Free Waiting by Kiahana Page A

not focused on me. They stood shoulder to shoulder glaring at the man with nothing but hatred.
    "Now, now Quinn. You know the rules about first rights. I even reminded you right before.   Now I can kill you and not be punished. You were all too eager to fall into my trap and I must say...I'm going to enjoy this."
    Parker looked down at me for a split second when Francis wrapped a silver chain around Quinn's neck, releasing him to fall on the floor.
    "Move and do of your own freewill," Francis commanded, releasing me from the previous commands.
    Almost at once I started screaming. I wriggled and wr iggled but couldn't get free from the handcuffs. My wrists started to bleed while I continued to fight against them. Parker noticed, took hold of my wrist and yanked once, effectively breaking the cuffs in half by the chain and I was now free to move.
    Since I was no longer shackled to the bed I jumped up and ran down the main hallway we'd originally entered from without looking back. Tripping over my heels was the only thing to slow me down until reaching the cave entrance, now b locked by the huge boulder. Damn it!
    Tears were streaming over my cheeks, my legs were shaking and the confusion I felt mixed with my anger making me light headed from the adrenaline rushing through my veins. I pressed my back up against the side of the cave and fell to my butt , then lifted my leg to inspect where I'd been bitten. The puncture wounds throbbed and tiny drops of blood were dripping down my ankle. They ask ed me to trust them, then they let that mons ter bite me? It was painful too.  Nothing sexual the way romance novels portrayed them.
    The sound of footsteps approaching had me immediately standing upright to set my dress in place. Whoever it was wanted me to know they were coming, hopefully since they knew how scared I was.
    I wiped at my eyes and stood up straight, not wanting to look like the coward I was when I ran. The cuffs around my wrists slapped at my face.
    "Piper." Parker stopped a few feet from me, giving me space and time to assess his arrival. He looked so sad I almost went to him. Almost. "I'm so sorry. If Francis had half a brain then he would've gotten my note without including you. You weren't supposed to be a part of any of this." His eyes were still black but they were apologetic now. He took another step forward and stopped, reaching out to gauge my reaction. "Letting him touch you, taste you...I had to in order to get the upper hand," he growled through clenched teeth.
    I stood still, listening, unable to respond.
    Parker took action and gripped the cuffs, easily ripping them in half as they clanged on the ground. He extended his own fangs then bent down slowly, still holding my gaze. I watched his movement, his finger moving up to his fang, the nik, the blood that bubbled before placing it over my bite mark, closing the holes in seconds. It tingled on contact, making me gasp.
    My skin knit itself together until there were no signs of an attack. Nothing but smooth skin since he wiped the trails of blood with his thumb, then stuck it in his mouth, closing his eyes to savor the taste.
    He stood inches from me. H is words telling me he'd never hurt and never let anybody hurt me while he was around flashed through my mind.
    I slapped him, and he let me, having plenty of time to stop me. I glared up at him and he stared down at me as if he was going to let me hit him all night and he'd gladly take it.
    "You erased my memory! " I continued to glare at him, my hand itching at my side to slap him again. "You promi sed to never let anyone hurt me!   Then … oh, then you chained me up like dinner for that beast!" I stepped closer, pointing my finger in his chest. "You and Francis continue to ask me to trust you then keep going back on your word."
    I stepped closer again until my chest rubbed against the middle of his stomach. Parker's eyes swirled with purple as if just as excited by our close proximity as I am.
    "You kiss