Onyx Blood [True North series book 2/3]

We got to Thoridor’s room, and he took me straight to the bed.

“Tell me everything I need to know about a human marriage ceremony,” he said, in between the kisses he was trailing down my neck.

“It’s called a wedding,” I breathed, trying very hard to stay focussed, “the girl usually wears a white dress, and there’s vows — promises the couple make to one another. They exchange rings as a symbol of their undying love, as there’s no beginning and no end. Usually there’s a feast afterwards, with food and dancing. It’s all a pretty joyous occasion.”

Thoridor stopped kissing me to look at my face. “So we need a dress, and rings first. Anything specific I should wear?”

I shook my head. “Anything’s fine. Now tell me about the mating ceremony.”

A smirk formed on Thoridor’s lips. “It’s a four part ritual,” he began, “there’s the marking, the blood sharing, the declaration and the physical mating. All four parts are essential for the bond to be completed. Usually all four things happen at once, and then the couple usually… goes away for a while. Together. Just the two of them, to get some… alone time.”

I swallowed, and trailed my hands down Thoridor’s back. “What’s the declaration?” I asked curiously.

“Declaring the bond,” Thoridor explained, “basically calling the other yours and yourself theirs. It’s supposed to be a very pivotal moment in the mating ceremony.”

I looked at Thoridor’s eyes, which were swirling with darkness, a sign of his beast being close to the surface.

“Why is he here?” I asked, and I didn’t even need to explain my question.

“He’s excited,” Thoridor replied immediately, “he likes that we’re talking about the mating ceremony. He’s been wanting to be with his mate since the mating bond clicked. Beasts are very mate-oriented. It’s been very hard, holding him back.”

I dropped my jaw in shock. “I’m not mating with your beast!” I called out in horror.

Thoridor laughed out loud. “By the moons, Serin, what do you take me for?” he chuckled, rubbing my thighs with his palms.

“Don’t worry, all the mating would be with me. In this form.”

I felt my cheeks heat up. “Right,” I said, “please remind me what that form looks like.”

Thoridor smirked as he unbuckled his chest piece and the bracers around his forearms, and tossed them to the floor. He grabbed onto the fabric of his tunic, and ripped that off too. I gawked at his bare upper body, marveling at each line and crevice.

There were thick veins running along his biceps, and each branched out into an intricate network across his forearms. For a split second, I felt compelled to bite him. I was so taken aback by the urge I bounced back, hitting my head against one of the bed posts.

“Don’t worry about it,” Thoridor laughed, as he cupped the back of my head in his palm and pulled me toward him. He kissed the sore spot, and then looked at me with eyes that gleamed with mischief.

“That’s just the bond talking. Your body is craving the completion too.”

I rubbed the back of my head discontentedly. “I wouldn’t bite you though, right?” I asked, remembering the feeling of Thoridor’s teeth sinking into the side of my neck, and shuddered at the thought.

“You would,” Thoridor said. “That’s the marking part of the ritual. I’d bear your mark, and you’d bear mine. I already marked you once, but that mark’s been fading since we haven’t completed the bond yet.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Please tell me you don’t have to bite me again,” I hissed.

Thoridor chuckled and leaned in, pressing his lips to the base of my throat. Then worked his way up, scraping his teeth over the sensitive skin.

“You’ll beg me to,” he whispered in my ear, “when you climax, you’ll beg me to mark you again.”

Heat began lapping at me from the inside out, and I instinctively grabbed onto Thoridor’s shoulders, pulling him closer. He lifted me onto his lap, and held me down by my hips. He kissed me again, gently grinding my hips into his. Lust began pooling deep within me, spreading to the throbbing place between my thighs and up toward my brain, fogging my ability to think clearly.

“You said we’d go to the Aerial Palace?” I asked, trying my hardest to focus.

“If you want to,” Thoridor confirmed, “it’s the most private. My family doesn’t go up there, and the Aerial city isn’t directly connected to the palace, so we wouldn’t have to worry about disturbances, or.. noise.”

Crimson stained my cheeks at the thought. “Okay,” I said, unconsciously rolling my hips against his, “when are we doing this?”

Thoridor pressed a kiss to my collarbone, setting my chest ablaze. “As soon as we get the dress and rings,” he mumbled, “I’ll have Ilowyn make you a gown, and I bet Phaedra will be able to make us some rings. It shouldn’t take too long.”

“The dress is more of a formality,” I whispered dismissively, “I don’t really need one. And the rings… we can do that later, too.”

Thoridor grinned as he flipped us over, so he was laying on top of me.

“Oh no, love,” he whispered in my ear, before slowly dragging his tongue up the length of my neck, “I want to honor your human descent. And besides, I still need to get you to love me first.”

“I do,” I whispered feverishly, mindlessly, “I love you. Let’s just complete the bond — let’s just do it now.”

Thoridor pulled back a little, to look at me. “As much as I want to,” he began, sounding pained, “I think we should—”

He didn’t get to finish his sentence, as an aggressive pounding on the door shook us out of our lust-driven daze.

“Sire!” a panicked voice called through the door. “Our borders are under attack!”