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“Damn it. I shouldn’t be jealous.” Monroe chuckles and tilts his head, being the pervert he is.
I reach over and smack him on the shoulder. “Quit it, asshole.”
“Get your mind out of the gutter. I’m jealous that I can’t help Hayley with that. Like she shouldn’t have to feed all of us all the time.” Monroe grins at me, his fangs peeking out from beneath his lips. I can’t tell if he was just twisting his words to make me feel like an ass, but I can’t help shaking my head.
Sawyer bites his arm next, holding it out to Hayley. A couple drops of blood splash across her chest and the baby unlatches and moves to nuzzle her nose against the blood. The five of us all look up at each other, surprise creasing our faces. I don’t know why I didn’t think about it. Hayley is a dhampir. Our baby is a hybrid of sorts, and of course I should’ve realized that she would want more than milk and donor things. She’s going to need blood.
“Looks like you got your wish,” Cooper says, chuckling. “I guess our baby is special. Usually, the blood hunger doesn’t come about until they’re a bit older, according to my grandma. She didn’t consistently need a lot of blood until she was an adult.”
“Fuck, somebody give me a bottle. Or Hayley, you could be the mama bird now and bite me on my chest right here. You can help our daughter out. Teach her how to be the bad ass little dhampir I know she will be.” Monroe’s excitement gets to all of us, and laughter fills the room. Only he would think of something like this.
“You’re already such a fucking amazing dad, man.” Sawyer fucks with Monroe, ruffling his fingers through his hair. “I bet you’ll even be more amazing at changing the damn diapers.”
“I’ll teach all of your asses. You know I always handle all of our shit anyways.” Monroe howls a laugh with his words, and Hayley snuggles her face against our daughter. Our daughter. Man, I still can’t believe it.
“And you’re going to be a fantastic mother, Hayley. You already are.” I kiss her forehead. “I mean, just look at her.”
“Such a little badass. That’s what we should call her. Badass baby.” Monroe laughs with his words.
Hayley joins him and shakes her head, her face beaming with her happiness. “And here I thought one of you guys were going to ask to name her after you.”
“Baby Knoxy. I hate it.” I crinkle my nose.
“What about after you, Hayley? There is nothing wrong with naming our daughter after the most badass woman we know.” Cooper smirks at the thought.
Hayley shakes her head. “Definitely not. You guys will be screaming my name far too often. We’ll confuse her.” Hayley sucks her bottom lip between her teeth, staring in silence at our beautiful girl. “What if we name her after my mother? Kylie. Kylie Bella Noble.”
My heart skips a beat at the name, knowing that it means a lot to Hayley even if she doesn’t ever talk much about her mother. But she was just as much of a warrior as Hayley. And this is the perfect way to keep her memory. To help change the future and give our daughter something that Hayley’s mom just couldn’t manage because of her circumstances.
“It’s perfect. Beautiful, fierce Kylie.” Sawyer kisses the top of Kylie’s head.
“Little badass Kylie. I think it works.” Monroe snuggles his nose into Hayley’s throat. “I can’t wait to shout it out to the world. Can’t wait for the others to meet her.”
Hayley nods her head. “Will you call them? I bet Mya is going crazy.”
I straighten my back and look around the room. “I will call for transport. Let’s get you both home.”
Hayley reaches her arms out, getting me to hug her again. “Home. Nothing has sounded better.”
She’s right about that.
There’s nothing more in the world that I want. Just Hayley and my coven brothers. I can’t wait to finally go home.
If only the shock alarms of the hospital didn’t scream out, startling us.
An explosion sounds through the air, and I jump to protect Hayley as the roof caves in.
She screams.
Chapter twenty-one
Hayley
Final Act
“Protecther.Dowhatyou must.” Sawyer shoves a piece of debris away, grabbing a blanket to wrap around me and Kylie. He hands me to Knox, and the two of us head toward what I thought was a closet, but it’s a bathroom that leads to another room.
“Monroe and Cooper, head toward the front. It looks like fucking Alexander has decided to show himself. He’s probably being hunted by all of La Vega, knowing that with his head will bring some power with us.” Knox looks at Sawyer. “Stay safe. I’ll get Hayley and Kylie out the back. We will meet you there. Clear the way.”
