Moon Read online

  “You’re too close, female,” the male rumbled from behind. “Justice said you are to stay five feet from the cell at all times.”

  Her shoulders sagged as she glanced back. “Moon is still sleeping so he can’t reach me. My name is Joy.”

  “Smiley.” He walked closer. He had pretty eyes. She studied his face. Primate. She knew the feature distinctions. They weren’t as aggressive as the canines or felines, in her experience.

  “Were you here when they were talking to Moon?”

  “Yes.”

  “How was he after I left?”

  “Very clear that you aren’t to be put in harm’s way again.” He paused, his gaze slowly wandering up and down her body. “I agree that you’re fragile enough to easily be hurt. He was frustrated and angry over what was done to him. His headache grew worse until he became completely disorientated.”

  She hated hearing that. Every time she grew hopeful that he’d recover, he relapsed. It was disheartening. “It’s my decision about what risks I’m willing to take.”

  “It was…until Moon stated otherwise. You are to be protected from him.”

  She hated feeling helpless but she’d have to live with it. Justice had a valid point and he made the rules. She’d either follow them or be escorted off Homeland.

  “We’re going to get him back. Moon is a determined male. No one here will give up hope.”

  “Are you close to him?”

  “Everyone loves Moon.” He shifted his stance enough to get a good view of the sleeping Species. “He’s closest though to Brass and Harley. They are like brothers but then, we’re all family at the NSO.”

  “I’m sure you are.”

  His gaze jerked back to her. “You’re the head shrink?”

  She nodded and turned back toward Moon. The peaceful expression on his handsome face did little to alleviate her worry about what the future would hold for him. “May I ask you a favor, Smiley?”

  “I refuse to allow you inside his cell.”

  “You said he’d be out for hours. I just…” Emotion choked her voice. “I don’t know when I’ll be allowed near him again. I won’t stay long. I just…need to touch him.”

  “I can’t do that.” He reached out and touched her shoulder gently, turning her to face him. He watched her eyes carefully. Whatever he saw there made him wince. The Species lowered his voice to a whisper. “Shit. You care deeply for him.”

  “I do.”

  “This isn’t only a job to you, is it?” His hand dropped away. “Do you love him?”

  She didn’t even consider denying it. “I do.”

  Keys jangled. “Don’t tell anyone I did this. They haven’t come to adjust the camera feeds yet. Five minutes and I stay inside with you in case he shakes it off sooner than anticipated. We have been forced to adapt to so many drugs in our lifetimes that some of us work through them faster. Keep your voice low. Though the cameras are still on blackout, the sound is active. They get a live feed into Security.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered back. “I appreciate it.”

  “I’m a sucker for love but don’t tell anyone.” He unlocked the door and pushed it open. “Sorry,” he stated loudly. “I can’t do that. I’d get into trouble.”

  Joy rushed inside and sat on the edge of the cot. Her hand trembled slightly as she brushed back damp strands of Moon’s hair from his cheek and caressed his jawline. She glanced at his chest, noticing his taut nipples and seemingly chilled skin.

  “Is there a blanket?” she murmured, remembering to keep her voice low.

  “He doesn’t need one.” Smiley crept closer. “This is a comfortable enough environment for him. It’s the calming drug that cools his skin. It slows his heart rate. He needed the rest and a reprieve from the headache. Warming his external temperature too much would only remove the sedative faster through his pores. We actually even lowered the heat to make sure he stays down longer. He’ll warm quickly when he wakes. All that pacing and fighting he does causes him to sweat.”

  Joy nodded, touching Moon’s chest. He did feel cooler than normal to her. His skin always seemed hot. Something nagged at her and a crazy thought suddenly popped into her head. She looked up at Smiley. “Species sweat out drugs?”

  “Of course. It’s part of the reason we’re all in such great shape. We realized at a young age that rigorous exercise not only kept us from being bored while we were locked in our cells, it helped us rid our systems of their drugs. The cycle became routine to us. I feel restless if I don’t keep an active regiment of working out.”

  Her attention returned to Moon. “You keep adjusting the temperature down here?”

  “Yes.”

  Her head whipped in Smiley’s direction. “Is there a sauna at Homeland?”

  “No.” His expression became almost comical. “Those hot rooms? They would be a form of torture to my kind. The heat would be unbearable.”

  “It would make you sweat a lot though, right?”

  “Buckets.”

  Her gaze slid to Moon. “And maybe sweat out any drugs you’d been given?” She glanced back at him.

  Smiley’s eyes widened. “We didn’t try that.” He reached for his radio but paused. “He’d dehydrate.”

  “Not if he is monitored and it is done correctly.”

  Smiley backed out of the cell and walked far enough away that all she could hear were the soft tones of his speech but not the words. She focused on Moon.

  “I’m here.” She stroked his cheek. “I know you want to protect me but you wouldn’t hurt me, regardless of your mental state.” She believed that. He’d be more inclined to want sex instead of bloodshed.

  Footsteps sounded and Joy turned her head. Smiley waved to her and whispered. “Get out. They are coming down here. You can’t be found on that side of the door.”

  Regret was a bitter pill to swallow as she released Moon, her gaze lingering on him as she rose to her feet. Smiley locked the door and pointed.

  “Five feet back.”

  “What did they say about the sauna?”

  “I don’t know what the doctors will say but Justice was interested in the theory.”

  Joy stared at Moon’s still form. “I hope it works.”

  “We’re desperate. We’ll try anything at this point.”

  She glanced at Smiley.

  He shrugged. “That’s the truth.”

  * * * * *

  466 couldn’t move when he woke. He raised his head and snarled. The human standing a few feet in front of him started, paled, and turned to speak to someone.

  “I still protest.”

  “Do it, Ted.”

  The male who replied had a deep, gruff voice for a human and it sounded as if he spoke through a door or wall. It gave 466 time to glance down his body. Restraints held him upright on his feet and tightly bound to a flat wooden surface. Thick straps were wrapped around his wrists, elbows, chest, waist, thighs and ankles.

  The strange tubes that were taped to his body were alarming. Were they injecting some fluid directly into his veins? He snarled again, lifted his chin, and gave the human a glare that promised swift death. He struggled but the straps across his body didn’t break.

  They should have used chains. That was a mistake, he decided. Mercile usually didn’t do stupid things that could allow them to escape but their error would cost the life of the white-haired human. It might take time to break free but he would, then he’d snap the human’s neck. He’d worry about the other human after he got through with the first one.

  “We should wait until the task force arrives. You can interrogate the man they are bringing in and get answers that way. This could do more harm than good.”

  “The prisoner could lie. It could take days to break his spirit enough to trust his words. There’s no guarantee he even knows about this drug Moon was given.” The other voice deepened even more, almost sounding inhuman.

  “What if he is so bitter that he purposely gives us an answer that will cause M