Best Friends (New Species #15)(101)

“I’m hungry.”

“Right.” Flirt closed the game and tapped at his screen. “What do you feel like?”

“Mary likes the meat with white gravy all over it, and I want steaks.”

“What kind of meat?” Flirt scowled.

“They sent it to me before. Mary liked it, but she didn’t want any of my fish.”

“I’ll have them check and resend whatever it was.”

“I need to speak to Jaded, too.”

Flirt grinned. “You are going to ask for mate papers?” The male stepped closer, glancing into the room behind him. “Your female agreed to make it legal?”

Lash blocked him by filling the doorway. “Mate papers?”

“Oh. You probably don’t know about them. When a Species mates to a human, we have paperwork to sign to officially make them one of us. It’s some legal thing. It means she’s agreeing to be New Species instead of human.”

It was Lash’s turn to scowl.

“It’s some weird agreement or something Justice created to keep the humans from demanding we return our mates. I think.” Flirt shrugged. “All our males sign those papers with their human mates.”

“I don’t have to marry her, then?”

“You should do that too. I think it’s strange, but it seems to make the females very happy.” He lowered his voice. “Humans are different from us.”

Lash nodded. “I need to talk to Jaded. I want these mate papers and a marriage to make Mary happy. I also need a safe room.”

“What’s that?”

“Mary won’t sleep on my bed in my domain. She says it’s too high.”

“We’re felines. We like heights. Humans probably fear them.”

“I need a cave built with secure doors, to put a bed on the floor inside for her. Jaded will know how to get that made.”

“I’ll call the kitchen downstairs, and then let him know you want to talk to him.”

Lash started to close the door but hesitated. “Thank you.”

Flirt’s mouth fell open.

Lash closed and locked the door, but he smiled. Those two words weren’t hard to say, and Mary would be pleased when he told her after she woke from her nap.

He paced around the room, going to the slider to peer out. The view was good but he missed his domain. He hoped he could return to it soon with Mary.

It was tempting to go up on the roof to be able to see in all directions, but the food would come quickly once it was cooked. His mate might hear the knock and try to open the door if he wasn’t there. He didn’t want to risk that. She might become afraid if he wasn’t with her, since Species frightened her. He planned to take very good care of his mate.

He crept to the bedroom down the hallway, watching her sleep. It was even more tempting to get back onto the bed with her, but he returned to the living room, pacing again, and waiting for the food or Jaded to come.





Chapter Nine



“I’m going to weigh five hundred pounds if I keep eating like this.”

Lash peered at Mary from where they sat on the floor in the living room with a coffee table between them. She’d insisted on using it as a surface to eat on. “You like that meal. I had them bring you more.”

“I can’t eat chicken-fried steak every day.”

“You can. Just tell the humans to make it for you. Justice pays them well to do what we ask.”

She rolled her eyes. “That’s not the point.”

“What is?”

“Maybe you should let me order our food next time.”

“Do you feel safe talking to Species now?”

She paused eating, seeming to think about it.

“You feel safer around them when I’m near you.”

She met his gaze and smiled. “Yes, I do.” Then she looked serious. “It doesn’t mean I want to be around them when you’re not with me. I mean, I’m fine with Snow. He swore to Mel he’d never do anything to me. He loves her.”

Someone knocked. He rose to his feet and strolled to the door, opening it. Jaded stood there with Flirt. Both males turned to him. He stepped out, not wanting them too near Mary.

“Flirt said you want mate papers and to arrange a marriage ceremony. The papers are being drawn up. The other request wasn’t so clear.” Jaded glanced at Flirt.

The male waved his hand toward Lash. “Ask him. It’s something about a cave safe room.”

“Mary doesn’t like my bed. It’s too high for her.”

“I can see the problem. What is it you want?”

Lash stepped back. “Come in, but stay by the door. My mate is frightened of Species.”

Jaded entered, stepping just inside. Flirt tried to follow but Lash bumped into him, pushing him back into the hallway and closing the door in his face.

“Geez,” Mary muttered. “What did we talk about? Manners, Lash.”

“Flirt is supposed to protect us from humans out there.”

Jaded chuckled. “Lash has a point. Hello, Miss Muller. It’s nice to actually get to see and speak to you this time.”

Lash hated the male a little when he did a little bow to his mate and flashed her a smile with his lips sealed to hide his teeth. He growled low, warning the feline to not even think about charming his mate. They were friends, but it didn’t mean he wouldn’t fight him.