Page 67 of Don't Bait Me (Nora Jacobs 3)

Confused, I open the badge and rear my head back, startled to see my own picture staring back at me. According to the ID card, I’m Agent Nora Jacobs of the Federal Underworld Agency. “There’s also this one,” Nick says, handing me another badge in an identical black leather fold. This one declares me an FBI agent. “The badge is legit. We’ve done all the paperwork, and if any cop wants to run your number for verification, you’ll check out.”

It’s a sweet gesture, but I’m not in the mood right now. Especially not while Henry is standing just feet away from me, a free man. “Nick, I’m not joining an agency that clearly plays favorites with criminals.” I shoot Director West a pointed look, and she sighs.

Nick holds his hands up in surrender. “I know you’re pissed, but just take it. Just for tonight. In case something goes wrong, and we have a run-in with human police. You can give it back to me afterward, if you really want to.”

My shoulders slump, and I take the badge. It somehow feels like giving in. Is it really only a matter of time before I’m officially on payroll? Not that I have anything against solving crimes or even being Nick’s partner, but I’d have to quit the club and leave Terrance hanging. I’d also have to leave his clan. Actually, now that I think about it, Oliver joined our clan. He wasn’t supposed to do that while working for the FUA. Some stupid rule about not being partial to any one species. I’m not going to be the one to point out the blunder. Ollie loves his job here.

I shake my head to clear it of all thoughts. Problems for a different time. Joining the Agency doesn’t matter right now. Only stopping the killers. “All right,” I say. I slip the badges into my coat pocket, and Nick looks absurdly proud when I do. “So how are we going to do this?”

Nick cocks a single brow at me, and his lips curve into a smirk. I roll my eyes. Do I really come across as some kind of bossy control freak? “What? You’re the expert here. I’m just the bait. I’m following your lead this time, partner.”

Nick pulls his shoulders back and beams a boyish grin at me. “Excellent. This’ll be a walk in the park. It’s a standard takedown. All you have to do is show up, look pretty, have a little fun, and keep your eyes open and your spidey senses turned up. When they show up looking for you, the rest of us will grab them and we’ll bring them in. Easy.”

“Easy is good. I’m ready for this to be over.”

Nick’s smile sobers. “It will be soon. Were you able to get some sketches for us?”

Oliver steps forward, handing the drawings of the suspects to Nick. Nick looks them over and whistles long and low. “Your sister’s got some serious talent, Harrington.” He looks at me. “And the likeness?”

“Exact,” I say. “Those may as well be photographs.”

Director West steps forward, peering over Nick’s shoulder. He passes her the drawings, and her eyebrows shoot up. “Impressive.” She looks at Oliver with a smile I’ve only ever seen her give him—like a proud parent doting on her favorite child. “Give your sister our thanks.”

Oliver nods once, not returning the smile. I’ve never seen him act so cold toward the director. Apparently he’s as pissed off that she’s not done more to Henry as I am. At his chilly reception, the smile slips from the Director’s face, but she doesn’t say anything. Nick clears his throat and steps in before things can get really awkward. He hands the sketches to Ren. “Make a few dozen copies of these.”

Ren hops up from his desk. “Sure thing, boss man.”

While Ren saunters over to the photocopier, Nick walks me back over to my group of guys who’ve all been huddled together near the front doors, glaring at Henry and his men. “All right,” he says, clapping his hands together. “Here’s how it’s going to work: Nora, Terrance, and Kovros are going to show up together—and make it flashy. You need to garner attention. We don’t want them to miss the fact that you’re there.”

“Why the three of us?” I ask.

“You’re the three they’ll want the most. You’re all fey, and you’ve all three survived previous attacks.”

It makes sense, but I hate putting either of them in danger—even Illren. “Do they really have to be bait, too?”

Nick folds his arms and snorts. “You really think these men are going to send you in there alone?”

Not a chance, but it was worth a shot. “Point taken.”

Parker grabs my hand and gives it a quick squeeze. “We’ll be fine, Nora. I’ve done this kind of thing for Henry for hundreds of years, and Rook has plenty of experience from being alpha of his clan for so long.” His eyes flick to the newest member of our group, and he warily adds, “Illren probably has the most experience of all of us in covert ops.”

Illren’s answering smile is shiver-inducing, and I don’t mean in a swoony way. The man is sexy, no doubt, but he’s also just plain terrifying. “Being on the right side of the law is new for me, though,” he says.

That has all of us snorting or chuckling. I don’t think any of us could act so relaxed with him if Terrance hadn’t brought him in as clan. He may be a scary man, but he’s our scary man now, and it looks as if the guys are embracing him.

Nick, on the other hand, eyes him warily before scanning our whole ragtag clan of misfits. “Oliver’s really the only one without any field experience, but he can handle it. He shouldn’t be in any direct danger, either.”

My heart pumps in my chest, and I swallow back an argument knowing Oliver would hate being singled out by my mother hen quirks. I know Oliver is a capable man, but it’s impossible not to worry about him. Of the group of us, he’s the most like a human, and without his magic to defend himself, besides me, he’s the most vulnerable.

“Parker,” Nick says, really getting down to business, “You’ll be leading up the surveillance team in the casino’s security office. You know that place, you know every nook and cranny of that casino, every camera.”

Parker glances across the room, surprised. “Henry is allowing that?” he murmurs.

He’s trying to hide his emotions, but I can still hear the pain of being abandoned by his sire in his voice, and my heart bleeds for the guy. He’s happy with us—I know he is—but he must miss being with his own kind. I worry the same thing about Rook, though he doesn’t really show it. And I know Oliver has issues with being shunned by his people. I’ll just have to work extra hard to make all of them feel loved. I’ll love the shit out of them. I’ll love them so hard they won’t even remember they all came from different places. Our clan will just feel like home.

“He has no choice,” Nick says, glaring toward Henry and bringing my mind back to the conversation at hand. “This is an FUA op. He’s not in charge. And if he can’t behave himself, I’ll lock him up again and make sure he stays there this time.” I’m glad to see that there’s no love lost between Nick and Henry. It warms my heart, really. It clearly wasn’t his idea to let Henry out of lockup. I wonder what Director West’s deal is.

“Rook will be on the floor with me, looking for the suspects and sniffing out any weapons. Henry’s enforcers will be split up between our team and helping Parker monitor the cameras. They’ll also keep an eye on the humans. We want to keep them out of harm’s way as much as possible, and we need to make sure no one escapes having seen something they shouldn’t. Henry’s vampires will be ready to jump in and compel any such humans to forget what they saw.”

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