All Together Dead

Calvin’s face held such a mixture of startled reevaluation and speculation that I immediately began wondering what I didn’t know about my new lover.
    “Um, well, sorta,” I said with sudden caution.
    “We’re honored to have him here,” Calvin assured me.
    “Quinn,” Crystal breathed. Her pupils were dilating, and I felt her brain focus on my date with a sort of groupie longing. I wanted to kick her. Here to marry my brother, remember?
    Jason looked as puzzled as I was. Since he’d been a panther only a few months, there was a lot about the hidden world of the two-natured he hadn’t picked up on yet.
    Me, too.
    Crystal made an effort to quell herself and get back into the moment. She was naturally enjoying being the center of attention, but she spared a moment to reassess her prospective sister-in-law. Her respect for me (pretty much nonexistent, heretofore) had just shot off the charts.
    “What’s the procedure?” I asked briskly, trying to get us all back on track.
    Calvin reverted to his practical self. “Since we have human guests, we’ve adapted the ceremony,” he explained in a very low voice. “Here’s how it goes…you vouch for Jason as his closest living relative, because he ain’t got no one older than you to do it. I’m Crystal’s oldest living relative, so I vouch for her. We offer to take the penalty if either of them does wrong.”
    Ah-oh. I didn’t like the sound of that. I darted a quick look at my brother, who (naturally) didn’t seem to think twice about the commitment I was making. I shouldn’t have expected anything else.
    “Then the minister comes forward and the service proceeds just like any other wedding,” Calvin said. “If there weren’t outsiders here, it would be different.”
    I was curious about that, but this wasn’t the time to ask lots of questions. However, there were a few that had to be answered. “What penalty am I promising to pay? What constitutes ‘doing wrong’?”
    Jason huffed a sigh, exasperated that I wanted to find out what I was promising. Calvin’s calm yellow eyes met mine, and they were full of understanding.
    “Here’s what you’re vowing,” Calvin said in a voice that was quiet but intense. We huddled around him. “Jason, you listen hard. We went over this, but I don’t think you were giving me your full attention.” Jason was listening now, but I could feel his impatience.
    “Being married here”—and Calvin waved a hand to indicate the little Hotshot community—“means being faithful to your mate, unless the mate has to breed to keep the group up. Since Crystal’s pretty much out of the running on that, Jason, that means she has to be faithful to you, and you to her. You don’t have mating obligations like the purebloods do.” Jason flushed at this reminder that his status was lesser since he was only a shifter because he’d been bitten by one, not because he’d been born with the gene. “So if Crystal runs around on you and a member of the community can attest to it, and if she can’t pay the price for some reason—pregnancy, or illness, or a kid to raise—I have to do it. We’re not talking money here, you understand?”
    Jason nodded. “You’re talking physical punishment,” he said.
    “Yes,” Calvin said. “Not only are you promising to be faithful, you’re also swearing to keep our secret.”
    Jason nodded again.
    “And to help out other members of the community if they’re in need.”
    Jason scowled.
    “Example?” I said.
    “If Maryelizabeth’s roof needs replacing, we might all chip in a bit to buy the material and we’d all make time to do the work. If a kid needs a place to stay, your home is open to that kid. We take care of each other.”
    Jason nodded again. “I understand,” he said. “I’m willing.” He would have to give up some of his buddy time, and I felt sad for Hoyt; and I confess I felt a little sad for myself. I wasn’t gaining a sister; I was losing my brother, at least to some degree.
    “Mean this from the heart or call it off now,” I said, keeping my voice very low. “You’re committing my life to this, too. Can you keep the promises you’re making to this woman and her community, or not?”
    Jason looked at Crystal for a long moment, and I had no right to be in his head, so I pulled out and instead cast through the crowd for random thoughts. They were mostly what you’d expect: a bit of excitement at being at a wedding, a bit of pleasure at seeing the