Rio
I’m nervous, but I’ll never admit it. I want this ceremony to be perfect for Lara. I want it to be everything she wants and more, and that’s so damn hard to do when we’re all fugitives, save for the shifter.
I’ve obviously never been a part of a soulmate bonding ceremony, but I’ve heard enough to know that it’s special. All parties being bonded have an herb and a gem that represents their astrological sign, and they’re used in the ritual to help bind the souls of different Zodiacs under the night sky. They choose these items based on their personalities and what they’re seeking from a relationship. It’s quite a romantic notion, and I never thought I’d be part of a soul binding ceremony.
And for that person to be Lara? Well, I’m even more blessed.
I’d like to think Lara will like the place we chose. It’s certainly stunning at night, especially with how the stars and moon reflect off the lake we’re standing near the edge of. There are plenty of flowers nearby, though they’re currently in pots and nothing more than seeds. With our Virgo’s gift, she’ll be able to make them bloom. Lara always talked about plants and flowers in prison, and I know she mourned the loss of them almost as much as her bonded at times. Her connection to the earth is one she downplays, but from what Max and Kelvin have said, she is nearly unmatched in her ability to control and manipulate nature.
I can’t wait to see her in action. I also can’t wait to see how she reacts to our setup, and the wait is making my palms sweat. It doesn’t help that I’m dressed in a too-fancy suit I never wear when I’m not wearing a glamour. It makes me feel like I’m playing pretend and wearing someone else’s face, and I hate it.
Max is behind the altar where he’ll officiate the ceremony, while Sigurd is on the right. That leaves a space for Lara beside me and Kelvin to the left. Before I can panic, both our missing members step out of the portal a few feet away.
She’s radiant. Stunning. Perfect.
“She is,” Kelvin says with a small grin.
My soon-to-be bonded looks at her Scorpio mate curiously, but his lips just quirk up higher.
“He’ll have to tell you himself,” he says, and I’m grateful. This is a special moment, and she deserves to hear me express myself properly.
I step toward her and stare in wonder. “You’re perfect,” I say reverently.
I swear she blushes. “It’s the dress.”
I’m already shaking my head. “It’s you. It’s always been you.”
Her smile is soft and beautiful. It’s then that she takes a look around her, and I can see the instant she falls in love with what we all put together. It’s in the way her smile widens and her eyes shine with wonder and delight as she takes in the lake, the clearing surrounded by trees and sleeping flowers, the pots with her favorite plants, and the altar with everything we need to bind our souls.
“Moonflowers?” She gasps as she crouches beside the pots. “Gardenia? Evening primrose? Casa Blanca lily?” Her head shoots up. Her eyes are misty. “My favorite night blooms. Thank you.”
I can’t tell if she wants to jump up and hug us or start working on the flowers, but it seems after several long seconds of debating that she settles for the plants her hand hasn’t stopped hovering over. It just makes me happy to see that massive smile on her beautiful face. And fuck, the way her hair seems to glow in the moonlight is utterly perfect.
I’m distracted from my study by the entrancing way she works her Zodiac powers and brings the plants to life. Where there were pots of nothing more than soil and seeds are now brilliant blooms and overflowing greenery. The flowers glow just as brightly as her hair, and I can understand why they’re some of her favorites. It’s ethereal and magical.
She stands up with a proud smile before finally turning back to me. Her expression turns sheepish, but I grab her now -stained hand and squeeze tight.
“That was amazing,” I murmur with a soft smile of my own.
My praise brings back her pride, and she beams up at me.
“Shall we begin?” Max asks from where he stands before the makeshift altar holding Lara’s lavender bundle and moss agate, as well as my passionflower and blue aventurine.
Kelvin had briefly explained their purpose, and I have to say, he picked them well. The lavender soothes nerves and calms the body and spirit. The moss agate gem is earthy and grounding, which enhances Lara’s ability to connect with nature. My passionflower is relaxing and calming, soothing the constant chatter of the brain, which in turn balances emotions. The blue aventurine reduces negativity and aids in communication, which will help our souls merge tonight.
I don’t think I could have picked better matches, and I was more than relieved when Max had offered to pick the important items for the ceremony months ago. I’ve never been one to connect with my Zodiac nature much aside from using my abilities. I know there are many who follow their sign closely and it influences everything they do in life, but after seeing my parents lose their minds to such dedication as a result of their involvement in the Zodiac Zealots, a fanatic and violent cult, I steered clear.
I’m dragged from my thoughts as my soon-to-be bonded drags me to stand before the altar.
She’s nearly giddy with excitement, and I’m right there with her. The only part I’m not looking forward to is cutting her palm and mixing our blood together. I hate the idea of hurting her, even if it’s to bond our souls together. I feel like there should be an easier way than a knife to the hand, but Max insisted. Thankfully Lara doesn’t seem the least bit fazed, even as her vibrant eyes roll over every item on the small table.
“Great choice for the herbs and stones,” she sighs almost dreamily.
The knife looks deadly sharp and as thin as a toothpick, which draws all my focus. Luckily the ceremony is starting, so I don’t have time to worry over hurting my soulmate.
“The water to the left is yours, Lara, and the moss agate has already been infused,” Max starts, uncharacteristically sober, though as a master of ceremonial magic, I suppose even he would take this seriously. “Rio, yours is on the right, and again, it’s already been infused with the blue aventurine. Add your herbs to the water, then begin the bloodletting.”
Silently my soon-to-be bonded and I add our flowers to the water before I pick up the knife and brandish it. Lara’s already waiting with her right palm up. Without giving myself time to chicken out, I slice a shallow cut through her hand before doing the same on my left. I manage to keep silent past the burn of the blade; instead I clench my fist over my cup and watch as the first drop of blood meets the water, followed closely by the second.
It’s easy enough to remember what comes next, so I grab Lara’s hand, making sure our bloody palms meet perfectly before offering our combined grasp to Max. He wraps up our hands and wrists with a silk ribbon, tying it loosely enough that we could easily slip out. It’s mainly for symbolism, not to actually lock us together for the duration of the ceremony.
Max takes the glasses and pours both liquids into a new glass, one Lara and I will drink from. The water is tinged pink from our blood, but it’s not an unpleasant color. I know it will taste like flowers rather than iron, and I’m thankful for that. We’re not bloodsuckers, despite our bonding ceremony requiring the sharing of lifeblood between soulmates.
“Drink from the glass and let your souls connect as one,” Max commands as he holds the vessel out for me.
With my free hand, I take the proffered cup and drink down half, grimacing at the bitter taste of the herbs. Lara follows after me, and the moment she downs the glass, we both gasp with the sudden heat in our chests. The burn is immense, almost too much, but I merely grip Lara’s hand tighter and grit my teeth. It feels like my heart is on fire as the world goes dark around me.
Several long, painful seconds pass before the agony starts to abate and the moonlight returns. I can’t focus on any of that, though, not when I feel the thrumming in my chest coming from my bonded at last.
I grin and meet her eyes, more than ready to connect our bodies as one now that our souls are tied. But before I can whisk her into my arms for a kiss, crashing sounds all around us, and I immediately go on the defensive, pushing my bonded behind me and slipping my hand out of the ribbon.
Dozens of heavily armed people in dark fatigues come sprinting out of the woods surrounding us on three sides. Without hesitation, they open fire, and the roar of a mighty beast warns me that the dragon king is fucking pissed.
He’s not the only one furious about our interruption, either.
It seems these assholes have come to disrupt our bonding ceremony, and that just won’t do. Guess we will just how to show them what it means to mess with us and ensure it never happens again.