Page 81 of Don't Bait Me (Nora Jacobs 3)

He nods and takes another swig of his drink. “I took Director West’s offer to be the new deputy director. I start next week.”

My brows hit the ceiling, but my heart warms. I reach across the bar and place my hand on Parker’s. “Congratulations.”

He flips his hand over and tangles our fingers together. “You’re not disappointed?” he asks. “Director West told me you turned her down.”

I give his hand a squeeze. “Of course I’m not disappointed. You’re going to be a great deputy director. Plus, I know you’ve been struggling with what to do since Henry severed your sire bond.”

“I have been,” he admits, staring down at his drink. “It felt really good to be working on this case with you this last week. I felt like I had purpose again, and I realized that I need to be useful. I think I can do a lot of good working for the FUA.”

I nod enthusiastically. “You will. You’ll be great. You’re just the kind of man the Agency needs. As long as you’re happy, then I’m happy.”

He lifts his gaze and studies me a moment. A small smile breaks out across his face, and he brings my hand to his lips. “I am happy.”

I match his smile. “Well then, congratulations, Deputy.”

He lets go of my hand and slowly finishes off his drink while I help other people. When I refill his glass, he sips from it, then says, “How come you turned down the FUA? You seem perfect for the job, and you and Gorgeous work so well together. You could do a lot of good for this city, Nora.”

I shrug. “I can still do a lot of good for this city. I agreed to work for them as a consultant on a case-by-case basis. They can call me when they need help.”

“So why not just join full time?”

I grab a bottle of water from under the counter and take a swig before answering. “If I join the FUA, who will there be left to help the fey? They came to me because they had no one else. I guess I sort of feel responsible for them since Iamfey. I don’t want to be put in a position where I’ll not be able to help anyone who needs it.”

Parker gives me a smile that warms my heart. Love and admiration shine in his eyes. It does something funny to my insides. “You have a big heart, Nora. The fey are lucky to have you.”

I squeeze his hand again. “And I’m lucky to have you.”

A throat clears behind Parker, interrupting our conversation. I’m surprised to see Illren and Terrance standing there with the sidhe from earlier. Terrance has his arms folded across his chest and looks serious, but he’s not brooding. There’s a lightness to him that isn’t usually there, and he’s almost smiling. Almost.

Illren gestures to the sidhe. “Nora, the fey would like to ask you something.”

I groan internally. Illren can be such a condescending bastard. “I’m sure he has aname, Illren. Not justthe fey.”

The three of them chuckle, though I can’t imagine why.

“I meantallof the fey,” Illren says, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Not just Vesryn specifically.”

Oh. Well, don’t I feel like an ass?

He turns and waves a hand behind him, and that’s when I notice the crowd that has gathered. Half the club patrons are standing behind Illren, Vesryn, and Terrance—a couple hundred, at least. They appear to be huddled into their different classes of fey with a leader standing in front of each group. I recognize Laagh as head of the brownies. All of them have their eyes trained on me.

The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, but it has nothing to do with a premonition. Something is going on here, and I’m getting an uneasy feeling about it. “What’s all this about?”

Terrance says something into his walkie-talkie, and a few seconds later the music shuts off. I flinch, startled. In all the time I’ve been here, the music has never been interrupted during club hours. Well, that one time I was attacked by a vampire and Terrance went all raging troll on the place—then they’d shut off the music. And closed the club early. But that’s the only occasion I can think of.

I throw a startled glance at Parker, but he seems as confused as I am. Both Wulf and Rook stop serving drinks and come to stand next to me, concerned. Beyond the crowd of fey, the rest of the club patrons have turned their attention toward us, trying to figure out what’s going on. Scanning the curious faces, I look first to Illren, then to Terrance. “Terrance? What is this?”

Terrance nods to the man next to him. Vesryn, taking his cue, steps forward, bowing slightly. “The fey have chosen me to speak for them tonight, m’lady. If I may?”

M’lady?That’s worse thanmistress. I’d laugh, but the man is dead serious. Terrance and Illren both shoot me looks, prompting me to respond. “Um…” I blink at the crowd, then look back at Vesryn. “Okay, I’m listening. What’s up?”

Terrance snorts, and Illren smirks. Vesryn’s eyes sparkle with laughter, too, but he keeps his composure, determined to be formal right now. “For too long, the fey of this realm have been alone. The courts of Faerie have forsaken us. There has been no one to unite us and govern us. No one to step up and fight for us. Until you.”

My eyes bulge. Yeah, I helped the fey, but he makes it sound like I’m some kind of hero.

“For the first time since the fey have come to Detroit, the walls between the races have been lowered. We have gathered together, uniting with one common goal—to elect a leader among us.”

Uh oh.

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