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Terrance built our den underthe Ambassador Bridge—it’s a troll thing. To keep us hidden from humans, he placed a glamour that makes people think there is a tall chain-link fence around the support pillar that doubles as the entrance to the den. There’s also a ward that warns people away and a protection ward that keeps out anyone who isn’t expressly invited. When Nick drives up to the boundary, there is a sleek black Mercedes with dark, tinted windows idling just outside the wards. It looks a lot like Parker’s car, but I know it’s not. Parker would just pass through the wards and go inside.
Nick growls as he pulls to a stop behind the car. Now is not the time to have mystery cars stalking our den. “Stay in here,” Nick orders. “I’ll check it out.”
Seconds later, the doors of the car open and Henry and one of his vampires step out of the vehicle. I grind my teeth in annoyance, and Nick growls again. “You want to talk to him?” he asks me. “Or do you just want me to enter the wards?”
I sigh. “He won’t go away until I talk to him.”
Nick debates a moment and then nods. “Stay behind me. I don’t think he’ll try anything, but I’m not taking any chances.”
“Okay.”
We get out of the warm truck and meet Henry in the space between the vehicles. We stay in the beams of Nick’s headlights, making it easy for us to see Henry and his man but making it hard for them to see us. I’m sure that was intentional on Nick’s part. I keep to his right and a step behind him as he requested, but I don’t wait for him to do the talking. “What are you doing here, Henry? We called a truce, remember? You promised you’d stay away from my clan.”
Henry holds up his hands in a gesture that’s both a defense and a surrender. “I mean no harm, Nora.”
I roll my eyes. His definition of doing me harm is very different from mine. “That doesn’t matter. You promised you’d stay away from me.”
With a sigh, Henry drops his hands. He gazes at me with longing until I clear my throat and motion for him to get to the point. “I’m worried about you,” he finally says.
I grit my teeth again and ball my gloved hands into fists inside my pockets. “I have enough people to worry about me. You don’t need to concern yourself with me.”
His eyes flash red in the dark. His vampiric side barely contained. I wait for his speech about how he will always worry about me, how he cares for me, and how he will always watch out for me whether I want him to or not because he loves me and blah, blah, blah. But he skips the platitudes and says, “I heard about the sorcerer who attacked you.”
Of course he did. I’m not surprised he knows about Mitchell. I don’t think Nick really is, either, but he’s definitely pissed. “How did you hear about that?” he snaps.
Henry shoots Nick a glare for butting into our conversation, but he answers him. “People talk. I know everything that happens in this city.”
It’s an arrogant statement. It’s also probably true.
Nick grumbles, but Henry ignores him. His attention is focused on me again. “Nora.” There’s worry in his tone. “I know what you did to him.”
I suck in a quiet gasp. I don’t know why I expected people wouldn’t find out about my darker nature, but then, maybe most people already know. Giselle knew, after all. Why wouldn’t Henry? “I didn’t mean to,” I murmur, shame washing over me.
Henry’s face softens. “He attacked you, Nora. He nearly killed your sorcerer. You were in the right to defend yourself. You did nothing wrong.”
I know he’s right, but it doesn’t assuage my guilt. “Is that why you came tonight? To make me feel better about killing a man?”
He frowns. “I came here to help you.”
“I don’t need your help.”
I’ve had enough of this. I turn back to the truck, and Nick follows me.
“You’re a creature of the dark, Nora,” Henry calls out to my back. “Just like vampires.”
I whirl around and hiss, “I’m nothing like you!”
Henry pins me with a heavy stare. “Your magic is dark. It will only get worse every time you use it until it consumes you completely.”
I start to tremble with both anger and fear. Anger because I hate Henry knowing my business, and fear because he’s right. I’m already starting to lose myself to my siren. It’s only a matter of time before I give in to her completely, and not even my men can snap me out of it. “We’re already looking into it, thanks.”
“I can help you.”
Henry takes a step toward me, his arm outstretched. Nick steps all the way in front of me, blocking Henry from my sight, and shifts into his partial form. His skin turns to dark armor. Heat and fear pour out from him. “Back off,” he warns in a low, harsh voice.
Henry snarls at Nick but lowers his hand. He peers over Nick’s shoulder at me. “I really can help you.”
I don’t want his help. I don’t want to take his bait and ask. That would only encourage him. But I’m just desperate enough to hear him out. “How?”
