Best Friends (New Species #15)(102)

“Hi.” His mate straightened a little behind the table and stopped eating.

He gestured for Jaded to stay put as he hurried to her side, crouching next to her but putting his body a bit in front to make her feel safer. He also reached out and stroked her bent leg where she sat on the floor.

She surprised him by taking his hand, clinging to it.

“Jaded will stay over there. Tell him what you want the NSO to do for us to make you happy.”

Color pinkened her cheeks, and she shot him a dirty look.

He sighed. “Speak, Mary. Tell Jaded what kind of bed you want in my domain.” Then he glared at Jaded. “A safe one to protect us in case humans attack.”

Jaded lowered to kneel by the door, and then sat. “You’re safe, Miss. Muller. I take it you don’t like Lash having to leap up to his bed platform?”

“No. I’m not a circus performer, and I never want to become one.”

Jaded chuckled. “I can understand. I happen to like my bed where I can just get into it without jumping great distances.”

Lash wasn’t amused but he didn’t say anything.

“Lash is seriously worried about attacks, if you aren’t aware of that.” Mary squeezed his hand.

“We know,” Jaded answered.

“I was thinking of a safe room just for the bed. Do you know what one is? Just a room big enough to fit his bed, with a lock inside, that he’ll feel safe sleeping in.”

“Bulletproof,” Lash demanded. “With an escape exit so we won’t be trapped.”

Jaded nodded. “One that looks like a cave?”

“I came up with that idea,” Mary admitted. “To fit in with his basement theme. The waterfall and artificial trees are super cool.”

Jaded seemed to mull it over. When he finally spoke, it was to Lash. “How about instead of a cave, we section off a corner of your domain with rock walls that are too high for humans to climb easily, and put in a steel door that is sealable? We can add a few more platforms and perhaps move your old bed to one near that area. That way, you can leap there and still attack invaders from above. I remember that was important to you. Your mate would be safely enclosed in that area, and she could just walk in and out of it when the doors are open. Oak has something like it.”

“Who is Oak?”

Lash began to answer his mate but Jaded spoke faster.

“He’s a primate Wild Zone resident. He would only sleep in the trees when he was first brought here, and it took us a while to make him agree to let us build him a home. We were worried about his health when the weather turned colder, and he needed some amenities. We’re not full animals and shouldn’t have to live like them. He liked Leo’s home that was being built at the time, since that feline had issues, too, with living in any existing homes designed for humans, but Oak didn’t like feeling trapped. He wanted a few escape hatches in the roof to reach the trees around his home.”

Jaded met his gaze. “You chose the basement because it had high ceilings where humans couldn’t reach you. This would work. Your mate would be secure, and you can still protect her.”

“I want to see Oak’s home,” Lash decided.

Jaded flinched. “You know what he’s like. I think there were pictures of it taken after it was constructed, before he moved in. He doesn’t allow anyone too close to his person, but he’s particularly protective of where he lives. Leo is the only one he’s let go there so far. They spend some time together.”

Lash knew Oak avoided other Species. “I want to see these pictures.” He wanted to make sure Mary would be safe.

“Torrent would probably have them.” Jaded glanced at Mary. “He’s the one who has the most interaction with the Wild Zone residents. I saw him earlier, and he was going to do a wellness check on everyone in the remoter areas. Tomorrow morning, he’s scheduled to fly to Homeland for a few days. Justice wanted an in-person update on how the Wild Zone residents are doing, and Trisha also wanted a meeting with him about getting everyone in for physicals and the best way to go about that.”

Lash snorted.

“I know. You Wild Zone residents hate doctors, but Slade’s mate is insistent that they get annual checkups like other Species do.”

“We come in when we’re really hurt.”

“Define really hurt,” Jaded snorted back. “Some of you can’t. You’re too stubborn unless you think you’re dying.”

“That’s not true.”

“Blue almost bled to death, and would have if Leo hadn’t spotted him, grabbed a few other Species, and forced him to go with them to Medical. By the time they got there, he was unconscious and they were carrying him. I heard he had to have over fifty stitches and needed a blood transfusion.”

“He was strong enough to fight. They wore him out and probably made his injuries worse.”

Jaded hissed. “I’m not arguing with you. That’s Torrent’s job. It’s probably best if we just deal with the modifications you want done to the basement in a few days, after Torrent returns from Homeland.”

“I want it done right away. I don’t want to live up here for any longer than I must. Call him.”

“Of course you don’t. You’re always impatient, Lash. I’ll call him to see if he even has the pictures on his phone.” Jaded stood.