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I nod, not able to look at Victoria or give a signal of any kind. There are three men we can see, well, that I can see. For all I know, more are in the trunk. How many bullets are in that gun? Why don’t I know that? Why didn’t I ask that? They have more bullets and guns than she does, so this is going to turn into killing and carnage fast. They were supposed to be in my crypt, damn it.

I let my fingers brush Vic’s arm. “Come out, baby. Time to go to your new home,” I murmur. “I’ll walk her to the car myself, Pazzy. I like her, and I don’t want your goons to damage my nice work. Not right away.”

“I can have a gentle touch, especially when her face stayed so pretty,” Pazcuso gives a coarse chuckle and steps forward.

Victoria steps out, head hanging down, hands behind her back.

Step. Step.

I can feel my heart beating through the top of my head. I can feel her pulse even though I’m not touching her.

A loud, screaming roar erupts suddenly, coming from the road.

All three of our evil visitors turn, and that’s all I need.

Victoria pops them neat and fast, one, two, three, all chest and head.

I go straight for Pazcuso. I want to savor this moment... But something won’t let me. It’s like my brain just disconnects from what I’m doing.

I don’t need to tear him up.

I just need to stop him. I need him to be dead, so no one else is ever hurt by him, so he never makes another monster, so he never turns another human into one.

Untemeyer runs. Well, staggers, clutching his chest.

Ignacio fires back as he drops to his knees.

Pazcuso... He should have taken better care of himself. When I rip into his chest, his heart comes out all swollen and squashy, and his lungs barely shudder out a wheeze.

Victoria places a final bullet in the fleeing doctor.

Ignacio’s head cranks to a decidedly dead angle, neck snapped, when I kick him hard across the face.

“I’m checking the trunk!” I announce.

“He’s down. Dead!” Victoria yells over Untemeyer.

“That was... That was fast. And way, way easier than I thought it would be,” Genesis announces, landing a safe distance away.

Victoria and I look at each other. Five dead men. Missing hands. Missing hearts. Blood on both of us, from splattering or bullet wounds.

Somehow, we share a smile. “We make it look easy,” I murmur, barely above a breath, and she nods, even though I don’t know if she really heard me. She just knows.

“You two are like professionals!” Mr. Minegold appears out of the shadows, face appraising.

Vic shakes out her hair and wipes the fake scars off her face with the back of one splattered hand. “Thank you, Mr. M. We were actually wondering if I could join the Night Watch with Lazarus? I’m not an official monster, but...”

“Oh, my dear. I think we could grant you an honorary title. Not that such a title is a bad thing, you know. Some monsters are the most protective. The most noble.” He bows low to Vicky.

I like him a lot for that.

“Um. We have quite a mess here. Is Graham still up for a little New Year’s bonfire?”

Even as I say it, a huge purple shape flies over the cemetery.

“Graham is ready,” Genesis sighs. “This is going to stink.”

“Ooh, wait!” Victoria, who is apparently a cooler cucumber than anyone else on this planet, goes over to each body and collects wallets. “You guys might need a drink after this. Drinks are on them.”