“You’ll be my first call. I’m not having a show down with a god without my brother by my side.”
Sawyer grinned and let Nick pull him into a one-armed hug. It put him face to face with one of his brother’s victims. Sawyer stared at Robin, locking her sweet features into his memory. This was why he fought. She didn’t deserve what Palinouros had done to her. None of them did. He had to be stopped. And Sawyer was apparently the one person who could do it.
Nick and Jedrek left soon after. Pip’s mom wasn’t letting him out of her sight for the time being so Sawyer went to seek out the only guardian who hadn’t remained in the room with them after their return.
He found Dakota outside staring into the woods he’d haunted for so many weeks.
“Dakota?”
“What?”
Sawyer sighed. The slight chip in Dakota’s armor had obviously been firmly returned to its place.
“I wish you’d just yell at me and get it over with,” Sawyer said. “This cold shoulder thing is getting old.”
Dakota turned to him, and finally, the underlying anger in his gaze was right there for Sawyer to see.
“You want me mad?” Dakota asked. The challenge was obvious.
“Yeah.”
Before Sawyer could think, Dakota had him by the neck and slammed him against the side of the house. The vampire guards came running, but Sawyer held out a hand to stop them from intervening. They needed to do this.
“You know nothing,” Dakota hissed.
“Agreed. I know nothing.”
Dakota growled and squeezed his neck again. He didn’t speak, though, and Sawyer knew he needed to push harder.
“You wanna hurt me? Is that gonna fix this? Go ahead. Do it.”
Dakota shook him. “Shut up.”
“Make me.”
Dakota growled and shoved him back again. His head hit the wall and Sawyer saw stars for a moment.
“At least tell me what I did before you beat the crap out of me, okay?”
Dakota froze for a moment before he moved his hand turned away. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
“But you want to.”
“I really want to,” Dakota said.
“Why?”
He turned again and backed Sawyer up against the wall once more. They breathed each others’ air, both of them panting, but for different reasons. Sawyer was still trying to recover from the tight hold Dakota had on him moments before. But Dakota… he was so very mad.
“What is your power, Sawyer?”
“Metal,” Sawyer replied.
“No. That is your element. What is yourpower?”
Sawyer frowned. He had no idea. “I don’t know.”
“Exactly. Look around, oh Chosen One. What do you think your gift is?” Dakota flung his hand out toward the house. He had so much love for him inside, friends, family, mates.
