Best Friends (New Species Book 15) Read online

  Brass’ eyes widened but he recovered quickly. “The male calling himself Arron said he couldn’t find Mel after we captured his son. He was hoping she’d return to her apartment, and he’d have the opportunity to use her as a hostage. Statements he’s made to the sheriff implied he saw enough the night Darren was taken by our team for him to assume Mel had become tightly associated with one of our males. When she didn’t return…his next target became you, Mary.”

  Surprise canceled out her fear of him. “Me?”

  “It makes sense. Mel has no family living in this state. You two have a strong friendship bond. He thought we’d trade his sons for your life.”

  “Shit,” she muttered. “But I’m here. So who did he capture?”

  Brass looked at Snow.

  Snow shook his head. “Wait for Lash to return before you tell her. She’s going to need him.”

  Mary wasn’t an idiot. It had to be someone she was close to. Brass had said it was a couple being held at gunpoint. “Joel and Darlene?” Her boss and his wife were important people in both her and Mel’s lives. Anyone could figure that out. “Shit.” She bit her lip, staring at Mel.

  Her friend paled and tears filled her eyes.

  “They’re tough,” Mary reminded her. “I mean, we both saw that old guy. He picked the wrong people to go after. At the first opportunity, you know one of them will take his ass down hard.”

  “Yeah.” Mel sounded relieved. “He’ll probably underestimate Darlene. She looks all sweet but then—wham! She’ll clobber him.”

  Mary heard loud thumps and someone breathing hard. Then Lash came barreling into the room, shoved Brass out of his way, and his golden gaze landed on her. She was thrilled to see him. He came at her fast, dropped to his knees in front of her, and took her hands.

  “They promise to get your parents out safe! I’m here, Mary.”

  He was panting. Out of breath. His words were all snarled…

  She must have heard him wrong.

  “What?”

  Lash shot a glare at Snow.

  “We didn’t tell her yet. I thought it was best that you were here first,” Mel’s husband said.

  Lash snarled and rose on his knees, holding her hands tighter. He was still breathing hard.

  She peered deeply into his eyes. Her heart pounded. He couldn’t have said what she thought she’d heard. Her parents had left, were on their way to Las Vegas. She’d watched their RV drive off the day before Mel’s wedding. She’d even waved to them.

  “The male has your parents,” Lash rasped softly.

  Denial had her trying to jerk her hands from his but he refused to let go. “No. They’re in Las Vegas. Dad wanted to do some gambling and Mom was going to get tickets to some musical she’s always wanted to see that’s playing there right now. They were looking forward to all the buffets.”

  Lash lifted her hands and placed them on his chest. He was damp. That normally would have grossed her out a little. Sweaty guys weren’t her thing. He let them go and cupped her face.

  “Our males will save them, Mary.”

  Lash had to be wrong. She looked at Snow over his shoulder.

  He had a sympathetic expression as he met her gaze. “Sheriff Cooper confirmed it. They are being held at gunpoint by the male inside their house. The sheriff made the male let him talk to both of your parents ten minutes ago, to make certain they were alive and unhurt.”

  The sheriff knew her parents well. If he said it was them, it meant it was true.

  Chapter Eleven

  Lash felt helpless. He hated it. His strong mate had burst into tears. She hadn’t even done that when he’d leapt down at her that first time, after she’d ended in his domain. Nor had she shed tears when he’d made it clear he was keeping her.

  He adjusted her on his lap, where he held her.

  Snow’s mate tried to come closer but he flashed his teeth at her. The human female backed up. Snow glared at him from behind her and wrapped his arm around his mate’s waist to keep her away. Mel might be Mary’s friend, but Lash’s protective instincts wouldn’t allow anyone near her while she was vulnerable.

  It hurt him inside to see Mary this way. His feisty mate was worried about her parents. They probably acted like prey, too. Now some bad human had them locked inside their home and was threatening to shoot them with a gun. Another sniffle from his mate had him petting her, holding her tighter against his body.

  “Are there any updates?” His mate lifted her cheek away from his chest to stare at Brass.

  The male shook his head. “Sherriff Cooper is still attempting to talk the male into giving up and coming outside.”

  “Give him the two assholes he wants!” Mary pleaded. “Then re-arrest them after my parents are safe.”

  Brass shook his head. “Bradly Hadly is still recovering from his injuries. Our doctors have him in an induced coma on healing drugs. Even if they woke him, our doctors believe he’d be too weak and unstable to travel. The other male that the sheriff took has already been transferred to a larger city. His station isn’t equipped to keep prisoners long term. Sheriff Cooper believes the standoff will end eventually. We just need to wait it out.”

  “Or that bastard could murder my mother and father.” Mary’s voice broke. “I want to go there.”

  “No!” Lash snarled.

  Brass denied her request at the same time. “It’s too dangerous.”

  Mary peered up at Lash with teary eyes. “I have to go. I want to be close. I need to be. I can’t take this waiting around. That way, I’m at least there and can see for myself what’s happening. What if they do get shot? I need to be there, Lash! Please.”

  Lash looked at Brass. The male shook his head. He did the same to her, letting her know that wasn’t an option.

  Mary’s delicate features twisted into something not so cute. “Goddamn it!” She hit Lash on the chest with her fist as she yelled.

  She wiggled, struggling to get off his lap. He worried about her hurting herself and let her go. She got off his lap and stood, facing Brass. When she pointed at him, her entire arm shook.

  “Those are my parents, and I’m not a fucking prisoner here! You seem to be in charge. I demand to be taken there so I can see what the hell is going on, and to make sure everything is being done to save them. Bite me if you’re going to, but move your large, scary ass out of my way! I’ll walk there if I have to.”

  Lash was on his feet in a heartbeat and tried to wrap his arms around his mate. She was losing her temper now. He grunted when she threw an elbow back and got him in the lower ribs. She was a bit boney, and it hurt. He growled at her.

  She twisted around, glaring up at him. “Don’t. Just…don’t. I’m so mad.”

  He felt his own anger rise. “I didn’t go after your parents.”

  “I know that. I just want to go to my parents’ house, or as close as I can get. I want to talk to Sherriff Cooper. You’re stopping me from doing that.”

  “We can let you talk to him by phone,” Brass offered.

  She twisted again, glaring at the other male. “No. I want to talk to Sheriff Cooper in person.” Then she looked at Mel. “How good of a shot are you? I doubt this town has a sniper, but can you hit that old bastard? There’re plenty of windows in my parents’ house.”

  Mel gaped at her, mouth falling open.

  Snow growled. “Mel is not shooting more humans.”

  “Because it’s okay if she does it to save New Species, but not my parents?”

  “Sherriff Cooper has jurisdiction,” Brass explained. “He’s not allowing our teams very close, either. He believes he can talk the male into giving up without violence.”

  “Fuck Sheriff Cooper!” Mary raged. “Those are my parents!”

  “Mary.” Lash kept his tone low and tried to soothe her. “Let me get you something to eat.”

  She spun. “If you suggest a brownie, I will shove it up your ass right now, Lash. Food? Really? As if I could eat right now!”