by Cara E Holt
Queen Eira I can tell tries not to look shocked or horrified at the introduction and allows him to kiss her hand.
“So you are Ebony’s father?”
He nods and smiles affectionately at me, not how I would have expected a demon to behave but then he was the first demon I have ever met.
“My daughter is in grave danger now that the witch has broken the spell and awoken her powers. Lucifer will now be aware of her existence and will seek to take her.” He looks to Lorcen.
“I understand you are the one destined for my daughter?”
Lorcen nods. “Yes sir I am.” He says bowing his head. I’m not sure if you need to bow to demons but I like that he shows respect to my father.
“My firstborn daughter was promised to one of Lucifer’s sons. Of course that was before I knew I would meet and fall in love with a fae goddess and due to her fae genes that her soul mate would be chosen for her.” My father holds out his hands and beckons me forward and I wobbly take it and stand beside him, the wings are still causing me to be unbalanced. He looks at queen Eira. “ Hell is no place for my daughter and I will not see her given to one of his sons. Even in hell the sanctity of marriage is recognised, therefore if Ebony is married Lucifer cannot marry her to his son.”
“So your daughter needs to marry and quick is what you are telling me?” Queen Eira asks him her eyes falling again on my wings making me shuffle uncomfortably.
“She does, only on the death of her mate could he come to claim her.” My father looks at Lorcen.
“I must warn you that is not to say that he will not seek to find ways to end your life in order to get to her sooner.”
Lorcen nods in response, he must want to run fast in the opposite direction from me now.
“I understand but she is my mate and my life is with her. Let him try to separate us, he will not succeed.” He says it with such determination and strength that if my father was not here and I was not anxious about how Lorcen felt about my wings I would probably have rushed over to him and kissed his face off! I instead drop him a shy smile.
“Good.” Says my father. “Then let us do this now. Do you have someone who can perform the ceremony?”
Queen Eira nods and looks to Noah who is stood there for once speechless for once. “Go and fetch the priestess.” Noah nods and sifts out of the room. On his departure queen Eira comes to me and takes my hands in hers “ Ebony I can only offer my heart felt apologies for my eldest sons behaviour. I thought I knew my eldest son and clearly I was wrong.”
I shake my head. I can see the pain in her eyes and I feel for her. “Please do not apologise, it is not your fault. He is his own person.”
I catch my father watching me a smile upon his face. “You are so like your mother.” I blush and smile at him.
“Could Lorcen and I have a moment please?” I ask both my father and Queen Eira.
“We will be at the other end of the hall.” My father tells me and taking Queen Eira’s arm in his they sift to the other end of the hall.
I fumble nervously with my hands conscious of Lorcen’s eye’s upon me. His hands cover mine to stop me. “Look at me Ebs.” He says softly. I take a breath and look up at him and our eye’s meet and as always it sets my heart of ten to the dozen.
“Lorcen are you sure you want to do this? Because soul mark or not I would understand if you did not wish to marry me now. I mean look at me? I’m half demon, with these hideous wings.” I say pointing behind me.
Lorcen puts a hand over my mouth to stop me saying anymore. “You are my soul mate Ebony Lockhart. I would do anything for you. Not even the devil breathing down my neck could change that. You are the one I want to spend my life with.” He reaches behind me and touches one of my wings and it makes me shiver. “You could have come back with horns and a tail and I would still think you the most beautiful creature alive. The wings are crazy beautiful and a little badass too.”
I laugh with him at the description of my wings as badass. “Don’t ever doubt that I don’t want this.”
He leans down then and kisses me and I realise how much I have missed feeling his lips on mine and respond with equal urgency, his lips are my home. We are interrupted by the return of Noah and with him an old looking lady with white hair down to her ankles in a silver gown and beautiful golden wings. My father and Lorcens mother sift back over to us.
“Are we ready?” Asks the woman and myself and Lorcen nod.
Queen Eira tells the priestess that the ceremony must be done as quickly as possible. A small stone table appears before us and on it are a silver bottle and a silver goblet and a gold length of rope. The priestess blesses the bottle and then pours the blue liquid into the goblet. She comes to Lorcen and hands it to him.
“Do you Lorcen, prince of the Unseelie realm, take this drink to signify your acceptance of his holy presence and of the sacred bond you make today.”
I do.” He says and drinks from the goblet, he returns it to the priestess who in turn passes it to me and smiling she asks me the same. “Do you Ebony Lockhart daughter of Tuatha and of the fallen take this drink as acceptance of his holy presence and of the sacred bond you make today.”
I shakily take the cup. “I do.” I take a sip of the liquid offer the cup back to her.
She then takes the gold rope and takes Lorcen’s wrist and places it over mine. She then wraps the gold rope around our wrists and begins speaking in a language I do not understand. Lorcen smiles at me and winks and he translates what she is saying. “Let the binds that tether these two souls together never be broken. The binds signify the binding of their souls in the holy sanctity of marriage.”
I try not to gasp when the rope sparkles and then sinks into our skin, becoming almost like a tattoo around our wrists. At the same time I also feel a sensation where my mate mark is and put my hand over it. The priestess steps back then and smiles. “Congratulations. I wish you both a long and happy life together.”
My father and Queen Eira come forward then and say congratulations and kiss us both.
My father pulls me in for a hug and says at my ear. “This is a day I thought I would never get to witness, my daughters marriage.” He shakes Lorcen’s hand then. “Look after my child.” He tells him and Lorcen nods assuring him that it will be his prime aim in life.
Noah comes forward then and smiling sweeps me up in a hug lifting me off my feet.
“Glad your back princess. He’s been real bad company without you around.” He tells me gesturing with a nod of his head towards Lorcen. “The wings rock by the way!”
“Thanks Noah.” I tell him grateful for his humour. My father comes back over to us then and takes my hands in his.
“I must leave and return before he seeks me out and notices I have left. You are everything and more than I ever imagined you would be. You have your mothers beautiful smile and her kind nature. I will try to come and see you soon but I don’t know when as I need to keep my eye on what Lucifer’s plans are now that he is aware of you.”
“I understand. Thank you for rescuing me from the crazy guy.” I tell him smiling. I pause and sigh.
“I have so many questions to ask you.”
He smiles at me and kisses my forehead, “I know. One day soon I will answer them for you. Be safe.” My father shakes Lorcen’s hand. “Remember what I said he will try to remove you from the situation, keep your guard up at all times. If Ebony’s mother comes for you both you would be wise to go with her, she can offer you protection.” Lorcen nods in response and then with a bow to Lorcen’s mother he is gone. Lorcen wraps his arm around my waist and I settle into his side resting my head on his chest.
“What do we do now?” I ask them all and Noah laughs in response rubbing his hands together.
“Now we organise a party! We have a wedding to celebrate.”
Lorcen smiles but shakes his head. “Any party can wait. I haven’t seen my girl here for a couple of days.” He looks down at me and the heated gaze he gives me make
s me gulp in anticipation.
Queen Eira nods at us and smiles. “Go and have some time together, a party and an announcement to the kingdom can wait.” She kisses us both softly on the cheeks and then sifts out of the room.
There’s a cough to my right and I turn to see Melantha stood there still bound by the black snakes around her feet and arms. “A little help please?”
I smile and decide to give it a go after all I have seriously amazing genes. I flick my wrists and the snakes disappear. “What do you want to do, return to your coven?” I ask her.
Melantha shakes her head at me. “They would never accept me back and I think I’ll no longer be welcome with Devlon. “
Lorcen frowns at her. “You can stay here for now.” He points at her. “But don’t think I haven’t forgotten you were working with my brother.”
Melantha does a mock salute. “Message received loud and clear handsome.”
Lorcen sighs and looks to Noah. “Can you sort her a room. Oh and keep an eye on her.”
Noah nods and taking Melantha’s hand in his they sift out of the room. I have a feeling those two together could be trouble!
“So wifey, I get you to myself at last.” He says pulling me against him with a mischievous smile on his gorgeous face before he leans in and kisses me. I know things for us won’t be easy but I know that together is where we belong. We may have the devil himself out to separate us and Lorcen’s crazy power hungry brother out to cause chaos on both worlds but I know I can get through it with my dark fairy boy at my side.
To be continued…
Book two of the Soul Mark Series – Soul Bound is coming soon.
To keep up-to-date with book release dates, sneak peeks of book two and general posts from Cara, please follow her on her facebook page – Cara E Holt.
