Page 81 of Gift from the Tree

“Nothing.”

“Bullshit. You might pull those puppy dog eyes out on the others and get away with it, but I know when the darkness calls. You’re going to pay Vander a visit, aren’t you?” he asks knowingly.

“And if I am?” I challenge. It’s not just Vander, though. His Nexus brothers were three of the fuckers holding me back today, so I’m going to get four birds with one fireball.

He stares at me intently for so long, I almost decide to say fuck it and transport out anyway, with or without his answer, but he finally speaks.

“Let’s go.”

I don’t say anything, but I let a happy little smirk cross my lips as I grasp his arm and transport us right outside those little cocksuckers Nexus’ house. If this is his way of telling me sorry, I’ll accept.

The little shit we’re here to visit may have thought the only thing coming to him was some academic probation, but he’s about to find out otherwise. Engulfing my hands in flames, I send four fireballs, one after the other through the front windows and sit back, laughing as they all try and fail miserably to put my flames out. I have one of the strongest, if not the strongest, fire elements in this realm. They can’t do shit to stop it if I don’t want them to.

As soon as the first poor sap comes charging out of the house, Caspian wraps him up in his shadows, dragging him through the dirt. Once all four of them are out, I call my fire back, revealing a perfectly intact Nexus house. Can’t have Corentin getting all pissy with me over some destroyed property…again.

No words are exchanged. They realize what’s going on the moment they see the two of us standing here. As a group, they move. Two charge Caspian, two me, and my body hums with the need to draw their blood. My dragon is almost to the point of being feral, ready to avenge what was done to our little wanderer.

Vander, incredibly stupid cookie, goes after Caspian, but with a quick flick of his wrist, Caspian has him hogtied in shadows, off to the side to watch his brothers get the fuck beat out of them while he waits for his punishment.

Together, me and Caspian dance around the fools, like predators playing with their food. The three of them have the skill level to match the muscles in my pinky finger, so this is nothing but child’s play, me and Caspian getting enjoyment from beating the fuck out of them, like their brother did my woman, our woman really, if Caspian would just admit it.

Stepping over their moaning and groaning bodies, I prowl closer to my main course. Thrilled when he withers and shakes, thrashing against Caspian’s shadows, trying to break free. I almost tell Caspian to let him go so I can hunt him down, but it’s getting late, and I need my beauty rest.

“Vander, Vander, Vander. What were you thinking today, buddy?” I taunt.

“Fuck does it matter, Draken? She’s just some lowly fucking newbie nobody.” He whimpers, trying to reason with me. Fucking idiot.

“Wrong. She’s far from a nobody. She’s my true Primary,” I growl.

“And no one fucks with a Vito,” Caspian says darkly before releasing his shadows and we pounce as one.

He doesn’t stand a chance as me and Caspian go back and forth laying our fists to his flesh. Me and my dragon hum in satisfaction every time a new streak of blood drips from his skin or a bone shatters beneath my fist. I don’t stop, even as Caspian floods his lungs with his water, stealing the sweet sounds of his screams. Finally, when we know he’s on the verge of kicking the bucket, we back off.

“Let this be a lesson well learned for Vandie boy. Get this house cleaned up and your brother to the healing wing. If any mention of tonight gets out, we’ll be coming back,” Caspian warns Vander’s brothers, who are slowly picking their asses up.

I can barely contain the excitement thrumming inside of me as we transport back to our lawn. Sure, some would think it’s pretty shitty that we just beat the ever-loving fuck out of some pussies who stood no chance, but for my little wanderer, I’ll do any fucking thing.

“Fuck, that felt so good,” I cry, throwing my head back laughing.

“They got what was coming to them,” Caspian comments menacingly.

“Yeah, they did. No one touches our woman,” I say, raising my hand for a high five.

“Your woman, Draken.”

“Ours. You know it—”

“Draken, enough,” he barks loudly, cutting me off.

“But what we just did?” I ask, baffled. I thought since he came with me, and what he said back there, that he was getting on board with the idea of acknowledging Willow as our true Primary.

“Will have to be enough for now, Draken,” he demands before drifting through the shadows without another word.

He has to come around. He has to.

It feels like I’ve only been asleep for five minutes but judging by the pitch blackness of my room, it’s been hours since I lay down, when a knock at my door wakes me up.

Grogginess and confusion weigh me down as I swing my legs over the side of the bed and flick a flame at the lamp to give me some light to see my door. I’m shocked to find Willow standing there on the other side. Her hair’s a mess, eyes red like she’s been crying again.

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