Tipping The Scales: Knox (Mate Craze)(50)

“You were human until a couple of months ago. I didn’t want you to jump into anything you might regret.” His lips graced the top of my head as he rubbed little circles into my back, giving me the comfort I so very much needed at that moment.

“Quit being perfect,” I teased before nipping him where I knew his scales still were and it wouldn’t hurt. I was going to miss them; although, their departure meant I was fully and completely his, making it a bittersweet loss.

“Not perfect. Far from it.”

“Perfect for me.” I pulled back slightly before standing up on my tip toes and giving him a chaste kiss. I wanted more, so much more, but this was not the time nor the place for that.

“Are you trying hard not to tell me what you are worried about then?” He knew me almost too well.

“Promise not to laugh?” I bit my bottom lip as I realized that my question pretty much guaranteed the opposite effect.

“Yeah, not so much.” His smirk: I both loved and hated it. “But it will be with, not at, so all’s good.”

“I’m nervous about giving my acceptance speech.” Nervous. Wanted to crawl in a hole and die. Barely was able to stand. Whatever.

“You are going to rock it, love.” He took my lips with his, and by the time we broke away at the sound of my name being called, I was breathless. So much for going on stage all composed and elegant. “Trust me.” He kissed me on my forehead and all but pushed me out of the wing of the stage and in front of the cheering crowd.

While I was honored to be the recipient of the scholarship, why they had to incorporate the awarding of said scholarship with their annual orchestral fundraiser was beyond me. Thankfully, all went well and I managed to sound worthy of said scholarship. More importantly, it was over and I could move onto more important things.

One more important thing, anyway. Mating.

“How are you feeling now?” I walked ever so primly off of the stage before bounding into his arms, wrapping my legs around him like a stupid romance movie.

“Relived and excited,” I said in his ear before nibbling down the side of his neck in the way I knew never failed to drive him crazy.

“Excited?” He wrapped his arms tighter. Naughty dragon.

“Yes, excited because in two hours I am going to be your mate in truth.” Waiting had been Knox’s idea, and I got it. I really did. I needed to finish school and adjust to being a dragon… blah blah blah, but my dragon wanted to be claimed in full and I didn’t blame her one iota.

“You know the mating’s not complete until after when we…” he breathed into my ear before kissing the spot just below my ear, the one that always set the butterflies loose in my middle.

“So is the dusk thing like a necessity or can we move it up?” Our vows were just for us in the place of his people and probably the main reason he wanted us to wait.

It took a long time before I was able to go back there and not envision everything from that horrible night. If the place wasn’t so important to the clan, I would just as soon never go there again, but it was, and for that reason I went there each time a new baby was born, when each youth flew for the first time, and each clan meeting. Each event filled the space with new memories with the exception of the far too tense trials of Sampson and Rhi, which all worked out the way they needed to. Tense, nonetheless.

Tonight, however, was going to be the best of them all. Tonight, Knox and I would exchange our vows as mates before the goddess. No other audience was needed.

I went back to nibbling on his neck, hoping my attempt at wooing would make him change his mind on the whole dusk thing, and as I heard the rumble of his dragon build in his chest, I knew victory was well within my grasp.

“Dusk is traditional, but I can get us there in a half an hour.” He was already carrying me out the back door. Good mate.

“We should’ve taken the motorcycle,” I mumbled as he put me in the front seat of his truck. The motorcycle was faster and allowed me to keep close, our bodies pressed against each other. Darn dress-up clothes.

“Best. Mate. Ever.” He punctuated each word with a kiss before making good on his promise to get us there in record time.

“Are you sure you are okay with this… here?” he asked before turning off the ignition.

“I’m sure. This place is important to our people. It is where I first became one of you and where we will present our first child to the clan. It is only fitting that it be here, that I vow my life to yours.”

Knox turned off the ignition, but said not a word. I waited in the silence allowing my words to soak in. When he finally turned around, his eyes filled with more emotions than I could begin to decipher. He brought his lips to mine before mumbling, “You’re perfect.”

Knox was out of the truck and around to my side, letting me out in moments. This was it. We were going to walk away from the truck as individuals and come back as one; our souls intertwined in a way I knew I had yet to fully comprehend. My dragon was so close to the surface, practically giddy, if dragons could be described as giddy.

Hand in hand, we walked to the center of the clearing, just us and our dragons. I wasn’t completely sure what to expect, I just knew it was going to change my life for the better. The college degree and scholarship were fine and dandy, but this? This was the reason life was worth living.

“Kallie,” Knox began, his voice reverent, his eyes glued to mine, “from the first time I saw you I knew you were mine. Unfortunately, I let the dumb part of myself convince me otherwise and I let you slip away, a mistake I will never forgive myself for. And then you did the most amazing thing and came back.”