The Fallen King: The Bellum Sisters 4 (paranormal erotic romance) (37 page)

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They couldn’t stop smiling at
each other like a bunch of love drunk fools.

“Are you ready then?” he asked.

“As I’ll ever be.”

He grabbed her hand, pulled her
into his arms, and pressed his lips to hers. As he did, she felt the world
shift and move as he ported them.

When she opened her eyes, they
stood on a beach made of fine white sand. He’d asked her where she wanted to be
mated at and all she could think of was the beach. Just like the beach where
they’d spent their few days at, but with one stipulation. This beach had to be
beautiful and hot.

She smiled up at him, unable to
contain her excitement even as nerves ate at her stomach. Soon she’d meet her
half-sisters and his brother and she’d be Mrs. Demuzi.

The water was such a light shade
of blue it was nearly clear. The sky above mirrored the color with only a few
puffy, cottony clouds in the sky.

“It’s perfect.”

His shoulders sagged. “Thank God.”

She laughed. “You were nervous?”

“As hell. I had to hope you’d
like this.”

As if she wouldn’t be happy being
mated with him nearly anywhere. She just wanted to be attached to him
permanently forever and ever.

Just then, people started porting
in.

A pretty brunette accompanied by
a tall, imposing man with long black hair pulled back from his face came first.
Her belly looked rounded with child. A man with short wavy hair, definitely a
demon, stepped back from them. Only demons could port like that, or a witch
with enough power, or a good spell and a solid location. It looked as though
her sister had her very own demon ‘porter’.

A stunningly beautiful blonde
woman carrying a toddler in her arms ported in next with two men. One, she
could tell was a demon because he had long silvery hair, a straight
aristocratic nose, and playful eyes.

“Thanks, Draven,” she said to
him. He nodded, grinning.

“Any time I get to touch you is a
good time.”

The woman rolled her eyes and the
big man at her side growled. Abby’s eyes popped wide. That was a real animal’s
growl. The man was a shapeshifter, she realized, and judging by the size of him,
he had to be an alpha.

“I don’t think your mate would
like to hear about that,” the woman retorted.

The demon named Draven winced.
“Just a bit of teasing. Sorry, love, but no one actually stirs me like she
does.”

Another couple ported in this
time with no backup demon because the demon was attached to the petite woman
with an arm around her waist and his tongue deep in her mouth. Abby sucked in a
breath. The resemblance between him and Alrik was unmistakable. Well, except
for the fact that he had beautiful cerulean blue hair and she had yet to see
his eyes. But, his skin was that glorious golden color. The woman in his arms
moaned softly then popped her eyes opened and they darted right at Abby.

A blush colored her cheeks and
then she pushed at who had to be Telal until he groaned and let her go.
“Later,” he whispered in promise.

According to Alrik, Lily was the
youngest of the Bellum sisters and was mated to his brother Telal. Lily had a
quick, happy smile on her face and a gorgeous pair of green eyes. Everyone came
forward and behind the group, Abby watched her mom port in looking wobbly. She
must have done it from a spell. Her mom spotted her and gave an excited wave.
Abby couldn’t fight her excited grin and waved back.

Introductions were made all
around.

Lily and Telal came up first.
Abby held out her hand but Lily pushed it away and pulled her into a hard hug.
“Sister,” she said.

Abby hugged her back, hesitantly.
“It’s nice to meet you.”

Lily curled an arm around her
shoulder and turned her to face the others. “It’s our sister,” she said like a
judge who just banged the gavel making a judgment.

The two women, Chloe and Willow,
eyed her suspiciously. “She does look like us,” ceded the brown-haired one.
“I’m Chloe by the way and this is my mate Tyrian. He’s all vampire,” she said
like she won some great prize. The tall man started shaking his head. He looked
strong like a warrior but held a command to his presence, and a wicked scar ran
down the side of his cheek. Abby wouldn’t be surprised if this vampire led an
army.

The blonde woman narrowed her
eyes. “I don’t know...”

The strong, tanned, very good-looking
shapeshifter at her side rested his hand at the back of her neck. A dominant
touch. “Play nice, baby.” He looked like he was trying not to smile.

The woman rolled her eyes. “Fine
she looks just like us. I’m Willow. I’d shake your hand but as you can see,
Mary’s taking them up.”

The little bundle in her arms was
named Mary after their mother. Abby didn’t need anyone to explain that to her.
She’d already learned all about that from Alrik. Mary had been imprisoned in the
demon’s dungeon for some twenty years and had missed out on her daughters being
raised. Of course, if that hadn’t happened then Francis wouldn’t have met her
mother and Abby wouldn’t be here. Naturally, Mary didn’t exactly want to be
here for this, she was still adjusting to normal life again after being rescued
by her daughters.

Alrik was ate up over it. Over a
lot of stuff really. But that was his past, and Abby firmly believed it wasn’t
his fault. It was the curse. They’d get through all the rough patches up the
road together.

“Give her to me,” the big man at
her side said. Willow passed the baby to him and he held it as if he did that
sort of thing all the time. He didn’t look like the baby type, but he totally
was. The man saw her gaze and smiled. He had a big smile, the kind that left
you smiling back. “We’re trying for another one. I’m Lyonis by the way.”

“Abbigail Krenshaw.”

“Soon to be Demuzi,” Alrik
corrected.

“Speaking of, shall we get this
mating ritual started?” Telal said. He had a pleasant very deep voice.

“Yes!” Lily jumped in and started
dragging her away. The other ladies followed as they broke away from the men
and headed down the other side of the beach. “We’ll be back!”

Abby tossed one last, panicked
look over her shoulder at Alrik. He was smiling at her. A wicked smile that
curled her down to her toes. She was really doing this. She was really going to
be mated.

She was taken into the forest and
undressed in a circle of red and white candles. They said it was for “purifying
and love.”

They were getting married in a demonic
ceremony. That meant that her hands and feet were painted with a special tool called
a
lathu
in special symbols and works. The paint was
the color of
chocolate. One sister held the bowl while Lily used the
lathu
to paint
Abby’s feat.

A breathtaking pattern of leaves
and trees were painted from her toes up across her feet. It wasn’t permanent
though it was so beautiful she wouldn’t mind it being so.

The intricate design worked up
her foot then around her ankles. Small spirals came off the stems of the
design. Intermixed with the leaves and open flowers in bloom were demonic words
of love, bonding, and mating. After her hands were also done in the flowering
design, she was dressed in a black gauzy dress that kept her arms and below her
knees bare. She was told this ritual would be done barefoot.

Nerves fluttered around in her
belly like butterflies.

Before she knew it, she was lead
back to him. He stood all the way on the other side of the beach. She wished he
was closer she didn’t like having all these eyes on her. He looked amazing.

He’d changed.

Now he wore only a pair of fitted
black trousers that stopped short of the knee and nothing else. All that
beautiful golden skin was bared for the world to see. He didn’t smile but wore
a strong expression—that of a warrior being given his woman. His hands and feet
were painted in the same design of leaves, vines, and words.

Finally, his hand was in hers.
She wanted to say something, wanted him to say anything but they both stayed quiet
as the ceremony started. Everyone took a seat in the sand behind them, except
for Telal who stood before them to perform the ceremony.

Abby squeezed Alrik’s hand and he
squeezed it back, even harder. The nerves in her stomach abated at his touch
and then she let out a deep breath. When she glanced back up at him, she saw a
small smile playing at the corner of his mouth and she smiled back.

The ceremony took place in Demonish.
Telal spoke of love and trust of faithfulness always. They were tender words.
Words meant to be only spoken to one other person once in a lifetime.

Finally, Telal nodded to Alrik.

Then Alrik spoke. “I vow to
always love you from now until the end of my days. Let these designs be a
symbol of the ties that bind us together, of growth created out of trust, anger,
friendship, and love. May these ties never break even after the paint washes
away. May our love never sway against strife but grow stronger, and may they
tie us closer for the rest of our days.”

Tears fell from her eyes. When it
came time for her to repeat the words, she fumbled over them until a fierce
blush covered her cheeks. It was okay because he smiled down at her as if he
couldn’t be prouder.

Finally, she ended her part and her
face was wet from tears and her cheeks bright red. “And may they tie us closer
for the rest of our days.”

Their little gathering stood and
cheered. Alrik pulled her into his arms and gave her a kiss she would never
forget. Not for the rest of her days.

“I love you, Alrik,” she said
against his lips.

His arms squeezed her. “And I
love you, Abbigail Demuzi.”

They clasped their painted hands
together and started their life anew.

Read on for a preview of

Take Me

The Untouchables #1

Coming in January 2013

A paranormal erotic romance series

Dominic
Blackmoore’s lips devastated Felicity, sweeping her into a hazy, sensual storm
where time ceased to exist. Where there was only him and her and the primitive
energy of the world coaxing them to fulfill their duties as beings and lay with
one another.

Then
he pulled back pressing soft, but no less hungry kisses to her lips, across her
cheeks, up her jaw to her neck where he kissed her rapidly thumping pulse. His
ragged breathing sawed hotly against her skin sending a shiver through her
body. His wet tongue darted out to taste just a tiny bit of flesh before
retreating as if wanting to go slow and savor her.

“You’ll
make a perfect
bruid
.”

Felicity
blinked slowly as the fog lifted.

What?

She
couldn’t have heard what she thought she just heard. It had to be the lusty fog
surrounding her combined with the potent brew he’d given her. Did he just say
bruid
as in a ‘bride’ as in the woman a male vampire married to for life?

“That’s
an odd thing to say,” she said with an uneasy laugh.

Then
he pulled back, that deep frown back in place and his brows pulled low. “Not
really, considering.”

Felicity
pulled back too. “Considering what?”

One
of his dark brows flew up. “That we’re to be blood mated.”

“Say
what?” she said in a sharp voice.

Before
he had a chance to answer the door downstairs flung open and in walked an older
vampire woman who looked stunning in her fine cream colored dress with matching
jacket that had one button holding it closed. She had Dominic’s dark coloring.
This woman was Lady Blackmoore—Dominic’s mother.

“Dominic,
are you in here?”

Dom
shot Felicity a scary look...like his mother’s intrusion seriously pissed him
off...then called out, “What is it?”

His
mother instantly turned around and gazed up. Felicity cursed and quickly tried
to duck out of his arms but he only tightened his grip keeping her locked tight
against him.