by R. E. Butler
“Thanks.”
“No problem. Since I didn’t get to throw you a bachelor party, being your gopher on your mating day seems like a good best man job. Do you need anything, by the way?”
“I’m good. And thanks for being my best man.”
“Aeryn said she was going to ask you if she could be your best woman.”
Although Midas was also going to perform a wedding ceremony as well, so they’d be man and wife and also fully mated in the eyes of the ambush, they weren’t sticking to human traditions and having a bridal party. But males always had someone stand with them during the mating ceremony, and he’d happily chosen his cousin.
“I know she wanted to be a maid of honor. We just didn’t go that route.”
“She’s just excited to be able to help Cella get ready. She’d never been asked before.”
The soon-to-be-mated female would generally have her female family members help with her preparations, but since Cella didn’t have any, Cyrus’s family had been pleased to step in. Aside from his mother, Aeryn had been tickled to be asked, and so had his Aunt Iris, and Paige, who wasn’t related to Cyrus’s family but was a longtime family friend. He was thankful his family had stepped up for Cella, and knew she appreciated it too.
Cyrus fixed the golden cuffs to his biceps, checked his reflection in the mirror over the dresser, and walked out of the bedroom with his cousin. It was his mating day, and he couldn’t wait until he could hold Cella in his arms again.
* * *
Cella was aware when Cyrus left. She was tempted to let him know she was awake so they could have some sexy fun, but she knew there were things that needed to be done before sunset to get ready for the ceremony, and she didn’t want to delay him. When the door to the basement shut and she was alone, she rolled to her back and stretched. He’d left her a note on his pillow, and she opened it.
“Cella, I hate that we’re separated today, but I hope the hours will pass by swiftly. I can’t wait for sunset, where you’ll find me under the arch, ready to start the next chapter of our long lives. I love you. Cyrus.”
She let out a breathy sigh and smiled. It still surprised her that he didn’t think he was romantic, when he seemed to always know the right thing to say.
About an hour later, she rose to her feet and grabbed a robe, then tucked the note into the pocket of her rolling suitcase. There was a knock on the basement door, and Cella called for whoever it was to come down.
“Happy Mating Day,” Cora said when she descended the stairs. She crossed the room and hugged Cella. “I want to be the first to officially say welcome to the family.”
“Thank you.”
It was ambush tradition for the female to have a group help her get ready, and Cella was particularly grateful for not only Cyrus’s mother, but also his Aunt Iris, and his cousin Aeryn. Paige was her fourth attendant, a young female who was mated before Christmas. The group had followed Cora down the stairs.
“I brought you breakfast,” Aeryn said, handing Cella a plastic travel mug with colorful butterflies emblazoned on the surface.
Cella could smell the SyBl through the small hole in the pink lid and she smiled. “Thank you so much for thinking of me.”
She’d packed several bottles of SyBl, and had planned to drink one room temperature, since she couldn’t go upstairs into the kitchen because it wasn’t safe during the daytime with all the windows. Cyrus must have grabbed a bottle. He was honestly the sweetest male on the planet.
“Have you showered yet?” Cora asked.
“No. Cyrus told me to wait.”
“Good.” She handed her a glass vial filled with orange-tinted liquid. “This is oil made from the Moon Orchid. It’s said that were-tigers originated in Indonesia, so when tigers join with their mate, they want her to smell of the homeland.”
Cella pulled the stopper and sniffed the contents. “Wow, that smells amazing.”
“Traditionally, females bathe in the oil, but since there’s no tub down here, we’ll improvise with the shower. Soak your skin under very warm water for a few minutes, then turn off the shower and pour the oil over your skin and get as much of it on you as possible. Let it soak on you for a little while, and then rinse it off.”
“Don’t get it in your hair though,” Paige said. “It’s hell to wash out.”
“Okay.”
“We’ll get your outfit ready while you’re showering,” Aeryn said.
Cella nodded and walked into the small bathroom. Following their directions, she soaked her skin and then applied the oil, sitting down on the floor of the shower stall and closing her eyes as she waited for the oil to saturate her skin. Not for the first time since she and Cyrus had become beloveds, she wished that her family was still alive. She’d lost her mother to illness when she was a teenager, and her father had kept on for a while afterward but was a shell of a man without his wife. She’d thought it was sad that he hadn’t been able to find love again and keep on with his life, but after mating Cyrus, she understood the all-in emotion of finding the one right person. If something happened to Cyrus, she didn’t think she’d be able to go on, either. And not only because their lives were tied together through their bond as beloveds, but simply because her world would never be the same without him. She thought her mother would have adored Cyrus, and most likely would have made her special scones and fussed over him. Of course, humans hadn’t known about shifters back then. It wasn’t until Cella was turned that she realized the world was not quite what it seemed, and humans were definitely not alone. She rubbed her thumb along the bottom of the ring that Cyrus had given her and smiled. Even if her parents weren’t with her on this special day, they were with her in spirit and she knew they’d approve. She was marrying and mating the love of her life, after all. It had only taken three hundred years to find him.
After Cella rinsed off the oil, she dried her hair, then walked out into the basement with a towel wrapped around her body. A pale lavender gown had been laid on the bed and the four females smiled at her as she looked at the lovely gown. Cora plucked the dress from the bed and helped Cella into it, the soft silk sliding over her curves and fluttering around her ankles. It was gathered at the shoulders, leaving her arms bare, and tied loosely around the waist with a gold-braided belt twined with tiny dark purple flowers.
Aeryn climbed onto the bed and patted the space in front of her, and Cella sat on the edge while Aeryn brushed her hair and pinned it into a simple twist. Iris knelt on the floor and slipped white sandals on Cella’s feet and buckled them, and then Paige held out two golden cuffs that were etched with symbols Cella didn’t recognize.
As Paige fixed the cuffs on Cella’s biceps, she said, “These are passed down to the females in this ambush from the last mated female to the next. I was mated last, and it’s my honor to give them to you. You’ll give these cuffs to the next ambush female to mate. They’re inscribed with symbols that wish you a long and happy life with your mate.”
Cella touched one of the cuffs and smiled. “That’s so sweet.”
Cora looked at her watch. “It’s time. Are you ready to join with Cyrus and become part of the ambush?”
“I am,” Cella said as she rose to her feet.
Iris handed Cella a bouquet of colorful orchids tied with white ribbon. “The color of the orchids represents our hope for your mating. Blue for peace. White for honesty. Pink for happiness. And purple for passion.”
Aeryn picked up a full-length mirror that had been leaning against the wall and brought it over to Cella so she could see her reflection. If she had the ability to cry, she would have been bawling. Her eyes sparkled bright blue with emotion, and she inhaled a shaky breath. “Thank you all so much. For welcoming me into your lives so easily. Cyrus loves his family and this ambush, and it’s easy to see why. You’re amazing.”
Cora sniffled and brushed at her wet cheeks. “I always wanted a daughter, and I finally get my wish today. You’re beautiful and I’m so happy for you and my son.
”
Up in the house, there was a knock.
“That’s Midas,” Iris said. “He’ll escort you to August, who will walk you down the aisle.”
The three females walked ahead of them up the stairs, and then Cora offered her arm to Cella and escorted her up into the kitchen and to the backdoor, where Midas stood wearing a dress shirt and slacks. “Hello, Cella. It’s my honor to escort you to the clearing.”
“Thank you,” Cella said. She kissed Cora on the cheek and smiled at her as she hurried out of the house and caught up to the other females. In the distance, she could hear music playing softly and the murmur of conversation. She took Midas’s arm and they walked toward the clearing.
“I wasn’t certain if I thanked you properly for saving Cyrus,” he said. “I owe you a debt for saving one of my ambush members.”
“He was mine to save,” she said. “I’m thankful I could, with the help of my coven.”
“This mating, and your joining the ambush as a member, has strengthened the alliance between the ambush and coven, and I’m grateful for your willingness to accept our traditions as your own. If there’s ever anything you need, please don’t hesitate to ask. If it’s in my power, it’s yours.”
“Thank you, Midas. For everything.”
He nodded and gave her hand to August, who smiled at her with eyes filled with unshed tears. “Did Cora tell you she always wanted a daughter?”
Cella smiled as she took his arm and Midas left them. “She did.”
“It’s true. I know you waited a long time for Cyrus, but we waited a long time for you too. Thank you for saving my son, and for joining our family and ambush. You’re my daughter now, so I want you to call me Dad. If you’d like to, I mean.” He cleared his throat and blush stained his cheeks.
She was touched. She kissed his cheek and said, “Thank you, Dad. I’m honored.”
He adjusted his tie and ran a hand through his hair. “I’m the one who’s honored today, sweet girl. Welcome to the family.”
Her eyes stung with emotion as they walked to the aisle centered between the rows of chairs. Cyrus stood with Midas and Gavin at a beautiful arch full of ivy and flowers. Time stood still for a moment, as she looked at her handsome beloved, upper body bare save for golden cuffs around his upper arms similar to the ones she wore. Then the ambush stood, and August tugged her arm gently and they began to walk down the aisle, toward the male who was the utter center of her world.
* * *
Cyrus walked down the aisle, where short rows of chairs on either side were filled with ambush members. Gavin walked beside him as his best man. They reached the arbor that the ambush females had made for them – the white arch covered in ivy and dotted with tiny orchids. It was cold out, fresh snow blanketed the surrounding area, but he didn’t care. He wasn’t as affected by the cold now that he was a tribrid. Prior to his turning, he’d still run hotter than humans and could withstand cold temperatures without discomfort. And it was a good thing, considering he was shirtless.
Midas appeared and walked down the aisle, stopping in the center of the arch and turning to face the ambush.
“I’m happy for you,” Gavin whispered to Cyrus.
“Thanks.”
“I’m next, by the way. I’m calling it.”
“I don’t think it works like that,” Cyrus said, trying to withhold a laugh.
“Does too, because I just did.”
Cyrus rolled his eyes with a chuckle.
Then everything within Cyrus went quiet. He could feel Cella coming before he saw her walking with his father. His beautiful beloved was stunning from head to toe, a vision in a gown fit for a goddess, and he wanted to fall at her feet and worship her for eternity.
Good thing he was going to be able to do that since they were both immortal.
His eyes stung as the ambush stood and faced Cella as she walked down the aisle, and when she placed her hand in his, he knew that he was definitely the most fortunate male in existence.
He had his mate, and their immortal lives were just beginning.
Chapter Twenty-Four
When the mating and marriage ceremony was completed, Cyrus gave Cella’s hand a squeeze and took a step away from her, leaving her facing Midas directly. She gave her bouquet to Aeryn and bowed her head in deference to the king, pledging an oath to Midas and the ambush, promising to protect and help those in need.
“Are there any here who can show just cause why this female cannot become a member of the ambush? Speak now or remain silent forever,” Midas said to the crowd.
Cella pressed her lips together, wondering if someone would protest a vampire joining their ranks. Even though Cyrus’s family had welcomed her, she wasn’t sure if everyone in the ambush was onboard with her. When no one spoke for several moments, Midas said, “Let us welcome our new sister.”
The ambush cheered and clapped, and Cella relaxed and lifted her head, smiling broadly at Midas and Cyrus.
“You weren’t worried were you, sweetheart?” Cyrus murmured in her ear as he drew her to his side.
“Just a tiny bit,” she admitted.
“You’re well and truly mine, beloved, and I’m yours.”
Midas raised his hands for quiet and then spoke, “It’s an occasion to celebrate when mates come together and when a truemate joins the ambush. Let us celebrate the joining of Cyrus and Cella!”
The ambush cheered a second time. Cella took a step to walk down the aisle with Cyrus, but he didn’t budge.
“Cyrus?”
His head was tilted and his eyes were bright gold, his mouth was parted and his fangs had descended. “Did you hear that?”
She blinked a few times and focused her hearing, but there was nothing outside of the sounds of the ambush milling toward the picnic tables for their meal.
“I don’t hear anything.”
“Damn it,” he said, rushing from her side, his body a blur as he barreled into the woods with a furious growl.
“What the hell was that about?” Gavin asked, resting his hands on his hips and staring after his cousin.
Midas sniffed the air. “I can’t discern anything. You?”
Gavin shook his head.
Cella looked at her new king as worry streaked through her. Where had Cyrus gone?
* * *
Cyrus had never been happier than the moment that the ambush cheered their approval of Cella joining their ranks. The vampire coven had welcomed him so readily, bringing him into the family without delay. He’d wanted Cella to have the same experience with his people too. And here they’d done exactly as he’d hoped – opened their arms and hearts to his beloved.
As Midas announced their mating and encouraged the ambush to celebrate their joining with the party that would follow, he and Cella reached for each other, linking their hands. His cat and vampire swelled inside him, wanting to hurry through the party so they could enjoy their mating night.
A sound reached his ears and his natures were on alert immediately.
There again!
A click. Like the camera on a cell phone taking a picture.
Someone was spying on them!
He raced into the woods, trusting his ambush to keep Cella safe. His vision narrowed as he drew on his enhanced senses to locate the source of the clicking. He felt a presence in the woods, his vampire and tiger furious that an outsider had recorded the ambush’s private ceremony. Spinning around a wide tree, he snatched a human male off the ground and slammed him into the rough bark. The human’s head cracked against the tree and he shouted in surprise, the scent of blood filling the air.
“What are you doing here?” Cyrus demanded, holding the male by his throat.
“Fuck. You,” the male said.
Cyrus’s tribrid power filled him, and he ordered the male to freeze. His struggles ceased. Cyrus lowered him to the ground and picked up his cell phone. Using the male’s fingerprint, he unlocked the phone and looked at the camera roll. The male had been taking pictures
and videos of the entire ceremony, as well as the preparation beforehand, zooming in to capture ambush members faces.
He opened the email and text apps, searching to find if the male had sent the photos to anyone, and saw no evidence of it.
The question was why the male was taking photos. Because of the tigers? Or because of Cella?
He hefted the prone male over his shoulder and stalked back to the clearing where his beloved, his king, and the confused ambush were staring at him.
“Who is that?” Cella asked, her voice a loud whisper filled with shock.
Cyrus dumped the male on the ground none-too-gently, satisfied that he didn’t move once he bounced to a stop. “I don’t know. He was taking pictures of us.” He tossed the phone to Midas who flipped through the photos as Cyrus had done.
He pulled Cella into his arms and buried his face in her throat. He inhaled her sweetly familiar scent and was thankful his senses were powerful enough he’d heard the click of the camera. It was an idiot move on the offender’s part. A trained spy would have ensured he wouldn’t be discovered by covering all the bases, including the amateur move of leaving the sound turned on.
Midas called his protectors over, the males who were assigned as his personal guards. Of the four males – Jorah, Benecio, Kyle, and Donovan – Cyrus had grown up with three of them. But Jorah was a transplant from another ambush in Florida and had joined their ranks several years earlier, taking the place of Melo, a protector who shared a mate with his brother, Tahlon. Cyrus had been up for the job of protector, but he’d never accepted the offer to guard Midas at any and all outings from the territory. Before this moment, Cyrus hadn’t thought that anyone had it out for the tiger king but knowing that the human male at his feet had taken pictures of Midas as well as the other members of the ambush made him wonder just what the hell was up.
“Can you do something with him?” Midas asked as he handed the phone to Jorah to view the photos and then turned his attention to the male on the ground. His eyes were wide with a mixture of fear and hatred, but he was still rendered immobile by compulsion.
