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Page 16
The thin gowns didn’t do much to keep her warm but she was covered to mid-calf. “I don’t suppose I could wear scrubs?” She peered at the nurse with hope. “At least bottoms? I feel a bit indecent.”
“It will have to do.” The woman waved a hand down her body. “Most of them are in my size or larger. They wouldn’t fit. Follow me.”
“How about a pair of socks or even those paper footy things? My feet are cold.”
Jeanie translated the low growl as a no. She sighed, leaving the bathroom. Two big New Species wearing black uniforms greeted her inside the room by the door. It reminded her of 710 as she glanced at the white letters on their shirts. These ones didn’t wear vests. She studied their faces, disappointed that he wasn’t one of them. The primate was a handsome guy with unique brown eyes, the red hues in them fascinating. The slight reshaping of his flared nose and the bulkiness of his upper body gave her an indication he might have been mixed with gorilla DNA. She’d heard they existed but were rare. He was the first one of his kind she’d ever seen.
She glanced at the other one. He was feline with pretty catlike eyes and red-streaked hair. Neither one smiled at her, their expressions grim. Jeanie was disappointed they weren’t friendlier. The one with the reddish eyes offered his arm.
“I’m Jericho. You may hold on to me. Tell me if you experience any weakness.”
“We don’t want you hitting the floor. My name is Flame and I’m not a medic so I don’t want you injured on my watch.” He glanced at the nurse. “Are you coming with us, Midnight?”
“No.”
That caused the feline to frown. “What if she starts bleeding or something?”
“Bring her back here.” The female sailed out of the room.
Jeanie hesitated before curling her fingers around the offered muscular forearm. Jericho was really warm, causing her to shiver.
“I won’t harm you.” His voice was husky, a little scary and deep.
“It’s not that. I just took a shower and it’s chilly. I just didn’t realize how cold I was until I touched you.”
The New Species glanced at the other one. “Get her a blanket.”
Flame crossed the room and yanked open a cabinet. He shook out a fresh blanket and approached from behind her but paused. “What do I do with it? Wrap it around her and one of us carries her? You should do that. She appears frail.”
“Why me?” Jericho growled low. “You’re weaker than me and less inclined to accidentally crush something.”
“I am not.”
Jeanie released his arm and turned. “I can walk. May I have that?”
Flame handed over the blanket. She wrapped it around her like a shawl and took Jericho’s arm again. She fisted the material at her chest to keep the blanket closed in front so it didn’t slip off her shoulders. It helped a little but she still wished for real clothes. Her bare feet on the cool floor weren’t helping to warm her much.
“Thank you. I’m ready to go.”
Flame followed them. Jericho walked slowly at her side and she appreciated it. He towered over her with his much longer legs. The hallway was clear. They entered a large area with desks, a long counter, and she glimpsed buildings through the windows along one long wall. Curiosity about Homeland had her craning her neck to see more but they reached an elevator too soon to spot anything of interest.
The doors slid open and a tall guy stood inside, wearing the same uniform as the New Species who escorted her, except he was fully human. She studied his features closely to be certain. He frowned and examined her as well.
“Hello, Ms. Shiver. I’m Trey Roberts. I’m one of the team leaders of the task force here at Homeland.” He glanced at Flame. “I was coming up to see what was taking so long.”
He pronounced her name wrong but she didn’t correct him. It had been a common occurrence all her life. She’d seen some of the task force members on television in brief news clips but they usually hid their faces with caps pulled low on their foreheads and wore mirrored glasses to hide their eyes. He was an attractive guy in his late twenties, perhaps early thirties, but the way he looked at her in that unfriendly manner had her wondering why.
“She showered.” Flame crossed his arms over his chest.
“I see. Her hair is wet.” Trey glanced down at the blanket, arching an eyebrow in question.
“She was cold,” Jericho announced.
“Well, we can’t have that.” Trey sighed. “Don’t forget that she’s not a guest here.” He directed a pointed look at her hand, curved around Jericho’s forearm. “Where are the handcuffs?”
The primate growled. “They weren’t needed.”
“It’s still my job to point out protocol.”
“We’re not wearing any weapons she could steal and she’s had no access to anything sharp. Do you believe she is physically capable of endangering us?” He looked offended.
“No. Forget I said anything.” Trey appeared exasperated when he gave her his full attention. “Let’s get this over with. You have a lot of questions to answer.”
“I have one myself. Why was I handcuffed in the first place? You know who I am since you know my name.”
His mouth firmed into a tight, grim line before he jerked his head toward the open elevator. “You’re not the one who will be asking questions. Let’s go.”
“It will have to do.” The woman waved a hand down her body. “Most of them are in my size or larger. They wouldn’t fit. Follow me.”
“How about a pair of socks or even those paper footy things? My feet are cold.”
Jeanie translated the low growl as a no. She sighed, leaving the bathroom. Two big New Species wearing black uniforms greeted her inside the room by the door. It reminded her of 710 as she glanced at the white letters on their shirts. These ones didn’t wear vests. She studied their faces, disappointed that he wasn’t one of them. The primate was a handsome guy with unique brown eyes, the red hues in them fascinating. The slight reshaping of his flared nose and the bulkiness of his upper body gave her an indication he might have been mixed with gorilla DNA. She’d heard they existed but were rare. He was the first one of his kind she’d ever seen.
She glanced at the other one. He was feline with pretty catlike eyes and red-streaked hair. Neither one smiled at her, their expressions grim. Jeanie was disappointed they weren’t friendlier. The one with the reddish eyes offered his arm.
“I’m Jericho. You may hold on to me. Tell me if you experience any weakness.”
“We don’t want you hitting the floor. My name is Flame and I’m not a medic so I don’t want you injured on my watch.” He glanced at the nurse. “Are you coming with us, Midnight?”
“No.”
That caused the feline to frown. “What if she starts bleeding or something?”
“Bring her back here.” The female sailed out of the room.
Jeanie hesitated before curling her fingers around the offered muscular forearm. Jericho was really warm, causing her to shiver.
“I won’t harm you.” His voice was husky, a little scary and deep.
“It’s not that. I just took a shower and it’s chilly. I just didn’t realize how cold I was until I touched you.”
The New Species glanced at the other one. “Get her a blanket.”
Flame crossed the room and yanked open a cabinet. He shook out a fresh blanket and approached from behind her but paused. “What do I do with it? Wrap it around her and one of us carries her? You should do that. She appears frail.”
“Why me?” Jericho growled low. “You’re weaker than me and less inclined to accidentally crush something.”
“I am not.”
Jeanie released his arm and turned. “I can walk. May I have that?”
Flame handed over the blanket. She wrapped it around her like a shawl and took Jericho’s arm again. She fisted the material at her chest to keep the blanket closed in front so it didn’t slip off her shoulders. It helped a little but she still wished for real clothes. Her bare feet on the cool floor weren’t helping to warm her much.
“Thank you. I’m ready to go.”
Flame followed them. Jericho walked slowly at her side and she appreciated it. He towered over her with his much longer legs. The hallway was clear. They entered a large area with desks, a long counter, and she glimpsed buildings through the windows along one long wall. Curiosity about Homeland had her craning her neck to see more but they reached an elevator too soon to spot anything of interest.
The doors slid open and a tall guy stood inside, wearing the same uniform as the New Species who escorted her, except he was fully human. She studied his features closely to be certain. He frowned and examined her as well.
“Hello, Ms. Shiver. I’m Trey Roberts. I’m one of the team leaders of the task force here at Homeland.” He glanced at Flame. “I was coming up to see what was taking so long.”
He pronounced her name wrong but she didn’t correct him. It had been a common occurrence all her life. She’d seen some of the task force members on television in brief news clips but they usually hid their faces with caps pulled low on their foreheads and wore mirrored glasses to hide their eyes. He was an attractive guy in his late twenties, perhaps early thirties, but the way he looked at her in that unfriendly manner had her wondering why.
“She showered.” Flame crossed his arms over his chest.
“I see. Her hair is wet.” Trey glanced down at the blanket, arching an eyebrow in question.
“She was cold,” Jericho announced.
“Well, we can’t have that.” Trey sighed. “Don’t forget that she’s not a guest here.” He directed a pointed look at her hand, curved around Jericho’s forearm. “Where are the handcuffs?”
The primate growled. “They weren’t needed.”
“It’s still my job to point out protocol.”
“We’re not wearing any weapons she could steal and she’s had no access to anything sharp. Do you believe she is physically capable of endangering us?” He looked offended.
“No. Forget I said anything.” Trey appeared exasperated when he gave her his full attention. “Let’s get this over with. You have a lot of questions to answer.”
“I have one myself. Why was I handcuffed in the first place? You know who I am since you know my name.”
His mouth firmed into a tight, grim line before he jerked his head toward the open elevator. “You’re not the one who will be asking questions. Let’s go.”
