Whoever was inside answered me with another bang.
I frantically slipped between the green-and-orange boxes and opened the one I hoped my uncle was in.
When I saw my uncle, I flew inside. “Oh my God.”
Jack had a swollen eye and cheeks, a cut on his forehead, blood on his neck, and tape over his mouth.
Relief settled my nerves, and I sighed heavily as I ripped the tape off his mouth. “Are you okay?”
He jerked as his jaw came unhinged. “You’re a bloodsucker! How is that even possible?”
I helped him to his feet with ease, and the newness of my supernatural strength still wasn’t registering. I imagined it would take a long time for me to get used to my preternatural powers. “It’s a long scientific story that I will share with you on the plane ride home. But first we need to have you checked out by a doctor.”
He touched the back of his head, then examined the blood on his hand. “I’ve been knocking my head against the wall.” He stumbled toward the door. “Seriously, a vampire, Layla?”
I guided him outside, retracting my fangs as I ignored his comment. No one was more shocked than me that I was a bloodsucker. But I wasn’t disgusted with myself like he was by me. If I could rewind the clock and change the outcome, I wouldn’t. I believed that this was my destiny. I was fated to become a vampire witch.
Sam jogged toward us as I held on to Jack, and we met Sam halfway.
“Jack, good to see you’re in one piece,” Sam said.
My uncle grumbled. “I hope you killed that asshole, Adam.”
Sam wiped battle grunge from his face. “Dane is feasting on him as we speak.”
I could hear Dane growling and bones crunching.
By the time we reached the alpha wolf, Adam’s head was dangling from his mouth.
I beamed at the wolf, whose white fur was covered in blood. “I’m happy you got your vengeance.”
I was overly ecstatic that Adam wouldn’t be a problem anymore. Nor would Draven Murphy. That vampire gave me the creeps.
Once we returned to the warehouse, the team was in cleanup mode, carrying bodies from outside and piling them inside where the beds were.
Steven rounded his attention on Dane. “I’m happy to see you got what you came for.” Then he regarded Jack. “Come with me. I’ll have one of my soldiers patch you up until you see a doctor.”
“I’m fine.” Jack brushed Steven off.
I rolled my eyes at my uncle. The grumpy Aberdeen wasn’t even appreciative, but that didn’t surprise me. I was glad I’d kept my promise to Tabitha, and Jack would return home in one piece.
Webb started to bark orders at Sam and me. “We need help. The faster we clean this mess up, the faster we can go home.”
Home sounded like heaven.
“Layla, I understand that you have a spell that can set fire to a structure. Would you like to do the honors?” Steven asked.
Jack looked at me like he didn’t know me. He didn’t anymore. I was no longer Layla Aberdeen, vampire hunter. I was Layla Mason, vampire witch.
“I won’t even ask,” Jack said. “In fact, I think I might be dreaming.”
A laugh barreled out of me, and boy did it feel wonderful. “I would love to light the match.”
Once we had moved all the bodies into the warehouse, I stood just inside the doorway of the open bay with Sam by my side while the team waited for us in idling vehicles.
“Adam’s head looks good on top of that mound,” Sam said with a smile in his voice and a grin on his face.
As I stared at our dead enemies and the poor lifeless and innocent humans, I thought back to seeing my mom in the afterlife and the words she’d spoken.
