True(10)

She reached out and covered his hand with hers where it rested on the floor as he crouched over her. His face was only inches from hers. She curled her fingers around the back of his fist. He felt really warm, where she was so cold. She clung to him as tightly as possible.

He glanced down at the contact but didn’t jerk away from her touch. She was afraid he might. Blood soaked her hand, staining his as well. She half expected him to get pissed. She just longed to touch him. She was scared to die alone.

He lifted his gaze to hers. He turned his hand under her palm and tightly clasped her fingers. Gratitude filled her that he’d care enough to attempt to give her some comfort. She licked her lips again, desperate to get words out.

“I tried to save them all. Did they make it? Did they all survive?”

He blinked. “They made it. No Species died.”

Tears blinded her but she blinked them back, desperate to keep him in focus. She’d succeeded in saving all the men and women trapped inside the building. It had come at a high price but she had known the risks when she’d driven to work that morning. So many of them—all those lives were more important than hers. She closed her eyes and a sense of peace came, blocking out some of the pain.

“Shiver?” He growled her name. “Open your eyes.”

The demand was one she couldn’t resist as she peered at him again. He’d inched closer until his warm breath fanned her lips. Breathing took effort as she struggled to make her lungs keep functioning. Blood loss and her body going into shock were taking their toll. She hoped she smiled when she tried, wanting to convey to him that it was okay.

“Don’t die,” he rasped. “Hang on.” He glanced away. “Faster!” His tone deepened. “Get over here.”

“Move!” a man yelled and something heavy clattered to the floor behind her. The coat she wore was jerked hard, fabric tore and she couldn’t prevent the whimper when gloved hands explored her now-exposed side.

“You will be fine,” 710 said, drawing her attention. “Just stay with me.” He nearly crushed her smaller hand with his, as if he could force the issue by clinging to her tighter.

“Shit,” the medic cursed.

“Fix her,” 710 snarled.

“It’s bad,” the medic answered. “Jed, get your ass over here. Open the kit and start an IV.”#p#分页标题#e#

Her mouth opened. She didn’t have the energy to tell 710 any of the things she always wanted to say if they’d ever been alone without the risk of being overheard by Dean Polanitis or the people who’d worked for him. It was important that 710 understood how he’d changed her life and made her realize her purpose was to save his kind. He was the motivation that had given her the courage to conquer her fears. Not a day had passed since she’d laid eyes on him that he hadn’t filled her thoughts or haunted her dreams.

“Shiver,” he said a little louder, “stay with me.”

Blackness claimed her.





Chapter Two




Tim Oberto shot his team an infuriated look. “You damn near allowed her to die.”

Trey Roberts, his second-in-command, cleared his throat. “Sir, how was the team supposed to know it would upset a rescued female that much? The woman in question was an employee. How many New Species have been murdered at their hands? I’m sorry the New Species female was that distressed but employees of those hellholes aren’t our priority. We immediately got that woman medical help once the situation exploded. She’s going to make it.”

“She almost didn’t!” Tim yelled. “I know it’s your job to stand up for the teams but we both know they fucked up. Justice is going to be up my ass because we upset one of their females. She attacked one of our men, trying to defend that employee. Did she ask for help for the injured woman, or not, before she threw him into a wall to get his boot off the employee’s ass?”

“She did,” a team member admitted. “But hell, the bitch had a gun when we reached that floor. She sat there facing us with a weapon and it’s lucky we didn’t just open fire and blow her head off. I would have taken the shot if she’d been a man.”

The doors opened and Tim flinched as Justice North and a dozen large New Species males stomped into the room. Tim recognized how angry Justice was by the narrowing of his catlike eyes and the fact that his lips were parted enough to reveal his sharp canines. Tim waited as Justice stalked closer.

“What is your directive?” Justice snarled.

Tim straightened his shoulders and met Justice North’s heated stare. “To assist in the rescue of all New Species.”