Page 150 of Heart of the Panther

Once as an apology, then as a promise, and now as a vow.

The cord tightened, the leather biting into their wrists, the knot secured with a final, firm tug.

The clan roared, chanting and shouting. Njáll leaned in, silver fire blazing in his eyes, his dark jeweled braids highlighting the sharp line of his jaw.

“My love. My kona. My flame.”

The vow seared into her lips, his kiss soft and demanding in its fervor.

Wildflowers covered the wooden beams in the longhouse, too many tables squeezed into the cavernous space. Musicians played, meat smoked, skalds sang, and ale flowed.

It didn’t take long for the evening to devolve. The feast was a rowdy occasion with many clans in attendance. Yet, Elara found herself exactly where she belonged, nestled on Njáll’s lap at the high table, flanked by his parents and her father.

Leif dipped his chin, raising a mug in their direction before stealing a kiss from his Dróttning.

The warmth from Njáll’s chest seeped into her skin. She reveled in his intoxicating scent of cedar and leather, wanting to drink it in forever. An arm stayed banded around waist, his fingers constantly stroking, brushing, and touching.

“Eat,” he purred.

She opened her mouth, smiling as he fed her strips of pork and soft bread soaked in honey. It was an intimate act of devotion, of loyalty, of protection, witnessed by all the clans.

In turn, she ran her hands through his dark, thick hair, pulling his head down to her neck, letting her lips brush his pulse point.

As the night wore on, the noise in the hall grew deafening. His lips brushed the shell over her ear, his palm splayed possessively over her belly.

“My flame,” he growled. “You are the most beautiful sight this world has ever seen. This hall. This clan. It is yours. As I am.”

He pressed a hot, branding kiss to the valley between her breasts, his voice dropping into a seductive challenge that made her heart jump into her throat. His thumb stroked her navel, his grip on her belly unyielding.

“I want this round with our babe. I want the next rising of the moon to find you heavy with my son or my daughter. Will you grant me such an honor, little flame?”

Her heart swelled, threatening to burst from her chest. The desire wasn’t only his, but hers as well.

The image of bearing his child, a child woven from them, brought a surge of emotions to the surface, bathing both of them in a golden glow.

A predatory smile curved on her lips, one that perfectly mirrored the warrior who owned her soul.

She tilted her head back, meeting his gaze with a defiant, playful heat that challenged and thrilled him if the glint in his eyes was any indication.

“Well, Jarl, if that is your wish, then you have work to do,” she purred, slipping out of his lap.

The sudden movement drew every eye to them, but she didn’t care. She tugged on the leather cord from their hand fastening around his wrist and she led him toward their furs like the obedient puppy he was.