Page 136 of Bellamy

The ceremonial goblet Alastair had used during the previous mating rituals had burned with their mansion, but Konnar had provided another for us. The vampire sat on the back row, his purple eyes faintly glowing and his blond hair pulled back. He tipped his head to me.

“Hurry up, Al. I’m gettin’ sleepy,” Gray said from the front row. He then shifted to Mason’s lap instead of sitting in his own chair. He held a penis-looking dinosaur statue that was blue with green stripes. Dino-Steve, he had named it.

After losing the former dick-o-saurus, Dino-Pete, in the fire, Mason had searched online to find another. It had come in the mail that morning, and Gray’s squeal of excitement had rung all through the house.

Dino-Steve’s birthday would now be on Bellamy’s and my wedding anniversary.

Such an honor.

Sirena and her remaining warriors had returned to the Caribbean the day after the battle, but Baxter and his warriors, as well as Daichi and the ice dragons, had stayed. They sat in the chairs in front of the small altar Alastair had set up.

“Sorry!” Raiden said after exiting the house and jumping off the back patio, jogging over to the seat beside Castor. We had been waiting for him. “Cake’s done and decorated. Everything’s ready. Let’s get this show on the road. And then we can eat.”

Titan smiled from the row behind him.

“Did you draw a penis on the cake?” Castor asked. “’Cause Bell’s a giant di—”

Kyo slapped his hand over Castor’s mouth. “Ignore him and his foul mouth.”

Castor licked his palm, and Kyo laughed.

The ritual to bind the souls of mates was similar to a wedding. An oath had to be spoken in front of witnesses, and then Bellamy and I would drink a special magic-infused wine from the same goblet. Sex followed to complete the binding, but that was done in privacy afterward.

“Speak from the heart,” Alastair said, presenting the goblet filled with swirling dark liquid. The wine smelled both bitter and sweet. “Then drink to seal your oath.”

“These jerks already know how I feel about you,” Bellamy said, taking my hand in his. Raiden booed him, which caused a wave of laughter and a few more boos from the peanut gallery.

“Silence,” Lazarus said from the back. He stood behind the last row of chairs. His arm was no longer in a sling, and he wore a button-up shirt—the first time I’d ever seen him without his abs on display. He nodded to Bellamy. “Continue.”

“We got in trouble,” Gray said in a loud whisper. HeboopedMason’s nose with the tip of Dino-Steve.

“In the thousands of years I’ve lived, I’ve given my body but never my heart,” Bellamy said, his gaze softening. “But today, tomorrow, and long after I draw my final breath, I give my heart to you and only you. I never want a day to pass where you’re not beside me.”

He gently squeezed my hand. It was my turn. So much for not saying cheesy shit in front of his brothers.

“I never thought we’d be here,” I said, my eyes watery. I blinked. “I used to think the only future for us was one that ended in pain. Like we were spiraling toward a head-on collision where we’d crash and burn. We were enemies, yet each time we met over this past year, I just wanted to pull you close. You became the one thing in this world I didn’t want to hurt. But villains never get their happy endings. Or so I thought.”

“You’re not a villain.” Bellamy smoothed his thumb beneath my eye, wiping away the tear that had escaped. “Not any more than I am.”

“You’re not supposed to interrupt my vows, you beautiful dummy.” I leaned into his touch, my stomach fluttering as he smirked. “Fate brought us together, but I stand here because I want to be. I choose you, Bellamy. I always will.”

Though he quickly looked away to try to hide it, I saw the tears welling in his eyes. I hooked a finger beneath his chin and turned his face back. My beautiful, sweet Nephilim.

We each took a drink of the wine to seal our oaths. As it went down my throat, my body started to tingle and warm. The connection between us soared to new heights.

I needed to taste him. Needed to wrap myself around him and feel every delicious inch of his body. The binding magic in the wine was definitely working.

Hunger darkened his gaze. Lust must’ve sensed my desire, which amplified his in turn. He brought me closer, hands resting at my lower back. “Take us somewhere private.”

“Raiden worked hard on his cake.” I fought a smile. “It would be rude to leave before at least eating a piece.”

“Fine,” Bellamy said with a sexy rasp in his voice. “One slice.” He lowered his face to my neck, his warm breath feathering across my skin. “And then you’re all mine.”

“Yay.” Raiden stood up and clapped his hands once. “Let them eat cake.”

***

Waves crashed against the shore outside the seaside villa. Bellamy licked up my chest and swirled his tongue around my nipple.