Moon Sworn (Riley Jenson Guardian 9)

"Yes," he cried. "Yes!"

The words were barely said when he came, his body going rigid against mine, the force of his release tearing my name from his throat. Heat and power and magic exploded around us, through us, and my climax came in that moment, stealing all thought and plunging me into an abyss that was sheer and unadulterated bliss.

I rested my forehead against his, desperately trying to catch my breath, desperately trying to ignore the rising heat of the oncoming night. I would change soon, but there were still words to be said.

So I took a deep breath and raised my head, staring into the beautiful dark pools that were his eyes. "May the moon bless this union and grant us a long life together."

He smiled and gently brushed the sweaty strands of hair away from my forehead. "And what the moon has bound, let no man or woman sunder."

He leaned forward and kissed me. Gently, sweetly. Then he bent and gathered a small, silk-wrapped package by his feet. "And now, for the human part of the ceremony." He opened the silk, revealing two identical, black onyx rings. He plucked the smaller of the two free and slid it onto my finger. "With this ring, I thee wed."

I smiled and repeated the process. Then I flung myself into his arms and said, "You can't get away from me now, vampire. You're mine until eternity ends."

"And a better place to live and die I couldn't think of."

"Run with us tonight."

"Oh, I intend to. No bride of mine is spending her wedding night with her brother and his lover."

I laughed and kissed him, with all the fierce joy in my heart.

From behind us came a whoop of delight, then suddenly Rhoan and Liander were all over us, hugging and kissing and crying.

It was the perfect way to start our new lives together. As a family, as a pack.

But as the call of the moon got fiercer and fiercer, and the thrum of the change began to tingle across our skins, Liander made the night just that little bit more perfect.

"Here," he said, and handed me a small photo.

I took it and looked at it, but wasn't really able to make sense of the odd black-and-white image. "What is it?" I asked, looking up.

"Those," he said with a grin that lit up his entire face, "are our babies. Riley Jenson, you and I are having twins."

At long last, Keri Arthur's riveting

Myth and Magic series

continues with

Mercy Burns

Coming in Spring 2011

This stand-alone novel expands on the mysterious world of sea and air dragons as one young woman's quest to right a wrong leads her into more danger than she ever anticipated.

Read on for a special preview ...

Mercy Burns

On sale Spring 2011

W e'll have you out in a minute, ma'am. Just keep still a while longer."

The voice rolled across the gray mist enshrouding my mind - a soothing sound that brought no comfort, only confusion. Why would he say I shouldn't move?

And why was he saying it just to me? Why wasn't he saying anything to Rainey, who'd been driving the car?

Ignoring the advice, I shifted, trying to get more comfortable, trying to feel. Pain shot through my side, spreading out in heated waves across my body and reverberating through my brain. The sensation was oddly comforting even as it tore a scream from my throat.