A Midsummer Night's Demon

chapter Thirteen

“Ready to get up?” Kyron’s deep voice slid over her skin like a velvet caress.

“Not really.” Daelyn let out a wistful sigh. What she really wanted was to stay in bed with her hot sexy vampire, but that could wait. Lyn rolled over and stretched. Her body was deliciously sore in all the right places.

Ky had been a thoughtful lover, making sure she was thoroughly sated before they fell asleep just as the light of the sun painted the sky above with pink and gold hues.

“If we don’t get ready and leave soon, we’ll miss Litha.”

They’d already missed the Sun God celebration, and Lyn sent a silent prayer up to the God, to ask for his forgiveness and understanding that she missed the part of the celebration that took place when the sun peaked in the noon sky. She would make amends by giving extra offerings to the faeries.

Lyn watched Ky saunter across the room, and pull some clothes from his dresser. She loved the way his body moved, the play of his muscles and sinew under his skin. His bicep flexed under his tattoo, making the tribal pattern dance upon his skin.

“I can feel your eyes on me.” Ky looked over his shoulder. “And if you keep looking at me like that, I’m going to come back to bed and keep you there all night.” Sounded like a plan to her. “And you’ll miss this evening’s celebration.”

Okay, she needed to hear that. She couldn’t miss this evening’s festival too. One transgression could be forgiven, two not so much.

Lyn rolled out from under the warm sheets, and headed for the bathroom. “I call first dibs,” she said, closing the door behind her.

Several minutes later, with her bathing ritual completed, she glided down the hall into the kitchen to greet her mate, dressed in the white, Grecian-style gown Ky had retrieved from her apartment while she bathed. She sat across from him at the small kitchen table, remembering the first time they ate a meal together.

It seemed like forever, these past two months. So much had come to pass. She had been attacked by a vampire, found her mate only to discover he too was a vampire.

Her friends and family would never believe it. Vampires were considered myths. They would never accept him, unless…

Her eyes met his over their poached eggs. “I can’t wait to get to the Festival,” Lyn commented before taking a bite of the meal he prepared. He’d cooked the egg to perfection, and seasoned it just right. Wow, a man that’s good looking, who could also cook…too good to be true.

He leaned forward to place his hand over hers where it rested on the table. “I’m not sure it is a good idea to bring a vampire to a demon religious ritual, Daelyn.”

“Oh, come on, no one has to know what you are.”

“But what if someone figures it out? I’d hate to ruin your festival.” Ky took a sip of his coffee.

“You won’t ruin it. I want you there. I want all my family and friends to meet you.”

Ky spit the coffee back into his mug. He raised a questioning brow. “All your friends and family. You mean your entire family will be there tonight?”

“Not all of them,” she admitted. Just most of them. “Come on, please come with me. It will be fun. You’ll see. And you promised you’d take me. Remember?”

Ky gave her hand a squeeze. “I would do anything for you, Lyn, especially when you look at me with those pretty doe eyes.” He blew out a heavy sigh. “I’ll go. I never break a promise.”

Thirty minutes later, dishes cleaned, the food put away, they headed out the door hand in hand.

“Oh wait. Hold on a minute.” Lyn stopped abruptly. “I almost forgot.”

She reached into the bag hanging from her shoulder and withdrew a small bundle of cloth. Ky watched her cradle it in the palm of one hand as she untied the knot on the top. The material draped over her hand, revealing the treasure inside.

“What’s that?” Ky asked.

“It’s my offering to the faeries.”

“What are you going to do with it?”

“I have to sprinkle it around your home as an offering.”

Ky crossed his arms over his thick chest and cocked his head questioningly to one side. “You think I have faeries around my house?”

“We all do,” Lyn informed him while she sprinkled the herbs and food with Ky in tow.

“And do you see these faeries?” Ky asked, not quite keeping the disbelief from his voice.

“No, but we know they are there, especially this time of the year.”

Ky glanced around as if looking for any sign to prove their existence.

Just when she ran out of her offering, they completed a circle around his home. Lyn tucked the emptied cloth back into her bag. “Okay, now we can go.”

“You sure?” Ky held out his arm.

She placed her fingers in the crook of his arm, and he covered her fingers with his hand, holding her to him. The couple made their way down the dirt path that led to his dock.

“I’m sure, Kyron. Let’s go to the festival. But we need to hurry, we’re late.”

“And we’re late because…”

Lyn rolled her eyes. “Hey, sometimes you just have to leave an offering.”

“To invisible beings.”

“Ky, don’t mock what you don’t understand,” she advised as they reached the dock.

Ky handed her into the motor boat and climbed in after her. He took her into his arms. They felt so good around her. His warmth surrounded her, and a contented sigh slipped between her lips. Lyn wrapped her arms around his narrow waist, melding against the hard planes of his body.

“I would never mock your religion. I might not understand it, but I’d never mock it.”

He cuddled her head against his shoulder.

“And I promise not to mock any of the vampirey things you do.”

“‘Vampirey?’ What do you mean by that?”

He attempted to pull away, but she refused to allow it, tightening her hold around his waist.

“Oh nothing. I’ll let you know the next time you do one of them. Now let’s get this boat engine revved up and get to the celebration.”

“That won’t be the only engine revved up tonight.” Ky separated their bodies. “Especially if I have to look at you all night in that sexy dress.” He ran the pad of his thumb over her nipple. It pebbled under his touch, eliciting an appreciative groan from his full lips in response.

She gave him a gentle push of encouragement. “There will be time for that later. We must get going.”

Ky gave a tug on the ripcord, and brought the motor to life. Lyn watched him, appreciating the play of his muscles under the white shirt he wore. He looked ready to attend a beach wedding, dressed in khaki pants and classic Cuban-style shirt that hugged his body in the most delicious way.

Damn, she thought, taking a seat. That is one gorgeous male wrapped up in a fine package. The Goddess had blessed her with a fine mate, and she intended to show her appreciation.