Loki's Game (20 page)

The Mating Ritual

Rowan breathed a sigh of relief and glanced over at Lily injured and being wheeled toward the waiting ambulance, but alive and free. The police officer with the notebook approached, prepared to ask questions of Rowan, but he didn’t mind. All he cared about was that Lily was going to be all right.

And when she was well again, he would make her his.

Epilogue

Eight weeks later…

Lily glanced down at the cold, golden band around her left ring finger. She’d nearly died trying to protect the damn thing, so it seemed a fitting way to end its journey, but still…why the hell was she so nervous? She’d already slept with Rowan a dozen or more times. She’d been attacked by a god, saved by another, and grilled by the police about some wild panther attack that she knew wasn’t the truth, yet had no problem at all lying about. True, she still had moments of panic when she thought Loki would come back to get her—after all, he’d escaped death so many times before. So why exactly was her stomach in knots over this one little ceremony?

Because her life was changing.

Lily’s mother fussed over her, twirling her curls just so, fluffing the hem of her gown in preparation for the pictures that she so dreaded. When she’d called her mother to tell her the happy news (“Mom, I’m getting married!”), she hadn’t expected quite this reaction. Donna Redway had jumped on the first plane back to Savannah, practically levitated as she welcomed Rowan into the family, and then spent the next three weeks shamelessly spending Rowan’s money on the wedding of the century.

“Mom, that’s enough,” Lily ordered, to no avail. Her mother snorted and continued her duties.

“Mrs. Redway,” Rowan cooed, “Lily is beautiful no matter how you organize her hair. She is your masterpiece, and she is perfect just the way she is.” The older woman visibly swooned, and Lily rolled her eyes. She’d heard the ancient and sometimes archaic flattery so much that she had grown immune to it. Her mother, however was still prone to his genteel, masculine wiles. With a groan, Lily elbowed Rowan in the ribs, and was rewarded with a muffled
oof
for her trouble.

“Suck-up,” she whispered as the photographer herded them into place. He smiled and kissed her forehead.

* * * * *

With the wedding and reception done, Rowan swept her up and all but ran up the stairs in his house, his lips dancing along her jaw and throat with each step. A deep rumble echoed out of his chest, and Lily’s heart beat out a hard, unsteady rhythm.

She’d married him. What was the big deal?

The big deal was the raw power coursing through and around him. The air shimmered just as it had when she watched him shift. A small kernel of terror rose in her throat at the thought of his beastly nature, but it was a little late for that.

No, what frightened her more than anything was the way that power reached out for her, called to her, pulled her in. It wanted her because he wanted her. Because she had agreed to marry him, to be his mate. To be bound to him forever.

“You realize you got off way too easy, right?” Lily asked as he ascended the stairs. Rowan’s chest rumbled with laughter.

“What do you mean?”

“You tricked me.”

He stopped. His face turned serious, and his arms started to shiver. Lily feared for a moment he might drop her. “How so?”

“Well,” she said, her voice thin and reedy, “you promised me a job, instead you almost got me killed.”

Rowan roared with laughter and pushed into the bedroom. Gently, he placed her on the bed, careful of both her still tender ribs and her dress—all of it, she thought with a groan—and tipped her face up to his.

“I did not almost get you killed. Your stubborn pride did that.”

“But you could have been honest.”

“I tried, but you refused to let me, remember?” He smiled at her. “If you really feel that way…” He stood and moved like he would leave the room. Lily grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

“No,” she said a little too fast, “but I am going to hold it against you for a long time.”

“Oh, I hope you do. I hope you hold everything against me.” Lily snorted and swatted at him.

“You’re such a goofball. That’s not what I mean.”

“Oh, then by all means, please elaborate.”

“You owe me, big boy.”

“So you want me to grovel?” he asked, going down on one knee with a wicked smile.

“For starters.”

“And beg your forgiveness?”

Lily chewed the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. She looked away, hoping he took it as frustration and not a means of keeping her humor at bay. “That’s more like it,” she said, forcing her voice to stay even.

“Then let me try this,” he said, and turned her face back to his. His demeanor was still and serious, and his pale eyes shone with love. “Lily Keir,” he said, voice no louder than a whisper. She shivered at her new name. “You have agreed to become my mate. Do you understand the responsibility that comes with such an agreement?”

She had the momentary thought that she should tell him this was silly, but she couldn’t. This was serious, the way of his people. She could give him everything he wanted, and exactly the way it needed to happen. She let her smile unfurl as she met his steady gaze.

“I do.”

“Do you give yourself willingly to me, mind, body, and soul?” he asked.

“I do.” Again she felt the brush of power along her skin, a crackling, electric current that tugged at her senses.

“I give to you of myself everything I have. Mind, body, and soul. Do you accept me?”

“I do.” The swirl of energy grew stronger around her. The hairs on her arms and across the back of her neck stood on end. He took hold of her, his big hands clasped around her wrists. Instinct took over. She turned her hands and held his arms in the same fashion. “Do you accept me?”

He smiled. “I do.”

“Then make me your mate.”

A thin, weak groan issued from his throat as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Lily slid her arms around his neck and pulled him to her, lying backwards. His weight came down on her, and whatever this power was surrounding them closed in, enveloping them in each other. With each touch of his hand or brush of his lips, the bond between them grew stronger, turned into something tangible. And as he entered her, their souls bonded, twining together into one being. For a moment time stretched out before her, and she knew, as she did the moment she laid eyes on him, that he was the one. His fingers threaded through hers and clasped her hand, using it as leverage when he moved over her. She cried out in pleasure and the fear of this commitment dissipated, leaving only glowing warmth in her chest and a feeling of euphoria coursing through her body.

Together they cried out, a single voice of release, and as he rolled to his side and gathered her into his arms, she could feel him nestled safely in her heart. Her husband. Her mate.

“Lily?”

“Yes, Rowan?”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“Forever?”

Lily sighed and curled into his side. She lay her cheek against his chest and listened to the strong sound of his heartbeat. She could never remember being happier. “Forever.”

About the Author

Siobhan Kinkade originally started out as a Dungeons & Dragons character.

True story.

She was an obnoxious little blonde-haired, violet-eyed half-elf rogue who had a bad habit of screaming at random and stealing things from her fellow travelers. She was chaotic neutral, so it pretty much meant she never had to say she was sorry.

She made the transition from fantasy RPG character to fantasy literary character in 2011. Speculative fiction author S.H. Roddey wrote a story out of her usual genre, and she decided she needed a pen name rather than confuse her audience. Naturally, Siobhan stepped up and said she’d take the blame. Since then, Siobhan has learned to be a little less of a kamikaze even if she never grew out of being a walking calamity.

The romance is strong with this one. Some is sweet and some is spicy. It’s about half and half on the paranormal and contemporary fields, and all of it is quite good. Of course, if you were to ask Siobhan, she’d likely tell you that her creator didn’t have a thing to do with it.

Oh, and for those who aren’t sure, it’s pronounced
Shi-von
.

Blog: siobhankinkade.wordpress.com
Twitter: @siobhankinkade
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/AuthorSiobhanKinkade

Other Titles
by Siobhan Kinkade