The officer assessing Zandy had removed his helmet after carrying her inside the guard shack. He grimly frowned as their gazes met. He released her arms as he stepped back. She was pretty sure he’d visibly searched about every inch of her before he was satisfied.

She tried not to stare at his face. His features weren’t as harsh looking as some of the males she’d met. His black hair was tied back in a ponytail and he was really cute. His eyes were more rounded in shape. She realized that he wasn’t canine or feline. He was one of the primate-mixed New Species that she’d heard about from Richard. There weren’t a lot of them. He only stood about six feet tall but his muscular frame left no doubt he was in great shape, despite being shorter than other New Species males she’d come in contact with.

“You have some scratches, bruises, and you’re bleeding.”

“I’m fine. Thank you for coming out there to get me. I’m Zandy. You are?”

His eyes narrowed. “I’m Smiley. You work for NSO. You are one of ours.” He glanced down and suddenly he grabbed her shirt with both hands.

She lowered her chin to watch him pull both ends of her torn shirt together. Her bra had been showing…and a lot of cle**age. That was the least of her worries and she refused to be embarrassed. Those ass**les who had dragged her out of the van had destroyed her clothing in the process. He crouched down a little to stare into her eyes again, looking concerned.

“Did you hit your head? Are you in any pain? Your knee is bleeding badly. We are taking you to Medical immediately as soon as a Jeep arrives. I’ll personally escort you there.”

She avoided glancing down at her right leg. The sight of blood wasn’t her favorite and knowing it was hers only made it worse. It hurt a lot but she didn’t want to be a crybaby about it. “My head is fine.”

Richard suddenly stepped next to the officer and she was happy to see him. He looked a little worse for wear but unhurt.

“Are you all right, Zandy? I tried to get to you but I couldn’t get my door open. They pulled you out of the back faster than I could say shit.”

“I’m a little dinged up but they dropped me once they got me outside.”

“Thank god.” Richard sounded and looked pretty shaken. “I thought they’d run off with you. I can’t believe they actually attacked the gates.” He studied her face. “Your cheek is bleeding. Did one of them hit you?”

“I think I bumped it on the side of your van. I couldn’t see anything but I found it with my face.” She refused to reach up to touch the throbbing spot, afraid it would be worse than it felt. She didn’t want to know. “It all happened so fast. All I could think to do was get under your van to hide and keep from being trampled.”

He reached out to touch her but the New Species officer blocked his hand and scooped her into his arms. “I’m taking you to Medical now.”

Zandy gave Richard a stunned look over Smiley’s shoulder before she was carried outside. Snow waited behind the wheel of the Jeep that had arrived and she was carefully placed in the passenger seat. The officer climbed into the backseat.

“Go.”

The Jeep took off quickly. Snow glanced at her as he drove. “Are you harmed, Zandy? We apologize for you being attacked.”

“It’s not your fault there are ass**les in the world. I’m just a little banged up but I’ll be fine.”

Snow glanced from her to the road, then back. “They shot one of our males but he didn’t suffer any lasting effects. The vest stopped the bullet from piercing his skin. We got both males who opened fire on the NSO.”

“Good.” The memory of seeing that tarp hit Richard’s hood and those men standing up suddenly, holding those weapons, made her shiver. She had little doubt it wasn’t something she’d ever forget and it would probably be the source of many nightmares. She didn’t say it but knew if they’d fired at her and Richard, they’d have been easy targets strapped in their seats. “I’m glad you have them in custody.”

“They believed she was Jessie North,” Smiley added.

She hadn’t remembered those men yelling at her until that second. “Who is Jessie North?”

“Justice took her as a mate.” Snow concentrated on driving as he parked in front of a building with glass windows. “She’s human but looks nothing similar to you except you both have red hair. Didn’t you watch the news last night?”

“I missed that.”

“They say our kind are hard to tell apart.” Snow snorted. “It seems your kind can’t tell each other apart either. You don’t look anything like Jessie except for your small size and the long red hair. Her hair is much longer though and it is very red.”

Smiley jumped out of the back and scooped her into his arms before Snow could even turn off the engine. “Thank you. I have it from here.”

Zandy put her arms around his broad shoulders while he carried her inside the building once the automatic doors opened. A Dr. Harris waited inside for them with a New Species female at his side. The man was in his mid-thirties and introduced her to Midnight. The tall blue-eyed female smiled grimly.

“Bring her this way, Smiley.”

He carefully placed her on an exam table in one of the back rooms and hovered there until Dr. Harris walked in. “Thanks for bringing her. We’ve got it from here.”

The officer hesitated. “I need to stay with her.”