Page 87 of A Story of Sinners

It was a wedding.

My wedding.

Redmond held out his arm, dimples poking through the top of his broad smile. “I’m ready to give away the bride.”

I placed my hand in the crook of his arm and returned his smile.

We marched towards the altar, my heart leaping with joy.

Chapter35

Ryken

Iwould have Dahlia in any way possible without limiting her freedom. As badly as I wanted the mating bond to be completed, I didn’t trust myself enough with what I may or may not do when it came to holding any sort of power over her. Instead, she held all the power over me, just how I wanted. I didn’t deserve to have her fully, not yet.

She wouldn’t be terrified of me ripping her heart to shreds ever again. I would leave her unclaimed yet bonded to me in another way, a different way, one that held no less meaning. She would feel safe but loved.

That was my vow, and I fully intended on fulfilling it every day for the rest of my life.

The wedding was beautiful, more than I could have ever imagined, thanks to the hard work of her two friends and mine. They made sure to mix both mortal and fae traditions, resulting in an elaborate ceremony that brought tears to her eyes.

She was a beaming light as she walked down the aisle, and my heart nearly stopped the moment Redmond released her and kissed her forehead, handing her over to me.

Our vows were spoken, our hands bound together with gold and silver ribbon, so much like the cord of our bond. By the time the ceremony had ended, she was nothing more than a blubbering mess. It was the most joyous moment I had ever experienced in my relatively long life.

Now, the morning after, she slept soundly next to me, our marriage consummated more than once and the ribbon still tying our hands together as one. The ring I’d given her on her name day lay on her finger, and on mine sat a matching gold and silver wedding band. My hand moved of its own accord, brushing the hair away from her face. My finger traced the small tip of her nose and pink lips. Long dark lashes fluttered, and breathtaking gold and green eyes met mine as a soft sleepy smile spread across her face.

“Good morning, wife,” I uttered.

“Good morning, husband,” she sighed.

I kissed her lips slowly, feeling the heavy weight of love passing between the two of us.

“Are you ready for another round?” I asked, palming her breast then sliding my hand lower to where her wet heat greeted my fingers. She moaned when I slid one in as she rocked against my hand.

The door slammed open, wood smacking the wall, and a growl spilled from my throat, sharp canines gleaming as I took my fill of our intruder.

Lyra. She hadn’t been invited to the wedding.

“Get the hell out of my room.”

Her lip curled as her eyes measured Dahlia’s form beside me and the ribbon binding our hands together. She noted the movement of my hand beneath the sheet as I slid another finger into my wife. My honeymoon would not end on anyone else’s account.

“Oh, I would, but something important has come up. You have visitors in the throne room.”

“It can wait. Shouldn’t you be in the spring court? I don’t recall inviting you to the palace,” I hissed.

“It can’t wait,” she argued, and Dahlia let loose a cute little territorial growl. Lyra eyed my wife, my mate, and seethed. “It’s the Dullahan. Come quick.”

My body tensed at the name. The Dullahan, otherwise known as the headless horsemen, was a spirit that darkened other’s doorsteps whenever death called. He would announce the names of those who were bound to die, serving both as a warning and death sentence.

“Who?” I asked, hoping to the gods he hadn’t called out the names of anyone close to me.

“Everyone,” she whispered. “He has stopped by every court, every castle, nearly every home in Faerie, and called almost every name.”

I groaned, feeling the air of impending doom hanging over our heads. “I’ll be down soon.”

Lyra shot Dahlia and me one last, scathing look then sifted away.

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