The Bite That Binds
Page 39

5. If “The Boss” discusses their sex life with others, she will always state that “Slave in All Things” has the stamina of a Trojan and an impressively sized dick
6. In the event that “Slave in All Things” needs to burp, fart, or spit, he will do this in a separate room from “The Boss”
7. Both parties acknowledge that it is important for “The Boss” to continue giving o*al s*x on a regular basis. Should she violate this condition, “Slave in All Things” has the right to tie her up and tease her mercilessly
8. “The Boss” understands that “Slave in All Things” will only pretend to listen to her if he is using his X-Box or laptop computer
9. “Slave in All Things” accepts that “The Boss” is always right, he is always at fault, and that it is not necessary for her to make sense during arguments
10. Both parties agree that “Slave in All Things” has the right to be protective and possessive, but he must not take this to extreme levels
11. “Slave in All Things” will always put the toilet seat down after use, and use freshening spray if necessary
12. Should either party ogle or flirt with another, violent scenes that some may find disturbing will ultimately follow
Signed and dated this __________ day of _______________________, 20_____.
________________________________
Slave in All Thing's Signature
________________________________
The Boss's Signature
Laughing, I kissed her hard. I certainly hadn’t been expecting that, and I had to admit that I loved it. She knew my sense of humour well enough to know that I would. “Very creative. I’m holding you to those conditions, especially the seventh one, just so you know.”
“I haven’t signed it yet.”
“You will.” I gave her another hard kiss. “Right, now for my gift to you.” In vampire speed, I retrieved the folder I’d kept hidden in the living area, and returned to the bed. “Here.”
Taking the folder with an intrigued expression, she opened it. Just as I’d expected, the intrigue turned to confusion. “I don’t get it,” she admitted as she flicked through the printed sheets of different places around the world.
Smiling, I explained, “Well, like you, I was pissed that I couldn’t spend money on you, because I wanted to take you on a honeymoon-kind of thing. I know that’s not a tradition for vampires, but I still wanted to do it. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a way around it unless I was prepared to break the rule of spending money − which would have made you mad at me. I don’t like it when you’re mad at me. I like it when you kiss me and do stuff for me and to me. So, instead, I made a plan of the places we could go to, places I knew you wanted to visit.”
“A plan? Sneaky way to do it.”
“First London, so I can see where you grew up, then Rome, Morocco, Rhodes, Egypt, and finally, California, so you can see where I grew up. What do you think?”
Her eyes lit up with excitement − just as I’d anticipated. It was sad to think that she had never once had a vacation in her entire life. “I think we should skip our after party and just go straight on this trip.”
I laughed. “No, we’re going to enjoy the entire night and celebrate it in this bed afterwards. Then we’ll have a brief sleep and go. And then I won’t have to share you for six weeks.” I took that mouth like I owned it, because I did, and because I needed to know that she accepted that. As if she sensed that, she went pliant for me the way she only ever did when I kissed her neck.
Pulling back, she licked her bottom lip – which made me chase after that mouth. Chuckling, she placed a hand on my chest to stop me. “You need to go. Fletcher isn’t going to let me sleep until dusk. He’ll be too eager to get me up and start getting me ready, so I need what sleep I can get.”
I was about to say that my staying there wouldn’t stop her from sleeping, but of course it would, because I’d have trouble leaving her alone. Releasing a long-suffering sigh, I dragged myself out of bed and gathered my clothes.
“Where will you be getting ready for the ceremony?”
“My old apartment. My suit and the stuff I need are already there, waiting.” Ready to leave, I hesitated. “Call Dexter and let him lie in bed with you.”
“Why would I do that?”
“It’ll make me feel better.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’ll be fine.”
“Just do it, you stubborn bitch.” Smiling at the irritation on her face, I quickly smacked a kiss on her lips and teleported out of there – I wasn’t stupid.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
(Sam)
I’d had absolutely no idea about the pre-nuptial rituals for Binding ceremonies until Fletcher turned up at my apartment with half a dozen female Kejas. First I’d been covered in exotic-smelling oils and massaged from head to toe. Then there had been a spicy wrap, which I hadn’t been very fond of. Thirdly there had been a milk bath, which I had to admit I’d quite liked. And then my hands and feet had been painted with a strange, glistening ink; the intricate knot and vine patterns perfectly complimented my Swarovski Manicure and Pedicure.
While waiting for the weird paint to dry – which hadn’t taken long – I sat very still as my hair was slightly curled and then put into some kind of elaborate hairdo, leaving tendrils hanging here and there. I wasn’t a very patient person, so I got kind of restless. At least I hadn’t had to continue to sit there as they applied make-up. If the natural allure that came with vampirism hadn’t cancelled out the need for it, my new Keja allure would have.
Following all that, I was helped into lacy, raunchy underwear that Fletcher had chosen. The bloke knew no boundaries! Lastly, my dress and shoes were carefully slipped on and fastened.
“Go on, have a look,” urged Fletcher, giving me a gentle shove toward the mirror.
Hesitant – I wasn’t sure why, maybe it was all the anticipation – I walked toward the mirror. My reflection startled the living shit out of me. It wasn’t that I didn’t look like me. I did. But I’d never really thought of myself as girly. Never been one of those kids who dressed up like a princess or played ‘weddings’. As such, I’d never seen myself look elegant and ‘voguish’ as Fletcher kept saying.
“I am a genius,” declared Fletcher.
“No humility in you, is there.”
“Radiant and elegant, but also sexy without being distasteful. Happy?”
“I will be when it’s time to go.”
“Then you’ll be delighted to hear that they’re ready when you are,” announced Norm as he entered. He smiled affectionately. “Oh look at you!”
“Gorgeous, isn’t she,” said Fletcher.
Norm kissed my cheek. “You look beautiful, sweetheart.” His eyes twinkled as he added, “Jared looks hot as hell, by the way.” That made me more eager to see him.
Fletcher offered me his arm. “Ready?”
Taking a deep breath, I threaded my arm through his and allowed him to lead me out of the bedroom. The female Kejas all showered me with compliments – all of which made me uncomfortable as I simply wasn’t used to them – and wished me good luck. I was going to need it if I had any hope of not tripping in these high-heeled shoes.
Somehow I managed to make it down the stairs without breaking my neck – that might have been a lot to do with having Fletcher on one side of me and Norm on the other. I got a bit of a shock when I stepped out of my apartment building to find all the residents of The Hollow gathered around, smiling. Although most of them wouldn’t be at the ceremony itself, they would be attending the after party.
Feeling awkward about all the attention, I merely waved and returned their smiles as I walked through the path between the hordes. When we finally made it through the front door of Antonio’s mansion, we found him and his guards waiting. Vampires didn’t do the whole ‘giving the bride away’ thing, but for him to escort me to Jared would be a symbol that he approved of, and blessed, the Binding. He gave me a fatherly smile. “Sam, you look—”
“Don’t do it. The compliments are making me uncomfortable.” He didn’t look surprised by my words. I kissed Fletcher on the cheek. “Thanks for everything, you camp sod.”
Fletcher laughed delightedly. “You’re welcome, luv. Now go make him faint.”
Winking at me, Norm followed Fletcher as they hurried down the hallway.
Antonio sighed, shaking his head. “You look almost as edgy as Jared. I will say to you what I have been saying to him for the past few hours. Relax. This is your Binding. Enjoy it.”
“All right Yoda, enough with the wise words; let’s do this.”
Arm in arm, we walked down the hallway and took a right turn when we reached the open doors that led to the bat pool. As we stepped out into the warm night, I gasped. A trail of pink and red rose petals, bordered with tiki torches, marked the walkway to the floral arch on the beach up ahead. Standing there with the Prelate − who was basically a vampire minister − was Jared looking striking, enticing, and absolutely edible in a white open-necked shirt and a tan linen suit.
On either side of the walkway, the guests rose from the chairs that had been adorned in white ruffled covers and aqua bows. All of the guests – even Moaning Marcia – smiled. I could hear all the whispered compliments even from here, and was glad when soft music began to play and drown them out.
When Antonio and I came to the fringe of the beach, I removed my high-heeled shoes and kicked them aside. They wouldn’t get me very far on sand. I was so focused on Jared that I almost didn’t notice the huge object near the walkway. Realising what it was, I gaped. “The Tower of London.” The seven-foot high sand sculpture was so unbelievably detailed, it was absolutely amazing.
“I thought you might like to have a bit of ‘home’ at your ceremony.” Antonio swept a hand, gesturing for me to look around.
When I did, I gasped again. Dotted around the walkway and bordering the chairs were several sand sculptures of London monuments. Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, The London Eye, the 02 Arena, the Royal Albert Hall, Globe Theatre, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and the Eros Statue.
“A friend of mine has an affinity to sand,” Antonio told me. “He is very difficult to track down, as he is very much a loner. But eventually I managed to find him and I had him create these especially for you. Think of them as my Binding gift to you.”
Surprising him a little, I hugged him. He might be a big, bad, powerful vampire, but he was all squishy on the inside. “Thank you. I love them.”
Locking eyes with Jared, I began to cover the distance left between us. On the way, I caught sight of my squad. They each gave me a beaming grin, and then opened their jackets. Pinned to each of their shirts was a sign that said ‘Run’. Squashing my amused smile, I rolled my eyes at their immaturity. Of course Jared hadn’t missed their little joke and he shot them all a playful scowl that they appeared to find hilarious.
With each step I took toward him, the knot in my stomach went tighter and tighter. Not with dread, but with excitement. It was the same excitement that I could sense in him. Finally reaching him, I placed my hand in the one he offered me, accepting Antonio’s peck on the cheek. The powerful Keja went to sit between Luther and Evan on the front row. My very-soon-to-be-brother-in-law gave me a wink, while Luther gave me a respectful nod.
Turning my attention back to Jared again, I smiled one of those idiotic Barbie-like smiles. I seriously couldn’t stop smiling, and the more I tried to drop it, the wider it got.
You look absolutely stunning, Jared told me.
Ah, bless him. I knew he wasn’t great with compliments. You look absolutely edible.
His grin widened. Ready, we then turned to face the Prelate. Hearing a series of laughs behind us, I swerved around, curious. Fletcher, shaking with laughter, pointed at Jared. It was only then that I realised a piece of paper had been stuck to his back that said ‘Help Me’. No prizes for guessing who was responsible for that − particularly since all ten of them were looking everywhere but at me, even as they laughed.
Snatching it from his blazer, I gestured for Evan to grab it. He quickly came forward and took it, fighting to shrink his smile. It didn’t work. Fighting my own smile, I turned back to the Prelate.
I’ll get the a**holes back for that. Jared sounded close to laughing himself.
Just then, the Prelate − who didn’t look impressed − began to speak. Not that I understood a word. What I’d learned from Luther in advance was that the entire thing would be spoken in Latin. Basically, the Prelate said a ritual speech before the vows. Apparently, the general gist was that our death as a human was not the end for us, as vampires, but the beginning of something new; that to find someone to spend our immortal lives with was a special thing that should not be overlooked or taken for granted, but welcomed and valued above all else. It was sort of sweet, actually.
And the great thing about Binding ceremonies – well, great for people like me who didn’t like cheesy stuff − was that you didn’t have to recite a string of vows. After the Prelate asked in Latin if you agreed to love, protect, treasure, comfort, support, laugh with, and forsake all others, in good times and in bad, you simply answered, “ita vero”, which was Latin’s roundabout way of saying ‘yes’.
So Jared and I remained quiet as the Prelate spoke. Despite not understanding him, I was quite enjoying listening to the flow of Latin. When he gestured for Jared and me to join hands, we did as Luther had previously instructed; we joined our palms together and then spread our fingers so that we could thread them through each other’s. Rather than close our fingers, we kept them pointing upwards, so that we had created a ‘V’.