Heart Of Atlantis

what?”
    He took her hands. “We could not find an Elvis, but Queen Riley has informed us that the king of Atlantis has the legal power to perform a wedding.”
    Quinn’s mouth fell open. “A wedding? Now?”
    Alaric knelt gracefully before her. “Quinn Dawson,
mi amara
, heart of my heart and soul of my soul, will you wed me, bear my children, and remain by my side for all of eternity?”
    Quinn blinked really hard, but several tears escaped as she stared at the most powerful man she had ever known, who knelt before her asking for her hand.
    “I can never deserve you,” she whispered, taking his hands and pulling him to his feet.
    “Wearing those red silk undergarments would go a long way toward changing
that
,” he said, flashing his most wickedly seductive grin.
    “Alaric,” she said, flushing a hot red all over again.
    But the laughter that surrounded them floated on waves of emotion that were warm, encouraging, and kind. She turned to see that the people in the room were in fact only the Warriors of Poseidon and their mates, and every single one of them felt like family.
    Family.
    “I believe I have waited more than long enough for your response,” Alaric said, his face beginning to show the strain of doubt.
    “You knew my answer before you ever asked, my warrior priest,” she said, throwing her arms around his neck. “Yes, and yes, and yes. Forever and ever.”
    She kissed him, and only the repeated sound of royal throat clearing brought her out of it.
    When Alaric put an arm around her and nudged her to turn toward Conlan, she realized that everyone in the room was paired up and also facing their new king and queen.
    Conlan turned to each couple in turn, and before continuing, he waited for each to respond with their assent to the question, “Do you each take the other as beloved mate, husband and wife, for now and until the waters of the ocean run dry?”
    He stood before them. “Alaric and Quinn.”
    Even as Quinn said a fervent
yes
, Alaric took her hand and placed a silver ring, set with a beautiful sapphire, on her finger.
    “Yes,” he said, looking into her eyes with his beautiful emerald gaze. “For always and eternity.”
    Conlan and Riley smiled at them, and Riley sniffled a little, before they turned to the next couple. Quinn listened to the words, almost in a daze, as she stared at Alaric.
    “Ven and Erin.”
    “Justice and Keely.”
    “Bastien and Kat.”
    “Alexios and Grace.”
    “Marie and Ethan.”
    “Brennan and Tiernan.”
    “Christophe and Fiona.”
    “Serai and Daniel.”
    When each of them had responded with a heartfelt assent, Conlan flung open and held wide his arms. “Then, without further ado, and by the authority vested in me as king of Atlantis, I now pronounce you husbands and wives,” he said, smiling. “And long may you live and love, standing by our side and ushering the next generation of Atlanteans into the world.”
    A little cheering, a lot of kissing, and many tears and hugs later, Quinn and Alaric had congratulated and been congratulated by everyone in the room. Riley had hugged her tightly for a long time, saying over and over again how happy she was, and happily planning family dinners, but then Alaric and Ven walked to the door next to the one through which Conlan and Riley had arrived, and Ven shouted for quiet.
    “We have a little surprise, boys and girls,” Ven said, grinning like a fool.
    He and Alaric flung open the door and led the group into a courtyard garden that had been transformed into a private wedding reception just for the newly wedded couples and a few close friends.
    “Hit it, Marcus,” Ven called out, and Quinn was surprised to see the very relaxed head of the palace guard leaning down to an enormous array of musical equipment.
    The silken tone of Elvis Presley’s voice soared over the room, and Quinn didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when the familiar lyrics began. “You got Elvis, after all.”
    “I couldn’t help falling in love with you, either,” Alaric told her solemnly. “I tried to fight it; I never believed I could deserve you. But love had different plans for me than a lifetime of solitude and loneliness.”
    A blast of salt-drenched sea air blew Quinn from Alaric’s arms, and it was their only warning before Poseidon appeared in the center of the room, next to the enormous seven-tiered cake.
    AND YET YOU DID NOT ASK ME ABOUT MY PLANS FOR YOUR LIFETIME, ALTHOUGH YOU ARE HIGH PRIEST OF MY