Page 84 of Where the Current Takes Him
“Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery,” Jaime boomed. “To the wedding of Beau and Loriun. Please have a seat, and the ceremony will begin shortly.”
“We wanted you to be here,Mamá,” Beau murmured. He pecked her cheek and said, “See you in a few minutes.” He gave Loriun one last, searching look.
Loriun’s heart swelled and he cupped his mate’s face. “I will be the one at the altar.” He’d heard that line in a movie somewhere.
Beau laughed softly and disappeared through the doors.
“Please, take a seat,” Loriun said, gesturing to the chairs. “All the guests are already in attendance.”
Ashford’s eyes blazed in their sockets, but evidently, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything in front of his wife. He rolled her toward the two chairs without a word.
Loriun watched him go with satisfaction. It seemed his message had indeed had the impact he desired.
“Beau and I know everything. If you utter a single word to ruin this moment for Beau or for Ileana, I will drag you to the bottom of the Florida Sea and bury your corpse in the muck of the Everglades.”
Vuos waved him over and pointed out the garment bag awaiting him in the corner. As Loriun shrugged his suit jacket over his shirt, he kept an eye on his soon–to–be in-laws. Ileana was weeping, but a smile still split her face in two. Happy tears, Loriun supposed, though it seemed odd to him that humans could leak salt water out of both despair and joy.
With his jacket buttoned, he moved to stand in front of Jaime. “Remind me again why you are legally permitted to perform a marriage?” Loriun muttered.
Jaime grinned. “I’m a captain.”
“I do not understand how those two things are connected.”
“Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, son.”
Loriun’s face twisted in confusion. “What—”
A familiar song blared from the speaker Vuos had concealed behind one of the many concrete planters. It was a tune Loriun had only heard in movies and TV. At the first notes, the French doors opened, and Beau stepped back into the conservatory. His vibrantly teal jacket was the perfect compliment to his golden skin. He was heart-breakingly beautiful.
Beau walked alone, chin high, to where his groom waited. Loriun held out a hand and twined his fingers with his mate’s.
“Welcome, honored guests, to this celebration of love and family,” Jaime began. “Today, we come together to witness the marriage of Beau Montgomery and Loriun Kolhn. Though their love has been forged in whirlwind and water, there is no doubt of the bond these two share.”
Loriun tightened his fingers around Beau’s. Perhaps there was something to be said for human tradition.
“May I have the rings, please?” Jaime held a hand out to Vuos, who put his camera down long enough to pass over a velvet box. Jaime popped it open. Inside sat two rings—one a match to the sapphire band on Beau’s left hand, and the other a plain circle of heavy gold.
“Beau, please take Loriun’s ring, and repeat after me.”
Loriun met Beau’s endless brown eyes.
“I, Beau, take you, Loriun, to be my lawfully wedded husband.”
Loriun’s chest ached.Gaish ausye,I love this man.
“To have and to hold from this day forward. For better or for worse. In sickness and in health. To love and to cherish. As long as we both shall live.”
The ring was warm as it settled onto Loriun’s hand. He’d need to place it on a chain around his neck after the ceremony,as aquatic webs were not conducive to ring-wearing. But for now, Loriun let himself feel almost human as he watched Beau’s fingers brush along the back of his hand.
“Loriun, please take Beau’s ring, and repeat after me.
Beau’s eyes welled up as Loriun repeated his vows and slid the ring to meet its match.
“Loriun,” Jaime said. “Do you take Beau to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
“I do,” he said, his eyes refusing to leave his mate’s face.
“Beau, do you take Loriun to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
