“I was thinking about making an apple cake for the neighbors,” Draco said.
“You mean, you were thinking about making an apple cake forme. That’s what you meant to say, right?”
“Sure. That’s what I meant.”
“You know that’s my favorite,” Sawyer pouted. Not that Draco hadn’t learned years ago to guard himself against Sawyer’s puppy-eyes. They were deadly if you weren’t immune. Which sadly, both Draco and his brothers were.
“I know,” Draco said.
“And you’d just give it away? Like a heartless creature who had no heart?”
Draco grinned and adjusted his glasses. “I might have enough supplies to make two.”
Sawyer grinned happily and finished chopping the last of the veggies. “I’ll peel if you mix?”
“Deal. I’ve gotta go check on the chicken. Preheat the oven for me?”
Draco
Draco couldn’t help his snort of laughter as Sawyer and Pearl practically skipped across the road to their new neighbor’s house. He was such a breath of fresh air and the best thing about the life Draco had built here. His entire life had been built around duty and honor and he was here, in this place, for some reason he didn’t quite understand. But he’d made the most of it and found a person who made his days brighter and filled him with hope for…
No, he couldn’t go down that path. He wouldn’t be the one to break Sawyer’s heart, and if he allowed his feelings to show, allowed one more inch of love to develop, he’d be lost. It couldn’t happen. He’d continue to focus on the now and if the time came… he’d figure it out then.
Draco breathed deeply, his senses on high alert, but the only thing filling his nostrils was the vague scent of the new people across the street and the sweetness of the still warm apple cake. Movers and delivery trucks had been arriving for weeks, so it really wasn’t that unexpected for someone new to be arriving to their little neighborhood. He’d been expecting their arrival after the influx of traffic.
He caught up to Sawyer just as they crossed some sort of barrier and his senses were flooded with the presence ofother. He reacted immediately, pushing Sawyer behind him as two men appeared in front of him, one with a magically-forged sword which shimmered in the setting sun. It would slice Draco’s arm off with one swing, although it wouldn’t even dent his dragon hide. That would require revealing himself to Sawyer, but he would do it in a second if it meant keeping him safe.
“Dragon,” the swordsman hissed. His face shifted and fangs emerged. A vampire then, which explained the scent of blood so heavy on the air. Whatever ward they had surrounding this place was strong, stronger than Draco had seen in his lifetime if a vampire had managed to get this close to him— to Sawyer— without his knowledge.
The other man, even though he was taller, his red hair slicked back and his dark suit impeccable, had a set of daggers, one in each hand. Draco recognized that the blades were magically formed as well. He was in trouble, no matter that the guy looked like he’d stepped out of some fancy office downtown. He reached back and began to step away, making sure to herd Sawyer with him. “We mean no harm,” he said.
Then he heard more footsteps approaching, these moving quickly, and a third man appeared. This one was younger, his face unlined and with a beaming smile that belied the danger they were currently facing. “Dude, something just set off the wards…. And that would be…holy hot. You are almost as delicious as…um… never mind. Speaking of delicious, whatexactlyis that awesome smell?”
“Apple cake?” Sawyer said from behind Draco.
“Oh man. That sounds good. I’m starving.”
Pearl took a tentative step toward the young man, responding to the friendly tone of the new arrival. “Pearl, heel!”
Draco never spoke to her so harshly, never had to, but he hadn’t been able to take his eyes away from the blades currently held by the two fighters. She immediately obeyed and moved back to Sawyer’s side, but not without looking up at him with a pout of her own to find out what she’d done wrong. She clearly wasn’t the only one his tone bothered.
“What’s going on?” Sawyer whispered behind him. “Drake?”
“Everything’s fine. We’re leaving. We didn’t mean to intrude.”
“But you brought cake!”
“We did,” Draco said softly. “We were coming to welcome new neighbors. That’s all.”
The young man slipped between his protectors and they both growled at him in protest.
“Down boys. I got this.” He stepped forward, and Draco held up his hands to try to show he wasn’t a threat.
“Oh,” the young man sighed as he got closer. “You’re one of us.”
“What?” Sawyer peeked his head around again and stared at the newcomer. Draco stepped in front of him again.
“And who’s this?” The guy dropped down to one knee and looked at Pearl.
