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Felicity knew something was wrong. Her chest was asymmetrical, and she was no doctor, but it damn sure wasn’t supposed to look like that. She knew Niall was worried. She could read it in his face. He’d scooped her into his arms as if she was feather-light. If she’d the strength to tell him not to worry, she would have. But she was glad he’d come for her in the end, and she’d go anywhere with him. It was sweet how he worried about taking her across the veil. She’d have consented to being his mate and spending an entire lifetime with him even without her life being on the line. It didn’t matter where they spent it. Although given her laboured breathing, she doubted she’d get to do that now.
She curled her body closer to his. He felt warm and fuzzy. Or maybe she was starting to lose consciousness?
“Hang on, okay?”
Felicity managed a weak smile. A tower loomed overhead, but she was too dizzy to look at it. She just tucked her head against his chest. They must have crossed the veil. She would have loved to take it all in, if only she wasn’t struggling to breathe and to stay awake.
“Niall!” someone yelled, and Felicity recognized the feminine voice. It was Maelíosa. Good. At least she was safe and had made it back to the Realm. She tried to tell herself that was all that really mattered, but she wasn’t that noble and couldn’t help feeling bittersweet.
“What did they do to her?” Maelíosa whispered.
There were voices clamouring around Niall and faces popped in and out of view as he carried her into what appeared to be a courtyard. He was still stark naked, but no one seemed to mind. He approached someone standing at the top of a set of stairs. Felicity could only see his boots from her vantage point in Niall’s arms.
“Sire, we need to complete the sacred ceremony. It’ll bond us and make the healer’s job a lot easier.”
“Not so fast,” someone called out. “I have a right to challenge her.”
“Fiona, close your bloody trap, or I’ll close it for you,” Maelíosa said.
Felicity smiled again. She really did like her. It would have been grand to get to know her.
“Unfortunately, according to clan tradition, Fiona is correct. She has the right to challenge anyone you choose to take as a mate.”
Vaguely she thought that sounded like Fallon, but Felicity couldn’t be one hundred percent sure since she’d only met him once. She couldn’t quite remember if Niall had referred to him as ‘Sire’. Fallon had been formally introduced to her, but she’d been too embarrassed and concerned about leaving a bad impression to pay attention to details. Right—if you could call the encounter in front of the mirror in Niall’s foyer where Fallon had made an impromptu appearance while they were making love a formal introduction.
“And according to clan tradition, if the mate being challenged is incapacitated, then there can be a second. I’ll gladly stand for her,” Maelíosa said. “Although I’d be very careful about challenging Felicity. She saved my life, and she’s Niall’s true mate.”
There were murmurs throughout the crowd, followed by a silence in which you could hear a pin drop.
Fiona cleared her throat and bowed to Maelíosa. “I withdraw my challenge. She saved your life.”
Fallon stepped forward and took her hand, placing it in Niall’s, and then he joined them together with a crimson ribbon.
He gestured to Niall. “You may speak the sacred words.”
“I, Niall, take thee, Felicity, as my wedded wife, till death us do part, and thereto I plight thee my troth. Deo mo ghrá,” Niall said carefully, his eyes never breaking away from hers.
“She is your mate and a member of our clan. Cherish do maité,” Fallon said. “Kieran, get the healer.”
“Aye.”
There was applause, but Felicity hardly noticed. If she didn’t make it, she’d die happy. Mate. She was his for however long or short that might be. The crowd parted for a woman with silver hair, who approached them. She touched Felicity’s ribs.
“How serious is it?” Niall whispered.
“She’s broken at least two ribs and punctured a lung,” the healer said. “Lay her down. I have to work quickly.”
What happened next was nothing short of magical. The healer murmured an incantation that Felicity couldn’t understand. She closed her eyes, waving her hands above Felicity. Something that appeared to Felicity to be a magical tube of light appeared above her. The healer took it and pushed it straight into her chest. Suddenly, she could breathe again. It was the most miraculous thing she’d ever seen in her entire life. She continued to press her hands on Felicity’s ribs, and then moved to the wound on her head. Slowly, her head felt clearer.
“There now,” the healer said, patting her head gently, almost as if she were a small child. “She needs rest. Your mating must be consummated, but be gentle with the girl.” The healer smiled at Felicity and then left her to contemplate the evening Niall had in store for her.
“Niall...”
“Shhh, love, I know what you’re trying to say. I’d go crazy if I lost you too.”
“Actually, I was going to ask about the consummation part,” Felicity said. “Our mating must be consummated?”
Niall laughed. “Aye. For all intents and purposes you are my mate, but we’d better make it official tonight. Besides, it’s been far too long since I’ve had you in my bed, and I nearly...” His voice cracked as he trailed off.
It touched Felicity that he couldn’t bear to say it again and remind himself of what they’d almost lost.
“I won’t argue with that. There’s no place I’d rather be than in your arms.”
Niall smiled down at her. “Aye, love, but first I suppose I’d better present you to my sire or I’ll never hear the end of it. After all, the first time he laid eyes on ye was when you were half-naked and the other...”
“Half-dead,” she said, finishing for him. She’d try to make light of it and not be horrified over meeting Fallon face-to-face.
Niall pinched her.
“Owww!”
“You’ll be lucky if I let you out of my bed, let alone my sight. I swear, when I read that note of yours, I could have throttled you for not waiting for me.”
He had a point, but she wouldn’t argue with him about what she’d done. If she hadn’t gone, maybe his sister wouldn’t have made it. Why ruin her wedding night?
Felicity shuffled her feet. “Sorry.”
His amber eyes flashed at her apology. “You’ll come to me first and always, no matter what.”
“Yes,” she whispered.
Niall lowered his head, kissing her, and all the times they’d twisted the sheets came back to her in a rush. This was what it meant to be loved and appreciated exactly as you were. He loved her, curves and all. And without a shadow of a doubt, she loved her sexy stallion mate. His heady scent, his kiss, made her sex clench, and as much as she wanted to meet his sire under better circumstances, she wasn’t sure if now, with her desire damping her thighs, was really a good time either.
He broke the kiss. She felt breathless and incredibly giddy, but she figured it might have something to do with the fact she’d almost died. Whatever crazy magic the healer worked had given her a second chance at life and love with Niall...with her mate.
