Wash came out of the forest opposite him, trailed by his friends who took their seats when Peri’s cousins did so it was just Wash and Peri stepping onto the dais alone. Peri beamed at Wash in his traditional outfit, black of course because that was Wash’s style, but it was trimmed in gold in intricate designs, and swirls of gold etched on the chest as well. Peri’s outfit was more fairy wedding traditional, his suit a mix of lace and draping fabrics that dragged behind him, with a sparkling train and a crown of flowers on his head. It showed a lot more skin thanWash’s outfit did, but the look on Wash’s face said he didn’t mind.
He felt his cheeks warm with pleasure, and when they got close enough, he forgot where he was supposed to stand and went immediately into Wash’s arms.
Chuckles rippled through the crowd, but Wash didn’t make him pull away before he was ready, and he kept hold of Peri’s hands once the ceremony started.
The first part of the ceremony was called Ancestral Blessings. The oldest members of the demon families would give blessings to the couples for a long union. He and Taron had sat down to figure out who the oldest of their friends was, and surprisingly Dorian and Kian came out on top. Kian couldn’t actually give an exact number, since time in the fae realm moved differently and he spent most of his life bouncing back and forth, but Peri figured it counted. The mated pair stood, with Kian standing behind Peri while Dorian did the same for Wash.
“We bless this couple with longevity, a lifetime of happiness, and a strong foundation of love and honesty.”
Kian’s magic felt a little like a warm breeze after a storm, while Dorian’s was cooler, like the first touch of winter. The mix made Peri shiver, but his smile never wavered.
After the blessing, Ozen recited a speech about history guiding the new couple, the support given to them by their ancestors and those who had joined their journey along the way. He’d had to adapt it a little since Wash’s family was filled with found family and not ancestors, but Wash didn’t seem to mind. He looked happy, and when that part of the ceremony was done, Peri heard him thank Ozen quietly.
The next part was the only part Peri had been allowed to prepare himself. They had to share food with each other, the same food being passed around in trays for the whole family to enjoy at the same time. Usually, it was some kind of meatdish or something, but Peri wanted something sweet instead. He’d made chocolate covered strawberries for everyone, because anything more complicated would have had him in the kitchen the night before, and no one would allow him to do that. He did add little sparkles and their initials on it, because why not? No one was around to stop him, and from the murmurs he’d overheard, the guests seemed pleased.
Wash smirked at him when he offered it, raising an eyebrow at him. “Did you make these?”
“I did,” Peri grinned, wrinkling his nose. “You should only eat sweets I make you. It’s a rule.”
Snorting, Wash leaned closer, carefully taking a bite of the sweet treat Peri held out to him. “I promise, baby. I’ll never eat another treat you didn't approve first.”
The audience got a break for refreshments while Wash and Peri sat for photos on the dais, grinning at each other and feeding each other strawberries. He was glad they had an audience because every once in a while, Wash would give him this look so filled with heat it made Peri’s cheeks flush. His mate was going to get pounced on before the night was up if he wasn’t careful. The only reason he kept his hands to himself was because the photographer was right there.
The next part of the ceremony was the hardest to plan while still keeping it from Wash. Technically, they were supposed to write their own vows, but if Peri had asked Wash to do that, he would have figured it out. Instead, he shared the story of how they met and how he felt that flutter of recognition the first time he looked at his mate, even if he hadn’t known what it meant.
To his surprise, Wash followed up with his own version of the memory, of feeling drawn to Peri despite preferring to keep people at a distance. “You knocked down all my reservations with a smile that took my breath away and a relentless demandfor my attention. I’ve never felt as wanted as I did when you decided I belonged to you.”
Tears filled Peri’s eyes, and when they spilled over his cheeks, Wash wiped them away, his soft smile making Peri want to bawl like a baby. “I love you!” he cried.
He barely heard the aww’s in the crowd, his whole focus on Wash, who didn’t hesitate to be vulnerable in front of his friends when he said, “I love you too. More than I’d ever thought I’d love someone in my lifetime. You’re it for me, Peri. With you, I finally feel like I’ve found home.”
He should have known sayinganything too sweet would make Peri cry. He’d learned in the past two months that while his mate was constantly smiling, he was also prone to tears if he got overwhelmed, and apparently Wash treating him like a mate should be treated was overwhelming.
Without caring how the ritual was supposed to go, Wash gathered Peri up in his arms, moving him into his lap, and shot a glance at Ozen that said, ‘make him move and we’ll have issues’. Thankfully, Ozen just smiled, shaking his head, and continued on with the ceremony like they weren’t wrapped around each other.
The rest of the day followed along the same thread, with shared meals, magical blessings, and speeches that further settled the bond in Wash’s chest that tied him to the fairy in his arms. He hadn’t realized how much the ritual mattered, but while he’d felt connected to Peri without it, with it, he felt like Peri was a part of his soul. He picked up on more of Peri’s emotions and had a sense of where he was even when they were pulled apart for a fairy custom of honoring nature with theirmagic. The only element Wash could summon on his own was fire, but they prepared for that, having him light torches around the clearing while Peri used his magic to call a circle of flowers.
He felt the pull in his chest as Peri walked in the opposite direction of him, the way it loosened when Peri got close again. The ritual meant he’d never lose his mate. No matter what, they’d always be able to find each other.
As the ritual drew to a close, an almost relentless need to claim his mate started hounding his every step. The ritual wasn’t done until he marked him, and the discomfort over the idea faded almost completely by the time they were alone in their room together with a privacy ward between them and the rest of the party and a guarantee from Alistair that no one would disturb them.
Peri’s cheeks were flushed, his words a little breathless as he asked, “Is this normal?”
Instead of answering, because his brain refused to supply him with words at the moment, he rushed the little fairy, crashing their lips together and yanking him against his chest.
Peri let out a wanton moan, throwing his arms around Wash’s neck and rubbing himself against him, like he was feeling the exact need to claim each other that Wash felt.
Wash wasted no time, lifting Peri off his feet and bringing him to the bed, sitting him on the edge so he could yank off the traditional clothes he’d worn all day. Peri’s eyes widened as he watched and he licked his lips hungrily, tracking the soul blooms that covered every inch of Wash’s body, making Wash’s cock jerk. It was like they’d been teasing each other for hours, and now they were both so riled up, he doubted it would take much to get them both off.
“Peri,” he growled, seams ripping as he yanked his clothes off a little faster. “Take that gorgeous suit off. If I do it, I’ll rip it.”
For a moment, Peri’s eyes glazed over, like the idea tempted him. Wash would have gone along with it, all his primal instincts were screaming at him to get inside his mate as quickly as possible, but the outfit was too pretty to ruin, and he got the feeling once Peri wasn’t so riled up, he’d be upset about it.
“Come on, baby. Strip for me.”
Forty-One
That sexy demand got him moving, and Peri stood on the bed, his fingers trembling as he attempted to unbutton all the tiny buttons that took three of his cousins to get him into. He barely got a few done before he whimpered and shook his head. He’d rather have Wash rip it off. He’d just ask his cousin to fix it. Magic existed for a reason.