Where did Draco go? Nowhere…
Chapter 31
The Return of The Dragon
Draco felt as if he'd gone insane without her. His daily life was that of looking over his Master's newfound kingdom and to strike down any and all that opposed him. He satisfied himself with the concubines provided but it brought no comfort at all. There was a picture on his mantle of Hessa and him when they were younger and he looked at it often…and sometimes he would actually cry, making sure all the servants were gone and no one could see him. It was his own fault…if she would just come home to him he would make everything better.
There was research done on the city…old and ancient spells protected it. He had learned to leave the amulet a distance away so that he could poke and prod without being detected, and he could always feel her. She was calm and happy at least but Draco sensed that she did miss him, yet there was another male presence in her life, one that sought to be with her as he did, one that had to be eliminated but it would not be easy. He knew this because her blood knew this and her blood pumped through his veins as much as his own…perhaps it was why he simply could not let go of her.
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They had discussed the wedding; Cynthia and Marius would put the money together for the wedding with Marius' reluctance. Hessa tried on many Conk 'ritual dresses', as they called them, but they didn't seem to fit her personality. Cynthia snapped her fingers at one of the tailors, "have something made for her, something simple, revealing her back and arms, loose and flowing but not a lot of frills like these others. We'll be back in two weeks." She practically dragged poor Hessa out of the store and into another where she was to pick her jewelry. Her mother was clearly on a mission to make her the most desired bride in the world instead of just the city.
After it was all through she went to the mineral baths, another part of the public baths that were more private…making sure no one was having sex in there first. The hot bath soothed her muscles and melted away the stress she was feeling. Then she started to feel so sad and thought of Harry…this should have been their wedding being planned and felt guilty, she felt guilty for being alive while the others lay dead, their bodies buried Gods-knew-where…and for some reason she just started to sob. Perhaps it was stress, perhaps it was guilt for finding happiness with another, even Draco…sometimes she could feel him and it would almost feel like he was grieving for her. So much so, it felt like she should pack her bags and go to him but it never happened.
Suddenly she felt a presence behind her and she turned, it was Marius. He stood there looking at her as if he didn't understand, "why are you crying?"
"I'm…I'm sorry, I didn't know you were there. I'm just feeling overwhelmed that's all…"
He got into the bath with her and looked serious, "it's more than that…do you not want to marry me?" His heart jerked and fell at the idea…
"NO…no…it's not you. It's just different things…I miss my friends, wishing that they could be here. Knowing what happened to them and yet here I am…alive….happy, it seems unfair that's all."
A deep sigh came from him, "you feel so deeply, Hessa." Marius looked down, "you think of your Harry Potter, don't you?"
"Yes…and I feel guilty sometimes. But he told me that if something were to happen to him that I must go and find my people and be happy, find a life of my own."
"That was good of him to say. I want you to tell me everything that happened, Hessa. From the time you were a little girl on."
"I thought you knew the story…"
"I only know of what our spies could see, I don't know what happened in the Malfoy house or Grimmuald Place."
"Marius, it's not a good idea…some of the stories will disturb you and make you angry."
"Tell me," he said firmly.
Hessa sighed, "all right."
They had spent hours talking about what happened, Marius' reactions were interesting because he knew very little about the actual wizarding world despite the fact that he did business with many witches or wizards. His anger was expected and soon absolute hate as well, hate towards Draco Malfoy, not just as a competitor but also as a vile and loathsome creature that should be put out of his misery.
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A few more weeks had passed and Hessa got her dress, shoes, jewelry and anything else she need she left to her Aunt and mother. Marius would laugh at her reactions but he hoped that she would have time to relax going to a fair to sell the jewelry he had made. She liked people and was good with them; he had a more stern demeanor which sometimes put people off, though he sold his jewelry anyway.
She stood by the stand, helping the women pick out what they liked while the men eyed the prices, rubbing the back of their head for fear of what they had to pay for such pieces. Marius' pieces were one-of-a-kind, hard to find and artistic, they seemed unearthly but Hessa had seen how he created them, actually meditating on the creation of the piece, listening to the metal…he was spiritual this way and other ways he lived, which was why Hessa loved, admired, and feared him so much. Yet she was his gentling force, the one thing that softened HIS metal. Such an example was today when she managed to get him to lower his price on an engagement ring because the young wizard didn't have a lot of money and was just starting out in life, yet of all things, he really wanted to give his bride-to-be something from his heart. Marius reluctantly allowed it, grumbling to himself that she would make him bankrupt if he she made him too softhearted.
Then there were screams….
Someone was yelling, "THE DARK REGIME!"
The Dark Regime, a new name given for Voldemort's Death Eaters and lead by none other than Draco Malfoy. They had come because they had heard about the fair, a fair not authorized by Voldemort…
Marius looked at Hessa and once again she stood still and looked away…he was there, Draco Malfoy was there. Marius packed his things and grabbed Hessa, Marcus joined him and helped him get things into the city. Chaos was everywhere, spells flew everywhere and someone knocked Hessa out of Marius' grip.
Hessa fell hard to the ground and it was hard to get back up, people were tripping over her and hurting her, she thought about putting up her auric shields but she was afraid of hurting someone, not to mention drawing attention. The people who did business with them did not know who they really were, therefore protecting themselves; she couldn't afford to raise suspicions.
She finally managed to get up and start running but she couldn't find Marius, "Marius!"
"Hessa!" there was his voice, but where was it coming from?
That feeling was there again…Draco…Draco….DRACO! Hessa turned and he stood only twenty feet away, he looked on her in amazement. She didn't know what to do as he looked her up and down and then spotted something she wished he hadn't…her engagement ring. He looked back up at her face and narrowed his yellow dragon eyes as she tried to hide it from him.
'Run', she told herself. 'RUN….'
Before she knew it, Hessa's legs carried her away even though she wanted to stay and be with him…everything he had done and was going to do, he killed everyone she loved…no…no more! But as she looked behind her, he gained on her in moments, launching himself and grabbing her waist as they fell to the ground. Hessa squealed in pain, her arm was hurt. She felt herself being turned over on her back as Draco straddled her, examining her face and body, putting his hand underneath her neck, lifting her head and sniffing her. "Another male," he growled. "You've been a bad girl running and hiding from me as you have, but now you will come home where you know you belong," pulling her up between his legs, he pulled down her robe a tad, revealing a bare shoulder, his old mark had faded and was barely there, no doubt it was healed by someone but that would soon be fixed. Hessa tried to struggle but it was nothing as tears drenched her face, part in relief and part in fear and part in mourning of everything in-between. His mouth opened and she felt his fangs clamp down over her flesh as she screamed out and then fainted, between the pain in her arm and the pain in her shoulder, her body couldn't take it.
Draco licked the wound and healed it, he enjoyed the taste of her blood in his mouth. It was something he hated about himself, but being what he was now there was no way around it. He got his first taste of it when he slaughtered a wizard who was trying to escape, blood had squirted near his lips and the rest was history from there. He never ate a human, but now and then loved the taste of blood and she was no exception…Hessa's blood tasted like nectar, sweet and robust. Draco looked down at her, she was radiant and elegant looking and certainly grew into her looks…the Conk city had refined her and he owed them thanks for it.
His dragon was not far from here, his steed was in fact a dragon. It was a small one, but it was compliant to him and let him ride it's back. For what reason he never knew, only that it may have understood what he was.
Then he was struck hard, nearly dropping Hessa, "WHAT THE BLOODY HELL!"
Three men came and were hitting him with shields, one hitting him with a wand…Draco recognized the smell of one. "PUT HESSA DOWN!" Marius shouted.
Draco grinned, nearly chuckling, "so…you are the one I smell on her. YOU are the one that has put this ring on her finger. Tell me, did you think that it would actually happen?"
"Listen, monster…" Draco raised his eyebrows. "Put my Hessa down and walk away or I swear to you, I'll hunt you down and skin you to make my boots!"
"You and what army?" He laughed, "What is your name…?"
"Marius? Well, Marius…as much as I admire your bravery, what I felt was not enough to take me on…"
"THAT was a warning shot…from me, not all three of us," Marius grinned.
"And do you think I'd be foolish enough to set her down to fight with you, risking that one of you might take her?"
"….Using her as a shield?"
"Don't insult me, Marius…I have something very precious to both of us in my arms right now, but it won't be beyond me to kill her rather than see her in the arms of another."
"You wouldn't dare!" Marcus was holding him back, trying stop him from doing something foolish.
"I've killed my own father, Marius…what do you think?" Draco was bluffing and he would fight them, but he wouldn't risk Hessa in the way. "Your best bet is to let me walk away…"
They were at a stalemate, if they cast shields against him it could injure Hessa, kill her even…, "then put her down and we'll fight like men, no one will take her…"
"No," Draco smiled. "You're like me…"
"I AM NOTHING LIKE YOU," Marius hissed.
"Oh yes you are. Dominant over her, aren't you? You like control just as I do, you're vicious in your way, you're a warrior…I can smell it on you…yes…I hint of trickery as well, I'm no fool, Marius," Draco slowly backed away.
"Stay where you are!"
"I don't think so," Draco took off knowing he had the advantage, the others in the regime attacked them, distracting them as he got on his dragon and took off. The others went on their brooms and left.
"HESSSAAAA!" Marius screamed. "NOOO!"
Marcus stepped back from his friend, uncertain what he was supposed to do, he'd never seen Marius like this. Marius marched back to the city all of a sudden. "Marius, my friend….," Marcus froze when he saw his friend's eyes…they were black as pitch, a sign of a male Conk's absolute furry. "Marius…what do you intend to do?"
"GET. HER. BACK."
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Hessa awoke slowly, her shoulder was sore but her arm felt better…where was she? It was a room she'd never been in, "Marius…?"
"Marius isn't here…," Draco sat in a chair close to her bed, he was dressed elegantly in a high neck shirt and black leather pants, twirling brandy in a glass. Hessa backed up in fear. "That's right…you need to be afraid…"
"Take me back," she whispered and flinched when he threw the brandy snifter onto the floor, shattering it.
"ARE YOU SERIOUS!" he roared. "I did not bring you back to me for you to marry another! As you can see, you're missing something from your left hand." Hessa looked down and found her engagement ring missing.
"What did you do with it!"
"Destroyed it," he said flatly.
"No," she started to cry. "Why are you doing this to me! You've taken away everything I loved!" Hessa picked up a vase by her and threw it at him, which he dodged out of way easily. Draco jumped on the footboard then, scaring her how fast he moved and jumped out of the bed, he watched how she eyed the door and took off. He leaped and threw her to the floor and knocking the wind out of her.
"You took everything away when you left! Instead you run to Potter then to this Marius!"
Hessa sat up, "after what you did, what did you think I would do?"
"Do as you were told…"
"I have a will of my own too."
"We'll soon change that when I bond with you," he hissed.
"Make me into what you've despised all this time!"
"NO. Make you where I can keep you within arm's reach at ALL TIMES," he got down on the floor with her and put his hands through her hair and she surprisingly did not flinch. "Why can't you understand how much I need you…I've missed you beyond anything I could bare…you have to have missed me as well."
"I…I don't know…," she started to cry again as he claimed her lips. Hessa's response was reluctant but there, she started to hyperventilate…everything was confusing. Draco held her and let his chest rise with hers trying to calm her down. "Please…air."
He picked her up and opened the window, letting her breathe only for her to faint again. Taking her back to the bed and lying her down, Draco caressed her face, "you feel too much my sweet Hessa…but that is why I love you."