Eduard
“Frank. Frank Bledsoe.” He looked around again, shaking his head. “I don’t remember how I got here.”
Frank frowned a bit then looked up at him. “I took a break. About eleven thirty. Listened to my audiobook while I ate my lunch. Then… nothing.”
It was a little after noon, so about thirty minutes unaccounted for. “What time do you normally deliver mail here?”
“Later in the afternoon,” Frank said.
“About three,” one of the security guards clarified. “I thought he was early because of the package.”
“Package?” Frank asked. Then he nodded. “Oh, right. I had a certified one for Sawyer today. He lives…” Frank glanced down the hill then back at Eduard. “But wasn’t that Sawyer I just saw? And Pearl? She’s such a sweet dog, but she was growling.”
Eduard patted his shoulder. “She was letting us know you weren’t well. Dogs are very attuned to that type of thing, you know.”
Frank nodded, but obviously had no memory of the gun or that he’d shot it.
Since none of their neighbors were close enough to have heard it, Eduard decided to keep that information to himself.
He’d not be able to check the gun for clues, but if he accused Frank of attempted murder, it wouldn’t be right. He’d been manipulated, magically.
Their only saving grace was that he had no memory of it. Otherwise, they would have had to bring in the hellhounds, and Eduard did not want to deal with Henry’s uncle right now.
The sirens began to sound in the distance and Eduard patted Frank’s shoulder again. “Help is almost here,” he said. “I bet you’re a little dehydrated. It’s hot today, isn’t it?”
Frank nodded.
Andvari came outside and stood with the other guards speaking lowly.
The first responders pulled up the driveway minutes later, with an ambulance not far behind them.
Eduard quickly answered their questions and let them assist a still-confused Frank.
It didn’t take long for them to get him loaded up and off to the hospital.
Eduard let Cecil deal with the rest of the details of getting someone from the postal service to pick up the truck and followed Andvari back into the house.
“We need to get him somewhere more secure,” Andvari said. “At least until we have a better understanding of this threat.”
Eduard couldn’t agree more. “The wards don’t stop humans and whoever is doing this used that knowledge to his or her advantage.”
“Clearly. They know more than we do. I do not like being at such a disadvantage.”
“I told him about New York this morning,” Eduard said. “I think we should leave now, and then make plans to head to my estate once we leave the city. We can keep everyone out of there and use the opportunity to give Sawyer his first taste of our culture.”
Andvari scowled. “And you want the first experience to be with the griffins?”
Eduard arched a brow. “Do you think the dragons or the vampires will welcome him with open arms?”
Andvari’s scowl deepened. “He’s not used to… all of this. And you know as well as I do they are…”
“I know. He’ll be fine. We’ll get him the right clothes, take him to a few dinners, and let him get a feel for more than just the four of us.
We have to do it sooner or later. If we’re at my estate, I’ll have to at least make a few social appearances.
He’ll be able to dip his toes in without being completely overwhelmed. Besides, we’ll all be there for him.”
The griffins tended to be a more exclusive society than many of the other clans. With incredible amounts of wealth that had grown over centuries, most of them lived in multi-million dollar estates on an island off the coast of Massachusetts.
Eduard’s estate was actually a smaller estate within his father’s massive property.
They called it his ‘cottage’, but as it was nearly four thousand square feet, Eduard didn’t think calling it a cottage was entirely accurate.
Sawyer would need to be schooled in some of their ways— as uppity as they may be— but Eduard had no doubt he would be able to manage just fine.
Sawyer’s mind was amazing, and his quick wit and charm would get him a lot further in their society than Andvari might suspect.
“Fine,” Andvari said. “I can’t handle all this banging around anyway. None of us are getting any rest. Sawyer is exhausted and miserable. And so am I.”
“Let’s check with the others, but I think this is the best course of action.”
They found their mates upstairs in the master bedroom, with Sawyer and Henry curled up together on the bed and Draco pacing beside it, snarling and growling.
Eduard went over to the dragon, stepping in front of him and meeting Draco’s flame-reddened eyes.
“Hey. We need you to calm down so we can talk about what happened. Can you come back for me?”
Draco nodded then sucked in a deep breath. The flames faded from his eyes, and he leaned his head down to Eduard’s. “That was too close,” Draco whispered.
Eduard could only nod his agreement. He glanced toward the bed where Andvari sat beside Sawyer. He looked like he was in shock. His body trembled as Andvari pulled him closer. Henry’s eyes were equally wide. He stared over at Eduard as if he hoped for some answer that would make all of it go away.
He wished he had answers, but this type of magic was dark and hadn’t been seen for as long as Eduard could remember, and he could remember a long time.
There were rumors, of course, of clan members who had been banished resorting to the old ways, but they’d always been treated more like urban legends than anything else.
Besides, the hellhounds were enough of a deterrent that no one really worried about that type of thing.
They had their own supernatural police force, for lack of a better description, who handled any supernatural being who got out of line.
Eduard could only imagine what their alpha would say when he learned of this newest debacle.
Cecil appeared at the door carrying a small tray, his face creased in a concerned frown. Eduard gave Draco a gentle nudge toward the bed before heading over to the butler.
“Ms. Robinson suggested something sweet would help Master Sawyer with his shock. I’ve brought him his favorite soda and some of Vivian’s chocolate chip cookies. He’s not eaten yet today.”
“Thank you, Cecil. Why don’t you go ahead and have Vivian prepare something for us.”
Cecil smiled softly. “The young master already asked for a light lunch to be prepared for the two of you. It will be ready shortly with enough for all. The moment I shared the news with our chef, she began cooking.”
Of course she did. Viv would probably cook enough to feed the entire work crew in addition to them. And then she’d start baking. “When you bring lunch, please bring something special for Pearl as well. She saved his life today and deserves a treat.”
Cecil nodded as he passed Eduard the tray, and then left the room.
Eduard pushed the door closed and returned to the bed.
Draco had curled up on the other side of Henry, sandwiching the two younger men between him and Andvari.
Pearl was lying across all of their legs, her nose buried in Sawyer’s belly.
After setting the tray on the bedside table, Eduard carried the glass of iced soda with a striped paper straw to Sawyer and pressed it into his hands. “Drink,” Eduard said.
Sawyer glanced at the cup, and it made him smile a little. “Cecil and his silly straws. One time I ask for a straw, and now he always gives them to me.” He took a small sip of the drink before leaning his head onto Andvari’s shoulder. “I can’t believe someone made Mr. Bledsoe try to kill me.”
“It’s powerful magic,” Eduard said.
It brought Eduard’s mind back to his previous train of thought.
The magic was rare, and more powerful than he’d seen.
More dangerous, too. The rules against involving humans were strict and using magic on one to force him to kill?
Eduard couldn’t think of anything more worthy of a visit from the hellhounds.
But their bell hadn’t been rung… or however the goddess notified them of infractions involving humans. Eduard would never dream of questioning the hellhounds and their mysterious ways. But they hadn’t shown up this time.
One thing Eduard was sure of though: if Meshaq or one of his pack members had known, then they would have been there mere moments after the event occurred. So whoever the magic user was, they were working beyond the awareness of the hellhounds.
Which shouldn’t be possible. And yet… the hellhounds weren’t beating down their doors.
And they were getting ready to take Sawyer into a city where any one of the millions of people who lived and visited could be vulnerable to this unknown magic that was practiced under the radar of the very beings whose sole purpose was to protect humans from exposure to it.
He sat on the edge of the bed and rested his hand carefully on Sawyer’s ankle.
He stroked his thumb over it slowly while his mind continued to race in confused circles.
“Eduard?” Sawyer asked quietly.
“I’m fine, love.”
“You’re not fine. None of us are. But what are we going to do?”
And that was the question, wasn’t it? Because keeping Sawyer safe was their top priority.
But keeping him happy? Well, that was something Eduard wanted as well.
The two priorities didn’t mesh, however, and Eduard had no idea how to answer Sawyer’s question.
It was clear that Sawyer wasn’t even safe in their home, even with the additional measures they’d taken with the wards and the vampire guards.
“Eduard, stop thinking and start talking,” Sawyer said. “I’m freaked out enough without you going quiet on me.”
Eduard gave Sawyer’s ankle a quick squeeze. “I don’t think it’s safe for us to stay here, at least not while the construction is going on, and we have to allow the wards to remain open to humans.”
Sawyer nodded. “I agree. But where can we go? And don’t say that we’ll go to New York, because if this person can use magic against the mailman I’ve known my entire life, how vulnerable will we be in a city full of humans?
We’d never be able to cover up anything that happened in the city.
As much as I want to go, I know we can’t.
I will definitely expect a rain check though on my gift after all this is over. ”
“Of course,” Eduard said. “I do have another suggestion. I would like to go to my estate. It will be a way to ease you into our society while putting you in a place where few humans have access. We’ll have much more control over security as the estate is located on an island and has much more limited access. ”
Sawyer gave him a look, one that showed he realized there was a catch. His mind was really a beautiful thing. The more time Eduard spent with him, the more he understood why the monumental task of being the chosen one had been placed on his young shoulders.
“What’s the downside?” Sawyer asked moments later.
Andvari snorted out a laugh and Draco groaned. He buried his face in Henry’s neck and pulled both of their young lovers closer to him.
“It’s not that bad,” Eduard snapped.
“Tell me,” Sawyer demanded.
“Griffins are…”
“Snobs?” Sawyer suggested gently.
Andvari laughed so hard the entire bed shook. Eduard pinched his leg in retaliation.
“Not that I’m saying you’re stuck up, Eduard. But… you know, you’re… used to a certain… lifestyle.”
“I can’t breathe,” Andvari said.
Sawyer poked Andvari in the side. “You aren’t helping.”
It didn’t help. The vampire kept cackling.
Eduard felt a smile trying to slip through, but he tried to fight it back.
No need feeding Andvari’s ridiculousness.
But he’d never actually heard the vampire laugh like he was, so it lightened his mood, even if the laughter was at Eduard’s expense.
It broke some of the heavy tension in the room, though, and Eduard gave Sawyer’s ankle another gentle squeeze.
“I don’t get what’s so funny,” Henry said. “Someone explain.”
He adjusted the straw from Sawyer’s cup and took a long drink of the soda.
“Griffins are considered royalty,” Draco grumbled into Henry’s neck before stealing the straw from Henry’s mouth and taking a drink of his own.
“So basically, Eduard is going to have to fancy us up and teach us better manners?” Henry asked.
“Fancy you up a bit, yes,” Eduard conceded. “But nothing else will change.”
“So, what you’re saying is, we’re going to have a Pretty Woman moment?” Sawyer looked over at Henry who nodded in complete understanding. Eduard, on the other hand, was clueless.
“A what?” Eduard asked.
“You know, where you take me to some fancy store and parade me around in a bunch of fancy clothes until I go from street walker to gorgeous creature ready to rub shoulders with the rich and famous,” Sawyer explained.
“Basically, the plot of half the rom coms my sisters made me watch,” Henry added.
Which set Andvari off again.
“I’ll make a call to my personal shopper. Yes, we’ll need to make a stop to properly outfit ourselves, but it will be on the way.”
Sawyer made another of his faces. “You have a personal shopper?”
Eduard groaned.
It was going to be a really long day.