by Jackie May
He was drawn to me before, but now, after sharing this intimate moment and tasting me, he’s completely gone for me. It’s more than bloodlust. He wants to claim my body as much as my blood. He’s never wanted anything more. He plans to feel Nick out about ending his relationship with me before Tuesday, and he’ll do whatever needs to be done if Nick’s unwilling. He thinks Nick will go for it, though, because he didn’t seem to really care about me, he only wanted my power, and Elijah can offer him a lot of power. It should be an easy negotiation. Nowhere in his thoughts does he consider my feelings toward himself or Nick. Asshole.
Elijah’s thoughts disappear as he’s ripped away from me. “Okay, that’s enough,” Nick says.
He takes his shirt off and wraps it around my bleeding arm before putting his leather jacket over my shoulders. I must be really out of it, because I’m shaking and I want to go home and I don’t even care about the fact that Nick is shirtless and totally lives up to his name. Hell, he’d live up to Adonis’s name.
“You okay?” he asks. I nod, but the simple action makes me sway, and Nick is forced to catch me. He glares at Elijah.
“You took too much,” Parker growls.
He’s keeping a lot of distance from me at the moment, and his eyes are burning red again. I must be the Bella to his Edward. That’s comforting. Not.
“Sorry.” Elijah looks completely drunk. His brothers are holding him up, and he’s grinning at me with a wide, goofy smile. “You are incredible, Nora. So strong.”
Really? That’s strange, considering I’m human. Whatever little underworlder blood I have in me must be really kickass. But it’s a mystery for another day, because I can hardly keep my eyes open.
“We,” Elijah says, pressing a hand to his chest and then waving at his brothers, “the Brotherhood of the Highest Order, would be honored to invite Nick into our circle and have you as his sponsor.”
“Super.” I can’t dial back the sarcasm. My head hurts too much.
Elijah’s smile softens. “Go home and get some sleep. You’ll feel better soon, and then we’ll talk.” His eyes shift to Nick. “We’ll text you on Tuesday with the location for your initiation. Bring Nora. Once you’ve completed your initiation, you will be one of us. We’ll move you into the house, and you can start to learn our secrets. Power you can only dream of right now will be yours in reality.”
“Sounds good,” Nick says, shaking Elijah’s hand. “Parker, want to help me get her home?”
Parker looks at me, face pinched in pain and shame. “I’d better not.”
Nick narrows his eyes at Parker as if he’s now thinking the same thing I was a moment ago. What’s so special about my blood? It should be normal human blood with maybe a drop of underworlder power in it. It shouldn’t be so different that it’s testing the control of a vampire as old as Parker, and who recently fed.
Nick turns me to face him and zips up his jacket while searching my eyes. “We need to get you home and in bed. Think you can hold on to me long enough for me to get you there on the bike?”
I’m honestly not sure, but my car is still parked at the club, and I’m not letting anyone besides Nick take me home. “I’m good.”
“Okay. Let’s get you home.”
By the time I wake up, having that psycho Elijah drink my blood feels like nothing but a bad dream. I vaguely remember Nick taking me for a burger before getting me home and putting me in bed, though, for the life of me, I can’t remember what we talked about. It had something to do with me needing iron and waiting until Tuesday and having the Agency back us up, but I can’t remember specifics.
I also don’t feel like waiting.
I get up and shower, then wander into the kitchen. There’s a note on the table near my keys, laptop, and phone. “Déjà vu,” I mutter as I pick up the paper. The note is written in the same slanted all caps.
WENT INTO THE CLUB EARLY. HAD YOUR CAR
BROUGHT HOME. GORGEOUS TOLD ME WHAT
HAPPENED. TEXT ME WHEN YOU WAKE UP,
AND LET ME KNOW YOU’RE OKAY.
I snort softly to myself. It’s like having a dad—one that actually cares. I find it ironic that I didn’t gain a real parental figure until years after I aged out of the foster system and went off on my own.
Checking the time on my phone, I’m surprised to find it’s after five p.m. I slept away the entire day. I’ve also got to still be iron deficient, because I’ve got a mad craving for a big, juicy bacon cheeseburger.
I rummage through the fridge for a minute, and after not finding what I’m looking for, I decide to venture out to the place I think Nick took me to last night. The one thing I really remembered is that the food had been awesome.
The drive isn’t long, and the place isn’t crowded. Best combination ever, as I’m still feeling weak. I claim a booth to myself and pull out my laptop. May as well look for a job while I wait for my burger. If we find Shandra and the others tomorrow, then I’m only stuck in Detroit as long as it takes for me to figure out where to go.
I find a job opening at a motorcycle shop in a town called Monroe. It’s about an hour south of here on the coast of Lake Erie. Population says 20,000. I click on the job listing. I’ve always liked the idea of small town living. I’ve heard most underworlders prefer big cities—more people means it’s easier to blend in. There may be a pack of werewolves out there—they prefer small towns with trees around to run in—but they are notorious for sticking to their packs. They wouldn’t care about little old me.
I’m about to dial the phone number when my burger comes. The smell hits my nose, and the job is forgotten. The burger is even more delicious than I remembered. It’s the best thing I’ve eaten in a long time. I scarf it down like I haven’t eaten in a week, and consider ordering a second one, but decide to go with a chocolate butterscotch brownie with a Detroit signature—ginger ale ice cream. It’s so good I’m literally moaning with pleasure when a shadow falls over my booth.
“I was going to say a woman like you shouldn’t have to dine alone, but it sounds like you’re enjoying yourself,” Elijah teases, lust in his eyes. He smirks when I gasp, startled to see him. “Hello, Nora.”
My shock of seeing him here overrides any embarrassment I might have felt. “Elijah!” My eyes flick to the man next to him. “Mark. What are you guys doing here?”
Mark would be Mr. Muscles, the infamous hooptie driver, who also seems to be Elijah’s right-hand man. I don’t like him. He’s got a quality about him like Xavier has—the vibe of a twisted pervert. I grind my teeth at seeing them, looming over my booth while I’m all by myself, but I force a smile. “This is a pleasant surprise. I’m sorry Nicky’s not here. He’ll be sad that he missed you.”
Elijah waves me off. “Never mind Nick. We’ll see him soon enough. I came to see you.” He slides into the booth on my side, and then adds, “You don’t mind if we join you, do you?”
And how, exactly, am I supposed to say I do mind when he’s already sitting down and blocking me in, no less?
I quickly exit out of my job search and shut my laptop as I scoot all the way to the wall. I want to put as much space between us as possible. “How did you guys know I was here?” I ask as Mark sits down across from Elijah and me.
Elijah’s eyes flash with heat. He reaches out to touch my arm, and I flinch back before he can. He drops his hand, frowning, but quickly smiles again. “I have your blood inside me,” he says in a low voice, thick with desire. “I used it to track you magically.”
My eyes grow big. I let him think it’s because I’m impressed. But really it’s because I realize there’s no escaping him. My psychic intuition isn’t kicking in—apparently Elijah doesn’t mean me any physical harm—but every instinct I have is screaming at me to get out of here, to call Terrance or Nick and have them come save me. I have my phone in my jeans pocket. I could discreetly call someone, but for some reason I don’t. Something inside me is telling me I should let this play out and see what they want. It could lead t
o finding the missing underworlders. “Why would you want to find me?” I ask, eyes wide, playing the innocent, unsuspecting underworlder.
“Nora…” His voice turns husky, and he scoots a fraction closer. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since the second we met. I know you’re with Nick, but I was watching him last night, and, baby, he doesn’t care about you the way you think. He’s just using you for your power.”
I put on my best pout and shake my head, because that’s what the script calls for. “No…that can’t be…I’m sure you’re wrong. Nicky says he loves me.”
Elijah gives me a patient, sympathetic smile. “If that were true, would he have been flirting with all the other girls at the party last night? I know you saw him.”
Hmm. If Elijah saw me watching Nick, he must have been keeping a closer eye on me than I thought. I shake my head again—going for denial. “No…he’s just a really nice guy. He’s super sweet to everyone. Maybe he flirts a little, but—”
“He gave his number to three different girls while you were with Elijah,” Mark interrupts. “When they asked about you, he said what you don’t know won’t hurt you.”
I’m not sure if that’s true, but since we wanted them to think Nick’s only using me for my power, it wouldn’t surprise me. I make my eyes big again, though I doubt I can conjure up any convincing tears—I’m not a weepy person—so I go for anger instead. “He did what?”
Elijah finally reaches for my hand. “Baby, don’t get angry,” he murmurs. “You guys are just wrong for each other, that’s all. He doesn’t appreciate you. Not like I will.”
I’m surprised when his thoughts are an echo of his words. He really does believe Nick isn’t good enough for me, and that he could do better. He really does want me to be his girlfriend. And once we’re bonded, I’ll never be able to leave him. I’ll be devoted to him.
Wait, what? Bonded? I don’t know what that’s about, but it doesn’t sound good. I know he’s a sorcerer, but from the way he sucked my blood last night, I’d bet he has some vampire powers, too. I’m guessing he’s got traits from every underworlder he’s ever sacrificed. Could he perform a vampire sire bond on me? Or a werewolf mate bond?
“I don’t know…” I bite my lip, turn my chin to my lap, and look up at him through my lashes as I squeeze his hand. “You’re very handsome, and sweet, and powerful and all, but you’re about to be Nick’s fraternity brother, and I’m about to be his sponsor. Wouldn’t us getting together cause a lot of problems?”
“Not if we initiate Xavier instead of Nick,” Elijah says. “We could post his bail.”
That’s not good. “You’re not going to initiate Nick?”
Mark pipes up. “We’ve already voted on it. Nick’s out, and Xavier’s in. He’s going to get Parker to sponsor him. Xavier and a few of the other guys will talk to Parker after sunset.” When I frown at him, he shrugs. “The brotherhood is about loyalty more than anything. We don’t want a guy who cheats on his girl. If he can’t be loyal to the woman he claims to love, we can’t expect him to be loyal to the brotherhood.”
Oh, shit. Nick was our key to finding the sanctuary. And they’re going after Parker tonight. He’ll be kidnapped, Nick will never get the text with the sanctuary location, and we’ll never find Shandra before tomorrow night. How the hell did our perfect plan fall apart so fast?
Now I have to play along. I have to let Elijah convince me to be his girlfriend. It’s the only way. Or maybe not. Would he show his underworlder girlfriend to the sanctuary where he’s sacrificing underworlders? Doubtful. Instead, he’s probably going to use his dark magic on me to form some kind of bond where I’ll turn into his whacked-out love slave/blood whore. I am so screwed.
I can’t panic. I know that much. And I can’t just go along with his plans. That would be too obvious and wouldn’t get me to the sanctuary. Maybe if I refuse him. If I put up a fight and he has to kidnap me.
Shit. I so don’t want to get kidnapped and magic-roofied.
I should just get out of here.
Before I can make up my mind, my server comes with my check. “I’ll take care of that,” Elijah says, beaming me a smile that makes my skin crawl. He thinks he’s already won, that I’m already his. He must really plan to magically drug me.
“Oh, um, thank you, Elijah, but you don’t have to do that.”
“Nonsense. Let me buy my new girl dinner.”
While he hands the server his card, I gulp. I really need to get the hell out of here. “I don’t know, Elijah.”
“Baby, it’ll be fine. You’ll see. I promise you don’t want to be with that cheating jerk. I’ll take care of you. I’ll be truly devoted in a way Nick never was to you. And I’m powerful, baby. You have no idea how powerful I am.”
“Yeah, but—”
“Why don’t you come back to the house with me?” Elijah suggests when he sees how nervous I am. He takes my hand again and gives it a squeeze. “We can just talk and get to know each other a little. You can talk to the rest of the guys, too. I’m sure they’ll all tell you what they saw with Nick last night. I know you don’t want to hear it, but I hate the thought of you being with someone who isn’t faithful to you.”
I want to leave. I know better than to go with him, and to jump into something like this all by myself. I feel bad about Shandra and all, but getting myself kidnapped isn’t going to help her. It’s time to escape and regroup.
“Gee, Elijah, that’s really sweet and all, but I can’t just start being with you when I love Nicky. I need to see it with my own eyes or hear it directly from him before I believe it, you know? I don’t know you guys very well. I can’t just take your word for it. Not that I don’t believe you, but I owe it to Nicky to at least talk to him first.”
Elijah sighs as the server returns with his credit card. He looks at me again, long and hard, after he signs the slip. “He doesn’t deserve you, Nora.”
I shrug, not knowing what to say to that.
Elijah taps his fingers on the table as he devises a plan. I want to hear his thoughts, but not enough to touch him. I wouldn’t be able to explain my sudden need to hold his hand anyway.
I know the second he changes his plans, because that tingling feeling creeps up my neck and the dread settles in my stomach. It’s not extreme, so he doesn’t plan to kill me, but he’s definitely planning to bring some kind of physical harm to me. I’m definitely getting drugged and kidnapped.
“All right, baby,” he says, taking my hand again and rubbing his thumb over the back of it. I let him so I can get a read on his thoughts. “I can see you need some time. Go talk to Nick. If he isn’t honest with you, then bring him to me. I can cast a spell that will keep him from lying. I can get the truth from him for you. But promise me that you’ll come to me when you learn what kind of guy he is. Promise me you’ll give me a shot.”
I’m not even listening to what he’s saying, because I’m watching his plan unfold in his thoughts. He needs me alone before he can use his magic dust. He can’t risk witnesses. He plans to follow me to my car when I leave, and then he’ll drive me in my own car, since he caught a ride with Mark and he doesn’t want anyone to suspect I am missing or that something’s wrong.
He plans to knock me out and take me to the sanctuary, where he can hold me until he can perform the bonding. There’s a chance he might not be strong enough if the bond is against my will, but it will be nothing at all after the ceremony tomorrow night. Elijah wants me badly enough he’s willing to keep me locked up for a couple days, if he needs to. Once the bond is formed, he thinks it won’t matter. He thinks I’ll love him and be devoted, despite the kidnapping.
Though this is what I want, I’m still freaked out, and I definitely don’t want to go it alone. I need backup. I know they plan to jump me at my car, so I need to make some calls before I leave. “Okay, I promise I’ll call you after I talk to Nicky. But I’m supposed to meet up with some friends soon, so I should really get going.”
Elijah kisses the back of my hand before he lets go, then both he and Mark stand up to let me out of the booth. “I’ll walk you out,” Elijah says to me, with a knowing smile he can’t quite hide. “This is Detroit, after all, and a pretty thing like you shouldn’t go anywhere alone after sunset.”
Since I know it’s coming no matter what, I don’t try to fight him. He might get suspicious of me if I refuse the seemingly innocent offer. “That’s sweet of you,” I say, gathering up my laptop into its case. “Give me just a minute to use the restroom first, and then I’ll be ready.”
“Of course.”
He and Mark escort me through the restaurant to the bathrooms and then move to stand beside the door. Elijah holds his hand out to me. “Let me hold that computer for you while you go.”
“Sure.”
I hand over the laptop case, grateful that my phone is in my pocket and not in the case where Elijah probably thinks it is. I pass off the laptop, hoping I get it back eventually, because I’ll feel terrible if I lose Terrance’s gift. Then I slip inside the ladies’ room into one of the toilet stalls.
My first instinct is to call Nick, but when I try, it’s like my finger won’t follow directions. I can’t hit the button. I don’t understand what’s going on. I try to call Terrance next, and the same thing happens. It’s the same with Oliver and Parker, too. I can’t call any of them for help, and the more I try, the more I feel a weight press down in my brain.
It’s the heaviness in my head that makes me figure it out. I felt this same feeling the day Henry compelled me to find Nadine. “Shit!” I hiss.
I’m still compelled to do everything I can to find her. Elijah plans to take me to his sanctuary, where Nadine is being held. I know if I go with him, I will find her. The compulsion doesn’t seem to realize that if I get kidnapped, it won’t matter that I find her; I’ll be stuck with her. But it does realize that if I call someone for help, they’ll come and get me, and I won’t make it to the sanctuary.
Damn it, Henry! The bastard is still causing me a shitstorm of problems. “Think, Nora,” I whisper to myself. “You need backup. You need them to come get you at the sanctuary, not keep you from getting there.”