“I have no problem with that,” my dad said in a firm tone. “However, whoever finds Adam has orders to shoot to kill. We don’t have time to fuck around.” Then he wagged his finger between Dane and me. “Whatever torture tactics you two were planning, nix them. Is that clear?”
I was sure my father and everyone else on the planet had heard Dane and me talking about ways to fuck Adam up.
As much as I wanted to hang that bastard off his Intech skyscraper, I said, “Crystal clear.”
A muscle jumped in Dane’s jaw. “Then I better find him first.”
“Move out,” Webb ordered. “We’ll check in and synchronize our watches when we’re in position.”
Layla rose up on her toes and ghosted her lips over mine. “Be safe, husband.” She gave me one of her ball-squeezing smiles as she flashed her fangs.
My pulse raced at the sight of her as my eyes ran over her luscious curves in her skintight black leggings, military boots, and formfitting sleeveless black shirt. Her back was adorned with two daggers, while two more were in sheaths strapped to her legs, and she wore a gun on her hip.
I leaned into her ear and whispered, “You look fucking badass, especially with your fangs.” I was still more dumbfounded that she was a vampire than I was that she was a witch.
The smell of lust filtered into my nose, but she said, “Mission first, husband.”
I chuckled. “Are you ready to snap necks?”
“More than prepared,” she said excitedly. “My newfound supernatural abilities are weird, but I will do my best.” She puffed out her chest and quickly kissed me. “I’ll see you on the other side.”
She was teamed up with my dad and Webb. They were going in through the front, and Olivia, Ben, and Kraft through the rear. Tripp, Dane, and I were in the container yard with Joan’s two men. From our intel, there were eight guards stationed outside. We didn’t have eyes inside, but we suspected at least six guards.
I followed her out and into the parking lot. This was her first fight as a vampire but not as a witch. But Agnes wasn’t here to give her each spell word for word like she had on the farm. Tonight, Layla was on her own when it came to witchcraft.
“Baby doll, just remember what your grandmother taught you about the four cornerstones of magic. Belief, desire, will, and visualization. You’re going to kick ass.”
She blew me a kiss, then darted over to Webb and my dad’s vehicle while I hopped into the back seat of the rental SUV Tripp was driving.
“She’ll be fine,” Tripp said from behind the wheel.
“I know. It’s just that she hasn’t put her spells into actual practice. I offered myself as a practice target, but she refused, not wanting to hurt me.”
“Wise woman,” Dane replied from the passenger seat in front of me. “She could’ve knocked you out for days, then you wouldn’t be here.”
“Aw, and you would miss me,” I teased.
He threw me the finger. “Just remember, bloodsucker, Adam is mine to kill.”
“I promised you that if I got to Adam before you I would hand him over,” I said.
I was bursting with excitement that this was our chance to put a permanent end to Adam and his attempts to fabricate humans into supernatural creatures once and for all.
32
LAYLA
Fat rain drops splattered to the ground and kicked up those first scents of wet, decaying earth as Steven, Webb, and I exited the vehicle a block from the warehouse.
“Over here.” Steven ducked under the metal portico of Acme Plastics.
Webb and I crowded beside him just as a harsh wind pushed errant trash along the sidewalk gutters. A soda can rolled by—theting, ting, tingsound competing with the pelting rain on the roof over us along with my pulse that was racing like a damn greyhound around a track.
Get your shit together, girl. You’ve hunted and killed before.But not with the Vampire Navy SEALs. I wanted to show them that I could kick ass. I was worried my vampire strength would fail me or that my magic wouldn’t work. After all, I’d only listened to Agnes explain how to snap necks. I hadn’t practiced on anyone.
Webb checked his watch, then pressed on his earpiece. “Team leads, report when you’re in position.”
As I watched Mother Nature unleash her wrath, I prayed we could do the same tonight. I prayed the mission would be a success and that my uncle Jack wasn’t dead.
