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  It was a bad place to be as far as tactical advantages went. Windows were all around them—a huge glass slider and the open archway that led to the living room. There was no cover. Justice was too heavy and too hurt to move. The fifth male would strike and she hoped he’d come from the archway since that’s where she’d heard the house breached.

  Her eyes scanned the room frantically. The second she saw movement she planned to kill the son of a bitch. He wasn’t going to get to Justice.

  “Jessie, get out of here and find somewhere safe that you can see him coming.”

  “Shut up. I’m not leaving you.”

  “Please, Jessie.” His hand rubbed her ankle. “Save yourself. I’m fighting to stay here.”

  Jessie glanced down at her mate’s pale face. His naturally tan skin was whiter than she’d ever seen it. Blood spread on the carpet near his hip and his boxers were soaked. He smiled when their gazes met.

  “You are so beautiful when you are on top of me.” His eyes closed and his smile faded as his head slumped to the side.

  “JUSTICE!” Grief made her scream his name.

  His chest rose and fell, assuring her he hadn’t died but she knew he would soon. Jessie needed to apply pressure to his wound but she’d have to put down the guns to do it, something that would assure both their deaths. She put her bare foot on Justice’s bleeding hip and pressed down with as much weight as she thought would help but wouldn’t worsen the damage.

  “Justice!” A male roared from the living room.

  Jessie trained one of the guns at the archway when she saw movement. A familiar face suddenly entered the room and Jessie barely stopped her finger from pulling the trigger. Tiger stared at her while more males filled the space behind him, nine in all. Reinforcements had arrived.

  “He’s been stabbed.” Jessie’s voice broke. “Four of those assholes are dead but one is missing. Call an ambulance.”

  Tiger’s stunned gaze dropped to Justice on the floor. Glass suddenly exploded from the right and Jessie jerked in that direction. Something large with a black face came crashing through the slider right at her and Justice. Instinct saved her life. She shot with both guns. A heavy body slammed into hers and threw her onto her back, away from Justice.

  Jessie lay there hurting under at least two-hundred-fifty pounds of limp and lifeless Species male. She couldn’t breathe—the air had been knocked from her lungs. Forever seemed to pass but it was really only seconds. Suddenly the body was thrown off her and she gasp in air as her gaze locked with Tiger’s. He bent and offered her a hand.

  “The medics are with me and they’ll do everything to save Justice,” he promised. “Let me help you up.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “Justice is going to be fine.” Dr. Treadmont smiled assurances. “He pulled through surgery and we’re using drugs to help his healing accelerate.”

  Jessie closed her eyes and fought tears of relief. “Thank you.” She opened her eyes and gave the doctor a grateful look. “Thank you so much.”

  Tiger cleared his throat and drew her attention. He and about fifty other New Species were crammed inside the medical center reception area with her. Some of them sat in chairs, on the long counter near the front doors and on the floor. She’d taken up residence sitting on a desk she’d pulled next to Justice’s room while he’d undergone surgery.

  “Can we get you showered and changed now?” Tiger inched closer.

  Jessie glanced down, noting she hadn’t removed the vest and her bloodied clothes. She shook her head.

  Tiger frowned deeply and worry narrowed his catlike gaze. “You know Justice would want us looking after you while he can’t. You’re in shock and you’re covered in blood. Please allow us to care for you, Jessie.”

  “I won’t leave him.”

  Dr. Treadmont sighed. “You can shower here inside one of the rooms. I’m sure someone can fetch you clean clothes.”

  Breeze stood from the counter. “I’ll have one of the women do that.” Her gaze met Jessie’s. “Justice will want to see you clean when he wakes.” She smiled faintly to soften her words. “You look scary.”

  Jessie shrugged. “Probably, but I won’t leave Justice.”

  Tiger bit his lip. “Can I have the guns?”

  Jessie tightened her hold on them. “No.”

  “The only New Species allowed access to Medical are those from Justice’s testing facility or those he trusts the most, Jessie. He’s safe. No one here is going to hurt him and none from testing facility five are here.”

  “I trust you because Justice does. I trust Breeze because I know she’s my friend.” Jessie glanced around the room, meeting concerned gazes. “I don’t know who else to trust.” She stared at Tiger. “I’m not leaving him when he is down.”

  Tiger backed up. “Okay, Jessie.”

  Breeze walked closer but paused ten feet back. “How about this plan, Jessie? Tiger and I will sit right there and no one but the doctor and Nurse Paul will go inside the room. We swear we won’t let anyone near him. Will you go down the hall to shower? Will you hand me the guns? You’re in shock. Justice is safe now but we won’t move from his door until you return so you are assured of that.”

  Jessie blinked at tears. “I let all of these people in because you said they’d never want to hurt him and they had a right to be here too since they love him. Would you shoot any of them if they tried to get past you to his door?”

  Long seconds ticked by. Breeze looked stunned.

  “That’s what I thought. I’ll kill anyone who poses a danger to him. I’ll sit right here.”

  Tiger stepped forward again. “I would kill anyone to protect him. Justice is my best friend and a brother to me, Jessie.”

  Jessie hesitated but Justice had told her to trust Tiger. She slowly moved, slid off the desk and stood on shaky legs. “Okay.”

  He held out his hand. It was obvious he wanted the guns.

  “Do you swear?” She hesitated.

  “You have my word, Jessie. No one will get past me. Breeze and I will guard him and I’ll shoot anyone but the doctor and nurse if they try to go to Justice.”

  Jessie slowly placed a gun in Tiger’s waiting hand. “Don’t budge while I’m gone.”

  “The other gun, Jessie.” Tiger opened his other hand.

  She shook her head. “I keep this one.”

  Halfpint stood and crept slowly around the counter. “Jessie? Why don’t you let me help you? I know where a room is close to this one with a shower. I’ll walk you there and Tiny will run to the dorm for clothing. Is that all right?”

  Jessie allowed Halfpint to lead her down an opposite hallway to an empty room. There was a hospital bed inside and a bathroom tucked into a corner. Halfpint followed her into the small room and closed the door behind them.

  Jessie placed the gun on the sink, unfastened her vest, removed the last ammo clip and laid it next to the weapon. Gentle hands helped her strip bare and her friend turned on the shower, adjusting the water. Justice is going to make it. I’m suffering from severe shock and I want to curl into a ball and sob. Exhaustion also gripped her, along with guilt. This wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t pushed him into publicly claiming me. It’s my fault for not being happy with the nights we spent at my house.

  “Jessie? The water is warm. I’ll stay right here.” Halfpint rubbed her arm. “You look so sad but it’s going to be okay. Justice is a strong male and he’ll survive.”

  She shook her thoughts away to stare at her friend. “Don’t touch the gun. I want to keep it and I don’t want to risk you accidentally firing it, thinking you’re doing me a favor by getting rid of it while I’m in the shower.”

  Halfpint glanced at the sink, then back at Jessie. “I wouldn’t ever. They scare me.”

  Jessie believed her and stepped into the warm spray of water. She looked down to stare at the water that turned red at her feet from the blood coming off her body. She’d killed Species. It was their blood going down the drain,