Taken: Warriors of Hir, Book 2 (25 page)

“I think that you are choosing me as your mate,” R’har said slowly. “Even though my claim to you is at an end.”

“Yes.” She glanced around at the other thunderstruck g’hir. “Why? Doesn’t anybody ever do this?”

“No.” R’har shook his head. “No g’hir female has
ever
abjured a mate who captured her and then later chosen him.”

“Oh. Well—” Hope pointed at her forehead. “Human. And back on Earth there’s a saying—‘It’s a lady’s prerogative to change her mind’ so—” She squared her shoulders. “I’m changing it.”

Si’hala’s face lit up. “I like this saying.”

“I mean, I am so crazy desperately in love with you, R’har, that I’m actually willing to just close my eyes and jump—”

“This cannot be,” R’har murmured.

She searched his face, starting to feel a little panicky. “Wait a sec—don’t you still want me to be your lifemate? I thought—”

“Yes,” he rumbled, stepping forward to cradle her cheek in his warm broad palm. “Little one—Yes.”

Her shoulders fell in relief. “Oh, thank God—Goddess—
whoever
—but just so you know, I’m really, really scared right now and please don’t break my heart. And I don’t care if you think you have a good reason—no more lies. Never.”

“Never,” he promised, his growl low, fervent, and brushed his nose to hers.

Then, as if the whole Yir clan and Mirak and his clanbrothers too were not even there, R’har’s mouth was hot on hers and her arms wound around his neck to pull him closer.

“Okay, just checking here,” she said when R’har drew away, both of them a little breathless. “Do I have to do anything else now? Get something for you to eat or drink or anything? You need to tell me ’cause I have no flipping idea.”

“All that is needed is your choosing and my acceptance. I am yours for always,” he rumbled. “And you are my future, my heart. My Hope.”

Her vision blurred as she smiled up at him.

“You do not have to tell me this time.” R’har smiled back and touched his ridged forehead to hers. “These are the happy tears . . .”

Epilogue

“Are you certain, Hope?” Si’hala looked over her ensemble in despair. “There is still time to change.”

“I’m sure,” Hope said—
again
—from her place before the dressing room mirror. “Where I come from, white is the traditional color for a bride.”

“But it is so . . . plain.”

Hope regarded her reflection as she smoothed the silky skirt of her wedding gown. The gown was magnificent; decorated with real pearls—not beads—and stones that sparkled like diamonds—it was a dream of a dress. Her red curls were done half up and half down, dressed with stones like the ones on the dress that caught the light with every movement of her head.

“It’s not plain,” Jenna protested from where she sat nursing her new daughter, Anna—named for Jenna’s mother—as she shifted the baby to a more comfortable position. “It’s elegant.”

Hope smiled. “I think it’s perfect.”

“It is
not
a winter fabric. You should have something that
dazzles
for a wedding.” Her clansister tsked and headed for the racks to pull down a plum-colored gown shimmering with the kind of gold beading a Las Vegas showgirl would sport. “Now
this
—”

Hope sent a pleading glance across the dressing room at Jenna.

“Really,” Jenna said to Si’hala, “this is just the kind of gown human brides from our area of Earth wear. I mean in plenty of other places—
Ow!
” Jenna gave a startled look at the infant in her arms. “Jeez, are you cutting a fang already?”

“Pumping,” Hope muttered under her breath, turning back to her reflection as Jenna freed herself from her baby’s bite. “I am definitely going to be pumping.”

“Very well,” Si’hala said sulkily as she returned the plum dress to its place. “I will tell them it is a human custom that I cannot talk you out of, no matter how I tried.”

Hope didn’t think even one of the hundreds of warriors waiting downstairs in the Yir clanhall to bear witness to the wedding would care either way. “I’m sure—once you explain it—they’ll understand.”

“I will let them know you are ready,” Si’hala mumbled dispiritedly as she left.

Jenna closed her top and stood. “Don’t worry. Remember, she didn’t like my wedding dress either.”

“I’m glad you’re here. Both of you.” Hope lightly touched the sleeping baby’s soft cheek, peering down at the cherubic little face. “She’s beautiful.”

Jenna beamed. “Yeah, she is. She’s going to be very human looking—except for the glowing blue eyes, of course. And she’ll probably be really tall, six feet or so.”

“That’s a little short for a g’hir woman.” Hope grinned. “But perfect for a supermodel.”

Jenna looked down at her baby. “I hope she gets to see Earth someday. I want her to know where her people come from. Where I grew up.”

“Maybe she will,” Hope offered and gave a laugh. “It’s not like we could have predicted
this
, right?”

The dressing room door opened and Hope, yelping when she saw who it was, flew to hide behind Jenna.

R’har stopped in the doorway, staring. “Hope? What are you doing?”

“You can’t be in here!” Hope cried, as the shorter southern girl did her best to shield Hope from his view.

His brow creased, his own wedding clothes a more formal version of a warrior’s usual attire. “These are our quarters. I am here every day.”

“I mean right now!” Hope exclaimed. “You aren’t supposed to see the bride before the wedding. It’s bad luck!”

R’har’s frown deepened. “But I have already seen you.” His glance went over her in a way that showed exactly how
much
he’d seen of her. “Many times. How would we have lifemated if we did not see each other first?”

“We would lifemate after the wedding,” Hope said impatiently.

“But how would we know we wished to marry if we had not lifemated?”

“Are you trying to make
sure
we have bad luck here?” Hope demanded. “Please, R’har, wait for me downstairs!”

“But I will see you then too,” he argued, baffled. “Am I to close my eyes?”

“It’s okay if you see her
at
the wedding,” Jenna said, laughter in her voice. “Just not right before. Don’t worry, we’ll be down in a minute.”

Shaking his head, R’har left and after the door was safely shut behind him, Hope straightened. “Thanks, Redneck.”

“Anytime, Townie,” Jenna came back.

The two women grinned at each other, then Hope’s smile faded.

“Look, Jenna, I’ve never told you how much I appreciate what you’ve done for me. Helping me learn about Hir and everything, I mean. Si’hala helps but she’s—”

“Not human,” Jenna finished with an understanding smile. “I still get homesick too sometimes, but it gets easier. You’ll see. I’m really glad you’re here, Hope.”

“Yeah, well . . .” Hope shifted her feet. Jenna and Si’hala had become real friends, the truest she’d ever had. “I know I didn’t make it easy, especially at first. I was so guarded. Maybe even kinda obnoxious.”

Jenna raised her eyebrows. “‘Kinda’?”

“Very,” Hope admitted, her throat closing at how hard she’d pushed Jenna away, at how hard she’d been on R’har.

“Okay, seriously,” Jenna said quickly and not entirely feigning panic. “Si’hala will snatch me baldheaded if you come downstairs with your eyes all red, so no crying!”

Hope laughed. “Sorry.” She took a deep breath and gave a nod. “I’m okay.”

“Good, ’cause it looks like R’har is all set to get married,” Jenna said. “What about you?”

“Yes.” Hope squared her shoulders. “I am.”

“Then let’s get to it, girl.”

Jenna led the way out and smiled at her mate, Ra’kur, who waited at the bottom of the stairs.

“Can you take the baby?” Jenna asked. “I have to do the matron of honor thing now.”

It hardly looked as if she needed to ask. Ra’kur, his face aglow with love for his mate and child, gently took the infant into his arms.

Ra’kur she knew, but the man who bore such a strong resemblance beside him she didn’t recognize.

“Hi,” she said. “I’m Hope MacGowan.”

“Mata.” The warrior bent his head respectfully. “I am Ke’lar, of the Erah enclosure.”

“My brother,” Ra’kur added.

“R’har is greatly blessed to have you as lifemate.” Ke’lar was as handsome as his brother and had the same black hair and bright blue eyes as his kinsman. “I have never seen hair that color. You are utterly unique, Hope of the Yir.”

“Oh.” Hope gave a light laugh. “You’ll see plenty like me on Earth.”

His face instantly clouded. “I have not had the fortune of being chosen to journey to your world.”

“Oh,” Hope said again, her face warming. “Maybe you’ll get chosen next year.”

“Perhaps,” he said but the pain that flashed in his eyes said it all. His clan already had a human female and that knocked him to the bottom of a very long list. He gave a slight smile but even that seemed forced. “Spring will be here soon and I look forward to foresting this year.” He bent his head to her again. “May the Goddess smile forever on your union.”

“Thank you.” Hope watched as he and Ra’kur, carrying the baby, joined the other guests. “That’s too bad,” she said to Jenna. “He seems really nice.”

“Yeah,” Jenna said with a glance at her brother-in-law. “There are a lot of good men like Ke’lar. They deserve better than a life alone.”

Si’hala was looking her way anxiously and waving her forward, indicating that the time had come. Hope was suddenly hit with a stomach full of butterflies.

“It’ll be okay,” Jenna said quickly, accurately interpreting her expression. “I’m right behind you.”

Hope was frozen in place but just then R’har turned and smiled and suddenly her feet were moving as if she were gliding across the Yir clanhall’s ancient stones. Then his warm hand was enveloping hers and she made the vows expected of a g’hir pairing. He followed suit, his deep voice solemnly speaking the words to declare their marriage before the Yir and their guests.

“This is not part of a g’hir ceremony, my Hope,” R’har rumbled, surprising her, as Lihr placed something into his palm. “But I would have it be part of ours.”

He took her hand in his and Hope smiled through tears as R’har slid a ring onto her third finger, the band radiant with Hironian jewels.

Available Now

Warriors of Hir Series, Book 1

Captured

Jenna McNally is tending to the heartrending task of clearing out her grandfather’s cabin when she’s knocked off her feet by the impact of a nearby plane crash. She races into the snowy North Carolina woods to help and discovers that this is no plane that’s crashed.

Ra’kur’s people have been brought to the brink of extinction by war. After years spent searching for a compatible mate to bond with, an enemy attack lands him on a backward, primitive planet and right to the very female he has been seeking. And a Hir warrior’s first task in claiming a mate is to capture her . . .