Had Jeanie been subjected to a crazed male high on drugs that would have sent him into a frenzy to have sex with a female? He’d refused to share sex with her but had others agreed? It would have been violent since she was human, a target for their rage. The images of what she’d have endured were sickening. How would she even have survived?

“You agreed to help them with breeding-drug experiments to save me the day they sent me out to that building, the one that none of my kind had ever returned from. Didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

He closed his eyes, seething. That day had never made sense to him but what she said fit. She’d always been kind but would she allow a monster to harm her to save his life? He opened his eyes but hers were closed.

“Jeanie? Tell me more about that day.”

She didn’t speak.

“Jeanie?”

“She’s out for the count,” Midnight stated from behind him. “I did give her too much sedative. She’s not going to wake for hours.”

He twisted his head, surprised she was right behind him.

“You were too intent on her and these were left just outside the door on a cart. I heard most of it.” Midnight adjusted the pile of clothes in her arms and reached out to rest one of her hands on the curve of his arm, giving him a comforting squeeze. “She’d be unable to lie while she’s that drugged. I guess the mystery is solved. You have your answer now about why they brought you back to your cell and changed you from one drug trial to another. She made a deal with a human to save your life.” She held his gaze. “I remember how much you said it bothered you when we talked after you were freed.”

“Why would she do that?”

Midnight shrugged. “I’m not sure. We caved in to some of Mercile’s demands when they threatened other Species.” She paused. “She’s human. Would she care enough about one of us to do the same?”

He turned his head, watching Shiver sleep.

“Either way, she doesn’t seem to be a coldhearted human, True. I saw her expressions. She endured what was done but she’s damaged.”

He let go of Shiver’s hand and rose to his feet. Midnight released him when he stepped out of her reach. “Damaged?”

“You never recover fully from being forced,” she softly stated. “Aren’t you thinking what I am? Only a few females were recovered from Drackwood. Ten to one on the male-to-female ratio. Not even Mercile would be stupid enough to send one of us to that many males on breeding drugs. We wouldn’t have lived long.” Midnight reached out and brushed a lock of Jeanie’s hair off her cheek. “Poor human. She doesn’t look strong or sturdy enough to survive, does she?”

He had to step away from the bed. “They wouldn’t put a human at the mercy of one of our drugged males.”

Midnight sighed. “She wouldn’t have fought the male to protect her body if she was also drugged. It may be how she survived. Not all the males talk to others about what happened to them during captivity.” She stepped away from the bed too, holding his gaze. “Especially if a human was brought to them. They might not retain the memory of who or what she was. No one enjoys discussing those things since they aren’t the fondest memories to share. The males were insane from the pain and it was terrifying for us females. We never knew if we’d survive.” She frowned. “She described exactly the kind of reaction the males had on the breeding drug. Shit. They really did give it to her.”

Flashbacks filled his mind of the one time in his life he’d been dosed. “They wouldn’t. No human could survive a drugged male. I know that because I’ve been dosed. She couldn’t have withstood the pain if they dosed her instead. Her body is too frail. Her heart would have given out.”

“It sounds as if they did,” Midnight protested. “It makes sense that they’d dose her as well. She’d be out of her mind with the need to have sex, aroused, and a male wouldn’t kill her if she didn’t attempt to fight him. He’d be more interested in mounting her if she was prepared for him.” She reached up and stroked Jeanie’s head. “The pain from the drug would have already been unbearable so any rough treatment from the male couldn’t have been much worse.”

True’s temper exploded. He didn’t agree with Midnight’s assessment. Logic said if she’d been dosed, the males probably hadn’t been. He’d never heard of both parties being drugged at the same time. It would mean the male had been totally in control of his actions, yet still agreed to the experiment. It also explained why she wasn’t killed. The male could have taken care not to inflict damage on the helpless, drugged female. Polanitis must have made a deal with other males and they’d agreed. His rage grew until he broke out in a sweat and couldn’t even speak.

“Who is this Agent Brice?” Midnight stared up at him, seeming to notice how close he was to hitting something when she rubbed his arm. It was a gesture to calm him. “She mentioned him a few times. She warned him about a drug that would turn Species on Species. That’s what I heard, didn’t you? Do you think that’s the drug that was used on Moon? He attacked everyone. She also said Brice was supposed to help. What is a warrant?”

He felt gratitude that she’d turned the conversation to a safer topic, knew it was on purpose. “She said he was an agent who worked for the NSO and he demanded proof that Species existed when she located them. A warrant is a human word for their law that allows searches and arrests.”

Midnight turned, dumping the clothes on a counter, and took a seat in the chair. “You didn’t believe her?”

“No.”

“She is so drugged that I believe her. This person exists.”

“Are you sure she couldn’t be manipulating us?”

“I work in Medical. You should hear what you males say when you get shot with that stuff.” She rolled her eyes and then smirked. “Book gets a hard-on for Doc Trisha every time he sees her and confessed that he sometimes gets hurt on purpose when she’s here just to feel her touch. Slade would kill him if he knew. Do you think he’d ever admit that if he had a choice?”

He shook his head.

“Flame cried like a baby two months ago when he was doped up after being hurt when his shoulder was dislocated during training, rambling about some human. He’s got it bad for her but he’s too stubborn to go after what he wants. He found out she was almost killed by some human she trusted and he doesn’t want her to deal with the bullshit we get from our enemies. He cares too much to risk causing her any emotional difficulty on his behalf.”

“Amanda.” True had heard the story but it was difficult to believe Flame would shed tears.

“Yeah. That’s the name.” Midnight leaned forward, her voice lowering. “Fury? He keeps a pair of Ellie’s underwear in the pocket of his uniform. Worn ones. He likes to sniff them when he misses her, swearing it keeps him from rushing home and pissing off everyone because he neglected his duties to go bury his nose in her lap. The scent calms him and he feels closer to her. That’s what he confessed when he went nuts in the delivery room when Salvation was born. Doc sedated his ass to keep him from tearing us apart every time his mate cried out in pain. He wanted everyone to suffer the way she did.”

Midnight grinned. “I think humans would call that pussy whipped to the extreme but you won’t ever repeat that. He’d beat on whoever said it. They’ve been mated the longest. I guess a female’s scent is an addiction that just gets worse as time passes. It makes me partially alarmed but sometimes curious to see what it would be like to have a male addicted to sniffing me.”

True glanced at Jeanie, then back at Midnight. “You are mated to the younger Dr. Harris.” They had two Drs. Harris—a younger and an older.

“He calls it that but it’s not an actual mating. He’s not Species. I say it, too, because I don’t want to hurt his feelings.”

“Ellie and Doc Trisha aren’t Species but they are mated.”