Titus held his handkerchief to her nose. “Blow.”
She didn’t hesitate. Titus took care of her in many ways.She’d learned not to question that he truly wanted her to do as he instructed.
“Ready, Little mate?”
Alessia nodded. “Let’s go.” She didn’t ask him for any description of what would happen. Somehow experiencing whatever ritual the clan had devised without insight seemed most appropriate.
“Good girl.”
Titus lifted Alessia to her feet and rose to stand next to her. He guided her out of the room and down the hallway through the public area of Nightfall. She glanced around, remembering all her favorite memories she’d made here, from her relief in squeezing in that first night, watching Titus make his first Alessia, that impressive shimmy on the bar top, and meeting Carina and the vampires. She smiled at Titus.
“That’s a happy face,” he said.
“Best night ever when I got into Nightfall. Thank goodness the bouncer let me in.”
“That was Alaric. He never overrides Marcus’s routines. That night he directed the security at the door to allow you inside.”
“Really?” she squeaked. “Why?”
“We never ask Alaric why.”
A warm spot kindled inside her. That knowledge made Alaric less scary. Well, maybe not totally, she reconsidered. His blazing power was definitely intimidating. A thought popped into her mind.
“Does Alaric have a mate?”
“He does not,” Titus answered as he guided her through a dark doorway Alessia had never noticed.
A shadowy passage stretched out in front of them. As they walked, dark red glowing symbols appeared on the walls. Alessia tried to read the squiggles but couldn’t decipher them.Did vampires have their own language? She inhaled the primal scent deeply. Her fangs descended. Those deep crimson decorations weren’t made of blood, were they?
She squashed her curiosity, not willing to interrupt the silence. They moved through a series of hallways that disoriented Alessia. Soon she had no clue whether she was facing the front of Nightfall or the back.
Titus squeezed her hand, reassuring her as they stopped in front of a glowing pad. “Press your hand on the panel, Little mate. Do not remove it until you receive the sign.”
Alessia followed his urging hesitantly. It wouldn’t shock her, would it? To her surprise, the glowing rectangle was warm—alive.
“Welcome, Alessia, mate to Titus.”
The sound wrapped around her, sliding over her skin. Alessia savored the sensation. The disembodied voice seemed to come from all directions simultaneously. The impact of this powerful greeting reinforced her impression that this was life-changing.
Doors opened in front of them as the pad under her hand cooled and turned black. The dimly lit interior of a room beckoned her forward. As Titus urged her forward with a hand at the small of her back, Alessia stepped inside.
Dark paneling covered the walls, and sconces held flickering bulbs. She jumped as the doors sealed behind them. Alessia eased herself closer to Titus as an eerie chill and an unsteadiness settled into her bones. Several seconds later, she blurted, “Are we going down?”
“Yes, Little mate.” He pulled her into his arms. “You are doing well, Alessia. I am proud to have you as my mate.”
She didn’t understand why, but she loved knowing that he approved. Titus threaded his fingers through her hair to cupthe back of her head. He kissed her fiercely, as if staking his claim. Alessia squirmed closer, savoring his flavor.
When he lifted his head, his eyes glowed red. “Mine,” he growled.
“Yours completely,” she agreed and rose on her toes to press her lips to his once again.
A soft thumping sound registered on her senses, growing louder. Alessia put her hand on his chest, checking if she heard his heart. Under her touch, his pulse slowed to the beat surrounding them. Titus shifted her hand to rest between her breasts. She gasped. Hers matched as well.
“It is time,” Titus announced and gestured toward the doors, which now stood open.
Stepping out, Alessia studied the scene in front of her. An aisle of heavy iron candlestands held flickering thick white candles, illuminating the pitch-black darkness. The knowledge of a rocket scientist wasn’t required to understand she needed to walk between them. Gathering her courage, she followed her instincts and moved into the lighted corridor.
Titus shifted to her right and placed her hand on his bent forearm. She looked up at his attractive shadowy face, picturing herself as a medieval princess advancing with her knight errant. He patted her arm. Two dark figures emerged from the shadows to follow them, and his fingers tightened when she automatically turned. Their presence wasn’t threatening but had surprised her. At the next set of candles, a single cloaked figure stepped into the light with a whisper of sound and fell in behind the duo trailing Alessia and Titus.
