Tears filled Ellie’s eyes and she smiled for real at him. “Thank you.”

He nodded before turning away to approach Justice next. Justice kept the cell phone against his ear but shifted it away from his mouth.

“Report.”

Slade sighed. “All three shooters are accounted for. One survived, unfortunately. The police informed me the man is an idiot who can’t stop talking. He’s claiming to be a member of the Pure Humans terrorist group.”

Justice snorted. “We aren’t supposed to call them terrorists but go ahead.”

“They heard about the press interview and infiltrated it by using photographer credentials. We didn’t cover security.” Slade growled the words. “It seems, if they had a press pass, they weren’t searched.”

“From now on we handle all the security where any of our people are concerned.”

Slade nodded. “Any word on Fury?”

“He’s fighting and has survived this long. We have two blood matches. Searcher and Darkness are inside the room donating blood as needed.”

Ellie sipped her iced coffee while she listened to them. She had to admit that everyone had really been great to her. They were guarding her and Fury. The New Species had made sure plenty of their men came to the hospital to be blood donors for Fury. Just regular human blood might have worked but matching their altered chemistry worked better. Justice had explained it to her.

Ellie remembered when they’d reached the hospital. Justice had taken her into one of the bathrooms, talked calmly to her, and promised everything would be done for Fury. He’d led her to a sink while he’d talked. She’d still been in shock as he’d washed her bloody hands as if she were a child and then handed her clothing someone had brought for her with the tags still attached. He’d left her inside the room to change out of her stained, bloody clothes. He hadn’t left her side after she’d stepped out of the bathroom. Her attention returned to him.

He shifted the phone back to his mouth. “Yes. I’m still here. What is going on?”

Ellie’s heart fluttered when she saw Justice close his eyes. Fear gripped her hard when Justice snapped his phone closed. Ellie continued to stare at him until his eyes opened. His gaze turned her way.

“He’s alive, Ellie. They removed both bullets and closed him up. They stopped the bleeding and his vitals are good. Trisha is sure, barring unforeseen circumstances, that he will make it.”

Tears slipped down her cheeks when she realized Fury would live. She nodded but was afraid to really believe it until she saw him. Hours passed before they took Fury from recovery to a private room in the ICU. They allowed the NSO to guard him and watch from the observation room next door.

Ellie rubbed her neck, tired, but she didn’t want to go to sleep. She watched Fury through a wall of glass, from the same room as the officers. They only allowed her to sit with him at his bedside for a few minutes at a time. A doctor, not Trisha, monitored Fury.

It brought back memories of other times she’d regarded Fury through glass when he’d still been locked inside the testing facility. It made her want to cry once again. It broke her heart to see such a strong, vital man helpless.

Justice sat in the corner. Someone had brought him a laptop computer and he had his earpiece for his cell phone clipped to his ear. He spoke softly to someone every once in a while. Ellie glanced at him. The man never seemed to stop working. Ellie’s focus returned to the glass. Fury slept on. The doctor checked Fury’s vitals and then left through another door.

“Ellie?” Justice spoke softly.

Ellie turned. “Yes?”

Justice gave a small smile. “He’s going to be fine. I told you that Trisha ordered that he stay sedated. New Species don’t do well laying flat on a bed because we like to be mobile. It’s best to keep him out of it while he heals more or he’ll try to get up no matter how bad it hurts him. We’re annoyingly stubborn that way, unfortunately.”

“I know. I just don’t think I’m going to feel better until I hear his voice and look into his eyes.”

“I understand. I know Fury requested marriage information. Were you aware of that? He told me he planned to ask you.”

“Yes.” She sat down. “We talked about it last night actually.”

“He loves you. Do you know that?”

“I love him too. He’s everything to me.”

“You didn’t have to tell me that. I see it every time you look at him.” He paused. “We never had anything that belonged to us while growing up. Did he tell you that? We never dared care about much either. The staff and doctors always took it away from us or used any perceived weakness against us as a punishment. Marriage means security to him, that he can keep you until he dies. It means that you belong to him and that you won’t ever be taken away from him. I wanted you to be clear about. If you do marry him he will expect that to mean forever. Don’t agree unless you are sure.”

“I am.”

His eyes narrowed. “He won’t let you divorce him. That’s what I’m saying. It would kill him. Marriage is permanent to him. It is vowing that he never has to fear losing you. He will die or kill to protect you and will love you with everything he has to give. I have heard about your human marriages. We’re not similar to humans at all in this matter. He would be loyal and Fury would kill another man if you allowed one touch you. We are possessive as hell. It’s been forced into us like the DNA they put into our cells. Not only did it physically change us but we carry some of the characteristics. We are protective and aggressive. We are possessive of what is ours. I don’t know if Fury explained that to you but I wanted to. We call it mating and it’s for life. He already has mated you but part of him has held back because he had to accept that you might leave him. He’s committed to you already.”