Best Friends (New Species #15)(115)

Lash spotted a gun sitting on the shelf above the fireplace. It was within reach of the old human. He wasn’t holding another gun. Lash could see both of the male’s hands when he grew more agitated while he spoke. One gripped the baton but the other was fisted.

“They’re going to make me kill you,” the old human raged. “That fucking stupid cop! All he had to do was bring me my boys and that was it. Simple. Why in the fuck can’t anything be that way anymore? I’m going to shoot you in the chest, Zack. Maybe pushing you out the door and seeing you bleeding will light a fire under his ass to get me my boys. For all I know, he’s got them close by already. That asshole cop is the type to get off on being a controlling prick!”

There was a soft whimper that came from the room.

“Would you like me to shoot you first instead? Don’t shake your damn head at me, woman!”

Lash twisted and dropped the rest of the way to the floor below. It made a small thump sound.

He roared, rushing forward toward the old human.

The male jumped, tried to spin around, but then began to fall. Lash hit the top of his head on the low archway but ignored the slight pain, grabbing the male before he could fall and shaking him.

The baton dropped to the floor.

Lash glanced around the part of the room he hadn’t been able to see. Two humans were lying on the floor, ropes around their bodies to keep their arms tight to their sides and their legs smashed together. He couldn’t see part of their faces, since thick material was covering their mouths. Terror showed in their eyes.

The female looked a lot like his mate with her coloring, including her eyes.

He tore his attention from them to the weak male struggling in his hold. He saw terror in that male’s eyes, too. Feeble hands swatted at him.

Lash opened his mouth, flashing his fangs, and roared right in his face.

The male’s eyes rolled upward, and he went utterly limp.

Lash kept hold of him. He stormed to the front door and tried to open it. Locks prevented that from happening. He figured out how to twist them and yanked again. The door opened and he stepped outside, dragging the male. He dumped him none too gently on the porch.

“Come get your bad human,” he yelled.

Then he reentered the house, not waiting for a response. He locked the door to stop that male from trying to escape back inside the house if he woke up and Lash marched into the room where the two humans were tied and gagged.

He paused, watching them wiggle around on the floor. Both were wide-eyed, reeked of terror, and the female whimpered behind the cloth over her mouth. The male inched closer to the female. It seemed as if he was trying to put his body between her and Lash.

“You’re acting like prey,” he muttered. “I am not surprised. You are Mary’s parents. I’ll take you to her. Don’t die from fright. I’m her mate. I won’t hurt you.”

He marched toward them and crouched by the male. He had brown eyes and light blond hair with some gray. “My name is Lash. Stop wiggling.” He studied the ropes. They were knotted in various places and would need cutting. He didn’t have a knife, and it would probably bruise the humans if he used his claws, since cutting the ropes would cause serious tugging.

He sighed and reached for the male. “Don’t struggle.” He sniffed, not picking up any blood from either of them. He didn’t see any injuries either.

*

Five minutes earlier



Mary felt sick to her stomach as she clutched Mel’s arm. They huddled against each other next to the barn her father used to store old furniture and his riding lawn mower. Snow was at their backs. He’d threatened to grab her if she tried to go near the house. It kept her from attempting it. It was one thing for Lash to touch her. Mel’s husband still scared her a bit.

Lash had left her to go after her parents.

She didn’t know if she should feel thankful or terrified out of her mind. He could get killed. There was a crazy asshole inside holding her mother and father hostage. That gunshot going off had her mind imagining the worst. One of them could be shot. Lash might be next.

“I’m going to puke.”

“Don’t do that. It will make you feel worse,” Mel warned. “Nothing is going on yet. Just Brass running over to Sheriff Cooper and staying there. Maybe they’re arguing about the New Species taking over. Or Brass is telling him about Lash going in the house. I bet he’s mad.”

“I don’t give a shit.” Mary stared at the house. “Was Lash able to get in?”

Mel hugged her tighter against her side. “I don’t know.”

“We haven’t heard any yelling or more shots. That’s good.”

Mary shot Snow a scowl.

“It is,” he insisted.

Jaded Wild came running at them along the backside of the barn. New Species moved out of his way. He stopped about five feet back. Someone had turned on a battery-operated lantern so her and Mel could see, since it was pitch dark. His green eyes were bright and he smiled, showing off white teeth.

“Lash is inside. I saw him enter through what appeared to be a very small attic window.”

Mary stared at the house. She knew that window well. There was only one up there. It used to be one of her summer chores as a kid to clean it since the glass would get dirty after a while from rain and winter storms. She couldn’t picture Lash fitting through that small opening, but she believed Jaded Wild.