Reborn Yesterday - Tessa Bailey Page 0,46

hesitation—and Seymour’s body was thrown up against the car. Slam.

“Son of a bitch,” Tucker breathed.

Ginny straightened and watched Jonas pull Seymour off the car, using only an outstretched hand, and launch him up against the side of the building. She almost cheered. Started to, in fact, but Seymour chose that moment to rally, blasting Jonas with wavy ribbons of clear energy, throwing him off his feet and onto his back.

Leaving him vulnerable.

“No,” Ginny breathed.

A ball of crackling air hovered above the older vampire’s palm and he was seconds from hitting Jonas with it. While he was down.

No, she couldn’t let it happen.

If she was the catalyst for his abilities taking hold, then she’d do her job. She’d help him, instead of standing by like a spare part.

Seymour reared back, preparing to blast Jonas.

She’d have to dig deep for this amount of courage. None of her usual heroines would boost her this time—sorry, Elizabeth, Lauren and Grace. This time around, she was going full Bond Girl. With a deep breath, Ginny threw open the car door and stepped out.

“No!” Jonas roared, rolling and lunging to his feet.

Seymour turned with a beastly smile and changed his aim to Ginny instead. “Alas, she makes my task even easier.” Her feet lifted inch by inch off the ground, the floating sensation disconcertingly familiar. “Where shall I perch the little birdie this time? A skyscraper, perhaps?”

Seymour’s bottomless eyes went blank as his neck snapped. He collapsed into a heap on the ground, dropping Ginny back down to the concrete.

Vampires couldn’t die from a broken neck, though, could they?

Her question was answered when Seymour twitched and started to stand, despite the nausea-inducing injuries to his person.

Jonas straddled the man’s chest with what appeared to be a broken chair leg clutched tightly in his hand. A makeshift stake? Jonas was saying something, but she could barely make it out. She started to take a hesitant step forward when an arm wrapped around her waist, yanking her backward until she met the side of the car with Tucker and Elias blocking her view.

“That was one crazy move, sweetheart,” Tucker said over his shoulder. “She has a couple of beers, all of a sudden she’s living life on the edge.”

“I can’t believe a human is growing on me,” Elias muttered from behind his raised collar.

She couldn’t take the time to be flattered. Not when she was too eager to hear the exchange between Jonas and Seymour. Holding on to Tucker’s jacket sleeve, she inserted her face between her own private vampire shield and listened.

“Why did you come for her?” Jonas shouted at the felled vampire. “Tell me.”

“Why else?” The old vampire’s laugh chugged like an engine, but it held a tinge of sadness. “Your father.”

Seymour’s head had been bent at an unnatural angle, but his neck shifted slowly now to the sound of tendons stretching. Tucker and Elias tensed on either side of Ginny, a split second before Seymour sprang up and made a grab for the stake—but it was too late. Jonas arced the weapon down with considerable force and penetrated the right side of Seymour’s chest, resulting in a loud whistling sound—and pop.

Ashes floated where the old vampire had once been.

Jonas dropped to his knees in the floating debris and hung his head. “Goddammit.” A shudder traveled across his shoulder muscles and then he was on his feet, blurring to the spot right in front of her. Tucker and Elias were pushed apart, leaving her crouched sideways like the world’s most obvious eavesdropper. “Ginny,” he said, his voice lethally quiet. “You got. Out. Of the car.”

She straightened and brushed off her skirt, reluctant to witness the accusation and outrage in his gaze. “I was trying to motivate you.”

“You agreed to stay put,” he gritted out, gripping her shoulders.

“I had my fingers crossed,” she whispered, heat stealing up her neck. “Please try and remember we’re very close to my birthday.”

He made a choked sound. “Do not make jokes when I’ve just come close to losing you.” Twin sparks launched in his eyes. “You are a threat to my very sanity.”

Indignation poked her in the side like a thorn. “Do you think it was easy sit here and watch you fight for your life?”

“Forgive me if I’m not prepared to be reasonable over you trying to get yourself killed,” Jonas growled, reaching behind her and opening the door, urging her into the backseat while Tucker and Elias reclaimed their spots up front.

Silence cracked in the dark car like a