Daddy's Pet (on hold)

Twenty - Three

A/N: Comment & Vote!

"Where we going?"

Tanner smiled. "To a park."

"Park? Luca not go there 'fore." The small boy eyed his Daddy nervously. "Giving back Luca?"

"No sweetheart. Never." Tanner squeezed his little hand.

"Fen come too?" The boy asked hopefully looking around as if the man who magically appear.

A feeling Tanner didn't like twisted in his stomach. "No darling. Fen isn't coming. But," he put on a smile. "Tonight you get to be with Fen while Daddy runs an...errand."

Errand? It was pitiful how little he was looking forward to forced courting--once he found someone of course. When he had thought Sven was going to be his date he had almost...looked forward to it. He signaled to get on the Turn-Pike, watching Luca peering about curiously as he did so. "Daddy go fast?" He urged suddenly excited.

"Daddy will get a ticket," Tanner replied. "Sorry cupcake."

Luca cocked his head. "What ticket? To show?"

A show? Yeah right. More like an argument with a Trooper who didn't give a damn how many points it put on his license. To by standers it could be considered a show, he reasoned. "Not quite. This ticket is bad."

Luca's eyes went wide and he nodded little mouth forming a comical 'o'.

When they arrived they passed through a wrought iron gate. The entire compound was surrounded and filled with greenery and play equipment. There had to be at least a hundred individuals with a Little. Space was a non-issue as he eyed the 90 acres the play area stretched. There were paths and benches. It was dotted with fountains sculpted like animals.

"Wow." Luca stated.

Tanner couldn't agree more.

He paid fifteen dollars for parking to a smiling man who bid them a good time. Tanner grabbed the knapsack that had all of Luca's were equipment in the off chance it was needed. But it was a park--why would he?

They passed by a toll booth where Tanner signed liability paperwork and, on whim, purchased a four season pass for the astronomical fee of 475 dollars plus tax after the woman gleefully described the Great Pumpkin Carving activities in October as well as the ice sculpture during the winter. Luca had been so excited at what a 'Pumpkin' was, Tanner couldn't say no.

With the investment in place he entered the path. Luca looked around wildly. A girl in pigtails in paused at a woman's side. She was a bit taller than Luca and a vampire. "You're a little itty bitty puppy!" She cried gleefully. "But you look like me?"

The woman visibly stiffened and put her hand on the girl's shoulder pulling her closer. "C'mon Glory. Nice to meet you."

"I wanna play," the girl whined as she was led away from Luca.

A ball of fury settled in his chest. The vampires gave the confused werewolf a wide berth continuing down the cobbled path. Luca looked at his Daddy for an answer. Tanner wasn't sure what to say. How did you explain the someone that they hated you for what you did.

"C'mon cupcake. They're just busy."

Lying was easiest. But it was still hard to realize that the discrimination of weres existed here, in this community, where acceptance must have been of upmost importance. Luca moved on from the encounter with ease and began to chase after a blue and purple butterfly that flittered lazily just out of his reach. Tanner kept a close eye on him while trying to take in their immediate surroundings. He could see a very large tangle of play equipment just over yonder with a good milling of people.