Page 108 of The King has Fallen

There was a strange, still moment then as she stared at our hands and her eyes went wide.

“My mate,”she breathed, her tone awed.

I laced my fingers with hers and pulled it to my chest, holding it there so that she felt my pulse against her knuckles, bracing on the other hand to keep my back arched so I could hold her eyes.

And then I spoke the words I’d so rarely heard of a Nephilim offering, and that I had spent most of my adult life wondering if they would ever cross my lips.

My body for your protection.

My voice for your champion.

My blood runs for you, my soul.

My mate.

Behold, you are my beauty. Behold you are my love.

Let me taste with my mouth because your kiss is richer than wine.

Let my body speak the words my tongue cannot form.

Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your soul.

For my love is stronger than death, my jealousy fierce as the grave.

I burn for you with fire, the very flame of God.

I am your beloved. I am your mate.

My soul sings for you. My desire is for you.

I give myself in this world, and the next.

Before God… you are mine.

Her eyes welled and she reached up with her free hand, cupping my face as she whispered the words in return.

And my blood began to ignite, like a fuse, burning closer to my heart with every word.

~ YILAN ~

Strange things were happening in my chest. I couldn’t breathe—didn’t want to. My skin crackled and fizzed like fireworks. I’d been plunged from the fear of the King’s demand to this incredible, impossible,necessarymoment and I wanted to weep—but I wouldn’t let myself, because I couldn’t bear to miss a moment of it.

He was here. He was real. He’d opened himself and my soul stretched for him, battering at me.

I had no idea how this would play out. No way of knowing if either of us would survive this. But I couldn’t keep fighting. He’d looked me in the eye and claimed me, and it broke through the last of my defenses.

He was my mate.

And that meant hecouldn’tbelong to anyone else. I wouldn’t survive it.

And so, with the echo of his whispered words still curling around my heart, I swallowed back my fear and embraced the joy of this moment. Ofhim.And I gave voice to the vows I’d been supposed to speak the day before—but to an entirely different man.

My heart for your safety.

My voice for your champion.

My blood runs for you, my soul.

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