Moon(49)
Joy shielded her eyes while she attempted to get a handle on what had happened. She didn’t argue about germs or how unsanitary it was for 466 to lick at the bite. Animals tended to wounds that way and there was no denying his DNA.
He bit me. She couldn’t get over that fact. It was bad enough that he didn’t know who she was. It wasn’t much of a surprise, albeit disappointing. He could have reacted in various ways when he’d awoken to find an unknown woman naked under him. It took control not to shudder as those scenarios scrolled through her mind. The worst being that it could have cost her life.
Where is he right now? Still at Mercile? She was afraid to ask. He might think she was the enemy. He could go from being tender to tearing her apart with his bare hands. The stories she’d heard about Species killing their captors were the makings of nightmares. Nope, don’t go there, she decided. A bite suddenly didn’t seem so bad.
He finished licking her and raised his head. She needed to get a read on his emotional state but kept her hand over her eyes. Dragging out the moment didn’t seem so terrible as she dealt with her own turmoil.
“Joy?”
Hope flared that his memory had finally returned. She wiped at her tears, blinked rapidly to clear them, and shifted her hand to peer at his handsome face. “You remember me?”
His frown and the confusion in his eyes was answer enough. It would be a terrifying situation if she wasn’t in love with him.
“That is your name?”
That is a question, not a statement. She cleared her throat. “Yes.”
He glanced away to stare at something near the center of the room. “I did that?”
She followed his gaze, spotting the chains on the door. “Yes.”
Dark eyes fixed on her. “Why?”
“You wanted to make sure no one could come in here.”
Keep calm, and damn it, stop crying. Her emotions were so raw that the hated tears were always just below the surface, waiting to escape at the most inopportune times. She felt like an emotional wreck and had to constantly battle for composure. She almost never cried, yet it seemed she fought tears at every turn now. Only Moon could do that to her.
She’d just shared intimate relations with someone who considered her a stranger. It hurt on many emotional levels. What they had was something she cherished yet to him she could have been any woman. She’d made love to him but he’d fucked her.
He glanced at her throat then held her gaze. “I didn’t mean to draw blood. I am sincere.”
“I believe you. It’s okay.”
“No.” He softly growled. “I’m furious.” His hand suddenly cupped her cheek. The loving way he regarded her was promising. “I don’t understand why but you are important to me.”
Somehow he sensed they had a strong connection. “You’re having a difficult time remembering your life.”
“I was given the breeding drug.”
“No. It’s something else.”
“What?”
“I don’t know. We haven’t seen it before.”
“We?” His voice deepened and his eyes narrowed with suspicion. “You are Mercile?”
“No!” She shook her head in denial. “You were freed from there.” She paused. “Does the name 466 or Moon mean anything to you?” She hoped one of them would trigger some clarity.
“466.” He seemed a little excited. “I know that. It’s my name!”
“Yes, it is.”
He glanced around again, lowering his tone. “Where are we?”
“Homeland. It’s safe here.”
His voice lowered as he inched their faces closer until their lips almost touched. “Tell me what is going on. What is wrong with me? Who are you and why are we sharing sex? Is this a trick? Are you being forced into a breeding experiment with me? I want the truth, female.”
Her hands flattened on his chest and fear inched along her spine. “Please listen to me. Mercile is gone. You are no longer being controlled by them. An unknown drug has affected your memory. You get confused. You don’t need to hurt me to get me to tell you anything you want to know. Just ask. I’m here because I want to be and I care about you.”
His chest vibrated when he snarled. “You care about me?”
“Yes.”
“You’re human.”
“I am.” She couldn’t deny that.
“They are my enemy.”
“I’m not.”
The concentrated way he studied her made her optimistic that he’d at least reflect on her words. “466, what is the last thing you remember? Focusing on a fixed point in time seems to help you remember more. Will you please close your eyes and try to tell me anything that comes to mind?”