Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

I wake with the morning sun beaming through the window of Red's and my bedroom.

We are curled together. I am the little spoon; his cock is hard, probably at least partly because I can't stop myself from pushing back against him. I wiggle my ass, and he lets out a sleepy groan.

"You are insatiable." He playfully bites my neck. "I lost count of how many times we came together last night. Is my little mate ready for more?"

I giggle. "Always."

The sharp knock at the door startles us both.

"Wake up, you two!" Tabitha's voice carries through the whole house. "You both need to be dressed and at the town square right now."

"Oh, shit." I roll my naked body out of bed. "Shit! Red! It's our wedding day—‘binding day,' I mean!" I stumble to the closet to grab my dress and run to the bathroom.

"It's not like they can start without us," he calls playfully. "They need us."

"Get dressed!" I can't believe I forgot what day it was. We've had so much sex that I think my brain is mush. I hop in the shower quick as can be but realize there is no time to do my hair, so I brush it and leave it down. I grab my flower crown and rush from the bathroom to the door. Tabitha stands there holding a bouquet of white and purple flowers.

"Figured you two would be too busy to think of the details." She hands me a purple garter belt for my leg. "There aren't any unwed females here, but plenty of males. The one that gets this is next."

"Really?" I ask, knowing her magic is real, but she shrugs.

"Let's go." She takes me by the hand and leads me out the door.

"But what about—?"

"I'm here." Red looks handsome in his new black and purple suit—his green skin stands out in a way that makes me weak in the knees. "Shall we?" He presents his arm to me. I reach up and take it. The arm of my mate and, soon, husband. "You are lovely."

I look down at my antique white lace Renaissance bridal gown Tabitha gave me. Its long sleeves hang like a medieval queen's dress. The plunging neckline of the bodice is beaded with purple amethyst and white jewels, and the long train is covered with tiny seed pearls mixed with sparkling diamonds. I move a little in the sunshine and dazzle myself. I look amazing, and if there is any truth to what Tabitha said, then all the more reason to wear it. Supposedly, wearing it guarantees a blissful marriage. I believe her. I couldn't be happier with my choice, my seven-foot-tall troll husband.

The entire town is adorned with white and purple flower garlands hanging across the streets; petals fall on and around us as we walk. Everyone in the village is outside to greet us with nods of approval, their smiles wide.

"This is beautiful!" I gasp. "It's more than I could ever dream of."

"It's all for you." Red smiles down at me as we stroll towards the fountain at the heart of town. "I kept you in bed long enough for everything to be set up. You were very easy to distract." He wiggles his eyebrows at me.

"I love it! And I love you." I stop and kiss him. Applause explodes around us, and we laugh, heading to where the elders await us.

Dartor, who I now know to be the head of the Elder Council, stands resplendent in purple robes with the rest of the ancient ones. For a group of guys who once wanted to kill me and/or maybe my husband, too, they look pretty happy. The town couldn't be more welcoming. It seems that I am the most exciting thing that has happened to the town in a hundred years. And I am one of them now, a human among the fairytale folk, and I love it.

Tabitha marches ahead of us, her red flaming hair contrasting with her deep purple Renaissance dress. Troth stands taller than everyone beside the fountain, waiting for us to arrive. The grin on his face is enormous.

We enter the square, and music starts playing—a sweet tune with violins, a harp, a flute, and a fancy guitar.Red and I walk a little slower together. This is our moment, and I want to remember it for the rest of my life. Tabitha raises her hands to the sky. The square falls into silence.

Just then, I look over Red's shoulder and spot the big hairy sasquatch he said is called Sammy. He is giving us a thumbs up. Beside him is some other massive creature. He's not a troll, but Red mentioned another friend, Thorne? Maybe this is him—he's an orc. I shake my head, still feeling a little like I am in a dream. A little more movement beside Sammy seals the feeling as the minotaur steps up beside him. He smiles at us as he, too, gives a thumbs up. I'm not sure how I know he's smiling, but I am sure he is.

This is truly a magical place. I bring myself back to the moment as Red squeezes my hand. Tabitha looks from one of us to the other. We stand before her, hand in hand, our eyes locked on one another. The love I feel for this troll is overwhelming.

"We are all gathered today to witness the love between this troll, Red, and this human, Alexandra. This ceremony completes their claim, and they shall forever be bonded to each other. Let them now speak their dedication to one another. Red, please go first."

"Alexandra." Red looks deeply into my eyes. "From the moment I saw you, I knew you were the one I would love for the rest of my life. I promise to keep you safe and take care of you." He pulls a ring from his pocket. It is an amethyst, deep purple, with gold flowers surrounding it. He places it on my finger, and it sparkles in the sunlight. "With my body and this ring, I claim you as my love, wife, and mate."I panic because I do not have a red ring, but at that moment, Troth slips a large black and purple ring into my hand and then goes back to his place next to Tabitha.

"Red, I never thought I could love anyone like I love you. You are kind, caring, compassionate, and loving. With my body and this ring, I promise to care for and love you as my husband, love, and mate."

"These two are now joined forever, mated as one. May their union be blessed. As above, so below," Tabitha intones in her larger-than-life voice. Red picks me up off the ground and kisses me deeply to the roaring cheers of the crowd around us.

Suddenly, I feel that burn on my chest again.

What the…?

I look down and understand why the mating mark was so plain. It is now miraculously colored in! It dances in the light, almost like a hologram. Deep reds and purples seem to swirl as I gaze at it. Flecks of gold sparkle in the sun. I gasp in amazement. Before I can react further, I feel Red's hand slip under my dress and pull the garter from my thigh, not forgetting to offer me a tantalizing stroke as he slips it off.

"Troth!" he calls above the crowd. His friend lumbers over. "I need to give you this. You are next, according to our resident witch, anyhow. Besides, if I threw it, you would easily be the one to catch it." Red and I laugh, and even Troth lets out an approving grunt. I know I am going to love living here.

"Now," Red yells out to everyone. "If you will excuse me…" He picks me up in his arms, gathering my train so he doesn't trip. "My wife and I have some important business to attend to." And just like that, I am whisked away at a run back to our cottage for some much-needed post-ceremony lovemaking.

As he lays me down in our huge troll-sized bed, I look up into his beautiful, soulfully kind—and sexy—troll eyes and feel nothing but happiness and fulfillment.

I can get used to Monstertown, all right.