Her face was pushed into the grass as a gloved hand fisted her hair. A knee painfully dug into her ass too. Her mind reeled between pain and shock from the attack.

“I got her!” His voice was loud as he announced that to the group.

More rough hands touched her, groped her body, her sides, and she managed to suck in a gasping breath. Her wrists were shoved in a painful position and held at her mid-back. It really hurt—the hold was too tight and the angle of her arms was uncomfortable.

“She’s clean. No weapons.”

“That was f**king easy.”

“Good thing. The only heat signatures we’re picking up are hers and the stationary one. He’s here and she is alone.”

“Find the New Species and get him.”

Terror filled her. She was sure the men weren’t New Species and it meant they could hurt 880. She struggled hard. The hands gripping her wrists jerked them high enough to cause agony and she screamed again.

Wood hit something, banged loudly, and a vicious snarl ripped through the yard. The scary noise sent her into panic mode. They had an attack dog. 880 was helpless on the bed and it could maul him. He couldn’t fight it off.

Allison struggled as though she were a wild thing, every protective instinct inside her going crazy to reach 880’s side. She threw her head back. Pain exploded through her skull when it slammed it into someone’s chin. The guy hissed a curse and shoved her head down again with a rough hand that fisted her hair. Another scream tore from her throat.

“No!” A man yelled that. The attack dog snarled again and something hit the house nearby.

“Shit!” A man screamed one word before the knee lifted off her butt where it had her pinned down.

“Don—” The other guy holding her wrists roughly jerked on her but let go.

Allison saw a black blur of movement from the corner of her eye, turned her cheek on the grass, and was shocked when one of the uniformed men landed hard on his back about five feet away. A loud snarl emanated from the vicious attack dog and he seemed to be right over her head. An image of it attacking her with sharp teeth sent panic coursing through her and her head snapped up to get a look at the thing about to end her life.

880 crouched inches away, na**d and bleeding from his arm where he’d ripped out the IV drip. His nose also bled. She guessed that was from him forcibly removing his feeding tube. The catheter and bag were gone too. She got a good view of its loss since her face was inches from his lap. Her gaze met brown eyes, confusion clouding them as he stared back. His mouth opened to reveal his sharp canines. He snarled at her.

It took Alli’s staggered mind seconds to figure out that 880 was awake, outside, and had come to her rescue. The men who’d held her down had been thrown away from her because 880 had attacked them.

“880,” she managed to whisper.

His eyes widened as he swayed before landing hard on his bare ass. Allison moved, frantic to help him, and realized the sheer amount of adrenaline he must have exhausted to reach her after being down for so long. A human couldn’t have done what he had. An ordinary man would have been too weak to sit up, but he’d managed that miracle with his New Species strength.

“880,” she whispered again, lifted to her knees and crawled the few feet to where he’d landed. “You’re awake.”

She tried to touch him but his hand shot out and hit her in the chest. The rough shove threw her back. She landed on her ass and her left breast ached from the impact with his palm. He growled at her.

“Technician.” His voice came out hoarse, his unused vocal cords straining to work.

His eyes rolled up into his head and he collapsed to sprawl motionless on his back. Worry filled her and she fought to reach him again. He breathed but had passed out as she checked his unsteady pulse. Her other hand gripped his arm where he bled from the torn-out IV and she pressed her thumb over the wound to staunch the bleeding.

Her fearful gaze darted around at the men who had climbed to their feet. A few of them inched closer as they surrounded her. Terror hit.

“Stay away from him.” She didn’t have a weapon but she wouldn’t allow them to harm 880. “You’ll have to kill me before you hurt him.”

One of the men who marched from the barn reached up and tore at the mask that covered his face. Trey Roberts worked for the task force that NSO controlled. She’d met him a few times when he’d brought in injured Species and her mouth dropped open when she identified him. These men weren’t strangers intent on killing 880. They’d come to arrest her and take him back home.

“Dr. Baker.” Trey halted four feet away, his hands gripping his black cargo pants at his h*ps while he frowned. “You’re in deep shit.” His gaze lowered to 880. “Fuck. I need to call this in now. You managed to bring him out of his coma.”

“I need my medical bag.” She licked her lips, nervous but excited at the same time. “He’s overdone it by getting out of bed. I—”

“You’re done.” Trey advanced, bent, and gently grabbed her upper arms. He was a big guy and he lifted her onto her unsteady legs before shouting, “Medic!”

“Let me go! I need to help him. I need to—”

“Not fight,” he finished. “You don’t seem to understand the severity of what you’ve done. You kidnapped a Species, Dr. Baker.” He led her away from 880 and the house. His firm grip forced her to walk in front of him. “The only place you’re going is to lockup until I get my orders from the NSO on what to do with you.”