Persuasive was an understatement. She would have begged Darkness to f**k her if he hadn’t been called away from that interrogation room. She’d come dangerously close to breaking a few times. He had been that good at tormenting her body until she’d been physically hurting to come.

“They see the mated pairs and wish to have someone depend on them that way.”

Mason’s accusation popped up. He thought the women were addicted to the men. “How are they dependant?”

Sunshine finished her half of the steak and frowned. “Your females enjoy the constant cuddling and the way the males are protective of them. We call it annoying but your females seem to think it’s endearing when they snarl at other males who get too close to them. The males really seem to crave a female to love them.” She paused. “We never had that. They also enjoy feeling needed by a female. Does that make sense? To be the most important person to another after we were just numbers is a remarkable thing.”

It broke Kat’s heart a little. “I see.”

Sunshine’s mood brightened. “Your females also seem to appreciate the sex and I don’t blame them. Our males are not anything like your males in those  p**n  videos. No Species would ever call a female bad names or strike them. Our males have a high sex drive but aren’t selfish. They will do whatever it takes to give pleasure over and over.”

Not Darkness. He’d tormented the hell out of her. She’d never gotten turned-on so fast or experienced sexual frustration at that level before. Sunshine’s words did blow Mason’s theory out of the water. Great sex and a guy who paid them a lot of attention would be reasons enough for women to want to live with a New Species. As for the men, it probably would be desirable to have someone to share their lives with after all the hell they’d survived.

“I should go. I’m assigned to a shift tonight. We’ve doubled our patrols and increased security to handle the human workers coming in. I’ll see you at the bar tomorrow. I’m really looking forward to learning.” Sunshine offered her hand. “It was good to meet you and thank you for sharing your meal.”

Kat shook her hand. “Thanks for bringing it to me and for the talk.”

“Thank Darkness. You never answered my question. What did he do to you?”

She wasn’t going to answer that. “We just got off on the wrong foot when I entered Homeland. It’s nothing worth talking about.” Fat liar. She forced a smile. “Have a good night. I hope nothing else happens.”

“I do as well. We’ve had enough trouble to last us a month.”

Kat led her to the door and waved goodbye. She spotted the Jeep parked down the street with a guard inside. He was probably there to keep an eye on her. She closed and locked the door.

She wasn’t used to down time. Her job kept her busy and when she was home she and Missy were working on the house. They were about to start their remodel on the outdated kitchen. She longed to call her friend but couldn’t risk it. The NSO had access to her new cell phone when she’d been in that interrogation room and might keep tabs on any calls she made. It would lead them to her true identity.

She walked around the house, admiring it. She hand-washed the few dishes, bypassing the dishwasher. Adding one to her house was a dream but she wasn’t going to waste it on a few plates and silverware. She walked to the slider, unlocked it and stepped out onto the small patio.

It was a cool evening and she stared up at the sky. It was beautiful seeing so many stars, something she missed in the city. She was about to turn when the flare of a small light caught her eye and drew her attention to the house next door. A big figure stepped out of the shadows and Darkness met her stare.

He held a cigarette in his hand and seemed to be watching her as he lifted it to his lips, took a drag and blew it out. She was surprised he smoked since she hadn’t seen any Species do it. It was also a reminder that her cigarettes and lighter hadn’t been returned. She had a few packs stashed in her suitcase though.

He moved closer and stepped over the three-foot wall divider between their patios, entering hers. He looked really tall and was dressed in silky black pajama pants with no shirt. She tried to keep her eyes up and not admire his chest. She said nothing as he approached until he was close enough to touch. She tilted her head up to keep eye contact.

He turned his wrist and offered her his cigarette. She didn’t hesitate. Smoking was her one bad habit. She accepted it and took a long drag. Her eyes closed and she held it in her lungs before slowly blowing it out. She looked at him and offered it back.

“Keep it. It’s yours.” He reached inside his pants pocket.

She followed the movement and admitted to staring a little too long at his abs. He had great ones, every muscle displayed beneath his firm skin. He withdrew her pack and lighter. He held them in his palm.

“I wondered where those got to.”

He removed a second cigarette from the pack and lit it then leaned over and placed the pack and lighter on the patio table. “It’s not healthy.”

She’d heard that a million times. “Everyone has a vice. This is mine. I don’t smoke all the time but I do when I’m stressed. It’s been a tough week for me. I didn’t know you smoked.”

He took a drag and blew it out. “I don’t.”

She cocked an eyebrow and took another drag on hers. “It sure looks like you are.”

“I wanted to try it.”