Page 30 of Draco

Iglanced up as a car tore up the driveway. It had taken months to ease my fear that they’d come for me, but even now, I just watched with curiosity while still pulling weeds out of my little garden. I’d wound up with everything I wanted. The simple life. A man that loved me. A man that never asked me to change. A man that encouraged me to experience all life had to offer and surprised me every day with new activities, foods, and tidbits of information about the outside world I’d tried so hard to escape.

I opened my mind to Draco, who watched with me. We’d grown closer than anyone ever could. We shared everything, every fantasy, every desire, every wish.

And even after these months, I hadn’t grown tired of him. If anything, I wanted him more and more with every passing moment.

Any ideas who this might be?The driveway was over a mile long and invisible to anyone that didn’t know it was there. Part of Draco’s illusion.

Maybe I should have been angry with him for what he’d done. For intruding on my private thoughts. But I’d let it all go. He’d risked everything to save me from the hell my father tried to lock me in. I needed to let go of the things that didn’t really matter. He’d saved me. From myself, from my father, from my life.

Or he’d helped me save myself. That seemed a more fitting explanation. We’d worked together as a team. We’d found the perfect space. He kept us out of sight, and out of mind gave up everything. He no longer helped people in the brotherhood.

But he’d told me everything about it. I knew he was sad to give up that part of himself. The part that wanted to do good in the world. But he’d given it up without even a complaint. We’d both discussed theories at length about the brotherhood, their good or evil, and Wrath.

We’d finally agreed that a bad man could make everything he touched as evil as he was. Since Wrath was everything his name embodied, then the brotherhood, under his leadership, was tainted. With my knees buried in the dirt, I lifted my head and watched the car move up the drive as Draco moved closer to me.

As handsome as ever, he positioned himself between the approaching car and me.I’ll be fine. I didn’t want him to think I was some weak little girl that needed his protection. I could take care of myself. He’d even taught me how.

I know. But it’s not just you anymore.

I smiled, running a hand over my belly. He was right. He’d told me before I even knew because he’d detected the change in me, in my hormones, my body. He’d been so attuned to me he knew something was off and t didn’t take long to put two and two together.

I still wondered if we’d have a boy or a girl.

Straightening my back out a bit to stretch the tension from it, I watched the car move toward us a bit too fast for the gravel drive. I wiped my dirty hand on my apron, very aware that Draco preferred I wear gloves in the garden. But it was hard to wear gloves and pull weeds at the same time, so I often went without.

Still, I was very careful to work around the beautiful flowers he’d added to the garden. Apparently, they were more poisonous than nightshade, scarier than arsenic, and more potent than the worst poison known to man. But only to humans.

Focused on the car, I picked up my basket and stood up. With Draco close enough I could reach out and touch him, I followed the car right up to the moment it parked at a strange angle, as if the driver wasn’t in full control of the vehicle… or themselves.

The door popped open, and Leif fell out. Draco raced to his side as Leif reached out, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. “Help, brother.”

My heart pounded in my chest as Draco’s orders rang in my mind. Golden flower, steaming water.

Without thinking about it, I grabbed the flower and raced into the house. I flipped the switch on the electric kettle, focused on the directions in Draco’s mind. Placing the flower on the cutting board, I pulled out a meat tenderizing hammer and began to beat the damn thing into a golden paste.

When it was nothing more than golden goo, I scraped it into a cup and poured the hot water over the top of it and carried it out to Leif.

Draco took it, then stared at the cup and at me. “Did you touch it?” His mind echoed the question, and panic rose up in me.

“Give it to him! It’ll heal him.” I took the cup back and began to help Leif as Draco’s frozen mind began to work through everything.

You touched it! I said never touch it!

I replayed his thoughts, and he roared at me. “I said never touch it!”The instructions were for me. Baby, no.Pain and panic filled his mind, and he grabbed me as I continued to pour the liquid into Leif’s mouth. I couldn’t face the thoughts of what would happen. I needed to focus on the thing I could change, the thing I could fix.

“He’s not swallowing it.” Leif was dying before my eyes, and Draco seemed frozen. “Help him!”

I glared over my shoulder at Draco, who was staring at me like he’d never see me again.I love you. More than anything. More than words. More than Leif.

“Not now! Help him!” I screamed the words at him, but he didn’t move.

It’s too late.

I shook my head. It couldn’t be too late. I’d moved fast. I’d gotten the plant. I’d made the tea. I stared at Leif and finally noticed the lifeless, dull look in his eyes.

My heart began to thunder in my chest before fluttering softly. Dark spots swam before my vision, and a faintness began to spread through me an inch at a time.

I love you. I’m so sorry I failed you. Draco’s calm did nothing to soothe me.

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