“Shut her up.” Ned sounded panicked.

Mark gripped her jaw to force her mouth closed. He glared down at her. “Do it again and I’ll smother you until you pass out.”

Ned and Terry moved away from Tammy. Her relief was instant that their focus wasn’t on her anymore. They took positions around the fire to watch the woods. Her heart hammered with hope that Valiant would save her.

How does he know I’m in trouble? Why did he come for me? Does it matter? Hell no. He’s here.

It had to be Valiant unless there were other New Species who could roar the way he could. That was possible. Either way, she knew nothing lived in the area before the New Species arrived that could make that kind of roar. It had to be one of them and she’d never been so grateful in her life to have them as neighbors.

A howl broke the silence, startling Mark. Ned cursed softly, spun to face another section of woods, and his gun lifted. “Shit.”

Mark looked terrified as he jerked his head around.

“Was that a wolf?”

“A wolf and a lion?” Terry hissed a curse. “Shit. It’s not real animals out there. It’s them. Those damn two-legged animals.”

A nother howl broke the night and another one joined in. Tammy tried to twist away from the asshole who still held her mouth but he grabbed her throat suddenly and clamped down tight. He glared at her.

“You move an inch and I’ll strangle you. Don’t scream either.”

She believed him. He appeared terrified and she could see sweat breaking out over his upper lip and forehead. He released her throat and lifted his hips off her enough that she was no longer pinned. He gave her a warning glare.

“Don’t move or I’ll kill you. Got it?”

She nodded very carefully, keeping her lips sealed.

She had heard them say that whoever they worked for wanted her alive but judging by their terror, they weren’t thinking clearly anymore. Her gaze shifted to the guns the men held. Even Ned and Paul had guns now. Fear for Valiant’s safety worried her. Or, if it wasn’t him, for the other New Species who were out in the woods coming after her.

“If any of you are out there and can hear me,” Mark screamed. “I’ll kill the bitch if you attack at us.”

Ned inched close to the fire. “What do we do?”

Terry held his gun, watching the dark woods. “We wait until morning when we can see good, because they have the advantage in the dark. A s long as we keep a gun on her, they won’t dare attack. They obviously want her. Keep the fire burning bright to keep them back.”

“Maybe we should put her clothes back on her so they don’t know we messed with her any,” Ned whispered.

“I’m not moving.” Mark shook his head. “I don’t give a damn if they are pissed that we stripped her down to her underwear. I’m close enough to blow her brains out if they come at us.”

“We could make them rush us and take them out.”

Terry held a gun in one hand and a knife in another, slowly turning circles to keep a close watch on the woods outside the circle of firelight. “One of us could hurt her to force them to come in and we’ll have the advantage.

There are only three of them and we can handle that many of those upright animals.”

“How do you know there are only three?” Ned whispered. “There could be dozens of them watching us right now. They could have us surrounded.”

“I heard two wolf howls and one roar.” Paul stated. “I agree with Terry. There are only three of them and if there were more they would have sounded out to go for ultimate intimidation. My guess is they are closing in on us and are doing it to give positions. It’s basic hunting tactics when using animals. It’s to sound out to know where the prey is so you don’t shoot each other when you have a few teams closing in on the same target.”

“They carry guns?” Ned whined. “Nobody told me that.”

“Fuck yeah,” Terry nodded. “I saw them when I joined that rally a few months back at their Homeland.

They were lined up along the top of a wall with sharpshooters defending the gates in case any of us decided to try to break in again.”

Tammy knew with certainty the jackasses who’d kidnapped her would shoot the New Species. Did her rescuers know the jerks were armed? Her gaze darted to the nervous assholes again and she slowly drew a deep breath in. She was willing to bet her life that they wouldn’t kill her outright. She knew she’d become the only leverage they had to keep the New Species from coming at them.

* * * * *

Valiant lunged toward the camp when the smell of Tammy’s fear filled his nostrils. The urge to protect her, to help her, became so overpowering he couldn’t even form coherent thoughts anymore.

A n unexpected, heavy weight landed on his back and his knees collapsed. Two strong arms wrapped around him, one around his throat to cut off his oxygen and another hooked around his chest under his arms. He grabbed at the male body but the words hissed in his ear prevented him from fighting.

“She’ll be dead before you can reach her. Calm now,”

Tiger demanded. “Think, my friend.” The arm around his throat eased. “Take a few deep breaths, fight your instincts, and trust me.”

Valiant sucked in air through his mouth, bit back a roar and knew Tiger made sense. “The humans would kill her. I need to get to her.” He kept his voice low to keep it from carrying to the camp.

“We need to get to her without them killing her first.

I understand and I can feel your rage. I smell it. You want to save her and so do I. We have to do it right.

Look. See the fire? Do you notice the male with the gun sitting on top of her? He’s there to shoot her if we rush them.”

Valiant noticed more than the human pinning his Tammy down. They’d stripped her, her pale skin exposed to the chilly night air and to the view of the males who had stolen her. Murderous rage gripped him until his entire body shook from the emotion.

“I know,” Tiger crooned softly. “I can smell how strongly you want to rip their hearts out and tear their heads from their bodies. It will get her killed. A re you in control?”

He shook his head before he nodded. “Yes,” he rasped.

Tiger’s hold around his chest eased and his weight left his back as he stood. A howl from Rider sounded on the other side of camp. He was in place. It made thinking a little easier for Valiant to know the humans were surrounded. The Species males would attack from the other direction to draw attention. He just needed to wait a few moments before he’d reach Tammy. He’d protect her and murder the males who had stolen her.

Tiger eased down to a crouch next to him. “I’ll allow you to take out the male on her. Use your knife. We’ll open fire when you strike. She’s safer on the ground, Valiant. Leave her there and don’t go into the open. They will fire at you. You won’t be able to help her if you’re dead. You’re a big son of a bitch but half a dozen holes torn through you would take you down. Do you understand me?”

“Yes.” He didn’t want to though.

“Prepare, but wait until you have a perfect opportunity.”

Valiant stood, his hand going for the knife strapped to his thigh and tested the weight of it in his palm. His focus fixed on the male straddling Tammy’s hips, rage boiled, and he knew he wouldn’t miss.

“Go for her when we’re clear. Take her away and we’ll clean them up.”

“I want them all dead. I want to do it.”

“Her, Valiant. Focus on her. Take her away the second you get a chance to grab her when we pin the males down with gunfire but not before. You can’t help her if you’re dead. Remember that, damn it.”

“I’ll remember.” His gaze narrowed, he fought back another roar and couldn’t wait to kill the bastard who sat on his Tammy.

“They have guns,” Tammy screamed out, making sure the New Species were warned about what they were facing from her attackers if they entered the camp.