Andvari
If he’d not adjusted at the last possible second, had not had such utter control of his body, he would be dead. The bird had missed his heart by mere millimeters. There were some wounds that could not be healed even by a vampire as old and strong as he was.
As it was, the powerful blood he’d had access to was the only reason he’d survived such a close call.
Breathe in.
He’d never trained for a battle like the one he’d just completed.
Swordplay was an art, the practice going back millennia, to the first one forged.
Simply put, vampires had taken to the blade from that first moment, realizing quickly the easy access to fountains of blood a well-placed sword swipe could provide.
Andvari never shied away from the violent history of his people. Once they found peace among the clans, the study had changed, but even Andvari’s generation learned the old ways. The blade belonged to them, in all of its forms.
He preferred a broad sword. It was a beast of a weapon, although not as heavy as many misinformed people expected. What they required was a strong arm to heave them through the air with the precision required for accurate wounding.
A blunt stroke would do damage, of course, but a well-placed swipe, at the right speed and correct angle? Andvari could remove a head with a single blow. And had, in the past. He was a warrior of his people, after all.
What he’d never trained for was fighting with his weapon of choice while protecting his charge behind him while on the back of a dragon.
He’d never had to contend with attacking birds while avoiding the wings of his mount of choice.
He’d been unable to use many of the forms he prized so greatly.
They didn’t work in the position he’d found himself in.
Although he had failed the challenge during the attack, receiving his near fatal wound in the process, Sawyer had survived, as had the other guardians. And now it was his duty to prepare and make sure such a thing didn’t happen again. He finished his forms and removed his scabbard.
The leather molded to his body, well-loved and worn from years of use.
It had been repaired many times over the years, but never completely replaced.
Until today. His expertise was needed in close quarter combat.
They had a mage and a dragon’s flames for longer defense.
But in close combat, a different weapon was required.
The door to the gym opened and Sawyer stepped inside. He still looked tired, but the time in bed with his guardians had served him well. He smiled softly at Andvari, let his eyes drift up and down his body in appreciation, then returned to meet Andvari’s gaze.
“Hi,” he whispered shyly.
Andvari hung up his sword and crossed to him. “Hello.”
“Are you doing your forms?”
“I just finished,” Andvari said. “I’m actually going to create some new ones today.”
Sawyer tilted his head to the side and his brow furrowed. “New ones?”
“The old ones were less than effective, wouldn’t you say?”
Sawyer’s scowl deepened. “No, I wouldn’t say that at all. You were breathtaking.”
Andvari slid his arms around Sawyer and held him close. “But I almost let you get killed. That cannot happen again. Would you like to help?”
Sawyer breathed out a huff of annoyance, but nodded. He didn’t have any of the skill necessary to actually assist, but his presence was something of a boon to Andvari’s pride. He had survived. Andvari had made sure of it, and would continue to fight with the last drop of blood in his body.
“I’ve never fought with a winged mount. It possessed challenges I wasn’t prepared to face.”
Sawyer made another of his expressive faces, this one in understanding. No one could ever doubt what he was thinking. He showed all.
“Draco’s wings prevented you from making full swings.”
“Yes. And although I could use more close quarter defenses, and did, I was still in danger of cutting him, which would have been a devastating blow to all of us.”
“No kidding. And since we’ve got two guys with wings on Team Sawyer, this could very well be an ongoing issue.”
“Precisely,” Andvari said.
“So you’re going to create something new. That’s… amazing.”
“I will be working closely with our dragon and griffin to come up with new techniques that will ensure both their safety and yours should we again find ourselves in an aerial battle.”
“And we need to think about some sort of armor. Not like knights in shining type, but dude, a bulletproof vest might have gone a long way to preventing that bird from literally going straight into you. And… not to freak myself out completely here, but if it had hit me?”
“My worst nightmare would have come to pass. I will look into human armor. It will not work against magic, but a blunt force attack could be prevented.”
“I mean, look, I’m not going to leave the house dressed like I’m on some swat team or something all the time, but having a little extra insurance is probably a good idea.
I’m freaked out enough by the giant sentient birds without thinking about how it was my idea to go up there completely unarmed and unprotected. ”
Andvari arched a brow. “Unprotected?”
“You know what I mean. Yes, I had you and your mighty sword, and Draco and his dragon breath and body armor, but my person? A T-shirt wouldn’t have done much to help me.
So… I think you should teach me. And Henry, too.
I hope I’m never in another position where I have to fight like that, but let’s face it, that’s not likely. I don’t want to be helpless.”
Andvari held Sawyer a little closer. “Then I will teach you. After you eat.”
Sawyer’s stomach rumbled and he looked down at it like it had betrayed him.
“Okay, tell me the truth. Can you hear it before it growls? Because Draco always knows and I want to know if there’s like advance warning or something.
Some weird gurgle that I make that’s only heard by like… super ears or whatever.”
Andvari grinned. “You’re always hungry.”
“Ugh, that’s what he always says!”
“Come. Let’s see what Cecil has prepared for us today. The others will be rising soon, I’m sure.”
“Don’t count on it,” Sawyer said with a laugh. “I think Henry would come down here and get your sword and stab me with it himself if I tried to make him get up.”
“Our seer does prefer to sleep whenever possible.”
“Eduard will be up soon, though. I bet he’s going to get to work on the pool and stuff.”
Andvari huffed. “I don’t like leaving you so exposed.”
“I know, but if one of the guardians needs a salt water pool, then I want to get it ready as soon as possible. I feel like whatever is coming… well, I think we need all the guardians here. I’ll feel better once all the pieces are in place. I don’t have the full picture yet, you know?”
“I understand. We will make it happen.” Andvari led the way to the kitchen, where Cecil was busy putting another of his trays together.
“Morning, Cecil,” Sawyer said with a smile. “Smells yummy in here.”
“Good morning, Master Sawyer. I prepared you a restorative drink.”
Sawyer sighed and Andvari had to bite back a laugh.
“Cecil, buddy, I appreciate you more than you know. I swear I do, but do those drinks have to taste like you dug up something dead and marinated it in sewage?”
Cecil’s lips twitched, but he managed to keep his butler-cool. “I prefer to marinate in the blood of our enemies, sir. Shall I change to sewage?”
Sawyer burst out laughing as he accepted the small juice glass Cecil held out. “I suppose not. But I really don’t want to ask what is in this, do I?”
“Every butler has his secrets.”
Sawyer chugged the drink, then sat the empty glass on the counter. “Oh, that’s horrible.”
“Yes, sir. Brunch is almost prepared. Shall I serve in the dining room?”
“Nah,” Sawyer said. “The breakfast table will work. We don’t need that much space.”
Sawyer skipped around the counter and sat down on the floor beside Pearl. She was spread out on her dog pillow but raised her head happily at his approach.
Andvari glanced at Cecil, who was smiling at them both in a doting way. “It’s been a long time since you’ve had so many people to care for, isn’t it?”
Cecil smiled and turned his attention back to the breakfast tray.
“It has. I believe I will take you up on your offer of assistance, though. I don’t want to leave Master Eduard’s estate too understaffed.
The housekeeper there will manage fine in my absence, but I don’t want to leave her at a disadvantage.
It is a large property with many valuables which require special handling. ”
“I’m sure it’s a museum,” Andvari said. “Tell me what you need and I’ll bring some of my people in to assist. I trust them with my life, and with Sawyer’s.”
“Thank you, sir. A housekeeper would be helpful. I am bringing the chef from the estate. She will arrive later today, and can travel with us as needed. I will also bring one of the head gardeners to help with the new building project. He will bring some of his staff as well, but I have arranged other accommodations for them. Anyone allowed inside the house will be carefully vetted, of course.”
“I’ll make arrangements right away. I would also like to bring some of my clansmen in to serve as security. We’ll need to provide accommodations for them as well.”
“Someone can stay at my house,” Sawyer said. He hadn’t looked up from his position on the floor, staring down at Pearl as he stroked her neck. “Draco’s too, probably. We’ll have to check with him. I… guess I need to think about moving in here, don’t I?”
Andvari crossed the room and knelt down beside Sawyer. “Whatever you need, Sawyer.”
Sawyer reached out for his hand. Andvari laced their fingers together and sat down beside him on the floor.
Sawyer leaned against him, letting out a long sigh as he did.
“I don’t want to think about all this but I guess I have to.
I’m not… I don’t know how to manage staff.
I don’t know what to do with a house full of people.
I don’t know when I’m going to wake up and find out all this was just some weird, stress-induced dream and I really don’t have a bunch of creatures from myth and legend both fucking me and trying to kill me.
I’ll wake up and won’t be falling in love with four guys at once and won’t know what it’s really like to fly on a dragon’s back while my sword-wielding vampire strikes down attacking ravens.
You know, just some weird dream because I ate too much hot sauce on my Thai take-out. ”
When he said it out loud, Andvari actually realized just how much Sawyer had experienced in such a short period of time.
It was a wonder he hadn’t lost his mind or run away screaming.
Andvari believed to the depths of his soul that Sawyer was born for this role.
He’d make it work, even if they did have to learn to cook their own food or do their own laundry.
They would do it if it made Sawyer happier.
“What can we do to help? We don’t have to bring in additional staff, you know. We can do—”
“No, that’s not what I’m saying. I know what Cecil does. He makes things better. Thank you for that, Cecil. Seriously. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate what you’ve already done. And I know that I’m about to take on more than I can imagine. I’ll figure it out.”
Andvari leaned his head over and touched his forehead to Sawyer’s temple. “We’ll figure it out together, love. As the saying goes, how do you eat an elephant?”
“Eww. You don’t. Elephants are glorious creatures who… oh my goddess. Are there elephant shifters? Because please, please, please let me have an elephant shifter as a guardian. How cool would that be?”
“I do not believe such a thing exists,” Andvari said through a laugh. “Although if they did, I have no doubt one would be called to your service.”
“Damn,” Sawyer said. “Although I suppose a vampire, a dragon, and a griffin are, you know, more amazing than an elephant. Probably. Elephants are awesome. Oh, are unicorns a thing?”
“Anything is possible.” Andvari believed that, especially where Sawyer was concerned.
The others drifted in as they woke, surrounding the breakfast table and munching on the brunch feast Cecil placed before them.
Andvari stayed by Sawyer’s side, basking in the moments of peace as they found them.
Dark times were ahead. Challenges were before them.
Other guardians had yet to arrive, and their addition to the household would keep things in turmoil.
But in all that, he’d found moments like these.
Moments where Sawyer sent him a beaming smile as he popped a grape into his mouth.
Draco sneaking a grope under the table while pretending to concentrate on every word Eduard said.
Henry’s eyes catching on his chest, and when he flexed, Henry’s resulting catch of breath.
Those were the moments that brought him hope.
As long as they were together, things were going to be fine.