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The smug, alpha douchebag façade fell away and a shadow of regret slid through Jackson’s gaze. “You’re right, I should have.”

“At least you admit it.”

Jackson hissed out a breath. “First time for everything. Now let’s get into the sunlight before the vamps I didn’t kill decide to get their cardio in by climbing the rest of those stairs.”

It wasn’t a victory parade as we dragged ourselves to the exit, but it would do. The hot sun felt so good on my face that I nearly cried with relief. My throat hurt, I was woozy from the loss of blood, and it would take a good long while for me to get over the morning of horror I’d just experienced.

But I was still alive. And so was Declan.

And so were Jackson and his sister. I fully agreed with Declan that a little inside information on Dr. Reynolds’ motivations would have been incredibly helpful, but in the end, the hunter had saved our asses. Both of us—and Jennifer, I was sure—would have died if he hadn’t intervened.

Jackson had his arm protectively around his younger sister as he glanced at the warehouse exterior. “I’ll call for containment. Luckily those vamps aren’t going anywhere during daylight. I can get a few guys to come in and do a sweep, and take out the rest of them. We’ll check if there are any human survivors. Hell, what a fucking mess.” He eyed Declan. “Can I borrow your phone? I think mine got eaten.”

Declan silently tossed Jackson his cell phone.

“What are you going to do now?” I asked Jennifer.

“Good question,” she replied, and gave Jackson a searching look.

“I know people,” he replied. “We’ll resolve this, one way or the other, don’t worry.” He gave Jennifer a stern look. “If this happens again—”

“It won’t.”

“You need money, you ask. If I don’t have it, I’ll steal it. Got it?”

“Got it,” she agreed. “I forgot that it’s good to have a killer and a thief for your big brother.”

“Don’t forget it again. Come with me, Jen, as I go bleed over there,” Jackson nodded at the parking lot, “and let’s leave these two alone for a minute, okay?”

“How’s your leg?” I asked after the siblings gave us some space, gently placing my hand on Declan’s jeans-clad knee. We sat side by side on the ground just outside the warehouse door.

He raised an eyebrow. “Healing. How’s your throat? And your concussion?”

“I need ice cream. Band-Aids. And a bucket of Tylenol.”

A shadow crossed his expression. “I’m sorry everything didn’t work out, Jill.”

I laughed a little at that, then stopped when it hurt. “Not working out is a bit of an understatement, don’t you think?”

“You’re right,” he replied. “I’m sorry that in our search for a solution to your problem we were nearly torn apart by bloodthirsty vampires.”

“That’s better.” I grabbed his hand and squeezed it, tracing my thumb over an old scar that ran across his knuckles. “We’re still alive, so I’d say the day was a success.”

“But your blood...” He frowned. “Nothing’s changed.”

I shuddered at the still-fresh memory of Declan being injected with a sample of my poisoned blood.

“If it had killed you, I’m not really sure what I would have done. I think I might have lost it on Dr. Reynolds even before Lawrence got to him.” I searched Declan’s battle-weary face. “I know it knocked you out for a few minutes and probably hurt like hell, but...do you think the Nightshade did anything else to you? Or was your human side enough to counteract the poison? I’ve been wondering if it messed with your healing ability.”

“No, I’m healing like I normally do.” His brows drew tighter together. “But it definitely did something else to me.”

“What?”

“My emotions . . they’ve been all messed up ever since I came to. And that made it even harder to think straight down there.”

I knew I’d seen raw emotion on his face before. This was the confirmation.

My blood killed full vampires, but was it possible that the same blood could cancel out Declan’s serum?