The stranger winks at me, then grins at Henry as if he’s thrilled to burst the vampire’s bubble. “I heard he took her home and cooked her a meal, then escorted her to his pack social. Males only cook for females that they’re courting.”
The blood drains from my face. “Is that true?” I ask Parker.
“As far as I know.” He doesn’t look any happier about this new information than Henry.
Well, no wonder all the wolves in Rook’s pack have been acting so strangely. I’m going to kill Rook next time I see him.
“So you did allow Rook Winters to cook for you?” Henry demands.
His eyes are glowing a soft red that all vampires get when they start to lose control of their temper. That Henry cares so much pisses me off. “It’s none of your damn business.” I glare at the wolf sitting at the counter and add, “Yours either.”
The man laughs. “Sorry, honey. Every wolf in Michigan knows about Rook Winters and how he lost his mate and won’t look for another. The two of you are the biggest werewolf gossip this century. Personally, I’m rooting for you. He could use a good woman again.”
I groan, and the wolf chuckles. Henry and Parker are not amused. It’s Parker I defend myself to. “I was low on my red count because Josephine nearly drained me, so he cooked me a steak to build up my iron. He’s my trainer. We’re friends. That’s all. We’re not dating.”
I don’t know why I’m so determined to set the record straight right now. It’s not like I’m dating Parker, either. But he’s been really sweet tonight, and I feel bad throwing my relationship with Rook in his face.
“Rook Winters is your trainer?” Henry asks, pulling me from my thoughts.
While I’m busy glaring at Henry, Parker—the traitor—answers him. “He’s teaching her self-defense.”
Henry perks up at this. “You wish to learn self-defense?”
“Seeing as how people keep trying to kill me, it seems appropriate.”
“Nora, love, if you wish to learn to protect yourself, will you allow me to teach you instead of the wolf?” He ignores my laugh. “Wolves fight using their brute strength. Vampires use more finesse. I am a master in six different forms of martial arts and many weapons that would be well suited for your size and stature. I would be a better fit to teach you than Rook Winters, and I would be honored. Please consider—”
“The answer’s no, Henry. I don’t care if you’re five hundred times the teacher Rook is. I trust him. I don’t trust you. And I don’t like you.”
“I could change your mind about that. Give me one date.”
I laugh again, throwing all the sarcasm and condescension I’m capable of into it. “Never going to happen, so stop asking. Even if I were to start dating a vampire one day, it sure as hell wouldn’t be you.”
My eyes flick to Parker, and he gazes back at me with so much hope that I can’t look away.
Giving up, Henry hisses and then goes storming out of the diner. Once he’s gone, the werewolf at the counter stands up and leaves some cash by his plate. He meets my eyes, chuckling, then tsks. “It’s not wise to piss off a master vampire.”
“And yet it can’t be helped,” I say, pushing my plate away. I’ve lost my appetite.
Understanding my current mood, Parker signals to Skinny for the check and asks him to box up our food. As we’re waiting, tingles shoot up my spine. “Shit!” I hiss.
Parker stiffens. “What? What’s wrong?”
“Someone here means to do me harm.”
Parker rears his head back. “What?”
“It’s a thing I have.” I slide out of the booth, glancing in every direction. No one in the restaurant looks suspicious. They’re all too busy watching me like I’m a freak on display for their amusement. “My intuition always tells me when I’m in trouble. Right now it’s saying get the hell out of here, quick.”
Parker looks around the diner, same as I just did, and throws some cash down on the table. “Then let’s go.”
He takes me by the sleeve of my new coat and tugs me close behind him as he steps outside. Neither of us sees anything, but the warning of impending danger grows stronger. “There has to be someone out here.”
Parker takes a deep breath, smelling the air, and snarls. “Werewolves. Quickly, Nora.”
He doesn’t wait for me to respond, but rather scoops me into his arms and dashes to his car so fast I want to vomit. “Ugh…” I moan as he unlocks my door. “Remind me never to—”
A huge werewolf comes out of nowhere and tackles Parker to the ground. “Nora, get out of here!” he shouts as three more wolves run toward us.
I dive into the car, locking the doors. I feel like a jerk leaving Parker alone to face off with four werewolves, but I’m just a human with only a handful of self-defense classes under my belt. I can’t fight them, and Parker would lose his focus if I were out there. He’d probably die trying to protect me.
I call the only person I can think of to help us. “Nick!” I shout when he answers the phone. “Parker and I are at Skinny’s Diner. We’re being attacked by were—agh!”
A fist smashes through the passenger window, and before I can duck, a huge man with a big scraggly beard and dark eyes grabs me by my new coat and pulls me out the broken window. “What the hell?” I shout as the broken glass rips my new jacket. “Let me go!”
“I don’t think so.” The man holding me pulls me close and breathes in deeply, scenting me. His eyes take on a faint glow, letting me know his wolf is close to the surface. “You’ll make a very strong wolf,” he says in a rumbly, gravelly voice that is more wolf than human. “You’ll be an excellent mate.”
Oh. Hell. No.
Rook says all it takes is one bite from a werewolf while they’re in wolf form and I start the change. So when Mr. Needs To Trim His Beard flashes me his teeth and starts to shake as if he’s about to shift, I quickly use one of the moves Rook taught me for getting out of someone’s hold. I half expect it not to work, but the move performs as well on him as it did the hundred times Rook made me do it on him and Wulf.
Once I’m free, I jump-slide across the hood of Parker’s car, putting the vehicle between us before Beard Man even realizes the weak little human got away from him. He snarls at this and goes to follow me around the car, but another guy quickly snatches me from behind. This one smells a little better and has a lot less hair on his face, but he’s sniffing me and telling the other one that I’m his, so you know, he’s still a douche.
Beard Man and New Guy start trading threats and insults. I’m lucky they have to be in wolf form to turn me, because this new guy’s teeth are too close to my neck for comfort. I have another move Rook showed me to get out of a hold from behind, but I know that even if I escape, I can’t outrun them. They’ll wolf out to chase me, and then I’ll be in real trouble. For now, I let them fight with each other and hope Nick shows up quickly.
Parker is now fighting two wolves while two lie on the ground dead or unconscious. Parker is a badass, but he’s starting to slow down. He’s got huge, bloody gashes across his chest, and the way he’s blinking and wincing, I don’t think he’s going to be on his feet much longer. If only there were some way to help that didn’t end with me sprouting fur and a tail.
Parker knocks a wolf away, and the wolf is slow to get up, but the second wolf gets the jump on Parker. Parker’s jacket gets ripped to shreds, and he screams out in agony.
“Parker!”
I can’t help my fearful scream. He’s going to get killed. My shout gains the attention of the wolf, and he turns on me with a vicious growl. My heart leaps into my throat, and the feeling in my gut becomes so strong my knees buckle. The man holding me keeps me from falling, but he makes no other move. He and the bearded guy have both lost the dominance battle.
I’m going to die. This wolf isn’t interested in a mate. He’s hungry for a kill. “Nice doggy?”
The wolf snarls. Guess werewolves can understand English.