Page 178 of The Chosen One Universe: Volume One

Sawyer

Sawyer couldn’t keep his hands off of Draco. He couldn’t look away, needing reassurance that he was really fine. Whole and healthy again, no longer pale and still and lying in the bed with the rest of his guardians. Sawyer traced his fingers down Draco’s stubbled jaw, over his lips, then down his neck. The wound along his vein was already healed, not even a mark remaining to indicate he’d been bleeding so heavily while saving Andvari’s life.

“I’m fine,” Draco murmured. He turned his head and their eyes locked together. “I promise.”

“I know,” Sawyer answered. “You’re amazing. You finished eating?”

“Yeah. You?”

Sawyer nodded.

The others were watching them as well, Henry cuddled sleepily between Andvari and Eduard.

“Can we go to bed now?” He needed to be reminded that they were alive, that they were real and here with him. He curled his fingers into Draco’s hair and stared into his eyes. “Please.”

“Anything you need,” Draco said quietly. He stood, pulling Sawyer up with him. As they walked to the bed, the others followed, Sawyer making sure to look them each in the eye for a moment as well. He needed them all, needed more than anything to know everything was going to be okay.

He’d packed so much knowledge into his brain over the past hours, read book after book. He’d only scratched the surface. He wasn’t ready to defend them yet. He’d have to let them keep him safe until he knew more, understood more.

He’d begun to see patterns though, to understand more about the things that were broken. He had no clue how to fix those things, but he’d find a way. He’d see the path once he had all the pieces of the puzzle.

“Stop thinking,” Draco demanded. He lowered Sawyer onto the bed and climbed on after him.

Henry was next, stretching out beside Sawyer and wrapping his arms around his chest. Eduard slipped in behind Henry, curling up behind him and propping his head on his hand.

Then Andvari, who’d stopped at the foot of the bed and was staring down at them with a hungry look in his eyes. Not one of bloodlust. No, Sawyer was well aware of what Andvari looked like when he needed to feed. This was a hunger for something else, something similar to what Sawyer was feeling himself. Life. He needed proof of life.

Andvari crawled up the mattress toward him, then lay down on top of him. He cupped Sawyer’s face in his hands, softly, as if he were the finest china. His hands were rough and calloused, years of sword practice making him strong.

“I’m okay,” Andvari said quietly.

“I know,” Sawyer answered. And he was. He could see that he was. The wounds on his chest had healed like there hadn’t been a gaping hole in his chest a day before. A hole that wouldn’t have been there if—

“Stop it. It’s not your fault.”

Sawyer scoffed and shook his head.

Andvari squeezed his hands slightly, forcing Sawyer to meet his gaze. “If you hadn’t suggested it, I was going anyway. I’d felt something out there before and was tired of waiting and wondering. Imagine what would have happened if we weren’t in the air, if you hadn’t suggested we go up with Draco.”

Sawyer didn’t want to think about it, that inky blackness covering Andvari without them there to help. He couldn’t bear it.

“Exactly,” Andvari whispered. “You saved me in more ways than one. We messed up, but we also got clues. I glanced at your notes. You did good work. We’re going to figure out who sent them and then—”

“They’re going to burn,” Draco said. His voice was a rough grumble, heated with the anger of the dragon inside.

Draco leaned closer and nuzzled his face into Andvari’s neck.

Henry wiggled closer, turning Sawyer’s face to him. “I made the air move. Did you see me?”

Sawyer nodded.

“I didn’t know I could do that. I mean, I’ve done it a little before, just to annoy my sisters and mess up their hair, but never… I didn’t know I was that strong. Sawyer… I helped save you and the magic… I didn’t know I could do that. But you… I’ll keep learning, right beside you. We’ll study and learn and figure this out, okay? We both have a lot to figure out, but just you being here… I can do this. I know I can now. You helped me see.”

Henry leaned in and pressed his lips to Sawyer’s, a sweet kiss that quickly grew heated. Henry backed off and grinned wickedly down at Sawyer. “Besides, I’d never have these mountains of man meat to devour if you hadn’t come. Heh. Come. See what I did there?”

Sawyer laughed and pulled Henry down again. They kissed deeply, their tongues tangling. Andvari moved to the side and Henry slipped into his place on top of Sawyer, straddling his hips and thrusting their hardened cocks together.

“Oh, now that’s a very pretty sight,” Draco purred.