Read Online New Species 03 Valiant by Laurann Dohner - Free Book Online
Authors: Laurann Dohner
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growing soft and how you hate it. You’re the one
who sounds soft right now. Toughen up and face facts. A
human would never get past how we are. A t least not for
guys like us. We’re too in tune with our animal sides. I
just look more human than you do.”
Sadness was an emotion Valiant loathed but it filtered
through him all the same. “She’s not coming back to me,
is she?”
“No,” Tiger’s gaze softened, “she’s not.”
“Leave.”
“I’d rather stay a while to make sure you recover
fully. I’ll make us dinner. We’ll have some sodas and talk.
I heard a few felines you haven’t met yet are being
transferred here. Maybe one of them will be the one for
you.”
Images of Tammy flashed through Valiant’s mind.
“Leave me. I need to be alone.”
“The new felines arrive tomorrow. I’ll pick you up
and take you to the hotel for you to sniff them out.”
Valiant struggled to his feet and his gaze drifted to
the bed where Tammy had been. Her scent still remained
strong inside the room. He moved toward it and tossed
the bag of ice away. He’d rather feel the pain than return
to the numbing state in which he’d existed before he’d
felt all those wonderful things with Tammy. He crawled
onto the bed and lay where she had been, inhaling her
scent.
“Valiant? I’ll pick you up at two o’clock.”
“Don’t bother. Just go. Lock the door when you
leave. I don’t want to meet any felines.”
He breathed in Tammy’s scent, wanted to memorize
it before it faded, and listened to his friend go away. His
eyes closed as his hand gently brushed the comforter. He
couldn’t remember the last time tears had wet his eyes
but they did at that moment. He’d lost her and she would
never return. He’d known peace with her. Happiness.
Hope. A nd now it was gone. She was…lost to him
forever.
Chapter Four
Why can’t I just forget Valiant? Tammy felt totally
disgusted with her lack of control over her thoughts as
she lined up the pool cue and the white ball. She glanced
at the red ball and the pocket. Loud music played in the
background. Someone had been in a mood for old-time
rock. A sigh sounded near her.
“Take the shot already, Tam. You know you’re going
to kick my ass anyway.”
She turned her head to grin at her longtime best
friend Tim. The two of them had known each other since
grade school and they were really close. He’d wanted
more than friendship during high school but Tammy
hadn’t returned his romantic feelings. Now years later
they’d settled into a comfortable but strictly platonic
friendship that both of them were happy with.
“I can’t help it if I’m better at this than you are.”
A smile twisted his lips. He appeared to be kind of
awkward but he had a sweet smile and soft brown eyes.
Tim resembled the average computer geek because he
was one. He wore a logo T-shirt and sweatpants and
worked from home as a computer programmer who
made game software. His glasses glinted from the bar
lights.
“I can kick your ass at video games any day.”
“Yes, you can.” She took the shot and sank the red
ball into the corner pocket. “That’s why I’m smarter than
you are and the reason we’re at the bar instead of your
house in front of a game system. I wanted to win.”
He scoffed. “You’re not smarter. I’m just a
gentleman.”
She sank another ball. “Too bad you never bet
money on our games.”
“I make good money but not that good.” He laughed.
“You’d wipe me out of my life savings within an hour
with the way you play pool.”
Tammy winked at him. “You know I need a new
roof.”
Tim’s smile faded as he stared at her. “You do? Why
don’t you let me pay for it?”
Major goof. She’d made a slip. She should have
known better but her mind still remained distracted by
the memory of a pair of cat-eyes the color of melted gold
attached to a body that still made hers heat up at the
very recollection
who sounds soft right now. Toughen up and face facts. A
human would never get past how we are. A t least not for
guys like us. We’re too in tune with our animal sides. I
just look more human than you do.”
Sadness was an emotion Valiant loathed but it filtered
through him all the same. “She’s not coming back to me,
is she?”
“No,” Tiger’s gaze softened, “she’s not.”
“Leave.”
“I’d rather stay a while to make sure you recover
fully. I’ll make us dinner. We’ll have some sodas and talk.
I heard a few felines you haven’t met yet are being
transferred here. Maybe one of them will be the one for
you.”
Images of Tammy flashed through Valiant’s mind.
“Leave me. I need to be alone.”
“The new felines arrive tomorrow. I’ll pick you up
and take you to the hotel for you to sniff them out.”
Valiant struggled to his feet and his gaze drifted to
the bed where Tammy had been. Her scent still remained
strong inside the room. He moved toward it and tossed
the bag of ice away. He’d rather feel the pain than return
to the numbing state in which he’d existed before he’d
felt all those wonderful things with Tammy. He crawled
onto the bed and lay where she had been, inhaling her
scent.
“Valiant? I’ll pick you up at two o’clock.”
“Don’t bother. Just go. Lock the door when you
leave. I don’t want to meet any felines.”
He breathed in Tammy’s scent, wanted to memorize
it before it faded, and listened to his friend go away. His
eyes closed as his hand gently brushed the comforter. He
couldn’t remember the last time tears had wet his eyes
but they did at that moment. He’d lost her and she would
never return. He’d known peace with her. Happiness.
Hope. A nd now it was gone. She was…lost to him
forever.
Chapter Four
Why can’t I just forget Valiant? Tammy felt totally
disgusted with her lack of control over her thoughts as
she lined up the pool cue and the white ball. She glanced
at the red ball and the pocket. Loud music played in the
background. Someone had been in a mood for old-time
rock. A sigh sounded near her.
“Take the shot already, Tam. You know you’re going
to kick my ass anyway.”
She turned her head to grin at her longtime best
friend Tim. The two of them had known each other since
grade school and they were really close. He’d wanted
more than friendship during high school but Tammy
hadn’t returned his romantic feelings. Now years later
they’d settled into a comfortable but strictly platonic
friendship that both of them were happy with.
“I can’t help it if I’m better at this than you are.”
A smile twisted his lips. He appeared to be kind of
awkward but he had a sweet smile and soft brown eyes.
Tim resembled the average computer geek because he
was one. He wore a logo T-shirt and sweatpants and
worked from home as a computer programmer who
made game software. His glasses glinted from the bar
lights.
“I can kick your ass at video games any day.”
“Yes, you can.” She took the shot and sank the red
ball into the corner pocket. “That’s why I’m smarter than
you are and the reason we’re at the bar instead of your
house in front of a game system. I wanted to win.”
He scoffed. “You’re not smarter. I’m just a
gentleman.”
She sank another ball. “Too bad you never bet
money on our games.”
“I make good money but not that good.” He laughed.
“You’d wipe me out of my life savings within an hour
with the way you play pool.”
Tammy winked at him. “You know I need a new
roof.”
Tim’s smile faded as he stared at her. “You do? Why
don’t you let me pay for it?”
Major goof. She’d made a slip. She should have
known better but her mind still remained distracted by
the memory of a pair of cat-eyes the color of melted gold
attached to a body that still made hers heat up at the
very recollection
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