Read Online New Species 03 Valiant by Laurann Dohner - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Laurann Dohner
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breeze that stirred around Tammy as
she headed for her car. She glanced around, enjoying the
quiet night. Growing up in a small town had always been
great. She knew almost everyone and she’d had a lot of
freedom since her grandmother had been half senile.
Tammy had moved in with her just after her eighth
birthday but she still remembered living in a big city
before that. She loved the rural area more.
“Hey,” a man called out. “A re you Tammy Shasta?”
She’d already withdrawn her keys for her car. She
turned to stare at the tall stranger who wore jeans with a
green, long-sleeve, cotton, button-down shirt. He had
finished his outfit with a pair of faded brown cowboy
boots. He was definitely not someone who lived in her
small town. He had short brown hair and appeared to be
in his midthirties. She instantly became more alert. She
had been taught to never trust strangers, especially men.
“Who wants to know?”
The man paused and hooked his thumbs through the
loops of his jeans. “I’m Terry Briggs. I heard there was
an incident with you at that New Species place they just
opened up near here.”
Her heart began to race. What has he heard? Who is
this guy? “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she
lied. “You have a nice night.” She unlocked her car door
but kept her gaze on him. Scary scenarios began to play
inside her head and she wanted to groan. A shrink would
have a field day with her love of overthinking everything.
“Don’t be that way,” he demanded as he took a step
closer. “We heard you had a run-in with one of those
animal experiments out there and he put his paws on
you.”
Tammy tensed and fear inched down her spine. He
had moved within a few feet of her now. He stood tall at
about six feet but that wasn’t saying much. Everyone was
usually taller than her but he was a stranger and she felt
threatened. She glared up at him and didn’t like that he
invaded her personal space. She couldn’t open her car
door unless she inched closer to him, which she wasn’t
about to do.
“Look,” she glanced down at his boots and then back
up to his face, “cowboy. I don’t know what you’re talking
about. Whatever you heard, that rumor was wrong. Now
you need to back up because I want to leave.”
A look of disgust crossed his face. It made his
features ugly and harsh. “They brainwashed you, didn’t
they? Those animal things do that to some people. It’s all
right, lady. They’ve done it before and you aren’t alone.
You need to come with us and we’ll help you think
straight again. We want you to hold a news conference to
tell everyone what those sick animal bastards did to you.
That will show the world they aren’t something us decent
folks should be living with. They all need to be put
down.”
She heard everything he said. His blatant hatred for
New Species stunned her a little but the most alarming
part of his little speech had been the “us” part. She
turned her head and sure enough, spotted three more
men edging toward her from the shadows of the building
where they’d hidden. Not good. Shit. She peered at the
taller man as her heart accelerated from fear. Think.
Don’t panic.
“Fine. You got it. Why don’t you follow me to my
house and we’ll discuss it there?” She could drive to the
Sheriff’s station if she could just get inside her car or get
her hands on her cell phone to dial for help. She had no
intention of allowing them to follow her home.
He blinked and appeared a little surprised but his
mouth tightened. “We’ll take my truck.”
She nodded, quickly assessing she needed to keep
him off guard. It would be easier to surprise him if he
thought she was a complete idiot. “Okay. What about my
car? I can’t just leave it here. Sam, the owner, will have it
towed first thing in the morning if it’s left in the parking
lot. I’ll drive and you can follow me.”
A hand shot out and
she headed for her car. She glanced around, enjoying the
quiet night. Growing up in a small town had always been
great. She knew almost everyone and she’d had a lot of
freedom since her grandmother had been half senile.
Tammy had moved in with her just after her eighth
birthday but she still remembered living in a big city
before that. She loved the rural area more.
“Hey,” a man called out. “A re you Tammy Shasta?”
She’d already withdrawn her keys for her car. She
turned to stare at the tall stranger who wore jeans with a
green, long-sleeve, cotton, button-down shirt. He had
finished his outfit with a pair of faded brown cowboy
boots. He was definitely not someone who lived in her
small town. He had short brown hair and appeared to be
in his midthirties. She instantly became more alert. She
had been taught to never trust strangers, especially men.
“Who wants to know?”
The man paused and hooked his thumbs through the
loops of his jeans. “I’m Terry Briggs. I heard there was
an incident with you at that New Species place they just
opened up near here.”
Her heart began to race. What has he heard? Who is
this guy? “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she
lied. “You have a nice night.” She unlocked her car door
but kept her gaze on him. Scary scenarios began to play
inside her head and she wanted to groan. A shrink would
have a field day with her love of overthinking everything.
“Don’t be that way,” he demanded as he took a step
closer. “We heard you had a run-in with one of those
animal experiments out there and he put his paws on
you.”
Tammy tensed and fear inched down her spine. He
had moved within a few feet of her now. He stood tall at
about six feet but that wasn’t saying much. Everyone was
usually taller than her but he was a stranger and she felt
threatened. She glared up at him and didn’t like that he
invaded her personal space. She couldn’t open her car
door unless she inched closer to him, which she wasn’t
about to do.
“Look,” she glanced down at his boots and then back
up to his face, “cowboy. I don’t know what you’re talking
about. Whatever you heard, that rumor was wrong. Now
you need to back up because I want to leave.”
A look of disgust crossed his face. It made his
features ugly and harsh. “They brainwashed you, didn’t
they? Those animal things do that to some people. It’s all
right, lady. They’ve done it before and you aren’t alone.
You need to come with us and we’ll help you think
straight again. We want you to hold a news conference to
tell everyone what those sick animal bastards did to you.
That will show the world they aren’t something us decent
folks should be living with. They all need to be put
down.”
She heard everything he said. His blatant hatred for
New Species stunned her a little but the most alarming
part of his little speech had been the “us” part. She
turned her head and sure enough, spotted three more
men edging toward her from the shadows of the building
where they’d hidden. Not good. Shit. She peered at the
taller man as her heart accelerated from fear. Think.
Don’t panic.
“Fine. You got it. Why don’t you follow me to my
house and we’ll discuss it there?” She could drive to the
Sheriff’s station if she could just get inside her car or get
her hands on her cell phone to dial for help. She had no
intention of allowing them to follow her home.
He blinked and appeared a little surprised but his
mouth tightened. “We’ll take my truck.”
She nodded, quickly assessing she needed to keep
him off guard. It would be easier to surprise him if he
thought she was a complete idiot. “Okay. What about my
car? I can’t just leave it here. Sam, the owner, will have it
towed first thing in the morning if it’s left in the parking
lot. I’ll drive and you can follow me.”
A hand shot out and
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