poisoned blades 14
The Unholy Union
“Wow…” Nightshade whispered, watching Windfire walk toward him.
“Wait until after the ceremony…” Aquashade said slyly.
“You’re terrible,” Flameshade bit back a laugh.
“Both of you shut it…” Nightshade hissed. He didn’t move his eyes from his lover as she advanced toward them. She was gorgeous, and now that she would be his, that made her even more gorgeous. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered when Windfire and her mother reached him.
Windfire blushed and stammered, “Thank you…”
Crystalwind smirked, thinking that her son-in-law was the fool who was investing in an unrequited relationship. The priest (who looked even more uncomfortable than all of the members of the rival families) stepped forward opening the large book to read from, unwillingly presiding over the unholy ceremony. “Who here gives this woman to this man?” the priest asked.
“I, Crystalwind Deverill am giving my daughter to this man, father,” Crystalwind proudly declared. All members of the rival families made a face, save the four bride maids and the four groomsmen.
“Alright, and there are no objections to the union between this man and this woman?” the priest asked. Lucithet and Crystalwind glared at their families, silencing all of the screaming thoughts with a glare. The priest paused, praying to his God, but the threats of the matron and patron of the two families were more powerful at that moment. “Then let us continue…”
Crystalwind glared down at the romantic affection she had witnessed. Nightshade twined his fingers with Windfire’s and she allowed the affection naturally. It was well choreographed. She glanced over at Lucithet. He was also staring at the sore thumb that was glaring at both families. He knew that something was wrong, too. She expected treachery, but never from her own flesh and blood!
“Lord Gerard told me of the family tradition,” the priest seemed to flinch at the thought, “Of the matron’s actions with the newlyweds…”
Crystalwind took the white cloth from her pocket. She approached the witch and warlock couple. She faked a fake fake smile as she tied the cloth around their wrists and pulled out her athane. She ran it across the couple’s palms and she saw it! She saw the cut that she had reopened—they were cut at the same time in the same way! They performed a ritual together!
With that realization, the matron called to the goddess. She placed Windfire’s palm flat on Nightshade’s and finished her prayer and she watched their reaction to the mixing of their blood.
Nightshade gritted his teeth. He already had strong feelings toward Windfire, but the mixing of blood during that ritual intensified that. He wanted to be happy with her before…but now he was willing to die for that cause!
He met Windfire’s gaze and he could tell that she was feeling the same changes. He wanted to comfort her…he wanted to hold her and kiss her…he wanted to act out everything that he had done in the secrecy of their dream world. He wanted everything down to a family with his woman. He could tell that the feeling was mutual. He glanced over at Crystalwind who was smiling to happily. It was her doing! “But why?” he whispered, hoping that nobody had heard him.
“And now to seal the marriage with a kiss,” the priest was clearly glad that the unholy union was being completed. He knew that every person around him was not a believer in his God. They weren’t a believer in any being better than them.
They weren’t Lutheran, nor Catholic, Protestant, Puritan or any other monotheistic religion. Those people believed in a god and a goddess and they were more powerful in their darkness than any prayer that he could muster.
Nightshade nodded and watched his mother-in-law untie the cloth from their wrists and clean the blade with it. He removed Windfire’s cloak, sliding it from covering her face entirely. He smiled before he leaned in and met her lips with his. He didn’t want to make the ceremony to look too forced or too accepted. So he kept the kiss modest before breaking it to stare at his bride.
“Two great families have been joined,” Lucithet announced.
“Yes, and everything stands,” Crystalwind added, embracing the warlock.
“Yes, yes it does,” Lucithet agreed.

poisoned blades 16