“Much better.”

The irony wasn’t lost on her. They were going to burn her to death wearing swimming trunks. Fire and water. It just keeps getting better and better. She was led outside and shoved back down on the bench. Zandy tried to struggle but couldn’t get away from four men. They tied her down tightly.

“Now how do we get her up there?” It was the young kid with the holey clothes.

Zandy realized they were talking about the top of the motor home. She had no clue why they wanted her put on top of the motor home but she didn’t like it. “Oh hell no.”

Brother Adam glared at her. “We’ll turn her on her side. Two of us will grip the sides and climb the ladder while two will hold the bottom and push. We’ll get her up there. She doesn’t weigh that much.”

“It hurts when you do that,” Zandy informed him.

Brother Adam smiled and a gleeful look crossed his features. “I know.”

“You bastard,” Zandy hissed. “Do you know why I think you’re so mean? I bet you have a tiny little dick and have to behave like a huge one, trying to compensate.”

The man gritted his teeth and rage turned his face splotchy red. His lips opened but no words came out.

“That’s what I thought, tiny dick. Or should I just start calling you prick?”

“You bitch!” he yelled.

“Dickless,” she taunted.

“Enough!” Deanie snapped. “She’s baiting you, Brother Adam.”

“Baiting him?” Zandy snorted. “He’s too small. I’d have to toss him back if I caught him.”

Brother Adam screamed and lunged for her but two of his followers grabbed him to hold him back. She smiled grimly. He might set her on fire later but he looked ready to have a stroke. She could only hope something killed him before he ended her life.

* * * * *

Tiger was glad to be out of the casts. His leg still ached a little and his ribs hurt but he wasn’t really in pain. He’d had to swear to Dr. Allison to take it easy. The normal speed of bones healing for a Species was two weeks. The enhanced drugs had mended him in days.

Slade North pointed to one of the chairs in his office. “Sit down, Tiger. Stop pacing. You need your strength when we find her and your bones aren’t completely healed yet. They will hold your weight but don’t press your luck. I know Dr. Allison didn’t want to release you for another twenty-four hours but you refused to stay in the hospital.”

“Zandy is out there somewhere and I need to find her.”

Slade grimly nodded. “I know this but the good news is they didn’t kill her right off the bat. They took her for a reason and they will hopefully keep her alive until they make whatever they want known to us.”

“Mercile employees could have her.” Tiger was miserable as he took a seat.

“I doubt it. They wouldn’t have vandalized her home. They would have just taken her. This isn’t their way.”

“They held us captive for most of our lives,” Tiger snarled. “They could be hurting her if that’s who has stolen her from me.”

“It’s not them,” Bestial agreed. “Slade is right. This has to be one of those hate groups or someone who wishes to ransom her for money if they learned she is an NSO employee.”

Richard shifted in his seat. “I’ve given all the information to the FBI and local law officials about the groups that have been the most vocal about female employees and about women who hook up with New Species. Hopefully they can track them down and find Zandy soon. I’m hoping that’s the case or we have no leads if it was the criminals’ intent on using her to blackmail the NSO out of money.”

Justice North and Tim Oberto were on speakerphone conference call in Slade’s office. “They have to know she’s not Jessie. We held a news conference here an hour ago to make sure of that. My mate addressed the press and it was on every channel. Whoever has Zandy Gordon would have heard about it or seen it.”

“No one has contacted us for a reward?” Tiger sounded hopeful.

“No one who panned out. One male called to say she was being held prisoner by aliens from another planet.” Justice sighed. “He is in need of medical care but we are checking out every call that comes in, Tiger.”

“I’m never letting her leave Reservation again if I get her back,” Tiger growled. “Ever. I don’t even want her out of my sight.”

“Was there any connection to the males who shot down the helicopter?” Bestial glanced at Slade.

“No,” Justice answered instead. “We thought of that already. Those humans just wanted to kill some of us. They have no interest in our females. They came at us like hunters.”

Tiger growled. “Zandy wouldn’t have left Reservation if it wasn’t for them.”

Smiley bit his lip. “I’m sorry, Tiger. I should have restrained her and forced her to wait for an escort to and from the hospital.”

“My female is strong willed and unstoppable when she’s made up her mind to do something she feels passionate about. She wanted to reach my side as quickly as possible. This is my fault. She was safe there until I drove her away.”

“It was the drugs,” Bestial reminded him. “Stop beating yourself up over this, Tiger. We should have stopped her and made her calm before leaving the hospital if you want to assign blame.”

“It doesn’t matter who wants to feel the blame,” Justice stated. “She was taken and we need to get her back.”