Moonlight (13 page)
Authors: Katie Salidas
Aiden turned and sniffed my nose, then my cheek, and nuzzled my ear.
Instinct told me to do the same, to mirror his actions.
We sniffed, we circled, and then brushed up against each other, marking the other with our scents. It was almost like a dance. As we moved, the pack cheered us on; the wolves howled, and the people clapped.
When our dance ended, Brady looked down at me. “If you can turn, now would be the time to do it.”
I remembered what Aiden had told me: “Remember who you are,” and tried to will the jolt of electricity to flow through my limbs. It didn’t work on the first try, but after a few deep breaths, I felt my body begin to expand.
Aiden too transformed back to his human form.
The sun had risen enough now to cast a golden hue on us both, I now understood why this spot was chosen as Mating Hill. It really highlighted us as the centerpieces of the ceremony.
Brady took both of our hands and turned them over. In Aiden’s hand he placed a gold band etched with the phases of the moon. In mine he placed a similar looking band with a milky white stone in the center. “It’s a moonstone,” he answered to my unasked question. “Place these rings on your fingers as symbol of the eternal commitment you have to each other.
Aiden went first, sliding the band on my finger. “You and I forever,” he said.
Tears of joy leaked from my eyes as I repeated the same to my love. “You and I forever.” I placed the ring on his finger.
Brady took both our hands again and held them together. “Wolves mate for life,” he said to us, and then turned us to face the crowd and held our hands high above our heads. “I present to you, Alphas of the Olde Town, Aiden and Fallon Whelan.”
The attending pack members cheered and formed a line to greet us. Each person who approached knelt and swore allegiance to us as their Alphas.
For the second time in so many days, pride overwhelmed me. I couldn’t hold back the beaming smile stretching ear to ear
The whole thing was like a blur of smiling happy people and tail-wagging wolves. When the pack was done, the party began. Brady finally brought us some clothes to wear, and I was so thankful for the warmth. As a wolf, I didn’t feel the chill; but as a human I felt a little like a popsicle.
Brady knelt before us and for the first time ever, there was no playfulness in his face. He was uncharacteristically reverent as he gave us his oath of allegiance and apologized again for his previous actions.
“I can’t tell you how sorry I am for doubting you. It will never happen again,” he said.
Aiden placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “I know, brother. Thank you for doing the right thing in the end. I’m glad to still have my
second
.”
“You both can count on me.” He stood. “And now, I’ll leave you to go off and mate.” His playful demeanor returned as if it had never left. Brady gave me a parting eyebrow waggle before he turned and left.
“He’ll never change, will he?”
“Nope. But do you really want him to?”
“Good point. And what about you? Are you planning to change now that’s you’re official?”
“Nope. I’ll always be the same Aiden, your humble servant.” He kissed the tender spot on my neck. The place that made my heart skip a beat.
“A girl could get used to this,” I practically hummed.
“Good, because this is how it is—you and me for the rest of our lives.”
“I like the sound of that.” I turned and captured his lips in a kiss that promised more to come. I was going to enjoy every moment I had with Aiden as my mate.
Katie Salidas is a Super Woman! Endowed with special powers and abilities, beyond those of mortal women, She can get the munchkin off to gymnastics, cheerleading, Girl Scouts, and swim lessons. She can put hot food on the table for dinner while assisting with homework, baths, and bedtime… And, She still finds the time to keep the hubby happy (nudge nudge wink wink). She can do all of this and still have time to write.
And if you can believe all of those lies, there is some beautiful swamp land in Florida for sale…
Katie Salidas resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mother, wife, and author, she does try to do it all, often causing sleep deprivation and many nights passed out at the computer. Writing books is her passion, and she hopes that her passion will bring you hours of entertainment.
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The Immortalis Series
:
Becoming a vampire is easy. Living with the condition... that's the hard part. Join Alyssa as she stumbles through the world of the "Unnatural."
Book 1: Immortalis Carpe Noctem
- Rescued from a brutal mugging on the college campus of UNLV, 25 year old Alyssa is initiated into a frightening, eternally dark world she never knew existed. The world of the vampire. Stricken with cravings of blood, and forced leave behind all she knew, Alyssa struggles with the change. And Lysander, her sexy but aloof sire, is the only one who can help guide her. There's no turning back now. It's either, Carpe Noctem, or final death.
Book 2: Hunters & Prey
- Rule number one: humans and vampires don't co-exist. One is the hunter and one is the prey. Simple, right? Not for newly-turned vampire Alyssa. A surprise confrontation with Santino Vitale, the Acta Sanctorum's most fearsome hunter, sends her fleeing back to the world she once knew, and Fallon, the human friend she's missed more than anything. Now she has some explaining to do. However, that will have to wait. With the Acta Sanctorum hot on their heels, staying alive is more important than educating a human on the finer points of bloodlust.
Book 3: Pandora's Box
- After a few months as a vampire, Alyssa thought she'd learned all she needed to know about the supernatural world. But her confidence is shattered by the delivery of a mysterious package - a Pandora's Box. Seemingly innocuous, the box is in reality an ancient prison, generated by a magic more powerful than anyone in her clan has ever known. But what manner of evil could need such force to contain it? When the box is opened, the sinister creature within is released, and only supernatural blood will satiate its thirst. The clan soon learns how it feels when the hunter becomes the hunted.
Book 4: Soulstone
- It’s a desperate time for rookie vampire Alyssa, and her sanity is hanging by a slender thread. Her clan is still reeling from the monumental battle with Aniketos; a battle that claimed the body of Lysander, her sire and lover, and trapped his spirit in a mysterious crystal. A Soulstone. Unfortunately, no amount of magic has been able to release Lysander’s spirit, and the stone is starting to fade. Weeks of effort have proved futile. Her clan, the Peregrinus, have all but given up hope. Only Alyssa still believes her lover can be released. In despair, Alyssa begs the help of the local witch coven, and unwittingly exposes the supernaturals of Boston to unwanted attention from the Acta Sanctorum. The Saints converge on the city and begin their cleansing crusade to rid the world of all things “Unnatural.” In the middle of an all-out war, but no closer to a solution to the dying stone, Alyssa is left with an unenviable choice: save her mate, or save her clan.
All books are available online at
:
Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Katie-Salidas/e/B003APXXWO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
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Rising Sign Books – Publisher
http://www.RisingSignBooks.net