Origin (Scales N' Spells #1) - A.J. Sherwood Page 0,157

I claim you as my mate. I promise to love and protect you with all my strength. I promise to give the very last breath in my body to see you safe and happy for all of your days. I promise to guide you and support you in all of your dreams. And I promise that our children will know that same love and devotion from me.”

“Wow,” Cameron whispered, rapidly blinking watery eyes. “You’re going to make me cry. And kids…” Cameron sniffed and then gave a choked laugh. “Sorry. I should be saying words.”

“No apologies.”

“What should I say? Repeat what you said?”

Alric shook his head. “The promises made are between you and me only. Say what’s in your heart.”

Cameron’s smile grew even wider and turned a little wicked. Only his mate.

“Alric Burkhard, king of the Fire Clan and sexiest dragon I have ever met, I claim you as my mate,” Cameron started, and Alric could already feel himself blushing. “I promise to love and protect you with all my strength. I promise to dedicate myself to learning to be the best mage I can be to serve our clan. I promise to make you laugh when you are being too serious, to hold you when you are hurting, and to remind you every day that you are worthy of my love and the love of all your clan.”

Now Alric was sniffling.

“And when we have children, I promise to tell them stories of how we met, fell in love, and defeated the evil Jaeggi Clan. They will know they have the sexiest, most amazing father in the world.”

“I think we can skip the sexiest part with our children.”

Cameron snorted. “I’m saving that for when they’re older. I’m looking forward to lots of awkward family dinners when they are teenagers.”

“Of course you are,” Alric muttered as he tightened his hands in Cameron’s and pulled his mate in for a slow, deep kiss.

Cameron hummed, nuzzling his cheek against Alric’s. “You said something about a spell. We better get to it, because there are other things I really want to do to you in this room.”

“Yes, the bonding spell.” Alric straightened and dragged in a deep breath. He wanted this, but he also wanted Cameron. One thing at a time.

“The spell is quite simple. You draw power from me, focus, and say sifa fat-conqi gabofo zold vitar gev adi,” Alric instructed.

“What’s it mean?”

“I claim you as my mate and bind your soul to mine.”

“Wow.”

“And I will reply with sifa fat-conqi gabofo zold vitae, which means I claim you as my mate and give my soul to you.”

Cameron winked at him. “Sounds simple enough.” Cameron rolled his shoulders and shook his arms a little, getting himself loose before closing his eyes. After a couple of centering breaths, Alric could feel Cameron’s gentle touch. It was like those long, nimble fingers were caressing his soul. So sweet, so perfect.

When Cameron opened his eyes and met Alric’s gaze, he let out a little gasp. He knew what his lover was seeing. The gold ring around his eyes had expanded, briefly flaring and filling in the deep blue of his irises. There was a smile of wonder on his face as he said, “Sifa fat-conqi gabofo zold vitar gev adi.”

For a moment, Alric just relished the feel of his powers flowing into Cameron, filling and strengthening his mate. Making Cameron his forever.

“Sifa fat-conqi gabofo zold vitae,” Alric said in a low, firm voice. And for the first time, the gold flared in Cameron’s eyes, washing over the brown so that Cameron’s glowed with a golden light. The magic power flowed out of Alric through his right arm and rushed back from Cameron’s body through his left. The circle was complete.

With the flow of energy came an explosion of emotions. Alric could clearly feel Cameron’s joy, excitement, and love. The world just seemed sharper, bigger, more than it had been before finding his mate. As if every one of his senses had been dialed up to eleven. Or maybe blinders had been ripped away by his mate, and he could finally see the world for what it truly was. His dragon roared with approval, the vibrations running through Alric’s body.

After a few seconds, the energy flowing between them slowed to just a trickle and the brown flowed back into Cameron’s eyes. Alric stepped close again, admiring the little flecks of gold now embedded in his irises, giving them an added sparkle. Later, he would give Cameron things to