“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.
Andvari
Andvari double checked the last of his swords then slid the blade carefully into its protective sheath. All of his weapons would be traveling with him, which meant that they would have to drive. He and Eduard had come to an easy agreement on this before they’d left Henry’s home and a large tour bus had been procured for their traveling needs. At the time, they’d not known what they would encounter or who the other guardians would be. Travel by flight meant security screenings and regulations on identification that some clans preferred to avoid. The bus had served them well on their journey from Henry’s pack to the house they now called home. They would once again be taking the bus, even though Sawyer had put up a slight protest over the length of the drive versus a flight. It came down to safety and the risk of exposing more humans to their secrets.
They would drive through the night with the additional guards surrounding them in multiple SUVs. It was the best they could do on such short notice. Eduard had secured an appointment for them the following morning with his personal shopper, who’d only been given their approximate sizes and coloring as suggestions. Well, Eduard had probably given him much more detailed requirements, but nothing about them personally. Apparently, they would be heading to some sort of office space just outside the city. Andvari nodded and smiled through part of the explanation, but he knew Eduard’s personal shopper would meet them there. Although Andvari had no plans of letting the man anywhere near Sawyer until he’d been thoroughly checked over. They shouldn’t be taking the risk, but Andvari also understood the importance of Sawyer’s appearance. It was going to be difficult enough getting the clans to accept him as a human, but if he didn’t at least look the part, it would be impossible. They’d had centuries of built up expectations that would soon be dashed. If buying Sawyer a few suits made Eduard’s job of convincing the griffins to support him easier then Andvari would figure out a way to keep him safe while they did it.
“Hey,” Sawyer said quietly. He leaned against the door frame, chewing nervously on his bottom lip.
“Hey,” Andvari said. He zipped the last of his bags closed and pushed to his feet. “You okay?”
Sawyer nodded. “A little overwhelmed. I didn’t realize what a production it would be to leave. Viv has been cooking up a storm so we don’t have to stop for food. Cecil has somehow managed to get us all packed with Ms. Robinson’s help. Draco and a couple of the vamps took the bus to get refueled. We shouldn’t have to stop for gas until we get to the shopping guy’s place.”
Andvari knew all of this information. He’d been there when they’d made the plan. He walked over to Sawyer and cupped his cheek gently in his hand. “You’re going to be fine,” Andvari said softly. “Think of it as an adventure. We’re just beginning on our journey, and there are so many things you’re going to see.”
“So I’m a hobbit, huh?”
Andvari shook his head and pulled Sawyer close. “No, Frodo, you’re not a hobbit. But you’ve entered a pretty fantastic world and it’s not all bad. I swear, Sawyer. There’s so much good and beauty in our world, too. We simply haven’t been able to show you very much of it yet.”
Sawyer snorted. “Have you looked in a mirror? Plenty of beauty right there. But I get what you’re saying. It’s been pretty fantastic so far, attempted murders notwithstanding.”
Andvari pecked a kiss on Sawyer’s forehead then pulled back to look into his overly-stressed face. “I could use a workout before we go. How about you?”
Sawyer grinned. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
He pulled off his shirt and tossed it into the corner of the room.
Sawyer had taken to the training regime easily, and although Andvari had pushed him on the self defense aspect of things, he’d also taken a longer approach on the philosophy of the vampire martial art. Learning form and breath was as natural to Andvari as fighting, but to someone who hadn’t grown up doing exercise involving rhythm, breath, and movement, it wasn’t as easy as it seemed. Humans had a similar martial art in Tai Chi, which had a similar philosophy even if the movements and rhythms were completely different than the vampire version.
He took his position at Sawyer’s side, and they moved into the first form together. After such a short time training, Sawyer had the basic forms memorized, and they could flow through the movements as a dance, their bodies aligned as they slid from one position to the next. They moved quietly, no longer needing words, Sawyer’s body telling Andvari everything he needed to know about his mate’s well being. Andvari paid attention to Sawyer’s breathing, listened as each inhale became slightly longer, more relaxed. And with each exhale tension released.
Andvari soon lost himself in the rhythm, centering both his mind and body for the upcoming changes. For as easy as Sawyer had accepted them into his life, he and Andvari were alike in that adjusting to changes took something out of them. The natural rhythms of their day to day lives moved with each new addition or change of location and they had to, in effect, practice. They did that now, preparing themselves for yet another change in their routine, calming their minds and bodies as they readied themselves to leave. When they finished nearly forty-five minutes later, Sawyer lowered his head in the traditional student to teacher form. Andvari bowed in return then cupped Sawyer’s cheek again, wrapping his other arm around Sawyer’s waist and fitting their bodies together. “Better?”
“Yeah. Much.” Sawyer pushed up slightly, capturing Andvari’s lips with his own.
Andvari ran his hand slowly up Sawyer’s sweat-slick back until he could feel his heart beating beneath his palm. The cadence had become soothing to him over the past few weeks, the steady rhythm of a steady soul. He pulled Sawyer closer, chasing the heat of him with his body, his tongue.
Sawyer groaned into his mouth then hitched one leg up around Andvari’s hip. He took the hint and lifted Sawyer, letting Sawyer wrap his legs around Andvari’s waist. He carried him a few steps to the wall, and then pressed him against it. When he finally tore his lips away, they were both panting for breath. “What do you want?”
“You,” Sawyer murmured. “Just you.”
