“Tech simulations,” I said, the realization hitting me in the gut. “Jake, you’re so dead! You tricked me with that purple pill!”“But now you know you can’t control the elements,” he said.Like that made me feel better. “I hope you have a will!”“Blame Jag,” he responded.“Oh, I do,” I snapped. “Trust me, he’s going to die too.” I imagined the way he’d smile when he saw me. He wouldn’t even see my fist coming.”

“But ... but what if I hit you?”A snort. “You’re not going to hit me.”“How do you know?” I bristled at his amused tone. “I could hit you. Even master swordsmen make mistakes. I could get a lucky shot, or you might not see me coming. I don’t want to hurt you.”He favored me with another patient look. “And how much experience do you have with swords and weapons in general?” “Um.” I glanced down at the saber in my hand. “Thirty seconds?”He smiled, that calm, irritatingly confident smirk. “You’re not going to hit me.”

“It just made me realize that I wouldn’t have anything if you left,” he said miserably. Jake gave a pained wince and looked down at the floor. “I wouldn’t have anything if I left, either,” he murmured.”

“You’re going to castrate them if they give me a sideways glance?”He looked at the ground. “I’m not bringing you to the safest place and you’re beautiful, so I needed to warn them.”“I’m beautiful?” I repeated trying not to smile.“Don’t let it go to your head, darling.” He said holding his hand out for me.“You’re not too bad yourself.” “I know. I saw the way you stared at me when I took my shirt off.” Hunter said.”

“Look, Paul. I appreciate what you’re telling me, but I gave Jake my word. Not to mention the fact, he’d throw my ass in jail if he found out I tried to go around him.”“He wouldn’t, you know,” he said. “Jake’s a pussycat.”Yeah, just a big old saber-toothed tiger.”

“You threatened to tell his girlfriend he’d been involved with you? (Hunter)No, I threatened to tell Brittany he made a pass at me if he didn’t help. He’s a slimeball I wouldn’t let touch my dead philodendron. (Abbie)”