Waiting (32 page)

“Of course. Thank you again, for everything. You know that you are free to do what you want, and I
thank you for staying loyal. I
hope you'll let me thank you properly.”

Koopa let out an enraged growl, pulling all our attention back to him.

“Francis isn't free
d you idiots! I s
till have him.  Even if he's fed
,
my guards won't let him get far!
”

Maybe we wer
e celebrating a little too soon.  A
fter
all, the last person to see him
saw him chained to a wall, starving to death.

“What are you going to do with Koopa?”

“Yes, what
are
you going to do with Koopa?”

Five new bodies floated to the ground
just behind our circle containing Koopa
, everyone again on high alert. Tiny disappeared
altogether
after sharing a nod with Parker.

All five kept their hands up as if offering a peace. All e
yes a fierce red, clearly Pulpa
s.

“We aren't here for a fight. We were told to keep watch and kill anything
that moved if a fight broke out.  B
ut as you can see and as you all well know, our loyalty only goes threat deep.”

As
if to assure us they weren't upset at Koopa's capture, two of them wrapped another silver chain around his left arm, snaking all the way to his shoulder.

Koopa growled, though there was nothing he could really do but lie there and look pale.

“Now that we've let our true feelings show, you understand that we can't let him live. If he escapes, we die. You know that.”

“Back away from Koopa.” Parker's voice was lethal
as the five newcomers were he
rded and surrounded by ten of ours, the others remained around Koopa. “Though we have a common enemy,
it
doesn't mean
we
are friends. I know of what you do on a daily basis and we do not condone it. Leave now, before I change my mind. We'll take care of Koopa. As a warning, I suggest you bring me Francis quickly, before I declare war with you
and
your
Kin
.”

The apparent leader of the group smiled
icily
at Parker before all of them lifted a few feet off the ground.

“Like I said, we want no war and no part in Koopa's plans. Kill him, and I'll bring you Francis once I find him. Where did your little friend say he was?”

I looked around but Tiny hadn't reappeared.

“He didn't.  B
ut if you came with Koopa then you know where to find Francis. You have three hours to locate him and contact me.” Parker
chucked something at the leader
who caught it with ease though it traveled with the speed of a missile.
A phone I soon realized. 
“Your time starts now.”

They disappeared before Parker finished speaking.

At least they were old and strong enough to fly, which meant they were most likely smart enough to work quickly and efficiently.

Koopa's estrang
ed chuckle pulled my attention to see he was trying, but failing miserably to lift his head in our direction. I tugged on Parker's hand to get him to take a few steps forward, my curiosity getting the best of me.

“You think this
is over? Go ahead, kill me now.  Y
ou have no idea what you'll be bringing down on yourself and everyone you hold dear.” His whole left arm was down to bone, no skin remained. Gross. “My only regret will be not being able to watch as you finally get thrown off your high horse, Parker. And you will. They'll make you insane before they kill you. How do you think I got to be the way I am?”

Oh, please! A sympathy speech? Not buying it.

“Bad parenting.” Oops, did I say that out
loud?

Everyone turned their focus to
me before a few chuckles sounded.

“Think what you want, but you need me.” Koopa didn't mind my verbal thoughts and continued on. “I'll give you a hint as to what will be done if you don't let me go, and then with every piece of silver you take off me, I'll answer a question truthfully and to the fullest extent.” His eyes roamed over me in a sickening way that made me instinctively take a step back. “You can't protect her. She's the first that will be taken, played with, then turned and kept as a slave so she's more durable.”

Gunther was there, holding onto me as Parker flew forward, hitting Koopa's face with strike after strike until you
couldn't recognize him anymore.  A
few of the me
n pulled
Parker off
,
who flashed to me and held me close, a fierce blaze in his eyes.

“You will
never
touch her! You'll only live the next three hours, so
I'd start praying if I were you.
I doubt it will do you any good.”

I couldn't move,
only stared into Parker's eyes.  B
oth thankful for his protectiveness and surprised at his burst of rage at the mere words spoken about me.

“Don
’
t believe me?”
Koopa asked after his lips regenerated enough
skin to pronounce words.
I looked back at
him,
half his face
missing
, the skin hanging off in disgusting strips. “Just ask Sam...”

Sam m
oved too quick for me to follow
before reappearing with her hands around Koopa's neck, jerking with all he
r strength, depleted as she was.  A
nd be
fore anyone thought to stop her
she had a sleeper hold on him as she pulled and pulled on his head.

“Last…chance…Parker.”

Koopa’s
strained
words were cut short when he abruptly disappeared, the chains falling to the gravel ground and Sam falling backwards with a surprised gasp.
 
She
laid across the gravel road
with no energy
to move as Gunther went to her side to
help
sit her upright.

“Where did he go?” I asked, looking around tensely.

“He must’ve had help,” was all the answer I got before members of our group started
wandering
off with determined glazes.

“I'm sorry, Parker.” S
am
wouldn't look directly at him, though she caught
my
gaze a time or two. “I know everything that he's planning including who he's working with. I
wanted to kill him for me and that was selfish,
but I know how to get Francis and how to get his companions off your back.”

She was wearing
that
light pink
Princess Peach
dress,
her hair a twisted mess
with a small gold tiara front and center
.  A
ll the fingernails on her right hand had been removed, tiny stubs sticking out since th
ey were trying to grow back
but her lack of blood not giving her body t
he nutrients to do so,
leaving
bloody splotches.

Slowly reaching out, she grabbed hold of the silver that was
now laying in piles in front of her
, surprising everyone when she garnished the strength to wrap it around her own neck before falling back to the ground.

I broke free of Parker's hold and ran to her, quickly ripping it off and trying to set her upright. She didn't want
to live, that much was evident
.  B
ut she had informati
on we needed.  E
specially now that Koopa
had disappeared
.  A
nd if possible, I was going to try and save her and Parker's friendship.

“You're so drained of
power, even I could take you on,” I teased, trying to lighten the intensity of the moment.
“
You don't need the silver.”

Her eyes silently thanked me
but
she didn't respond,
closing
her eyes complete
ly when Parker knelt next to me placing
a hand on my shoulder.

The only reason, that I know of,
she helped capture me was to get her mate. The way she's acting now, I was almost
too afraid to ask, though I did.  C
uriosity and time to kill were two winning reasons that talked me into it
.

“Did you get your mate?” I swallowed and waited, though I'm pretty sure I got my answer when I felt her muscles completely go slack.

Her eyes slowly opened, still not meeting Parkers gaze, but stopped on mine. There was nothing left in her, nothing she wanted to fight fo
r,
besides maybe Parker's trust. 
I couldn't help but throw my arms around her and sit her up straight, trying to will my forgiveness and strength into her. It took her a minute but she finally wrapped her arm around me, though still reluctant and wary of my embrace.

Standing, I offered h
er my hand and helped her to her feet
.  T
he confusion doubled
over her features as she looked around, braced and ready for an attack that she wouldn't fight off.

“Let
's go inside and get cleaned up.  T
hen you can tell us everything.”

Her eyes got huge and finally made eye contact with Pa
rker, waiting for him to say no
or anything that contradicted that she'd be let back into his home, into his life. She didn't move
and he didn't speak for so long
I turned to face him.

“Was there something else we needed to do now?”

His
intense
eyes searched mine before responding.

“No.” After taking my arm and giving orders to everyone, a few told to come with us while the rest stood guard outside, he spoke directly to Sam. “Let's get inside, get you clean and fed, and then you need to tell me everything.”

Sam would've fallen over if Gunther hadn't caught her in time,
carrying her inside ahead of us.  T
wo others
flanked behind
Brian protectively.

I
knew this
hadn’t
been a
part of the plan
but we were ready for anything. It was suppos
ed to just be Sam who showed up.
I
nstead
, this ended with Koopa's
weird disappearance and solemn oath to get revenge on Parker,
and Sam being given a second chance. I hope.

The only thing that w
ould make this day end smoothly
would be if Francis were here.

It was already seven
at night, giving those Pulpa
s until around ten
to find Francis and contact Parker.
 

We left Sam in her room, Parker giving her the instructions to get cleaned and be ready to talk in ten minutes. She nodded and quickly escaped into her bathroom.

Parker cursed and called for
one of the wome
n
to help Sam. She charged into the bathroom
leaving the door open, letting me see Sam crumpled on the floor.

My heart hurt for her. Both for
the loss of her mate and her lack of will to live. Hopefully by the end of our talk she'd be stronger willed, even if it's only driven by revenge. If nothing else, that should get her motivated to cooperate, instead of wither into a ball and die.

He didn't have to say anything
. The look Parker was giving me
let me know he would be the same crumpled mess if it had been me that was taken from him forever.

My skin felt tight and I was having
problems
remembering how to
breathe
as we stared at
each other
.

Not caring who was around, watching, listening, I jumped and threw myself at Parker, kissing him with every e
motional fiber
of my being
.  H
is
thick
arms pressed me tightly against him as I felt the air swoosh around us. He didn't let me down until we were in a room I'd never seen before. All four walls lined with red
velvet
walls, a
king sized
bed with gold silk sheets
in the middle of
the
small enclosed square room
.  T
he click of a door let me know that at least no
one could
see
us
now.