38. Roman #3
“MOVE BACK!” I bark and slowly, one by one, the men step away from her.
Fae squeezes my hand and when I glance down at her, I can see the amusement written all over her face. I wink at her and she lets out a quiet chuckle before covering her mouth behind my back. Snider clears his throat behind us and I flick my eyes to him.
“Are you ready?” he asks.
“Proceed.” I nod and bring Fae back into the right position.
“Then let your blood bear witness,” Snider declares calmly. “From this night onward, your strength belongs first to your promised. Her life shall be protected by your hand, your name and your sacrifice until your final breath.”
A knife is placed into my hand and I stare down at the blade before looking back at Fae.
Without breaking eye contact, I drag it across my palm.
Pain burns sharply through my hand and blood immediately starts spilling down my skin before dripping slowly onto the concrete beneath us.
Fae’s eyes flick toward the wound briefly before lifting back to mine as I step closer to her.
Her breathing stutters as I drop to my knees and kiss my son in front of the entire congregation. Her hand falls to my shoulder to steady herself whilst I press my bloody palm gently against the white fabric stretched over them both.
“I bleed for you,” I declare loud and clear, so it carries across the crypt. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.
“You bleed for me,” she smiles.
I’m on my feet again before the blood fully settles across her dress.
My clean hand slides around the back of Fae’s neck as I pull her toward me and crash my mouth against hers, careful not to smear the blood from my injured palm across her face whilst the crimson handprint stains the white fabric stretched over our son.
She smiles into the kiss immediately and somewhere behind us I hear Riggs wolf-whistle loud enough to bounce around the crypt.
A quiet cough sounds nearby and I pull back just enough to find one of the ceremonial men awkwardly holding out a black cloth toward me. Blood is still dripping steadily from my palm onto the floor between us.
“Thank you,” I mutter before taking it and wrapping it loosely around my hand.
Fae starts turning back toward the women’s side of the crypt, but I immediately catch her wrist and tug her back against me. A frown pulls at her face beneath the candlelight.
“You’re mine now, Fae. In the eyes of the government and The Company,” I whisper against her ear before glancing toward the chair positioned beside the Founders.
“Which means you’re sitting your fucking juicy bum over there and taking your rightful place as the wife of the most powerful man in the room. ”
Her eyes narrow instantly. “You fucking prick,” she mumbles under her breath whilst I grin and turn her around.
“I told you I wasn’t letting you stand the whole time, Tinkerbell. It’s your own fault for not listening to me.” I guide her slowly toward the chair before leaning down slightly. “How many times do I have to tell you? I don’t lie.”
“You’re on a sex ban,” she whispers against my mouth.
“That would hurt you more than me, Tink. I would tell you what I like most about you, but then you’d probably take that away too.”
She tries to kick me and I jump back laughing before turning and making my way toward the centre of the crypt again.
I glance back just in time to see her crossing her arms over her chest, pushing her beautiful breasts even higher beneath the white dress, and I quickly force myself to look away before all the blood in my body heads straight to my cock.
Parson pats me on my shoulder. “You ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
“Time to fly then, Longstaff,” he flashes a genuine smile, and I turn back to the congregation.
“Felix Ackworth, please step forward,” I demand and stare at my brother-in-law. I can see Riggs trying to hold in a laugh and my lip twitches in response.
Felix walks toward the altar with his shoulders squared. There’s no hesitation in him, but there’s something restless beneath the surface tonight. His eyes flick briefly toward Robyn’s side of the crypt before dragging back to me. He gives me a nod as he gets into position and I return it.
“You stand before The Company having completed your training, your initiation and your service. Tonight, you will take your place amongst the Founders and swear yourself fully to the protection of this organisation and its future. Do you accept the responsibility that comes with such a role?” I ask.
“I do.”
“Do you understand the burden leadership requires?”
“I do.”
“Do you understand that sacrifice and loyalty must always come before personal desire?”
“I do.”
“Well, okay then,” I smile. “Angela and Rebecca please step forward.”
I see some movement in the women’s area before the girls stand in the aisle staring up at the crucifix, “Felix, please declare who will be your promised from here on out.”
Felix breathes in deeply as he turns toward the congregation. He cracks his knuckles before clearing his throat.
“The promised I choose is…”