Chapter Eight

 

 

Teebie had a stack of books in her arms when she came into Scarlet’s room. “Okay, I have different classic wedding outfits from a number of eras. Do you want me to pick one or just jumble them together?”

“Mix and match. The sasquatch tradition is naked, and my mom isn’t too attached to her genetic history, so a nod to the bright red would be good, but a lot of skin needs to be on display.”

“Well, I can’t modify these for skin, but if you aren’t committed to a design, I am going to go Zhou dynasty. The black will look better with your hair.”

Teebie thumbed through the pages and came up with the design. It was a design from the age before the common era.

“I like that idea. Since none of my recent ancestors were married, I like going back to the past with the clothing. Of course, I am three-quarters North American.”

“Oh, yeah. Right.” Teebie chuckled. “We seem to gravitate to the skin colour. I should know better.”

Scarlet laughed. “Glad to know that humans aren’t the only ones who lock into social judgements.”

“Oh, no. It happens everywhere. The fey are notorious for it. They layer their societies so much that it can be fatal for one level to touch another.”

As Teebie spoke, she flicked her fingers, and a column of blue flame appeared in the room.

“How does that work? The fatal thing?”

“Oh, if a lesser fey dares to touch a high fey, they can be killed on sight. If the high fey touches a lesser fey, they can lose a limb. I am considered high fey in some circles but lower fey in others. It can be very confusing.”

Teebie moved her hands, and the flame shaped itself into a dress stand, and from there, it became solid. Layers of fabric formed out of the fire and hugged the stand.

“Oh, wow. My mom would love this.”

Teebie grinned and kept working. “There are a lot of layers to this.”

“Yeah, but it looks so lovely.”

It took the better part of half an hour, but the layers were finally complete.

Scarlet blinked. “It is going to take forever to put that on.”

Teebie grinned. “Not at all. Take off your clothing, and I will do the transfer.”

“What?”

“I have learned that many brides don’t like standing still long enough to get the fit right. So, I have started to make a matching dressmaker’s dummy, and then, I dress the bride later.”

Scarlet looked at the elegant formal robes, and she smiled. It was the polar opposite of the family wedding her father had always planned. She loved her father, but the fleeting feeling of being important and the centre of attention was something she wanted, and she hadn’t realized it until then.

“Are you ready?” Teebie cocked her head.

“I think so.” She stood up and slid the bathrobe from her shoulders.

There was a rush of flame that felt strangely cool on her skin, and a moment later, she was dressed in layers of silk.

Teebie consulted the book, and another wave of fire wrapped around her and applied her makeup while twisting her hair into position.

“Oh, that is lovely. May I take an image to put in my collection?”

“Sure. Can I take a look first?”

“Oh, of course.” Teebie waved her hands, and a mirror appeared in front of Scarlet.

“Oh, oh, wow.” Scarlet looked at the black robes with the red embroidery of a dragon and phoenix.

There were other traditional animals marching in the border, but she couldn’t make them out as her eyes watered with tears. “Oh, Teebie, I don’t know how to thank you. I just wish my mom could see me.”

“Some things can’t be helped.” Teebie brought out a cell phone and took a picture.

“Somehow, seeing the fey with a camera is a little weird.”

“I am bound to a shifter. Think of it that way.”

“Right. That does make it less peculiar. So, when does the balance ceremony start?”

“As soon as you get there. I went for a more foot-friendly shoe, so if you lift the hem an inch, you will be able to move fairly comfortably. This is a very wearer-friendly design for a formal gown.”

Scarlet smiled and nodded. “Right, we had better get started then. My steps are going to be small.”

“As is appropriate. Everyone waits for the bride.”

Teebie offered her arm, and Scarlet settled her left hand on the blue skin. “Thank you, Teebie.”

“You are welcome. This is the best part of my job.”

They walked out of the Open Heart and down the lane with slow, measured paces. The sun was setting; the guests were stirring. The gazes turned into soft exclamations, and soon, there was an audience following at a respectful distance.

The Meditation Centre doors were wide, and as she walked through to the rear gardens, she fought tears once again.

Two familiar figures left the gathered folk, and they came toward her. “Mom, Dad.” She didn’t, couldn’t say anything else.

Arthur Wilson came to her and gave her a careful hug. “Congratulations, darlin’. He seems an eloquent and charming fellow.”

She whispered, “You met him?”

“He came to introduce himself, and his parents are very charming. We met with Apniainu and Liam this afternoon, and Hiro explained what was going on. Of course, we were eager to attend. Our family celebrations can be left for later.”

She nodded, and he stepped back. Her mother rushed forward and looked at her clothing. “Zhou dynasty. My favourite. Baby, you look lovely.”

“Thank you, Mom. Teebie made it.”

Her mother’s eyes looked to her companion and grew wide. “A fey?”

“A djinn. Mother, this is Teebie, Teebie, this is my mother, Biyu.”

Her mother slowly extended her hand, and Teebie took it. To Scarlet’s shock, there was no spark, no flinch. It was almost as if both were fey or shifter.

Arthur cleared his throat. “Well, before Scarlet gets more confused, why don’t we let her get to her mate?”

Biyu blinked and stepped back. “Of course. This is your day, dearest one. Head high and go to your mate.”

Scarlet squeezed Teebie’s hand in hers before walking to the stairs that lead to the podium where she would wait for all the magic in her body to be drained and filled with a mix of her energy and Hiro’s.

Her mate was standing on another arm of the platform. He was wearing calf-length trousers appliqued with Ainu designs that were mirrored on the kimono-style robe that wrapped his torso. It was closed with a sash, and an appliqued vest finished the look. He was wearing images of tigers in his clothing, and Scarlet was pretty sure that his mother had created his wedding clothing for him.

He bowed to her, and she did the same to him. Their balancer arrived, knelt, and got to it.

 

The walk back to the bed and breakfast was bittersweet. Their families had left the Crossroads after witnessing the balance ceremony, and Scarlet had been touched by their emotional display when the transfer was complete.

“So, are you content to stay here for our bonding night?”

She held his hand as they made their way back to the Open Heart. “I am content. Weirdly, bizarrely content.”

“Good. I have another surprise for you.”

Teebie’s mate, Andor, met them at the front door. “Hiro, everything is ready.”

“Ready?” Scarlet raised her brows.

Hiro nodded, his hair swinging loose. “It was a surprise that I sat on in case it wasn’t ready. Andor, I don’t believe you have met Scarlet.”

Scarlet extended her hand. “Pleased to meet you. I have heard you, but this is our first time meeting face to face.”

He lifted her hand to his lips. “You are as stunning as Hiro stated, but I expected no less of him. He does not exaggerate.”

“Thank you, but normally, I am a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl. I spare my ancient clothing for the Chinese buffets.”

Andor grinned. “I am beginning to see what attracted him.”

“Good. I think he thinks you are pretty, too.”

Hiro wrapped his arms around her and smiled at what was obviously his friend. “Can you send us through the gate now?”

“Of course. This way.”

They followed him to the end of the main hall and down another corridor. After the last turn, they were in front of a huge, round door.

“If we find Hobbits, I am going to be pissed,” Scarlet muttered it as she and Hiro stepped past the opening door.

The scent of wood and beeswax filled the air. The tang of moisture surrounded them, and she instinctively knew where they had come. “We are in the cave.”

“Well, the hot springs have been moved closer to the Crossroads, and we are in the building I designed. Dira began shaping it the morning I brought you back to the Crossroads. This morning, I suppose.”

She smiled, “Can we go exploring?”

“I can take you on a tour, but the clock is ticking.”

“You are so romantic.”

He grinned and took her hand, kicking off his shoes and leading her out of the reception hall.

She barely had time to let her embroidered slippers go flying before he led her through the heated chambers, the springs, the dining area and the bedroom, which was set up for two.

“If you are planning on getting me naked, it is going to take some doing. These clothes were magicked into place.”

He grinned. “May I try?”

She put her hands on his shoulders and went up on her toes. “You can if you think you can.”

He smiled, but his smile faded as their kiss burned thought and wit out of their heads.

Scarlet shivered as he opened the sash at her waist, and he peeled the layers off her, one by one.

The tie of his vest and the band that held his robe together opened, and she was able to caress his chest as she slid the fabric off and away.

His trousers fought her fingers, but he still had three layers of thin silk to go when she managed to loosen the knot and ease the fabric from his hips.

Her blood rushed through her veins, her sex slicked, and she moved toward him to feel skin on skin. The sound of tearing fabric echoed in the air, and she didn’t care. The inner layers could be fixed.

When nothing covered her back but air, he lifted her and wrapped her legs around his hips. She laughed and held on as he twirled her around. She held tightly to him as he knelt, and when he went to lower her to her back, she reached up with one hand and unpinned her hair. It tumbled down her back, and she heard a definite growl.

“Really? You have seen my hair loose several times.”

He nuzzled her cheek. “But this is the first time you have taken it down for me.”

“Well, if we don’t get on with this, it might be the last time.”

He leaned back and lowered her to the traditional bed.

Scarlet made him do most of the work. She arched into his touch, murmured when he touched a sensitive spot, but the moment he fitted his cock to her sex, she wrapped her legs around him and pulled him forward.

The hiss of pain was genuine. She had rushed him.

Hiro rose on his elbows, and he was glowering. “Your first time?”

“Yeah. I should have mentioned it, I suppose.”

He closed his eyes. “I would have gone slower.”

“I wanted to get the suspense over with.”

Hiro shook his head. “I think we just found the one thing we disagree on. Well, hopefully, we can enjoy it a bit more next time.”

“We?”

“We are bound, you and I. When you don’t feel pleasure, it has an effect on me. So, I had better get to work.”

Scarlet had no idea what he was talking about until he leaned over on one elbow and began to stroke her clit.

The light flickers of pleasure started, and when he struck a certain spot, her hips bucked. Hiro got a relieved look on his features, and he began to carefully stroke that spot over and over.

The burning pain of his entry was fading to a dull throb, but that throbbing picked up the beat of his stroking fingers until she started to squirm against the touch.

Sweat beaded on his brow, and he continued to keep the slow and steady pace until Scarlet felt a weird tension coil inside her. The pull of tension got tighter and tighter, and she mewled in confusion the moment before the rush of release hit her. The pleasure that she felt wasn’t familiar, but she definitely wanted to do it again.

Hiro waited until her hips stopped twitching, and then, he moved to rest on both elbows again and started to slide his cock in and out of her.

She looked up and saw his focus, the concentration, and she wasn’t sure what he was waiting for until the coiling started again. It was different this time, sharper with the rasp of sensitive skin still making itself known, but as he picked up his pace, she was lifting her hips against his to invite him deeper.

He began to growl, and magic sparked and surrounded him with bright flickers. Scarlet reached up to hold his shoulders, and the same magical illumination was firing on her own skin.

His hips moved at a blurring pace, and the pleasure gathered and shattered inside her again. She screamed, he snarled, and the magic flared bright, pushing their release from seconds into long minutes of pulsing glory.

 

Scarlet was on her side, and she felt fine. The magic had wrapped around her, inside and out. “Okay, so that makes sense now.”

Hiro smiled slowly. “I am so glad. Why haven’t you ever...”

“Ah, being the only Asian girl in the area meant that I had to have impeccable manners and decorum. One slip would have branded me for life. My mom didn’t give me the talk, my dad didn’t want to upset my mom, and my Aunt Baby just laughed when I tried to ask her.”

“Aunt Baby?”

“Hanna. She is younger than me but my aunt.”

He grinned. “She must love being called Aunt Baby.”

“Oh, she really does. Anyway, since I could break most of the humans, and the sasquatch in the area were all relatives, I didn’t bother with sex. The less you think about it, the less it matters.”

He reached out and pulled her by her waist until she was lying against his chest. “I am glad that your first time was with me, but I wish I had some warning.”

She snickered. “It doesn’t naturally fall into conversation.”

She sighed and listened to his heartbeat.

He rubbed his hand up and down her back. “So, when do you want to think about starting a family?”

“When it happens. I am not in a hurry, but I am not worried about it either. Do you want a boy or a girl?”

“One of each is great. I can hardly wait to tell them that I met their mother while she was camping, alone, at the Crossroads.”

She giggled and stroked his back. “I can’t wait to tell them that I caught a tiger with a cupcake.”

He gave her a squeeze, and they spent the rest of the night whispering about their future. It was going to be bright, Scarlet wasn’t going to give it any option.

Heh. Cupcake.