“Trisha is carrying my child. She’s living in cabin six.”
“Child?” Tiger gasped.
Slade nodded, punched the gas, and turned the wheel hard. “She’s pregnant by me. Justice sent her here to conceal her from the humans during her pregnancy. Very few of us know of her condition.”
“Son of a bitch.” Tiger seemed stunned. “So you’re going to be a daddy. Shit. You got her pregnant. What did she do to make that happen?”
“It was natural.”
“Shit,” Tiger growled again. “We can get them pregnant? Somebody should have told us that. I guess I better cancel my date with the woman from the city who inspects construction. I sure don’t want to be a daddy too. My life is hard enough to deal with on my own but a mate and child?” He shook his head. “Not interested.”
Slade shot him a surprised look. “I didn’t know you were attracted to humans. I thought you believed they were too fragile.”
“Yeah, well, some of them think I’m pretty cute.” He shrugged. “What’s a cute guy to do? I thought I’d try it. They are too fragile but it might have been fun to allow one to have her way with me a time or two.”“The missing humans better not be anywhere near Trisha. I do want her and our child. Where are these bastards and what are they doing?”
“I don’t know.” Tiger unsnapped his gun holster to gain easier access to his weapon. “But we’ll find them.” He stood, gripping the frame of the windshield. “You drive and I’ll scent. We’ll find them together, faster.”
“I’m going to check on Trisha first. We have enough men to search for those assholes. I just want to make sure she’s safe.”
“Totally understandable. I’ll still keep my nose at work. I can at least radio the teams if I catch their scent.”
* * * * *
“Trisha!” Brass yelled.
Trisha jumped, nearly slipping on the wet tub floor. She grabbed the water handles and turned them off. The bathroom door slammed into the wall when someone threw it open. A stunned and naked Trisha gasped when Brass suddenly yanked back the shower curtain. He pulled her out of the shower by her arm.
“There are a lot of humans coming this way.” He released her and shoved her clothes into her arms. “Get dressed now. Be quick about it.”
Brass ignored her to step up onto the rim of the tub to peer out the small window. Trisha tried to ignore the fact that she stood dripping wet and naked in the tiny room with him. She fumbled to figure out her T-shirt and yanked it over her head. The material clung to her damp skin. Fear motivated her not to complain about the invasion of privacy. He didn’t seem to even notice she was naked…besides ordering her to dress.
“What is going on?” She yanked up her cotton shorts. “Why would humans be inside the Wild Zone? Are you sure someone is coming? Aren’t they banned?”
“I see two trucks coming with many humans inside.” He jumped down and grabbed Trisha’s arm.
Trisha shoved her shirt down over her lower stomach as Brass hauled her into the living room. Moon and Harley had started to barricade the front door with the couch and they appeared really angry. Brass looked around the room and dragged Trisha toward the fireplace. He reached down, fisted the metal grate that covered it, and shoved it out of way.
“Get inside there.”
She gaped at the dirty fireplace. “Why? It’s really dirty.”
“The fireplace appears to be made solid with rock and mortar. Get your ass inside there now. Bullets shouldn’t go through it and it’s the best place I can think to put you. We’d flee with you but I’m afraid it’s too late. They’d see us and use the trucks to chase us down. Protecting you and your baby is our priority. Get inside there now and curl into a ball.”
Trisha cringed but she lowered to her hands and knees. It wasn’t a comfortable fit but she sat on her butt in ashes with her knees drawn up tight against her chest. Her forehead rested on her knees and she wrapped her arms around her bent legs. She couldn’t lift her head all the way up without banging it into the flue. The interior of the fireplace wasn’t tall enough. She watched with growing fear as the three men prepared for the worst.
The cedar chest was pushed in front of the door with the couch. For good measure, Moon shoved a heavy side table against that. Harley ran to the kitchen table and flipped it over onto the floor facedown. The legs were snapped off with a little help from his boot and strong hands. He lifted the heavy, thick wood of the tabletop and ran for the windows near the door. He dropped it in front of the glass so only inches of sunlight showed at the top. He shoved the loveseat in front of it to keep it in place.
Brass rushed inside the kitchen to tear out the fridge from the hole where it sat and shoved it against the back door. It completely blocked the entire opening and he grabbed the stove.
“Gas line!” Trisha yelled.
Brass froze and peered at her. “Thanks. I wouldn’t have remembered.” He leaned behind the large appliance for a few seconds to remedy the potential problem before he tore the disconnected stove away from the wall. He shoved it against the fridge.
“The top floor should be secure,” Moon called out. “There’s nothing around it high enough for them to climb up there and they can’t leap the way the felines and primates do.”
“I have no signal.” Harley cursed viciously while he gripped a cell phone.
“Parts of the cabin seem to block it,” Brass informed him. “I had to walk around a bit to get service. Try by the base of the stairs. It seemed strongest there.” Something broke inside the kitchen.
Trisha watched as Brass tore apart the counter, using his massive strength to just rip off a section, which he slammed over the single kitchen window. He turned, studied the kitchen for a second, before he hurried back into the living room.
“Get your duffle bag,” Brass ordered Moon. “Use the top floor to take out as many of them as you can. You’re authorized for deadly force. It’s my call and I’m making it.”
Moon nodded grimly and turned his head to stare at Trisha. “Should I take her up there with me?”
“No. She’s safer there, better protected from stray bullets. You’ll be drawing fire when you open up on those terrorists.” Brass glanced at Trisha and held her gaze. “Do not move your ass no matter what happens. Do you understand me? If one of us goes down, doctor or not, don’t move an inch. You think of that baby.”
Fear gripped Trisha when the trucks were close enough for her human ears to pick up the sound. Moon dragged out a duffle bag from a closet near the front door and tore it open. He hadn’t packed clothes inside the large, long bag. Instead he unloaded two rifles and gripped the handle of the duffle, taking it with him as he hurried up the stairs.
Harley walked to his bag and Trisha watched him unloading handguns and ammunition. He glanced at Brass. “Do you want the front or the back position?”
“I’ll take the back. Humans always seem to think they can creep up on us. I think the attack along the back side will be far worse and I’m a better shot.”
“Yeah,” Harley snorted. “We’ll see about that. I bet I can take out more of those terrorists than you can.”
“I’m sure they are just lost,” Trisha urged, hoping that was the case. “Please don’t shoot someone unless you have to.”
Brass met her gaze. “There are two trucks of humans trespassing inside the Wild Zone and Slade would never send them in this direction with you here. They would have a Species escort and Slade would have warned us to move you to keep you out of sight if they had permission. They are here to do harm. Keep your ass where you are.” He grabbed a side table and shoved the lamp to the floor where glass shattered as it broke. He pushed the table near her to block the hole and trap her there.“You move from that spot and I’ll blister your ass with a leather belt,” Brass growled at her. “Do you understand? You won’t sit for a week.”
Shocked, Trisha stared at him. Brass suddenly grinned and winked.
“I know enough about human children to know that’s an effective threat.” His smile died. “And I mean it.” He spun away, heading for the back wall of the cabin to a window.
Trisha heard brakes and engines died, letting her know the trucks had stopped outside. She heard male voices. It just has to be some kind of mistake. The guys are just freaking out and overreacting. They have to be. No one knows I’m in the cabin and no one is coming to hurt me or my baby. It is all just a big misunderst—
“Are any of you fucking animals inside there?” a male voice yelled from outside. “Come out and let us put you out of your fucking misery.”
Laughter sounded and Trisha tensed. Okay. It isn’t a misunderstanding. They’re here to do harm. The men outside weren’t looking for her personally but instead were searching for any New Species they found. She locked her focus on Harley by the front window and knew he would be able to see them best. He looked calm to her. She felt anything but. Her terror mounted as the seconds ticked by, praying they’d just leave. She didn’t want Brass or the guys to get hurt protecting her.
“Let’s go in and get us some animal skin,” another jerk laughed.