Everyone looks in Henry’s direction. And thanks to Henry’s super vampire hearing, he hears me say his name and returns my gaze. I glower at him. “It was his compulsion that forced me into this mess. I was just out having a burger when Elijah and Mark tracked me down. Once I learned they wanted to kidnap me and bring me to the sanctuary, I had no choice but to let them. Henry compelled me to do everything I could to find Nadine. Coming to the sanctuary, even kidnapped, would accomplish that. I guess the compulsion didn’t know the difference between me finding her and being in a position to rescue her.”
In a flash, Henry is standing in front of me, face crumpled with regret. He isn’t going to find forgiveness from me anytime soon. I glare at him before ignoring him completely, and turn back to Nick. “I wanted to bolt. I tried to call all of you for help, but the compulsion wouldn’t let me. Somehow, the magic knew that if I called you guys, you’d come rescue me, stop the kidnapping, and I might not get to the sanctuary to find Shandra. My fingers literally couldn’t dial the numbers to call for help. The only thing I could do was leave that message for Oliver, because he wasn’t online at the time. I knew he wouldn’t get the message right away. I’d have time to go to the sanctuary and find Nadine first before you all could come rescue us.”
Henry makes several choking noises throughout my speech, and when I’m done, opens his mouth, trying to find the right words for an apology. I hold up a hand. “Nope. Don’t want to hear it. I’m too raging pissed for an apology right now. Just get out of my face before I ask Terrance to hulk out on you.”
He looks like he wants to argue, but Terrance’s low growl scares him enough that he snaps his mouth closed, gives me a sad nod, and goes back to Nadine. I turn my attention back to Nick. This time, I do find the will to scowl at him. “I didn’t ditch you. We made a deal to work together. First of all, I’m not stupid. Second, I don’t break my promises, and third, promise or not, I don’t punk out on the people who trust me.”
Nick narrows his eyes at me, but then breaks into a smile. “Acceptable explanation, Spitfire. And all things considered, you made a hell of a partner.”
I chuckle. “You weren’t so bad yourself, Cowboy.”
He laughs. It seems playful banter is sort of becoming our thing.
“All right.” His gaze shifts to Terrance. “Get her home and in bed.”
Terrance puffs out his chest proudly at the order. I get the feeling he likes being in charge of my care. I won’t admit it out loud, but I like it, too. “We’re going,” I say. “I just have to say good-bye to Oliver first.” I glance around but don’t see him. “Where is he, anyway?”
Everyone’s faces fall, making my heart kick up into a panic. “What? What happened? Where’s Oliver?”
Director West sighs. “Oliver’s fine. He’s outside.”
“Pouting,” Nick adds.
“Pouting? Why?”
Nick rolls his eyes. “He’s blaming himself for Elijah stabbing you. For not using his magic sooner to get into the warehouse as soon as the location was discovered.”
“What? That’s ridiculous. He’s a hero for breaking the shields on this place at all.” I somehow find the energy to stomp outside. “Oliver!”
I find him sitting on the curb in front of the parking lot, looking completely forlorn. “Ollie. Stop it right now. No blaming yourself.”
He looks up with pain-filled eyes. “I stood by for three hours, Nora, watching those sorcerers try to break the wards on the sanctuary. Three hours. You were hurt because I was too scared to use my magic. He could have killed you.”
“Oh, hush.” I sit down on the curb beside him and bump my shoulder against his. “I got hurt because of Elijah. And because Henry compelled me. Blame them from now on. That’s what I’m doing. It’s much more satisfying, I promise.”
When Oliver still can’t manage to nod or smile, I drop the play from my voice. “Why were you too scared to use your magic?”
His face becomes desperate, as if he’s pleading with me for understanding and forgiveness. “I knew I was powerful enough to break the wards, but I haven’t used my magic in years. I’m not trained. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able control my power, just like the night I killed those guys in the park. I was worried I’d blow up the entire building with you inside it. It wasn’t until Parker came running out, with Shandra in his arms, unconscious, and said Elijah was still in there but you refused to come out without the werewolves, that I panicked enough to help.”
“So you were protecting me,” I insist. “You didn’t want to use your magic because you didn’t want to risk hurting me. There’s nothing shameful in that. And then you did break those wards when no one else could. You got everyone inside to help me. Who knows what else Elijah would have done if you hadn’t come when you had.”
“Yeah, but—”
“Plus, it was you who tracked my phone, wasn’t it? After you got my message, you tracked my phone and found the sanctuary, didn’t you?”
Oliver flinches in surprise and finally smiles a little. Grinning back, I pull him into a hug. I’ve hugged more people in the last day than I have my entire life. Oliver squeezes me back and is blushing slightly when I let him go. “You found me,” I tell him. “Then you broke the wards. You’re as much the big damn hero of the day as I am. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
Some of the stress seems to melt out of him. “Thanks, Nora.”
“No. Thank you for coming along on this crazy adventure with me. No more moping, okay?”
The light finally returns to his eyes, and he bumps my shoulder the way I’d bumped his. “All done. Promise.”
There’s my bestie. “Thanks, Ollie. Now let’s get me home before I pass out.”
Oliver helps me to my feet and puts my arm over his shoulders to help me walk to Terrance’s car. Terrance hovers behind us the entire way and actually buckles my seat belt for me like I’m a child. “Terrance.”
He graces me with one of his ever so eloquent grunts.
Before he can close my door, Director West stops him. “One last thing, Nora.”
“Yeah?”
“I know you mentioned planning to leave town after you found Shandra,” she begins reluctantly. “Before, I agreed it might be best for you, but now I would advise against it.”
“How come? What’s changed?”
Director West blinks at me. “What hasn’t?”
“Word is already spreading about you,” Nick says. “The strange little human girl who saved a dozen underworlders out of the goodness of her heart.”
“You’re a personal hero to half the underworlders in this city, and a puzzle to all of them,” Director West says. “The rumors and curiosity will follow you if you leave town. The underworld will not stay away from you any longer, I’m afraid. Here, we can keep an eye on you, and you have friends to protect you.”
Director West and Nick both stare me down, almost daring me to say I’ll stay, while neither Terrance or Oliver will meet my gaze. I clear my throat and put as much confidence into my next words as possible. “Then I guess it’s a good thing I’ve decided to stick around.”
Both Oliver and Terrance whip their heads up to gape at me. “You have?” Terrance asks.
I shrug. “If you’re sure you don’t mind a permanent roommate.”
Terrance glares at me. “You are clan, Nora. I don’t just not mind having you; I want you to stay.”
That’s exactly what I need to hear. My smile stretches to reach my eyes. “That’s just what I was hoping you’d say. After all, I finally have a real family. I’m going to need you to keep me out of trouble.” I wink at Oliver and add, “Especially now that I have my best friend to help me get into more of it.”
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
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Thanks!
Jackie May