Page 95 of Malice

“Had to.” I pat his cheek. “We can talk later, but you should go get him. He’s weak.”

“He’s weak?”

“I beat the shit out of him.” A laugh bubbles out of me even as pain pricks at my hands. “I did it, Aster. I confronted my fear.”

Aster bends his head and kisses me hard. “I’m proud of you.”

“Go get him. While you can. I’ll be here waiting for you.”

He nods, searching my eyes. His lips part, and even without a single word uttered, I know what he’s feeling. Iseethe love and affection in his gaze. My heart flutters in my chest.

“I know. I’ll still be here when you get back. I’m not going anywhere.”

His breath hitches as he smiles. “I’ll return before you know it.”

“Be careful. I’m counting on a future with you in it.”

His face lights up. “I’ll be careful.”

He releases me, leaning against the wall and glancing at me before closing his eyes. I watch his body go limp and know he’s gone. He’s facing off with Chester. I really hope this is the last time.

When I look down, my knuckles are bloody and there are scratch marks on my forearms. Whoa. That’s wild.

Crash comes into the room with Otto bouncing at his feet. Otto rushes onto my lap and covers my face in doggy kisses, even as he whimpers and glances at his owner. I laugh, holding him as I get to my feet.

Crash has a crease in his forehead as he looks me up and down. “You’re okay?”

I nod. “I’m okay. How did Aster know to come get me?”

“I woke him up when I realized what you did. He drank some of the potion and went looking for you. That was really dangerous.”

“I know. I wasn’t thinking clearly, but I knew for me to move on, truly move on without years of therapy in front of me, I had to deal with it. I had to face him. I had to reclaim what he tried to take from me. Aster deserves someone who can love him wholly. I did it for both of us.”

Crash’s expression softens. “I knew it. So did the house spirits.”

“Knew what?”

“We felt your connection long before you did. I think Aster was chosen to help you because your souls need each other. Your hearts were halves until your worlds collided.”

Jocelyn’s reading comes back to me. “Is that stuff really true? Soulmates and stuff?”

Crash nods. “Of course. It’s one of the best parts of a mortal existence. In Aster’s case, it’s even better. It never has to end.”

I blow out a shaky breath and nod. “As long as he comes back.”

“He will. He’s motivated by so much more than his own safety. He has you to return to.”

“Thanks, Crash. For all your help. I might have been in trouble if you hadn’t woken him up.”

“I like being useful.”

He blips out of sight, and I walk over to the sink to wash the blood from my hands. Definitely shouldn’t fuck around in astral planes without more knowledge. Hopefully, I’ll never have another reason to.

I open the back door and whistle for Otto to take him out to go potty. Just a normal morning waiting for the love of my life to return from the darkness so we can start living our lives together.

When he comes back, I’m telling him how I feel.

I’m in love with him.

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