“We follow orders to prevent there being chaos in our society.”

“Fuck? Really?” Moon shook his head, frowning. “What is it going to hurt if he’s here or there?

He can still have around-the-clock protection until someone decides he’s completely stable. He wants the doctor and he’s obviously learned that not all of humans are evil shits.” Moon twisted his head to get a meaningful look at Obsidian.

“Tell him you don’t have the urge to go hurt anyone.”

“I am not leaving Alli and I want her key from you.” He held out his hand. “You aren’t allowed inside her space. Only me.”

Jericho’s head whipped around. “You stay out of this.”

“Give me her key.” Obsidian’s voice deepened.

“Now.”

“He doesn’t appear stable to me.” Jericho sidestepped away from the door to put space between them, not turning his back on the angry male. “I don’t have it to give you. This isn’t my sector to patrol.”

“What does that mean?”

“The officer who walks the perimeter would have the master keys to all the homes here,” Moon explained. “Jericho’s assignment is at Medical.”

“I want the key.”

“It’s only to be used in case of emergencies.

It’s no big deal.”

“I want her key,” Obsidian snarled, not calmed by the information.

Alli gripped his arm, drawing his attention.

“It’s okay.”

He looked away from her to bestow a threatening look on the other males. “I will control her space now.”

Jericho got a disgusted look on his face. “It’s not so we can keep her inside her home. The doors lock from the inside or only from the outside when she leaves it to go to work so no one goes inside. Humans aren’t as trusting as we are.

She came from the human world where others steal their things if they aren’t secured by locks.”

“No male will have access to her space. Just me.”

Moon grinned. “Makes sense to me. Chill out.

I’ll get the key from whoever is assigned to the area. I’m surprised he hasn’t shown up yet.”

“Don’t tell him that. You have no authority to break rules.” Jericho protested. “It’s standard procedure to always have access to all homes.”

“Take the stick out of your ass.” Moon laughed. “He wants the key so we’ll get it for him.”

“What is going on?” It was a female voice.

Alli craned her neck around the other side of Obsidian’s broad frame to spot a female New Species as she jumped the waist-high fence along the side of her yard. Kit landed with grace and smoothed her hands over her uniform, approaching quickly. “Did the doctor escape?” She pulled out a cell phone from her shirt pocket. “I’ll alert Security.”

“I’m right here.” Alli tried to step out from behind Obsidian but he gripped the doorway, halting her progress around him.

“You said she was free.” Obsidian opened his mouth, flashing his fangs. “You lied.”

“She kidnapped you. Of course she is a prisoner.” Kit climbed the porch steps, giving Obsidian a once-over from head to foot. “You are attractive.” She glanced at Moon. “He is the one from Medical, right?”

“Yes.”

Kit openly admired Obsidian’s chest and Alli fisted her hands, not liking the way the other woman was ogling him. The Species female suddenly advanced until she almost walked right into his chest. Her nostrils flared as she sniffed.

“Poor thing,” she crooned. “Did the human seduce you? You’re covered in her scent but it washes off.” Her hand lifted and she ran a finger down the biceps closest to Alli. She had the audacity to purr. “Follow me back to Medical and I’ll help you bathe.”

Obsidian jerked his arm away from her wandering finger. “Don’t touch me, female.”

Kit grinned. “I enjoy being snarled at. I heard you might be somewhat feral.” A louder purr came from her. “I enjoy rough sex.”

“He is with Dr. Allison.” Moon sounded irritated. “Stop messing with him, Kit.”

“I haven’t yet.” She looked down. “But I want to. You’re a big one, aren’t you?” She gave Alli a dismissive glance before smiling at Obsidian.

“That one is good if she’s all that is available when you need to mount a female but I would never ask you to restrain yourself, baby. Humans are a waste of our time.”

Alli ground her teeth, insulted, and wished she knew how to fight. Kit needed to be bitch-slapped in the worst way. “Don’t you have a ball of yarn to go play with?” The dig that came out of her mouth surprised her but she didn’t regret returning the insult.

Moon laughed. “You deserved that, Kit.”

Kit fixed angry, nearly black catlike eyes on Alli and hissed. “I know what I’d like to bat at right now…with my claws.”

Obsidian snarled and pushed Alli farther behind him. “Try it and we’ll fight. You don’t threaten my female.”

Jericho gripped Kit’s arm and hauled her back.

She hissed at him and he made a deep grumbling noise deep in his throat that seemed to come from his chest. The woman paled slightly. It was a scary sound. Alli even got chills. The huge primate was intimidating.

“You scent that they are sharing sex yet you approached him and insulted her in front of him.”

Jericho slowly shook his head. “Not smart. He will fight you and he might not take into account you’re female. You know better than to challenge a male when he is stressed. Take a walk.”

“This is my territory right now.” Kit yanked her arm free. “You take a walk, Jericho. Stop giving me that red glare. I’m not afraid of you.”

“My eyes aren’t red!” His body tensed.

“Okay, kids,” Moon stepped between them.

“This is quickly getting out of hand.” He glanced between them. “Kit, it’s Jericho’s duty to guard him. Obsidian has decided to live with the doctor, which means his new outpost is here. Jericho’s got jurisdiction so follow his orders. Remove yourself from the doctor’s yard. Jericho, I’ll clear this with Tiger or Justice. They want him happy and this is where he wants to be. You just stick with him until your shift ends. Your replacement will know to come here.”

“You aren’t on duty,” Kit protested. “You can’t give orders and you aren’t my superior.”

He narrowed his gaze on her. “Do you want to take this to them? I’ll tell Tiger how you offered sex to a male involved with a female right in front of her. A human. That is not going to go over well for you.” He snorted. “You’re already on his shit list after some of the ways you’ve irritated him.

You were ordered to stop antagonizing males into fights.”

“Asshole.”

She tried to spin away to leave but Moon suddenly snatched the key ring hooked to her belt. It came free and she hissed, facing him.

“One second.” He held the keys up to the light, reading the markings on them, and withdrew one from the round metal circle that kept them together. “He wants her key.”

“Give that back.”

He tossed the keys at her, minus one. “Have a nice night, sweetheart. You really should work on your bad attitude.” He grinned. “Maybe you could go find a scratching post and take out some of your aggression on it.”

“Don’t ever approach me for sex.”

“Don’t worry. I like my females warm and friendly. I’ve heard about you.”

She snarled a curse, fisted the ring she’d caught, and stomped off into the darkness after walking down the sidewalk. Moon watched her go and then turned, grinning at Jericho.

“Your eyes aren’t red. She’s just being pissy.

She’s gaining a reputation with the males as someone to avoid.” He cut his gaze to Obsidian.

“You’re new and don’t know that she’s cold to the ones she invites to share her body.” He finally looked at Alli. “Don’t take it personally. The last male she was interested in mated a human so she’s holding a grudge.” He held out the key.

“Here. You control her space now.”

Obsidian took the key. “Thank you.”

“That’s what friends are for.” Moon glanced at Jericho. “I’m going to go to Tiger’s. I’ve got this.