Chapter 29

Shay

Jayce remains quiet on the walk back to the house. I wait until we’re inside to ask my question.

“What is this mating ceremony?”

He walks to the kitchen and pours himself a double shot of whiskey. I wait for him to finish. Is it that bad? Is he worried Circe will prove she’s his mate?

I take a seat on a stool while he pours another.

“It’s an ancient ritual. One that proved we really are cattle.”

“Okay.”

“The more we integrated with humanity over the years, the more barbaric our ways seemed.”

He finishes the drink.

“Our ancestors would send an invitation to the closest herds. Think of Cinderella and the glass slipper. We were desperate to procreate—to find our true mate. All the heifers would line up in front of every available male. We called on our bull.

“You see, our bull is telepathic. We communicate with our thoughts only with the other men in our bull form. There’s one exception. Our true mate.”

“That doesn’t sound so awful.”

“When it’s done this way, in order for the female to prove she isn’t lying about hearing the bull, the ceremony brands the couple.”

“I don’t understand.”

“The invitation isn’t just for the herds. Helios is called upon to bless the unions. We can’t accept a mate bond as valid without his blessing.”

“Okay, so it’s barbaric, but if it saves Cill, Emjay, and I shouldn’t we…”

“What of the others? Those girls think that having a family and longevity is so important they would trade their freedom.

“It’s all my fault.” Tears pour from his eyes.

I get up from my seat and walk over to him. “How is this your fault?”

“If I’d waited for you…If I hadn’t led them on.”

“How did you lead them on? Did you make them any promises or commitments?”

Jayce shakes his head.

“If these nutso women decide to go through with this…can you?”

“Can I what?” He sounds hopeful.

I shrug. “I don’t know. Maybe invite more than just this feral herd to the ceremony.”

He turns toward me and pulls me into his chest. “Shay, that’s brilliant.”

“It is?”

Jayce releases me and paces the length of the kitchen while working out the details of my idea.

“We won’t subject other herds heifers to this madness, but if we’re the ones sending the invitation, we set the terms.”

“What stipulation would protect these women?”

“If a mate bond forms, the male has to join the heifer’s herd. They can’t take a woman back to their labyrinth.”

“What about me?

“What about you?”

“Jayce, I’m not your true mate. When are we going to face that?”

He looks at me with hunger in his eyes. “I didn’t want to do it this way, but you’re just so stubborn.”

I back away. “What way?”

His eyes shift as he gets closer. I’m his prey. My instincts scream at me to run. Yet my mind tells me that running from a predator is dangerous.

Ours. No one else’s. Mate.

With those words from his bull, I run.