Prologue, 6 Years Earlier
Chapter 1
Low took her crochet hook out of her backpack after sitting down at her desk. She glanced once at her bored-looking study hall instructor, and then back down at the soft green wool. She pulled at the ball, giving herself a little extra thread and began to work. She heard the snickers from the students around her, but she was used to them, and ignored it. She watched her fingers, hypnotized by the systematic motion of the hook: pull, twist, over, under. She felt her anxiety ease and her breathing even out.
"Hey, Loretta."
Low heard the all-too familiar voice of Vivian Jarvis, the pretty, perfect, and extremely nasty, queen of the school.
Low ignored her.
"Freak."
That was one of the minions.
"Grandma."
That was one of their favorite taunts. Low had arrived at this school, looking very different from most of the student body. Add to that her propensity toward "grandma hobbies," like crocheting, knitting, and crossword puzzles and it was the perfect recipe for a social pariah. Low was used to it; she hadn't been popular in her former schools, and she didn't expect to be here. No matter how many young adult novels she read, she knew that it highly unlikely that the dork in one school would ever become head cheerleader in another.
And Low didn't want to be head cheerleader anyway, so these girls could suck it.
Which they probably did, too.
Low's cheeks blushed hotly as soon as she had the thought, and she went back to her work. Her fingers gently caressed the wool. Some wools were stiff, and even oily, but this one wasn't. She'd found the color at her favorite shop, The Gnarled Knitter, and decided it was perfect. It was a dark green, like the color of the huge trees that had taken her breath away when she'd first come to northern California, but it wasn't pure. Grays and browns ran through the thread, and rather than looking like camouflage, it added depth to the color. But it was decidedly itchy, and Low refused to make an itchy blanket for the New Species she would give this to. Their lives had been uncomfortable enough. So she'd washed the skeins by hand, letting it soak in warm water, and then conditioning it. It took her forever to find the right washes and conditioners, because she knew how sensitive New Species were to scents. She rewound the wool, rubbing it against her cheek to test it's softness.
"Aw, Grandma loves her wool."
Ever since Low had moved in with her Uncle Coop four years ago, grandma was the most common name she heard. It had bothered her at first. All she was trying to do was focus and learn, to listen to her teacher's lectures instead of counting the number of sighs the person next to her made, or the way the fluorescent light flickered every five seconds. But it made her stick out like a sore thumb.
Low had ADD, Attention Deficit Disorder, and she'd been heavily medicated for most of her life. She hadn't recognized the difference between a medicated Low, and an unmedicated Low, until her mom had decided that it was made more sense to sell Low's Ritalin than give it to her daughter.
It was ironic; the sister of a sheriff arrested for dealing drugs. If her mother hadn't been selling it when she'd picked up Low from school, then she probably wouldn't have been given the stiff sentence that the judge had handed down. But she had, and in Massachusetts, where they'd lived, that came with a two-year minimum sentence. Low hadn't known anything was going on until a social worker arrived to pick her up from middle school and drove her to a group home. She'd stayed there for two hellish weeks. The girls there had taken one look at her and decided: victim. Low wasn't sure what it was about her that screamed, "kick me," but whatever it was, it seemed to broadcast itself universally to other girls. First in the group home, and then here, at her high school in California.
Low was able to function now with only a low dose of Ritalin, and that was all that mattered. She'd come up with strategies to help her learn. She recorded lectures on her phone while knitting, or making friendship bracelets, which ironically, no one wanted. She had scarves and blankets, hats, mittens, bracelets. She'd made adorable headbands with crocheted flowers, and it was all just piling up in her room.
Until she'd heard about New Species. Low was horrified, not by the New Species, but by what they'd suffered. They'd been created by Mercile, the same pharmaceutical company that made the Ritalin she'd taken every day. New Species were living, breathing test subjects for compounds meant to make super-soldiers. They'd crossed human DNA with that of apes and big cats, like lions and panthers, and then canine species, like wolves. Low made a mental note to google other sorts of canines, wondering if there were other wild canines beside wolves.
Thinking about New Species made her lose count of her stitches. She went back, counting quietly to herself. It was meant to be; all the work she'd been doing to keep herself focused in school now had a place to go. She'd asked her Uncle Coop for some numbers, males and females, and gone about putting together care packages. He'd been out to Reservation a few times, and had even met Justice North. He gave her an estimate, less than one hundred females, less than five hundred males.
That was seven hundred friendship bracelets, a hundred headbands, a hundred cute hats, seven hundred blankets… a hundred scarves. Her first package was almost finished. She'd gone through everything she already had, discarding anything that was too scratchy or… not good enough. She wanted to give the nicest things she had to them. She wanted them to see that people cared about them, and that despite their experiences in the past, not all humans were out to exploit them.
She lost count of her stitches again, and went back. This was the last blanket for this care package. She kept most of it in a plastic bag, worried that working on it in school would saturated it with weird smells, like Sloppy Joes, and whatever overpowering perfume Vivian wore. She pushed her desk a little bit closer to the open window. Now that she became aware of Vivian's perfume, it was all she could smell. A breeze wafted in from outside. Low shivered. She'd expected California to be much warmer, but when it rained, it could rival an autumn day in Massachusetts.
The bell rang, and she stuffed the blanket back in the bag, zipping it shut. One more class. She looked at her watch. The last class was an Advanced Placement English and took up the final two periods of the day. She could finish the afghan, bundle it into her uncle's car, and deliver it after school. She felt a shove at her side, and flew into the lockers, banging her shoulder and sucking in a breath.
"Excuse me, Loretta," a deep voice muttered.
Low resisted the urge to rub her arm, knowing that any sign of weakness would just be used against her. She'd find herself run into four more lockers, slamming into the same shoulder, before the day was over.
The boy who'd pushed her, Joseph Victors, was one of the golden boys of the school. She rolled her eyes at herself. How had she managed to piss off everyone in four years was beyond her. But still, she didn't want to change. She didn't want to up her medication, stop knitting, or change the way she dressed. She had a feeling, even if she did all those things, they'd still hate her.
Low pushed herself away from the locker and fixed the hat that slid low over her forehead. She adjusted it, running a hand over her tightly curled hair at the same time.
Someone plucked at her hat, removing it from her head, and then tossed it at Joseph's retreating figure.
"Ugh," he said, snatching it from the floor, glancing at it quickly, and tossing it into the garbage. "It had pubes all over it."
Tears came to Low's eyes and she looked at the floor quickly as her entire body flamed with embarrassment. The hallway erupted into laughter and she pushed through the bodies, almost running to her class. Another body slammed into hers, and she gave up, rushing instead to the nearest bathroom.
It was a one-stall bathroom, meant for teachers. She locked the door and gripped the sink, trying to stifle the sobs building in her chest. She caught a look at her face, and bit her lip. Her hair was wild, brown and gold, and fuzzing out around her head. Her golden brown eyes looked even lighter against her dark skin. She pushed the heels of her hands into her eyes, but she could still see her classmates' stupid, mocking faces.
She had three more months of school; she could do this. She pulled an elastic off her wrist and gathered her hair at the back of her head. She pulled it around her hair, not needing to tie it even once. Her cheeks were still red, and her neck was flushed. She heard the warning bell ring, but ignored it. The halls would be empty in a minute, and she'd accept the tardy if it meant making it through the halls without incident.
At the end of AP English, Low dashed to her car. She shoved her backpack into the front seat, and pulled out of the school lot as fast as she could. She slowed once she reached Main Street, pulling into a parking spot at The Gnarled Knitter. The door chimed when she opened it and the woman behind the counter smiled widely.
"Low!"
Yasmine, the owner, loved Low. The first time Low had wandered into the store, picking up yarn, and exclaiming delightedly over the knitted onesies and sweaters, Yasmine had seen a kindred spirit. They'd spent hours together, knitting and sipping tea. Low had worked in the store the last two summers, teaching classes and inventorying merchandise.
Yasmine took one look at Low and folded her arms over her chest. "What happened?"
Low pulled her elastic out of her hair and speared her fingers into it. "Just another day in paradise."
Yasmine sighed. "Damn, hon, I'm sorry. High school sucks."
Low laughed, but it was bitter sounding.
Yasmine was quiet, watching Low as she walked around the story, picking up skeins and holding them up to the light.
"Have you talked to your dad lately?" Yasmine asked, changing the subject in an attempt to pull Low out of her depression.
Low smiled and nodded. "Yeah. We Skyped last night. He's still at sea, but he'll be pulling into San Diego later in the month. Uncle Cooper is going to bring me down as soon as his newest deputy finishes the Academy."
"Poor Sheriff," Yasmine laughed. "Overworked and underpaid."
Low smiled. "Definitely overworked. He's spent a lot more time up at Reservation than he wants." Low giggled. "Last night, he came home covered in lipstick. Apparently a busload of women were dropped off at the gates. It was like Mardi Gras. Kept lifting their shirts, trying to get the officers' attention."
Yasmine rolled her eyes and smacked her forehead. "They give humans everywhere a bad name."
"Mate Hunters," Low told her.
Yasmine's eyes widened. "Whaaaaaat?"
Low nodded. "They think if they flash the officers, they won't be able to control themselves, and will mate them. Half of them had warrants. They were hoping to make it onto Reservation so they wouldn't be sent to jail. Instead, Uncle Cooper had to borrow the school's fifteen passenger van and cart them all to Sacramento."
Low found a beautiful skein of yarn. It wasn't wool, and was so incredibly soft. It was made of blues, and reminded Low of the ocean on a cloudy day.
"It's cashmere," Yasmine told her.
"It's gorgeous," Low replied. She looked at the price on the basket and winced, but mentally calculated how many skeins she could afford. She could make a scarf, maybe a leaf cowl…
"Employee discount," Yasmine reminded.
Low groaned. "Sold."
Low began tossing the skeins to Yasmine, who walked backward to the counter, catching them on her way.
"Nice," Low complimented.
Yasmine chuckled, wrapping the skeins in tissue paper before putting them into a bag, and totaling up the cost. Low counted out her cash and handed it over.
"You'll be here tonight?" Yasmine asked. "We have the beginner's class at six."
Low nodded. "I have an errand to run, and then I'll be back."
Yasmine passed the bag to her. "I made empanadas," she told her, "so don't worry about dinner."
Low leaned over the counter and gave Yasmine a quick peck on the cheek. "You're too good to me," she told her.
Yasmine shook her head, her eyes getting a little sad. "You deserve good."
Low felt a lump form in her throat. "I've got you, and I have Uncle Coop," Low reassured her. "And my dad will visit soon. Good stuff is on the horizon!"
She gave Yasmine a small wave and ducked out to her car, starting it and pointing it in the direction of Reservation. Hopefully she could spread a little of the good feeling there today.
Low slowed her car down, and leaned over her steering wheel. There were a lot more people here than she expected. She eyed the protestors narrowly.
Assholes, she thought after reading their signs. She clenched the wheel tighter.
She could see New Species officers on the top of the wall surrounding the entrance. Hers was not the only car trying to get in. She was three or four cars back. She saw a turnaround, and the first car in line was being directed to back up and leave. Low hadn't considered being sent away. She turned around and looked at the wrapped items in the backseat. Maybe she should have called first.
But it was just a quick drop off. It seemed easy enough when the idea first occurred to her. The people who'd been sent away revved their engine, tires squealing and kicking up dirt. The passenger leaned his head out the window and shouted something angrily at the officers.
The driver met Low's stare, and without thinking, Low flipped them the bird. He returned the gesture, but kept driving.
Low sat up straight. If this is what New Species had to deal with every day, then they had something in common, and she was more determined than ever to give them her handmade gifts. The next car was turned around, but the one in front of her was waved through the gates.
Low's heart pounded. She watched the officer's directions and followed them carefully as she slowly pulled forward.
"What is your business here?" the officer asked her. His face was covered, but his voice was clear and deep.
Low's voice stuck in her throat. She cleared it quickly.
"My name is Loretta Jacobs," she said. "Ummm… I made some things for Reservation. I just wanted to drop them off."
She waved a hand at the backseat, and the officer peeked inside, looking behind her.
"I'm sorry. No."
"I can open them for you," she babbled. "I'm sorry. I didn't think. I should have left it so you could see what they are. It's just blankets, and scarves, some hats. Bracelets." She ticked off the items in the packages. "I made them all myself."
Something around the officer's eyes softened, but he still shook his head. "No, Ma'am," he told her. "We don't accept any gifts."
Low's stomach clenched, but she nodded her head. "I'm sorry," she whispered, feeling inordinately disappointed. "Of course. I'm sorry for taking up your time."
She pointed to the turnaround. "Should I just turn around right there?" she asked.
The officer nodded, and stepped back.
Low was embarrassed. She should have thought of all of these possibilities before she drove out here. But the larger part of her was just plain sad. She had wanted to do something nice for New Species and now she couldn't.
Low pulled her car into the turnaround, and moved slowly ahead, lost in her thoughts. Screeching tires and screams made her gasp and look around quickly. A car, the first one that had been turned around, was now barreling toward the two officers at the gates. Low acted without thinking. She slammed her foot on the gas, rocketing forward. She saw the two men through her driver's side window. She saw the purpose and the hate on their faces. She closed her eyes; her entire body clenching in preparation for collision. She heard the other car's brakes, but it didn't slow them in time. Her entire world became a pinprick of light, and heat, and pain, and then, mercifully, there was nothing.
Chapter 2
Bestial stood up from the conference table, stretching and groaning.
"I would not have volunteered to be a council member, if I had known the chairs would be so uncomfortable, and that I would be expected to sit in them so long," he complained.
Jaded slapped him on the shoulder good-naturedly, but with just enough force to push him forward. "It is tough getting old," he laughed. "Isn't that what the humans say?"
Bestial growled. "I wouldn't know," he answered.
Bestial grabbed the suit coat from the back of his chair. He stuck his arms in it, and almost growled again as he buttoned it. It was too tight, too constraining. He ripped it off and unbuttoned the dress shirt, tearing that off as well until he was only in his white, short-sleeved undershirt. He panted for a moment, his shoulders heaving.
"You good?" Jaded asked, eyeing him strangely.
"Sometimes these clothes are too much," Bestial said, trying to calm his breathing. "It overwhelms me."
Jaded nodded sympathetically. "I understand," he said.
Justice North smiled at them tightly from where he was speaking on his phone. He hung up. "The helicopter will be here in five."
"Is something wrong?" Bestial asked, picking up on Justice's tension.
Justice pulled the elastic from his hair, and then began to gather it back up in his hands. "Jessie's brother will be arriving on the helicopter."
"Ah," Bestial replied. Jake Hill was a former Special Operations officer, and a current freelancing soldier. He had been following leads for New Species Organization, trailing some of Mercile's financial backers who had fled to non-extradition countries. He was helping them re-think their decision, often at gunpoint, onto a plane for new digs at Fuller Prison.
"Is he bringing anyone with him?" Bestial asked, his voice barely above a snarl.
Justice shook his head. "No. But he did drop someone off at Fuller. The man who had Half-Pint. Strangely enough, he needed medical attention, but the staff at Fuller was fully prepared to meet his needs."
Bestial's eyes narrowed. Half-Pint was a Gift female and had been horribly abused. Gifts were genetically engineered to be small and weak, and were often given to some of Mercile's donors in exchange for favors or money. These donors were some of the worst humans Bestial had ever met, and given his history, that was saying something.
His thoughts turned dark, as they often did when he thought of his past. He could be jerked into memories faster than he would ever admit to. Sometimes just a sound, or a smell, could transport him in time. He could feel the fists beating his body, or the poison the technicians injected into his veins.
Pounding on the conference room door interrupted his musing before tit was thrown open.
"Justice," an enraged-looking male said. "'We have a problem at the front gate."
Justice hurried forward, following the male out the door with Bestial and Jaded close behind.
"What is it?" Justice asked.
"A human was injured," the male answered. "Severely injured. We're trying to extract her from her vehicle, but the protestors took the opportunity and swarmed. We're having difficulty getting to her, and the officers outside the gate are losing control of the crowd."
"Did you send in the Task Force?"
"All officers are being diverted to the entrance, but one of the officers refuses to leave the human's side. The officers can't control the crowd, protect the officer, and aid the human."
"I want to help," Bestial said, not waiting for a reply, and sprinting out of the building. He followed the stream of New Species who apparently had the same idea. He kicked off his shoes, irritated by the sound of the slapping soles against the concrete. He was faster without them, and kicked his body into high gear.
"Bestial," Jaded said from behind him. "Wait. Damnit."
Bestial didn't listen. He vaulted over the automatic barrier and into the throng of people, uncaring about the possible danger.
He saw the t-boned car right away, and the New Species officer who was refusing to leave the scene. Other officers held back the crowd. He could see the water canons being readied, and knew that in a moment, the officers would pull back, and the crowd would be forcibly pushed away from the scene.
He appeared next to the officer, who hissed at him before realizing who he was.
"The assholes disappeared," he snarled. "Just rammed into her, jumped out of the car, and disappeared into the crowd."
Bestial looked into the smaller car. A human girl lay sprawled unconscious in the driver's seat. Her head was bleeding, and Bestial could see a trickle of blood leaking from her ear. Her door was crushed, and her body was pinned between the center console and the door. He could see the gentle rise and fall of her chest, but it was shallow, and slow.
"Help me pull the other car away," he growled, moving quickly to the driver's side.
The officer reached the passenger door and the two of them yanked the car back, giving them access to the girl's door. He had the same idea as Bestial, and now that the car was out of the way, pulled at her door. The metal groaned and screeched, tearing away from the frame. Bestial added his muscle to the task and they flung the door to the ground. The girl's body fell sideways, but Bestial moved quickly, catching her torso.
"Don't move her!" the officer said desperately. "We don't know the extent of her injuries."
"I know that," Bestial growled.
The girl's hair tickled his nose, but he didn't want to risk moving her back into the car. Instead he stayed where he was, keeping as still as possible. Bestial could smell her blood, and fear, as well as her natural underlying scent. It was different than anything Bestial had ever scented before and it made his stomach clench. The officer came closer to him and Bestial had to swallow back a warning.
He heard the sound of the water canons and the resulting yells and shouts from the crowd. It had the desired effect. The crowd moved away from the collision and the officers and medical professionals could contain the scene.
Bestial watched the girl's face. She was very young.
"Who is she?" he asked the officer, the one who had taken off the door with him, and seemed to be determined not to leave the scene.
"Loretta Jacobs," the male answered. "Brought us presents."
Bestial heard the groaning of metal and felt the girl's body shift.
"Hold onto her," someone told him.
I will not let go, he thought.
He heard a loud crack, and the girl tumbled out of the car. Bestial caught her easily, cushioning her body. He could smell a fresh wave of blood and he snarled. He was immediately surrounded by the medical team. They directed him to lay her on the ground, and he found himself unwilling. He had to force his hands to open, but he could not force his body to leave.
He watched them work over her, cutting at her clothes. Her arm was bent at an unnatural angle, and he saw the white gleam of bone poking through her tights. She was an adorable girl. She managed to be small and curvy at once, and Bestial was entranced by her skin. It was dark, like chocolate, but her fuzzy, curly hair was light, gold and brown.
"Loretta Jacobs is Sheriff Cooper's niece," he heard someone say.
"Why didn't she just tell me that?" the officer asked. "I would have let her in. This never would have happened."
Bestial heard them all, but their words didn't sink in. He couldn't look away from the girl. One of the paramedics stabilized her neck and shoulders while another held her waist, and a third held her legs. He couldn't see her while they worked, and he strained his neck, trying to get a glimpse. They rolled her to the side and then back onto a backboard. They lifted her up and brought her to the entrance. Bestial found himself following.
"Where are you going?"
He looked over in surprise. He'd forgotten about Jaded.
"With the girl," he answered, hardly knowing what he was saying.
"Why?" Jaded asked, genuinely confused.
"I have to," Bestial answered, not sure why he had to, but positive that if he didn't, he would lose control.
Jaded cocked his head, and blinked slowly, the way only a ponderous feline could.
"Okay," he finally answered. "I will go with you."
Bestial didn't respond, he merely followed the medical personnel back onto Reservation.
Bestial wandered the medical center halls. He was surprised by the number of New Species who had gathered to check on the girl. He heard them talking about her, and he saw them part to make way for a frantic looking Sheriff Cooper. The white-haired man looked years older than the last time Bestial had seen him.
"Where is she?" he'd asked, his voice broken. "Where's Low?"
Bestial watched jealously as the younger Dr. Harris wrapped an arm around the Sheriff's shoulders and led him into the girl's room.
Low.
Her name was Low.
Bestial paced, rubbing at his scalp before bringing his hands up to his face. He could smell the girl on him. He could smell her all over him. He was alarmed by the feeling of comfort it gave him.
The officer from the entrance sat in a chair, his leg bouncing on the tiled floor. Bestial had learned his name was Field. He seemed just as worried about the girl as Bestial, and for some reason, that bothered him. Justice strode down the halls, blinking at Bestial before entering Low's room.
Bestial wanted in.
He was a council member. Why shouldn't he go in? No one was stopping him. He walked purposefully to the room, and opened the door.
Sheriff Cooper held Low's hand in his, staring at the unconscious girl while speaking angrily to Justice.
"Why didn't you just let her in? Look at her? You think she's a threat?"
Justice spoke calmly, "You know how careful we have to be. We did not know who she was, or what she was here for. If she had called, she would have been admitted. But we do not let people drop by, Sheriff, you know that."
The man sighed, and brought the girl's hand to his face, rubbing the back of it against his cheek.
"She wouldn't have thought to call. She gets an idea and she runs with it. She's impulsive. Doesn't plan."
"She had a car full of gifts, did you know that?"
"What?" the Sheriff asked, surprised, before making strangled laugh. "Of course she did. I bet I know what it was, too. Bunch of blankets? Handmade? Crazy girl." He shook his head, and Bestial was surprised to see the older man's eyes fill with tears.
The girl made a sound from the bed, a groan. Sheriff Cooper immediately leaned forward, and Bestial found himself stepping forward as well. Justice looked up at him and frowned with a look that said, you'll explain yourself later.
"Low," Cooper said quietly. "Loretta."
The girl's eyes fluttered and then opened. Bestial gasped. Her eyes were beautiful, a strange golden brown that stood out against the darkness of her skin. Her eyebrows drew together, confused, and she looked around the room.
"What happened?" she asked.
"Loretta Jacobs," the Sheriff sighed, shaking his head.
Low met Bestial's eyes and hers widened, but it wasn't fear that Bestial saw, it was something else he couldn't place. Then she looked around, taking in the machines and the bed.
"Uncle Coop," she said, her voice tiny and scared.
"You were hit by a car, Low," the Sheriff explained. "Do you remember that?"
She shook her head, her hair sticking to the pillow. "I left Yasmine's because I had my care package finished. That's all I remember. Did I hurt anyone?" Her lip trembled and she bit it.
Bestial growled, upset by her distress. Justice sent him warning look, and Bestial returned it. He was not intimidated by Justice North.
The girl looked over at him. "Did I hit your car?" she asked.
Bestial's lips twitched and he smiled. "No," he said gruffly, "You did not hit my car. You were hit by a car."
"I was hit by a car?" she clarified.
Bestial growled, "Yes."
"How?" Her eyes went back and forth between Bestial and her uncle's. She seemed to be having as hard a time as him focusing.
"You drove into the path of a car that was trying to run over a New Species officer," Justice said.
Low's eyes widened. "I did? Was everything ruined? I had things for you all."
She looked over at Bestial as if for reassurance.
"I will find out," he told her.
She nodded. "Thank you," she said.
Bestial nodded, not looking at Justice, who he could feel staring at him. Low's eyes began to drift closed.
"I'm sorry, Uncle Coop," she said. "I'm so tired."
"You just go to sleep, honey," he said, patting her hand. "It's okay. You're good."
Low nodded her head on the pillow. She opened her eyes and pinned Bestial with her golden stare. "Thanks."
"You're welcome, Low," he said, liking too much the way her name felt coming out of his mouth.
"I'll be right back," he heard Justice say, following him out of the room.
"What are you doing?" he asked Bestial, as soon as the door closed behind him.
"I'm going to find out what happened to her gifts," he replied, purposefully misunderstanding him.
"Bestial," Justice growled.
Bestial stopped, taking deep breaths and trying to figure out how to answer Justice's question. The truth was, he didn't know why he was remaining around Low, forcing himself into a situation where he had no business being.
He heard Justice growl again, and he snarled in response, his emotions close to the surface, making it hard for him to control his instincts. They were shouting at him to get back to the hospital room, back to Low.
"Bestial." Justice was not going to let this go, and his voice held the promise of a fight if Bestial continued to disobey him.
"I need to be with her," Bestial explained slowly. "I pulled her out of that car and I need to make sure she will recover."
Justice's shoulders relaxed, just a little. "Is that it?"
Bestial wasn't sure, and couldn't lie. "I think so, but…"
The tension returned to Justice's face. "You should leave."
"I cannot. Do not ask me to. I will lose control."
Justice sighed, watching him carefully. "Find out about her gifts. But take your time. Get yourself under control. She is the sheriff's niece, and he is our ally. We do not want to alienate him, or give him any reason to fear us."
Bestial nodded. "I understand."
Justice turned around, going back into Low's room. Bestial watched the door open, and moved, trying to see inside before reminding himself of his task. He forced himself to turn around and leave.
Low woke up to someone squeezing her arm.
"It's okay, human. I am just taking your blood pressure."
Low met the glowing eyes of a woman. She was dressed as a nurse, but her reflective eyes made Low start.
The woman chuckled. "My name is Midnight. I am a nurse and you are at Reservation. You were injured and will remain at our medical center until you can go home."
Low shifted and sucked in a breath.
"You have a broken wrist, two cracked ribs, a concussion, and broken femur. Try not to move."
Low looked down at her body. Her arm was covered in a warm plaster cast and she could see the lump of another cast under the blanket. She moved her toes and grimaced as pain shot up her leg.
"I told you not to move. Do you think this is opposite day?"
Low laughed. "I'm sorry. I couldn't help it. I'm stiff."
Midnight pushed her hair out of her face. "You have interesting hair. I have never seen hair like yours before. Why does it curl and stick up all over your head?"
Low felt her cheeks flush. "Um. I don't know. It just does. Always has."
"Is it because of your race?" The nurse looked at her curiously. Low wondered if she'd ever met someone with skin like hers before, and rather than be offended or sensitive, Low decided to answer as if she was merely seeking information.
"Sort of," Low told her. "My mom is white. But my dad is black. I look like him and often people who are black, have hair like mine. Not always. We're all different, but…" she shrugged, "… it's in the genes, I guess."
Midnight nodded, pointing to her nose. "A lot of New Species have noses like this," she explained. "See how the bridge of my nose is wider than a human's. It is a New Species trait. Your hair is a trait of your DNA."
Low smiled and nodded. "Yup."
Midnight smiled back at her before adjusting her IV. "I'm going to give you some pain meds. It'll help you sleep."
Low shook her head. "Not too much, okay? I don't react very well to medications. I'd rather just deal with the pain than mask it."
Midnight's hand stilled on the machine. "Are you sure? You will be much less comfortable."
Low nodded. "I am. Could I get Tylenol or Advil or something?"
"I need to check with the doctor," Midnight said. "But I don't think that will be a problem."
Low relaxed back into the pillows, looking around the room.
"Did my uncle go home?"
Midnight shook her head. "No. I think he's getting coffee."
"You should make him go home," Low said, using one hand to awkwardly pull the blanket to her chin. "He didn't get much sleep last night. Had to bring a bunch of Mate Hunters to Sacramento. He needs to rest."
Midnight peered down at her. "I like you."
Low felt her eyes fill with tears.
"Why are you crying? Are you offended? I did not think it would bother you to have a New Species be your friend after you brought us a car full of gifts."
Low swallowed hard. "No," she explained quickly, "it's not that. It's just that people don't normally like me."
Midnight blinked at her. "Well I am not 'people,' am I," she said saucily.
Low smiled, her leg aching. "No. I guess not."
There was a knock on her door and her uncle entered. "Hey Miss Loretta, you awake?"
Low groaned. "Not Loretta, Uncle Coop."
Her uncle smiled at her, brushing her hair from her face and kissing her forehead. "You scared me, young lady. What were you thinking, driving out here all by yourself?"
Low's arm began to throb and she shifted on the mattress. "You know me, not much of a thinker."
He narrowed his eyes at her.
"Was everything ruined?" she asked, unable to keep the tremble from her voice.
Before her uncle could answer, the door opened, and another New Species entered. Low remembered him from earlier.
"Hi," she greeted, immediately taken with this tough-looking male.
Her uncle turned around. "Bestial."
"Sheriff Cooper," the male responded. "I wanted to see how Low was."
"I'm okay," she answered, her belly starting to feel fluttery and nervous. She played with a loose thread on the blanket.
"Low was just asking if everything she brought to Reservation was ruined, Bestial," Midnight informed him. "Do you happen to know?"
Low looked up, meeting his eyes. It was as if he'd never looked away from her. "It was fine," he told her. "You had it all wrapped and bagged. Nothing was ruined."
"Nothing?" Low asked, disbelieving.
Bestial shook his head. "Nothing."
Low sighed and then flinched when her ribs protested. Bestial growled. "You need to rest."
Low wanted to argue. She didn't want to rest. She wanted to talk more to this growly mountain man. Male. New Species liked to be called female or male. They weren't human and didn't like those titles applied to them.
"You need to go home, too," she told her uncle, "I'm good here."
"I'm just gonna hunker down in that chair over there," her uncle indicated. "I'm good."
Low sighed, looking over at Midnight.
Midnight winked and it was a disconcerting look. "No visitors. Go home Sheriff. Return in the morning."
Her uncle narrowed her eyes, glancing over at Low who tried to quickly school her features. "I'd argue with you, but I have a feeling I'm outgunned. And honestly, I need some shut-eye."
He looked over at Bestial and Midnight. "You take good care of my girl."
"She will be safe here," Bestial agreed and it made Low clutch the blankets. Something about his deep voice wrapped around her and comforted her.
Her uncle looked at Midnight. "She is safe, Sheriff." Midnight said. "I assure you."
He nodded, dropping a kiss onto Low's forehead. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Bestial step forward before Midnight pinned him with a glare. He stopped in his tracks.
"You get some rest," her uncle reiterated.
"I will," Low answered.
He nodded at Bestial and Midnight and left.
"He's not usually so amenable," Low told them. "I thought I'd have to argue a lot longer." She shifted her body and tried to stretch her neck.
"Have you given her medicine for the pain?" Bestial asked Midnight.
"She doesn't want it."
Bestial stepped forward, growling low. "You are in pain," he said. "I can smell it."
Low blinked. "You can smell me?"
Bestial nodded.
She sniffed desperately. "Do I stink?"
A laugh exploded out of Midnight. "She is worried she smells bad, Bestial."
"No," he replied. "You do not smell bad at all. But your emotions do have a scent. And right now, you are scenting of pain."
"I'll be right back," Midnight said, "With all this talking, I forgot to page Dr. Harris and ask about the Tylenol."
She went out the door, leaving Bestial and Low alone. A sudden wave of nervousness engulfed Low, and she struggled to find something to say. Bestial took in a deep breath.
"You are afraid. I will leave."
"No!" Low called out quickly. "No, I'm not afraid!"
Bestial breathed in again and Low realized that he was smelling her nervousness.
"I'm just nervous," she told him.
"Why?" Bestial asked, sitting in a chair next to her bed. He leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees and regarding her seriously.
"I don't know," Low answered, shifting her body to find a comfortable position. "I just am. You're really handsome."
Low slapped her hand over her mouth. Stupid brain to mouth filter.
Bestial growled and stood up quickly. "I have to go."
"No. I'm sorry!" Low called out. But it was too late. He was gone.
"Where are you going?" Midnight asked as Bestial strode past her.
"I need some fresh air."
"What is wrong with you?" she asked.
Bestial didn't answer. He went out the door of the medical center and out into the night.
"Bestial."
Bestial turned quickly and saw Field. He was in the same uniform. Bestial could smell Low's blood on him.
"What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to see the girl."
Bestial snarled and stepped closer to the male. "Go. Home."
Field's eyes widened, but he didn't back down. He took in a deep breath. "You were with her."
Bestial turned away and Field followed him. "Why do you get to see her and I do not?"
Bestial couldn't answer. Because she is mine, his brain told him. Bestial staggered to a stop.
No. She could not be his. Bestial had met a lot of humans in his time as a council member, and he could tell that this one was young. Very young. Much much too young. Especially for him.
He had seen too much. He had lived through too much. He was not a fit mate for any female, especially not a human one who was barely out of childhood.
"Let her rest, Field." Bestial called over his shoulder.
He heard the male stop. "Fine," Field answered. "But I will see her tomorrow."
It took everything in Bestial not to turn around, back Field into the brick of the Medical Building and snarl, no, you will not. He forced his feet forward, back to the hotel where he would stay another night. Or a week. He didn't know. He just knew that he could not force himself from Reservation right now if he tried.
Low tried not to move too much. Her eyelids were heavy, but she couldn't sleep when ever inch of her body was screaming in pain. The Tylenol that Midnight had given her had barely touched the surface of her discomfort. It was hard to hide it from the nurse, who for some reason continued to check on her every fifteen minutes.
She turned, and in turning, shifted her leg. She cried out without meaning, and the door opened quickly.
"Female," Midnight stated. "You are starting to make me angry."
Low felt tears gather in her eyes and leak down her face. "You don't have to be mean."
Midnight's face immediately softened. "I am not being mean, Low," she explained. "I am concerned for you. You will not get better if you cannot rest. And you cannot rest if you are in pain. Please. Allow me to give you the pain medications so you can sleep."
Low shook her head. "No. It will be bad for a while, but then it will get better. I can do this."
Midnight snarled and stepped closer to the bed. "You are being stubborn."
Low bit her lip. "I just need a distraction," she said. "The pain is all I can think about."
Midnight threw her hands up in the air, slapping them against her thighs. "Well, I am out of distractions at the moment, but would you take some pain meds?"
Low laughed despite herself, but it was tight. Midnight's head cocked to the side and a wicked smile appeared on her face. "Actually," she said, "I may have a distraction…"
The door opened and an unfamiliar New Species male entered the room.
"Hello, Loretta. I am Field. I am the officer who met you at the gates yesterday."
Low tried to smile at him. She pushed with her good hand against the mattress, trying to sit up more. "Hi," she answered. "You can call me Low."
The male breathed in. "You are in pain. Midnight," he said, his tone scolding. "Why is the female in pain?"
Midnight hissed. "Because she is stubborn and won't take pain meds! Argh!" Midnight stomped out of the room and Field looked at Low, confusion evident on his face.
"It's fine," Low said, waving her hand.
The door opened again, and Field was pushed out of the way. "What are you doing here?" A deep voice asked.
Low immediately felt herself relax. She stared into the green eyes of the male who approached her bed, ignoring Field even after posing a question to him.
"I thought you were going to the hotel," Field said.
"I changed my mind," Bestial answered, before turning his back on Field and moving closer to her.
"You hurt."
Low nodded. "It'll get better."
Bestial's nostrils flared. "You will take medicine for this. You will go to sleep."
"I'm not trying to be difficult," Low argued. "I don't like it. The medicine. It's not good for me."
Bestial narrowed his eyes. "You need to sleep."
"I know," Low whispered.
She couldn't tell him why she didn't want the pain meds, about the addiction that ran in her family. Her mother was hooked on prescription pills, and had sold Low's Ritalin prescription to make money to buy the drugs she needed. She'd gone to prison, been paroled, but had gone back only weeks later after trying to steal Oxycontin from a Rite Aid. Low was terrified that the same thing would happen to her. It was one of the reasons why she worked so hard to function on only the smallest dose of Ritalin. She was afraid her system would become dependent on the chemicals. She didn't want them to change who she was. She didn't want to do the things her mother did. She didn't want to become a person who only loved her addiction, who ignored everyone who needed her because she couldn't see past her next fix.
Bestial sat in the chair and Low found herself lost in his gaze. He reached forward and took her hand in his massive one. His hand dwarfed hers, and was scarred and calloused. His other hand covered hers and began to stroke it. He spoke to her, his voice calm and deep, all the while staring into her eyes.
Low focused on the sensation of his hands on hers, and on the cadence of his voice. His words barely penetrated the fog of her over-tired brain. She felt her eyes closing and her body relaxing. With her hand still in his, she drifted off to sleep.
Chapter 3
"She is too young for you," Field stated.
"Shut up."
"She is still in high school," he continued. "I asked."
"I know this."
"You need to go."
Bestial sighed, closing his eyes, his head dipping over Low's hand. "I can't. She needs me."
Field pulled a chair up next to his. "She is eighteen years old," he said. "In the Out World, that is still a child. She lives with her uncle because she cannot live on her own yet. Do you understand?"
Bestial snarled. "I understand, Field. I will not act on my feelings. But I will not leave her right now."
Low twitched and Bestial rubbed his thumb against her wrist. She immediately settled and relaxed into the bed.
Field rubbed at his forehead. "What are you going to do?"
"I do not owe you any explanations."
"This girl saved my life," Field said through clenched teeth. "Her life is linked to mine, and I will make sure she is safe."
Bestial growled, peeling his eyes from Low's form to stare pointedly at Field. "She is not yours to protect."
He saw Field swallow, but the male did not move away, nor did he respond. He merely waited for Bestial to answer. He remained silent, turning back to Low and watching her breathe.
"You will leave when she is recovered?" Field asked, but it wasn't really a question.
Bestial nodded. "I will."
"Good." Field answered. "That is good. She will go back to the human world and move on with her life, and you will go back to your work with the council and to Homeland."
Something inside of Bestial rebelled at the idea of being so far from Low, but he nodded. That was what he must do. Everything Field stated was correct. She was too young. He was too old. Their life experiences were too different. She had a family that cared for her. He had New Species to lead.
Until then, however, until then, he would stay with her.
Low had never felt so accepted in her entire life. Midnight visited her even when she wasn't on shift, and Field brought her crossword puzzles. And Bestial. Bestial was always nearby, bringing her smoothies, or French fries covered in gravy, or nachos. Other New Species, ones who didn't even introduce themselves, would just pop in, opening the door and holding up their arm to show a friendship bracelet. Some of the females came in wearing the headbands she'd made. Low looked over at Bestial. He was wearing a friendship bracelet. She bit her lip to keep from smiling.
He tapped her nose. "Focus."
Low giggled and began again.
"Is it alive?"
Bestial's eyes flicked up to Low's forehead.
"Yes."
"Does it have fur?"
Bestial's head tilted to the side and Low laughed. He was adorable when he was confused. He leaned closer, and Low couldn't help it, her eyes closed. She breathed in his scent.
"It has fur on this card, but the ones I have seen do not look furry. Do I answer according to the card, or life experience?"
Low's eyes shot open.
"This is the kid version, right?" she asked, looking around the bed for the game's cover. She was relieved to see that it was the family version.
"Yes," Bestial answered. "What sorts of things would you think were furry for you but not for me?"
Why did her mind have to go to the lowest common denominator? Whenever she was around Bestial, all she could feel was hormones hormones hormones. She'd never felt like a teenager as much as she did when he was seated across from her.
Low cleared her throat, trying to get her mind back on track. "Does it have legs?"
"Yes."
Crappity crap. There she went again.
"I need a hint."
"It has eight legs," Bestial told her.
Low slumped. "A spider!" she said relieved. "It's a spider."
"Yes," Bestial answered, smiling and flashing his fangs at her.
Low leaned back against the pillows while Bestial dug in the Headbandz box for a card. He took the band off her head and placed it on his own.
"I'm ready." he said.
Low took the cards from his hand and peeled the first one off the top. She scooched closer to him to put the card in the headband, but got distracted by his skin. He had a light smattering of golden freckles along the bridge of his nose, and it was interesting… She moved a little closer, he had the same golden flecks in his green eyes.
"What are you doing?" his gruff voice asked.
Low hadn't realized how closely she was examining him. Her eyes moved from his to his nose and then down to her lips. She moved without thinking, pressing her lips against his. He was still for a moment and Low's eyes snapped open. She automatically pulled back.
"I'm so sorry," she said, wanting to melt into the bed and disappear.
He made a sound between a growl and a groan and then he cupped the back of her head, pulling her face back to his. His lips moved against hers, firm and strong. Low felt herself pulled into his embrace. The hand moving from her neck, down to her back. She inched as close as she could, her good hand coming up to fist his shirt. His lips continued to press and release hers. When he took a breath, Low took advantage. She wanted to taste him, and so she let her tongue trace his lips.
Bestial moaned. Low moved again. She felt something building inside her. All she wanted to do was get as close to him as she could. Her hand released his shirt and traveled over his shoulder to rake through his hair. It was soft, much softer than hers. She let her fingers scratch at his scalp and then graze his ears. His tongue dove into her mouth. Low never felt anything like it. His tongue was warm and strong, and it thrust against her own, tangling with hers, filling her mouth with his taste. She groaned, wishing she could kneel and wrap both arms around him.
His lips tore away from hers, stopping at the corner of her mouth and then trailing along her jaw.
"Bestial," she whispered, all of her longing wrapped around his name.
His hands held her small shoulders and ran down her arms, cupping her elbows. He pulled his face away from hers, until only their foreheads touched. It wasn't enough for Low, she pressed kiss after kiss on his lips until he was chasing her mouth.
"What the hell is going on?!"
Bestial jumped away from Low like he'd been burned.
Her uncle stood in the door. He'd dropped both the coffee and the bag of muffins he'd brought. Low heard shoes in the hall and then Midnight was peering over her uncle's shoulder. She saw her breathe deeply and her eyes narrowed.
Bestial put his hands on his hips and looked at the floor. Low's eyebrows drew together in worry.
"It's okay, Uncle Coop," she said. "I kissed him first."
Her uncle stepped inside, Midnight right behind him. He ignored Low and instead approached Bestial.
"She's a kid."
"I know," Bestial didn't look up.
"I'm not a kid!" Low argued. "I'm eighteen years old! I'm going to college in the fall."
"She's still in high school," her uncle went on.
Bestial just nodded.
"Uncle Coop," Low attempted to get his attention. "It's okay. I'm okay. I wanted to kiss him. I still want to kiss him."
Midnight clamped her hand over her mouth. "Shut up, Loretta. You're making it worse."
Low tore at her hand, pulling it away. "No, I'm not. Uncle Cooper, listen. Please. I like Bestial. I really really like him. Just… It's okay."
She kept saying, it's okay, like everyone would just listen to her, but Low could tell by everyone's faces that it wasn't. And it wouldn't be.
"I think you should leave," her uncle told Bestial.
"No!" Low said quickly, making a move to get off the bed before she remembered that she had a broken leg and couldn't.
"I will."
"No!" Low said again, this time more desperately. "No. Bestial. Don't go. Don't listen to him. You don't need to go. Uncle Coop. Just relax, okay? Don't make him go."
She couldn't help the desperation in her voice and the feeling that something terrible was about to happen.
"Bestial," she said, quickly, needing him to look at her. He didn't. He just continued to stare at the floor.
"Bestial," she said again.
"I'm sorry, Low," he answered, and then walked out the door.
Something inside her snapped. "Stop!" she cried out. "Midnight. You have to stop him." She felt tears run down her face and she hit the bed with both fists, making herself cry out. "Don't make him go!" she begged her uncle, and then desperately, "Bestial!"