Page 32 of Stryker
He grinned. “Then you better get in there and get talking.”
17
Kat
The door closed and I glanced over at Stryker. His expression, so tight and almost angry, bothered me. I knew we needed to talk. That he needed to explain the whole blood oath thing to me. When Draco offered it, he’d merely said it was a rite and that I’d have to wait for Stryker to explain it.
But Draco had been certain it would save my life, so how could I possibly say no?
Stryker sat beside me on the couch but didn’t look at me. Nerves fluttered in my belly and I reached out to touch him. My hand rested on his thigh and he glanced at it, then finally lifted his eyes to look at me.
I studied him, searching for answers in his eyes, but finding nothing. “So…” I wanted to ask. I wanted to come right out and ask what this thing that would save me was.
“It’s really soon. We could both regret it. But it means we’ll be bound for the rest of our lives.” The words left his lips and he sounded almost… angry.
“I wish we’d had more time.” He shoved his hands through his hair and left them resting on his head while he stood up and began to pace. “If we had more time then we’d know for sure. But this could be the biggest mistake of our lives.”
“Well, if the alternative is death, how bad could it be?” Still, even as I said the words, fear tickled up my spine. What if it was something really bad? “Stryker.”
He stopped pacing for a second and glanced at me.
“What is a blood oath?” My voice almost failed me at the end, and I dragged in a deep breath. He eyed me, his lips pressed into a thin line.
“A blood oath is our way of pledging to one another.” He eyed me carefully. “It follows the logic that two souls bound will never betray one another. But it would be permanent.”
“Pledging to one another?” I must sound stupid, but I was pretty sure he was implying marriage.
“It’s like a marriage ceremony. We’d be joining.” He stopped moving and just watched me, as if looking for my reaction. Warmth flooded through me at the thought of forever being with him. Sure, it was soon—we hadn’t known one another for all that long, but I knew deep down that he was the one for me.
Call me crazy or stupid, whatever. My gut told me this would work. And I trusted my gut. So far it hadn’t steered me wrong.
“I accept.”
He stopped walking and stared at me.
“I accept. Let’s do this.” I smiled up at him. He continued to stand there, staring at me in shock and I stood up. A few short steps later, I slipped my arms up around his shoulders and leaned into his hard warmth. “I know it’s sudden. Maybe it’s stupid. But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit it feels right.”
There, I’d said it. Out loud, where he could hear me. And it did sound crazy. But it also rang with truth because I really did feel that way I’d pledge my life to him. I’d marry him. I’d do whatever I needed to for this blood oath.
“I’m not afraid.” And the strange thing was that I really wasn’t scared. Not at all.
“Are you sure?” He stared down at me. “There are some risks–”
“The alternative is death. So let’s do this. What do we need to do?”
He chuckled and his lips touched my forehead. “I need you to know that this was what I wanted. From the very beginning. My dragon knew. No, he insisted. And I knew, too. I could scent it on you; you were the right one for me.”
“Are you serious?” I asked pushing him away and staring up at him. “Your talent is super smell?”
His eyes narrowed. “Watch it, human. I could easily destroy you.”
“With your super nose?” I laughed and the corners of his lips twitched.
“I could smell your innocence. I know you’re currently ovulating. I know that you miss your parents, that you’re honestly not afraid, but you think you might be a little crazy or stupid.” He arched an eyebrow at me, and I struggled to hide that I was impressed. “I also know that you need more iron in your diet and that you’re in good overall health. And that you want babies.”
“You can smell my desire to make babies?” That sounded too farfetched.
He pulled me into his arms again and smiled down at me. “Okay, I might have exaggerated that last one. But you did give yourself away with that answer, though.” His lips touched my forehead and I squeezed my eyes closed, feeling at home, safe, loved, protected.
