Laurann Dohner - Wrath

140 spun, snarled at Wrath, and refused to let her go. Wrath showed sharp teeth but didn’t make any scary sounds. He did lift his flashlight though, enabling her to see more of his features. It was the best sight Lauren had ever seen.

“140? This is Wrath. It’s okay. Can you ease up on my legs and let me go to him?”

He moved, stepped away, and she crawled a few feet to Wrath. His hands came through the narrow bars, cupped her face and pulled her so close her skin brushed against metal. His eyes looked black as she stared deeply into them. The sounds of shouted orders from the task force faded away as all her concentration centered on him.

“Did he force breed you? Hurt you? I can’t smell right now from the way we had to come in.”

“No.”

She shoved her hands through the bars to touch him. He was warm. He let her caress his jawline on both sides and even lowered to make their faces level.

“You’re telling me the truth? You haven’t been harmed?”

“I’m okay. I’m great. You’re here. You came for me.”

“Always,” he swore.

He pulled back to stare at something behind and above her.

She turned her head and saw 140 watching them quietly from the other side of the cage. He frowned, his eyes narrowed and he shook his head.

“I have a mate of my own. She is downstairs. I was only keeping yours warm. Her skin is colder than ours. Please find my mate.”

Lauren glanced at Wrath. “She’s sick. I don’t know what they’ve done to her or why but they are keeping her in the basement.”

Brass was suddenly there. “I’m on it. I’ll get her.” He rushed away.

Wrath released Lauren and moved to the door of the cage. A human member of the task force met him there. The man dropped to his knees, aimed a flashlight on the lock and withdrew a small kit from one of the pockets on his pants.

“This is a piece of cake,” the man chuckled, glancing up at Wrath. “Can I let them all out? Is it safe?” He turned his head to warily stare at 140. “We are here to rescue you and your people. We’d appreciate it if you didn’t try to attack me. You boys would kick our asses.”

140 nodded. “We know you are not our enemies.” He turned his head to the other three New Species. “Relax. They are here to free us.”

“Let them out,” Wrath ordered. “I will handle it if one attacks.”

The human on the floor went to work on the lock. In thirty seconds he managed to pick it. He stood, pulled the door open and stepped back. Lauren rushed into Wrath’s open, welcoming arms.

He lifted her off her feet, his arms almost crushing her to his chest, until their faces were level. She threw her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. She clung to him and buried her face against his neck, thrilled to be able to touch him again. The lighting in the room growing stronger finally caught her attention and she lifted her head to peer around.

Members of the task force who had come in with battery-operated lanterns stood watching them calmly and Lauren chuckled when Wrath began to sniff at her.

“I need a shower. You might want to hold off on that until I smell better.”

He chuckled. “I don’t care. You’re safe.”

“I knew you’d come.” She stared deeply into his eyes. “I had no doubt about it.”

He growled. “I am not letting you go again.”

“My mate,” 140 growled. “Can I go to her?”

Wrath tilted his head to peer around Lauren, his hold eased, but he refused to put her down. “Wait here where it’s secure. They will bring her to you as soon as they deem it safe to move her. She will come to no harm from us.”

140 paced the cell and Lauren didn’t understand why he stayed inside it when the door had been left wide open. She glanced away, realized the other cage doors had been unlocked by the task force member, yet not one of those three had stepped outside their enclosures either. Her gaze swept the room to search for a reason, realized at least ten humans and five New Species were watching the newly released men and wondered if fear kept them from venturing out.

“You can come out of your cages,” Lauren informed them.

The golden-haired feline male stepped carefully out of the cage, looking uncertain and prepared to attack if necessary. Movement from the corner of her eye had her head turning and she gaped as a tall, long-haired New Species female came striding into the building. She wasn’t wearing a uniform, just jeans and a T-shirt. Her dark gaze flicked around the room, skimmed past Lauren and Wrath and fixed on the feline who’d just frozen steps away from the open cage door.

“I’m formerly 52 but I’ve taken the name Midnight.” She stopped a few feet away from him, openly studied his features, and smiled warmly. “You are safe from the technicians who held you and are no longer at their mercy.” She paused. “You are free. You are going to go home with us, to our people, and you’ll never be locked up again.” She bowed her head to him slightly, before meeting his stunned stare once more. “We call ourselves New Species and you have family now.” She glanced at all four males before facing the feline male again. “All of you are family.”

“I can’t believe this is real.” The blond feline moved away from his cage and turned to look at Lauren. “You weren’t trying to fool us with the stories you shared.”

Lauren shook her head. “No. I wasn’t.”

The dark canine stepped out of his cage and stalked toward Midnight. The tough-looking Species woman tensed slightly, faced him but didn’t back away. He moved a little too close to her, his gaze roamed her body and he sniffed. Lauren would have smacked any guy who openly showed his sexual interest but Midnight seemed not to be offended. He hesitated.

“May I?”

Midnight’s gaze narrowed. “You wish to get a better sense of me?”

He just stared at her.

“Fine but don’t touch. I don’t know you.”

Her body language remained on alert but she held still as he slowly circled her, sniffed a few times and seemed to take in every inch of her body and clothing.

“What is he doing?” Lauren whispered to Wrath.

“He’s not sure what to make of her and all the scents he’s picking up have to be new to him. We take pleasure handpicking everything we use for how it smells. Shampoo, body wash and even our laundry soaps. He won’t approach a male with his curiosity so we brought in a female, hoping it will speed up the process of them learning to trust us.” Wrath kept his voice low, his lips almost against her ear and his hold tightened. “She’s less threatening to them.”

Lauren watched the canine finally back off a few feet, a frown firmly curving his lips. “You’re one of ours but you smell so different.”

“This is freedom.” Midnight glanced at the other New Species who’d just left the cages then turned her attention on 140. She sniffed the air, slowly stepped closer to where he waited in his cage and paused by the open door. She glanced at Shadow.

“Where’s the female Species? Is she his mate? I can pick up her scent coming off him.”

“Brass and the team are getting her. She was held in a separate location in the building.”

140 growled. “I want her.”

“Easy,” Midnight crooned, opening her hands on her side. “She’ll be safe with them. They will bring her as soon as she’s freed.” Her gaze darted to Shadow again. “What is the holdup?”

“I don’t know.”

“What happens to us now?” The canine stepped closer to Midnight. He invaded her personal space again but didn’t touch her.

Midnight held her ground once more and just met his intense stare calmly. “You will follow me out of this building. There are vehicles outside waiting to take us home and you’ll meet more of us.” She paused. “We have kind, nonthreatening humans who work for us. They will check you over to make sure you don’t need medical treatment and you will be nice to them.”