True clenched his teeth. “You think they might come after her in my home?”

“Not after this,” Query whispered, craning his neck to get another look at Jeanie.

True stepped forward and glared at the male. “What are you looking at?”

Book cleared his throat. “I’ll have a chat with them to make certain they understand how stupid going after your human would be. Darkness will also be informed of their behavior. Where are you taking her?” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Don’t tell me you stood up to everyone just to back down now by returning her to Tim’s custody.”

“Never. She needs clothes.”

“Okay.” Book turned away. “I’m going to go upstairs and have that chat with them and find Darkness to fill him in.”

True faced Jeanie and hated to see the pained look in her eyes. “It’s okay.”

“I knew leaving your apartment wasn’t such a good idea.”

He took her hand. “Not all Species have come to terms with the past. Don’t allow them to frighten you. They wouldn’t dare harm you.” I’ll kill them if they try, he silently swore.

“Shiver,” Query rasped. “I hoped it might be you when I heard the rumors of a human from Drackwood. I couldn’t understand why one of our males would protect any of them otherwise.”

True spun, snarling out a warning. He didn’t like the way the male had advanced or the obvious interest he showed in her.

Jeanie peeked around True and spotted 716. She’d tended the man after a severe beating he’d taken for refusing to fight with another New Species. The assholes training him had broken both his arms. She’d fed him daily until his arms healed and had managed to slip him some sweets.

True let go of her hand and got between them. “She’s not our enemy.”

“I know that. I don’t go around threatening to hurt other males just for the hell of it.” His expression softened. “Hello, Shiver.” He gave her a warm smile. “It’s nice to see you again. I’m now known as Query.” He chuckled. “I’m very inquisitive. I thought the name fit. I heard you were shot, Shiver. Are you well?”

Emotions choked her at seeing him looking so healthy and fit. “I’m good. You look great. How are the arms?”

He moved both of them and made fists. The muscles bunched in his bare arms, displayed clearly by the tank top he wore. “Great, thanks to you.” He tried to step closer but True blocked his path. He glanced at him, frowned, but seemed to decide to shrug it off. “You got me addicted to oatmeal cookies. None of them taste as good as the ones you brought me though.”

The fear she’d felt over True almost getting into another fight melted away under the compliment. “The secret is I put applesauce and cinnamon into the mix when I bake them. I can give you the recipe.”

“I’d like that.” He turned to face True. “She’s with you?”

“Yes.”

Query frowned. “In what capacity?”

Jeanie moved, grabbing True’s hand once more. She would be heartbroken if he and Query fought the way he’d had to fight Flirt. “He’s protecting me,” she quickly stated. “He saved me from being sent to prison.”

Query peered down at her from his greater height. “Are you a couple?”

She wasn’t sure how to answer. True had taken her into his home and they’d gotten physical but did that mean they were in a real relationship? She wasn’t certain.

“We are,” True stated.

Jeanie glanced up at him but he seemed too intent on glaring at the other male to spare her any attention. She watched Query’s expression to see how he’d take the news. His tense features relaxed.

“Good. She treated me well and made my life easier while at Drackwood. I’d fight you for her if you didn’t have good intentions.”

True tried to shake off her hand but she clung to him. “He would never hurt me or do anything bad.” She forced a smile and purposely changed the subject. “I like your name.”

The two men stared at one another but Query finally turned his attention back to her. “Thank you. I do tend to ask a lot of questions.” He looked back at True. “Are they charging her because she worked at Drackwood?”

True shrugged. “I don’t know. She also worked at Cornas. I’m trying to find proof she was at both places to help our kind.”

Query nodded. “We could pull together the ones from our facility and have them testify about her kindness and of the things she did to make our lives better.”

“It could be helpful.” True hesitated. “A human was using her to gather evidence and collect rewards.”

Query nodded. “I can contact everyone from our testing facility and we could put a team together to work on finding this human. Most of us work Security with access to computers. This human has to have a driver’s license or some form of identification we can track through records. The out world gives us access to their databases.”

True nodded. “I’ve asked our task force team to search for this male but I’d like us on it as well.”

“Done,” Query agreed. “I’ll call them together after my shift and we’ll brainstorm.”

“You’ll need her information.”

“Why don’t you bring her to the library at seven o’clock? It should be big enough to hold everyone and they’ll be happy to see Shiver.”

“Fine.”

Query glanced at Jeanie, then back at True. “You might want to keep her in your home until then. There is still a lot of hostility in some of our people for any human associated with the testing facilities. Those three males are prime examples. Not all of us had any positive experiences so they don’t understand why we’d fight to keep her safe.”

“I’m taking her to supply.”

“Understood. Avoid large areas with many of our kind,” Query warned. “I’d go with you but I need to get ready for work. Fury gets testy when I show up out of uniform or if I’m late.”

True nodded. “I will.”

Query reached inside his front pocket and dangled a set of keys. “Cart nineteen is mine. Use it and leave the keys under the seat when you’re done. I’ll jog to my station. She is without shoes and shouldn’t walk that far.”

“I planned to carry her.”

Query glanced at Jeanie and laughed. “She sure wouldn’t strain you.”

“No. She would not.” He accepted the keys.

“See you at seven.” Query smiled at Jeanie again. “It is good to see you and I’d love that recipe.”

“It’s yours. I’ll write it down the first chance I get.”

Query spun around and headed toward the elevator.

Jeanie stared up at True. “I can wait on the clothes. You almost got in another fight.”

“It doesn’t matter. We’re going.” He leaned down a little, staring into her eyes. “How close were you to him?”

She glanced at Query as he stepped inside the elevator before holding True’s gaze. It reminded her of the look he’d had when he’d quizzed her about Flirt. It dawned on her why he asked. “I took care of him when he was injured. If you’re asking if he ever showed a sexual interest in me, the answer is no.”

He blinked. “Okay. Let’s go.”

True led her outside into the bright sunshine and released her hand. She gasped when he grabbed her around her waist with one arm, bent, hooked her behind her knees with his hand and lifted her into his arms.

“The ground will be hot and your feet are too tender not to burn.”

She wrapped her arm around his broad shoulders. “Thanks. I could walk though.”

“There’s no need.” He turned, striding to a line of golf carts parked around the corner of the building. Each one had numbers printed on the side near the front wheel well. “I won’t risk you getting injured.”

He gently placed her on the seat and circled the cart. The seat was small so they ended up pressed together. She didn’t mind. True started the engine, backed up and threw it in drive. Traffic consisted of a few other golf carts and one SUV. A few Jeeps were parked in front of buildings and New Species walked along the sidewalks. There weren’t many but the ones she saw turned to stare at her as they passed.