Whatever the hell that means, Henry doesn’t seem thrilled about it. He dashes over to the bar to stop Terrance from making his call. “No. I will have Parker look into it.”
“But Gorgeous is already working the case.”
“No!” Henry snaps. “I don’t want the FUA to know about Nora. They’re power hungry. They will ask too many questions.”
Terrance’s face flushes red, and he takes a menacing stance. “The FUA is our best chance at finding Shandra and the others. I won’t ignore that just because you want to break a few rules.”
Henry sputters at the accusation. “Nora is human. I have broken no underworld laws.”
“Then you won’t mind if I call Gorgeous and let him run the plates.”
Henry and Terrance fall into a heated argument that has Parker and Wulf trying to voice their own opinions and play peacekeepers.
I’m not quite sure what they’re talking about. I’ve never heard of the FUA. It almost sounds like they mean the cops. But there’s no way underworlders would work with the human police.
Whatever they’re arguing about, they’re getting really riled up over it and aren’t paying the least bit of attention to me. Now could be the chance for escape I’ve been waiting for. It’s a long way from my couch to the exit, but it’s my only chance. I have to try.
There’s nothing for me to do but stand up and walk away, so I take a deep breath and get up. When no one notices anything, I casually head for the door, trying to be as quiet as possible. It’s slow going because it’s difficult to step quietly with all of the debris on the floor. As I weave my way around what used to be some stools and a bar table, I notice one of the chair legs has been splintered off and has a rather pointy end. I can’t help thinking it looks like a great wooden stake. It’s in my hands before I can even debate whether the wooden stake myth is true or not.
“Fine, ask him to run the plates!” Henry shouts. “But leave Nora out of it!”
Shit. I’m out of time, so I make a mad dash for the door. Henry’s on me before I get two steps, grabbing me from behind. His hands clamp around my arms, and he hisses in my ear, “Are you trying to leave me?”
The anger in his voice sends a chill up my spine. I clutch the broken table leg close to my chest as Henry pulls my back against him. “Can you blame me?” I ask.
Henry’s hands tighten around my arms enough to make me cry out in pain. “I am tired of this game, Nora,” he growls. “You. Are. Mine.”
“The hell I am. I’d rather die.” My words may be brave, but my entire body is shaking.
“So be it.”
The tingling of my intuition kicks in. The hairs on my arms and neck stick up, and pure dread washes over me. For the first time since I met him, Henry means to do me harm.
Henry releases one of my arms to sweep my hair away from my skin and runs his nose along the side of my neck. “In death you will adore me,” he murmurs. “With a proper sire bond, you will want me as desperately as I want you.”
I shiver, and not from the breath blanketing my neck. He’s going to turn me—make me one of his vampires. “Don’t you dare!”
I thrash in his grip. I don’t have a chance in hell to escape him, but I can’t help my body’s natural fight or flight instincts. I can’t become a vampire. I just can’t turn into one of the monsters that killed my mom. I couldn’t live with myself if I did.
My only option is the piece of wood I’m holding. It’s not much, but I’m not going to just stand here and let him make me a vampire without a fight. “Turn me around,” I say, gripping the makeshift weapon. “Look me in the eye when you take my life.”
Henry can’t resist the challenge. He whirls me around, never realizing I have something in my hands. I don’t think. I just shove the wood into him with every ounce of strength I have. I half expect him to be impervious to it, but the stake pierces his skin and sinks a good six inches deep into his chest.
Henry lets out an anguished scream and backhands me across the face so hard I fly back a few feet. I crash to the floor with a cry of pain. Terrance releases a mighty roar as I go down. The sound is guttural, and makes everyone in the room stop and gasp. I try to sit up, to see what’s going on, but I can’t manage it. My face is on fire, and my head is still spinning. Henry hit me hard enough to nearly snap my neck. I definitely have a concussion, and I wouldn’t be surprised if my cheekbone is broken.
A gurgling cough catches my attention. I turn my head just in time to watch Henry fall to the ground. Parker rushes to his side and yanks the bloody stake from his chest. He clamps a hand over the gushing wound. “Bring Nora to me,” Henry rasps.
I staked the bastard, and he can still talk? He’s like a damn cockroach. “Bring Nora to me!” he demands again, his voice already growing stronger. Damn him and his vampiric healing.
Terrance and Wulf sure as hell aren’t going to obey Henry, so Parker reluctantly removes his hands from Henry’s chest and rises to his feet. The second he turns my direction, Terrance snarls. I can’t see his face because he’s crouching protectively in front of me as if guarding me from everyone in the room, but whatever scowl he’s sporting, it’s enough to make Parker freeze.
The silence stretches out so long I start to wonder what’s going on.
“Impossible,” Wulf mutters, gaping with wide eyes at Terrance.
Parker is still frozen with shock and looks paler than normal.
“What’s going on?” I ask. My words come out in a slurred moan.
Terrance whirls around when I speak, and I nearly shriek at what I see. His eyes are black—all black—as if a demon has taken possession of his body. They look soulless.
“Terrance?” I whisper. I can’t help the fear in my voice.
He lifts his big, meaty hand to my face with a touch so soft I wouldn’t have thought him capable of it. The gentleness he’s showing doesn’t match the rage he seems locked in. I’ve heard of trolls losing their temper and going crazy on everyone and everything in sight, but this is different.
“Easy, Nora,” Parker whispers. “Don’t make any sudden movements. Terrance won’t hurt you, but if you startle him, he might come after the rest of us.”
“What’s going on?” Henry demands.
He sits up slowly. The gaping wound in his chest is already starting to heal. The second he moves, Terrance growls. The sound comes from deep in his belly, sending a shock of fear into me. I’ve never heard anything more menacing. Combine that with those eyes, and Terrance is the most frightening thing I’ve ever seen.
Wulf immediately lifts his hands up. “Easy, big guy. You’ve got Nora. She’s safe. We won’t let Henry near her.”
Henry’s mouth falls slack. “No,” he whispers, shaking his head in disbelief. “She’s human. It’s not possible.”
“She’s not a normal human, though, is she?” Parker says.
“She’s not a troll!” Henry shouts. “Trolls’ instincts only kick in for their family and their mates! She’s neither!”
Terrance roars again, and Wulf scrambles over next to Parker to try and block Henry from his view. Nobody moves after that. I don’t even think they breathe. Everyone looks a combination of completely shocked and terrified enough to piss themselves. I guess pushing a troll to his breaking point is serious business and doesn’t happen often.
We all stay frozen in silence, waiting to see what Terrance does. Terrance is not acting like himself. He’s clearly protecting me, but I think he’s lost his sanity. He seems like a caged animal about to break loose.
The stillness is shattered when the sound of a motorcycle cuts through the air and purrs to a stop outside. Moments later, the front door bursts open and in strolls—and I do mean strolls—a tall, black-haired, chocolate-eyed, dimple-faced, mocha-skinned stranger dressed in cowboy boots, tight jeans, and a tight gray Nirvana T-shirt under a black leather jacket.