Page 120 of The Dragon King's Inventor

Looking back, I saw that there had been no real obstacles to our love. Only imagined hurts. Nothing that had anything to do with us. Even the enemy I'd spotted had been an illusion. I had let the past into the future, despite my dedication to leaving it behind. And it had nearly destroyed the most perfect love I'd ever known. Funny how we get in our own way more than anyone else. I had been the biggest obstacle. I was the villain in our story.

But I wouldn't let all of that become a new heavy past. Instead, I would celebrate it and everything before it as what had led me to Rian. I would learn from it and never let something so silly come between us again. With forever before us, there were bound to be issues to challenge us, but they didn't scare me anymore. I wasn't going to let the possibility of something worry me now. As long as I had Rian and his heart, everything else was minor. And I was strong now. I could even ask for what I wanted.

“Tongue my wing slits, Mate,” I begged.

“What?” Rian paused. But it was only a second, and he didn't need my answer. He bent his head and licked at the seams in my back.

When I moaned, Rian returned to his pumping. And then he was slipping the tip of his tongue past the slit, mimicking the motion of his hips.

“Rian!” I shrieked as pleasure finally crested.

“You've taught an old Dragon a new trick,” he rumbled and kept thrusting through my climax.

My mate gave me all I needed, his body fulfilling the promise it had made to me. And I knew it, along with his heartand soul, always would. But then he went further, as Rian always did.

As I wriggled the extra pillows out from under me and sighed from the aftermath of such great emotional and physical pleasure, Rian slipped out of bed and went to the bedside table. I assumed it was to fetch the oil bottle. We wouldn't be done with our lovemaking for hours yet. But he returned with a small, leather box, not the bottle.

“What's that?” I asked.

“Sit up and release your wings, Mate.” He opened the box and presented it to me.

Upon the black velvet interior was a matching pair of wing bands. The most beautiful bands I'd ever seen. They were gold but instead of the usual engraving, they were set with faceted emeralds. I picked one up and spun it to see that the jewels continued around the band, but they were interspersed with red enameled roses.

“Great Gods,” I whispered. “They're beautiful, Rian. It's a combination of you and me, isn't it?”

“Yes. Your eyes and my symbol. I had to wait until after the presentation to give them to you, even though I wanted to give you one to wear first, like a proper engagement. The roses, you see. I knew you would have thought it too presumptuous, too tempting for fate.”

“My days of fear over our future are over.”

“They had better be.” He grinned.

“Thank you, Mate.”

“They're not just for your pleasure,” Rian said gravely. “These are more than jewels for my jewel. I want to see you wear my bands. I want them to sparkle so brightly that no one can mistake the fact that you're taken. I want all to see the roses and know who you belong to. But more than that, I want to marry you, Galin.”

“What?” I whispered.

“Galin, I vow to fly beside you through fair skies and stormy, to guard your flank from enemies and share in your joy during times of peace. I vow to love only you for the rest of my life. To make a life with you and never forsake it. You are my warm currents, the sun shining upon my face, and my hope for the future.”

Tears trickled down my cheeks as Rian spoke the sacred words of the Argaiv wedding ceremony. He'd memorized them. For me. And they fit him perfectly. They fit us.

“Will you accept these vows and me, my jewel?”

“Yes!” I flung myself into Rian's arms and hugged him tightly. “Gods, I love you!”

Rian chuckled. “I love you too.” He opened his palm and revealed another set of bands. Much smaller bands. Wedding rings that matched mine. “Then place your rings upon my fingers, Mate. And let all see that I belong to you.”

With shaking hands, I took the rings. I slid one on his left-hand ring finger and then the other on his right-hand ring finger. Rian lifted a brow at that.

“It's not how the humans do it, I know,” I said. “But then, we're not humans.”

“No, far from it.” He beamed at me then at the rings, holding his hands up to admire them. Then he took the wing bands from me. “Now, let me put these on you.”

“No.” I sat back.

“No?” He gaped at me.

“First, you must hear this.” I took a deep breath as Rian's expression went wary. But then I repeated the marriage vows, holding one wing band in my hand as he held the other, and taking his free hand in mine. I spoke with reverence, overjoyed that he'd given me this opportunity. And as the words poured out of me, I felt it at last. My new life, the one I'd sought so desperately, had been born. Of fear and pain and sacrifice, but also of hope and dreams and such profound loyalty that it put the Gods to shame.

Rian teared up as I spoke and by the time I was finished, we were both crying, but our tears were joyous.

I handed him the other band and turned to present my wings. “I accept your bands, Husband.”

Rian made a small sound of joy and gratitude, a soft adoring sound, and then came the click of the first band as he set it around the base of my upper right wing. The left was next, and as soon as it was in place, I spun into his arms.

“I love you, Mate,” Rian said. “Husband. My eternal jewel.”

“I love you too, Mate. Husband. My eternal optimist.”

Rian chuckled as he pulled me into a kiss, sealing our marriage with laughter and love.