Waiting (21 page)

“You tell me.” Um, what the hell? “What happened last night?”

Shit.

“What do you me
an?” I picked up my phone again
but he stopped me.

“Put it down.” There was a deadly edge to his voice, though it wasn't nearly as scary as some of the people I've met recently. “I got lucky catching you without your body guard.” His eyes softened and he took a seat instead of towering over my desk trying to intimidate me. “All's I want is the truth. What happened last night?”

“I thou
ght we had a good time drinking
but I'm guessing that's not how you
interpreted
it.”

I gave him my best confused look and waited to hear what he must've learned.

He continued to watch me, waiting for me to confess to something I'm sure, but what? If I could call Parker then he could fix this instantly.

“I'm pretty sure you're in on it, unless they brain washed you too.”

I cocked my head and gave him my most unbelieving look.

“Brain washed
?”

He wasn't buying it.

He withdrew his phone, hit a few buttons and then placed it on his desk before voices began sounding.

“...Please make sure he doesn't remember kissing me.”

My voice played like a siren in my quiet office. Shit. He must've sat on his phone and it started recording everything that was said. He stopped it after my voice sounded, prompting me to try and lie about it now.

“It goes on for a
while in silence
then finally more voices tell him
not to remember anything.”

Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.
What the hell was I going to tell him?

“Brian, I don't really know what to say to that, but if you'll just let me call my friend I'm sure he'd be able to...”

Brian threw back his head and laughed before coming around my desk and taking a seat atop it, facing me with a fake amused face.

“I have no doubt your friend will be able to clear things up. My memory would be wiped and you'd get rid of my evidence, though I'll have you know that I have more copies of this now, since I seem to be missing a few hours of my life from last night. Can you imagine how confusing this all must be for me?”

Great, he was going for sympathy now. Fine, I'd tell him everything and when Parker got back he could fix it.

“Ok. First, know that I never wanted
to involve you with any of this
but you just kept showing up.” He didn't care that I'd blamed his involvement on him, instead waited to hear every word I was about to speak. “There are beings out there that have the ability to control our minds, move lightening fast and have the strength of an army. I didn't know about them until about two weeks ago, though I know that not all of them hurt humans.”

“Wait, wait, wait.” He sounded skeptical already. “Humans? Then what are
they
?”

“Vampires.” He arched a bro
w
but I just continued. Might as well get it all out, whether he wanted to hear it or not. “Francis, the man you seem to have such a problem with, is one. His brother, Parker, is one. Do you remember Parker Smith, from high school?” He seemed too dazed to
respond
so I continued. “I know this is a
lot to take in, I even thought I was dead before I fully believed, but they
are
real.”

I waited
as
he continued to stare at me before giving a shake of his head, that deadly look returning to his gaze. He leaned forward to get closer to my face, to do what, I wasn't sure, since the next thing we knew he was dangling in Parker's unbreakable grip and struggling to be let loose.

“Francis has first rights!” Brian said the words, but seemed more confused than Parker was amused.

“Piper, why are you telling our tales to Brian? And why is he here?”

The Smith brothers seemed to share the same dislike of my friend here.

“Put him down. His phone recorded some of what happened last night and I was explaining to him what he requested to know.”

Brian started to believe what I'd told him, especially after seeing proof of Parker's strength and speed.

“Vampire?” h
e spoke softly, waiting for Parker to respond.

“Yes, I'm a vampire. I really wish you'd have left this alone. Now I'll have to h
ave Francis here to manipulate
 
your mind. Piper here has told you too much and your brain will fight me more now.”

“No, please! I promise I won't tell anyone. Please.”

He looke
d pathetic dangling and begging
but I couldn't blame him. The only reason I knew was because Parker liked me enough to let me in on the secret.

Parker dropped him to his feet then stood next to me while withdrawing his phone.

“Sam will be pissed that we're going to be late.” I smiled at him, thinking he was just trying to scare Brian even more. “Francis, I need you at Piper's office. We've got a problem with your friend Brian.”

Though we didn't have vampire ears, Brian and I both heard Francis' deadly chuckle before Parker hung up.

“Are you finished with all your work?”

I nodded
then looked back at Brian with sympathy. Was it really necessary to wipe his mind? What if they just made sure that he never told anyone, didn't have the ability to?

“Francis should b
e here soon, it won't take long.  T
hen I can get you back to start
girl’s
night.” He smiled crookedly then
 
kissed
my forehead.

Brian bolted for the door,
running with all his might.
Parker just rolled his eyes, disappeared, then came back seconds later walking at human speed with Brian dangling from his arm.

“Please don't let him remove my memory, Piper! They let you know, there must be some sort of lenience on who gets to know and who doesn't.”

That was true.

“Well I'm sleeping with one, so that might give me the one up. And with Francis I had him do a bl...well, Francis promised Parker he wouldn't mess with me.”

It didn't seem smart to let Brian know about blood oaths, so I modified it.

“You and Parker? Why didn't you just tell me you were seeing someone instead of saying you weren't emotional available.”

Parker dropped him in a chair
then came aro
und and sat me on his lap,
barely jostling me.

“Wel
l we weren't exactly seeing other, then some shit went down, but now we're together.”

I looked back at Parker for assurance.

“Together. Forever.”

I couldn't stop the goose-
bumps that popped up all over my skin just as I smiled wider than I thought possible.

“So, tell me Parker. What do I have to do to be able to keep my memories.
I have a very short list of things I wouldn't do, so name it. Please.” He was g
aining some of his courage back
though I'm not sure what good it will do him now.

Parker nipped at my ear then whispered so Brian couldn't hear.

“Francis wants to make a funny, so play along as long as you can.”

Great. I could only imagine what he was going to do, let alone how long I could keep a straight face.
They weren't going to hurt him
so I kissed Parker
’
s cheek then looked back at Brian.

“Do you want to sleep with me?” Parker's question to Brian made my eyes pop, though I was able to conceal my reaction. “No?” Brian looked like he was going to pass out. “The
n it's to a small village we go!
You'll have to burn it to the ground and rape all the women, then you'll be able to keep your memories and all will be well.”

“H
a, ha.” Brian didn't
 
believe him.

“Don't like those choices then? What about giving me all your assets, including your closest family members?”

Was he just stalling until Francis got here? I didn't get the point in this.

He scrunched up his face but seemed to be contemplating on what he could give him.

“You're running out of options here, mate.” Parker lazily played with my hair, not caring at all about Brian's answers. “Let's hope Francis ate before coming here.”

Again with the empty threats, but Brian shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

“Can I see them?”

Parker shrugged and let his fangs shift out of his gums. I reached out and slid my finger along one of them making Brian gasp. I loved the feel of them, and since I knew how good they felt inside me, my body started to respond and Parker sensed it immediately.

Francis came around the corner into my office wearing a long black cape with his hair slicked back and carrying what looked to be an
unconscious
bleeding woman, though I knew it was Sam. He was probabl
y going for Dracula
but he just reminded me of the vampire off sesame street.

Fangs extended, he cast a tired glare at Brian who bolted out of his chair and around the desk to stand behind mine.

“You interrupted my meal, human.”

My lips twitched.
I contorted my features before turning back to l
ook at Brian. Parker stood, cra
dling me in his arms. Francis threw Sam over his shoulder then flashed to Brian, grabbed him by the arm and started dragging him out of my office, Parker following him.

He went to the stairwell and climbed to the very top, all at human speed as if to prolong Brian's fear.

When we reached the roof I a
lmost told them to knock it off
since I'm pretty sure he was about to pee his pants, especially when Francis walked to the ledge and jumped to balance on the metal gate surrounding the ledge for safety.

Though he'd left Brian on the ground, he still started to scream wh
en
Francis
dangled Sam over the twenty
story building with one hand.

“This meal has been ruined and shall be replaced by you
uuu
!
”

“No! No. Please don't drop her. I'm sorry! I just wanted to know what happened to me.”

Francis waited until Brian looked back at him then dropped her over the edge without a care before floating back down to stand next to Brian who looked to me for support.

“You let them do that? Throw an innocent woman over the edge to her death?” His eyes brimmed with tears whe
n I merely shrugged,
Sam
silently
sneaking up behind him.

When she tapped on his shoulder and he turned to see her smiling face
he threw his arms around her, grasping her over and over before realizing she was alive and it must have been a trick.

“I thought they were going to kill you because of me. I'm so glad that you're alive.” He hugged her once more and she didn't seem to mind.

In fact, she mouthed '
he's hot'
to me while pressing her boobs harder against his chest, then pulled his face to hers and open mouthed kissed him, startling him even more.

“Th
ank you for begging for my life even
though I'm already dead. It was nice all the same.”

She squished her lips to his once more then laughed and went around to high five Francis.

“Nice acting, Francis. I'm pretty sure I was the best though.”

“That was all an act?” Brian didn't look
amused. “What the hell?” Again
he looked to me for answers that I didn't have.

“Sorry. Francis likes to be dramatic.” I rolled my eyes when he started bowing as if to a clapping audience.

“Alright, fun's over. What seems to be the problem miss?”

Now Francis
put his thumbs through his pant belt and pretended to be a
…
cowboy
sheriff
?

“Nothing. Brian just sat on his phone or something and recorded some of what happened last night. He came to me with questions, like I did to you guys, and I explained everything to him to keep him calm until Parker showed back up.”

“Ah. So it's my
brother’s
fault this time, huh? Never should've left her alone. Really, what
were
you thinking?”

Parker scowled, clearly not used t
o being the one to blame.
I'm not sure if there
was
anyone to blame in this situation.

“I was...shopping
,” h
e growled to his brother
then changed the subject quickly. “Let's just wipe his mind and get out of here. I know Piper's looking forward to going out tonight, even if she
is
a bit scared.”