“How is he?”

“919 will be fine.”

Lauren frowned. “919?”

“That was his testing-facility name.” Flame nodded at the doctor. “Thank you, Dr. Treadmont. Is he awake?”

“He is. He’s showering.” He paused and studied each of the women. “Would one of you be Lauren?”

Lauren’s heart did a somersault. “That’s me.”

The doctor met her gaze. “He asked about you. He wanted to know where you were.”

“She’s here.” Flame hesitated. “He has taken the name Wrath.”

The doctor nodded. “I’ll update his files. It’s good that he chose a name.”

“Tell him the female is here and safe.” Flame shifted his stance. “He’ll rest easier knowing that.”

Dr. Treadmont walked back down the hallway and Lauren felt Flame’s gaze on her. She turned and lifted her head to look at him and found him grinning.

“What is that look for?”

“You shared sex. For him to ask about you right after waking up tells me this.”

“That’s my girl,” Amanda laughed. “Good for you. You’re not as dumb as you look.”

“Please stop embarrassing me,” Lauren almost begged.

“She doesn’t look dumb.” Flame gave her an up-and-down run with his gaze, looking confused.

“It’s because she’s blonde.” Amanda winked. “We tease blondes about being dumb but she’s actually really smart. She’s just kind of a prude.”

Flame chuckled. “I see. I know what a prude is. It was my word of the day not too long ago.” He turned to stare down at Amanda. “We are learning new words so we get a word of the day. Are you a prude too?”

“God, I am so not,” Amanda admitted.

“Should I leave the room so you can attack him?” Lauren was only half kidding.

“Attack me?” Flame frowned. “Why would she want to do that?”

“I meant it to mean making a pass at you. Do you know what that means?”

Flame grinned. “I do.”

Wiggling her eyebrows, Amanda grinned at him. “Would you be interested?”

Flame growled. “I would be.”

Lauren couldn’t miss the way her friend’s eyes widened when he made that slightly scary sound. “When they make noises like that, it’s a good thing. It means he’s interested.”

“Hot damn!” Amanda chuckled. “Way cool!”

“Please get a room first,” Lauren pleaded, not wanting to see her best pal in action with a guy, up close and personal.

Flame moved closer to Amanda. “I have a room. After my shift is over I will show it to you if you want to see where I live. It’s a one-bedroom apartment located in the men’s dorms. Females are allowed to visit there.”

“I’d love to see where you live.” Amanda smiled up at him.

“You will be assigned somewhere to stay if my people plan on keeping you here overnight or for a few days.” Flame pulled out his cell phone. “Let me call and see what they want done.” He walked away from them and across the room.

Lauren eyed Amanda. “Are you sure you want to go to his room? You shouldn’t tease a man like that.”

“Who’s teasing? Look at him. I’d love to get him out of his clothes.”

Lauren sighed. “He’s definitely not a puppet type.”

“Definitely not.” Amanda agreed.

Lauren lowered her voice. “They growl when they get turned-on and have sharp teeth he might show you. No tail or fur so please don’t ask him about those.” She shot a glance at Flame, saw his back was turned and he seemed intent on his phone conversation, before taking Amanda’s hand. “Just don’t get your feelings hurt if this doesn’t work out. I hope it does though. He seems really nice but try to take it slow, okay? I can’t handle seeing you with a broken heart again.”

Amanda squeezed her hand and released it, suddenly very serious. “I can’t let what happened to me ruin the rest of my life. I just hope the scars don’t turn him off if I get him to that point.”

“I’m really proud of you for being so brave. Have fun but be safe.”

Lauren studied her friend and remembered getting that horrible call five years ago. Amanda’s live-in boyfriend had shot her and she was in critical condition. He’d turned out to be a real piece of shit who’d duped her best friend, taken out a hefty life insurance policy on her and then tried to kill her after making it appear as if a robbery had gone wrong. Amanda had fought him off long enough to reach help before succumbing to her injury. Lauren had stayed at her side for three days in intensive care until Amanda had started to recover.

Flame returned to them. “You were assigned a visitor’s cottage. It’s a two-bedroom. I hope you don’t mind sharing. We have some other human guests and the housing is full except for the one.”

“We don’t mind,” Lauren said softly. “Thank you.”

“I was told to escort you there now.”

Lauren glanced at the hallway. “What about Wrath? I’d like to see him before we go.”

Flame nodded. “I’m in no rush. It shouldn’t take him long.”

They waited until Wrath finally came walking down the hallway. Lauren stood and took a few steps toward him. Wrath smiled and walked right up to her, their gazes locked together. He’d changed from the camouflage fatigues into jeans and a formfitting T-shirt. Lauren didn’t miss noticing his well-defined muscular arms and wide shoulders.