Red Reaper - Soldiers of Fortune [book one]

Chapter SIXTY FOUR

Lucky O'Cléirigh

My happy heart gallops a thundering beat of excitement as Konstantin and I stand at the entrance to the grand old stone church, beneath the blessed raised hand of the Deacon.. The man of God reads aloud his litany in a Russian accent so thick it sounds like tar and gravel.. I know I should be listening to the Deacon's every word, but I find myself continuously distracted by the smell of sweet licorice and spice..

Konstantin.. Oh good lord, his scent is heavenly.. And to think, in a manner of moments this delicious beast will be my husband..

Glancing sideways and peeking out from beneath my veil at the gorgeous man beside me, My Bear offers me the hint of a smile before returning to his stoic composure and bowing his head to hear the Deacon's blessing of our union.. Two simply elegant gold bands are offered to us which we exchange, placing the rings on one and other's right hands before we are each offered a lit candle. We carry our twin flames as we enter the church to be greeted by dozens of smiling faces..

I had agreed to a wedding in the Russian Orthodox Church after Konstantin had mentioned it in passing as his preference..

And since I want Konstantin to feel connected to his homeland and to me all at once, our rustic choice of venue has certainly filled the brief.. I would have been happy to simply sign documents at the courthouse but now that we are here, dressed to the nines and about to be joined together forever, it feels right that we would do it exactly this way..

My Bear offers me his arm and I link my elbow around his as we slowly make our way down the aisle to the altar, careful as to keep our flames alight.. There the two of us step onto a small piece of rosy-pink cloth and our crowning begins..

Konstantin dips dutifully as the Deacon places the ornate golden crown of a king atop his head before taking a petite silver crown and adorning me in kind..

The Deacon speaks eloquently about the crowns as a grand symbol of the glory and honor God bestows on us and representative of the self-sacrifice asked of love.. The holy man's words are deep and moving and I find myself mesmerised by the heady moment Konstantin and I share..

There is no passion more powerful than ours, no bond more sacred.. We are two souls entwined for an eternity, embarking on what will be the happiest of adventures..

The Bear and I take it in turns to each sip a taste of sweet red wine from a decorated goblet before the Deacon leads us three times around the lectern that is decorated with garlands of pink and white peonies.. The looping journey we make slowly, side by side, is the beginning of our new life together..

The ceremony has my sister sobbing and I smile at her as she dries her eyes on a handkerchief that her husband takes from his pocket and presses to her palm..

Kirby tries to act so tough most of the time, but beneath her hardened exterior, she is as hopeless a romantic as I am..

As children, we never had that fairytale example of what love should look like.. But somehow, both of us had found it and I have to believe that it is some kind of divine intervention.. Call it fate, or destiny, whatever.. It is cosmic and kismet.. It is meant to be..

Finally after much romantic fanfare, the time comes for The Bear and I to speak our vows and I am beyond nervous.. As he lifts my veil and our eyes lock, my heart skips a beat and my hands shake so severely that my candle flickers.. But as I gaze up into his eyes there is a steady certainty that is reflected back at me and I am soothed by his strength..

"Konstantin Ivanovich Ivanov.." The quiver in my voice gives away my rattled nerves but as I gaze into the eyes of the man I adore, everything and everybody begins to melt away and my entire focus becomes fixated on him.. "My loving lips will onlu ever sing sweet praises of your generous heart, your selfless spirit, your boundless patience and empathetic understanding.. My obedient ears, hear only your encouragement, your steadfast belief in me and that awfully endearing accent.."

Konstantin lets out a soft huff of amusement and the congregation chuckles before I continue.. "My adoring eyes, see only the kindness in you that others remain blind to.. While fools maintain their ignorance, I can be certain you are the most honorable, trustworthy and dependable man I have ever known.. My hands hold in them a warmth that would sustain our love through the coldest of winters, for you, I burn with a fearsome fire that no breath of doubt could extinguish.. My heart, my devoted heart, beats only for you, every minute of every hour of every day.. You are my strength and my support.. You are the best part of me, making me braver and stronger than I ever thought I could be.. You are my night and my day.. My beginning and my end.. Konstantin, I will love you with every breath in my body until the day I die.."

Konstantin's eyes twinkle and he smiles down at me with a soft whisper.. "Spasibo, Solnyshko.." I giggle in return with a joyful whisper, dizzy with anticipation..

"Your turn.."

Konstantin straightens his shoulders and takes a deep breath to collect his thoughts before he begins.. "Lucky Brigitte O'Cléirigh.." He struggles with my name in his thick gruff accent and everybody chuckles again but all I can do is hold my breath, awaiting his promise to me.. "You are 'ze endless river on which my ship doez sail at lazt.. After a lifetime ov' waiting for 'ze tide to come in, the call of your current doez lead me home.."

I can see heads tilting in confusion as people wonder what his seemingly odd sentiments might mean.. But I understand him.. I understand him perfectly..

As a boy he watched the boats and dreamed of a life just like this.. One where he would be safe and loved.. All he ever wanted was to find a place where he belongs and he has found that in me..

"You are 'ze wave that carries me.. You are 'ze bright stars that guide me in darkness.. You are 'ze sunshine that warms me and 'ze breeze at my back.. You are 'ze sweet embrace that greets me in thiz foreign port.." A tear slips down my cheek and his tender gaze never leaves mine as he speaks, his rich chocolatey eyes alight with an intensity that illuminates him from within.. "I am a man humbled by your beauty.. And I am a boy, hopeful for 'ze future we are to share.. I give to you my name, my life, my heart and soul.. Moye Solnyshko, my sweet, beautiful Lucky.. I am now and I will forever be yours.. Ya tebya lyublyu.."

"Oh, Konstantin-" I sigh and sniffle with the quick wipe of my eyes with the pad of my thumb.. "Ya tebya lyublyu.."

The Deacon hums his religious rights and recites a final prayer before Konstantin leans down to press a soft, sweet kiss on my lips and with that I become his wife..

Mrs Lucky Ivanov..

Luka steps up to offer Konstantin a delicate crystal glass and a white cloth and I hand off my candle as Hunter does the same for me.. My brother carefully wraps the glass in a silky white cloth before he gives it to me along with a kiss on the cheek..

I have been told that the more pieces the glass shatters into, the more years of happiness the bride and groom will share..

So.. I guess I better shatter the shit out of this glass..

Konstantin places his offering on the ground and stomps on it with his heel, crushing it into a million little pieces.. Meanwhile I take a different approach, throwing the wrapped glass to the ground at my feet with a satisfying and resounding smash.

"Eyyy!" As a result, everybody cheers and claps and Konstantin grabs me around the waist, hauling me tight to his chest before he kisses me again, this time he is not so chaste.. I feel the press of his hard body against mine and the heat of his skin as his fingers slip through my curls.. His tongue glides over mine in a sumptuous rhythm, tasting of wine a sugar syrup..

"I am dying to take you home, Kiska.. I v'want to make you purr.." He rumbles quietly in my ear as he buries his nose in the crook of my neck sending a flurry of flutters to my belly.. "In thiz dress you are much temptation to me.."

"Bear!" I giggle, feeling the heat climbing to my face as I press my swooning knees together.. "We're in church!"

"You know I am sinner.." He draws back with a casual shrug and a wicked smirk as our guests applaud.. "I v'want do vury bad thingz to you, Kitten.."