Page 102 of Dragon's Honor

Ash looked away. “I have to find Grey.”

“Why is it on you alone? Isn’t he a threat to the entire dragon community? Shouldn’t you all be fighting? I could go with you.”

Ash snarled, baring his teeth. “Look at what has happened to you and to your sister. Do you really think I’m going to allow you to be in danger? You will stay here where you will be safe and watched after.”

Finley scooted off the bed and stood up. She didn’t want to feel small and vulnerable. “You’re not the king of me.”

“Sawyer, be serious. Think about everything you’ve seen and everything you’ve been through. Why in the world would you put yourself through that?”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “You don’t know me very well. I thought maybe we shared a connection. I get that taking down Grey is important. He’s terrifying and he’s going to keep doing what he’s doing, but you don’t get to bench me. You don’t get to pull that superhero loner bullshit. He used me. He hurt me, as much as he hurt you. This isn’t just your fight, Ash.”

“I’m no hero,” he said quietly.

“Not with an attitude like that, you’re not. Heroes don’t save the day on their own.” Finley turned on her heel and stormed out of the room making sure to slam the door behind her.

She hated leaving the heartstone behind, but she didn’t want it because Olivia bought it for her or because she was trying to keep a vampire out of her mind. She wanted it, if he wanted her to have it. And if he didn’t want her by his side, then he didn’t want her to have his heartstone. Not really.

She knocked on Olivia’s door wondering if her sister was ready to talk.

“Come in.”

She found Olivia curled up on the bed with half a box of tissues strung everywhere. Finley made quick work of picking them up and throwing them away. After she washed her hands she crawled into the bed with her sister.

“I was trying to give you space, but I’m worried about you.” Finley waited quietly.

Olivia sniffled and then she burst out, “I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you.” The sobs came fast and urgently.

Finley’s eyes widened. “That’s why you’re crying?”

“It’s one of the reasons,” Olivia sobbed.

Finley wrapped her arms around her sister and held her while she cried. She stroked her hair and tried to say soothing words to calm her down. Eventually her body relaxed, and Olivia’s sniffles stopped.

“I thought for sure you’d be more upset about a vampire possessing you or being dumped by your asshole ex-fiancé. You were engaged for like a minute. What the hell happened? And then there was the whole having to be put into a magical induced coma. Honey, I’m fine. I hardly believed myself half the time. It was too much for me to really comprehend. I’m just glad you’re okay. And I’m okay. And begrudgingly that Ash is okay.”

“You’re mad at him?”

Finley waved her off. “I’m fine. He’ll either figure it out or we’ll…go our separate ways.”

“What about the whole mate thing? Mate is weird. Is that really what they call it?”

Finley nodded. “It was a little weird for me at first, but I’ve gotten used to it. He doesn’t know what he wants. He was saddled with me. He’s not ready for me in his life. He’s been tracking down the wrong guy for months. I don’t think he knows what to do with any of it.”

“Does he know you love him?”

Finley wanted to bark out denial and outrage for suggesting such a thing. She stared down at her wrist where she had grown used to the weight of the heartstone. She didn’t need it to know that she cared about him, loved him even, but it wouldn’t matter if he got himself killed. “I don’t know. I don’t think so. He can’t see past his agenda. He wants to me to stay here while he goes traipsing all over the world trying to stop a crazy vampire from doing only who knows what.”

Olivia sat up with alarm all over her face. “You want to go with him?”

Finley nodded. “I want to help him. I want to help the dragons. Human mates aren’t really…accepted. They’re actually against the law.”

“Why? And if that’s the case then how can you be mated to one?”

“I guess fate has a hand in it.”

Olivia slumped down on her back. “I wish I knew fate was planning something for me before I gave my heart to such a phony. Why was I so stupid?”

“Uh, you are not the stupid one in this scenario.”

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