New Species 10 Moon by Laurann Dohner Read Free Book Online Page A

held him now. The slow rise and fall of his bare chest assured her he lived.
    “I’m here, Moon.”
    He must have heard her because his eyes snapped open. He sat up so fast it startled a gasp from Joy. Moon came off the bed in a fluid motion and his big body slammed into the bars. Long, lean fingers gripped the thick metal as he snarled. His dark gaze narrowed as he stared directly at her, his sharp fangs bared.
    “Easy,” she crooned, refusing to back away. He couldn’t reach her.
    He sniffed loudly and snarled again.
    “It’s Joy. Do you remember me, Moon?”
    His eyes narrowed further as he sniffed louder.
    “Please remember me.” She held very still. “I’m your friend.”
    He suddenly shoved away from the bars and turned to glance around the cell. He lunged at the back wall, hit it with his fists and growled when it didn’t break. He turned, attacked another wall, and Joy feared he’d hurt himself.
    “Stop it!”
    He jerked his head in her direction and paused.
    “Easy,” she whispered. She kicked off her high heels and stepped away from them. She slowly lowered to the floor to sit on the hard surface, hoping he’d see her as less of a threat. “It’s okay, Moon.” Her hands adjusted her skirt to avoid flashing her panties as she crossed her legs to get comfortable. “I’m here with you. You’re not alone.”
    He turned to face her, stalked closer and gripped the door. It rattled when he fisted the bars and shook them enough to make the muscles in his arms strain but they wouldn’t give. He sniffed at her again but lowered to his knees.
    “That’s it. Remain calm.” She smiled. “You don’t want to break your hands. You’d need a jackhammer to dent the metal or concrete.”
    He kept hold of the bars as he pressed his face against them. His intense stare locked on her and she realized that she studied a stranger. Moon’s personality wasn’t there, nor was there any sign that he recognized her. At least, nothing that she could assess. He peered at her as if he didn’t even know what she was. The memory of pinning her to the wall a few hours earlier seemed to have been erased.
    “It’s going to be okay. I’m going to somehow help you.”
    One of his hands released the metal to slip between the bars as he reached out to her. She wanted to go to him but wasn’t foolish enough to believe it would be safe. Just because he seemed calm didn’t mean he wouldn’t bite the hand she offered or try to rip her arm from the socket.
    “I wish I could but you need to talk to me first.”
    The elevator doors slid open behind them and Moon jerked his arm inside the bars, stood, and snarled. Joy turned her head to watch Rusty carry a folding chair and blanket closer. A loud howl ripped through the room and she gaped at Moon.
    He attacked the bars and slammed his shoulder against them, trying to batter them down. Joy stood and faced the Species woman. “He was calm.”
    “Not anymore.” Rusty set down the chair and dropped the blanket on it. “I’ll have them sedate him again before he hurts himself.”
    “No, don’t. He was fine until you came.” Joy glanced at Moon again, saw his agitated state as he kept trying to break through the bars, and made a decision. “Leave us alone.”
    “I’m supposed to stay here. We’re females and shouldn’t be threatening to him.”
    Moon howled again, the sound echoing loudly through the basement. Joy winced. “He was calm until he saw you. Please, Rusty. Go. He’s going to get hurt.”
    The woman hesitated. “I’ll wait inside the elevator but close the doors. I’ll remain on this floor. Yell out if you need assistance.”
    Rusty spun and jogged away. Joy turned and lowered herself back to the floor.
    “Moon?” Her voice softened. “Easy.”
    He stopped attacking the bars as soon as the elevator doors closed, panted from his attack on his cell, and glared at her.
    “It’s only you and me again. Do you remember? We used to talk a lot.”
    He sank