Genetics

Epilogue

Damien Dark (P.O.V.)

I stared up at the gnarled mangroves that held vampires among their upmost branches. It amazed me that April even had magic let alone managed to do this. I was still trying to figure out how she had managed to even surprise so many vampires and trap them at the same time.

It had grown dark at this point, so I wasn't sure why April had wanted me to wait outside for the sun. Maybe she thought it was earlier than it truly was or just planned to burn the vampires regardless? I wish April would hurry up. It had been about an hour since I last saw her, and I was getting creeped out by the vampires yelling and the constant creaking of the branches as they tried to escape. I knew I would not be able to face that many vampires at once like April.

The sudden explosion behind me caught my attention as it lit the trees with a flickering green glow. I turned to look, and my eyes widened as I gapped at it. Large green flames were roaring up towards the stars as if they were trying to infect the stars with their green blaze. They were coming from the direction that April had gone, towards the back of the fortress. I pulled my phone out and called up Mark, hoping he was close by.

"Damien? What's up? If you're going to the house, you should wait. We're currently on lockdown there and they griffins and werewolves might see you as an enemy." Mark spoke up, sounding distant from the phone.

As I listened more closely, I realized that the distant sound was the wind. He must be either driving here or on the back of a griffin. Hopefully he wasn't too far.

"Um... I'm at Michael's fortress. April trapped a bunch of vampires in trees and then headed in. She killed a vampire council member and I helped her get her wounds stitched up, but then she headed further in. She told me to stay back, but now there's green flames shooting out of the far back of the fortress. How far away are you?" I spoke as I watched the flames continue to reach out to the stars.

"What?! Damn it April!" Mark shouted before hanging up the phone.

I stared at my phone and then looked at the building. I glanced back at the trees and then back at the building. What was I supposed to do? April had told me to watch the trees and wait for her, but judging by Mark's tone, he knew what was going on. Maybe it was April who set the fortress on fire, and she'll be out soon? Should I even go into that oven and try to find her, or should I just wait for her or Mark to get here? I grimaced and ran towards the fortress. I just hoped neither of the Winter Siblings were pissed at me for going away from the trees.

I could barely see above the smoke. I had managed to find the room that April had gone to for medical supplies. I found two clothes and stuck one over my face. I looped the other around my belt and took off in the direction April had gone. As I went down the way she went, I noticed it was growing hotter and the smoke was much thicker. It wasn't until I reached the end of the corridor that I could see the blazing green flames.

Crap. I was ninety-nine percent sure she actually went into that room where the flames were. She was so stubborn and thick-headed. I hesitated for a moment, debating going back outside or rushing headlong into the fire.

The fire reminded me too much of the hospital fire and I didn't want to relive it, but April was in there. Mark and Caleb were sure to kill me if I didn't get her out before she got burned. I grimaced and went into the flaming room.

The entire room was on fire and there were scorch marks from where the fire began, but in the center of those scorch marks was one badly burned body over a pile of ashes. I noticed the blood around the body was scarlet in color and my eyes widened. It was April.

I ran over, avoiding the parts around her that were still on fire. I reached down and checked for a pulse, hoping that she was still alive. There was barely a pulse, but still one, nonetheless. I needed to get her out of this room before it crumbled even further. I quickly tied the cloth around my head and grabbed the other one, tying it around her face so she wouldn't breathe in anymore the smoke.