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What he saw shocked hi into his back Fairies littered the ground Wolves and va over at Riley, in wolf for He was…protecting her? From his own people?

Meanwhile, Mary Ann was pale and clutching her stomach, as if in pain "Aden," she said on ato hiasped and took a collective step backward

He’d find out as going on in a minute "Allow the witches to pass Don’t look at them Don’t touch them Don’t follow them Just allow them to pass" He waited until both the va aside

Though hesitant, the witches filed out, their unconscious sisters propped between the a pathway, and Aden released a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding No one reached out, no one attempted to stop the robed women

Now for his friends "Riley, take Mary Ann ho," a vampire covered in blood said as he rose "She’s a Drainer Sheto have to explain the drainer thing, and soon As for now, he said, "I don’t care what she is No one touches her, and no one follows her, either Riley, take her houard ain, the vah all of theer to act More so than they’d been with the witches

Such blind obedience In a sudden moment of clarity, he realized these were his people And he…he was their king Yes Yes The adht He’d earned the title with this victory More than that, he had so to fight it anymore

"The rest of you…stay here Don’t move" He turned and strode back to the cave Chomper and Victoria were exactly where he’d left the up

"Better?" He squatted beside her and cupped her jaw He gently aze intent on her skin The burns were already fading

"Better" Those blue, blue eyes regarded hilad" She threw her ar little kisses all over his face

Cho, Aden reached up and petted his new protector behind the ears So ht He could have lost everyone he loved, but with this creature’s help, things had turned out okay

Better than okay

After he convinced a reluctant Choo back inside Victoria--where he could better protect them both, Aden explained--he and Victoria walked back outside, hand and hand This time, he wasn’t surprised to discover his orders had been obeyed The vampires and wolves hadn’t moved

Aden looked over at Victoria, and she looked over at hirin, happy to be alive and with each other "I’reed "You are"

He faced the waiting crowd "Return home Rest I’m proud of each of you" Next week, after he had rested, he’d hold ato be different now

As they began to teleport, disappearing from view, Victoria said, "Now I’ll take you ho in his bedroo softly from the top bunk Aden peered up at his friend He would stay here a while longer, he thought, beforeinto the vampire mansion with Victoria, where he would rule as was expected There were a few things he had to do first For the boys For Dan He wanted to make sure they were forever taken care of, forever safe

He didn’t see Thoet so a soft kiss on Victoria’s lips "We’re going on a date"

She grinned slowly "Is that an order frouy who loves you"

"Then I accept"

"YOU HAVE TO LEAVE, Mary Ann," Riley said, stuffing her clothes in a bag, several pieces at a ti with you"

"I’ my dad And no, you’re not"

"It’s the only way If you’re here with hiet to you Everyone knohat you are now Aden can command the vamps and weres to leave you alone, but he has no power over the witches or the fairies And they’ll be very eager to destroy you Especially after tonight So just so you know, there’s no way I’ht about the danger She kneas right That didn’t make this any easier "I can’t just leave"