”

“We are.” Maybe she was confused too and had been drugged.

“You left site four to live at a place called Homeland. It’s run by your people. Everyone here is like you. They were freed from Mercile too.”

Her words confused him more. “They put me in a cage with chains?” He wanted to believe her but didn’t understand why the ones like him would do that.

“Do you remember the guards who patrolled to keep humans away from the motel?”

“Yes.”

“That was your job here. You kept humans away who meant your people harm. There are tall walls around the area and you were on one. Someone who worked for Mercile shot you with a dart filled with drugs. You forgot who you were and attacked other males. Your friends.”

“I wouldn’t do that.” He battled uncertainty. He didn’t think Joy would lie to him, he wanted to trust her, but it didn’t make sense.

“You couldn’t remember who I was but now you do, right?”

“Yes.”

“It’s been the same with your friends. You forgot who they are. What is your name?”

“466.” He was sure of that.

Joy hesitated. “You chose a name after you left site four.”

He struggled to remember but couldn’t.

“Moon,” she whispered. “That’s your name now. Is that familiar to you? Ring any bells?”

He shook his head and his hold on her tightened. “Why are you playing games? My name is 466. Is this a test?”

She stroked his cheekbones lightly with her fingertips. He liked it a lot and it calmed him a bit.

“I’m telling you the truth. I wouldn’t lie to you. You were dangerous so they had to lock you inside this space and chain you so they could take blood tests. Everyone is doing whatever they can to make you better. There are a lot of doctors, scientists, and chemists working on finding a way to reverse what was done. They called me and I came to help you too.”