“Because he never loved me!” Fionn sobbed. “Why not? What’s wrong with me? I tried, Ki, I really tried so hard to be perfect for him so he would love me…but it never mattered…he hated me…he tried to kill me…why?”
“Fi, do you remember what I told you when you were unconscious in that cave where your father left you to die? About my life?”
“Yeahhh,” Fionn said, trying to stem his tears.
“My parents sold me into slavery. Sometimes, the family you are born into is not the family you’re supposed to have. Your father’s decision to hate is on him…not you. There’s nothing you could do to change his hate to love because his emotions weren’t under your control. You didn’t do anything wrong…your father did. He had an obligation to you as soon as you were conceived and he failed. Parents were created to love and care for their children, to show them right from wrong, to teach them to be kind and generous, to help them grow into good adults. That’s their job, their duty, their obligation…whatever you want to call it. And your father failed miserably.”
“My mother loved me so much. Why did she die and he lived? It’s not fair,” Fionn wailed.
“No, it isn’t, but no one is ever promised their life will be fair. That’s why the gods gave us the right to choose. You said you did it for your family.”
“I did. For you, Theo and Norman…you’re my family now. Theo taught me that.”
“It was a hard decision you made tonight but you did it for the right reason. Logan and Dylon had to kill tonight to rescue Slate, but they also did it to protect you, because you’re a member of the Blackwood Pack family.”
“I know…I guess I’m sad because I wish he was different…that he loved me.”
“Come here, Fi. Let me hug you.” Wrapping his arms around the young dragon’s back, Kieran began to draw out his sadness, replacing it with love.
Chapter 46
Dakota was alone with Slate, finally, after what seemed like forever. Framing his mate’s face with his hands, Dakota leaned down, giving feather light kisses interspersed with nibbles on Slate’s lips. Then, stepping back, he said, “Let’s take a bath together, babe.”
Slate smirked. “I’d rather do something else together.”
“I know, and we will, but first I plan to pamper you by drawing a bubble bath for you so we can wash off the stink of that place.”
“Are you saying I stink?”
“Most definitely!” Dakota said, wrinkling his nose. “I’ll be right back.” Giggling when Slate swatted his ass, Dakota decided a little teasing was perfect pay back so he stepped out of reach, stripped, then turning, walked to the bathroom with an extra wiggle, loving the groan it elicited from his mate.
So my mate wants to play? Bring it on babe!Shedding his t-shirt and sweatpants, Slate softly padded over to the bathroom, getting an eyeful—Dakota’s ass was bobbing in the air as he bent over the tub. Standing in the doorway, Slate savored the view as his cock grew hard then, circling it with his hand, gave it a few tugs as he imagined it sinking into his mate.
Glancing over his shoulder, Dakota smirked as his mate’s eyes focused on his ass—he gave it a few more sexy shakes before he stood and approached his mate. Grasping Slate’s hard cock, he stroked it while teasing his nipples, prompting a low growl of pleasure from his mate. “C’mon babe, let’s get wet,” Dakota said, leading his mate by his cock over to the tub. Once Slate was sitting in the water, Dakota joined him, sitting betweenSlate’s legs, leaning back against his chest. Sighing with happiness, he said, “This is heaven, babe.”
“It is,” agreed Slate. “Can I ask you a question?” Slate asked, his arms around his mate, his hands caressing Dakota’s body.
“Mmmm…sure.”
“When I was hanging in that cell, I had periods of consciousness and during one of them, I heard you in my mind so clearly it was just like you were inside there with me. When I was at my lowest, you appeared and gave me the will power to fight so I could come back to you.”
“Uh-huh...”
“Was…were…did you do…was it our joined life force?”
Dakota smiled. “Partly, remember your mother told us we had a part of each other in us?”
“Yeah.”
“The reason the Fates joined our life forces together was so you would always know what was happening to me…like a mind link but stronger. If the emotions I felt or the thoughts I heard were causing me distress, you’d be able to help me instantly. Understand?”
“I think so.”
“What your mother didn’t explain is that it worked the same way with me. Every time they whipped you, I felt it also. Kieran stayed with me almost the entire time you were gone and he wondered why I was twitching in my sleep. Then, the night before we rescued you, Kieran, Logan and Dylon went to the castle to find out how many men were guarding it. That’s when Kieran and Logan’s spirit found you and showed them what was happening to you.
“When I woke up in the morning, Kieran taught me how to use Shadow Voice to find your thoughts, send you love, and give you more of my mental strength which boosted your will to survive. Once I found your thoughts, I was able to find the piece of me in you, and the rest is history.”
“You used Shadow Voice?”
