The Serpent Queen

Chapter Twenty One

We were in full on Christmas mode now that school had finished and Toni and I were working at the Wyrm. Well, she was working and I was putting up even more decorations. I placed a few bunches of Mistletoe around the room as well to use as bait.

FP and I had agreed not to get each other presents but I still got something for Sweet Pea, Toni, Fangs, Kicks, and my dad. Dads present was under the small tree in our trailer waiting for Christmas Day and the rest of us were meeting on Christmas Eve to exchange our own presents for each other.

'Crystal' FP called me down from the ladder I was on.

I happily skipped over to him and kissed him lightly but once I saw his face, I sighed heavily.

'What's going on?' I asked.

'Jughead. Again. He got suspicious of the bags I had in the trailer and my parole officer came by when I was out which didn't help matters either' he explained.

'So what did you tell the kid?'

'I showed him what was in the bags. Presents. For him, his mum, and sister'

I tensed up at the mention of the family, I never really knew what the deal with them was. FP didn't seem to notice me freeze as he carried on telling me what had happened with Jughead.

'I told him to leave the trailer, I don't know what happened. I was just so mad at him for asking a thousand questions,' he sighed in defeat.

'He can stay with me and dad, it's not ideal but at least he'll have a roof over his head and we'll know he's safe' I offered.

'Thank you Crystal, you keep saving me, you're too good for me' he said softly, pulling me in for a hug.

'All in a days work' I replied, leaving him to do whatever he had planned.

I headed over to Toni who was looking at her phone with a frown on her face. Jughead had text a few of the younger Serpents asking them to meet him. I hadn't received a text which made me suspicious so I tagged along with Toni to the meeting.

Sweet Pea pulled me down to sit on his knee next to Fangs as Jughead stood up and started talking to us.

'Penny Peabody has got my dad dealing drugs. I know this, 'cause she had me doing it before him. Now she's roped in Tall Boy, Sweet Pea, and Crystal'

'Man, if you're pissed because your old man tapped me instead of you -' Sweet Pea goaded him.

'No, Sweet Pea, I'm pissed because I don't want the Serpents to end up like the Ghoulies. And I doubt that any of you became Serpents just to be at the beck and call of a drug queen pin. I know where this ends. Death, jail. Which is why in the interest of self - preservation, we have to take out Penny' he lectured us.

'Okay, hold up Jughead' I stood up and faced him, 'We are not like the Ghoulies and we never will be! Maybe if you spoke to me first I could've told you this. I'm the Queen and you're being a little bitch ignoring me' I ranted 'Anyway, Snake Charmers helped some of us out plenty times' I glanced at Sweet Pea who knew exactly what I meant.

'Oh yeah? What did she ask in return Crystal?'

'Nothing I didn't know about before I went into the deal Jughead'

'Yeah? Well if we don't stop Penny tonight, she is going to get every single one of us in on this' he announced 'Do you really want to risk the future of your kids Crystal?'

That was the final straw, Jughead knew how much the younger Serpents meant to me, how I treated them like my own and would do anything to protect them. I could sense Sweet Pea and Fangs standing up behind me incase they needed to pull me back.

'Fine, Jughead. What do you suggest we do?' I asked in defeat.

'What I'm asking is, are you willing to risk your necks to save my dad's life?'

'What is the first law?' Toni asked, standing up from where she was sat with Kicks.

'No Serpent stands alone!' Sweet Pea responded, grabbing hold of my hand and squeezing it tightly.

'We're in' I told Jughead.

'Me too' Toni added.

'Lets do this' Kicks announced as the rest of the Serpents stood up as a show of strength.

Jughead explained his plan to us, we had to make sure that Penny Peabody didn't mess with the Serpents again. It was going to be tough, and FP would be furious when he found out but I agreed with Jughead, it needed to be done.