19. Torus
Before he knew it, Torus was walking barefoot down the grassy aisle between the benches that had been set up in the Sacred Grove. He had taken off his boots as had everyone else, because the Sacred Grove was dedicated to the Kindred Goddess—the Mother of All Life—and was considered to be holy ground.
The purple and green grass felt cool and ticklish under his bare feet and the trees overhead had been hung with flowering sweet-bell vines, so named because their many tiny white and purple flowers made a musical chiming sound. They hung down in graceful clusters, tinkling faintly in the breeze and spreading a faint but delicious fragrance through the air.
Soft music of another kind was drifting through the Sacred Clearing as well. It must be the string quartet that Kat had promised would play for them during the ceremony, Torus thought. They were playing a song called “Pachelbel’s Canon,” which Molly had specifically requested.
Because he knew the Joining Day ceremony was very important to Earth females, Torus had deferred to the little human in all the details. Though it was a fake wedding, he still wanted her to enjoy it and have things exactly as she wanted them.
Now he was extra glad he had let her pick whatever pleased her. Since getting the TET devices installed on their temples, he had picked up several thoughts from her about how her first wedding had gone. It sounded like it had been a cheap, disappointing ceremony with no after-celebration—what the humans called a “reception—” at all.
Torus had also caught a few of her thoughts about how her wedding night had gone. She had cut them off quickly, but he could tell that her ex-Mate had been cruel to her sexually for the first time that night—probably because once they were Joined, he felt like he owned her and could drop any pretense of kindness.
Torus clenched his hands into fists. Even the few, truncated thoughts that he caught about her ex-Mate’s cruelty made him wish he had ended Zachary Wyndham instead of leaving him alive with just a few broken bones.
Should have killed him, he thought fiercely. Then he tried to push the murderous thought out of his head. He was at his Joining Ceremony—even though it was fake, he shouldn’t be having such bloodthirsty ideas during what should be a joyful moment.
He reached the end of the aisle and came to the altar. To his left was a priestess in flowing white robes. She had green streaks in her hair and the green-within-green eyes of one who has communed with the Goddess for many years. The stone altar behind her was overflowing with flowering vines.
To his right were several of his Jorgen Kindred shipmates. They nodded at him and Torus nodded back. He was glad to have friends to stand with him.
Standing across from his friends on the other side of the aisle was Lana wearing a moss-green gown. Her Twin Kindred husbands were seated in the audience along with Commander Sylvan and his wife, Sophia, and almost all of the workers from the Kindred Information Department. Most of them were staring with wide eyes, as though they still couldn’t believe what was happening.
Torus felt a little that way himself—he never would have guessed when he had decided to punish Molly’s cruel ex-Mate that it would lead to a Joining Ceremony with Molly herself. But he couldn’t say he was unhappy. In fact, he felt his heart lift when he thought of being able to spend the next few weeks pretending to be her Mate. He loved the idea of getting to hold her hand and cuddle her soft, curvy little body close to his own. She was so sweet and delicate and?—
Suddenly the music changed to a kind of march. Dah-dum-da-da…Dah-dum-da-da…
There was a gasp of indrawn breath from the audience and Torus turned to see. Standing at the end of the aisle was Molly. The little Elite was wearing a gorgeous white gown which hugged her curves and a light, diaphanous veil that covered her face without hiding it. It floated around her shoulders like an ethereal mist.
Torus sucked in his breath. Molly was beautiful! He had thought so before, but somehow the bridal regalia made her look even more gorgeous and stunning—regal and lovely at the same time.
“Er…thank you,” he heard her whisper in his head and realized that he’d been unintentionally projecting his thoughts.
“Forgive me, little bird,” he sent back. “I forgot my mental shields when I saw you.”
“It’s okay,” she sent back. “We’d probably better concentrate now that the ceremony is beginning.”
“You’re right. Come to me.” Torus held out his hands and she came to him, almost floating down the aisle between the benches on her tiny bare feet. When she reached him, he longed to lean down and sweep her up, into his arms. She was too far away from him—he wanted her closer.
Since he couldn’t pick her up during such a solemn ceremony, he knelt instead. On his knees, he was only a little taller and it put him much closer to her and the priestess too.
The priestess, who had been staring at both him and Molly, nodded as though in approval. Then she made a motion with her hands and the song the string quartet was playing concluded.
Torus expected her to start the ceremony with vows, but instead she leaned forward and spoke in a low tone which was apparently meant only for him and Molly to hear.
“Listen to me, my children,” she said softly, her green-within-green eyes pinning the two of them to the spot. “I know what you are doing and I know you believe this is not a true Joining.”
“What?”Molly breathed and Torus felt her sudden surge of panic through the TET link they shared. “But how could you?—”
The priestess held up her hand for silence.
“I know because the Goddess has told me,” she went on. “But she also told me to perform the ceremony anyway. I have been told to say this to you—though you Join in jest you must love in earnest. Treat each other with kindness and respect and remember if you need help or healing to return to the Sacred Grove.”
“Thank you,” Torus said gravely, nodding. “We will obey the words of the Goddess.” He looked at Molly. “Won’t we, sweetheart?”
“Yes, absolutely!” Molly nodded earnestly.
“Good, then we may continue with the ceremony.” The priestess nodded regally. “Children of the Goddess,” she began in a ringing tone that carried through the Sacred Grove. “We have come together to witness the Joining of this male and this female in the bonds of love and respect that the Goddess wishes for all of her children.” She turned to Molly first. “Do you, Molly, come into this Joining with feelings of love and desire for the male before you? Do you offer him your heart—do you give him your respect and caring and will you trust him to guard you and to guide you as you walk this life together?”
Molly’s cheeks turned pink under the veil and her eyes went wide. But she lifted her chin and said,
“Yes, I will.”
“Good.” The priestess nodded again and turned towards Torus. “Warrior, a precious female is being entrusted to you,” she told him. “Will you give yourself wholly to your new Mate? Will you shield her from harm and protect her with your life, even if it means giving your blood to be spilled and your body to be broken for her sake?”
“I will,” Torus said, and he truly meant it. Molly looked so beautiful and fragile, standing there across from him. His heart swelled for her and he longed to give her everything her ex-Mate had denied her—every joy, every precious moment of peace and love and tenderness—he would give it, if he could.
He was guarding his thoughts but his emotions must have come through the TET link because Molly’s eyes grew wide and then a single tear spilled down her cheek.
“Oh, Torus” she whispered and Torus felt her emotions—trepidation and uncertainty mixed with hope and a tentative desire—as though she wanted him but was almost afraid to let herself feel for him.
Torus couldn’t stop himself—he reached for her tiny hands and enfolded them in his own. Her emotions came through to him even more strongly when they touched and he caught a stray thought…
What if I’m falling for him?
Then the priestess said,
“By the power and grace of the Mother of All Life who loves and cares for all her children, I declare the two of you Joined in her sight. Honor each other with a kiss to seal your Bond.”
Torus let go of Molly’s hands and lifted her veil. Since he was still kneeling, she came to him and put her arms trustingly around his neck.
“Sweetheart,” he murmured and tilted his head to kiss her gently. Her lips were lush and soft and though he felt her trepidation at first, it soon turned to a surprisingly strong desire and she kissed him back eagerly.
For a long moment, it felt like time stood still. All Torus could think of was how much he’d been wanting to kiss her and how it was even better than he’d imagined. She felt so good in his arms—so right. Her little mouth was so soft and sweet and yielding under his. He wished he could kiss her everywhere—that he could cover her entire beautiful, curvy body with kisses until she moaned her pleasure for him.
“Oh, Torus!” he heard her send through their TET link and he realized that once again, his thoughts had slipped out.
“Forgive me,” he sent back. “I didn’t mean for you to hear that.”
“It’s okay.” She broke the kiss and looked into his eyes. “But…did you really mean it?”
“I did. I want to kiss every one of your sweet little freekles,” Torus sent her, hoping she wouldn’t be offended.
Her cheeks got pink and he could feel her pleased embarrassment mixed with desire.
“That might be quite a chore—I, uh, have freckles all over.”
“Even better!” And he pulled her in for another delicious, lingering kiss.
The kiss went on and on until someone—Torus thought it might be one of his Jorgen friends—cleared their throat and brought him back to reality.
“Ooops—I think I may have been over-kissing you,” he sent to Molly, pulling back to break the kiss at last.
“I guess I was over-kissing you too, then,” she sent back with a shy little laugh. “Are your knees tired?” she added. “You’ve been kneeling for a long time—they must hurt by now.”
“A little. It’s worth it to be close to you.” Torus gave her one last kiss—because he could—and pulled her into an embrace before reluctantly letting her go and getting to his feet. “Come, little bird,” he told her as the string quartet started playing again. “I think it’s time for the reception.”
“And after that, the honeymoon,”she sent and he saw the shy, tentative smile on her face and felt her wondering what it would be like when they were alone together again.
Torus wondered too. He wanted to be with her, he admitted to himself—but he still feared he was too large to truly Bond with her. And besides, her ex-Mate had treated her harshly and hurt her—she might not feel ready to be intimate with a male again for some time.
He would let Molly take the lead, he decided. But for now, they had to get through the reception first, before they could be alone together.