Darkness (New Species #12)(15)

He strode out onto the dance floor where she stood and addressed her class. “We appreciate the things we have since we never had anything before. Some humans are deeply flawed and crave what others have. They will rob and sometimes kill others to take it. For some it is a lack of morals or pride, to others it is a sport and some become addicted to drugs. It’s a money-based system in the out world so some acquire that money by taking it from others.”
“Oh.” The female nodded. “I see. That’s sad.”
“Yes, it is.” Darkness turned and stared down at Kat.
She was mute until another woman spoke. “Is it true that some males harm their females and even sometimes kill them?”
Kat turned and located the speaker. “Yes. Domestic violence is unfortunately a common crime.”
“Why?” A male stood. “Males are superior in strength and there is no honor in harming a female. They should be protected.”
“They should kill the male if he attacks,” one of the women hissed from the corner. “Why don’t your females fight back and take the male down? I would if one struck me.”
The questions weren’t what Kat expected.
“They aren’t like us,” Darkness stated. “Humans believe males and females are completely equal.” He chuckled. “So they don’t value the differences or acknowledge physical limitations.”
A guy at the bar snorted. “Equal? Males are physically stronger, while females are more prone to be superior in tactical strategies. We each have our own strengths but they are not the same.”
One of the women laughed. “You mean you males are impulsive while we take our time to plot everything out.”
He laughed. “Exactly. That is an advantage you have.”
“Don’t forget sex,” one woman added and chuckled. “We have the advantage there too.” She stood and waved her hand down her body. “We have what you want.”
A howl broke out in the back and Kat was startled by the animalistic sound.
Darkness grinned at her response. “That was an agreement.” He faced the class. “Focus on the techniques she taught to process evidence but don’t expect her to explain human nature. We’d need her to move to Homeland indefinitely to cover those topics. Humans are flawed and their crime rate is high. Just accept that they don’t make sense to us.”
Kat resented his words. “Not all humans commit crimes.”
“Not all but a lot of them do.” He shrugged. “Let’s have lunch. Class is over.”
It stunned her that he’d cut her time short. It also pissed her off. Her students started to talk amongst themselves and she reached out, gripped Darkness’ arm. He looked down at her fingers on his forearm and then met her gaze.“Can we talk?” She wanted an explanation for him interrupting her class.
“Sure.” He motioned toward the stage. “Back there unless you want to be overheard.”
She released him and marched behind the stage. He followed and she turned on him when they had privacy. “What was that about?”
“Saving your ass. Did you really think they wouldn’t question why a human would rob another one for something as petty as a wallet when you used that scenario?”
She stared up at him, unsure how to answer.
“You’re not in your world anymore. Species don’t rob other Species. Teach them something they can actually use. They won’t be solving a homicide like that here.”
Kat tried to cool her temper. “Fine. What kind of crimes do you face?”
“Most of it happens at the gates. We pass those investigations to our human task force.”
“Then why am I here?”
“Blame your crime shows. It made my people curious about humans and those are the reactions you’ll mostly get from them. They’ll want you to explain why humans are so fucked-up. Good luck with that.”
“You’re human too—mostly.”
He took a step closer and she backed up, finding a wall there. He lifted his arms and rested his open palms on each side of her, pinning her in place. “We’re nothing like you. Never forget that. Do you know how we were created?”
“Mercile Industries.”
“They vetted human donors for targeted physical and mental attributes, used them to create embryos and then let a geneticist splice away with specific animal DNA, manipulating it to create traits they desired. They culled all the bad shit or killed any infants born with defects or flaws they hadn’t aimed for. We were birthed by surrogate mothers. They just carried the fetuses to term and didn’t give a damn about anything except the money they were paid. Our childhoods were spent chained to walls while they shoved drugs into our veins or down our throats to benefit your world. We didn’t have parents or people who gave a shit about us unless it was one of the doctors who depended on us to gain whatever results they wanted. In those situations they protected us against death or severe abuse but only until the study was over. Hell, having an actual bed and the ability to see daylight is treasured by us. We’re nothing like you.”
Her heart ached for him and the others. “I didn’t mean it that way. I meant you are physically like us, for the most part.”
He leaned down, getting in her face, and opened his mouth. “Really?”
The show of fangs didn’t scare her that time. She could tell he was angry and wanted to defuse the situation. “I realize you’re different too.” 
“I can bench press five hundred pounds without really straining,” he rasped. “I can endure pain that would leave one of your kind screaming and probably fainting. Look to your left. See that ten-foot ledge? I can reach it without the use of a ladder. You have no idea what we can do because we don’t publicize it. Your kind is already afraid of us.” He sniffed at her. “My senses aren’t as good as a canine’s but they are far better than your average human. I can tell what shampoo, conditioner and body wash you used this morning. I can even identify what kind of laundry soap you buy. Your toothpaste.”
He tilted his head and nudged hers aside. “Stop wearing perfume. It’s not pleasant to us. You dabbed some of it at the back of your neck.” He lifted his head. “I can smell some of your emotions if they are strong. Fear. Desire. Hell, even anger. Can you do any of that?”
Kat stared into his eyes. “No.”
“Then stop saying we’re anything alike.”
“You are part human though. A genetically enhanced version but—”
He moved so fast that she gasped when he gripped her hips and yanked her off her feet. She found herself dangling a foot above the floor until they were face level. Her hands automatically gripped the tops of his shoulders.
“We’re not the same. Here’s a lesson, teacher.”
He growled and his chest vibrated against hers. The low, dangerous sound sent chills down her spine and the color of his eyes seemed to darken. It might have been a play of the dim light since they were far from the windows but he looked terrifying. Her heart rate quickened and she wondered if he planned to hurt her.
“Try to fight me,” he snarled.
“I won’t.” She knew he was attempting to provoke her but she wasn’t dense. His body felt as hard and solid as the wall at her back. It wouldn’t be a fight she could win.
“Exactly.” The growling stopped and the vibrations ceased. His tone lowered to a harsh whisper. “Never believe we’re amenable creatures who could conform to your way of life. We have an entire section at Reservation that is full of failed examples of what happens when idiots attempt to make pets out of animals not meant to be tame. They live with us for a reason. Take the blinders off. We have more in common with rescued ex-circus animals than with you.”
He shifted his hips closer and the press of his groin rubbed against her inner thigh. The rigid length of his erection couldn’t be mistaken for anything else. Most women would have begged to be put down or pleaded with him to cool his temper. She thought he was kind of sexy when he was hostile.
“We’re not too different though.” She eased her hold on his shoulders and trailed her fingertips down his chest. “You want me. An ex-circus animal wouldn’t be sporting a boner from having me this close.”
His eyes widened and he hissed. “Fuck.”
The sound he made reminded her of a pissed-off large cat. “Sorry that your plan to intimidate and terrify me isn’t working.” She felt no regret though. “Did you expect me to burst into tears?”
The low growl that came from his slightly parted lips was sexy. She liked the way he glanced at her breasts before meeting her eyes again. She traced her palms upward to curl her fingers over the tops of his shoulders.
“You feel like a man to me. That makes us compatible as people.”
“Don’t,” he rasped.
“Don’t what?”
“Provoke me.”
She was tempted to. “I’m just stating the obvious. You can keep denying we’re comparable but your body doesn’t believe what your mouth is saying.”His hold on her eased and she slid down his body. He backed up the second her feet touched the floor to release her completely. “Teach them the tricks your people use to lie and deceive our officers. That’s how you can be useful. Rusty told me what you did with your purse. Show all that you know. Tomorrow tell them about the weapons they aren’t aware of.”