Chapter Seven
He awaited her outside near the garden terrace. He’d listened to Father Armand’s lecture all through supper on Emily’s behalf for waiting this long to wed when she obviously carried his fiu. If Father Armand’s eyes were as sharp as his tongue, he could have seen Emily and understood her true predicament.
Just as well. He really didn’t need to hear any more reasons from Olaus to suggest his reasoning and judgment as the pendragon of Giresun Manor had been tainted by lust over a human. Both Father Armand and Olaus warned him of impending fire and doom this union would cause. How soon the elders of their herds forgot the ceremonies and bonds made between dragons and the humans, especially their riders.
Blake caught her scent the moment she stepped onto the cobblestones of the garden terrace.
Not until he turned around did his chest take a tight hold around his heart. He waited, waited for her to run from him again. She had been gone long before Blake returned to the tour bus in the wee hours of the morning. He’d searched the local bars, thinking she’d gone there in search of him. But she hadn’t. Nor did he find her at their flat in Rainsburg. Like his dragon brothers, he craved to shift, to soar in his true form. Leaving her after their first time together haunted him for months afterward. When she saw his dragon eyes, he didn’t think she’d believe him. Never did he imagine she’d disappear.
Watching her walk towards him on Sigurd’s arm, knowing it had been the egg, not him she’d been seeking, twisted his gut. He’d known others would come looking for it. He’d assumed Melsunia’s family would have kept it in their possession longer. Nearly a century had passed before Garth and Naomi had appeared in Rainsburg, calling him back to the manor.
They could enforce their ancient laws and beliefs on him all they wanted, but he wasn’t giving up the one person who could hatch Melsunia’s egg.
His dragon heated inside him, memories reared to the forefront of his thoughts. Emily wearing his shirts. Emily curled around him. Emily wrapped in his bed sheet.
No matter how certain he’d been that she’d try to run and escape their ceremony, his chest relaxed as Sigurd took her hand and placed it in Blake’s.
She’d changed back into the short little blue lace number she’d worn the evening of the party. He could think of nothing better than taking her in one swoop back to his own lair in the mountains and helping her forget her boy-toy fury she’d first arrived with.
“It’s sunset.” She smiled like she knew something he didn’t.
“And?”
“Don’t you dragons like to take flight around now?”
“Only when we’re not mating.”
Her face flushed and she scowled at him.
Father Armand cleared his throat, “Let us begin. We have gathered here on this eve to celebrate the union of Blake and Emily. If there is anyone who would speak against this union, speak now.”
Slowly, Emily turned her head. Blake leaned close to her, knowing Father Armand wouldn’t hear his low murmur in her ear. “No one here would dare.”
Naomi stood with Garth’s protective arm around her. Olaus glared, his narrowed eyes pinned on Blake, but the old dragon knew better than to speak against the leader of their clan. As the pendragon, Blake led the Giresun clan.
When it came time for the rings, Bogdan placed one in Blake’s hand. “May your union complete you and the God of all smile upon you.”
Her hand trembled as he slid the ring on her left finger. He turned her hand over, kissing the inside of her wrist. She hissed, feeling the sting of fire between his lips as he branded her with his dragon’s mark. He licked it to seal the wound.
“And what am I to do to you?” She snatched her hand away.
“You must give him something from your heart,” Father Armand said.
Sigurd stepped up. “Here you go.”
Emily looked down at the ring in Sigurd’s hand. “I thought it had to come from the heart?”
“I hate to break it to you, but you’re not a dragon.” Sigurd grabbed her hand and Emily flinched. Sigurd flinched, too. “Sorry ‘bout that. Here.” He lifted Emily’s wrist to his lips and blew. “Better?”
Her brow furrowed then she gave him a faint smile. “Much. Thank you.”
Father Armand cleared his throat.
“Oh right. The ring. Take it.” Sigurd offered it to her again.
Emily shook her head. “I won’t need it.”
Blake cocked his head to the side. He watched her reach around her neck and pull the pendant out from between her breast. A slow, intentional, smile spread across her lips. Behind him Olaus made a move to grab Emily. Garth and Bogdan restrained the old dragon.
She took the pendant and held it out. According to the ancient rules of her people a union between a dragon rider’s descendant and a dragon had become forbidden. By giving her pendant to him, she gave him a part of her—the forbidden part— to lie against his heart. “You honor me.”
Olaus jerked his arms away from Bogdan and Garth. “There will be no mercy on your judgment for this day.”
Garth seized the old man. “I think you need to go hibernate for a bit.”
Emily’s smile turned upside down. Blake kept hold of her hand, squeezing it to reassure her. Panic widened her eyes and he couldn’t let her bolt.
“Maybe this time he won’t come flying out on the wrong side,” Sigurd muttered. Bogdan gave Sigurd a shoulder bump and the younger dragon fell silent.
Naomi turned and followed Garth, and when Olauf had turned out of sight. Blake turned his gaze on Father Armand. “Please continue.”
Father Armand nodded and Emily repeated after him. “No longer two, but one. One heart, one soul, one life together. Take this part of me as a symbol of my promise to always be true to you, always be there for you through the best and the worst of times, and always accept your family as mine. As I have given you this piece of my heart to hold, so give you my life to keep.”
She reached up and Blake bent forward to make it easier for her to slip the delicate chain of her pendant over his head. Unbuttoning the first two buttons of his crisp white shirt, she pushed the cloth aside to allow the pendant to rest against his skin. Then she surprised him, rising on her toes she pressed a kiss to the pendant, cool against his flesh. Shocked and delighted by her gesture, he cupped her face in his hands tilting up her chin to meet his lips in a whisper soft kiss.
When she tried to pull back he held her in place. His tongue traced the entrance of her mouth until she opened to him.
Behind her a loud wail made her jump. Blake’s arms wrapped around her. He looked over her shoulder as Bogdan pulled out a handkerchief and slapped it to Sigurd’s chest. Sigurd blew his nose, an awful disgusting noise making Emily wince.
Then Father Armand tossed his Bible up in the air. “Go forth and be fruitful as I no doubt you will since you’ve already kissed the bride!”
Bogdan and Blake chuckled as the old bold priest marched away in the opposite direction of the house.
“I’ll get him!” Sigurd took off after Father Armand.
Blake pulled her close, careful of the egg between them. “And now I’ve got you.”