waist, and spoke loudly to cut him off midsentence. “You go on to the beach, Matt. We’ll be right behind you.”
Her brother’s gaze raked over Ky’s body, as if he was deciding whether or not he found him worthy of his sister. He must have found something he liked, because his hardened look softened—a little.
After a quick nod of his head in their direction, Lyn watched her brother lope off toward the glowing beach. At six-foot tall and two-hundred pounds, most found him a formidable guy. He also routinely made the mistake of thinking of himself as her protector, acting more like her father than her brother. He had been posturing with Ky, but her brother seemed appeased for now. Matt had run off more than one of her boyfriends, and she wasn’t about to let him interfere with her mate.
If he knew about Ky being a vampire, there would be demonic hell to pay. Her brother had a hard enough time accepting she had chosen a mate, but if he found out that mate was not a demon…that was not something that would be tolerated by her brother.
In a few minutes her friends and family would witness Ky and her complete the Bonding Ritual and then no one would ever try to separate them. Anticipation knotted her stomach as she allowed Ky to lead her toward the bonfire that blazed ahead in the sand and joined the throng of demons sitting on the beach.
With the crowd surrounding her in the sand, the Priestess stood proudly in the center of their circle. The long, red velvet robe with the attached hood trimmed in golden thread hid her body from view. Her demure face, with slight age lines etched thereon, held wise, hazel eyes. Her long dramatic dropped sleeves hung from her outstretched arms while she spoke. Although a tiny woman, quite petite in stature, her dramatic presence commanded respect and supplication.
The Priestess regaled the multitude with tales of the Sun God impregnating the Goddess during Beltane. She spoke of how tonight they celebrated the Goddess being heavy with child from the mating. Her erotic descriptions of the physical act riled the crowd, causing the scent of male arousal to mix with female heat in a heady combination that left no one in attendance unaffected.
Ky pressed his body against hers. The hand that rested possessively on the nape of her neck pulled her to him for a kiss. His full lips pressed against her in wanton demand. Lyn parted her lips in response, the desire burned through her blood to heat her body. His tongue slid against hers in an erotic glide. Their tongues thrust back and forth between their mouths struggling for dominance, fueling their passion.
The feel of his fangs lengthening against her tongue made her pull away. “You’re being vampirey,” she whispered against his mouth, trying to catch the breath he had stolen with his kiss.
“What?” His question sounded thick, heavy as she nibbled her way over his strong jaw to find his ear.
“Your fangs,” she whispered, nuzzling his ear. Lyn ran her tongue around the delicate lobe, and felt a shiver go through him. “Pull your fangs back.”
Ky’s fingers threaded through her thick hair to hold her steady. He pulled back from her, looking into her eyes. “My body is responding to the emotions around us. It is difficult to rein in my natural instincts.”
She ran her hand over the thick evidence that supported his statement. His most manly part jumped behind the material of his pants in response to her touch. “I can see that, but you need to try to pull back those fangs. Please Ky, for me.”
No one could know he was a vampire, not yet. Not before they completed the Bonding Ritual.
She watched her vampire close his eyes. He took a deep breath that expanded his thick chest in the most tantalizing way, and let it out in a long exhale between his pursed lips. Another slow breath escaped his mouth.
Around them people sat enthralled by the sensual story the Priestess narrated. The couples touched and kissed one another passionately as the story about the coupling gods came to its climax.
Feeling a bit grateful when the story at last ended, Lyn glanced up to find Ky smiling at her, his teeth normal length. Relief flooded her body.
Before the mass could get any more carried away by the sensual desire the Priestess created with her tale, the woman raised her arms to the sky, calling