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Mine! growled a voice in Alli’s head. A new voice—not the nagging little one but a deep, rough, gravelly tone that was clearly masculine. You’re mine now, baby! Mine forever!
Alli put a hand to her temple, which was throbbing. What was wrong with her?
“I said, will you be mine?” Douglas repeated, frowning at her. Clearly he was irritated that she was messing up the ceremony.
“Oh, uh, yes. Yes, of course,” Alli mumbled, trying to smile through the blinding pain building in her temples. Was she going to have another fainting fit right here in the middle of her own wedding? She couldn’t do that! She had to make it through somehow. Had to ignore the crazy voices and just get finished with the ceremony so she could go lie down in a cool dark room with a wet cloth over her eyes. Then she would feel better…wouldn’t she?
“And now Allisandra will say her vows,” the priestess said, giving her a pointed look.
“Oh, uh…” Alli searched her memory frantically, but the vows she had written were still gone.
Gone, whispered the little voice. Gone and forgotten, gone and forgotten…
“Douglas,” she said desperately, realizing that everyone was staring at her. “I, um, guess we’re here to get married today. So…” She cleared her throat. “So let’s do it. Let’s get married. Okay?”
Douglas shot her a disapproving look. Clearly this was not what he had been expecting. But then, it wasn’t as though his own vows had been that romantic, Alli thought resentfully. What with him talking about how practical she was. And what could he or anyone else expect of her when she was hearing voices and trying not to go crazy in the middle of her own wedding?
“Very…er…very nice,” the priestess said doubtfully. “Well, my children—will you please each give me a hand so that I may Join you together in the sight of the Goddess?”
Douglas held out his right hand and the priestess took it with a serene smile. Alli held out her left but when she slipped it into the waiting hand of the priestess, the other woman gasped.
“Oh, my daughter!” she exclaimed, looking at Alli, her strange, green-within-green eyes wide with surprise. “I cannot Join you to this man!”
“What?” Douglas demanded, frowning. “Why not?”
“Because…” The priestess dropped his hand to cup Alli’s in both of hers. “Because this female is already bonded to another male.”
Forty
Chaos ensued.
The music came to a jangling halt. Alli could hear everyone whispering behind them, and Douglas was blustering about how they could have chosen to have their wedding ceremony anywhere but they had settled on the Sacred Grove and he was going to sue the priestess and the entire Mother Ship for breach of contract!
But Alli barely heard any of it. She was looking into the priestess’s eyes, the green-within-green eyes which seemed almost to glow…
“What do you mean?” she whispered. “Please tell me—I feel like I’m going crazy. Please help me remember whatever it was I forgot.”
The priestess’s eyes glowed even brighter and when she spoke again, her voice was not her own. It was a rich, feminine tone which was somehow familiar to Alli. And as she spoke, the entire Sacred Grove filled with a beautiful presence and a sweet scent.
“My child,” she said, holding Alli’s hands in hers. “Remember.”
Suddenly, everything came rushing back. Kane in the Hall of Shadows…the look in his silver-black eyes when he bonded her to him…his deep rough voice claiming her, saying, “Mine. You’re mine.”
“Kane!” Alli gasped, her hand flying to her face. “Oh my God, how could I forget him?”
“Your mate repressed your memory to protect you,” the Goddess said—for Alli was certain now it was she who was speaking through the priestess. “But now he is the one in grave danger. You must go quickly if you are to save him.”
“Yes! Yes, of course!” Alli turned and scanned the crowd until she spotted Caroline Lambert, who looked as confused as everyone else. She was about to run to her when Douglas stopped her with a hand on her arm.
“Now, wait just a minute, Alli,” he said frowning. “What’s all this about? You need to settle down so we can get on with the ceremony.”
“I’m sorry, Douglas.” Alli shook his hand off impatiently. “But I can’t marry you.”
He frowned. “You want to postpone the wedding? You don’t want to get married today?”
Alli shook her head.
“Not today and not ever. I’m already married—well, bonded—to someone else. Someone who needs me right now.” She pressed his hand briefly. “I’m really sorry. But please try to understand.”
“Understand?” He glared at her. “Of course I understand! I understand you’re running off and leaving me to foot the bill for this entire ceremony and reception!”
“I guess I am,” Alli said, shaking her head. “I guess I’m not as practical as you thought.”
