CASSIUS

by Alexi Ferreira

  “Love you too sis.” He mumbles, just as the bedroom door opens and Cassius is standing there in the doorway.

  “You ready?” he asks and then frowns when I pull away from Kade. I see his eyes darken as they run up and down my body and then his body tenses as his eyes stop at my breasts. “You look beautiful babe, but you might get cold, I think you should take a jacket.” He grumbles.

  “Told you.” Kade says with a smirk which makes me smile.

  “I’ll be fine.” I say as I walk towards him, his eyes are still at my breasts as I come to stand before him. “Hey, my eyes are up here.” I tease which makes him snap out of the daze he was in. He lifts his hand placing it around the back of my neck he pulls me towards him as his mouth descends towards mine. The kiss is slow and filled with promise leaving me wanting more when he finally lifts his head.

  “Can we go now?” Kade asks from the doorway

  “Yeah, let’s go kid.” Cassius calls as he places his hand at my back and guides me out of the room.

  “Where’s Sven?” I whisper as we walk out of the compound into a beautiful sunny day. Cassius guides me into the cropping of trees; and towards the sound of the stream.

  “Guard duty at the gate.” He answers as we come across a field of beautiful white and purple flowers, and there next to a stream stands Wulf with Orion in one of his arms as the other arm is around Jasmine’s waist, Draco and Caelius are standing with them talking as we walk towards them.

  “Hey kid,” Draco calls, “I heard you cleaned my bike?” I see Kade pale and tense as he looks up at Draco.

  “Umm, yeah . . . did I do something wrong?” we all know that Kade loves Draco’s Confederate Wraith, he has been ogling that bike since the day he got here.

  “It’s never been so clean, thanks.” Draco says with a wink which makes Kade preen happily. Bion and Brielle come through the trees walking towards us, I see a scowl on Bion’s face and wonder what has him upset.

  “What’s wrong with Bion?” I ask Cassius and see the smirk that crosses his face as he looks at Bion.

  “Nothing much baby, I’m sure he’s just feeling a bit chocked up.” He quips, for some reason I think that answer has some other meaning, especially when I see the other guys grin. “Why would he be chocked up about the naming ceremony, especially if none of the babies are his?” I ask

  “You’ll see.” He says as he kisses my forehead. Brielle is looking beautiful in a pearl coloured dress that flows down to her feet with a slit up the one side showing off her sexy leg.

  “Do you guys smell that?” Bion says when he’s standing by us.

  “Yeah, we smelt it as soon as we got here.” Caelius replies, I sniff but can’t smell anything except for the aroma of the flowers. Looking over at Jasmine I raise my brows but she shrugs also not smelling anything.

  “Oh, that must be from Sven.” Kade quips, “Gross, hey”

  “What do you mean kid?” Draco asks in a tense voice which makes Kade tense when he thinks he’s said something wrong.

  “Umm, just that Sven was peeing all around here like marking his territory or something. Sorry, I thought that’s what you guys were smelling.” He grumbles as he flushes in embarrassment. Cassius pulls me tight against him as he starts to look around as if on the alert for something.

  “Yeah, I agree with you kid. It’s gross, maybe we should move closer to those trees over there.” Wulf says already guiding Jasmine there. I realize that the men are suspicious at him doing that and are worried that there might be some kind of an attack. Burkhart, Brandr and Aria with their baby join us. At their query at why we moved, Burkhart growls in anger.

  “Motherfucker,” his dark blue eyes are nearly black with his anger.

  “Stand down” Draco grunts with a hard look at him which makes him grunt. Just as Bjarni carrying both his babies accompanied by Gabriela join us.

  “Hi everyone,” Gabriela says happily missing the angry undercurrent, “It’s so great to be out again.” She quips as she looks up at the sky. Bjarni’s eyebrow is raised as he looks at Draco, and I see Draco shake his head in reply to what Bjarni must have been asking.

  “Sorry we late,” Nova calls as Ceric and her come strolling towards us. By the blush on Nova’s face and the smile on Ceric’s face I’m sure he’s not sorry he’s late.

  “Shall we start” Draco says

  Bjarni hands Gabriela the babies carefully and then kisses her lightly on the lips, Brandr guides Aria next to Gabriela and then bends down and says something in her ear before kissing her lips and handing her their baby.

  From what Cassius had explained to Kade and I, for the ceremony all the elements are needed for the stones to be forged. Kade had been overwhelmed but as every young person he soon bounced back and confessed that it was awesome, that the guys had powers.

  Bjarni and Brandr had asked Burkhart as the fire element, Caelius as the air element, Cassius as the water element and Draco for the earth element. Even though Draco is fire element he can wield air and earth to help forge the stones for their children.

  We all stand around Gabriella, Aria and the babies, the women in front of the men in a circle. In the circle the men always stand on the outside to protect the women and children that are inside and to stop the energy from escaping.

  Draco lowers onto his haunches placing his hands on the ground far apart from each other, he states “May your time in Nature lead you to yourself. In the woods we return to reason and faiths, of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are lead with your heart. Trees and stones will teach you that which you can never learn from masters. Follow your path into the earth, to lose your mind and find your soul.” As he finishes speaking the ground rumbles and two pits open where his hands were.

  Burkhart steps into the circle as Draco steps back, his hands before him facing the pits “You will survive because the fire inside you will burn brighter than the fire around you, don’t stop when you are tired, stop only when you are done. Tame the old and will the new, the fire in you will grow and blaze within you like a beacon guiding you.” I see heat rise within the circle and then flames appear in each pit growing until its blazing inside the confines of the pits.

  Caelius steps into the circle as Burkhart steps back to his place, his hands circling semi-clockwise “Out of the bosom of the Air, out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken, over the woodlands brown and bare, over the harvest-fields forsaken, silent, and soft. This is the secret of the air, long in its cloudy bosom hoarded, may it guide and forever fill you with breath to continue fighting and loving throughout your vast existence.” A swirl of air entwines with the flames turning them a hot blue colour.

  Bjarni steps into the circle holding four stones that he found over the pit, “Earth, Fire, Air and Water may your power forge these stones. Let your vast energy protect them and the ones they are meant for.” Bjarni drops the stones into the pit, the flame rises with a mighty roar dying down slightly after a few minutes.

  Approaching Gabriela, Bjarni takes the baby boy from her and moves towards the fire with Gabriela and the baby girl right behind him. Taking one of his blades from the holster at his waist he turns towards his mate. Gabriela stretches out her free hand over the pit, Bjarni takes her arm and kisses her hand before he cuts it with the blade. Her blood instantly starts to flow and drip into the pit. Next he takes the hand of his baby boy, taking his tiny hand he holds it over the fire, with a quick movement he cuts his hand holding it over the fire as the little ones blood drips into the flame. He does the same with his baby girl. Finally he takes his own hand and does the same letting his own blood drip into the pit.

  Bjarni turns to Gabriela; taking a step closer he kisses her forehead. “May the power of the Elements bless our son Bjorn” at the baby’s name we all repeat the name four times for the four elements. “May the power of the Elements bless our daughter Sofia” again everyone repeats the name four times for the four elements.

  Then it’s Brandr’s turn t
o go through the same ritual as Bjarni just went through, after the blood ritual he turns to Aria, Kissing her forehead. “May the power of the Elements bless our son Fury.” everyone once again repeats the name four times for the four elements.

  Cassius steps around me and enters the circle one hand facing the stream the other the pits “Water is powerful. It can wash away earth, put out fire, and even destroy iron. Water can carve its way through stone. And when trapped, water makes a new path. May the element of water guide you and keep you safe through time and space.” With these words a swirl of water rises from the stream moving towards the pits as if a rainbow, droplets drip into the flames making it sputter and roar its fury and then continues its forging.

  As Cassius steps back behind me in the circle again, leaving only the parents and the infants in the middle everyone start to chant as is their custom three times.

  Water; our blood.

  Air; our breath.

  Earth; our body.

  And fire; our spirit.

  My heart is racing at the beautiful ceremony, never have I been part of something so magical so touching. I look at the two pits that hold the special stones that will belong to these three beautiful babies and smile thinking that one day we will also be doing this with any kids that we might have. I feel Cassius arms encircle my waist and I smile. Looking up I see Kade’s happy smile as he leans against a tree, as he wasn’t allowed to be part of the circle but was allowed to watch.

  “What did you think baby?” Cassius asks against my ear and then kisses my neck making the skin on my body sensitive to his touch.

  “It was so beautiful, I love their names. I can’t wait to see what their stones are going to look like, it’s so exciting don’t you think?” before Cassius can answer Bion interrupts everyone calling everyone’s attention.

  “Sorry to interrupt, most of you know what this is about, but some don’t.” I see the men grinning but us women are all looking around confused, even Brielle. “I took this opportunity that we are all together, Celmund you there my brother?” Bion calls and I hear Celmund confirm, only then do I see that there is a camera on a tree above us, he isn’t here but he has been participating in the ceremony with us.

  Whatever this is, looks like Bion is slightly nervous. “I wanted to make this special, therefore I chose this day of magic,” he turns towards Brielle and then lowers himself down on one knee as he lifts his hand that has an open ring box in it. Brielle gasps, her hand moving to cover her mouth as tears fill her eyes. “Beauty, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?” she nods, tries to answer but no words will come out as the tears break through and course down her cheeks.

  “Yes” she gasps, “yes, yes, yes” with that he takes the ring out of the box and slips it onto her finger. She pulls him up while she bends to kiss him. He stands pulling her against his body as he kisses her deeply.

  “You not supposed to do that yet, are you?” Burkhart asks with a frown, I see Brandr elbow him and shake his head. “What?” he asks, only then do I realize that Bion is actually planning on marrying Brielle today. He finally pulls away from her as we all clap and tease.

  “Kade, you up.” Bion calls, I see a splitting smile come across my brother’s face as he walks forward.

  “Go to your brother baby” Cassius says in my ear, as he pushes me gently towards Kade. I look over my shoulder at Cassius and see his smile. Whatever is going to happen is going to be exciting, I can see by all the women’s faces that they also don’t know what’s happening.

  “Okay ladies, please stand over here for a second while your men get ready.” He quips with a smug grin.

  “What’s going . . .” Jasmine chokes on her question as the guys start to pull off their shirts.

  “Who cares, let it carry on.” Gabriela teases

  “Damn, they should have given us chairs. I believe my knees have just gone weak.” Nova says as Ceric pulls off his shirt and winks at his woman.

  “Is it hot here, or is it just me?” I ask as Cassius also pulls off his shirt and walks towards where the other men are now standing. Only then do I notice that they are standing in a line each one with a weapon in his hands. Cassius, Bjarni, Gunner and Caelius are on the left about a meter between them, about two meters in front of them is Wulf, Brand, Burkhart and Ceric. At the end of this path that they’ve creates is Draco and Bion. All the men are shirtless, their muscles rippling in the light that is filtering through the trees. Their jeans low on their sculptured bodies showing off their abdomens.

  “Sheez, I should have brought some tissues for all the drool.” Kade teases as he laughs at us.

  “Blood for blood, brothers until the end.” They all say suddenly and then their right fist comes up and hits their chests. “Darn, I think I just came.” Gabriela teases, which makes Bjarni’s head snap around towards all of us as he grunts.

  “Yeah, my knees are weak too.” Aria says

  “If I knew we were in for this kind of treat, I would have brought an extra pair of panties.” Nova grumbles playfully which makes us all giggle. Ceric groans and shakes his head as he glares at her from where his standing, but she simply winks at him.

  “Okay ladies you’re up” Kade says, “Jasmine you first, walk between the men until you reach Wulf, and then stand before him.”

  “Great, must we also take our tops off.” She asks teasingly, as she prepares to walk forward.

  “No,” Kade gasps as Wulf throws him a murderous glare. “No, please keep all your clothes on.” He pleads which makes us all laugh as he didn’t realise Jasmine was teasing. As she steps between Caelius and Burkhart all the men lower themselves to one knee and bend their heads, I see her hand go to her heart at this.

  She walks between the men until she’s standing before Wulf, he stands until he’s towering over her. Then I hear her gasp and her hand moves towards Wulf’s stomach. From where I’m standing I can’t see what she’s doing but whatever it is has Wulf smiling. “You are my Angel, without you I would have no direction. I give to you all that I have and all I am, my brothers and I will protect you until our dying day.” With these words the men all stand and once again their right fists go to their hearts as if in a vow. Then we all hear a gurgle come from Orion that is lying on a blanket besides us kicking his legs up in the air as if giving his consent, which makes us all laugh.

  “Oh man, I’m going to cry.” Brielle says

  “You are crying!” Nova quips as she frowns at her.

  “You’re next Gabriela.” Kade says, I see a splitting smile across Gabriela’s face as she hurries with the babies towards the men, a swing to her step. When she reaches the first two she stops and all the men again lower on their knee and bend their heads. She looks over her shoulder at us and smiles, then she walks forward until she’s standing before her man. Bjarni stands with a smile, “Baby girl, my life only really started when I met you, I give to you all that I have and all I am, my brothers and I will protect you until our dying day.” Suddenly I hear her gasp as tears start to run down her cheeks, she steps forward and raises herself on her toes, Bjarni lowers his head and takes her lips in a gentle kiss as he enfolds her and his babies in his arms. All the men are again standing and smiling at them.

  “Aria, it’s you now.” Kade says with a smile.

  “Enjoy girl, remember it’s not every day we have men like these at our feet.” Nova quips as she starts to walk. The men go through the same ritual until she’s standing before Brandr and his standing before her.

  “Sunshine, you are the light to my darkness, I give to you all that I have and all I am, my brothers and I will protect you until our dying day.” Aria smiles up at him a tear coursing down her cheek that he swipes away before he pulls her and their baby into his arms.

  “Your turn Nova,” Nova steps away from us and towards the men, when she approaches instead of continuing until she’s standing before Ceric she stops before Burkhart and Caelius and looks down at them with a smile then up at Jasmine, Gabrie
la and Aria that are standing next to their men that are kneeling. She stretches out her hands and rubs both their heads before she continues walking until she’s standing before Ceric. I burst out laughing when Burkhart and Caelius’s heads snap up in surprise and then shake in amusement.

  Ceric stands before his woman, I can tell that he knows she did something as there’s a glint in his eye. “Hellcat, I never realized how dull my life was until you exploded into my life. I give to you all that I have and all I am, my brothers and I will protect you until our dying day.” With those words he pulls her towards him and takes her lips in an explosive kiss that has Nova lifting her arms around his neck as she stretches against him.

  “Sis you next.” Kade says with a wink.

  “Shouldn’t it be me?” Brielle asks in confusion as we noticed that all the women were called according to who arrived first at the compound.

  “Nope, its Scarlett now.” He says, I look at Brielle and shrug as I step towards the men, I walk past all of them until I reach Cassius, my heart galloping at this show of honour that the men are displaying. Cassius looks up as he stands, “Baby, you are the calmness to my soul without you I would be lost for all eternity. I give to you all that I have and all I am, my brothers and I will protect you until our dying day.” I lower my head when I feel tears threatening only then do I see the tattoo across his abdomen.

  “Oh” I gasp, letting the tears trickle down my cheeks as my head snaps up and I see the grin on his face. I take the step needed to reach him and place my hands over his chest “I love you” I whisper as he kisses me.

  “It’s you now,” I hear Kade say to Brielle. Cassius pulls back reluctantly as he places his hand on my upper arm and guides me until I’m standing next to him, he then lowers again to his knee as Brielle walks down the path. I see Bion and Draco at the end also kneeling, when she’s finally standing before Bion he stands and takes her hands in his. Instead of talking like the other men he turns her towards Draco that is now also standing.