It was possibly the happiest day of Rick Payne's twenty-three years. Today, his beloved girlfriend would become Mrs. Payne.

  Rick barely registered the priest's words; his full attention was locked onto the beauty standing before him. Mia looked radiant, her emerald eyes sparkling brighter than he'd ever seen. In her pure white bridal gown, no one would believe she'd been the shy, chubby girl he'd fallen for back in middle school.

  Mia felt her heart race faster than during any intense workout. She glanced sneakily at Rick, warmth blossoming inside her chest. To others, Rick might appear a bit pale or plain-featured, but to Mia, he was perfect. He'd been her rock through all her struggles, and she couldn't imagine loving anyone else. Besides, as an independent game developer with a decent income and newly gained muscles enhancing his tall frame, Rick objectively had plenty of charm.

  At each side of the couple stood their witnesses. Emily and James had been Rick and Mia's friends since high school—and were dating each other as well. Perhaps witnessing today's vows might encourage them to take their own relationship a step further.

  Father Gregory cleared his throat to regain everyone's attention as the ceremony neared its end. It was time for vows.

  "I, Rick, take you, Mia, as my lawfully wedded wife," Rick declared solemnly, his hazel eyes unwavering, "to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part."

  More like, even after death, Rick silently added.

  Mia repeated the traditional words clearly, adding a playful mental note of her own: As if death could ever separate us.

  Then came the exchange of rings, along with personalized vows. Father Gregory's brow furrowed slightly when he noticed the unusual wedding bands. The two rings were black, their edges irregular and wave-like, embedded with tiny red, black, and white crystals forming intricate runes. The priest studied them with cautious curiosity, clearly unsure what to make of the peculiar jewelry.

  Rick gently offered the wedding band to his bride. "I give you this ring as proof of our inseparable connection. As a ring has no end, neither shall my love for you. I pledge all that I am and all I will ever become as your husband. Accept this as my covenant to be with you—forever and ever."

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Mia's cheeks flushed red as her eyes grew moist. She blinked rapidly, composing herself before responding, "I will forever wear this r-ring...as proof of our eternal bond..."

  She wiped away tears of joy before continuing. "This ring is a token of my infinite love for you, Darling." The word "Darling" rolled off her tongue for the first time—she'd been saving it for precisely this moment. "It's proof that I'm yours and only yours—in heart, body, and soul. Today, and forever."

  Mia felt that her vow was somewhat lacking compared to Rick's, but the groom couldn't be happier right now—if the brilliant smile on his face was any indication. He could feel the honest sincerity in her vow, and this was enough to overwhelm him with joy.

  Both Rick and Mia meant every word they had said. They had been officially dating for the last eight years. They were each other's first partners and couldn't imagine life without one another. And yet, they hadn't quite put their feelings into words properly. Until now.

  The bride and groom slipped the unusual wedding bands onto each other's ring fingers. When Rick had first seen these paired rings on eBay, he'd instantly known they were the perfect choice. More than this, after messaging back and forth with the seller and doing his own research, he realized that these jewelry pieces' actual value was dozens of times above their price—which wasn't low to begin with.

  The moment the cool metal touched their skin, both felt a warm pulse radiate from the point of contact—pleasant but unexpected. They exchanged quick, curious glances but were too caught up in the moment to dwell on it.

  A hint of relief crossed Father Gregory's face as he approached the conclusion. "And now," he announced with the hint of a smile, "you may kiss the bride!"

  Lost in their private universe, Rick and Mia didn't hear the cheers from the guests or the encouraging whoops from Emily and James. With eyes closed, bride and groom leaned into each other.

  This wasn't their first kiss—that had happened when they were just eleven, an innocent peck during a dare. Since becoming a couple at fifteen, they had explored much more of each other than just kissing. They weren't very conservative in this aspect. Yet now, both trembled with anticipation, as if touching for the first time. In many ways, it was a first—the first kiss as husband and wife.

  A shiver of pleasure ran down Rick's spine as Mia's soft cherry lips met his. They melted into a kiss more passionate than either had anticipated. The sweet taste of each other filled them with bliss as their tongues intertwined, mirroring their tightly clasped hands.

  Completely absorbed in this physical declaration of love, neither noticed when their rings touched. The moment the black bands made contact, bright light erupted from the runes, enveloping the newlyweds, the priest, and their two witnesses. Five people vanished from the small church, leaving behind dozens of stunned guests.

  Rick slowly opened his eyes, head spinning and body tense with confusion. Something was terribly wrong.

  "Mia?" His voice trembled.

  Her eyes wide with shock, Mia reached up to feel something protruding from her curly blonde hair. Rick stared at her in disbelief, unable to speak at the sight of elegant, spiraling horns emerging from her head.

  Mia’s gaze traveled behind Rick, and she stammered nervously, "Rick…you…you've got a tail."