Chapter 14 #2
The necromancer had also been the village healer. People came from miles in hopes of a cure, and the witch had always provided. For a price.
Those desperate enough, who couldn’t barter with gold or goods, offered something much more precious as payment.
“It’s exactly what it sounds like. A magical vessel that houses a soul.”
Sammy’s frown deepened. “I’m assuming it wasn’t just some random soul.”
Dominic shook his head, but he didn’t continue right away. He owed his mate an explanation, but Sammy didn’t need a blow by blow. Instead, he settled on an abridged version with key highlights.
“Louis Cabrera was the biggest mistake I ever made. I thought I was rescuing him, but he didn’t need a savior. He spent weeks becoming exactly what I wanted—the way he looked, his personality, even how he talked.”
“Did you love him?” There was no judgement in Sammy’s tone. Just curiosity and maybe a hint of sympathy.
“I thought I did,” he admitted begrudgingly.
It had all been a lie, though. Everything about Louis had been a carefully curated facade designed to elicit a response, and he’d fallen for it, hook, line, and sinker.
“He asked me to help him take back something important, something that had been stolen from him.” Dominic laughed, a sound filled with bitterness and self-deprecation. “Of course, I said yes.”
“The soul stone,” Sammy guessed.
He dipped his head. “I didn’t know it at the time. Once I realized what he was really after, it was too late.”
Too agitated to remain still, he released his mate and resumed his earlier pacing, his steps stiff and jerky. Sammy didn’t try to stop him. He didn’t follow. He just waited patiently while Dominic organized his thoughts and rearranged his emotions.
“He wanted to use me as a host to bring back his mate, the person he actually loved.” More than that, Louis had tried to erase him, to trap him inside his own mind while someone else wore his body. “He almost succeeded.”
He heard Sammy’s soft gasp, but he couldn’t look at him. He couldn’t bear to see what expression he wore in that moment.
“People died that day.” The magical blowback had ripped through the village like an explosion. “I almost died.” For a long time, he wished he had. “Thierry saved me, but it cost him everything.” He rubbed a hand over his face and growled. “He’s still paying for it.”
But that wasn’t his story to tell.
“If that happened to me, I’d probably hate changelings too. No wonder Thierry can’t stand the sight of me.”
No longer able to resist the urge, Dominic came to a halt and finally turned. He saw neither sadness nor condemnation in his mate’s eyes. No pity or anger.
Rather, he looked utterly defeated.
Fuck.
“Thierry doesn’t hate you. He—”
“Hates the idea of me.”
Not exactly, but close enough that he couldn’t argue. “He’ll come around.”
Maybe. Probably.
“What about you?”
There was so much longing and uncertainty in that simple sentence, and Dominic felt it like a blade.
“I’ve already made my choice.”
Sammy wasn’t Louis. He wasn’t his mother. Not once since they’d met had he tried to fit himself into a box or be something he wasn’t.
“I know who you are, colibrí.”
Sammy scoffed. “Are you sure about that?”
“Yes.” Instead of a warning, he heard only a plea for acceptance.
“I know you’re stubborn, and you never listen to me.
You insist on staying in your own room because you’re afraid this is temporary.
” With every revelation, he shortened the distance between them until he came close enough to reach out and take Sammy’s trembling hands.
“I know you don’t eat nearly enough, and you probably sleep even less. ”
“I mean, with an endorsement like that, how could you resist?”
Dominic smirked. “You’re also a mouthy little shit sometimes.” But that was exactly the point he’d been trying to make. “You’ve never changed yourself to make me happy.”
Tears welled in his mate’s eyes, and he sniffled wetly. “I already told you that I don’t know what you want.”
“And I already told you.” He slid a knuckle under Sammy’s chin and tilted his head up, no longer content to let him hide. “I want something real.”
“But fate—”
“Presented an opportunity. Nothing more.” Fate, destiny, the mate bond—whatever they wanted to call it—had opened the door, but it had been his choice to walk through it. “It made me look past old prejudices. It didn’t force me to love you.”
“Yeah, I know that, but—” His lips snapped together, his eyes flared with panic, and his entire body suddenly became rigid. “You…does that…are you saying…” He stopped again and shook his head. “What are you saying?”
Dominic thought he’d been clear, but if his mate needed to hear it again, he didn’t mind accommodating him.
“I love you, Sammy.” He slid his hand up along the curve of his mate’s jaw to cup his face.
“Not because you’re a changeling, and not in spite of it.
I love you for exactly who you are.” His lips twitched into a crooked grin, and he adopted a teasing tone.
“Even if who you are drives me crazy sometimes.”
“You…you love me?”
He sounded so surprised Dominic had to laugh. “Isn’t it obvious?” Though worried he might not like the answer, he had to ask, “What about you?”
Sammy sniffled again, but his lips twitched at the corners. “Isn’t it obvious?” he echoed. “Of course I love you, Dominic.”
That was all he needed to hear.