Obsidian

Chapter Seventeen

The cooking lesson hadn’t gone well but good food filled his belly. Obsidian glared at his sore fingertip, a reminder that flames were not to be touched.

“How is your finger?” Alli peered at him with concern while she loaded the electrical big box that washed dishes after their meal.

“Fine. I won’t do that again.”

“I hope not. I know flames look pretty neat but it burns skin.”

She had tried to put cream on it and a bandage but he’d refused. The injury was minor. The doorbell rang and he stood, moving to answer it before she could. Only males seemed to come to visit.

“Hello.” Moon grinned. “I’m here to take you for a tour.”

“Why?”

His new friend laughed. “I was informed that you’re moving to the men’s dorm in the morning.

Do you want to see them first? You’ve also been put on the rotation list.”

“What does that mean?”

“I’m taking you to work with me tomorrow.

All week you’ll be going with different males to see the kinds of jobs they do. We’re hoping you find something you can enjoy to be a part of our society.”

“What if I don’t?”

The other male arched an eyebrow. “We’ll find something. If not here, there’s always Reservation.”

“Alli doesn’t want me to go there.”

“She doesn’t want you sent to the Wild Zone.”

He glanced behind Obsidian and waved. “Hello!”

Obsidian turned to discover that Alli had crept up behind him. She was getting better at walking softly to surprise him. She didn’t wince when he growled, not liking her so close to the other male, despite Moon being someone he semi-trusted.

“Don’t talk to my female.”

Moon dropped his hand to his side. “Let’s go, Mr. Friendly.”

“Is this a ploy to lure me away from Alli? I won’t allow anyone to take her from me.”

“You’re being paranoid. There’re no plans to take her away from you. I saw the orders myself.

Both of you are going to be living at the dorm together. I actually suggested that you two could stay at my house in my guestroom until one of the other houses becomes vacant but Fury said that was a bad idea. He seems to think you’ll try to kill me while I sleep just for being too close to the doctor.”

Obsidian glowered at him.

“Brass has a place at Homeland and Reservation but he likes it better there. He’ll be giving up his house here after his next rotation shift back there.”

“Who is Brass?”

“He’s a friend of mine. What I’m trying to say is, he doesn’t like being here and prefers Reservation. Every few months he’s on duty here for a few weeks but that’s about to end. He’ll just stay there all the time.” Moon smiled. “It means you and the doctor can have his house. You won’t be stuck living at the dorm for long. Houses are tough to come by and we haven’t built more here.

There’s limited space and property is really expensive in this area. We’re expanding Reservation all the time though.”

“What is Reservation?”

“Reservation is a highly wooded area to the north of here with vast amounts of land. Tell your female you will be back in a few hours and I’ll show you Homeland. We own and live in both places. Homeland was built as a human military base but given to us instead when it was completed. We call them NSO lands. That stands for New Species Organization, our official title.”

“Go,” Alli said. “I still have some packing to do. Have fun. I’ll be here when you get back.”

She touched his chest. “No worries.”

He debated, still not sure she’d be safe without him to protect her. Moon stepped back, drawing his attention.

“Let’s go. There’s an officer at the street to make sure she’s fine. You have my word of honor she’ll still be here when we return.”

“Fine.” He gripped Alli’s small hand, still over his heart, while he stared down into her upturned face. “I won’t be gone long. Do not leave your space.”

“I won’t.”

He released her and followed the other male outside. “What is military base?”

“It’s kind of tough to explain. We’ll get you some history books to read.” A questioning glance was directed his way. “Did they teach you how to read? You weren’t raised the way we were. They taught all of us to read books at an early age. It helped them when they conducted some of the drug-testing trials on us so they could judge if we were impaired and how badly. They needed to see if it affected our memory. Book information was a good way to do it. They also wanted us to be able to read eye charts to be certain there was no visual loss from the side effects.”

“I can read words.”

“Good.” Moon paused by a strange vehicle.

“This is a golf cart. Have you ever ridden in one before?”

“No. Not while I was awake at least. I’m not sure how I arrived at Homeland.” He was wary.

“What is golf?”

“The humans call it a sport but mostly it’s closer to chasing a small white ball and using straight sticks with a clubbed end to hit it far away to chase it again. The goal is to learn better aim than your opponent. They use these carts to go after it.”

“Why?”

The male sat inside it. “I’m not sure but I suspect they hate walking or running for long distances. Carts are fun. Get inside and you’ll see.

I’ll teach you how to drive one soon.”

The seat was softer than it appeared when he sat but there wasn’t a lot of room for his long legs. Moon grinned. “Hang on. It moves fast and I don’t want you to fall out.”

Moon twisted a key and the thing vibrated under his ass. The male gripped the rounded thing sticking out in front of his chest while his hand lowered to a small rounded metal thing below it.

It jerked slightly before rolling forward, gaining momentum.

A grin plastered across his face at the feel of wind blowing his hair while he held on. “It’s fast.”

“Jeeps are faster. I knew there’d be something you’d like. At the very least you could get a job driving one of these and delivering things around Homeland to different departments.”

The anxiety faded somewhat about his future.

“I want to fit in.”

“You will.” Moon turned a corner, slowing slightly. “See that building up there to the right?

That’s the men’s dorm. It’s three floors high and there’s a basement hidden under the foundation.”

“Why?”

Shoulders shrugged. “I have no idea but it’s fun. We set up training rooms down there when we first moved into it to avoid anyone discovering we were keeping our fighting skills keen.

We had a human who was the dorm father but he drank alcohol a lot. He was fired. We no longer need someone to help us learn.”

“What’s a dorm father? We have no parents.”

He suddenly experienced an uneasy sensation. “I didn’t. Did you?”

“It’s an honorary term used in this case for someone who teaches you life lessons you need in order to survive outside of Mercile—someone who’s there to look out for your well-being.

You’re full of questions. None of us had parents.

We were raised the way you were but had more interaction since they brought females to our cells. We could smell other males on them sometimes. It’s how we knew there were more of us.

You were only given one female.”

They parked and entered the building. Obsidian followed the male inside and stared openly at the large room. Other males sat on couches in front of a big television but their gazes left it to stare back at him. His body grew rigid at seeing dozens of them, instincts warning him of danger and a possible fight.

Moon gently gripped his shoulder. “Hey, don’t glower at them. They are your brothers, sort of.

We’re all family here.”

One of the males slowly stood and approached, his stance nonthreatening. “Hello. I am Darkness.

You must be Obsidian. We’ve all been expecting you. This is your home now and there’s no reason to be defensive. Welcome to the men’s dorm.”

The male had very short black hair and piercing dark eyes that were shaped similar to Justice’s.

His skin was darker than all the other males.

“You took the name because of your skin?”

“No.” The male smiled, revealing white, straight teeth, including two long fangs that were bigger than the ones Obsidian had. “I have suffered much in my life and wished my name to reflect that. I’m a little different than most, the way you are.”

“How are you different?”

The male paused five feet away. “You were singled out for a mating project while I was assigned to do something else.” He paused. “I am trying to put myself in your mind, to think the way you do. I am good at it.” His gaze drifted up and down Obsidian’s body before stopping to stare into his eyes again. “Your mate will be safe from other males when you leave her in your apartment. We will never harm her and will protect her if there’s danger as if she were one of us.

You will find friendship here and no hostility.”

“Speak for yourself,” a familiar male voice grumbled.

Obsidian’s spine stiffened as he turned his head, finding the source quickly. He growled at the male who wanted Alli.

“Damn it, Destiny.” Moon shook his head.

“We already had this talk today. Back off and go do something besides irritate Obsidian.”

“He’s too wild and unstable to be safe around Dr. Allison. She’s delicate and innocent of our ways.” The male’s chest expanded, shoulders pushed back, and anger gleamed in his hardened stare. “You’d take her like an animal, wouldn’t you?” He stepped closer and snarled. “Her scent is all over you. What did you do?”

“She’s mine.” Obsidian snarled back. The male acted as though he had a claim to Alli but he didn’t.

“Destiny!” Moon stepped between them, growling too. “Return to your room or leave now.

Leash yourself and don’t return until you have regained some composure.”

“Did you hurt her? Scare her?” Destiny lunged to the side to avoid being blocked from his target.

“Did you bend her over and take her on her hands and knees as though she were a dog?”

Darkness walked between them, his back to Obsidian. “He’s canine. That’s a dumb question.

Do you want to ask me if I like to lick cream?

Maybe you could ask Smiley over there if he can climb trees? We all carry traits and instincts of what we are.”

Darkness turned to Obsidian and explained, “I’m mixed with black leopard obviously. Smiley was created with chimpanzee genetics. The guy is way too friendly in my opinion but I tend to be ill-tempered enough to find it annoying. It doesn’t mean I wish he’d change. He is what he is. I love pussy.” The male shrugged. “Hence the loving-cream part.

“Get over it, Destiny,” Darkness sternly admonished as he shifted his gaze back to him.

“The doctor obviously chose him over you. It’s none of your business if he fucks her like a dog or she rides him like a pony. He’s new and you’re being an ass.”

Moon glanced at the short-haired male. “That was subtle.”

“It’s a gift. I’m blunt and don’t have any patience for bullshit.”

“Destiny, do I need to take you into one of the rooms for a time-out? It’s my specialty, making people talk and listen but be warned, you won’t enjoy it.”

“Alli is mine,” Obsidian stated, torn between gratitude that the males would stand up for him and irritation that they blocked him from the male who wanted his female.

Destiny sidestepped to the left, meeting his gaze. “I was giving her time to adjust to me. I didn’t want to frighten her. She was mine before you were ever rescued. She deserves a male who doesn’t cause her harm. You’ve already done that.”

“I would never hurt my Alli.” It insulted him to be accused of it.

“She lost her job because of you.” Destiny snarled, his hands fisted at his sides and took a step closer. “She loves being a doctor but what is she now? The female you will fuck and keep as a pet inside your home since she won’t be allowed to leave it? You’ve already hurt her. I know her well and it will kill her inside, living that way.”

“She saved me and I didn’t take her job away.”

He growled low, threatening the other male, angry at his accusations. “She’s not a pet either. I know that term.”

“Shit,” Moon sighed. “Calm down. No fighting in the living room.”

“Let them.” Darkness grabbed the other male by his forearm. “This isn’t going to be resolved any other way. It’s our way.”

“He’s weakened still and recovering.” Moon tore out of his grip. “It wouldn’t be fair.”

The short-haired male glanced back, studying Obsidian. “He’s still a bit on the thin side but you can see the muscle tone he’s kept. It’s his female he’s defending. I’d lay my money on him.” He shot Destiny a look. “He’s too angry at the moment to be effective and I’ve trained with him.

Not the best fighter.”

“Fuck you, Darkness,” Destiny spat, ripping his shirt off to bare his upper body. “Clear the area.” He glared at Obsidian. “I’m going to kick your ass and send you back to Medical where you belong. I’d rather Dr. Allison take a job working elsewhere than know you are mistreating her.

She’d be happier doing what she loves.”

“You aren’t my type so that’s a ‘hell no’ on the sex offer.” Darkness lunged, grabbing Moon around the shoulders to cage him in his arms.

“You aren’t either but I know you’ll get between them. Don’t make me knock you out. Just chill with me and allow nature to take its course. We’ll only intervene if one of them is about to die.”

Moon didn’t struggle. “You just wanted to hug me.”

A disgusted look crossed the other male’s face.

“You and your damn emotional-bonding moments.” He let go. “You’ve been around too many human females.”

Obsidian stalked closer to his prey. Destiny wanted a fight and he was going to give him one.

It would feel good to beat on the male for accusing him of abusing Alli in any way.

“She’s mine,” he declared.

Destiny came at him. “Not for long.”

White-hot rage exploded and he didn’t hold back or attempt to dampen it. He fed the flames by imagining the other male touching his Alli.

The others in the room were forgotten.

He assessed his opponent. Destiny weighed slightly more than him but he was taller, meaner.

He remembered the time six technicians had come into his room when he’d broken one of his chains from the wall. Only one of them had survived.

The human side of him fled, to be replaced by something purely savage. A fist swung at his face but his hand wrapped around it, his hold tightened until it crushed. The male screamed as bones broke. No pity. He punched out while the male suffered, hitting his throat. It knocked Destiny back and would have floored him but his hand was still a prisoner at Obsidian’s mercy.

“Fuck,” someone hissed.

“Don’t kill him!” Moon roared.

Arms locked around his waist, jerking him hard, and he was forced to break his connection when he went airborne. He landed on something soft that flipped, sending him rolling onto the floor. His head struck something unforgiving but he shook off the pain and lifted up. One of the couches was on its side—the thing that had cushioned his fall.

Darkness was crouched where Obsidian had been, the reason he found himself on the floor.

The male growled, his eyes nearly black in color.

“Don’t kill.”

His gaze shifted. Moon was crouched over Destiny, rubbing the throat of the male sprawled flat on his back with his legs writhing in agony.

Obsidian slowly rose to his feet, ready to do battle, but realized he had no one to fight.

“Call Medical,” Moon yelled. “He’s breathing but in bad shape. Medical emergency!” His head whipped around to pin Obsidian with a grim look.

“I think you missed crushing his windpipe but he’s having a hard time breathing.” He glanced down at the fallen male’s hand. “And you broke some of his fingers.” He looked back. “You really need to learn how to fight without trying to kill someone. You’re too damn new.” He glared at Darkness. “Great idea to let them fight it out.

We’re lucky this one isn’t dead.”

Darkness shrugged as he straightened from his bowed position. “I stopped him before too much damage was done. I underestimated him since you implied he was still recovering. I’d say he’s at one hundred percent.” He frowned, approaching Obsidian. “You’re bleeding. Let me take a look at your head. You hit the coffee table. I thought you’d land on the couch, not bowl it over.”

Alli had just finished shoving the last of her clothes into a suitcase, only leaving out one outfit to wear in the morning, when someone pounded on the door. It surprised her that they didn’t ring the doorbell. The wood took a horrendous beating. The sound alarmed her enough that she sprinted into the living room to unlock door, throwing it open.

“Come with me,” Rusty panted, out of breath and sweating as if she’d run a long distance. An emergency medical kit backpack had been slung over one of her shoulders. “The new doctor isn’t here and Trisha can’t be found. She and Slade went for a walk but we don’t have time to track them.”

“What happened?” Alli stepped out onto the porch, closing the door behind her. It was obvious that someone must have been hurt if they needed a doctor.

“A fight at the men’s dorm. A male is down.

Hurry.”

Panic gripped Alli as she ran after the fleeing Species female, whose legs were longer. It sank in that she hadn’t put on shoes when she reached the road, the unforgiving surface bruising. Obsidian had gone to visit the dorm. Was he the one hurt?

Oh god! She ran faster, ignoring the pain. It had to be bad for the usually serene Rusty to be so distressed. “Who?” It was tough to sprint and talk at the same time.

The Species female didn’t even glance back and seemed to ignore the question. An engine roared from behind them, grew louder, and Alli slowed, turning her head. The sight of the quickly approaching Jeep was more than welcome. Book stomped on the brakes.

“Get in.”

Alli collapsed onto the passenger seat while Rusty climbed into the back. The male punched the gas, taking off fast enough to almost cause whiplash but she wasn’t about to criticize him for his driving. It had to be a pretty grim situation, the injuries severe.

“Who is hurt?” She needed to know if it was Obsidian, obsessing on the worst.

“Destiny,” Rusty panted. “He was in a fight and he is having difficulty breathing.”

“He was punched in the throat,” Book filled in. “He might have a crushed windpipe.” His features were emotionless but his voice came out unusually gruff. “I think it was a training exercise gone wrong. Hang on.”

Alli barely had time to grab the handhold grips on the dashboard and above her by the roll bar before he took the turn really fast, nearly tossing her out of her seat. She clung, letting the details sink in. A training accident. Not Obsidian. Thank god!

Her mind shut down as she went into professional mode. Years of training came into play.

She glanced back at Rusty. “Open that backpack the second we reach him. You’re looking for the light blue bag. Rip it open and flatten it out to give me access. Got it?”

“Yes.”

“Hold on,” Book warned again, locking up the brakes.

Pure adrenaline gave her the strength avoid smacking hard into the dash as the Jeep came to a violent stop in front of the dorm. Her hands hurt when she released the handholds and twisted, almost falling from the vehicle. Rusty just stood and jumped out, landing gracefully in front of her.

Alli stayed hot on her ass as they ran, grabbing at one of the outside pockets of the backpack to snag a glove packet attached there.

Book stayed at their side. Someone from the building waited, the security doors held wide open to allow them faster entrance. The sight of Moon huddled over a male on the floor was the first and only thing she focused on.

She tore open the glove wrapper with her teeth as she assessed Destiny the second her knees hit the floor on the other side of Moon. His color was bad, stating his hypoxic condition, and pain hazed his eyes. Terror too. His pale, bluish lips were open, gasping in tiny amounts of oxygen, and she stared at his throat. A red mark identified where he’d been struck.

“Fuck.” She shifted, walked on her knees, to huddle over his head from a top position. It was unusually quiet, the way it got during a tragedy but Alli refused to allow this to become one. She stared deeply into her nurse’s eyes as she heard the sound of Rusty doing what she’d been told.

“I’m here. Just try to remain calm, okay? You’re not going to die. I’m going to put in a breathing tube and help you.”

It was automatic to put on gloves, something she’d done countless times, not even giving it a thought. It tore her up inside to look away from him when he stared at her with absolute trust.

He’d stopped struggling the second they’d made eye contact and the terrified look faded.

The kit was opened, laid out, and she went to work. “Gently tilt his head back,” she ordered Moon as she grabbed a Macintosh blade and moved up beside Destiny’s head. She inserted the large tool and pressed down on the tongue, keeping it flat. She started gently pulling back on the rigid instrument as she inserted it into his throat, opening his airway. If there was no crushing injury to halt its progress, it should do the job.

“Hold real still, Destiny. I know you’ll feel like gagging but fight it. You mustn’t vomit. It’s almost there.”

She found resistance, swelling in the area where he’d been hit, and prayed as she gently wiggled the instrument. The alternative was to perform a tracheotomy. Punching a hole in his throat wasn’t her first choice, especially with him conscious enough to feel even more pain and fear.

It would raise his risk of infection and complications.

The instrument slid past the affected area and she was in. She grabbed an endotracheal tube and inserted it quickly through the blade, being careful not to go too far. She didn’t want to collapse a lung. She glanced into his eyes. “Breathe.”

The sound was horrible but he got air. She removed the Macintosh blade, leaving the tube in place. Alli grabbed a stethoscope, placed it against his chest, and listened. Good sounds from both lungs. Seconds ticked by while his body arched as he fought his gag reflex but he breathed through the tube. His coloring returned to normal.

She glanced at Moon.

“We need to get him to Medical right now. I need a gurney brought here and once we reach Medical, I’ll get him sedated and hook him to a ventilator while I see if it’s just swelling or if he’s got more severe damage.” She glanced at Rusty.

“Good job. Find the light-green packet in there that contains an Ambu bag. We might have to use it if he has trouble breathing on his own. It’s bigger than most of the things in there so it should be easy to spot.”

“What is it?” Moon stared at her.

“It’s a device we can use to breathe for him if he needs assistance.”

“Move!” Trisha’s voice startled them all.

Alli was happy to see the woman, even if she did nearly shove Moon onto his side to take his place next to the patient. The other doctor quickly assessed the situation before lifting her gaze.

“Thank you, Allison. Great job. You saved his life.”

“He was getting some air.” Her denial was swift. “He could have made it until you got here.”

Trisha blinked before staring down at Destiny.

She smiled, using her best teasing voice to put him at ease and make light of the situation to keep him calm. “You couldn’t stay out of trouble while I enjoyed the park, huh? Just blink once for yes, two for no. Did you strike your head?”

Alli crawled backward to make room as more medical staff arrived. Trisha had the situation in hand. She removed the gloves, just shoved them into her pocket, not willing to hunt for a trash can.

Someone stepped next to her and she glanced up.

Obsidian had blood running down his cheek from a source at his hairline near his temple. She spun, facing him, alarmed. “What happened to you?”

He was so tall she had a difficult time reaching high enough to gently tip his chin down to give her a better view. The cut wasn’t deep but it was bloody. Head wounds always were. The clues slammed into her instantly, adding one injured patient with another to link them together.

“You were training with Destiny?” Anger came next. “Who let this happen?”

“I did,” a deep male voice stated from behind her.

She glanced back, staring at Darkness. He scared her a little since the day she’d met him. He wasn’t friendly at all and she knew he worked as an interrogator for New Species. His file wasn’t one she’d been given access to—a warning that something wasn’t right—but she’d heard other Species mention that he wasn’t exactly friendly.

“They don’t like each other.” Her voice trembled a little. “You shouldn’t have put them together.”

His expression remained masked, giving no indication whether he felt remorse or irritated over her lecturing him. “Destiny is correct. You are naïve.” He stared over her head at Obsidian. “I’m taking you to Medical. They’ll want to look at that cut.”

“Alli will tend to me.”

“She no longer works here. Moon will take her home to wait for you but you’re going with me.

We live by rules and that’s one of them. Your female doesn’t have access to all those machines they use over there and I have a feeling they’ll want to scan your head since you just recovered from a coma.”

She stared at Obsidian, willing to drop the subject of how it shouldn’t have happened. “He’s right. We need to go to Medical.”

“Him,” Darkness clarified. “You have limited access and unless you are hurt, you don’t have clearance to enter the building.”

It was a slap in the face but she took it. The Species was just being honest, not cruel. “Go to Medical to have that checked out. I’ll be waiting for you at home when you’re done.” She glanced at Darkness. “Please take care of him for me.”

He sighed. “Females. They worry about everything. Let’s go, newbie. We’ll discuss the difference between bad humans and protective Species on the way there. You can’t go around trying to kill your own kind.”

The words sent horror through Alli as her gaze locked on Obsidian, praying silently for a denial that he’d nearly caused Destiny’s death. He avoided looking at her though as he responded to Darkness.

“He challenged me for Alli.”

“True. That just means you beat his ass but you don’t kill him.”

Moon was suddenly there. “I’ll take him to Medical.”

Alli was in shock as she released Obsidian.

He could have killed Destiny. He had also gotten hurt. I’m the reason. There was no doubt of that after hearing that it had been some kind of challenge between them regarding her. Her worst fears were coming true.

“Both of you take him,” she mumbled. “I’ll have Rusty walk me home.”

She stared up at Obsidian, unable to look away from the blood. He’d suffered trauma to his head and it could have sent him right back into a comatose state. Or worse, killed him. He needed time to heal and grow stronger, not endanger his life. His domineering feelings for her were also putting a wedge between him and other males. It was imperative to his long-term outlook that he fit in at Homeland.

A new fear crept in. Would Obsidian be in trouble if Destiny didn’t make it? She turned her head to see what was going on with the injured Species. Trisha had her team moving him out of the building on a gurney.

It was hard to watch Obsidian walk away.

Every protective, nurturing feeling she had urged her to stay at his side. She wanted to be there to make sure they ran the right tests, a list of possible complications already terrifying her.

“Allison?”

She spun, staring at a grim-faced Breeze.

“I heard what happened. We need to talk.”