“Come at me.”

Bruce straightened. His face was red with anger and the blood that poured from his busted nose. He bellowed and pushed away from the door. He was slow for his size. Smiley easily ducked the fist directed at his face and plowed into the human’s center, taking him to the floor. He straddled the male and pummeled his face until strong arms wrapped around his waist and hauled him off.

“Enough,” Torrent snarled. “Don’t kill him. It’s what he wants. No one is that stupid unless they are suicidal.”

The door flew open and Vanni stood there. Jericho stopped behind her. Smiley quickly stood and stepped away, realizing what he’d done. Bruce groaned and rolled onto his side. Blood spread across the floor. Smiley nodded, letting Torrent know he was in control again.

“I’m sorry.” Smiley stared at Vanni.

She entered the room, keeping far from Bruce. “Don’t be. Are you okay?”

His hands hurt. He didn’t even glance at them. “I didn’t mean to lose it.”

She approached him.

“Don’t,” he cautioned her. There was blood on his hands. “I don’t want you contaminated.”

Her lips parted but Torrent spoke first. “That is one human who probably is diseased. Smiley needs to wash all that blood off before you touch him. We’re immune to disease but you’re not.”

Bruce sat up and Smiley moved, putting his body between her and the human. Bruce spit blood on the floor and glared at him as more of it ran down his lower face to his neck and shirt. One eye was already swelling shut due to the cut over his eyebrow. He snorted.

“Fucking pu**y-whipped. You’re pathetic.” Bruce tilted his head, trying to get a look at Vanni. “Why don’t you come over here, you bitch? I’ll show you what a real man can do to you. You’ll like it.”

Smiley would have attacked him again but Torrent gripped his arm. “No. I told you. He’s trying to make you kill him. It would be over too fast. He deserves to suffer for years.”

Torrent was probably right. He nodded again, too angry to speak. Torrent’s hold eased. Smiley looked at Vanni. She was close enough to touch if he reached out but he didn’t. He cleared his throat and tried to calm.

“Go wait for me outside this room. It’s not safe.” He caught movement in his peripheral vision and tensed. He watched Bruce struggle to get to his feet. “Now, Vanni.”

“Okay.”

He didn’t dare look away from Bruce. The male might try to get around him to reach Vanni before she left. He heard Jericho gasp. Movement to his right startled him and shock held him still for a second. Vanni stopped next to him and lifted Jericho’s weapon.

“Do you like this, dickhead?” She fired. The Taser dart shot out and embedded in Bruce’s gut.

The way the human’s eyes rolled up into his head as his body stiffened from the electric current that pulsed through him assured Smiley the slight noise came from Vanni, who was holding down the trigger. Smiley gawked a little. He didn’t try to stop her, aware of the blood on his hands. She actually smiled, watching Bruce finally fall over. She released the trigger and turned her head, holding his gaze.

“That hurts like a son of a bitch. I figured he should experience it firsthand. Don’t you dare feel bad for hitting him. I wish I could have.” She broke eye contact and looked at Torrent, offering the weapon to him. “Do you want this? It’s heavier than I thought it would be.”

Torrent grinned and accepted it. “Good shot.”

“Not really. I was aiming for his balls.”

The male laughed outright. “Do you want another try? We could wait for him to recover and ask to borrow another officer’s weapon. I don’t have one since we’re not allowed to carry while transporting prisoners from room to room. They might attempt to take it.”

Vanni bit her lip, seeming to consider it.

“No, she doesn’t.” Smiley was still stunned. “Vanni?”

She looked at him. He saw uncertainty there.

“Are you angry at me? I just saw Jericho’s sidearm and realized what it was. Bruce shot me with one so I wanted to return the favor.”

He never wanted to see that look from her again. “I’m never angry at you.” He lowered his voice. “I’ll teach you how to shoot better. I really want you out of this room though. His blood is everywhere and Torrent is right. He probably is diseased. He’s insane too. I don’t want you in danger.”

“Okay.” She turned and walked calmly out of the room.

He watched her go and Jericho shrugged, as if to say he hadn’t expected that. He grabbed the door handle and closed it, staying with Vanni on the other side.

“I like her,” Torrent admitted.

Smiley whipped around, glaring at him.

“Not that way. She’s your mate. I just like what she did. That’s all. Want to help me pick him up and drag him back to his cage? He’s out cold.”

“I still want to speak to Gregory Woods.”

“Let’s deal with this one first and do a little cleanup before we bring him in here. That male cries like a little girl. He’ll see the blood on the floor and will probably scream like one too. He’s already pretended to have a heart attack. This might bring on the real thing. He’ll believe we murdered someone.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Vanni sipped the orange juice Jericho handed her. He hadn’t said a word about her grabbing his weapon or using it. They’d watched Smiley and Torrent drag the unconscious Bruce out of the room. Another New Species had entered to clean up all the blood. She finally worked up the nerve to speak to Smiley’s friend.