“Juice told me there were some words I should say to make this mating real. In this world, at least.”
“Mmh?”
“I’m trying to remember how the vow went.” He squeezed his eyes shut as if he were trying to remember the words. They popped open and widened, as if someone whispered it into his mind and he knew exactly what to say. “May the old gods be with us and give us blessings. May we see our children’s children. May the wind be always at our backs, may the warm rays of the sun fall upon our home. May love and laughter light our days, and warm our hearts and home. May our mornings bring joy, and our evenings bring peace. From this day to our last, I am yours and you are mine.”
“That’s beautiful.” Ward half closed his eyes, listening to the steady thump of Viper’s heart. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of blue and pulled back to look. “Wow.”
“Hmm, what’s wow?” Viper’s eyes were closed.
“I—” His voice cracked. “It’s done.”
“What’s done?”
“I think the mating marks are complete.” His fingers traced over the blue design centered above Viper’s heart. A Celtic knotwork circle, banded by intertwined lines of silver and midnight blue. In the center sat two crossed battle axes, and beneath them, arcing like a sunburst, was a row of flames. “It’s so beautiful.”
Viper brushed the hair from Ward’s damp forehead and kissed him softly. “Yours is too.”
Ward smiled slowly as he drifted off to sleep. They had the mating marks, they had each other, and they would have forever if they could figure out what was hunting them from beyond the veil.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Viper hadn’t sleptthis deeply in years. Maybe ever. No nightmares. No cold sweats. No ghostly memories clawing at the edge of his subconscious. Just peace wrapped in heat and the solid weight of Ward tangled around him.
He blinked against the early gray light slipping through the crannóg’s shutters and found Ward’s face nestled into the curve of his shoulder, lashes still fanned across his cheeks and his lips slightly parted in sleep. A tiny crease tugged between his brows, like even his dreams came with questions and consequences. Viper reached up and smoothed his thumb along the line, watching the tension melt away.
How the hell did this man get under my skin so fast?
No. That wasn’t right. Ward hadn’t gotten under his skin—he’d carved himself a space in his heart, and Viper didn’t know how the hell to separate where Ward ended and he began. The mating mark across his chest pulsed, low and slow, in tune with the man in his arms. He’d never felt anything like this. Not even close. He wasn’t quite sure what would happen if they managed to get back to their own time and universe, but he was starting tohope that what was between Ward and him would thrive in that realm, too. Because he found himself in the unnerving situation of not wanting to find out what it would be like to go on with his life without the mate he’d never known he needed in it.
He exhaled slowly and pressed his mouth to the top of Ward’s head.
Thank fuck I didn’t wake him.
Ward sighed softly and tucked himself closer, like he knew this was the safest place on earth.
Viper tightened his arms around him. He didn’t understand how he could be so fiercely protective and wildly unprepared for how much Ward mattered. Last night hadn’t been just sex. It hadn’t even been caused solely by the bond. It had been a fucking revolution inside his soul. One Ward had lit on fire and then handed him the matchbook as if to say, ‘Set the bed on fire with me or don’t bother starting this thing between us at all.’
I’m surprised we still have furs at all.
Because we brought some serious heat in here last night, for sure.
“Stop thinking so loud,” Ward mumbled sleepily against his chest.
Viper huffed a breath, amused and a little in awe. “You spying on my thoughts now?”
“Not on purpose.” Ward’s arm curled tighter around his waist. “They’re just loud. Like a radar pinging through the bond or static that won’t stop.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Ward blinked up at him. “It’s nice. Hearing someone think about me and not want to run the other way.” He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and flexed his back, groaning. “But I think I threw my back out at some point, because damn, I ache so good.”
Viper chuckled and preened just a little before he tipped Ward’s chin up and kissed him, slow and unhurried. “Not going anywhere. Not unless you make me.”
“Good. Because I’m not done with you yet.” Ward’s smile turned wicked. “There’s this position I read about that I want to—eep.”
Viper rolled onto his back, dragging Ward with him until he lay sprawled half across his chest, all warm limbs and sleep-mussed hair. “Is that right?” He never wanted to stop touching him. A thumb brushed the back of Ward’s neck, a palm settled low on his spine, and a lazy stroke of fingers across the glowing mark still etched across his ribs that marked him as his.
Ward tilted his head and traced the edge of the mating mark that wrapped around Viper’s chest. “Still glowing,” he murmured.
