Page 60 of Malice

“Hard. Not impossible. If the Horror had been stronger with better aim, he could’ve thrown a knife at your heart. You must protect your heart, remember.”

The scent of coffee fills my nose, temporarily distracting me. “Thanks, Crash, but none of this matters anyway. What’s going on with me and Hudson is just… stress relief. I’m sure once I deal with the Horror, he’ll be more than happy to see me go so he can get on with his life. A normal life.”

“Maybe.” Crash swings his legs. “Maybe not. Anyway, at least you know now.”

“Yeah.”

“By the way…” Crash slides off the counter, notching himself between me and the coffee pot even though I can’t actually feel his presence. “Did you read the fine print?”

“Of what?”

“The love bond, Aster. Keep up.” Reaching behind me, he drags the book back in front of my face and taps on the page where there’s barely legible print.

“I can’t read that.”

Crash chuckles. “That’s kind of the point. Fate is tricky that way.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Fate. The being responsible for the love bond. Call her a hopeless romantic, but she’s a sucker for love. Hence the fine print.” He taps on it again, and the print enlarges so I can actually read it.

“‘Be careful, Soul Chaser. Words become promises.’” I blow out a breath. “What does that mean?”

“Like I said, Fate can be a trickster. You have to mean what you say, but only say what you mean.”

“Explaining a riddle with another riddle. Sweet.” I open the cabinet to get two mugs down. “Try again?”

Crash laughs. “Mortals say a lot of things they don’t always mean in the truest sense. Things like ‘I love your smile’ or ‘I wish we could stay together forever.’” His grayish eyes glimmer with a hint of blue. “A wish is a promise. Love… is a promise.”

I think it’s starting to sink in. “So if I said in the heat of the moment that I wanted to keep him or that I loved him…”

Crash nods. “Fate’s ears perk up. She’s a literal being. You can’t say love and really mean you just like it. You can’t say things like you want to be with someone forever and not mean it.”

I nod. “Got it. How does the love bond actually happen?”

“Fortunately, you have to directly ask for it. In your case, Farnsworth would facilitate it. But…” He taps the page again where the fine print is. “If your intentions are mucky and your words are promises, Fate could intervene and force the bond. It’s happened, and there’s nothing worse than being bonded to someone you don’t like. So be clear what you want with Hudson.”

“Like I said, it’s not like that with us.”

“Yet.”

Ignoring the comment, I grab the carafe and fill our mugs. “What’s in it for Hudson or any mortal? Besides a long life, who would want to be with a Soul Chaser long term?”

Crash’s face is blank for a second. “I don’t think that matters. Love is love, right? You take the good with the bad.”

Finally, everything he’s told me sinks in. “I wouldn’t have to…” I pause, swallowing down the lump of emotion forming in my throat. “I thought I’d be alone from now on.”

Crash’s expression softens as he smiles and shakes his head. “No. You’re just as worthy of love as any regular mortal is. Heck, even a spirit can fall in love. It’s one of few emotions that transcends any realm.”

“Thanks. I still don’t think it’s relevant right now, but it’s good to know.”

“If you end up in his bed again, it’s relevant. Words are promises, remember.”

“I hear you.”

I carry the coffee back to the living room to find Hudson on the sofa with a laptop and Otto curled up next to him. He looks up and smiles at me, and my stomach does a little somersault.

It’s important that I don’t mislead him and end up tying him to me without his consent. I like him, and after last night I’m pretty sure he likes me, but like I told Crash, this is just a passing thing; two men who need each other in different ways.

---