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“What?” Molly breathed and Torus felt her sudden surge of panic through the TET link they shared. “But how could you?—”
The priestess held up her hand for silence.
“I know because the Goddess has told me,” she went on. “But she also told me to perform the ceremony anyway. I have been told to say this to you—though you Join in jest you must love in earnest. Treat each other with kindness and respect and remember if you need help or healing to return to the Sacred Grove.”
“Thank you,” Torus said gravely, nodding. “We will obey the words of the Goddess.” He looked at Molly. “Won’t we, sweetheart?”
“Yes, absolutely!” Molly nodded earnestly.
“Good, then we may continue with the ceremony.” The priestess nodded regally. “Children of the Goddess,” she began in a ringing tone that carried through the Sacred Grove. “We have come together to witness the Joining of this male and this female in the bonds of love and respect that the Goddess wishes for all of her children.” She turned to Molly first. “Do you, Molly, come into this Joining with feelings of love and desire for the male before you? Do you offer him your heart—do you give him your respect and caring and will you trust him to guard you and to guide you as you walk this life together?”
Molly’s cheeks turned pink under the veil and her eyes went wide. But she lifted her chin and said,
“Yes, I will.”
“Good.” The priestess nodded again and turned towards Torus. “Warrior, a precious female is being entrusted to you,” she told him. “Will you give yourself wholly to your new Mate? Will you shield her from harm and protect her with your life, even if it means giving your blood to be spilled and your body to be broken for her sake?”
“I will,” Torus said, and he truly meant it. Molly looked so beautiful and fragile, standing there across from him. His heart swelled for her and he longed to give her everything her ex-Mate had denied her—every joy, every precious moment of peace and love and tenderness—he would give it, if he could.
He was guarding his thoughts but his emotions must have come through the TET link because Molly’s eyes grew wide and then a single tear spilled down her cheek.
“Oh, Torus” she whispered and Torus felt her emotions—trepidation and uncertainty mixed with hope and a tentative desire—as though she wanted him but was almost afraid to let herself feel for him.
Torus couldn’t stop himself—he reached for her tiny hands and enfolded them in his own. Her emotions came through to him even more strongly when they touched and he caught a stray thought…
What if I’m falling for him?
Then the priestess said,
“By the power and grace of the Mother of All Life who loves and cares for all her children, I declare the two of you Joined in her sight. Honor each other with a kiss to seal your Bond.”
Torus let go of Molly’s hands and lifted her veil. Since he was still kneeling, she came to him and put her arms trustingly around his neck.
“Sweetheart,” he murmured and tilted his head to kiss her gently. Her lips were lush and soft and though he felt her trepidation at first, it soon turned to a surprisingly strong desire and she kissed him back eagerly.
For a long moment, it felt like time stood still. All Torus could think of was how much he’d been wanting to kiss her and how it was even better than he’d imagined. She felt so good in his arms—so right. Her little mouth was so soft and sweet and yielding under his. He wished he could kiss her everywhere—that he could cover her entire beautiful, curvy body with kisses until she moaned her pleasure for him.
“Oh, Torus!” he heard her send through their TET link and he realized that once again, his thoughts had slipped out.
“Forgive me,” he sent back. “I didn’t mean for you to hear that.”
“It’s okay.” She broke the kiss and looked into his eyes. “But…did you really mean it?”
“I did. I want to kiss every one of your sweet little freekles,” Torus sent her, hoping she wouldn’t be offended.
Her cheeks got pink and he could feel her pleased embarrassment mixed with desire.
“That might be quite a chore—I, uh, have freckles all over.”
“Even better!” And he pulled her in for another delicious, lingering kiss.
The kiss went on and on until someone—Torus thought it might be one of his Jorgen friends—cleared their throat and brought him back to reality.
“Ooops—I think I may have been over-kissing you,” he sent to Molly, pulling back to break the kiss at last.
“I guess I was over-kissing you too, then,” she sent back with a shy little laugh. “Are your knees tired?” she added. “You’ve been kneeling for a long time—they must hurt by now.”
“A little. It’s worth it to be close to you.” Torus gave her one last kiss—because he could—and pulled her into an embrace before reluctantly letting her go and getting to his feet. “Come, little bird,” he told her as the string quartet started playing again. “I think it’s time for the reception.”
