Above the Law

Chapter Twenty-Two

Eden unlocked Parker's door and stepped inside, her eyes burning with determination. "Parker?" She made her way to the living room. Parker glanced back at Eden, then at the TV, fumbling with the remote.

"... as of today the city may be viewing the Shadow Killer not a villain, but instead hailed as a hero."

He scrunched up his face and muted the TV. He wasn't a hero. He was just a different type of monster. He knew he was. "Hey."

Eden dropped her backpack by the coffee table and walked over to Parker. "At least everyone is starting to view you as I do." She sat down next to him on the couch, pressing a kiss to the hollow of his cheek.

His jaw clicked and his eyes wandered back to the muted news anchor. "I'm not a hero, Eden. And I definitely shouldn't be yours."

Eden's brows drew together and she yanked on his hand lightly to gain his full attention. She didn't understand why Parker would so rigorously denied being a hero; she knew for a fact he didn't want to be viewed as a villain. "What's wrong with being a hero?" Eden purred, her hand running up and down his chest. She pressed an open mouth kiss just under his ear. "The hero always gets the girl." He groaned as her mouth moved along his jawline. "Don't you want to get the girl, Parker?"

Parker pulled Eden into his lap and kissed her. "I thought I already had her?"

Eden pulled back, a grin forming on her full lips. "Well that depends."

"On what?"

"Are you a hero?"

Parker rolled his eyes, but he couldn't hide the large smile on his face.

"Are you going to be my hero?" Eden whispered softly.

"You don't need a knight in shining amour, Eden; you know how to protect yourself. You need a partner."

She pushed off of his lap so she was standing in front of him, arms crossed over her chest. "Did you just imply that I'm your sidekick? Because I'm not a sidekick."

He stood an took a step towards her, grabbing her hands and pulling her to him. "No. Only heroes have sidekicks."

"So what? Then I'm a henchman?" He acted like he wasn't protecting people, that everything he's done has been trivial. But he saved a lot of people from pain. Including her.

He sighed and kissed her lips softly. "I'll be whatever you want me to be, Eden. But are you done trying to build up the courage and ask me whatever it is you came here to ask me?"

Eden looked taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"Eden, I know you. Something's bothering you and I know it's not whether or not I classify myself as a hero. So what's wrong? Who do I have to beat up?"

Eden lips turned up just a fraction, she looked down at their feet, tapping his bare foot with her boot. She didn't know if she could ask him, not like she used to be able to. Not now. Not when it wasn't just about justice. No. Now she was doing it because she wanted to. It was a drug. She'd killed. Watched the light leave a monster's eyes. And it didn't faze her, not in the way she expected.

She was afraid Parker would see it. Maybe he already had, maybe that's why he took the knives from her. Because he saw what he was creating. When Eden had walked into history thins morning to find a pale and wincing Mrs. Whitney, she felt the bloodlust boil deep inside her. She wanted to kill again, and that scared her.

"Eden." Parker lifted her chin up with a finger.

Eden brought her eyes to his, a darkness lurking close to the surface. She blew her bangs out of her face and bit her lip. He waited, eyebrows raised.