Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 28782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 144(@200wpm)___ 115(@250wpm)___ 96(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 144(@200wpm)___ 115(@250wpm)___ 96(@300wpm)
In an instant, Shayla’s gaze fell on Kael’s kneeling form and he was all she could see.
The desire to run to him made it feel as if her insides were vibrating. She licked her lips and released a shaky breath. Her left hand tingled and she fisted against the maddening, arousing sensation.
Kael’s eyes glowed the brightest she’d ever seen. He was magnificent, regal, and more beautiful than she’d remembered after just a day’s painful separation. A fierce masculinity rolled off him and curled around her until she swore she could smell him, taste him, feel his touch on her skin.
Liam paused at the outside of the circle and dropped his arm.
And then Shayla stood before the man, the vampire, the king she knew without question owned her, heart and body.
They joined marked hands and she barely resisted crying out. She sucked in a sharp breath as the most wondrous current of belonging shot through her—she simply didn’t know how else to describe it. By the trembling of his hand in hers, she knew Kael felt it, too.
On instinct, she sank to her knees. They were so close her chest nearly touched his. Only their clasped hands separated them.
Then Kael began to speak. She didn’t know the ancient language, but she understood perfectly well the emotion behind the words. Her heart swelled at the passion with which he spoke. Tears bloomed in her eyes at the glassiness she saw in his. Their hands clutched tighter and the feeling was simply, fundamentally right.
She was so focused on Kael she didn’t even react when he paused and the warriors chanted in a fierce yell and fell to one knee around them.
After a moment, Kael’s deep, fervent voice continued. “I am on my knees before you because we will always be equals, partners in all things. I hold your hand in mine, because we will always be together. I look into your eyes to see into the real you, and let you see into the real me. I pledge to take care of you, protect you, and cherish you for all time.” Shayla’s heart thundered in her chest. A single tear quietly rolled down her cheek. He raised their hands to his mouth and kissed her fingers.
Her lips dropped open and her mouth salivated at the picture of his mouth tasting her. That foreign urge flared within her, stronger now, more demanding.
“The ancient blood magic has deemed us a good match. I agree with all my heart. Shayla McKinnon, will you be my mate?”
She swallowed hard and smiled. “Kael the Fair, Son of Iain, Warrior King of the Vampires and Chieftain of Clan MacQuillan, I will be your mate. I, in turn, pledge to take care of you, protect you, and cherish you for all time.”
Intense heat flared between their palms, stung and burned, and then the pain disappeared completely. Kael flipped their hands over and pulled his wrist back enough to reveal new identical knot-shaped marks covering their palms. Unlike the rest of the mating mark, the knot was colored in greens and reds and blues. It was stunning.
Another roaring cheer rose up around them. The warriors bowed their heads.
Shayla was overwhelmed as her whole world changed around her, but above it all was her need for him. For Kael. She was dying to kiss him. It was almost painful to keep her mouth away. She bit down on her lip, hard, and chewed. With her eyes, she pleaded with him.
His gaze narrowed. “I understand, dearheart. Soon.”
She undid the fastenings on her robe as he undid his. She exaggerated the lift of her hood, not wanting to catch the jewels in the circlet of her hair. Kael did the same, revealing a magnificent crown that made her hands itch with a need to bury themselves in his glorious hair. They both dropped their cloaks behind them.
Then Shayla gasped. Her gaze trailed down to the golden skin of his chest, painted with red markings. She breathed deeply and exhaled a needy moan she couldn’t restrain. “My lord?” she whimpered, completely overwhelmed by his scent. It was him, only magnified by a million, and it drove her crazy. She shook and panted, was on the verge of begging for…she didn’t know.
“What do you want to do, Shayla? What urge are you fighting? Give in to it.”
Her gaze cut from the red to his flaring eyes.
“Give in. Do it. Now.”
Chapter 10
Shayla licked her lips as she gazed at the red-painted knot over Kael’s heart. She wanted to…to…
She sprang at him and opened her mouth over the red. The moment her tongue touched his skin, she groaned, a nearly strangled sound from deep in her throat. This was the urge she’d been feeling all day. She licked and sucked at the spot over his heart until only his clean tattoo remained. She drew back, whimpering.