Page 78 of Seducing the Dragon
Moving his gaze, Bram checked that Kai was stationed at the rear door, keeping an eye out for any uninvited guests. The journalists had used their contacts in Westminster to gain permission to be on a dragon-shifter’s land. It was only a matter of time before others, or Evie herself, figured out a loophole to allow others to visit. His head Protector was determined to make sure any unwanted visitors didn’t try to harm the clan.
Then his mate entered from the back dressed in a traditional dragon-shifter dress of cream and he forgot about everything but his beautiful female. The sight of her glowing face and the way the dress hugged her curves warmed his heart, as well as a few other places. When she winked at him, he suddenly forgot why he’d ever try to resist her charms.
A traditional human wedding march played as Evie made her way up the aisle alone. Even if her parents didn’t live abroad,they wouldn’t have been allowed on Stonefire’s lands. Evie had decided to walk alone, as she’d done her entire life until meeting Bram.
His inner dragon said,She will never be alone again. She is ours.
Ours now, eh? I’m glad you decided to share.
His beast bristled.The frenzy made me unstable. You know that.
Aye, but it’s fun to tease.
No more teasing. Our mate is here.
Bram put out a hand and Evie placed hers in his. Squeezing her fingers, he led her up the three stairs to the raised dais. While he had a second, he whispered, “You’re beautiful.”
In a rare occurrence, Evie blushed. That made his dragon smug.She is ours.
Ignoring his beast, Bram focused on his mate. He could hear her heart hammering in her chest. To give her strength, he squeezed her fingers again, leaned over, and murmured, “Be strong for me, love. We all need you.”
She nodded and they took their final places in the middle of the dais. Unlike in a human wedding, there wasn’t anyone officiating the ceremony. Dragon-shifter matings were between two people and no one else.
Never taking his eyes from Evie’s, he picked up the smaller silver mating band in the box next to them, the one engraved with “Bram’s” in the old dragon-shifter language, and the room fell silent. That was his cue to begin.
Bram projected his voice. “Evie Marie Marshall, today I take you as my mate. You are clever and brave with an inner strength rivaling any dragon-shifter. I offer you my mate claim today in front of the clan. Will you accept it?”
Evie stood tall and offered her upper left arm. “Of course I accept.”
Good lass.Grinning at his brave mate, he slipped the silver cuff around her arm. The sight of his name on her arm satisfied a primal need deep inside him. Later, he would claim much more than her arm.
Evie reached behind them to take the large silver cuff engraved with “Evie’s” in the old language. Holding it up, her voice was loud and steady as she said, “Bram Moore-Llewellyn, I love you and not just because you’re clan leader, although that is a bonus.” A chuckle went through the room. Leave it to his lass to lighten the mood. She continued, “I love you because you are a strong, caring, and stubborn dragonman who never gives up. I accepted your mate claim. Now, will you accept mine?”
He turned his arm without the tattoo toward her. “Of course, bloody woman, now hurry up. I want everyone to see your name on my arm.”
Evie grinned as she placed the cuff on his bicep. His dragon crooned.I approve of our mate’s name on our arm. We should never take it off.
We’ll discuss that later.
Bram took Evie’s hands in his, brought them to his lips, and kissed each one in turn. Then he tugged her close and stopped a hairbreadth away from her lips. His whisper was meant only for her as he said, “Shall we put on a good show and convince them how in love we are?”
“Oh, Bram, there’s no need for a show. One taste of me and you lose your mind.”
He squeezed her tightly. “I rather thought it was the other way around.”
“Just kiss me. I love you and want this to be over so we can celebrate both with the clan and with each other.”
Bram whispered, “I love you,” before taking her lips in a possessive kiss. Uncaring about who was watching, Bram made sure everyone in the room knew Evie was his.
Or, at least, he claimed her as thoroughly as possible while they both still had their clothes on. That possession would come later.
Epilogue
Two days later
Evie was typing out a chapter on her current work in progress,Understanding the UK Department of Dragon Affairs, when Bram came into the room carrying Murray in one arm and a stack of newspapers in the other.
Her heart rate kicked up. The articles about their mating ceremony had finally arrived.
