Chapter Draco
Draco
To say that Draco was miffed over the griffin’s funeral rites would be an understatement.
In dragon culture, only those who died with honor were given the blessing of the flames.
To see Magdalen’s body bound and placed upon the pyre then to have the flames lit, sending her back to the ancestors with dignity…
well, Draco didn’t like it. He didn’t like it one bit.
He kept his mouth shut, though, more for Eduard’s sake than anything else. His mate was broken by the death of his cousin and the hand he’d played in it.
Draco couldn’t imagine having to kill any member of his dragon family. He had a cousin he’d grown up with as well and they shared a relationship similar to the one Eduard had shared with Magdalen. To be the one to kill Asher, to have to explain to Asher’s mate and family what he’d done? And why?
Draco couldn’t imagine the position Eduard found himself in, so he remained silent and tried not to let the sight of the flames anger him too deeply. He checked on Eduard again and found his mate standing beside Augustus at the front of the group of griffins.
They’d all dressed in white, another part of the griffin’s funeral ceremony, but Draco could pick out Eduard’s fiery red hair anywhere.
Sawyer stood on Eduard’s other side, a steady presence next to Eduard that Draco had no doubt he sorely needed.
They’d all offered to stand with him, but he’d politely suggested they all stand toward the back while the family performed the rites.
Sawyer had politely told him where he could shove it before informing him that he would be beside Eduard the entire time. People tended to underestimate Sawyer sometimes, but Draco knew better.
He had a core of inner strength that Draco had never seen anyone else match— whether or not they were a supernatural creature.
Sawyer had studied the traditions in the two days leading up to the service, and then he’d worked quietly with Augustus to make sure he did everything correctly.
Even though he was exhausted and still very weak from his injuries, their stubborn chosen one had won the argument.
Henry, Andvari, and Saeward stood beside Draco at the back of the group of griffins. Eduard had somehow managed to get them all appropriate clothes, even Saeward who looked extremely uncomfortable in the white linen pants and flowing white shirt.
Draco had never met anyone who wanted to be naked as much as Saeward did. Not that he minded the view, but Saeward had made it clear that he wasn’t yet interested in Draco’s attentions.
The keyword being yet. Draco had seen a bit of fire in the hippocamp’s eyes when he looked their way or caught them in a compromising position.
Although Sawyer hadn’t been up for any of their typical bedroom activities due to his injuries, his mate did enjoy watching, and Draco and Andvari had put on quite a show for him when they’d spit-roasted Henry the night before.
Draco sighed and tugged Henry closer. He’d looked so very pretty with Andvari’s cock down his throat and Draco’s up his ass.
Finally the ceremony ended and the flames of the pyre began to die down. Draco glanced at Andvari, who’d been on high alert since the moment they stepped foot on the beach. “Can you get them out of there without being rude? Cause I don’t think I can manage.”
Andvari nodded then began making his way through the crowd. He managed to do it without shoving a single griffin out of his path. He made it to Sawyer’s side a minute later and tucked him against his side. He murmured something into Sawyer’s ear, but Draco was too far away to hear the words.
Sawyer nodded, which seemed like a good sign. He’d grown much paler during the last hour, and Draco wanted him out of there and resting back at the cottage. Andvari spoke quietly to Eduard as well, but their other mate shook his head and stayed by his father’s side.
Draco rumbled a little growl. Eduard had distanced himself from them the past couple of days, and while Draco understood that he had family responsibilities to manage during this time of grief for his clan, he also had responsibilities to his mates.
Eduard seemed to sense his disapproval, looking his way over the long stretch of beach.
Draco stared back, letting him know without words that he was needed at the cottage.
Eduard turned away to speak to yet another member of the griffin clan and Draco growled again. “Settle,” Henry whispered.
“I can’t.”
“We’ve gotta let him get through this in his own way. Be patient. We need to focus on Sawyer for a little while, and he doesn’t need to see you upset.”
Henry touched his arm, and a cooling breeze swept over him. Draco closed his eyes and breathed the fresh, clean air that smelled lightly of Henry. “Okay.”
Andvari guided Sawyer through the griffins and back to their side.
Draco pulled him close while Andvari gestured to the vampire guards who hovered around the perimeter of the beach.
They drove a couple golf carts over and Draco bustled Sawyer onto one.
He glanced toward Eduard, one last longing look before they were whisked away to the cottage.
Once they were inside with the doors closed behind them, Draco picked Sawyer up, giving him a glare when he opened his mouth to protest. He’d been strong, held his head high and didn’t let on how much pain he was in, but Draco had seen the bruises on his feet.
He’d seen the long line of the claw mark down his side and how it had turned an angry red as it healed. He’d been strong long enough. Now it was time to let his mates take care of him.
By the time Draco made it upstairs, Cecil was waiting with ice packs. Viv was in the room moments later with a tray of food and drinks while Mrs. Robinson carried in the rest of the things they needed for dinner in Eduard’s suite. The only thing they were missing was Eduard himself.
Draco took care of his mates, making sure they had enough to eat. Giving Sawyer the pain medicine he didn’t want, but absolutely needed. He encouraged Henry to cuddle up next to Andvari and even made an effort to see to Saeward’s needs. His dragon paced, anxious and nervous.
“Draco, c’mere.”
Sawyer patted the bed beside him. Draco curled up next to him, tucking his face into Sawyer’s neck and breathing. With a long sigh, Sawyer curled his hand around Draco’s neck and began gently kneading his tight muscles.
“You’re such a worrywart,” Sawyer murmured. He nuzzled Draco’s cheek and continued to pet him until Draco couldn’t help but relax.
Henry crawled onto the bed on Sawyer’s other side and Andvari climbed on behind him. Draco rumbled and his dragon settled a little. Saeward sat across the room, staring out the window of the balcony.
Draco wondered if he could see the pyre from there, if it was still burning. If Eduard was still there, waiting for the fire to completely die. The dragons didn’t leave until the last of the coals had cooled, no matter how long that took.
They grieved for their lost loved one but left that grief on the pyre as tradition demanded. They could feel the loss, but their duty was to celebrate the lives of those who’d gone on before them, not to mourn their loss for eternity.
Cecil returned long enough to remove the ice packs from Sawyer’s feet and fuss over them all for a few minutes. Everyone wanted to be close, to make sure they were all still there, still present and alive, no matter what the last few days had wrought.
Sawyer drifted to sleep, and then Henry. Andvari remained awake, but he was lost in thought. No doubt grieving for the loss of his brethren who’d lost their lives at Magdalen’s hand.
The clock on the wall across the room ticked. It’s incessant reminder that another second had passed without Eduard with them. Hours passed, and he didn’t return.
Draco comforted Sawyer through a nightmare, soothed him back to sleep, and then climbed from the bed. He crossed to the window where Saeward still stood watch.
“Go get in bed beside him,” Draco demanded. His eyes flamed and he dared the hippocamp to refuse.
Saeward thought to argue, but instead tilted his head to the side and gave Draco a questioning look.
“He needs comfort right now, security,” Draco explained. “He likes being surrounded by us. I need to go get Eduard. Take my place. I’m not saying you have to do anything else but give him comfort and keep my spot warm.”
Saeward nodded before going to the bed and curling up next to Sawyer. Sawyer let out a sigh and rolled closer to his newest guardian, seeking warmth and protection.
“Bring him home,” Andvari said quietly. He rose from the bed and claimed Saeward’s abandoned spot by the balcony.
“I will,” Draco promised.
He didn’t have to go as far as he feared. When he marched down the stairs, Cecil cleared his throat from the door at the side of the room. He gestured toward the other side of the house before stepping back into the room and closing the door.
Draco fumed. Eduard was in the house? For how long? And why hadn’t immediately come to them? He’d obviously told Cecil not to alert them that Eduard had returned, and that made Draco even more angry.
Draco found Eduard in the opposite wing, sitting behind an antique desk with a stack of paperwork in front of him.
His laptop whirled with numbers, and Draco saw red.
He stormed into the room and swiped the paperwork off the desk.
It rained down on the floor, snowy white papers fluttering through the air.
“Draco!”
“What are you doing?” Draco hissed.
“Working. Obviously.”
Draco growled, long and low. “Try again.”
Eduard pushed to his feet, fire in his eyes as well. “I. Am. Working.”
But Draco could hear it, the little flip of his heartbeat when he spoke.
“Why aren’t you with your mates?” His voice had bottomed out in his anger, his dragon threatening to emerge and claim his mate once more, to show him where he belonged.