Mina thought she hadn’t heard Jayden correctly. Maybe she was still feeling sick. “Could you repeat that?” she said to Jayden.
“I want you to marry me today, Mina!” Jayden said. His blue eyes stared into hers as if he was judging her soul.
When Mina was younger and still naïve and hoped that one day Prince Liam would want to marry her, she thought about how her wedding day would be. She dreamed of a big wedding. But as she grew and understood that no one would want her because of her gypsy side, Mina stopped dreaming.
Mina was still getting used to the idea that Jayden had asked her to marry him and stopped wanting a big wedding. She preferred a simple one. There was still the problem of her dowry, and she still didn’t know what to do or how to act on her wedding night. A few times when Mina went with Rosalyn to play cards with some of Rosalyn’s friends, they briefly mentioned what happened between spouses was usually painful for the woman.
“But you said we would get married during the Litha festival,” Mina said.
Yeltane festival was two weeks away, and the Litha festival would be celebrated six weeks after the Yeltane.
Jayden, still having her left hand in his, started drawing circles on her skin with his thumb. “We can get married in front of Inoss today, but we will have to wait until the Litha festival to consummate our marriage.”
Mina shifted on the bed until she got into a comfortable position and looked at Jayden. Even if she agreed to marry him by the end of the day, she would still have time to learn about her duty in bed. “You expect me to marry you today, but we barely know each other. We haven’t even kissed!” Her eyes went wide when she realized what she had said. “I didn’t mean to say that! Gods! This is so embarrassing!”
Mina covered her face with her hands and prayed that the floor would open and swallow her.
“Mina, look at me!” Jayden said softly. Mina shook her head. “You are my wife-to-be, little lamb. You don’t have to feel embarrassed when you tell me what you want.”
“I don’t want to kiss you!” Mina mumbled.
“Why? So repulsive you find me that the mere idea of being kissed by me makes you sick?”
Mina removed her hands and looked at Jayden. Two buttons of Jayden’s shirt were opened, revealing part of his strong, chiseled chest. The sleeves were rolled up, and muscular arms could be seen. But his face made him stand out. Mina wondered what he would look like without his piercing. Probably like a man born in the high society. “I don’t find you repulsive. You are quite handsome. But I am sure other women have told you this before.”
“I don’t care about other women. I only want to know what you think about me. Do you like being touched by me?” Jayden asked in a serious tone.
Jayden hadn’t touched her a lot, but when he did, he treated her with care and respect. “I don’t dislike it,” Mina said. If she was to be totally honest, she was starting to like being touched by him.
“Do you know I wanted to kiss you last night? But I thought you wouldn’t welcome my touch. If I had known—” he stopped talking.
Did he really want to kiss her the previous night? She licked her lips. “What would have happened?” Mina asked. She wanted to know. She needed to know.
“Has someone kissed you before, Mina?” Jayden asked. His eyes turned dark for a moment. He moved closer to her.
Her heart was beating so fast, she was sure he could hear it. Not only she hadn’t been kissed before, but no one had touched or looked at her like Jayden had, as if he was about to devour her at any time.
“I might devour you, little lamb, because you are so beautiful I can’t resist you. And it will be my pleasure.” He put a finger under her chin, tilting it up. His thumb ran across her bottom lip.
Did she think that out loud?
“Jayden,” Mina said. “What are you doing?”
“I want to kiss you, little lamb, but if you don’t want to, I will wait.”
Jayden had protected her and treated her as if he cared for her. Besides, kissing was normal between couples.
“Kiss me,” Mina whispered.
He bent his head until his mouth was a heartbeat away from hers.
Mina could smell his pine scent.
“Close your eyes, little lamb,” Jayden said. His warm breath tickled her skin. “I am going to be the first and the last man that kisses you,” Mina heard Jayden say as she closed her eyes and fisted her hands.
Her heart drummed and drummed in her chest as she waited for him to kiss her. First, she felt his lip on her forehead and then on the tip of her nose. Mina opened her eyes just when Jayden pressed his lips to hers. His eyes were closed, and she squeezed hers shut. When Jayden didn’t move, Mina concentrated on what he was doing and on her feelings. She liked his lips, she decided; they felt soft. A few moments later, Jayden’s mouth moved slowly on top of hers. It was as if he was giving her time to understand what he was doing. Mina tried to imitate his movements. Jayden stroked her cheeks with his thumbs while his lips moved faster. Mina forgot to breathe.
“A little more,” Jayden said against her lips.
Jayden’s mouth was back on hers, his lips moving fast. Mina fisted the duvet. When Mina felt his tongue licking her lower lip, she gasped and jerked her head back.
“What are you doing?” Mina asked.
Jayden licked his lips, his eyes turning gold. “Tasting you, little lamb.”
“But your tongue!” Mina protested.
“Will be all over your body once we pass the Trials of the Land, and I can claim you in front of the Gods!” He brought his face closer to hers. “Let me taste you better, Mina.”
Jayden kissed her again. His tongue pushed against her lips, and Mina opened, curious about what Jayden wanted to do. His tongue entered her mouth and danced around hers. He tasted like peppermint.
Jayden put his right hand on her arm and moved it up and down. He kissed her, his tongue tasting her until she forgot to breathe.
“I think I am in trouble,” Jayden said and rested his forehead on her shoulder. He was breathing hard. “Damn!”
“What do you mean?” Mina asked. She was breathing equally hard. As if she had been running for some time.
“How in the name of the Gods will I be able to resist you now that I know what you taste like?” He groaned. When he lifted his head, his eyes were so golden they appeared to be made from liquid gold. “What is it about you, Mina? What makes you so special?”
She wondered why his eyes kept changing color. “What do you mean, special?” She laughed. “I am so plain I will bore you to death!” She laughed a little more.
“You have such musical laughter. I would love to hear it more often,” Jayden said. “Well, Mina, will you marry me today? Or do you prefer Count Dickless? I doubt he will kiss the way I can. Or use his tongue on other parts of your body!” Mina glared at him. Jayden chuckled and kissed her forehead.
“I will marry you today,” Mina said. “But I don’t want to hear you talk about the Count! I don’t even like him!”
Jayden smiled. “I will let you get ready! Meanwhile, I will let my men know we will get married in a few hours.”
Jayden stood and went to the door.
“How many men do you have here?” Mina asked when Jayden opened the door.
“There are seven men with me,” Jayden replied.
Mina bit her lip. “And how many wolves?”
Jayden grinned, his sharp canines visible. “Also seven.”
Mina rose from the bed. “I don’t want to sound as if I have something against your wolves, but could they stay home while we get married?”
Jayden’s face turned serious. “They will be heartbroken when they find out they must stay home.”
Mina went to the wardrobe. “What are the Trials of the Land? You mentioned them before you—” her cheeks turned a little rosy “—kissed me.”
Jayden left the door open and started walking towards Mina. She felt as if he was tracking her.
“I make you mine, little lamb. It’s when the dark side of me will rise and want to chase, claim, and conquer you! After the Trials, if the Lyra bird finds me worthy of you, we will be bonded for life. You will belong to me in every way possible—body, heart, and soul,” Jayden said when he stood in front of her.
Mina didn’t know what to make of Jayden. What he said was a little scary. “Dark side? And what do you mean, you will chase and conquer me?” Mina asked.
Jayden cupped her cheek, and Mina had to fight the urge to move away from him. “Don’t look like that at me!” he said. He sounded hurt.
“Like what?” Mina asked.
“As if I am about to do something to you. Don’t be scared of me, Mina. I would never hurt you. The Trials of the Land are meant to bring us closer while we spend our first night as eontideas. As a husband and wife. After the night ends, we will be bonded.”
Mina bit her lip. “Bonded how? Like soulmates?”
Soulmates were rare and hard to find because only by touching could someone know if he had found his soulmate.
“Something like that,” Jayden said. He grabbed her left hand and lifted it. “But we won’t have a soul-bridge connecting us. We are not soulmates,” he said as he ran his knuckled on her face. “Unfortunately.”
A soul-bridge appeared on the left wrists of soulmates in the form of a bracelet made from runes and symbols after Inoss or Addanos gave the couple their blessing.
“Then how?” Mina asked. Aylarra was a big planet; she wondered if there were more ways for couples to bond like soulmates, or at least close to what soulmates shared.
Jayden put a hand on the lower of her back, tilted her head up, and brushed his lips against hers. “They won’t be on our wrists,” he whispered before kissing her.
Jayden pushed his tongue inside her mouth. His kiss was more intense than the previous one as if he wanted to devour her. Mina sighed. She liked his lips on hers, but she was still learning what she was supposed to do while kissing. Mina let Jayden guide her.
Suddenly, Jayden broke the kiss. “What do you want, Caesar?” he growled and turned to look at his man.
“How was I supposed to know you were shoving your tongue down her throat?” Caesar mumbled. Jayden growled so loud Mina felt his body vibrate. “I didn’t mean to be disrespectful! I was wondering how the lady was feeling, but I see she is better.”
“Tell the others to get ready. We are leaving in—” Jayden looked at Mina. “Is an hour enough for you to get ready?” Mina nodded, and Jayden looked back at Caesar. “We will go to a Fire Church in an hour.”
Caesar’s eyebrows went up. “What for? Addanos is our God!”
“I am marrying Mina today!” Jayden said.
“There’s a little shrine dedicated to Addanos in the Gardens of Athea. We can get married there if you prefer that,” Mina said to Jayden. “I know the Water Mage that takes care of it, and he will help us.”
Jayden smiled. “That would be perfect!”