hers and laced the fingers of her right in his. Overhead, one of the stars grew brighter and brighter until it shone like midday but only around where they stood.
Max tilted his chin toward the star. “That is Selestia, our home planet. It is time.”
Zalphia watched Max’s face brighten as he began.
“I, Maximillion, desire to have Zalphia as my own, in this realm and the next, before the Elders of Selestia, the great God above, and here on this world as my mate. I promise to care for her and love her. If the Elders approve, let it be known.”
The words burned into her memory. He wanted her to be his, forever. Happiness like she’d never felt before burst inside, along with the excitement of becoming one with her strange, dark man. She imagined her beloved cello music swirling around them.
Shards of light slipped from between her fingers resting over the top of the stone. She marveled that a simple rock could glow in such a way.
“Yes,” a symphony of voices rang out.
Zalphia looked around. They must have been inside her head because her ears still only registered the peaceful stillness.
“Do you wish for this union, Zalphia?” Max looked at her expectantly.
She nodded.
“Out loud,” Max whispered.
“Yes.”
“Now it is your turn. Do you need me to tell you what to say?”
Zalphia shook her head. She remembered every word. “I, Zalphia, desire to have Maximillion as my own, in this realm and the next, before the Elders of Selestia, the great God above, and here on this world as my mate. I promise to care for him and love him. If the Elders approve, let it be known.”
Another resounding “Yes,” echoed in her head.
“Do you wish for this union, Maximillion?”
“I do.”
The strange stone lifted from the stump, taking their hands with it. It hovered above the wreath of flowers, and the petals opened wider then drifted toward the glowing orb. The stems waved and twirled as if they still belonged to a growing plant. The light from the moonstone grew brighter, and then flashed as it melted beneath Zalphia’s hand. The heat remained against her palm, but the stone turned to dust and drifted back to the hide.
Max threw his arms around Zalphia and pulled her close. His eyes darkened before he closed them and pressed his lips to hers. Heat like she’d never felt, even when he’d done this before, flowed from his tongue to hers. It slid down into her chest and set her insides blazing. She pressed closer, wishing to melt against him, to be closer than just touching the nakedness of his chest. She wanted to entangle her limbs with his.
Cold seeped between them as he pulled back to look into her eyes. “You are all mine now.”
The distance formed by his small movement tore at her, and she responded by throwing her arms about his neck. He slid his hands under her bottom and lifted her against his chest. As if on their own, her legs wrapped around his waist, and she buried her nose against his neck, reveling in his musky scent.
He picked his way through the trees and returned to the fire where he gently placed her on her feet. Prying her arms from around his neck, he placed them at her sides and took a step back.
Fear gripped her for a brief moment, and she began to follow his movement, but he held up his hand and shook his head.
As if that simple movement had control over her body, she froze midstride. Her eyes stayed glued to his, and emptiness washed through her. A shiver slid from her toes to her head. Without him, the air around her felt barren, cold, and empty. Although his essence remained in her mind, her body longed for his touch, the sensation of his skin on hers and the breath from his mouth against her lips. Without those things, she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. He was part of her, and the foot or so that separated them seemed like miles.
She gasped as his gaze traveled down, taking in
Max tilted his chin toward the star. “That is Selestia, our home planet. It is time.”
Zalphia watched Max’s face brighten as he began.
“I, Maximillion, desire to have Zalphia as my own, in this realm and the next, before the Elders of Selestia, the great God above, and here on this world as my mate. I promise to care for her and love her. If the Elders approve, let it be known.”
The words burned into her memory. He wanted her to be his, forever. Happiness like she’d never felt before burst inside, along with the excitement of becoming one with her strange, dark man. She imagined her beloved cello music swirling around them.
Shards of light slipped from between her fingers resting over the top of the stone. She marveled that a simple rock could glow in such a way.
“Yes,” a symphony of voices rang out.
Zalphia looked around. They must have been inside her head because her ears still only registered the peaceful stillness.
“Do you wish for this union, Zalphia?” Max looked at her expectantly.
She nodded.
“Out loud,” Max whispered.
“Yes.”
“Now it is your turn. Do you need me to tell you what to say?”
Zalphia shook her head. She remembered every word. “I, Zalphia, desire to have Maximillion as my own, in this realm and the next, before the Elders of Selestia, the great God above, and here on this world as my mate. I promise to care for him and love him. If the Elders approve, let it be known.”
Another resounding “Yes,” echoed in her head.
“Do you wish for this union, Maximillion?”
“I do.”
The strange stone lifted from the stump, taking their hands with it. It hovered above the wreath of flowers, and the petals opened wider then drifted toward the glowing orb. The stems waved and twirled as if they still belonged to a growing plant. The light from the moonstone grew brighter, and then flashed as it melted beneath Zalphia’s hand. The heat remained against her palm, but the stone turned to dust and drifted back to the hide.
Max threw his arms around Zalphia and pulled her close. His eyes darkened before he closed them and pressed his lips to hers. Heat like she’d never felt, even when he’d done this before, flowed from his tongue to hers. It slid down into her chest and set her insides blazing. She pressed closer, wishing to melt against him, to be closer than just touching the nakedness of his chest. She wanted to entangle her limbs with his.
Cold seeped between them as he pulled back to look into her eyes. “You are all mine now.”
The distance formed by his small movement tore at her, and she responded by throwing her arms about his neck. He slid his hands under her bottom and lifted her against his chest. As if on their own, her legs wrapped around his waist, and she buried her nose against his neck, reveling in his musky scent.
He picked his way through the trees and returned to the fire where he gently placed her on her feet. Prying her arms from around his neck, he placed them at her sides and took a step back.
Fear gripped her for a brief moment, and she began to follow his movement, but he held up his hand and shook his head.
As if that simple movement had control over her body, she froze midstride. Her eyes stayed glued to his, and emptiness washed through her. A shiver slid from her toes to her head. Without him, the air around her felt barren, cold, and empty. Although his essence remained in her mind, her body longed for his touch, the sensation of his skin on hers and the breath from his mouth against her lips. Without those things, she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. He was part of her, and the foot or so that separated them seemed like miles.
She gasped as his gaze traveled down, taking in
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