Page 138 of Clash of Storms
"By Fire, I bind thee."
A circle of fire swept around them, courtesy of Rurik.
"In the Goddess's name I name thee mates, and let nodrekistrike thee asunder."
Overhead, thunder clapped three times—the Goddess bearing witness.
"May you seek forever in each other's arms," Sigurd said, lifting his arms to signal the end of the ceremony.
Sirius grinned and leaned down to kiss Malin.
Her arms slid around his neck, her mouth parting beneath his. He kissed her until he could barely breathe. Until the crowd started cheering, and Rurik cleared his throat.
With a laugh, Sirius turned and held her hand aloft as dozens of drekling rushed forward to throw flower petals across the pair of them.
Then there was music and dancing.Drekiand drekling pushing them into the midst of the circle.
"How much longer do we have to stay?" he murmured, as he led her onto the grass to dance, their hands still bound together.
Malin beamed up at him, her entire expression radiant. "One dance. Then we can escape."
"Good," he growled, sweeping her into a whirl as drekling anddrekialike cheered. "Because you look so beautiful I can barely take my eyes off you."
"You look quite lovely yourself," she said, as she whirled beneath his arm. "It must be the flowers in your hair."
Sweet Goddess, she'd utterly ruined his fierce reputation.
And he couldn't be happier.
* * *
One dance was not enough.
He'd seen it in Malin's eyes, and whirled her through an hour of laughter and dancing before he finally swept her into his arms and headed for the tent. Setting her down in the entrance, Sirius backed inside with a smile that dared her to enter.
Malin followed, tugging the crown of flowers from her hair. Her smile held all manner of secrets, and his breath caught as she came to him without hesitation, the softshushof her skirts trailing over the scattered rugs.
Anticipation knotted within him.
Desire.
Hope.
He could barely breathe for the sudden realization this was happening. All his dreams were finally coming true.
"You look like you're up to something," Malin whispered, capturing his hands.
"Just trying to work out where to start," Sirius breathed. "All these years and you're finally mine. I don't want to waste a moment, but I also don't want to rush this." He drew her closer, pressing her hands behind her. "I want to devour you."
"Sirius," Malin whispered, her face angling enough to bring her lips in alignment with his. "I love you so much. I feel like I've been waiting for you all my life. I don't want to wait any longer."
He knew how that felt.
Sirius captured her face in his hands and claimed a kiss, his heart thundering in his chest. Malin didn't hesitate. Her tongue touched his, tracing his lips with an eager curiosity. She breathed a soft moan into his mouth, her hands sliding up his chest as her body wilted against him.
He'd dreamed of this moment every day for the past ten years, but it had always held the same impossible aspect of trying to reach out and touch the stars.
He'd known he wasn't worthy of her in some deep, dark crevice of his soul, and so he'd never dared reach for her.
