He wets his lips and drops his gaze to my mouth. “What if I could prove that I’m stronger?”
I’m not sure how to answer. I’m not touching him anymore and am surprised by this line of questioning. I thought he didn’t trust me, and now he’s trying to steal me from my boyfriend? Does that mean he wants me, but not Nick? Or is he trying to prove the two of us are untrustworthy somehow?
I glance across the room at Nick, stalling while I try to piece together the best response, and am startled to see who’s joined him. Parker promised me he’d keep Xavier from the party. But then…I don’t see Xavier. Parker is here alone.
It’s the perfect out. I gasp and call loudly, “Parker!”
When Parker turns in my direction, I beam a smile at him, stand up, and meet him halfway across the room. Elijah follows me, keeping a set of hawk eyes focused on Parker. I don’t think the two have met before, but somehow Xavier figured out who Parker is, and he told Elijah that Parker is a 400-year-old vampire.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, surprising Parker with a hug. I lean my face in next to his and whisper in his ear as soft as I’m able. “Just play along.”
Parker doesn’t miss a beat. “It’s lovely to see you again, Nora. Xavier called and invited me tonight. It’s not Underworld, but it’s something to do. What are you doing here?”
“Xavier called me earlier and told me about it.” I look all around, even though I know my creepy neighbor is not here. Parker might be here, but he wouldn’t have gone back on his word to keep him away. “Where is he, anyway? Didn’t he come with you?”
Parker shakes his head and looks me straight in the eyes. “I went to go pick him up because he wasn’t answering his phone, and I guess he had some kind of mental breakdown after his trip to the hospital.”
“Mental breakdown?” I gasp.
Elijah is concerned about this, too. No doubt he’s afraid Xavier is running around telling people he’s joining a brotherhood that sacrifices monsters in order to gain their power.
Parker shakes his head and gives me a small smirk. “It was the strangest thing. I guess he’s been committing some very serious crimes against women for some time now, and this evening he randomly decided to come clean to the police about it. He turned himself in and asked them to lock him up and get him some psychiatric help.”
My jaw dropped all the way to the floor. “What?” I squeaked. “That’s crazy!”
“Yeah,” Parker agrees, hitting me with an intense gaze. “I can’t imagine what compelled him to do such a thing.”
Oh! Oh, my! Parker compelled Xavier to turn himself in? The look he’s giving me makes me certain he did it for me. Now I’m sorry I didn’t kiss the man after dinner. I definitely want to do it now. I want to fling my arms around him, hug him tight, and thank him a million times over. I can’t do this in front of Elijah, of course, but my eyes do gloss over with a layer of moisture. Parker sees me struggling with my emotions, and his face softens a little. Neither of us gets to say anything, because Elijah curses. “Xavier went to jail?” he asks Parker.
Parker nods, narrowing his eyes at the guy who is a total stranger to him. “Yeah. I watched him get hauled off in the back of the police car. And considering all the pictures and videos he handed over to the police of him doing unspeakable things to unwilling girls, I don’t think he’s coming home anytime soon.”
Elijah huffs out a frustrated breath and rubs his hand over his face before raking it through his hair. He’s too fidgety all of a sudden. He looks at me, then glances at Nick still laughing with his friends. After a moment, he sighs and forces a smile at me. “If you’ll excuse me, Nora, I need to go talk to my brothers for a minute.”
“Of course!” Go tell your brothers you have to let Nick into your whacked out circle.
Once Elijah is gone, I immediately throw myself at Parker. Rare tears leak from the corners of my eyes. “Thank you,” I whisper, my voice raw with emotion. “I can’t believe you did that.”
His arms come around me, and for a moment he holds me tight. I can hear his thoughts, I know how much he’s been longing for this, how much he likes it, and how much hope it’s giving him, but I can’t make myself let go. “I’m a good man, Nora. I couldn’t let that creep keep hurting women the way he tried to hurt you.”
“I’ve wished I had a way to turn him in for so long,” I whisper, shaking my head while it’s still buried in the crook of Parker’s neck. “You don’t understand how much this means to me. Seriously, thank you, Parker.”
“You’re welcome.” Parker squeezes me even tighter and then lets me go, stepping back. So…are you starting to believe me that we’re not all bad?”
I’m not sure if he means men or vampires, but either way, after what he’s just done when he didn’t have to and wasn’t asked to, I have to nod my head. “I guess some of you might be decent.”
Parker smiles, but it’s sad. “I’ll have you know that I never chose this life.” So it’s vampires we’re talking about, then. “I make the best of it now, but I never asked for it. It’s not what I wanted. You, on the other hand…” His face changes to that same intense look he’s given me a number of times, and he steps close, really close. I’m surprised that I don’t back away from him. “I want you, Nora.” He swallows and lifts his hand to my face. He drops it before touching me, though. “But I can’t,” he whispers. “Henry would kill me.”
I gulp. “Do you mean that literally?”
“Possibly.” He grimaces. “Nora, Henry has completely fallen for you. I’ve never seen him so besotted with anyone. As much as I want you for myself, and I understand why you chose to leave, I feel obligated to tell you that he’s heartbroken by your rejection.”
I feel no sympathy for the bastard. “He’ll get over it the longer he stays away from me. At least, that’s how it usually works.”
“What?”
Parker’s brows shoot up so high in surprise that I blush. I should have explained this to him sooner. “People are…drawn to me.” When he gives me a look, I cringe. “Yes, humans and underworlders alike. You too, probably.” He opens his mouth to ask questions, but I shake my head and cut him off. “I can’t explain it. It’s like all my other powers. I don’t know where it came from or how it works, and I have no control over it. I just know it happens. It’s why I’ve had so many problems with men my entire life. I was with Cecile earlier, and she said I’m definitely not a succubus, but I must have something in me that gives me this allure.” I meet his eyes and give him a pleading look. “But until I learn how to stop it, I can’t trust anyone with my heart. I can’t trust that their feelings are sincere.”
“Nora, I swear I—”
I hold up a hand. “You can’t know that for sure. And besides, even if you could, or even if you don’t care, I can’t trust you not to get too…enthusiastic. People become obsessed, Parker. They can’t help themselves. They get to a point where they can’t take no for an answer. If I encourage you…you’ll end up just the same way.”
“I would never—”
“You can’t promise that.”
He shuts his mouth, brows pulled low over his eyes, as if he’s trying to figure out how to argue. Before he finds that nonexistent solution, Elijah comes back, with all of his buddies and Nick trailing behind him. Nick moves to my side and slides an arm around my waist. It’s a claiming gesture. I have to remind myself we’re in character, because Parker had temporarily pulled me back to my real self.
“Hey, babe, I have some good news.” I frown at him quizzically, and he nods to Elijah and his buddies. “I’m in.”
“What?” I turn my frown on Elijah. “But I thought you said all the spots were full.”
Elijah grimaces. “Xavier was supposed to be our final spot. Obviously he’s not going to work out, so my brothers and I have decided Nick will make a good final addition.”