She wasn’t wrong. Ray had made the deal with Fred Emery to capture me for a boatload of money. Ray had included Noah and Rianne in his dealings, as well as Harriet.
“Aunt Tab,” Layla said. “I’ll call you later. Okay?”
“Don’t take long,” Tabitha replied. “I have a feeling someone is watching me.”
“Aunt Tab, do you have your weapons with you? Jack’s flamethrower would be a good one to have. You said you’re staying with a friend. Is this person prepared to fight?”
“Yes, yes, Layla,” she said. “I’m fully prepared.”
Once the call disconnected, Layla regarded my dad. “We have to help her. I know you’re sending someone to pick her up, but can we fly her here? My aunt has been through hell. I know all of us have. But she doesn’t stand a chance against our kind.” Layla jerked slightly. “It’s weird that I now can include myself in ‘our kind.’”
Tripp chuckled.
Webb didn’t. My brother-in-law was laser focused on the issue at hand. “Conrad, you have twenty-four hours to confirm without a doubt that Adam has set up shop at that warehouse. In the meantime, Tripp, prepare the team. I want boots on the ground in Chicago the moment we hear from Conrad. We end this fucker before the seventy-two-hour window is up.”
“Copy that,” Conrad said.
I had to call Dane. If he wanted in, which I knew he would, then he needed to get his ass down here ASAP.
“I’m coming with you guys,” Layla said, her gaze bouncing around to everyone, me in particular. “And before any of you protest, this is my fight too. They have my uncle, and I’m more well equipped to help now that I’m a vampire witch. Agnes will help me practice my magic.”
I had no problem with her fighting with us. I was much less concerned about her dying than ever before.
“I think we need Layla,” Webb said.
Layla’s mouth dropped open. “You do?”
Layla thought Webb wasn’t a fan of hers. In the beginning, he wasn’t, and I couldn’t fault him. After all, the Aberdeens had been our enemy. But my wife had proven herself, and no one on the team now had any reason to distrust her or be concerned about her safety since she was no longer human. That didn’t mean I wouldn’t worry about her, however.
Webb nodded at her, and his brown hair fell forward over his forehead. “If you can wield magic, you’ll be an asset. But you follow orders like any other of our soldiers. Is that clear?”
Her eyes lit up. “I’ll start practicing with Agnes right away.”
“Our success in this mission,” Tripp said, “is the element of surprise. We don’t have much time to prepare.”
“Then let’s get to work,” my father said, with excitement in his voice.
Fuck yeah. I felt as though I could see the light at the end of a hellacious tunnel. With Adam out of the picture, all of us might be able to finally unwind and enjoy life. And maybe I would be able to give Layla that happily ever after I’d been promising her.
30
LAYLA
After my aunt had woken me and I interrupted Steven’s meeting yesterday, Agnes had been teaching me the ins and outs of spells and how to control my powers. But I was ready for a break, and I’d promised my aunt I would make a point to see her son Noah.
Tripp gave the approval, and Sam was with our children while Jordyn accompanied me to the prison building. She had something to say to Carly that she’d been itching to get off her chest. I wouldn’t mind visiting our cousin-in-law for the simple fact that I wanted to see what she looked like. I could also give her a piece of my mind, but it wouldn’t change anything for me.
Regardless, I also wanted to spend alone time with Jordyn before I left for Chicago with the team that evening. Conrad had confirmed Adam’s new headquarters.
Jordyn and I hadn’t had a chance to really talk since I’d become a vampire, and I wanted to be sure she was doing okay.
“Are your witch powers ready?” she asked as we climbed down the stairs from my apartment.
“My mind control works great,” I tossed over my shoulder. “Can I snap someone’s neck with a flick of a wrist or send them flying like Abbey? We’ll see.”
Sam had graciously offered to be my guinea pig, but breaking my husband’s bones wasn’t something I wanted to do to him. Apparently, Patricia had knocked him out by snapping his neck. I also knew how to stop bullets from hitting me.
But I had to put what I’d learned into play. The key with magic that my grandmother made very clear was not just knowing the spells but the four cornerstones of magic—belief, desire, will, and visualization. “Without one, the power inherent in you will weaken,” she’d counseled. “Always stay focused, especially when you’re attacked. You must be aware of your surroundings and act with the four cornerstones in mind. If so, you will do great.”
