Don't Rush Me (Nora Jacobs #1)(61)

“Okay,” I say. “I can agree to that. Thank you for taking my feelings into consideration.”

“Of course. You are Nick’s girlfriend, after all, not just his sponsor. We wouldn’t want to make either of you uncomfortable,” he purrs. “Shall we go someplace a little more private?”

“There’s no one out front anymore,” Nick says, looking out the curtain. “It’s chilly, so everyone has come inside. We’ll have privacy out there.”

And we can make a swift getaway, if we need to. Smart thinking, Nick.

Elijah gestures with a hand for me to lead the way. Nick slips his arm back around my waist and escorts me outside. I love how he always makes sure not to touch my skin unless he wants me to hear him. Mind reading wouldn’t be so bad if everyone were as conscious of my ability as he is.

Unfortunately, not everyone pays as much attention as Nick. As we head down the front steps and to the corner of the yard near a large tree, where we’ll have cover from the house and the street, Parker grabs my hand. I’m flooded with his angry, afraid, and jealous thoughts as he says, “Nora, you don’t have to do this. Those jerks shouldn’t be asking you for this.”

It’s hard to feel his concern for me when his thoughts of thirst, lust, and his desire to share blood with me, to form a bond, are shouting at me. I rip my hand out of his and wince when he jerks back, offended. “Sorry. I can hear your thoughts when you touch me like that.”

Parker grimaces. He knows exactly what I think is unpleasant at the moment. “I’m sorry. They’re just thoughts. I would never act on them.”

“I know, but I don’t need to hear them.”

“Sorry. But still. You shouldn’t do this. If they just need underworlder blood, I’ll give them mine. I’ll be Gorgeous’s sponsor.”

I’m not surprised by the offer, but I do know it won’t work. Having heard Elijah’s thoughts inside, I know he’s already starting to fixate on me. Drinking my blood is only going to make his obsession worse, but it’s the only way to get us to the sanctuary and the missing underworlders.

All of Elijah’s brothers have followed us outside, and all of them hear Parker’s angry comment. Eleven angry faces stare at me, waiting to hear my answer. I give Parker a reassuring smile. “It’s fine, Parker. It’s only Elijah right now, and if these men are really going to be his brothers, then I don’t mind. Are you going to be okay once I bleed?”

Parker sucks in a sharp breath through his nose and his eyes flash with desire, but he nods. He glances around and then lowers his voice. “I’m a very old vampire, Nora; my control is impeccable. Still, because it’s you, I fed before coming here tonight just to be safe. I will be fine.”

Parker glances at the group of humans staring at us. I can tell he hates that we’ve just confirmed their suspicions about his underworlder status. I feel a little bad about that, but I also needed the answer to his question. I don’t think I’d have been able to cut myself in his presence if I thought he was going to vamp out on me.

“Is her blood really that much more enticing to you?” Elijah asks.

The glare he gets from Parker is 100 percent vampire. His eyes turn red, and his fangs descend. It makes Elijah and his friends all back up.

“You will keep his secret,” I say calmly to the group of curious onlookers, “or we will kill you. All of you.”

Whoa. I don’t know where that threat came from, but I kind of mean it. Not that I’m a murderer, but I suddenly feel this desperate need to protect Parker. I guess that makes him one of my friends now, too, because I would only ever be that loyal and protective of someone I care about.

Elijah must believe I’m serious, too, because he steps over to me with a hand up in surrender and speaks to me like he’s trying to calm a raging child. “It’s all right, Nora. We would never do something to harm your friend. We do not do things to hurt our brothers or their sponsors.” His smile turns rueful. “Besides, we know better than to cross a vampire.” He nods when Parker growls softly once more. “Your identity is safe with us. You have my word.”

After a moment of tense silence, Elijah turns to me with a smile. “It’s time.”

When I nod, he takes my hand in his and pulls a butterfly knife from his pocket. His thoughts are a jumbled mess of excitement. He’s addicted to underworlder blood, and he’s so eager to try mine. He thinks there’s something different about me, something powerful that I’m still keeping a secret. He thinks that’s why he’s so drawn to me and why Parker finds my blood more enticing.

“Well, get on with it,” I rasp, shaking my arm at him.

He looks up at me with heated eyes and refuses to break my gaze as he makes a small but deep cut on my inner forearm over a vein. I wince but am rather proud of myself when I don’t cry out because it hurts like a bitch, and pain brings out the sailor in me.

Keeping his eyes locked on mine in what I think is meant to be a sexy look—epic fail there—Elijah brings my bleeding arm to his mouth. At first, he just licks the beads of blood that have bubbled on the surface, but then he gasps and clamps his mouth down on the cut. He pulls a hard suck, and his eyes roll back in his head. He moans in a way that makes me feel dirty—though, that could just be his thoughts making me feel that way.