Obsidian Read online

  The large male tilted his head to peer over his shoulder. “Where is the doctor?”

  “I put her in bed.”

  A soft growl was the only warning he got before he was pushed out of the way violently and his shoulder hit the wall. He turned, stunned, watching Jericho rush down the hallway. It sank in quickly that the other male was going after Alli. Protective instincts burst forth and he snarled. Obsidian didn’t want anyone near her.

  The door hit the wall hard and the uniformed male disappeared out of sight before he could catch him. He snarled again and lunged, attacking the male by launching at his back. They both crashed to the floor in a tangle of limbs. He was thrown when the male under him rolled, shoving back an elbow that dug painfully into his ribs. He grunted and twisted to kick out a leg to strike.

  His bare foot made contact with a thigh and the male made a sound he’d never heard before. It was alarming in a primal way. It was a roar of sorts, part high scream. He dared to glance away, only to see the empty bed. Motion in the bathroom drew his focus as Alli stepped into view, clutching a towel in front of her body.

  A heavy body hit him in the chest and drove him flat. Pain shot through his shoulder blades from the harsh contact with the floor and the air left his lungs. Rough hands grabbed his wrists in an attempt to pin him but he recovered quickly, rolling to his side, and tore out of the male’s hold. Alli was practically naked and the male was too close to her. A growl tore from him as soon as he could draw breath. He didn’t have time to avoid the fist that smashed into his cheek. The taste of blood instantly filled his mouth.

  “Stop it!” Alli demanded and more weight crushed down on him.

  His eyes flew opened when something wet touched his nose and he realized it was her hair falling over the shoulder of the male between them. She must have tripped to land on Jericho’s back but then her hands wrapped around the male, one of them covering his mouth while the other one gripped his throat.

  “Don’t bite him,” Alli yelled.

  The male had drawn back his fist to hit Obsidian again but hesitated as he turned his head slowly to stare at Alli’s face nearly touching his. She seemed to lock gazes with the one who’d struck him before her hands released him.

  “What are you doing, Jericho? Have you lost your mind?” Alli panted the words. “Get off him right now.”

  Pure rage flooded through Obsidian when the other male noticed she’d dropped her towel. He was staring at her exposed breasts. She remained sprawled over Jericho’s back.

  “This is awkward.” The other male cleared his throat. “I thought he’d harmed you.”

  “Do I look hurt to you?”

  “No.” Jericho stated slowly, still staring at her breasts. “You look really good.”

  Alli’s chin dipped to follow his gaze and she gasped. “Shit!”

  Some of the weight eased off Obsidian as she scrambled off the male’s back and bent, flashing her naked ass to both of them while she tried to hide her body by retrieving the towel. Obsidian struck fast and hard with his fist, plowing it into the male’s jaw.

  “Fuck,” Jericho snarled, the punch sending him rolling in the opposite direction. “What the hell was that for?” He ended in a crouched position to glower at his opponent.

  Obsidian sat up and wanted the other male to keep his attention on him instead of watching Alli straighten and wrap the towel tighter around her form. He flashed his fangs in warning. The male had caught him by surprise but it wouldn’t happen a second time.

  “Obsidian? What are you doing?” Alli stepped closer. “Don’t.”

  He didn’t spare her a glance. Another male was too close to her and had seen her bare. Jericho had dared look upon her breasts and he’d pay for that. “Go in the bathroom where you will be safe from the violence.”

  She disobeyed him when she purposely came closer, putting herself between him and the enemy. “Stop it. Don’t attack Jericho. You both need to calm down right now. You just woke from a coma and you can’t fight.” She whipped her head around, spraying water from the damp ends of her wet hair. “And you—what are you doing in here?”

  Jericho gracefully straightened to his full height and puffed out his chest. “He said he put you in bed and I could smell you all over him. I believed he forced you to share sex. I came to your aid.”

  Obsidian noticed the way Alli’s features paled but she didn’t speak for a moment. “Oh, crap. I forgot about your sense of smell.” Her cheeks became red. “Um, that’s not what happened. Stand down.”

  The other male’s gaze narrowed. “All right.”

  It wasn’t over for Obsidian. He climbed to his feet, took a step around Alli and lunged for the male. A soft gasp came from Alli and he was stunned when she released her towel to grab at his chest. Her body slammed into his with the forward motion he took, trying to punish the other male and he stepped on part of her towel. It hit the floor, baring her naked form again.

  His arms wrapped around her and he spun, blocking the view of the male by shielding her with his body. He twisted his head and snarled. “Leave.”

  Jericho’s hands slowly lifted, wide open. “Okay. Easy.”

  Obsidian’s heart pounded and he wanted to attack but he couldn’t without releasing Alli. Her hands gripped his shoulders and she clung to him, flattened against his front. Her wet skin was chilled and her pebbled nipples were a distraction, shoved against his chest where he held her firmly.

  “Are you sure you want me to leave you with him?”

  “Go!” Alli’s voice shook. “Get out, Jericho. You’re obviously agitating him.”

  “He wants to kill me,” he corrected, inching closer to the door. “Calm down, Obsidian. I was just checking on her. I’m not here to hurt her in any way.”

  He snarled again, debating whether Alli would be harmed if he threw her toward the bed to land on the soft mattress in order to free his arms so he could hit the other Species male. Her fingernails dug into his skin as if she could read his intentions.

  “No fighting,” she whispered. “Look at me, Obsidian. Please?”

  He refused to stop glowering at the male until he disappeared out the door. His arms lowered Alli and he snapped his head around to glare at her instead. She refused to release him, kept her body tight against his.

  “Release me.”

  “No. You look as if you want to go after him.”

  “I do. Let go.”

  She stunned him by wrapping a leg around his, hooking him behind his thigh. “No way! You could get hurt. One blow to the head and you could be killed or become comatose again. What is wrong with you? Why would you start a fight?”

  “He came after you.”

  “He was checking on me,” she argued. “Jericho wouldn’t ever hurt me. I know him well.”

  Rage swept through him. “How well? Do you tempt him with your food scent, hoping he will mate you? What is he? He has strange eyes and makes bad noises.” The idea of her wanting another male to touch her drove him insane.

  “He’s primate and his eyes aren’t strange. They are unique and pretty.”

  He snarled before he could stop it, losing his battle with his temper fast. “You want him for a mate.”

  “I do not!”

  “You said his eyes are pretty.”

  “They are. So is the color blue or a sunset. I don’t want to get physical with them.”

  He was taken aback by her odd statement.

  Her hold eased slightly but she didn’t release his shoulders. “Take deep breaths now. In.” She drew air into her lungs enough to press her breasts firmly against his chest. She exhaled. “Out. Breathe with me.”

  “No.” He glanced at the bed while judging the distance and he strained to hear Jericho, attempting to track the male’s retreating footsteps. His arms tensed to throw Alli on the soft mattress but the leg she had locked around him prevented him from following through. “Let go.”

  “No way.” She shook her head, wet hair dripping between them.