Chapter 22
Chapter
Twenty-Two
“Okay, so what the heck is going on?” Sloan had been patient for what seemed like ten hours of pancakes.
It hadn’t been, but…
And then Tyr had asked him to go to the pool while everyone else went back to bed, so he figured it was time to have a long chat.
“I wanted to tell you why Tor is really here. It could be very worrisome.”
Sloan started stripping off Tyr’s nightclothes. “We don’t need worrisome with you pregnant, love.”
“No, no, I agree, but he feels like Fredda needs protection, Penny too. He’s scared, love. Truly scared.” Tyr sank into the warm water, almost immediately relaxing.
“So explain to me why. What’s going on?” Sloan followed, and he had to admit, the water healed. It really did. His grr started to fade.
“I’m not sure of the details, to be honest. I do know that Tor is scared, and he did make sure I knew that he’d known Riley was in town, he’d known about the feast…”
“So wait, someone in the city is feeding him information about the village?” Sloan scowled. How the hell was that happening?
“Yes, but someone is feeding someone in the city information about the village.”
“Shit. Oh, shit, Tyr.” That was bad. That was very bad. The clutch was supposed to be all about the greater good or some shit.
“Right. It could be innocent. It could be spies. It could be malicious, but we don’t know.”
“Okay, so how do we find out?” He swam to Tyr, needing to touch his mate.
“I don’t know, but Tor will have the best way of figuring it out, don’t you think?” Tyr cuddled into him, shuddering.
“I hope so. If you trust him, I will try to.” He wanted to believe Tor was here to help, but he also knew he was naturally suspicious.
“I saw his heart. He is… he would never bring harm to the babies, Sloan. I know that.”
“Okay, then we start from right here. We figure out who in the village is sending information, and we shut them down. And we figure out what the threat is and eliminate it.”
“And we have a baby.”
He hummed and cradled Tyr close. “And we have a baby.” That was what he needed to remember. “I love you so. And I can’t wait to meet our kid.”
“No. Me either. She’s going to be an amazing dragon. Our own dear one.”
“She…” Sloan blinked. “You know it now?” Goddess. A daughter. He loved little Fredda so much, and the kids up at the mountain had the sweetest girls… He was ecstatic.
“She. Our own little girl.” Tyr begged another kiss, and he gave it with his whole soul.
God, he was happy. Even with the threat of danger, he was so full of love.
Tyr placed his hand on that rounded belly, letting him feel the baby—their daughter—kick. The thump bump against his hand was strong and right, and he felt his heart swell.
Hello, little one. I love you.
Her answer was a spate of giggles. They were like… not so much bubbles as little sparks of lightning.
“Did you hear that, mate?” Tyr asked him, and all he could do was nod.
He held Tyr tight, moving to a place cut into the rock that made an underwater bench. That way they no longer had to try to float.
“I love you, Sloan. I’m so worried about the babies. Do you think… are we going to be okay?”
“I think we are. Forewarned is forearmed. We’ll stop whatever is going on and keep our children safe.” He would see it so.
“All right. I supposed I can accept that for now…” Tyr snuggled a little bit closer, and Sloan wrapped around him, holding him tight.
“I’ll protect us, love. Please don’t worry.” He hated that Tyr was frightened.
“I know…” There was a long, weirdly pregnant pause, with Tyr wiggling against him and blinking hard.
Maybe something was in his eye. That would be awful.
He opened his mouth to ask, when Tyr continued, “I don’t suppose you’d be interested in possibly…
I don’t know, getting to know me a little better? ”
Sloan tilted his head, confusion filling him. “I know you fairly well, don’t you think?”
Tyr’s eyes went wide and the scent of burnt honey hit his nose.
Uh-oh.
“I was being seductive. That’s how it works in the stories that come from the human world.” Those beautiful golden eyes filled with tears. “Did I not do it right? I asked Cullen how to get your attention.”
Oh. Oh, no. He held on when Tyr would have pulled away. “Oh, mate. Love. Yes. I would love to get know you better.”
Tyr glanced at him. “Yes? Because I would like to be with you. I wanted to let you know how much I needed you, but I think I did it wrong.”
“No, love, that is perfectly right.” He started to chuckle, but he stopped himself, because he didn’t want Tyr’s feelings to be hurt. That was dear.
And adorable.
“This is exactly how it works.” He settled Tyr on his lap a little more firmly, telling himself that part of protecting his home and his clutch, his world, was keeping his mate satisfied and happy.
And that didn’t seem like a difficult thing to promise.
Tyr’s eyes lit up, and Sloan began to move his beautiful dragon against him, allowing himself to relax, to trust in his own words.
This was their home, and they would be safe.
He leaned back, letting his mate drive them. “So, this is how this works? This thing you read of?”
Tyr beamed at him. “Yes, I seduce you and touch you and love you, and you’re very excited.”
Now he could allow his lips to curl. “I cannot imagine a time when you were on my lap like this, love, that I’m not excited.”
Tyr blushed, nails dragging slowly up along his chest. “Even though I’m round with our child?”
He touched that sweet belly, fingers slip-sliding down toward Tyr’s burgeoning prick. “Especially because you’re round with our child. I have so much love for you, it swells my heart.”
“Yes, I love you, but I have things other than your heart that I wish to swell.” Tyr reached down and cupped his cock, stroking it base to tip, nice and slowly.
“Do you now?” Sloan spread his legs, offering himself up to Tyr’s attention.
He was going to have to remind himself that the world, while incredibly exciting and busy, was nothing compared to the love that he had for his mate.
“I know. I crave you like I crave sunshine.”
It was all he could do not to just take Tyr right then and there, but this little seduction was adorable in every way.
Adorable and arousing.
He thought he’d take advantage of it.
“Tell me more.” He let his hands slide over Tyr’s skin, the rough patches of his scales like little calluses. It was so warm and good, drugging his senses. All he could smell was Tyr, all he could feel was Tyr on top of him, their bodies rubbing together.
“You’re like honey to me, Sloan. Sweet but raw, and so wonderful on my tongue.”
“Such poetry, Tyr. My perfect mate.”
“Am I perfect?” Tyr wiggled madly.
“You are. And mine. Utterly mine.”
“Yes.” There was no doubt, just a ringing happiness, an endorsement that he felt in his marrow.
He kissed his mate then, slow and deep, dragging his tongue along Tyr’s lips until they opened so he could dip his tongue inside. He wanted every touch, every taste, to mean something. To give pleasure.
Tyr stroked him to full hardness as they fed off their kisses, the sensations crashing around them both, the water beginning to form tiny waves. They moved as if they were dancing, swimming, and making love all at the same time, and Sloan loved it. He loved how physical it was. So amazing.
Tyr was hot as the blazes, cock like a brand against him, and his knot ached, wanting to bury himself in that perfect body.
Yes. Please. Tyr’s strong fingers dug in against his shoulders. Please, Sloan. Love me now.
He reached down to test Tyr’s readiness, finding him slick and open. So he lifted Tyr up, then let Tyr slide down on his cock.
Tyr’s eyelids went heavy, his lips going slack as Sloan filled him up.
He kissed that sweet mouth, loving how Tyr clung to him, how well they fit together. They might boil the water, since it was already hot and they were so heated.
Tyr clung to him, body sweeter and more wonderful than the water, both of them soaring, their cries filling the air. They rocked together faster and faster in shorter, sharper thrusts, his knot swelling to full engagement. Soon they could hardly move at all.
“Love…” Tyr’s head fell back, his body moving restlessly as he searched for completion. “Please.”
“Yes. Tyr.” He grunted, taking Tyr’s mouth again and again as he stroked Tyr’s cock. He wanted to feel his mate clamp down around him and take his seed.
Tyr whimpered, the sound pushing into his lips and making him soar. No one made him feel this good, no one ever had.
When he pushed and pulled just right, Tyr cried out for him, arching back, braids in the water. He grunted as Tyr came for him, and he sent his seed deep into his mate’s body, his knot throbbing so hard he nearly passed out.
He gripped Tyr hard to keep them from floating away from their perch. “I love you, mate.”
“Uh-huh…” Tyr blinked at him, body holding him tight.
“Shhh. Rest now, love. It’s been an exciting day. We’ll be fine.”
“Mmmhmm.” Tyr drifted off to sleep right away, but that was fine.
Because his mate might be snoozing, but their baby was giggling again. And it was quickly becoming his favorite sound.