Vincent never went back to sleep. Uncomfortable and anxious about the mission, he walked out of the small, dim motel room as Elijah made a call to James—the third call in as many days, maybe more.

He watched the dawn and considered the last time he really stopped to appreciate it. Only a few days ago, he’d been hungover and unable to return to sleep after Sawyer had left his room. He’d chain smoked on the back porch, listened to the wolves howl, and just watched the sun reclaim the world.

What a night that had been, Vincent thought. She’d convinced him to bare his heart, tell her all about his brother at a time when she hadn’t known Axel. And then she’d gifted him with Henry. Something had fallen into place for Vincent, listening to her talk about his nephew. Vincent had been tearing himself up for not being there for Henry or her. For not being strong enough to stop it long before it had started.

She had set him at ease in some ways. A piece of his heart that had been ripped open felt bandaged and bruised. Aching, but no longer a bleeding, gaping wound that affected everything he did.

What hadn’t set him at ease was what had happened after he had some of the best sex of his life with the woman who’d given him such a gift. He wanted to forget the look of rage on her face and the fear in her eyes when she tried to attack him, thinking he was Axel. He would give anything, his body, mind, and soul, to make sure it never happened again.

He would work with Jasper and Zander towards that end, and apparently, Elijah. He wanted more of her. He’d known it from the moment they had said it shouldn’t happen again. And he needed the team, friends and allies, to help him, even if they did so for their own reasons. They could help her. Together, maybe, they could chase away her nightmares enough for him to be in her life and bed. Vincent didn’t hope for her heart, even though that was his deepest wish. A piece of that broken, vulnerable thing she not-so-secretly carried around.

He stayed lost in his thoughts about the romantic situation he found himself in for a long time. Lost in thought about how they were going to make this work, he lit a cigarette. He should have been thinking about the case, but it was distant from his mind. He didn’t know what he could do about their situation with the case, yet.

Vincent was still smoking that cigarette when Sawyer walked out of her room, looking exhausted and yet dangerous in her black uniform. Those damn leather pants. God, he was mad as hell and sinfully turned on at the sight of those. Sawyer took one look at him, stole his cigarette and took a long drag. He didn’t let it get to him, since he enjoyed the idea of something of his in her mouth.

He was losing his mind, slowly but surely.

“Forget your own pack?” he asked as she handed it back to him.

“Yeah, and I’ve been dying for one.” She sighed. He took that as the sign to pull another out for her. He lit it and handed it over. He watched those lips hold it and smoke leave her nose.

“You’re welcome,” he said as she just stared into the dawn.

There was more silence as her eyes left the rising sun and looked at him. He waited. There was a game to be played here, and he couldn’t resist it.

“Thanks,” she finally said to him. He knew the thanks was going to come eventually. He was glad he waited. He won that round. “How long until we head out?”

“A couple of hours,” he told her, nodding to the rising sun. “Still a bit early. How are you feeling?”

“Tired,” Sawyer groaned, leaning against a pillar. “Exhausted. And I want to get this done.”

“Well, we have time to kill, instead.” Vincent thought about that as he said it. He and Sawyer weren’t ones to have this sort of chance very often. “We could... chat.”

“About what, Vincent?” Sawyer chuckled, looking at him with a small smile. He didn’t like the dark circles under her eyes, but he was happy to see the smile there.

“I’m sure you can find something to disagree with me about.” Vincent laughed back. He realized his cigarette was out and slid the butt in his pocket to trash later. Then he lit another one, as an excuse to stay outside to talk to her.

“I’m sure,” Sawyer teased. “We seem to disagree on nearly everything.” They fell silent for a moment and he waited. He would let her choose the topic. “We can talk about Quinn for a moment.”

“You’ve been wonderful with him,” Vincent told her. He was stunned and astounded by her ballsy act to try and get Quinn on track. He could also admit to a bit of jealousy that she was succeeding where he had failed. That irked him, but he didn’t let it bother him. He would rather be excited over Quinn’s progress than jealous that she had made it happen.

“You laid a lot of good ground work but… why didn’t you ever try giving him something he might enjoy instead of the stuffy required stuff?” Sawyer frowned at him, and Vincent let out a heavy sigh.

“We did, early on, hoping it would spur him to be interested,” Vincent informed her. “But back then, he was aggressive and impatient. He hated that this was a skill everyone seemed to have except him. So it became more about getting him through what was required and less about making sure he felt comfortable. We just needed to finish it and be done with it. We started focusing on the required things.”

“Makes sense,” Sawyer mumbled, nodding slowly. “It’s not that you all did bad, by the way. You’ve only been teaching him for… four years?”

“Roughly,” Vincent confirmed.

“Four years, from zero reading and writing skills to a middle school level, while working for the IMPO. That’s not bad progress, Vincent. I just swooped in and made sure he knew he could enjoy it. It was something I could offer him.”

“Thank you,” Vincent told her softly, watching her get that smile back. The tired smile that let him know she was happy she did something good. “It’s made everything easier, and he’s progressing faster now. Do you know what he’s been working on, though?”

“He’s working on trying to write down things he knows about the natural world that maybe we don’t.” Sawyer chuckled. “With his magic and his upbringing, those writings could bring new knowledge to the world. And it’s something he can set his mind to, a goal. Something he can achieve that means something to him that isn’t a piece of paper.”

He’d never thought about it that way. He was charmed by her and mystified at her wisdom on the matter. She brought something to the team that none of them had been able to offer. A real-world experience that was unmatched by anyone else their age and dwarfed anything on the team. Her experiences since she was just the lanky orphan teen with Zander and Jasper had made her a uniquely fearsome and intelligent woman. Too bad he felt like she didn’t realize it sometimes. Her arrogance only went so far, and sadly, she sold herself short in some ways or tried to play modest about the better parts of herself. It baffled him. She was either the most arrogant thing he’d ever met, or she sold her achievements short, as if they weren’t that big of a deal.

“I’m not sure what else to say, except, thank you,” Vincent told her quietly. “What else would you like to chat about?”

“You choose the topic this time,” Sawyer laughed quietly towards the sun. Vincent only gave it a moment’s thought.

“I was thinking that you can test for your GED when this is over,” Vincent mentioned, looking her over. “I think you can do well enough to get the damn thing and move on from it.”

“I know I can.” Sawyer laughed. “Yeah, let’s get that nonsense out of the way. Then I can go back to mornings kicking Zander’s stupid ass around the gym and making sure he knows his place.”

“Oh,” Vincent groaned playfully. “Don’t put it that way. He just wants for things to be like they were between you.” He needed to throw Zander a bone before the poor fool ruined them all.

“Used to be?” Sawyer chuckled, shaking her head. “It used to be a girl who kicked Zander’s ass around the yard and made sure he knew his place. I’m just eager to get back to that. Back to the way things used to be, as it happens.”

Vincent laughed, nearly dropping his cigarette in the process, and started to cough as he was mid-drag when the laugh came. Sawyer thumped his back several times as he faded into a chuckle.

“That brings images to my mind I’m going to remember for the rest of my life,” Vincent said with a grin. “Fondly.” Thank God they finally had someone who could knock Zander around. That prick needed it.

“You’re happier now than I have ever seen you, even with this case we’re dealing with,” Sawyer told him softly. Vincent stopped laughing and looked back over to her. Her dark eyes were curious, and she tilted her head at him.

“I’ll be happier when this case is over.” Vincent shrugged. The case was a problem, a worry, and a puzzle he couldn’t quite solve. He was missing pieces and he wasn’t sure if the sheriff’s home held those pieces. “But, I feel lighter, definitely.”

“I like you feeling lighter. It looks better on you.”

He watched her nod. He did feel lighter. He felt focused on the case, focused on the possibilities beyond it. She’d given him something that he would hold dear. Some measure of forgiveness, some measure of respite from the past.

“Sawyer-”

“You two are so noisy,” Elijah’s groan interrupted them. “Morning brooding, I see. You two are a match made in brooding heaven.”

“You…” Vincent shook his head and looked at Elijah leaving their room. Trust Elijah to remind them of everything swirling between them now.

“Call it like I see it?” Elijah chuckled, stealing Sawyer’s cigarette. Vincent held back a smile at her glare as Elijah finished smoking it and put it out. Vincent pulled out his pack and offered them both a new one. He was going to need to buy another pack at this rate.

“Really,” Elijah mumbled, the cigarette in his mouth. It was lit, along with Sawyer’s, without needing Vincent’s lighter. “Sawyer, put a leash on him, call it a day.”

“Why are you out here, Elijah?” Vincent asked with a small growl. He didn’t need Elijah pushing her. He wanted Sawyer to leash him when she was ready. He wanted it, but he wasn’t going to rush her. “Weren’t you on the phone with James?”

“I was,” Elijah mumbled, flicking ash off the cigarette. “And I have news for you that complicates all of this.”

“Do tell,” Sawyer huffed, still leaning on her pillar.

“That ring? I remembered where I had seen it before.” Elijah sighed. “My father used to wear one when I was yea high.” Elijah motioned at a height about half the size he was now. Vincent frowned at the implication. A ring Elijah had seen as a child. “But my father was an uneducated man and still is. He didn’t go to college, he had barely finished high school. Alpha and Omega… the religious reference is important. Not a fraternity for college men, but a brotherhood for religious ones.”

“Elijah?” Vincent narrowed his eyes.

“The ring is given to… leaders of the Anti-Magi organization, God’s Will.” Elijah whispered as he tried to explain to them, looking ill for a moment. “We have… an unregistered Magi leading this area’s Anti-Magi sentiment. I never thought I would see the day. I wasn’t sure things could get more complicated.”

Vincent recoiled and leaned against a pillar near him. This had implications that concerned Vincent. Stevenson was working with people who would hang him for it.

“Well, damn,” Sawyer groaned. “Of all the things. And we aren’t even sure if this has anything to do with the killer. What the hell have we walked into out here?”

“I have no idea,” Elijah grumbled. “But if Vincent over there is shocked, it’s nothing good.”

“Has anyone ever heard of a Magi in an Anti-Magi organization?” Sawyer asked, frowning at them. Vincent shook his head.

“No, it’s… a betrayal of our kind to the umpteenth degree.” Vincent sighed. “You’re right, Elijah, this can’t be anything good, and we now need to deal with the sheriff. He was an annoyance but now he’s going to need to take real priority.”

“Thank the gods we’re breaking into his place, today,” Sawyer mumbled towards the sun. “And the killer?”

“We play the long game,” Vincent told her. “We’ve done it before. We don’t have any leads. We need to wait for a mistake or another piece of the puzzle. Until then, since this is currently his hunting ground… We protect you as best we can, and we deal with the sheriff.”

“And hope,” Elijah muttered, glaring into the distance. “We had to do it with Logan. We lost all traces of him and finally, at the exact right moment, caught him on camera going after his next target. We were able to get the license plate number of his car and… Yeah. After weeks, nearly a few months of hunting, always being a step behind, a couple near misses… we had him right in time.”

“Wake those two up,” Vincent ordered him, gesturing towards Zander and Jasper’s room. He knew Quinn was awake and in Sawyer’s room, she could get him. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

“Sawyer, go do that, I need to talk to Vincent.” Elijah didn’t move. Vincent frowned at his friend. Sawyer just nodded and walked into the other room, off to drag Jasper and Zander to work.

“What’s up?”

“How have we missed it?” Elijah asked, crossing his arms. “It’s obvious.”

“What is?” Vincent brought his eyebrows together in frustration. What had he missed?

“Stevenson… I think he really is covering for the serial killer. I think he has our answers,” Elijah said quietly. “It makes sense, too much sense.”

“Fuck,” Vincent snapped. How had he missed that? It was something Zander had mentioned when they were arriving. Stevenson rushing the bodies in this area back to their families, not doing proper follow-up to suspicious deaths. They only had a lead on how these people were dying thanks to the two bodies in Abilene.

“We’re not so in the dark as we think,” Elijah hissed. “This is going to sound fucked up, but I think the sheriff is covering for this other Magi because he hates Magi. Stevenson is letting this killer do his thing because it looks good for him to the Anti-Magi group if Magi in his area are dying off.”

“Stevenson is a Magi though!” Vincent snarled. “What you are talking about is that he hates his own kind so much that he is willing to actively work against us and let his own kind die. Elijah, that’s madness.”

“It’s his faith,” Elijah whispered, stepping close to Vincent. “Stevenson is a God-fearing man in an uber-conservative area in Texas with little oversight. He was probably raised Christian. Think about it. You have so much faith in something, but your community would call you evil. Unregistered works for him. No one knows he exists, probably because he’s just so weak. He can hide from other Magi, pretend he’s not one, and gain the love of other believers, other fanatics.”

“He hates himself,” Vincent realized. “He abhors that he’s a Magi.”

“Yeah,” Elijah said with a nod, “I think he does. I think he wants to remove what amounts to sin from himself but can’t, so he works to the opposite end of the spectrum and helps fanatics.”

“Fuck,” Vincent exclaimed, softer this time.

“I think we’re on the right track, for all of this,” Elijah groaned. “I think he has our answers. Even if he doesn’t know the killer’s identity, him being here is just getting in our way. We need to take him out of the equation before he further impedes on our case.”

“The killer started showing up in Sawyer’s dreams after you told Stevenson that we knew he was a Magi,” Vincent reminded him. “He probably knows who the killer is.”

“Vincent,” Elijah tried to cut in slowly. “Do you think…?”

“He’s working with him,” Vincent decided. He felt it. He should have seen it sooner, but his attention was divided at the worst time. He was thinking about Sawyer too much—thinking about working with the guys to win her to them. “We’ll raid his house, then we’ll confront him with anything we find.”

“Roger that, Boss.” Elijah nodded. “Let’s do this.”

Vincent mentally kicked himself again. He shouldn’t have been so slow. He shouldn’t be distracted. Distracted got people killed.

Vincent saw the tiny home in the middle of nowhere and frowned. It was tucked away from the road, far enough back that there was no way of knowing if anyone was home.

“I think we’re ready to go in,” Elijah told him quietly. “Sawyer, stay close to one of us, please.”

“Yes,” Vincent whispered. Then he did something he rarely did. He zoned out for a moment and let the world disappear.

He and Kaar were not Quinn and the wolves. They were both independent, preferring a degree separation that Quinn and the pack didn’t desire at all, but he could always rely on the wild piece of his soul that Kaar represented. He entered Kaar’s mind instantly and felt the raven’s indignant rousing at the intrusion. Kaar never liked it, but they made do when it was needed. Kaar also had a peculiar way of never letting Vincent know how he felt.

Damn bird. Vincent was convinced Kaar liked Quinn more than his own Magi.

They were perfectly suited for each other, Vincent and Kaar. Vincent liked the wolves more than he liked his damn bird. Perfectly suited, them.

“Show me the sheriff, Kaar,” Vincent told the raven. Kaar swooped through the town, trying to blend in with other birds. Stevenson came into view near the town’s Baptist church. He was talking to the preacher. “Thank you. Stay on him like a hawk, Kaar.”

The bristle of indignation from Kaar made Vincent smile in the Explorer. Never, ever compare Kaar to any other kind of bird.

Vincent blinked and was back in the Explorer. He looked to Elijah and nodded.

“We’re ready,” was all Vincent had to say. Something about this felt heavy, and they hadn’t even made it inside the door.

“Let’s get this done,” Sawyer groaned and slid out of the Explorer. Vincent watched her meet Quinn, Jasper, and Zander around the front of their vehicles.

“How’s Kaar?” Elijah asked him. Vincent snorted.

“Very Kaar. He’s been… avoiding me more than normal. Avoiding everyone and everything more than normal. Since Sawyer came to live with us.” Vincent mumbled, tapping a finger on the steering wheel.

“Bonded animals take a page from their Magi,” Elijah reminded him. “The more you relax, the more he will.”

“You know, he spies on her. Kaar spies on her without letting me know.” Vincent chuckled for a moment. “Damn bird.”

“Reminds me of a certain human,” Elijah muttered, so low that Vincent almost didn’t hear him. “Always watching her, desperate to be her boy toy, just like a couple of my other friends.”

Vincent reached out and slammed a hand against Elijah’s chest, making the cowboy lean away from him and laugh.

“I call it like I see it, Vin.” Elijah kept laughing, and Vincent jumped out of the Explorer and stomped over to the group.

He knew he watched Sawyer, but he didn’t need Elijah’s constant reminders. He just… couldn’t stop watching her.

He needed to stay focused on the task at hand. The morning of talking to her was one thing, but now was the time for the mess they had been thrust into. He’d been distracted enough just by thinking about her and what had happened right before they were thrown into Texas. He needed to put it aside for a moment. He couldn’t be thinking of her while they were trying to find their answers.

“Let’s make this quick. Jasper and Sawyer, you will both get into the home and unlock the doors. We’ll leave things as undisturbed as possible. We don’t want him or any other occupants returning home to think someone had been here.”

“Of course,” Jasper affirmed, nodding.

“Quinn, you and your boys can patrol the property. Keep an eye out for anyone showing up.”

Vincent was glad to see Quinn nod and immediately shift into his wolf form. The pack of wolves got to business quickly.

They didn’t say much else, just aimless chatter as they got closer to the house. Vincent was on edge about it. This wasn’t the first time they had done something like this, and he trusted Sawyer to behave appropriately.

He just wasn’t at ease with how little they knew about the sheriff. They chose this time of day to avoid any children, who should be at school, but Jasper found nothing about the sheriff having children. He was once married, but his wife seemed to have disappeared five years ago.

The sheriff held secrets. They were distracting the team from the case at hand because they were pressing enough to need to be dealt with, not ignored or swept aside. Vincent only hoped those secrets tied back into the case at hand, because he was tired of having cases with so many secrets. So many twists and angles that made him stretch so hard to figure it out.

He watched Sawyer and Jasper go through the front door. They would clear the house before unlocking the doors, just in case.

A clatter and a few screams changed all of their plans.

“Elijah, get the door open,” Vincent ordered. Elijah didn’t bother using magic. Vincent heard wood splinter as Elijah kicked the door completely off its hinges, sending it flying into the building.

Vincent took point, his sidearm out, ready for action. With Zander and Elijah silent behind him, they walked slowly into the house, prepared for anything.

The cold was first thing Vincent noticed. A cold he knew well.

Something had made Sawyer furious or upset. He laid eyes on Jasper in the living, still as a statue. His eyes took in the scene carefully after confirming there were no injuries on Jasper. Just shock.

A boy on the couch, pale and thin, A large bruise on the child’s cheek. He couldn’t have been more than eight. Vincent continued into the house as Zander passed him to see the boy. Nothing could stop Vincent’s wince as the boy screamed and ran from Zander to hide somewhere else. Zander didn’t move after him, taking the hint to not try and play doctor yet.

Vincent found Sawyer near the small kitchen. A young teenage girl, with another younger girl behind her. Somewhere around fourteen for the older one, Vincent guessed. Ten, at most, for the younger. The older girl had a large kitchen knife, ready to attack anyone who came closer. Both kids in the kitchen were pale in fear. And the younger girl had a black eye.

Secrets. So many secrets hiding in this tiny town run by a Magi whose loyalties were now clear.

These children, his children, were also Magi. And he beat them.

This was officially now an IMPO governed situation in all ways. Vincent could also no longer guarantee the sheriff’s safety until he was seen by the agents in the Dallas office. And Vincent didn’t care much about the sheriff’s safety.

“Sawyer,” Vincent called out as Elijah moved around him as well. He needed to know that Sawyer wasn’t about to fly off the handle. The room was cold, but nothing else gave away her feelings. She didn’t turn to him, and he had no idea what her expression could possibly be, but he knew that a situation like this…

“Why are you here?” The oldest girl called out in anger. “Why are you in our home?”

“Put the knife down,” Sawyer commanded with such an authority that that left no room for disobedience. Vincent was shocked that the girl did put the knife on the counter, but the two young ones took several steps back, all the way into the corner of the kitchen. The oldest girl must have known the knife wouldn’t have helped her, anyway. “We aren’t here to hurt you.”

“We’re agents from the International Magi Police Organization,” Elijah said calmly, walking over to Sawyer. Vincent watched a large hand slide up Sawyer’s back as Elijah tried to get around her. “Why aren’t you in school? Will you tell us your names?”

“We’re homeschooled,” the teenager hissed, pushing her younger sister further behind her. But Vincent saw the girl’s face soften. “What business is it to you?”

“By who? And you haven’t given me your names, yet.” Elijah asked, patiently. Vincent looked over to Jasper, who locked eyes with the boy, now hiding toward a hallway.

“Me? My name is Cara. This is my little sister, Samantha, and that is Bucky.” Cara finished with a point to the boy. “Bucky, come here.”

They were all still as the youngest child, the bruised-cheeked boy ran to his older sister. They all looked like siblings, so Vincent was going to assume that they were.

“Cara, have you finished your education? How old are you?” Elijah asked gently, continuing the soft interrogation. Vincent watched his hand on Sawyer’s back curl and grab a handful of her shirt.

“I’m fifteen and no, I haven’t finished my school yet,” Cara whispered. “But I had to take over when…”

“When what?” Sawyer growled softly.

“When our older brother started leaving during the day. He used to be in charge of us, but he’s been busy.” Cara was suddenly nervous and uncomfortable, Vincent noted.

He made a mental checklist, something he knew Jasper was doing as well. These children were Magi, they were obviously being hurt, mostly likely by Stevenson. They had to be removed from the home and transported into the care of the closest IMPO headquarters, Dallas.

Three children would require four caretakers, one for each and an extra. Vincent ran that through. He knew better than to try and convince Sawyer. She would want to stay, and he would let her. Stevenson was a God-fearing man, and Vincent was already planning on letting Sawyer show him that God was not the only thing to fear.

He wondered who else would stay. Himself, maybe. He nearly wanted to.

“Who hurts you?” Elijah asked gently, pulling Sawyer back as he stepped around her and closer to the children. Vincent watched Sawyer step back and turn. He could finally see her face. He’d seen it before, in Atlanta, in the hanger bay.

“Dad says that naughty children who consort with evil must be disciplined,” Cara told him, and Vincent’s jaw tensed as he saw the oldest girl begin to shake.

“Shh, Cara, shh,” Elijah walked closer to her. “Can I make you a promise? We are going to take you away from here. We’re going to take you to people who can take care of you without hurting you.”

“He’ll come after us,” Cara told him, whispering as she wrapped an arm around Bucky. “Then Mom… Will Samantha and Bucky stay with me? We won’t be separated? Mom told us to stay together, no matter what. You said… you said you’re the police, right? You’ll keep him from catching us?”

“We are the Magi police, yes,” Vincent called out. “No one will separate you, and we won’t let your father come get you. We just want to make sure you are safe. Where is your mother?”

“Gone,” Cara mumbled, looking at him. Vincent saw the haunted look in her eyes. “She left us.”

“Sawyer, do you think they will come willingly? Do you think they will trust us to leave with us?” Vincent directed it telepathically to her. He watched her face change, so slightly to something sad. A small nod from her.

“Come outside and speak with me?” Another small nod from her. He figured she needed some air, and he needed to ask her more questions.

“Elijah, will you help Cara and her siblings pack something? Jasper, Zander, assist them. Zander, call Quinn back in when you’re done,” Vincent told them. Nods all around. He was glad, for just a moment, that his team followed orders. They got started immediately, gently convincing the children quietly to follow them.

He turned and left, Sawyer hot on his heels. They walked a clear distance from the broken front door before Vincent turned back to Sawyer.

“What’s your advice?” he asked her. She had dealt with children like this before. He watched her face change from the cold mask, felt her magic lash out from her with nothing to direct it. It was like riding out one of Quinn’s outbursts with less power. She was strong, but she wasn’t Quinn. She was colder, though, and sharp. The feeling of her magic was a like a blade, and Vincent was thankful that it wouldn’t truly cut him.

“Get them something to eat,” Sawyer whispered, crossing her arms. “Don’t treat them as invalids. I normally had Charlie doing what Elijah did in there. Charlie did the talking while I just listened, trying to control myself in front of the younger children. Remember that… sometimes they know it’s wrong, and sometimes they don’t. In this case, I’m nearly certain that Cara knows this is wrong. I’m assuming, based on what she said, that Stevenson’s abuse is recent.”

“His wife disappeared, left the scene, five years ago. No one really knows what happened to her,” Vincent reminded her.

“How long has he been Sheriff?” Sawyer asked, looking back towards the house.

“Fifteen years,” Vincent let her know. He knew where she was taking this, and the thought was chilling. “The wife didn’t disappear. You think she’s dead. It would be the easiest assumption. Or that she left, something drove her away, maybe the sheriff himself.”

“And Stevenson lost his mind or blamed it on the kids... or killed her himself. He could just be an alcoholic in private, but with what Cara said…” Sawyer shook her head. “There’s a few ways this could have happened, but honestly, Vincent… I don’t care what lead him to this. It just needs to stop.”

“Who do you want to stay with you?” Vincent asked her. He watched a moment of shock pass over her face as she looked back to him. “I recommend anyone except Jasper.”

“You know, that’s what I like about Jasper,” Sawyer said quickly. “He’s always good, always has been and always will be. There’s no bad in him. It’s nearly inspiring. I want Elijah to stay with me, though. You and the others are taking the kids to…”

“Dallas,” Vincent said, filling in the gap. “To hand them over to the headquarters there. They’ll probably be sent out to Atlanta after that.”

“To the orphanage,” Sawyer groaned. “Not the worst place, and they will get to stay together…”

“If any relatives are found, they’ll be sent over once their mental health has been evaluated. The WMC won’t keep them at the orphanage unless there are no other options.” Vincent sighed. “Why Elijah?”

“Reasons,” she mumbled, as they watched Zander walk out with the youngest, the boy. Bucky. Vincent committed the names to memory. Cara, the oldest, Samantha, the younger girl, and Bucky, the boy. He needed to use their names, show them he was paying attention, make them feel more comfortable.

He didn’t like Sawyer’s answer for wanting Elijah to stay behind. He knew there were reasons, but he wanted to know what those were. He wasn’t sure he wanted to ask, though. He would talk to Elijah before they left with the children. He checked his watch. It was still mid-morning. They had plenty of time. The earliest the sheriff would be back was lunch, if he decided to come home for that.

“Why are you letting me stay?” Sawyer asked, looking back at him. “You know what I’m going to do.” The violence he saw in her eyes scared him a little. Less now than when he’d first met her, but it still brought a touch of fear to his heart. She was a scary person, Sawyer Matthews. Thief, vigilante, assassin. He now knew exactly why she seemed to put people around her on edge. The knowledge of why didn’t stop something in him from being slightly scared of her, though.

“I know that justice sometimes requires blood. I never had a problem with what you did in New York,” Vincent told her, crossing his arms, giving her the most honest answer he could. “Sawyer, I grew up in a family who broke legs. Not quite as bad as the Russians, mind you, but we did it, nonetheless.” Well, not him. Vincent had never taken a bat to someone’s leg, but he knew his father called enforcers to do it. He knew after his mother died, his father had her lover doused in acid. Vincent didn’t agree with it, but now seeing her and seeing those kids, he understood it. And he understood her more seeing it in person.

And he wasn’t so perfect, like Jasper, that he would try and stop Sawyer. Maybe she would also get some information out of the sheriff.

“Well, damn,” Sawyer huffed. “I forgot about that for a second.”

“I’m not going to stand in your way. We need to leave people behind to get handcuffs on him without causing a scene in town. He’ll come home and get arrested in private. Simpler. I don’t like only leaving two of us, but we also can’t risk the sheriff bolting when he realizes his kids have been taken.” Vincent continued explaining his reasoning. This was the on the job training she needed. The understanding to protocol. “Four adults need to accompany the kids. We like a one-to-one with a spare to make sure every child has a guardian of some sort.”

“We’re stretched thin.” Sawyer frowned at him again. “I can stay alone. Elijah would be good for the kids to have.”

“You can’t make arrests,” Vincent reminded her. “You could keep Zander or myself here. Like you, Quinn can’t make arrests. He’ll need to come with us and the children.”

They stood in silence after that. Vincent was glad to have her on the team now. There was very little that the IMPO didn’t deal with, but for teams like his, this domestic sort of situation was just in training. This was something he’d never actually run into, and having her there, with some experience in the matter, was the best luck he’d ever had. He was confident his team could handle it on their own, but it was nice having someone he considered an expert there. She could tell them if they messed up.

“Here they all come,” Sawyer said, pointing towards Elijah leading out the two girls. Cara and Samantha held hands, as Elijah talked to them about something. Probably explaining to them where they are going and who they were going to meet.

“I’ll see you on the other side, Sawyer.” Vincent told her, watching her face soften at the sight of the children. In that rare moment, she looked stunning. Her face was always feminine, but it was normally hard. He knew when he saw her again, it would be a cold mask, like it was when she killed or went after abusers in New York. He hoped Elijah would keep her smiling, at least a little.

“I’m going to stay over here for a moment,” Sawyer replied as he began to walk towards the rest of his team. He knew why, so he didn’t ask. She wanted to mentally prepare herself.

“I’ll give your bag to Elijah.” He sighed, nodding.

When he made it to the team, Zander and Bucky were arguing about something.

“Look here, little man,” Zander moaned in frustration. “I need you to jump in and sit down so we can get moving.”

“But my toys!” Bucky whined, pouting and stomping his small foot. Vincent winced. Children. Zander and Bucky kept at it as Vincent just watched.

“Cara,” Vincent called out, hoping the oldest would talk some sense into the tiny child. She met his eyes and jogged over after helping Elijah put Samantha in the other Explorer.

“Bucky Stevenson.” Cara said his name like a command, and Vincent raised an eyebrow. “This is it. This is what Mommy wanted. You need to get in, and we need to leave before Daddy comes home. Okay?”

What their mother wanted. Vincent would remember that when they stopped for something to eat. Now wasn’t the time to interrogate the girl over what that might have meant.

“B-b-b-but my toys!” Bucky cried out. “I don’t want to leave all of them!”

“I’m sure someone will come back and get your toys,” Cara whispered to her younger brother, sliding a look to Vincent. Vincent nodded, keeping quiet. “See? Someone will come get them.”

“But-”

“No more buts, Bucky. Get in and put your seat belt on,” Cara ordered. Zander helped her put the child in and began to heal the boy gently, the bruise fading slowly as Zander worked carefully. Vincent redirected himself after that toward Elijah. He was holding a doll and smiling at Samantha.

“Elijah, can I talk to you?” Vincent asked, distracting Elijah from the game he was playing. Elijah nodded and handed the doll to Samantha, who gave a shy smile. They walked a few feet away before Vincent said anything.

“You are staying with Sawyer,” Vincent said quickly. He watched Elijah’s eyes go wide. “She asked for you.”

“I understand,” Elijah replied softly, nodding slowly. “I’ll get her bag and mine.”

“Thank you. We need to get moving,” Vincent sighed. “Quickly.”

“I know. Also, Cara told me something,” Elijah added, pausing as he turned to leave. “Their oldest brother? Nineteen, came into his abilities four years ago. He hangs out a lot with Sheriff Stevenson and his friends. That’s why he’s not here. Anyway, Cara made it clear that Cory wouldn’t want to come anyway. She promised her mother that if someone offered her and the two younger ones a way out, they would take it. And we’re the police, so she knows we should keep her safe. I showed her my badge and everything.”

Vincent didn’t like the sound of that.

“Quinn, what the hell?” Zander yelled from his spot next to Bucky. “I’m trying to heal him!”

“Who did this?” Quinn snarled. Vincent looked over and so did Elijah. Quinn was pointing at the nearly gone, yellowish bruise still left on Bucky’s cheek.

“Fuck,” Elijah mumbled. “Quinn! Come here!”

Vincent waited as Quinn swung around to look at them, glaring. Vincent could see from his posture that their oddest member was riding his temper. That didn’t bode well, they needed the children to feel safe, and Quinn had a tendency to make everyone around him feel the opposite. Quinn stomped over to him and growled.

“Sawyer and I are staying to handle the sheriff,” Elijah growled low at him, pulling Quinn closer. “Leash the anger. You need to be gentle with these kids. They’ve probably been through hell.”

“Sawyer is going to stay?” Quinn asked, trying to confirm what Elijah had said. He turned those haunting blue eyes on Vincent. Vincent just nodded. “I’ll be right back.”

“Okay,” Elijah sighed, letting Quinn go. Quinn jogged off in Sawyer’s direction.

Vincent watched Shade and Scout jump into different Explorers. Shade nosed Bucky, who giggled and called Shade a ‘big doggie’. Only children could get away with that, Vincent knew. Scout put his head in Samantha’s lap. Vincent was pleased to see Quinn had put those two to work. A couple of fluffy, soft animals always worked with children.

“That’s not good,” Elijah muttered, glaring towards where Sawyer was. Vincent frowned and followed his gaze. What wasn’t?

Sawyer and Quinn were shaking hands.

No, that wasn’t good.

The last thing anyone needed were those two making some sort of pact about anything. Vincent had the distinct feeling it had something to do with the injured children and what Sawyer would do to their father.