“Are you all right?”

She wound her arm around his neck. He had a bad black eye but it wasn’t swollen closed. She studied the damage to him. One of her hands trembled as she touched his face, pressing her palm to the only area of his skin that didn’t seem injured.

“I needed some stitches on my head. Are you all right? What happened to you?”

He growled. “They tried to stop me from reaching you.” His gaze lingered on her forehead. “There are stitches under the bandage?”

“Just a few. I’m fine though.” Her hand left his face and she reached for the shirt he wore. She pulled the neck of it away from his skin and peered down the front of it, spotting red marks on his chest. Her horrified gaze flew up to stare into his eyes.

“I’m fine. Major communication breakdown.”

Ellie fought a sob. “This was more than that.”

Fury held her a little tighter. “Yeah but it’s cleared up now. I’ve learned an important lesson from this.”

“What’s that?”

“We’re going to barricade the doors next time.”

A smile tugged at Ellie’s lips for his sake, appreciating his attempt at humor. “I want to go home. Trisha said I can leave. She’s getting me some pain pills right now. We’re banned from sex for a week and you’re supposed to wake me up every few hours to make sure I’m okay.”

Fury flinched. “A week, huh?” His brown eyes softened. “I’m just glad you are all right. I heard you scream. It terrified me when you fell, you weren’t moving, and I smelled your blood.”

“I’m fine.”

Fury stood, shifting Ellie inside the cradle of his arms. “Let’s go home.”

Ellie rested her cheek against his shoulder and wrapped her other arm around his neck. She left wearing borrowed pajamas but she didn’t care who saw her. Fury walked toward the bedroom door, using his foot to pull it completely open. Justice, Slade and Trisha waited for them in the living room.

“I’m sorry,” Justice apologized softly. “I didn’t know or I never would have rushed into that kitchen.” He met Fury glare. “I didn’t think you would hurt her but after the last time, I wasn’t sure.”

Trisha frowned. “What last time? What happened before?”

Ellie sighed. “It’s just another mix up, Trisha. I’ll tell you about it another time.”

Trisha held out a pill bottle toward Ellie and Fury.

“I’ll take those,” Slade offered, plucking them from her hand. “I’ll drive them home. It would look strange to see Fury carrying a woman wearing night clothes.”

“Just take one pill as needed for pain,” Trisha instructed.

Slade hesitated at the door. “Do you want me to take her for you, Fury? Those Taser guns hurt like a son of a bitch.”

“I’ve got her,” Fury growled.

Slade opened the door and stepped out of the way. Fury carried Ellie out of the house to the waiting car at the curb. Slade opened the back door for them. Fury shifted Ellie inside his hold and climbed into the car with her on his lap. He sat down hard enough to jar her and made pain shoot through her head. She groaned softly.

Fury growled.

Ellie rubbed him where her hands touched. “I’m fine. It’s just a headache.”

Fury hugged her tighter, obviously upset. Ellie was shocked at how bad their evening had turned out. She had to blink back tears for fear that Fury would grow even more upset if he saw them.

* * * * *

Ellie smiled at the women who shared the dorm kitchen with her. The eight women were new, having just arrived early that morning. Ellie had been shocked when the eight women had been brought to the door with their suitcases. Breeze had stood at her side to welcome the new dorm roomies.

“They are so small,” Ellie gasped.

“Yes,” Breeze acknowledged grimly. “They are.”

Ellie glanced up at her. “I just assumed you were all tall since so far that’s all I’ve seen.”

Breeze hesitated. “We’re the experimental prototypes, Ellie. We were changed for strength and endurance to test out drugs that would make humans stronger. Justice sent us here first because we are more durable. We’re tough. Those,” Breeze’s attention focused on the women entering the house. “Those are the truly unfortunate ones.”

“What does that mean?”

Breeze shot Ellie a warning look. “Later.”

Ellie had assigned them rooms and now they had assembled inside the kitchen for their first lessons. It had been an odd feeling, being around women her own size and even smaller after getting accustomed to the much larger New Species women. The new women ranged from around five-foot to about five-foot-five. They had smaller body frames, similar to frail humans except their facial features revealed them as New Species. They also seemed timid and shy, unlike the larger New Species women. Ellie smiled in an attempt to put them at ease.

“I know this all seems like a lot but trust me, by the end of the week you will be cooking and you will know how to handle everything inside this kitchen.”

A blonde with big gray eyes raised her hand.

Ellie kept her smile in place. “Yes?”

The blonde bit her lip. “Are you one of us?”

Ellie shook her head. “I’m not New Species.” Ellie glanced at Breeze. She’d stayed close to the group of women as if she were their shadow since they’d walked into the dorm a few hours before.