Scooping up Kieran, Logan carried him to the bathroom, where he stripped him, led him into the shower and tenderly soaped him up. After rinsing off both of them, he towel-dried his mate, before drying himself. Then, leading Kieran back to the room, he wrapped his mate in a huge, white, fluffy, soft robe before donning his own. As he was tying it around himself, Logan heard Thomas knock.
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The late afternoon sun was struggling to break through the gray sky but other than a few glimpses of it, Kieran only saw rain-laden clouds. He wasn’t sure where the car was headed, but his mate’s cryptic comment about keeping his word, had Kieran on edge, wondering whatLogan meant. The driver made a stop in the village, where Logan got out, declining Kieran’s offer to accompany him, and left him sitting in the car, trying to figure out what the surprise was. Before long, Logan came out carrying a large, flat package and placed it in the trunk of the car, after which they resumed their journey. Eventually, Kieran dozed off, lulled to sleep by the engine noise and the emotional events earlier in the day.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself tucked against Logan’s side with his mate’s arm holding him firmly. He assumed they’d reached the destination as the car had stopped and the driver was nowhere to be seen. Stretching, he sat up, looked around and quickly realized where Logan had brought him. His eyes teared up, unable to hold back the rush of emotion he felt at being back at the place where he was found as an infant. Giving his mate a questioning glance, he waited for him to explain why they were there.
“Mo anan cara, on this day, when all secrets have been exposed and you and I are now one, I wanted to have a ceremony at your mother’s grave, first to place a headstone so she is no longer a nameless soul and second for me to pledge to your mother that her promise to always protect you will now be assumed by me.”
Kieran felt the tears slowly roll down his face as he listened to his mate. His heart stuttered at the thought of placing the marker, knowing it would represent the finality of his mother’s life, something his mind had accepted, but for so long his heart had not, hoping she would still be alive. Looking into Logan’s face, he saw his pain reflected in his mate’s eyes and at that moment,knew Logan was here to say good-bye to his own mother. Unable to speak, he simply nodded.
Grasping Kieran’s hand, Logan opened the door and slid out, pulling his mate with him. Taking the unwrapped, thin headstone and a small spade from the driver, Logan—looking over at the ancient oak tree—pulled Kieran’s hand up to his lips and kissed it. “Ready, babe?” A feathery whispered ‘yes’ floated past his ear before being carried away by the wind. Taking a deep breath together, Logan and Kieran began to walk over to the spot where Caitlín was buried.
Hand in hand, their slow and measured steps fell silently on the lush green earth while dusk continued to fall. Arriving at the grave, they paused, each absorbed in memories of a childhood lost. Finally, Logan squeezed Kieran’s hand. “Are you okay?”
“I am,macushla.”
Dropping his mate’s hand, Logan bent down and dug a place for the headstone and then, placing it in the trench, he piled the earth back around it before standing and taking Kieran’s hand. Together, silently, they stared at the carving on the stone. Beneath an etching of a wolf’s head it read, ‘Here lies Caitlín, beloved mother of Kieran’.
He closed his eyes, tears freely running down his face as those words played on an endless loop through his mind. Kieran felt the pain in his soul as he finally accepted his mother was gone. A thousand wishes flowed through his heart, all of which had different outcomes, but none of which would ever be granted. When he felt Logan squeezing his hand, he realized his spirit was urging himto open his eyes. Forcing them open, expecting only to see the grayness of the marker, Kieran gasped—for there in front of him, in the land of fairies and leprechauns, were his parents, arms around each other, smiling at him.
Their words were carried on the night wind as they spoke to him: “Hello Kieran, our time is short in this world, but it is important you know how much we love you. The moments we had with you are treasured and carried in our hearts. Be safe, Kieran, and know we will always be in your heart. Love you, son.”
As his parents faded away, Kieran softly replied, “Ditto.” A deep peace settled over him, filling him with his parents’ love as he finally had all his questions answered. Leaning against his mate, he said, “Thank you,macushla,for everything.”
“You’re welcome,” Logan said. “Will you be okay?”
“Uh huh. More than okay, I believe, because I’m at peace. I never realized how much the thought of being unwanted permeated my heart and soul but now that it’s gone, I can feel the difference inside me.”
“I’m so happy for you. I just have a few words to say and then we can go, all right?”
Smiling gently at his mate, Kieran nodded, knowing Logan needed to do this.
Logan stared at Caitlín’s headstone for a few moments before he started to speak. “Every breath I take is a breath Kieran has given me because, you see, he saved me…saved me when I didn’t even know I was dying inside…saved me by giving me back my life that had beenlost in childhood…saved me by loving me, a person I was sure wasn’t worth anyone’s love. I know you’re proud of the man your son has become as much as I am, but my feelings go so much deeper. I love Kieran with my whole heart and soul for without him, I will die. I need him as much as I need air to breathe. So, I make this vow before you…his parents…the gods and the Fates, I will protect him with my life, from all evil and danger, now and until the end of our days.”
Chapter 33
On the way back to the house, Kieran sat on Logan’s lap, wrapped in his mate’s muscular arms, feeling safe and loved. Silence reigned during the drive, and he was lost in his thoughts of everything that happened since finding his Fated Mate, but it was the peace in his soul that surprised him most. The many nights of loneliness during his childhood were gone, knowing now his birth parents wanted and loved him and, while his life had been one of painful twists and turns until today, he realized that path needed to be taken to get to where he was now. Happy down to his soul, Kieran was ready to start living his new life.
Logan too, was finally able to say good-bye to his mother and siblings while standing at Caitlín’s grave. For years, he’d refused to acknowledge their deaths in his heart, hoping it would keep them alive for him, but instead it had kept him from living…from moving forward. When Kieran came into his life, it forced him to face the ghosts of his past and the death of his family. Now, on the other side of that nightmare he’d been calling a life, he could see how it had held him in the grip of pain, never letting him celebrate any joy that came after the massacre. Now was the time to change that. “Babe, I’ve been thinking of having a party when we return home.”
Sitting up and grinning, Kieran asked, “Can I plan it?”
“Absolutely!”
“Perfecto! I used to plan all kinds of parties in my head when I lived with my Shaman including the decorations, food, dress…oh I know, we could do a costume party! Oh my god, it will be fabulous! What’s the occasion? Doesn’t matter! It will be a costume party and maybe Zane can help with the music, but we also have to include music for Miss L, Frankie, Oracle and Maxie. Oh, I wonder if Frankie could join us. Then Miss L won’t be by herself, but if not, all you big guys will have to take turns dancing to her music. Do I need to teach you how to slow dance?”
“Slow dance? I don’t think my brothers will want to slow dance with Miss L…no offense, but I think Dylon will object if his mother is rubbing against my cock. Eww! Just the thought of that…nope, I can’t do it. Maybe I should think of something else.”
Kieran’s eyes were as round as his mouth as he finally understood the slow dancing his mate was referring to. Thumping Logan’s chest, he giggled. “No silly, notgayslow dancing, but you know, face to face really old-style dancing, you know, like ballroom dancing. I can teach you and your brothers…my Shaman made sure I was able to do that, though I have no idea why, wait, duh, of course, because of situations like this. Yup, I will teach all your brothers how to ballroom dance, so you can get that idea out of your head about getting close to anyone other than me.”
“Maybe I should just make sure Frank escorts Miss L,” said Logan.
“Well, that would be the best but what if he’s held up? Nope, it’s better if you learn how to dance the waltz and foxtrot.”
“Foxtrot? What? You mean like a fox? I didn’t know they knew how to dance like that. I mean none of the fox shifters I met in gay…uhmm , never mind,” Logan said after hearing the low growls coming from his mate. “Babe, I’ll do my best to learn, okay?”
Beaming, Kieran said, “Don’t worry! I’ll give you private lessons in our bedroom, so you’ll be fine.”
