Chapter 79 (Crossover Event #7)

(**Parker**) 

After the conversation with Arabella is over, they both go downstairs to inform the others. While she explains the recent development and answers all the questions that everyone throws her way, he makes a cup of coffee. 

The vibrating of his phome makes him growl in frustration. Everyone he knows, loves, and trusts, is already in this room. Who would call him now? When he sees the name on the screen, surprise has his eyebrows raising. Monroe. The man has already spoken with Arabella. Why is he calling again? 

The conversation they have is short and to the point. He is on the way to Bodega Bay, but he isn’t coming alone. Sebastion’s mate, Irina, is joining the rescue party. Fantastic. Just what they need. A Luna coming to bark orders, telling them all how this rescue mission will happen. All for the return of her mate. 

That will not happen here. Everyone here is here for Rayne and her safe return. None of these people know Sebastion and won’t put him as their priority. Irina can bark orders all she wants. Parker knows that his friends and family will do things their way despite what she wants. 

“Alright, ladies and gentlemen. We have incoming from Portland. Alpha Drakos’s Luna is joining us. Along with her guards. Monroe and his guards are with her. This room is about to get crowded.”  

Grumbles fill the room for a few moments before they all settle down. Edmund stands up and marches over to Parker. “What exactly is this going to do to help get my daughter back?” 

“They are not coming here for Rayne. However, Monroe brings more fighters with him. Or have you forgotten that he rules over almost a thousand rogue fighters? Almost all of which are right here in Bodega Bay.” 

Edmund closes his mouth, then stomps back to where he was sitting. He shoots Arabella glares as he walks away. Like glaring at her will solve anything.  

“Shelby, can you get two more pots of coffee going for when our guests arrive?” 

“Yes, boss man.”  

Shelby hurries to the task given. He spots relief on her face to just have something to do. “Lena, Tara, Nyx, and Lochlan, go help Malcom in the kitchen. We might as well feed everyone while we wait” 

With nothing left to do, Parker goes back up to his office. Waiting has never been one of his strongest qualities. Impatience is swirling through him like a storm breaking. Wave after wave pounding on the shore of his mind.  

Rayne has become everything to him. Without her, there is nothing good left in his life. The day he kicked down the door to that cheap motel room was one of the best days of his life. The second was the day she become his mate fully in every way. She has been his shining light for years.

His true north. No matter how hard he tried in the past to let her go, knowing that she had a mate out there, he couldn’t do it. She was in his blood, in his heart, and now she is part of his soul. Blessed by the Moon Goddess.  

“Please, if you are listening, let me find her. Please, please, let me find her and our baby safe.” 

Twenty minutes later, he is back downstairs. One face he doesn’t see in the crowd is his brother’s. Where the hell is Owen. A feeling of dread settles over him as he makes eye contact with Argyle. The vampire nudges his head towards to back of the bar then walks toward the back door. Parker follows him. 

“He has been out there for the last five minutes. Parker, he wants to turn himself over to Killian.” 

“Like hell he will.” 

Argyle holds his hand up. “Hear me out. If we have more men available with Monroe’s help, that means we will have the advantage. If you agree to what Owen wants to do, then we can send one of Beckett’s crew to follow them to where Killian has Rayne.” 

“So, what you are saying is that I should use my brother to get Rayne back.” 

“It is his choice, Parker.” 

Parker turns on his heel and opens the door to the back parking lot. Owen is sitting on a parking block, staring out into the night. He hunched his shoulders low in a defeated posture. That is a look he never wants to see from his brother.  

“Do you really want to do this?” He asks. Then he joins Owen on the yellow concrete block. 

Owen turns to look at him. His expression is bleak. “I want to do the right thing here, Parker. This is the right thing to do.” 

“What about Nyla and the baby? If you do this, they could lose you.” 

“Nyla would understand. It isn’t just my life on the line here. Rayne and your baby are on the line. Rayne is a fighter, and that will interest Killian. He won’t hurt her until it becomes clear he won’t be getting what he wants. I can give him what he wants.” 

“I don’t want to lose either of you, Owen.” 

“Then make sure you have everyone ready to come running when I give you signal.” 

“What signal?” 

Owen smiles as he stands up. “Remember the signal we used in the orphanage? The one we used while you were on the lookout?” 

Memories of that long ago time flash through Parker’s mind. The musty smell of the old building. Children whispering in the dark when they are supposed to be sleeping. The creaking of floorboards as nuns paced outside closed doors.  

“I remember.” 

“Well, that one won’t work, so look for something big. You will know it when you see it.” 

*Parker!* 

At the sound of Rayne’s voice in his head, Parker shoots to his feet. Eyes wide as he clutches at Owen’s arm. Hope fills him as her sweet voice echoes through him. 

“Parker?” Owen calls his name.

*Rayne, baby, where are you?* 

*We are being moved. Killian is taking us to an abandoned church. I think the one he is taking us to is the old one out by the cove. It is the farthest from town.* 

*Are you ok?* 

*For now, but I need you to bring everything and everyone you have.* 

When he asks more questions, silence is the only answer he receives. Hope and fear intermingle in his heart. Then, as if his feet grew wings, he turns from his brother to race back into the bar. It is time to call the calvary to the rescue. As he races inside, he pulls his phone out to call Monroe. 

“How far out are you?”  

“We are still about an hour out or more. Why?” 

“We have had contact with Rayne. Can you let us use some of your rogues?” 

“Tell me where you want them, and I will send everyone that is in Bodega Bay to help. They will be told to follow your orders until I arrive.” 

With that plan set, Parker continues into the building. He lets out a shrill whistle as he enters the taproom. When everyone in the room turns to face him, he waits until they give him silence. Edmund is the first person to walk forward. 

“Have you given up your brother for Rayne’s return?” 

“While my brother wants to do that, it turns out that it won’t be necessary. I have heard from Rayne. She got through the link to let me know where she is being taken.” 

Before Edmund can interrupt again, Parker speaks loudly so everyone in the room can hear him. He tells them what Rayne conveyed to him. Where they needed to go and when. He filled them in on the extra back up they would have. 

Cheers erupt through the crowd, then everyone moves like they are a single-minded unit. Parker put his hand on Edmund’s shoulder before he walks out the door. Anger fills the old man’s face as he looks at him.  

“When this is all over and she is home safe, you and I will need to have a talk.” 

“No, we won’t. I know where your priorities are now.” 

Instead of saying anything further, he pushes past his father-in-law and out the door. There goes any sense of a happy relationship with Edmund. All because he wanted to keep his family whole. All of it. 

(**Rayne**) 

The moment she hears Parker’s voice in her head, joy sweeps through her entire being. His response was instantaneous, as she reached out to him. Knowing that he was right there waiting for her to contact him made her feel better.  

All the anger she felt towards him earlier that day has gone away. Everything that has happened between then and now seems to make that earlier fight between them seem insignificant. All that matters now is getting out of this situation alive.  

Now if this van they are in would just stop moving. The rocking motion, bumpy as hell back roads, and the smell of decaying leaves, is not helping her already upset stomach. There has been a pain in her belly since Asher threw her over his shoulder. 

Fear of losing her baby is the only thing going through her mind now that she has contacted Parker. The calvary now knows where they are heading. Hope that they will be rescued is all that keeps her from weeping openly in fear for her baby. 

Warm flesh against hers makes her look over at Sebastion. Concern for her is in his eyes as he squeezes her hand. His voice is barely audible as he asks if she reached Parker. All she can do is nod in response. The fight to keep her tears at bay is quickly becoming a losing battle. 

“Let it out, Rayne. There is nothing wrong with being afraid.” 

“I am not afraid of the situation we are in.” 

“Then what are you afraid of?” 

Before she can respond, Sebastion’s nostrils flare, and his eyes go wide as he looks at her. Without hesitating, he rips his shirt off then moves her so that she is between his legs with her back to his chest. He places his shirt firmly between her legs. 

Shock ripples through her at his actions, but then the scent of blood hits her nose. She is bleeding. How long has she been bleeding? The knowledge that she could lose her baby causes the damn on her tears to break. A sob escapes from her lips before she can stop it. 

“The bleeding is light now. It seems to be slowing down. This is a good sign. I think.” 

Before either of them has time to process the situation, the van comes to a sudden stop. The back doors open a few moments later. Asher’s face contorts as he smells the metallic scent of her blood. The emotion that goes through his eyes in something she is familiar with.  

Despair. Deep and soul searing. This man has faced a heart-breaking loss in his past. Maybe that will help her if this goes further down the dark path they are on. Even though the thought of using his pain as her savior feels wrong. Surviving now at any cost is all she can think of. 

“Get her out of the van slowly. There is a place in the church that will be more comfortable for her. I am sorry for my part in this.” 

Ayasha steps up next to him. As she accesses the situation, her face goes ashen. “Killian will be here any minute. Get them into the church before he gets here.” 

She stomps away as Asher leans into the van to help Sebastion get Rayne out of the back. Rayne flinches when Asher touches her, causing him to pull his hand back as if he had been burned. Sadness and apologies are naked in his eyes. 

The church itself was in surprisingly good shape. A few of the stained-glass windows are broken, paint has been peeling for years, and the roof is sagging in many places. The interior smells must from being closed. Cobwebs hang from the walls and ceiling in thick strands. A shiver runs through her as Sebastion carries her toward the back of the church. 

A small room lays just behind the large organ that makes up the back wall of the main room. It looks like it used to be an office for the pastor of the church. In the room's corner is a cot covered in thick blankets. They only clean spot in the entire church that she has seen so far. 

Asher closes the door behind them and locks it. 

Sebastion lays her down gently, then presses his shirt tighter to her. “The bleeding seems to have stopped. How far along are you, Rayne? Does Parker know?” 

“I found out before the wedding, and yes, Parker is very much aware that I am pregnant.” 

“Then please let him know I was trying to help you, not grope you.” He states. 

A weak smile plays across her lips. “Will do.” 

“Close your eyes for a bit. I am sure you won’t have much peace once that Killian guy arrives.”  

Sebastion moves away from the cot to sit in a small chair near the door. Rayne does as he suggests. This is a good time to talk to Ruby. Her wolf will tell her more about what caused the bleeding. 

*Your baby is going to be ok. I could heal the damage done swiftly.* 

*Was it when Asher threw me over his shoulder?* 

*Yes. The impact was hard, but I think the baby would have been fine. I stepped in when you started bleeding more than you should have.* 

Relief rushes through her after Ruby tells her this. That relief doesn’t last long as sounds from the other room alert her to Killian’s arrival. Sitting up straight with her back against the wall, she waits calmly for his entrance. Sebastion stands from the chair, then comes to sit at the end of the cot. 

“Parker has probably called in everyone we have at the bar, all our allies, and anyone he could reach, to help us. He knows where we are now. They should be here soon.” 

“As much as I want to be angry that they pulled me into this mess, I am happy to have you and all your friends as allies.” 

Killian chose that moment to open the door. “I have good news for you. Owen has decided to exchange himself for you. This will all be over within the hour. Well, at least my part in all this will.” 

He laughs, then turns from the room. The door locks behind him, leaving Sebastion glaring at the door. “I wish this damn drug would wear off already. I want to rip that man’s head off.” 

“A sentiment that I share with you, my friend.”