Dark and Damaged: Eight Tortured Heroes of Paranormal Romance: Paranormal Romance Boxed Set (123 page)

She drank, grimacing at the taste. Finally, the men came and fetched Robert. He threw her a look over one shoulder that seemed tender and encouraging, but she was too nervous to pay it much mind.

Susan and the other females surrounded her, then marched her into the lodge to a downstairs room. A bedroom, very plain, with a white spread on the king-sized bed. In the adjoining bathroom, steam misted the air. Robert’s sister handed her a thick black satin robe with a cowl, one Aurora recognized as traditional among Lupines.

“When you dry off from your bath, put this on. You must wear nothing underneath, not even shoes,” Susan instructed.

Then she hustled Aurora into the bathroom and closed the door. Grateful for the privacy and the pampering, Aurora sank back into the water with a sigh and soaked for a few minutes. Her skin felt stretched tight over her bones as she thought of the rite that was to take place.

Sex in front of those select couples. Aurora shivered, despite the warm water.

When she emerged from the bathroom dressed in the robe, they fussed over her, giving her sips of absinthe, feeding her little bites of petit fours. Susan brushed her hair but paused, the brush in mid stroke.

“Do you know everything that will happen in the formal joining ceremony? Do you have any questions?”

Aurora swallowed hard and met her sister-in-law’s gaze in the mirror. “I believe I’ve seen it all.”

The Lupine set down the brush and squeezed her shoulders. “My brother may be a stubborn male at times, but I can see how much he cares for you. He never would have added that promise to his vows if he did not mean it. We take our vows very, very seriously in this pack.”

Tears clogged Aurora’s throat. How she wished she could! “Thank you. I do have a question. Who are the couples and why are they chosen as witnesses?”

Susan hesitated and then took a deep breath. “They are the eldest survivors in our pack, the ones who were dedicated to serving my father, the original alpha. They carry the memories and the traditions of our people and have a place of honor.”

She liked the idea of tradition, though her insides clenched at the idea of having sex in front of these venerated Lupines.

The door opened and the women all left, Susan giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze before she walked out. Six women, all dressed in robes similar to Aurora’s, walked inside. The tallest was a redhead Aurora recognized from spying on Guy and Helen’s mating ceremony.

“I am Dahlia, the eldest female of the Keynes pack. I will escort you to the sacred grounds to complete the ritual.”

Dahlia introduced her to the five other females, and then handed Aurora a pretty dragon mask to cover her face. The mask smelled of roses as she donned it. The others did the same.

“Come,” Dahlia said solemnly. “It is time for you to consummate the mating.”

As Aurora walked outside, wind rippled the robe, teasing the hem as she walked, accompanied by the six women. Overhead, a few clouds scuttled across the sky. It was mostly a clear night, with stars winking overhead. The grass felt cool and damp beneath her feet, and she shivered, despite the robe’s warmth.

They waited outside the sacred grotto for Robert.

At last he approached, wearing the traditional black robe of the Lupines and wearing a dragon mask far more intricate than the others. In his hands he held a small clear jar.

The Lupines looked at him expectantly but Robert held up a hand. “Wait. We will not complete the rite until Aurora is freed from her slave collar. I will not consummate this mating unless she is willing.”

Moonlight spilled upon them in a wash of silver. Robert set down the jar. He looked up, and then reached for the clasp holding her slave collar fastened. The warmth of his fingers sent a tingle rushing down her spine. He unsnapped the collar and it dangled from his fingers. Then he handed it to one of the males.

“Throw this into the pond. I never want to see it again.”

She shivered with awareness, and rubbed her neck. It felt good and curiously freeing to be rid of the damn thing.

Through the eyeholes in his mask his gaze remained fierce. “If it were up to me, I’d destroy it so it would never hurt you again, Aurora. I promise I’ll do everything I can to make you happy.”

She felt a rush of relief. Though still nervous at what was to transpire, she knew he cared for her, and that made this formal rite, with its lack of tenderness, more acceptable.

He looked at her, his hands warm upon her trembling shoulders. “Do you wish to consummate this mating with me of your own free will?”

Aurora stared into his eyes. “Yes. I do.”

Relieved sighs rippled through the six couples. Robert picked up the jar, went to the trellis and touched a vine and the vines parted.

They entered the grotto, her heart pounding like a war drum. Robert uncapped the jar and set it down upon the ground.

After the six couples purified the air with sage, Robert went to the first candle on the pedestal. Flames shooting from his index finger, Robert ignited the taper. “Power of the air, endow this mating and myself and my mate with your strength and let them never know want.”

He took the first taper, and used it to light the second one and murmured, “Power of the earth, endow this mating and myself and my mate with your fertility and let us conceive and bear strong young.”

At the third candle he recited, “Power of fire, endow this mating and myself and my mate with your passion.”

At the fourth candle, he said, “Power of water, let this mating and myself and my mate be healthy and awash in a flood of life.”

At the fifth candle, he added a spell to all the earth elements for honor and loyalty and strength of balance and love of pack. At the sixth red candle, he looked at her and nodded. Drawing in a deep breath, she removed her dragon mask, as did Robert and the others.

Robert spoke in a deep voice. “Power of the dragon, I bare myself before you. Protect my people and my mate with your life force and your strength. Make all of us fertile, and our land prosperous. Let our eyes be opened to the wisdom of the ages, and let us remain true to ourselves, and enable us to fight this evil that has cursed our people and our land.”

The flame burned a bright silver.

Robert blew out the taper, set it upon the last pedestal and turned to the circle. He donned his mask again, as did the others. Aurora put hers back on as well. Then he lifted his long arms and looked up at the nearly full moon, shining down upon them.

“By my right as alpha of this pack, I purify this space and this mating of myself, Robert Keynes, alpha of this pack, with Aurora Seville, Mage and daughter of the earth, and bless it with my blood.”

The candles flickered, casting ghostly shadows around the circle.

Robert took a silver dagger and made a small cut in his palm. Blue-black in the silvery moonlight, his blood dripped upon the dragon’s head, then fell to the ground, turning silver.

He lifted his head to the sky. “I speak to the power of the Goddess Danu. Let this union be blessed, and as we come together as one to consummate our mating, endow us with the strength of our people, the Lupine.”

Robert turned to Aurora and his expression turned tight with desire. But his hands were gentle as he clasped her palms. “I, Robert Keynes, take you, Aurora Seville, as my forever mate, to fill your belly with my seed. May you conceive strong, healthy offspring.”

The six couples laid their hands upon Robert and Aurora and then stepped backward and removed their robes. Robert led Aurora over to the back of the stone dragon. He removed his robe and his mask.

“I bare myself before the old ways, as I take this female for my forever mate, to mother my young,” Robert said in a loud voice.

Her hand shaking a little, Aurora removed her robe and mask. She spoke in a loud, clear, voice, “I bare myself before the old ways, as I accept this male as my forever mate, to father my young.”

Cool air caressed her body, but for once she did not feel the cold. She was aware of Robert’s rich, spicy scent, the power of his naked body and the fluid grace of his muscles.

Tremendous heat filled her, from the drink or the solemnity of the occasion, she did not know.

Robert helped her to lie upon the dragon on her belly. Her cheeks ignited with furious embarrassment. She felt him spread her legs and tensed.

Then the delicious scent of coconuts filled the air. Pure, natural. She felt the oil slide over her thighs, then between her thighs, across her cleft. It felt wicked and she undulated her hips, moaning as he slid a finger into her channel.

The circle of six couples ringed her. Robert clasped her hips. But then he pressed a kiss against her spine, so tender it made her aware of the man. Robert. The wolf who would not hurt her.

Bashful in front of the crowd, Aurora tensed until Robert’s gentle caresses and kisses fully aroused her. She lay on her stomach, ass in the air. Robert caressed her bottom with soothing, sensual strokes. He slipped a finger between the folds of her wet cleft, rubbing gently, testing her.

“You’re ready for me, aren’t you?” he murmured.

Agonized with anticipation, she raised her bottom higher into the air. Robert grasped her hips. Bending over her, he slowly pushed his thick penis into her wet, yielding flesh. She gasped as he gently battered against her barrier, then he gave a hard thrust and broke through.

The pain caught her off guard, but she refused to show emotion, no, not before these wolves. Then Robert bent his head and murmured into her ear.

“Hold onto me, sweetheart. We’ll get through this together.”

He laced his fingers through hers and his touch gave her strength.

Aurora arched as he withdrew, then thrust into her again. His muscled body held her in place like a wild animal dominating its mate. Trapped beneath his heavy weight, she could not escape, yet this vulnerable position felt instinctively right.

His penis pumped slowly and steadily into her as she gradually became oblivious to the others around them. Then he pulled her up on all fours and slipped his hands beneath her, cupping her breasts, squeezing gently. His thumbs flicked teasingly over her cresting nipples as he rocked into her. She felt burning need replace shyness.

Nothing mattered now but Robert, wrapping himself around her as if trying to penetrate her whole body. Claiming her in this ritual, his cock thrusting in and out of her slippery sheath as she clenched around him.

Her mate. No other female would feel his muscled arms gather her close. No other female would cherish his tender kisses, his skilled fingers tracing every inch of her trembling skin or his massive, thick penis filling her.

A growl rumbled deep in his throat as he nipped her neck possessively.

She pushed against him. Wriggling, trying to get him in deeper. Aurora tossed her head back and moaned. He gripped her hips, steadying her.

“How bad do you want it, Aurora?” he asked thickly.

“Deeper, fuck me deeper, Robert.” Her voice sounded rough and thick to her own ears, nearly unrecognizable.

He thrust into her, hard. She took him, begging for more. Faster and faster he thrust, his sweat-slicked body smacking against her, his testicles slapping against her, his cock sinking deep inside. Aurora rocked back and forth with him, shuddering with pleasure and then screaming out as her orgasm hit her.

She felt his powerful body shudder as he climaxed too, still thrusting inside her.

Robert dropped a brief kiss on her back before his cock slid wetly from her clinging sheath. Aurora winced as his flesh left her body. She felt limp with pleasure as she lay upon the dragon, panting madly. Unashamed of his nudity, Robert stood up. Indifferent to silent approval from their audience, he glanced up at the moon rising high in the sky. The round, very full moon.

He helped Aurora to stand and she grimaced at the pull of her sore muscles.

His kiss was tender and sweet. Holding her close, he whispered against her mouth, “Are you all right?”

Aurora nodded and nuzzled her cheek against his jaw, slightly alarmed at her need to turn into a beast, like Lupine. Turn feral and make love again, only with the wildness of the wolf.

She expected that they would fall to the mossy ground and make love again, like Guy and Helen had. Instead, he covered her with the robe, dressed himself as the others did as well.

She looked at him expectantly. Robert drew in a deep breath and walked over the chest. Candlelight flickered in the grotto.

Robert opened the chest and removed something, then closed the lid. He cradled the object in his palms. When he reached her, he opened his palms.

Resting there was a small white stone, about the size of a hen’s egg. It glowed with silver light. Gasps sounded from the couples.

“The dragon’s egg,” Robert said quietly. “It has lain in the chest dormant since I received it as a gift fifteen years ago. It has waited for this moment, for you and I to become mates, Aurora. It has waited to break the curse and heal our people and our land.”

He placed the egg into her hands. Her throat tightened with emotion. The egg pulsed with warmth as it glowed, lighting the grotto. And then tears shimmered in her eyes. Such a beautiful jewel, from a rare, wonderful creature.

I can’t kill the dragon. How can I?

But she would not think of the dreaded task now. Not tonight. Aurora watched as Robert placed his palms over hers. Suddenly the warmth in their joined hands became delightful, glowing as incandescent as fire. Silver light shot out of their palms.

“Open your hands,” he instructed, removing his palms.

As she did, the silver light intensified and then shot out of her hands, ringing the circle, touching upon the land, the trees and plants, and the six Lupine couples. It zipped out of the circle in an ethereal silver glow, like fireworks, and sank deep into the earth. For a few seconds, the entire land lit up, shining like moonlight. Then the light faded.

Gasping with delight, Aurora stared at her now empty hands. The light had faded from the circle. When she looked at Robert, tears shimmered in his eyes.