For an instant he was stunned into silence. "Your job? Right. Go back to your books Sammy. We don't need you," his voice was thick with a lifetime of resentment. "Just do your research and stay out of the way of the adults, right?"

Sammy the burden. Sammy the nerd. Never Sam the hunter. First the burden to be babysat and then shoved at books to get him out of the way.

"You and Dad shoved me aside my entire life, but you know what? Not this time. I was the one who took out Alistair, remember? And I'm gonna be the one to take out Lilith."

"Not you."