THERE was music playing. Rio hadn't heard anything other than tribal music in so long he'd forgotten how beautiful it could be. There was the powerful scent of flowers, orchid blossoms bursting out all over. All over the trees, in the hair of the women. And there were people. There seemed to be people standing everywhere he looked. He'd never been around so many people, not in years.
'You're a bit pale there, brother.' Elijah stole up behind him in his silent way, still favoring his right side. It had taken Tama and Kim's father to save his life. He was still recovering from the severe wounds inflicted by Armando. 'You aren't going to faint or anything, are you?'
Rio glared at him. 'Who the hell are all these people? Where'd they come from? Don't they have homes or something?'
'Rachael said you were going to be a big baby over this,' Elijah said. He pulled a twig from a tree and put the end in his mouth, his strong teeth chewing on the green stem.
'Your seven stab wounds aren't going to keep me from punching you.'
'Twelve,' Elijah corrected. 'It's true five weren't that deep, but still…'
Rio scowled at him. 'A little bit of overkill, don't you think? Letting that son of a bitch stab you twelve times? You could have gotten the same amount of sympathy with just three or four times.'
Elijah nodded, straight-faced. 'True, but the story isn't as good in the retelling.'
'Well, the number's probably going to grow with the retelling anyway so you could have saved yourself a bit of trouble and a hell of a lot of stitches,' Rio pointed out.
'I didn't think of that.'
'How are your teeth?'
'Still in my head, but they hurt like hell. Don't talk about my teeth.' Elijah groaned, 'I think they're still loose.'
'You wouldn't be such a pretty boy without all those teeth,' Rio observed. 'It might not be such a loss.' He slapped his palm against his leg. 'Where the hell is she? I should have had Conner or Joshua stand guard and keep her from running away. Are you sure she's here?' His chest was tight and his lungs screamed for air. He ran his finger around his collar to loosen it.
'She's here. She looks beautiful.'
The burning in his lungs lessened, and Rio could breathe again. 'Don't look at me like that. I want to do this, it's just that all these people are a little too close.'
Elijah grinned at him. 'I hate to admit it, but I feel the same way and I'm always surrounded by people, by my crew.' He waved his hand toward the surrounding trees, wincing as his body protested. 'It's different here. I feel different here.'
'This forest has a way of doing that, Elijah, although maybe with Armando finally dead, you're beginning to feel the relief.'
'It hasn't begun to sink in yet. At this point I'm telling myself every few minutes I don't have to look over my shoulder all the time. It doesn't seem real. I don't know if it ever will. I've watched every word I've ever said and made certain I was absolutely alone so he couldn't do to anyone else what he did to Rachael. Frankly, I don't know how to act.'
Rio touched the man's shoulder briefly. Elijah wasn't a man to encourage physical contact or sympathy or compassion. 'It will come with time.'
'I'm sure you're right.'
Rio suddenly stiffened, looking past Elijah. Rachael's brother turned to see an elderly man and a young boy of about twelve walking toward them. He recognized the older man. 'What's wrong, Rio?' Elijah shifted slightly to put his body between Rio and the newcomers.
'You don't have to do that, Elijah,' Rio stepped in front of him. 'I appreciate that your protection would extend to me, but I'm perfectly capable of defending myself. Relax, you're at a wedding. All you have to do is give me the bride.'
Elijah's shrug was casual, but there was nothing casual about his eyes. Alert. Suspicious. A mixture of cold ice and hot flame. He looked every bit as ruthless and merciless as he was reputed to be. There was a sudden silence in the trees where monkeys had been chattering to one another. Several birds took flight.
Rio nudged him. 'Give it a rest, Elijah, you're going to scare the guests.'
'I thought you wanted less people around,' Elijah murmured, but managed a small nod when the elderly man and young boy reached them.
'Elder Delgrotto, this is a surprise,' Rio greeted. 'You've met Elijah.'
'Not formally.' Peter Delgrotto bowed slightly. 'This is my grandson, Paul.' The older man dropped his hand on the boy's head. 'He is much better thanks to you, Rio. I've come to perform the ceremony, of course. I spoke with Shaman Pang and explained it would be better if one of the high council performed the binding as it is customary in our lair.'
Rio just stood there, staring blankly. 'I thought you had resigned, Elder.'
'It seems my resignation was not accepted.'
'And the council knows you've offered to marry us? To perform the ceremony outside the circle of the lair?' Rio was shocked and it showed.
'I must perform the ceremony,' Delgrotto said. 'Your Rachael is one of us, and your successful mating is essential for the good of the lair. Look around you, Rio. Every member of your unit is here, with the exception of Drake, and he would be here if he could. Those with families brought them. Others have come to support you. Nearly half of the lair is here. That should tell you something.'
Rio wasn't certain what the attendance record was supposed to tell him, but he wasn't going to ram on the elder's parade. He knew what it must have cost Delgrotto to go up against the council. There was always a penalty of some kind. He didn't want to throw the old man's gesture of peace back in his face. 'It's an honor to have you, Elder. Tell me how Drake is doing.' Rio knew Drake would have moved heaven and earth to stand up for him, but he was locked away in a hospital with one of their surgeons.
Delgrotto looked grim. 'Our kind heal fast under most circumstances, but the leg was shattered, the bone in fragments. They operated of course and used steel pins and bolts to hold it all together. You know what that means to him.'
Rio turned away, swore under his breath. 'Is that what he wanted? Was that his choice? He could have had it removed.'
Delgrotto shook his head. 'Drake's a strong man. He'll find a way to get past this. Who is standing for you in his place?'
'Joshua. I'll go see Drake as soon as possible.'
'That would be wise. Is Maggie with Rachael? I see that Brandt is here.'
'Yes, Maggie offered to help her get ready. Maggie's the first female shifter Rachael's had the opportunity to meet, so I thought it would be good for her to make a friend.'
'It was a good idea,' Delgrotto agreed. 'Everyone is assembling, Rio, you should take your place in the circle of the lair.'
Elijah had slipped away to go to his sister. Rio looked around him at the large gathering of tribesmen. Tama and Kim's people. Scattered among them were his own people, drawing closer, members of his lair. He had to look away. He hadn't known they would come. He had never imagined they would share this day with him. His team would be there, men who stood with him to guard the forest and do the things needed to protect one another, but not so many of the others. He didn't know what to think or feel.
A murmur went through the circle and they opened a path. His breath stopped in his lungs. His heart ceased to beat. He could only stare at her. Rachael walking toward him on Elijah's arm. Rio's world narrowed. Everyone disappeared. There was only Rachael coming to him. She wore some lacy dress that alternately clung and flowed as if alive, enhancing every feminine curve. Her hair spilled around her face and down to her shoulders in a cascade of black silk. A crown of flowers circled her head. She looked a vision out of a fairy tale. Not for him. Never for him. For a moment his vision blurred. All for him.
She lifted her head and her gaze met his. Struck him hard. Pierced his skin and went straight to his heart. He knew they belonged, knew it with every cell in his body. Rachael could make him so angry he wanted to break off branches and throw them like the apes. Rachael could make him laugh over anything. Rachael could make his body
