It was exactly what Draco wanted. The careful walls he’d spent years building came crumbling down. All the little obsessions, the worry, the fear, it all faded away. He didn’t have to be afraid of Sawyer catching some disease and him not being there to help. He didn’t have to be afraid that Sawyer would be hurt and he wouldn’t be by his side as he healed. No, he may have other things to worry about now, but his dragon had finally been allowed to court his mate. Whatever trouble came there way next, no one would be able to take that away from him.
He kissed Sawyer again before pushing him into the house. If he didn’t, he’d follow him inside and they wouldn’t come out again for a very long time. They’d have those moments soon enough, but this meeting was too important for Sawyer to miss. He’d just have to make it up to Draco when he got back from campus.
Sawyer
Sawyer practically skipped across the quad, his messenger bag over his shoulder and a steaming mug of tea in some sort of insulated-stay-hot-forever mug thoughtfully provided by Cecil in his hand. He’d finished his final meeting with his adviser so he could dot his I’s and cross his T’s. It was all downhill from here. Soon he’d be the proud holder of a master’s degree in business in a few more days.
Students were bustling around the area, everyone tense and stressed out over finals. Sawyer gave another little hop, almost giving into the temptation to click his heels together in the air. He was done. Finished. Everything he’d worked so hard for was here. And he had Draco and their make-out session on top of it all. His couldn’t imagine life getting any better.
“Excuse me!”
Instead of clicking his heels, Sawyer practically tripped over them. He spun around and found a man standing right behind him. “I’m so sorry. Did I bump you? My head is in the clouds today.”
The warning tingle that appeared in Sawyer’s spine shot a message through him stronger than any he’d felt before. He took a step back, nearly stumbled again, and finally looked at the person who was setting off his alarm bells. If he just looked, the guy seemed normal. But he was almost flickering, as if he had… more than one form.
Sawyer tried not to panic and stepped back again. The other man stepped closer, his grin turning nearly feral. “You know Henry Jerrick?”
He knew better than to answer, but it didn’t seem to matter. The guy raised his hand and held his fist in front of his face. “Tell him I said hello.”
Then he opened his hand and blew a fine red powder into Sawyer’s face. It felt like flames engulfed him immediately. Sawyer’s breath caught, then he fell to his knees. His body trembled and he cried out with the pain.
The man chuckled before turning and walking away. A moment later, he disappeared. Students began to gather around Sawyer. “You okay, man?”
Sawyer couldn’t answer. He was holding on with the finest thread of control. He managed to get his phone out and call Draco. He answered on the first ring, ready to hear how Sawyer’s meeting with his adviser had gone.
“Hey! How’d—”
“Drake, help. Quad.” Sawyer managed to gasp out the words before his body seized. The phone clattered onto the sidewalk and one of the students around him managed to keep him from face-planting into the cement.
“Someone call 911. He’s having a seizure!”
Another student rolled him to the side, but it felt like more flames erupted in him at the touch. He cried out again, even as he lost control of his body. Blackness threatened to swallow him but he tried to hold on. He lost track of everything around him and wasn’t sure how much time had passed before he heard Draco’s bellow of rage.
Students moved quickly out of his way and then Draco was kneeling in front of him. “You’ll be okay. I’m here.”
He touched Sawyer’s head and even though it hurt, Sawyer turned into it. He whimpered even as his body seized again. Draco held him as his body trembled. He wasn’t expecting to hear Eduard’s voice, but he did a moment later.
“Out of my way. Excuse me.”
“Sawyer!”
Henry. Henry was here, too. But it wasn’t safe for him. He had to warn…
“Hen—” Sawyer’s breath caught and he began to choke. Draco pulled him closer and the pain ratcheted up another notch. His throat felt like it was closing and he gasped desperately for a breath.
Then he felt a wash of coolness, like he’d stepped into a cool shower after a hot day. The pain began to fade and it became easier to breathe. He pulled in a breath, then another. His vision came back into focus and he saw Henry and Eduard kneeling beside him.
“Henry. Danger. Go,” Sawyer gasped out the words but it was all he could manage. Blackness consumed him, and this time, he couldn’t fight it.
Draco
Draco paced the long length of the master bedroom, his attention never far from Sawyer’s still form on the bed. Pearl lay against him, her head resting on his stomach. She’d not left his side either, not from the moment Draco carried him into the house and placed him on the bed.
Henry swore the effects of whatever was used against him would wear off, that his own magic had been able to clear it away. It had caused some damage, though, and Sawyer’s too-human body needed time to heal and recover.
“Draco.”
Henry spoke quietly from the doorway and Draco turned to see him. He’d not handled Sawyer’s whispered message well. Whoever had hurt Sawyer had been after Henry. They’d been able to interpret at least that much from his words.
