Page 21 of Alien Bride
"No, no, that’s why this isn’t live streamed,” I added.
I took a deep breath and gave Aeson my best, adoring smile.
The colors fluttered across his cobra like hood of fringes in response.
“I vow to challenge you,” I started out. “To encourage you to be the best version of yourself and to provide a safe place for you to discover that. I promise to be by your side through sickness and health, to listen with empathy when we need to talk things out, and to be patient when we need it so that our bond can grow. I vow that I will choose honesty.”
“Aeson, seventh son of the seventh clutch of the Tsalu Salintinith Matriarch, you may recite your vows,” the preacher said.
“I vow to defend you with my body, mind, and heart, to provide for you in every way that you need and every way that you desire,” he said, the words sending a shiver through my spine. “I vow to support your dreams and your goals, to lift you up so that you may touch the stars that live in your mind. I vow to always give you the honesty of my heart, the directness of my mind packaged in kindness, and the patience that comes with knowing that your thoughts and feelings are precious gifts to be cherished.”
“That’s beautiful,” I sighed, the warm glow in my chest burning brighter, bringing the sharp cut of tears forming suddenly in my eyes. I widened them, letting the dry California air hold them back, keep them in place.
“Aeson, the ring,” the preacher said, and Aeson lifted my hand and slid a ring on to my finger. “You say, with this ring, I thee wed.”
“With this ring, I thee wed,” Aeson said.
I looked down at it, the sudden sparkle of gems catching the sunlight. The shimmering, smooth, chromatic band was a metal I didn’t recognize. It was embellished with tiny glowing jewels that glowed with an otherworldly light. The design of the ring revolved around a transparent, sparkling diamond dome that held what looked like a miniature comet flying through a background of stars.
“I had it made in preparation of this ceremony,” Aeson said softly. “It is made with material from my family’s ancestral lands.”
“I don’t have a ring for you.” I looked up at him.
“The Atisari tradition of marking a married man… I mean, a married male is different,” the preacher said. “We are honoring the individual traditions of each species in a blended ceremony.”
“Right, okay, what do I do next?” I asked.
The preacher cleared his throat and turned around to reach for something leaning against the archway behind him. He turned back, holding up a clipboard and a dagger that was the same chromatic color as my wedding band.
“The female marks her mates herself with her claws,” Aeson said. “Since you do not have the physical ability to pierce my skin, I have brought a dagger that will suffice.”
“You want me to do what exactly?” I shot a look over at Caley.
“To claim me as yours, you must carve your design into my chest.” Aeson’s deep voice drew my gaze back to him.
The preacher held out the knife.
“I don’t have a design.” I glanced at the knife, then back at Aeson. “Don’t get me wrong, I want to honor your culture, but scarring your body is a pretty big thing for me to be put on the spot for.”
“You do not need to come up with your design right now, just make one mark to start it.” Aeson stroked his thumb over the back of my hand, brushing against my ring. “Most females solidify their design over time, adding onto it every time they add a new male to the harem.”
“Harem?” the pastor croaked out, taking a step back.
“No harem,” I replied, dropping Aeson’s hands to reach out to take the knife out of his hands. “This is a one woman, one alien kind of deal.”
I turned back to Aeson and he pulled his shoulders back, lowering himself on his tail so that he was closer to my height.
“Here.” He tapped his finger on the right side of his chest. “Over my secondary heart.”
“Secondary, huh?” I asked, placing the knife against his bulging pectoral.
“Your species is small enough to only need one heart.” He gestured at his long tail, which curled back behind him down the path. “You have not faced enough violent evolutionary pressure to develop interlinking redundant systems. My species has different circulatory needs.”
“Let’s do this then.” I pushed forward with the knife, trying not to wince as I dragged it down his chest to make a small cut. Blue blood oozed out of the cut. “With this cut, I thee wed.”
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the pastor sighed. “You may now kiss the bride.”
Aeson leaned into the knife, and I tried to pull it back, but he wrapped his arms around me and lifted me up off the ground, turning so that he wrapped around me with his tail, securing my hips against him in a tight grip. As he gently squeezed my legs together, a wave of heat surged through my body. The sensation of his scales gently rubbing against the outside of my dress and pulling up the hem to brush against my calves added to the delicious friction.
