by Jackie May
“Apply to underworlders, Nora. You are human. You know the truth. You know my identity. It is too dangerous to allow you to leave.”
“But I won’t tell anyone!” I blurt as panic takes over my aching, exhausted body. “You’ve seen my life. You know I’ve never said a word about your world to anyone. I won’t tell people about you. You know I won’t.”
“You won’t,” Henry agrees, “because you won’t be leaving me.”
Henry reaches across the seat and pulls one of my hands into his. His voice turns to silk again. “I know you’re scared, Nora. You have reason to fear and despise my kind, but you will get over it.”
“Oh yeah, because kidnapping me is definitely the way to win me over. You are the worst kind of villain, because you actually think you’re doing the right thing here. You’re delusional.”
Henry pulls his hand away from mine and glares at me. “Delusional?”
I shrug. My peace spoken, I go back to glaring out the window. After a few minutes, Henry says, “Regardless of your opinion of me, your life is here now, with me and mine. You had better get used to it. Cooperate, and you will be treated well.”
I can’t help taking the bait. “Cooperate how? Am I just supposed to jump into your bed? Would that get you off, Henry? Knowing you were forcing me to be with you?”
Henry whirls on me in his seat, and his eyes begin to glow a scary red. “I would never disrespect you in that manner! When you come to my bed, it will be because you want it. I guarantee you will be desperate for me before I ever touch you.”
I scoff.
“I want you, Nora,” Henry says, still seething. “But until you are ready to become my lover, your role in my clan will be a different one.”
“What role?”
Henry takes a deep breath and sits back against his seat. Once he’s calm again, he says, “Your gifts. I need them. You will be of great service to my clan.”
Of course it’s about my gifts. I should have known. Vampires are all about power and politics. Henry, no doubt, wants to remain the big man on campus, and to do that he needs all the most powerful tools in his arsenal. I’m a shiny new toy that no one else has. Sadly, this news is better than the idea that he just wants me for my body or my blood. But not much, because I know he still wants both of those things as well.
Henry continues when I don’t respond, his voice becoming practical, businesslike. “You will help me in exchange for room and board and anything else you might need. I promise you will be better cared for by me than you ever have been before. You will be protected and afforded the finest luxuries I have to offer.”
Yeah. As if expensive dresses and jewelry could make up for my freedom. I meet his gaze again. “And if I don’t want it?”
Annoyance sweeps across his face, but he stamps it down and continues to speak calmly. “Then you will help me in exchange for your life.”
He says it so simply. So matter-of-factly. As if my life means nothing to him, and killing me would be inconsequential.
“Humans are not supposed to know about our world,” he continues. “I could kill you to keep my secret safe, and no one would care.”
“I would care.”
He smiles. “Then I suggest you accept your new life, my dear.”
His smugness is too much. Huffing, I turn back to the window, determined not to speak again for the rest of the ride. Henry must understand that I’ve reached my limit, because he leaves me be until we reach the club.
. . . . .
When we arrive at Underworld, it takes me a moment to realize what’s different. There’s no line out front and no cars parked in the parking lot except for a few near the back that must belong to employees. It seems odd for the place to be closed, considering it’s almost midnight.
Inside, the club is empty save a handful of employees running around. The house lights are on, and the music isn’t playing. The place is also completely wrecked. There’s broken glass and spilled liquor the entire length of the bar, the furniture is either ripped apart or upturned or both—a few chairs even stick out of the walls where they were clearly thrown in a fit of temper and went through the drywall. There are holes punched in the walls and doors are ripped off hinges—it’s a complete disaster area.
We walk into the main room, debris crunching under our feet, and a man working to clean the mess behind the bar shouts, “We’re closed!”
Parker ignores the warning. “Good evening, Wulf. I’m sorry to intrude, but I was wondering if we could take a look around again?”
When Parker leads our group toward the bar, the bartender jumps the counter in one lithe movement and stomps over to us. He’s a tall, ruggedly handsome man with golden tanned skin, brown hair, striking green eyes, and a dark five o’clock shadow. His eyes drift over our little threesome and get hung up on me. He frowns before shaking his head at Parker. “You guys need to leave.”
“Please. It’s very important. We need to speak with Terrance.”
Wulf shakes his head again and waves his hands in a refusing gesture. “Parker, now really isn’t a good time.”
Looking around the place again, I mutter, “No kidding.”
I barely speak louder than a thought, but the bartender hears me anyway. His eyes snap to me with enough fire in them to make me cringe back. “Sorry,” I grumble, and try to deflect his attention from me with a question. “What happened in here?”
“A couple of trolls got pissed off,” he says, voice completely flat. He turns his gaze back to Parker. “And they’re still not over it, so I need you guys to leave.”
Henry steps in front of Wulf, looking all arrogant and pissed. “You will let us stay.”
In the blink of an eye, the bartender’s hand is around Henry’s neck. He looks super mega scary pissed. His body trembles, and his eyes glow a dim yellow. He lets out a deep growl that sends a chill of terror through me. There’s no mistaking that noise. The bartender has got to be a werewolf. Wulf the werewolf bartender. I’m not touching that one. At least not while he looks about to rip out of his clothes.
“If you even think about using vamp compulsion on me, I will rip your head from your body before you can get the command out.”
Henry doesn’t appreciate the threat. He quickly transforms into a man similar to those who killed my mother. His eyes glow a bright red, his fangs descend, and his fingernails elongate into vicious claws as he hisses and snarls. Wulf growls right back. Without a doubt, these two are seconds away from ripping into each other. I’m both terrified and fascinated at the moment, and I have to admit, as violent as it is, I’m sort of hoping for Wulf to follow through on the decapitation threat.
Parker jumps between the two before the vampire and the werewolf go ape shit on one another. “Henry! Wulf! Wait! Please!”
“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON OUT HERE?”
Everyone freezes at the roar that shakes the whole building. I know that thunderous boom. My heart lightens until I see the murder on Terrance’s face. It seems my favorite troll isn’t feeling nearly as friendly tonight. His frown is as big as his biceps, and his body is shaking with rage. Considering he’s a troll, that’s a bad thing. If he loses his temper too badly, he’ll rip everyone here to shreds in a matter of seconds. Just ask the club he trashed earlier.
Parker decides to be the brave one and slowly steps forward, holding his hands up in surrender. “Hello, friend.” He lowers his voice to something so calm it practically bleeds the tension out of the air. “I’m sorry we’ve caused a stir. I promise we don’t mean any trouble. We’ve just come hoping to take another look around. We might have a new lead on Nadine.”
Lead? Ha! They don’t have a new lead on Nadine. They have a new tool to try and find a lead—me. It’s actually a smart move on Henry’s part. If I could help him at all, this would be how. He must have gotten a really good grasp on my gifts while watching my life history. Though, the chances that I’ll pick anything up here when it’s been so long since she disappeared and cou
ntless other people have probably left imprints behind are slim to none.
Something flashes in Terrance’s eyes. Worry? Hope? Desperation? “What do you know?” he demands.
Parker’s brows pull low over his eyes. “What’s going on, Terrance? The club is trashed, you’re on the verge of a rage, and your man is a breath away from killing my sire. I assure you, Henry meant no harm. He’s simply on edge because he’s worried about Nadine.”
Terrance swallows hard. His hands are still in fists at his sides, but he takes a deep breath and cracks his neck as he tries to relax a little. “We’re all on edge,” he grumbles. “There have been other disappearances. No one put the pieces together until tonight, because the damn races won’t talk to each other or ask each other for help. I had a girl go missing tonight, too. A member of my home clan was stolen right out from under my damn nose. No one saw anything. She just disappeared. It was just like Nadine.”
“A troll?” Parker mutters, his jaw falling slack. “Who could possibly steal a troll? Who would be that reckless?”
Terrance shakes his head. “My sister, Nell, and her friend were in town. When we realized Shandra was gone, we nearly tore apart the whole club. Nobody was killed, thankfully. The crowd cleared out fast, but Nell couldn’t keep her temper under control. I had to lock her in my safe room, and I have the Elders coming down to get her right now. Then, Wulf mentioned he heard about the Huron River Pack missing one of their females, too, and I remembered you said Nadine vanished, so I called in the FUA. They just left. They found nothing. What’s this new lead you’re talking about?”
“I can explain everything, if you’ll have your man stand down.” Parker nods toward Wulf and Henry. Wulf’s hand is still circling Henry’s throat.
Terrance huffs out a breath and nods once to his bartender. Wulf grudgingly releases Henry. Henry snarls the second he’s free, and Parker has to drag him back several feet to keep him from attacking Wulf. They argue in hushed voices. I hope it doesn’t take Parker long to calm Henry down, because both Wulf and Terrance turn their suspicious gazes my way. I throw my hands up. “Don’t look at me. I think you should have torn the asshole’s head off.”
There’s only time for both men to startle in surprise before Henry growls at me. “Nora, you will watch your mouth! You do not speak of your master like that.”
I almost growl back. “Maybe if I had a master, I wouldn’t.”
“You will start showing me respect, or I—”
“Trouble?” Terrance blurts, interrupting us before Henry can finish his latest threat. His eyes are bulging, and his mouth is open wide. “Is that you, honey?”
“Unfortunately.” Nodding slowly, I slip close to Terrance. It says a lot that I’d rather stand next to an angry troll than Henry. “I didn’t escape fast enough last night. Stupid Parker caught me and took me to his master. Now Henry thinks I belong to him and won’t let me go home. Please tell me you can kick his ass, and call the cops for me.”
“They kidnapped you?” Wulf asks. He’s glaring at me, but I don’t think it’s me he’s mad at.
When I nod, Terrance’s nostrils flare, and he drops a heavy arm over my shoulders, pulling me tightly to his side. Since it’s a protective gesture and not a possessive one, I don’t try to squirm free. Terrance can be my shield any day. “You did what?” he asks Parker. His low voice gives me a fearful shiver. It screams I’m a badass about to go to town on someone.
“She’s human,” Parker pleads. “Not only did she know about the underworld, she was involved with my main suspect in Nadine’s disappearance. I had no choice. I needed answers.”
Before the two of them can get into an argument, Henry’s voice cuts in, sounding every bit as lethal as Terrance’s just did. “I will ask you once, troll, to take your hands off my mate before I rip you to shreds and burn this pathetic dump to the ground.”
Terrance freezes. “Your mate?”
“Your what?” I screech. I knew he planned to keep me, but he didn’t say anything about mates. My curse has him much further gone than I realized.
Henry pulls his shoulders back and tugs at the cuffs of his sleeves as if straightening himself out. “She is mine,” he says simply. “I have claimed her, and my clan will defend my claim.”
I expect Terrance to respond aggressively to Henry’s threat—the man’s a freaking troll, for crying out loud, surely he can beat one lousy vampire—but instead, he blanches and lets me go. When I realize he’s stepping away from me—giving in to Henry—I grab his arm in a panic. “Terrance, please. The guy is crazy as hell. He’s holding me hostage. He really plans to force me to be his slave for the rest of my life.”
“Mate,” Henry snaps. “Not slave.”
“As if there’s a difference in this case?”
Henry’s face turns red. He’s going to blow his top soon, but I don’t care. I look at Terrance with pleading eyes. “Terrance?”
Terrance shakes his head, pain heavy in his expression. “Sorry, Trouble. I can’t. Vamps are the powerhouse in this city, and Henry’s clan is the strongest. If I kill these two right now, his clan will come after me for revenge. I’m alone in this city. They’d kill me and burn this place to the ground with everyone who works for me inside it. It’d cause riots in Detroit and start a war between vampires and trolls. We’re a strong race, but small. We’d be greatly outnumbered. My family would most likely die.”
Henry puffs his chest up, proud of Terrance’s claims. Sick bastard.
I slump in defeat. If Terrance can’t help me against Henry, I doubt there is anyone in this city that could. I’m completely on my own. And completely screwed.
“I’m so sorry, Trouble.”
I shake my head. “Don’t be. I would never ask you to put your life, or anyone else’s, on the line for me. I’ll find a different way out of this.”
Maybe I can bargain. If I can find something here, I can use the information to earn my freedom. I mean if Henry can kidnap me, then I can hold his clues for ransom. It’s only fair.
Henry clamps a hand around my arm and glares at me. “There is no way out of this. Stop fighting your fate or—”
“Whatever.” I cut him off, tired of his threats. “We can fight over the semantics later. Let’s just get this over with.” I yank my arm so hard Henry lets me go.
Wulf frowns. “Why do you have a human here, kidnapped or otherwise?”
He directs the question at both Henry and Parker, but I give him the answer. “Because I can help.” When all eyes turn to me, I sigh. I meet Terrance’s curious gaze and shrug my shoulders. “I’m not your average human.”
“What do you mean, you’re not an average human?” Wulf asks.
I could drown an elephant in his skepticism. Terrance, however, is leaning in, eyes wide, and holding his breath, waiting for me to hand him a miracle. “Can you really find Shandra?”
I feel bad for the guy. He’s bleeding with so much hope, but I don’t know that I can deliver. I hold my hands up to ward him off. “Whoa, slow down. There’s a chance I can find some clues. A chance. Not a guarantee. It’s not an exact science.”
Terrance clasps my hands in his. “Whatever you want. I’ll give you anything I can, if you’ll help me.”
I’m graced with his thoughts as he grips my hands. He’s been out of his mind, sick with worry and guilt, since the moment he realized Shandra was gone. She’d been in his club. She was supposed to be safe here. And worse, she was clan. She was visiting the city for the first time with Terrance’s sister, and now she’s been abducted. He feels like a failure to his clan and hates that he let his little sister down in such a horrible way. But at the same time, he’s relieved his sister is not also missing. Still, as relieved as he is for Nell, he’s genuinely afraid for the missing troll woman.
His fear and worry for this woman that he barely knew changes everything I’ve ever thought about underworlders. No one with such a big heart could truly be a monster. I want to bring Shandra home safe for Ter
rance. If Henry weren’t standing here, I’d do it no questions asked, but it can’t go down like that right now. I feel skeezy for what I’m about to do, but I don’t have any other options.
“I want my freedom, obviously.”
I pull my hands out of Terrance’s and back away, feeling like the biggest jerk that ever lived. I quickly meet Terrance’s eyes, and then Henry’s. “I’ll be happy to do everything I can to find the missing girls if you promise I can go home—to my home—when I’m done.” I stand up straight, pull my shoulders back, and lift my chin. “My help for my freedom, or else I’m not doing it.”
Henry’s jaw clamps, and he pulls his shoulders back, puffing out his broad chest. I’m pissing off a master vampire again, but I don’t care. I’m not backing down from this. I feel awful about the missing women, but this is my only bargaining chip. It’s my only shot at freedom. Refuse to help a bunch of missing girls, or become one myself. I’m not that altruistic.
Terrance waits, holding his breath and silently pleading to Henry with his eyes. Wulf stands there, glowering at Henry so hard the guy has to have a migraine. Neither speaks up. It’s Parker that surprises me. I expect him to stand behind his sire, all stoic and silent with a conflicted expression, allowing his boss to do something he disagrees with. Instead, he places a hand on Henry’s shoulder and says, “It’s a fair deal. You should release her.”
My jaw drops. So does Henry’s. “Let her go?” he asks. “Are you out of your mind?”
Parker doesn’t flinch away from Henry’s anger. “If she doesn’t want to stay in our home, why force her?”
“She doesn’t know what she wants!” Henry hisses, his pale cheeks ruddy and his eyes wild. He waves his hand my direction. “She’s just scared of the underworld. Of vampires, especially. She doesn’t understand, yet, that we are not the monsters who killed her mother.”
Parker frowns, somehow staying calm despite how enraged Henry is. “Are we not monsters if we kidnap her? Are we not just like those who stole Nadine from us?”
Henry sputters, and his hands clench into fists at his sides. He’s going to come to blows with Parker any moment if Parker doesn’t back down—not that I want Parker to stop. I can’t believe he’s sticking up for me. And, I have to admit, I hate Parker a lot less right now.
