New Species 03 Valiant by Laurann Dohner Read Free Book Online Page B

“I want you to stay inside this
    room. It shouldn’t take more than five minutes. If they
    won’t leave, I’ll―”
    Tammy brought the lamp down hard on the back of
    his head. The glass base shattered and rained down
    Valiant’s back to the floor. He grunted and spun around
    to face her. Oh, I’m so screwed. I didn’t hit him hard
    enough. She could have hit him with more force but had
    been afraid of hurting him too severely. He appeared
    utterly taken aback as he stared down at her when he
    straightened to his full height but then his eyes rolled
    back and he swayed before collapsing onto the carpet.
    Tammy stared down at him with the broken lamp still
    clutched in her hands.
    She instantly tossed it aside and dropped to her
    knees beside his body. She checked Valiant’s pulse, found
    it strong and steady, and her fingers brushed through his
    hair where she’d hit him. She could feel a slight bump
    forming but there wasn’t any blood. His chest rose and
    fell easily as she climbed to her feet, sure that he
    wouldn’t be out long. She needed to leave before he
    woke. She was pretty sure he’d be super pissed at her for
    knocking him out.
    “Son of a bitch.” Her hands shook as she quickly
    finished dressing and shoved her feet into her shoes. She
    shoved her destroyed bra down the front of her pants,
    not wishing to leave it behind but wanting to keep it
    hidden after she left. A glance at Valiant showed he
    remained sprawled on his side on the floor. She took a
    step closer, hesitated at leaving him, and a twinge of
    regret flooded her. Maybe I should stay and— No! What
    am I thinking? He wants to keep me forever and we’re
    strangers. That would be nuts! She fled.
    He’d locked the bedroom door and she had to unbolt
    it to leave. She glanced down the hallway at a few closed
    doors but the stairs were within sight. She ran for them.
    When Valiant came to she knew he would be really upset.
    She’d hit him with his own lamp and knocked him out
    cold. It was very doubtful he’d understand she’d done it
    to make sure he wasn’t hurt and she didn’t want to stick
    around to find out if she could reason with him.
    She ran down the stairs to the large entryway. She
    unlocked the double doors, tossed them open and
    stumbled from his house.
    She slammed the door behind her and walked quickly
    down the path. Her arms crossed over her chest to hide
    the fact that her bra was missing. She hoped no one
    would notice since she didn’t want to have to explain.
    She spotted her work van, four Jeeps, and the other
    catering truck parked on the other side of the fence. Men
    had already entered the yard through the gate.
    They were New Species. A ll wore black fatigues with
    NSO emblems in stark white on their chests and they
    carried real guns along with what she assumed were
    tranquilizer guns. She’d seen a few of the New Species
    officers from a distance at the front gate when she’d
    entered Reservation. A thirty-foot wall protected the
    boundary of it and men dressed in those same uniforms
    had patrolled the top of the wall. The ones in Valiant’s
    yard stopped.
    “Hi.” Tammy didn’t look at their faces, keeping her
    gaze averted instead. “I’m fine.” She walked faster toward
    the gate and around the men who stood blocking her
    way.
    “Tammy!” Ted rushed forward. “A re you all right?”
    She kept moving and nearly plowed into one of the
    NSO officers, but he jumped back.
    “I’m fine, Ted. I’m going home. I’ve had a stressful
    day but I’m really fine. We talked and he let me go.
    Problem solved,” she flat-out lied.
    A man moved into her path when she walked
    through the open gate to where the vehicles were
    parked. “A re you all right?”
    She recognized the deep voice immediately as being
    Tiger’s. She stopped and lifted her chin to peer into his
    strange features, not shocked that he appeared to be part
    feline. Not only did his name give it away but he had
    some features that