Don't Rush Me (Nora Jacobs #1)(17)

“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 Terrance. 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.

Terrance and Wulf watch the drama unfold between them like it’s a good soap opera. They look just as shocked by Parker’s interference as me. It must be really unusual for a vampire to argue with his sire. I can’t help the feelings of hope welling up inside me. Parker is Henry’s right-hand man. If anyone could convince Henry to release me, it would be Parker.

“We’re not kidnapping her,” Henry says. I could choke on his haughtiness, there’s so much of it in the air around him. “We’re taking care of her. She’s alone in the world. I’ve seen her life. She has no one to protect her. She needs me. I’m giving her a home and a family, safety and security. Those are things she wants anyway!”

“Sire, if she wants those things, offer them to her. Don’t force them on her. You’ll never win her over with force. And think of Nadine. You know Nora is powerful. Think of how much help she could be if she was cooperating willingly.”

Boy, was that ever the wrong thing to say. Henry’s temper finally explodes. “I am a master vampire!” he shouts. “You do not question me, and she will not defy me! I can make her do anything I want!”