He growls at this and places his hands on Parker’s head. I wince. I’d forgotten he could just look at Parker’s memories if he wanted. His eyes stay open, but they gloss over and go unfocused as he sifts through the night’s events in Parker’s mind. When he gets to our totally hot and disastrous kiss, he stiffens, snarls, and then digs his fingers into the wound on Parker’s side. Parker wakes with a jolt and screams in pain.
“Henry!” I rush over and try to stop Henry from hurting Parker, but he’s too strong for me. I kneel beside him and yank on his arm. “What are you doing?”
“Killing him,” Henry growls. “Slowly and painfully.”
His claws are extended, and he’s deepening the wound in Parker’s side. I pull again on his arm and am unable to move it even a millimeter. “Henry, stop! Please!”
“He deserves it,” Henry says, but he pulls his hand back and frowns at me.
Parker quickly sinks back into unconsciousness. I’m actually relieved by that. His cries of pain are not something I will forget anytime soon.
“He saved my life, Henry,” I murmur.
Henry replies just as softly. “He kissed you.”
“That’s not a reason to kill him.”
“He betrayed me.” Henry sounds devastated by that. He stands up and looks down at Parker with sad eyes. “I warned him. He has wanted you from the very first night he brought you to me, but I claimed you. You were supposed to be mine.”
“And what I want doesn’t matter?” I scoff.
Henry meets my eyes with a solid gaze. “It should not matter to him. I am his master. He is supposed to obey me with unwavering loyalty.”
His gaze falls to Parker again. His remorse shocks me. Parker’s actions have genuinely crushed him. “He was my best vampire,” he murmurs. “My favorite.” Shaking his head, he looks at me and his expression turns bitter. “For you, I won’t kill him, Nora, but his life is in your hands now.” He starts heading back to his car, wiping his hands with a handkerchief he pulls from the pocket of his suit. “Let him know, if he wakes up, that he is dead to me. He is no longer a member of my clan.”
I jump to my feet. I’m actually thrilled that Parker is out of Henry’s clan—though he’ll probably be upset by that—but I can’t believe Henry is just walking away. “You’re just going to let him die?”
Henry shakes his head. “He has hurt me deeply, Nora. I will not save a traitor. I will not kill him, but I won’t spare his life, either.” His bitter smile turns scornful and hateful. “Good luck saving him in time. He’s got maybe minutes left.”
With that, he sends a quick glare to the disapproving Nick and heads for his car. Tears of anger well in my eyes as I follow him. “You selfish bastard!” I scream as I kick his stupid tires.
Henry sighs at my immaturity. “Do call me if you ever need anything. Perhaps you’ll give me a chance once Parker is out of the picture.”
The nerve of the man! Riled with rage, I kick his side passenger door, leaving a dent that is going to cost him a pretty penny to fix. “Never, you asshole!”
Henry makes his displeased, pinched sour-lemon face and says, “Good-bye, Nora,” as he climbs into his car. Hopefully it’s the last time I ever have to see him. I flip him the bird as he drives off and then rush to Parker’s side. His heartbeat is so faint.
“Help will be here in ten minutes,” Nick tells me, crouching down beside me. “The FUA has a few vampire friends in other clans besides Henry’s.”
I shake my head. “Parker doesn’t have that long, and you know it.”
I look into Nick’s eyes, and his face falls. “I’m sorry, Nora. I wish there was more I could do.”
“You’re not a vampire, are you?” I ask jokingly, trying to cover a sniffle with a laugh. It doesn’t work.
Nick manages a small smile. “If I was, I’d have fed him already.”
“Then, what are you?”
The question pops from my mouth without thought. I have no tact when I’m distressed. Nick chuckles and puts his arm around me. “Nothing that can help him right now,” he says quietly. “I’m sorry.”
Nick has given up on Parker. The defeat in his voice, fuels my determination. I can’t let Parker die. “Do you have a knife?” I ask.
I’m not surprised when Nick pulls a knife from his cowboy boot, nor that he hands it over to me without question. I hold it against my wrist. I know I don’t have vampire blood, but any blood makes a vampire stronger, and Parker said my blood was different somehow. Maybe it’s strong enough to help him last until Nick’s vampire backup gets here. It certainly helped him last time he drank it.
Parker’s warning that I should never feed anyone my blood again runs through my head, but then I look at his pale face. “Screw it.”
I drag the blade across my skin, wincing at the sting. I cut deep, and red begins to pour from my wrist. I quickly hold my arm over Parker’s mouth, but he’s unconscious, and the drops drip down the side of his face. Nick helps, holding Parker’s mouth open so I can drip the blood down his throat. “Thanks.” I sniffle.
“You realize this probably won’t work, right? He needs vampire blood to purge the werewolf saliva out.”
“I know. But maybe it’ll give him the strength to last until we can get him some real help.”
As the words leave my lips, Parker swallows. I give him several more mouthfuls before pulling my arm back. Nick tears a piece of his T-shirt for me to cover my wrist with. He smirks as he ties it in place for me. “This was a Mötley Crüe T-shirt. That’s got to be good luck somehow.”
I bark out a surprised laugh and sniffle again. “I’m sure it is. Thanks, Nick.”
“For you, beautiful, anytime. Oh, and hey! We caught ourselves a werewolf. Once we get him back to the Agency, you want to help me interrogate him?”
A smile creeps across my face. “Aw, shucks, Gorgeous. You know just what to say to make a girl feel better.”
Nick laughs, but surprisingly, he’s not the only one. Parker has regained consciousness and chuckles, though it sounds like it hurts him to do so. “Is that what a guy has to offer to get you to like him? I’ve been doing this all wrong.”
“Parker!” I throw my arms around him, and he groans. “Sorry.” I let him go and sit back. “You’re awake! How is that possible?”
“It shouldn’t be,” Nick says, gaping at Parker as if he’s some sort of living miracle.
Parker nods his head toward me. He’s still too pale, but he’s awake. “It’s her blood. It’s so strong.”
He coughs again and lies back with a groan. His eyes close again, but he’s not unconscious. “I told you never to feed anyone again,” he moans.
His voice is weak. He doesn’t have much time left, but maybe he has enough now.
“Your blood is different. If people knew…”
“Different how?” Nick asks.
I glare at Parker, though his eyes are still closed and he can’t see me. “You were going to die. And Nick’s not going to say anything.”
Nick is too busy frowning at me to confirm my trust in him. “How is your blood different?”
“It’s magical,” Parker says. “It tastes like immortal blood. Like a vampire’s, or one of the stronger fey. Stronger than even yours would be. And it’s highly addictive. I’ll need to be compelled to not crave it.”
Nick eyes me skeptically. “What are you?”
I smirk. “I believe I asked you that question first.”
Nick’s eyes narrow, but his mock irritation doesn’t stick because his lips twitch, and there’s laughter in his voice when he says, “What do you think I am?”
I easily turn the question on him. “What do you think I am?”
The playful banter breaks between us as Nick’s gaze becomes thoughtful. “I have no idea. You seem human, but humans don’t have your gifts, and their blood definitely doesn’t have magical or immortal properties. You have to be something else. But what?”