I was terrified. I was fascinated. I was ready.
four
The ancient words of the bonding ceremony echoed in the stone chamber, suspended in the fragrant smoke of burning herbs. I stood before Vuhr, his massive wings partially extended behind him in what I’d learned was a display of protective intent. Despite all my research, despite my willing choice to be here, my heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird. Nothing in my human experience had prepared me for this moment. Joining my life to a Manticore—excuse me,Serrathi—warrior through rituals older than my entire civilization.
The Elder officiant stood between us, her age-spotted hands lifting the ceremonial chalice. Her species was unknown to me, but her wisdom was evident in every deliberate movement. I’d seen her twice before in the Sanctuary, always moving with purpose through the corridors, always watching. This was the third time we’d met, and the most consequential.
“Two souls, separate as stars, now drawn into shared orbit,” she intoned, her voice carrying the weight of countless ceremoniesbefore ours. “Mira of Earth, Vuhr of the Seventh Claw Clan, your paths converge today by choice, not chance.”
Vuhr’s golden eyes never left mine. The vertical pupils dilated slightly in the dim light, and I felt a flush spread across my skin. Even now, after months of careful courtship and negotiations, the sight of him still stole my breath. The leonine face with its strong jaw. The rich mahogany of his wings. The coiled strength of his tail. All of it powerfully alien, and yet, somehow, home.
“I receive your oath,” I said when prompted, my voice steadier than I expected.
Vuhr’s rumbled response vibrated through my bones. “I receive your oath and offer protection of claw, wing, and life.”
The Elder nodded, satisfied, and tied a silken cord around our joined wrists—my pale human hand dwarfed by his larger one, my fingers intertwined with claws that could rend steel but now held me with impossible gentleness.
“What nature has designed differently, let purpose bind together,” she said, completing the ritual words. “The ceremony is witnessed. The bond must now be sealed in the traditional way before the next rising of the sun.”
My cheeks burned. I knew what came next. The physical consummation was not merely symbolic but necessary—Manticore biochemistry required it for the bonding to be complete. Counselor Patel had explained it to me with careful clinical detachment when we first discussed mating, but there was nothing clinical about the heat I see in Vuhr’s eyes now.
The Elder Officiant left us, and we walked in silence through the stone corridors of the Sanctuary to the private chambers prepared for us. My hand remained in his, the silk cord aphysical reminder of promises exchanged. When the door closed behind us, Vuhr finally spoke.
“You can still change your mind, Mira.” His voice was rough, strained with what I recognized as tightly controlled desire. “The cord can be untied without consequence until the bonding is complete.”
I shook my head and stepped closer to him. “I haven’t come this far to turn back now.” I reached up to touch his face, fingers tracing the strong line of his jaw. “I want this. I want you.”
His control broke then. With a sound that was half growl, half purr, he bent and captured my mouth with his. The kiss was different from our previous, careful ones—deeper, hungrier. I felt the slight scrape of his canines against my lower lip and shivered.
My dress fell away under his dexterous hands, and I helped him remove the ceremonial garments that covered his powerful form. In the warm light of the chamber, I saw him fully for the first time—the tawny fur that covered his chest and limbs, the junction where skin met the leathery membrane of his wings, the muscular tail that curled and uncurled with anticipation.
He lifted me onto the bed as if I weighed nothing, wings extending to their full span before settling around us like a canopy. I ran my hands across his chest, fascinated by the texture of him, the alien familiarity.
“I’ll be gentle,” he promised, voice husky as he positioned himself above me.
“Don’t be too gentle,” I whispered back, surprising myself with my boldness.
His smile was predatory and tender all at once. “As my mate commands.”
The first touch of his hands on my bare skin sent electricity through me. He was warmer than a human, his body temperature several degrees higher than mine, and everywhere he touched felt branded. I arched into his caresses, learning the geography of him as he learned mine.
When his tail wrapped around my thigh, I gasped. The sensation was unlike anything I’d experienced—smooth scales sliding against sensitive skin, pulling me closer to him. I felt something warm and wet where the tip traced patterns on my inner thigh.
“The scent glands,” he explained, seeing my curious expression. “I’m marking you. It’s...instinctive.”
“Does it serve a purpose?” I managed to ask, though rational thought was becoming increasingly difficult as his hands continued their exploration.
“It binds your scent to mine.” His voice dropped lower. “Tells others you’re claimed.”
The primitive possessiveness in his tone should have offended my modern sensibilities. Instead, it sent heat pooling low in my belly. “Show me more,” I demanded.
What began as slow exploration quickened into something more primal. His hands gripped my hips, lifting me slightly as he positioned himself. I felt him pressing against me, larger than a human male, the difference both frightening and thrilling.
“Eyes on me, Mira,” he commanded softly. “Stay with me.”
I locked my gaze with his as he entered me, the initial stretch and burn giving way to a fullness that bordered on overwhelming.He moved with careful restraint at first, watching my reactions, adjusting to my responses. The tail continued its independent dance across my skin, leaving trails of his scent that seemed to sink beneath the surface, marking me from the inside out.
Then something shifted. The careful rhythm became more urgent. His wings twitched and extended, creating a private world where only we existed. I felt the scrape of claws against my back, careful even in passion not to break skin.
