116 Ritual

~ ZEV ~

Sasha's eyes got wary before he managed to pull the smile back up onto his face.

"What?" she asked, her tone almost panicked. "Why do you look like that?"

"Hey, hey, it's fine! Don't worry!"

"I wasn't until you looked like that!"

Zev shook his head and took her hands. "Look, it's just… it's going to sound weird. But our mating ritual… think of it like a wedding with lots of dancing, and a little male nudity."

"Dancing isn't—wait, what?!"

He raised his hands toward her, palms out. "Don't panic—"

"Why would guys be getting naked at my wedding?" she asked, her voice shrill. Then laughter bubbled out of her throat. She tried to catch it, but she was spluttering. "N-nudity? For real? What the h-hell kind of p-place is this, Zev?"