Chapter Four
Aspen meandered from room to room through the house, sipping coffee while Leif slept.
Most vampires didn’t need sleep at all but chose to keep a schedule because eternity was damn long.
Having to fill twenty-four hours every day with activity of some sort had driven some to madness.
In Leif’s case, he had been born a druid and turned vampire in his twenties to keep himself safe through violent times.
Leif hadn’t grown fully into his powers by then, and the world was untamed.
Everyone woke up with one goal: survive.
Leif had done that. Unfortunately, using his magic took a toll.
He was one of those rare vampires who slept for a genuine purpose. He was wiped out.
Aspen stopped in the open doorway of one empty room in his new home.
His unpacked boxes sat in the open closet.
They were there for a reason. The boxes contained the life he had shared with Leif.
Aspen had boxed them and stored them, attempting to separate himself from that part of his past. Now he imagined he would unpack them soon.
Not today, though. Aspen still reeled and expected the whole mating thing to be a dream.
He would wake up any minute, and the pain might actually end him when everything slipped through his fingers.
Aspen moved on, inspecting the home he purchased.
The place wasn’t huge, but it was paid for, and the woods were nearby.
It was a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house.
Like nearly everything in Wulfe, the place had been here for a while.
It was nearly a hundred years old, but everything was solid and made by hand to last. The house had an old-home smell that brought out all the nostalgia.
Not to mention, the place had been built in the day when rooms were huge.
At just over two thousand square feet, he didn’t feel confined. That was important for a bear his size.
Aspen made his way back to the living room.
He had to force his feet to keep moving when they wanted to stop at his bedroom.
Leif was all warm and cozy. All Aspen had to do was slip beneath the covers and kiss Leif awake.
Leif needed rest. Aspen felt his exhaustion.
The last two years had ground Leif down in a way Aspen hadn’t expected.
He hated himself for the pain he had caused.
At the time, there were no good options, and loving Aspen had been destroying Leif.
As Aspen stepped into the living room, he found the most beautiful woman he had ever seen sitting on his couch, openly relaxing. Leif would always be the hottest person alive to him, but he had eyes, and she was stunning.
A smile stretched across her lips at the sight of Aspen. “There you are.”
Her voice was mesmerizing. Aspen couldn’t explain that.
There was just something behind every note.
“Um.” Aspen rubbed the back of his neck and then looked behind him as if the answer to her presence was hiding somewhere.
He focused on the blonde again. She looked slightly familiar, but she was still in his house without invitation.
Plus, Leif had warded the house last night.
But she was just a tiny thing, and Aspen wasn’t, so she couldn’t possibly be that big of a threat.
Still… “Why are you in my house, and why do you look familiar?”
She waved her hand absently. “Leif’s wards faded about an hour ago. He obviously didn’t mean for them to be permanent. To answer your second question.”
It didn’t escape Aspen that she hadn’t answered the first.
“I brought you a drink from Leif at the casino after your big win. Kyrie did that for you, by the way. He’s a beautiful soul.”
There was a lot of information in that speech but no real answers.
She chuckled and patted the cushion next to her. “Come. Sit. I’m Celeste.”
Aspen had already taken two steps in her direction, ready to obey with no idea why, when her name hit. He missed a step. His gaze moved over face. Of course, she was. That explained a lot yet nothing at all. He sat and stared at her in awe.
“You’re beautiful.” Aspen blushed as the words left his lips. It hadn’t even been a compliment. He couldn’t have stopped that truth from bursting from him if he tried.
She patted his arm. “You’re a sweet bear. That’s why you’ve always been destined for Leif. I knew he would protect your peace. Maybe it took me a while to figure out how I could make that happen. But from the day you were born, you were destined to love him.”
The sound of Leif’s name pulled him from his shock.
He smiled. “Thank you for that.” He blushed again.
He felt exposed sitting next to the goddess he had prayed so hard to, begging for a miracle.
Aspen had begged Odin as well, even though he had known Odin had nothing to do with picking mates.
It was kind of horrifying. He never thought he would have this meeting, looking directly at the being he had humbled himself so hard for.
After Celeste had patted his arm, she hadn’t moved her hand from him.
Warmth spread from where she touched him, filling his soul with comfort.
“Don’t be embarrassed. Love is a serious thing.
Some would say it’s the most important part of life.
Love drives almost every action. Men have started entire wars over that single emotion.
You had found it, and—like me—you had no idea how to make it permanent.
With that said, you never had to fear either of you finding a mystery mate.
If I hadn’t found a way, it still would’ve been the two of you forever. ”
A huge lump lived in Aspen’s throat. He had needed to hear this so many years back. All he had gotten was silence.
“Time moves differently in the heavens,” Celeste said, obviously hearing his thoughts. “Also, this is a special case. I don’t explain myself to anyone. It’s important to me that Leif doesn’t think turning his back on me got him his way. Do you understand?”
Aspen nodded. “You wouldn’t be safe if people thought all they had to do is walk away from you to get their prayers answered.”
Her expression was serious. She meant business.
Celeste couldn’t let soldiers disobey her.
That was dangerous. It made her look weak.
“In this case, though, I’ve been busy. I didn’t know how bad the situation had gotten until Leif looked at me with genuine hatred.
As cold as it may sound, there are bigger problems right now.
However, I wanted to take a minute to talk to you.
You have a sweet, soft soul. Leif needs that more than you know.
You can see inside him now. Search. You’ll know what he hides when you see it. ”
Celeste suddenly vanished.
Leif ambled into the room still looking tired. Despite the exhaustion in Leif’s eyes, he wore a sweet smile. “Good morning, sexy. The bed felt kind of empty.”
Aspen couldn’t stop smiling. There was a lot of bare chest on display. “I got hungry.”
Leif chuckled as he crawled onto the couch and sprawled out, using Aspen’s lap as a pillow.
Aspen grabbed the blanket folded on the back of the couch and covered Leif. With Leif settled, Aspen ran his fingers through Leif’s hair. The long locks were a mess.
“Mhmm. That feels good.”
With Leif’s eyes closed, Aspen got to inspect his face without guilt. Leif needed a lot more sleep than Aspen realized. His prickly pear was drained in a way Aspen had never seen before.
“You smell like cotton candy.” Leif muttered the words, sounding half asleep. Suddenly, Leif’s eyes shot open. “Wait. Why do you smell like heaven?”
Aspen dodged. “How do you know what heaven smells like?”
“I’ve been there. Don’t pretend I didn’t ask you—” Leif froze. “Celeste was here. Why was Celeste here?” It seemed he had reached in and taken what he wanted from Aspen.
Leif shook his head. “You know I try not to scoop thoughts from you without your permission. Why was Celeste here?”
Aspen didn’t know how to answer. It was obvious Celeste had come to him and not Leif for a reason.
He decided to sum things up in a diluted way.
“She wanted me to know she’d spent a long time trying to find a way to make us permanent.
But she never intended to tear us apart with a random mate.
We were written in the stars, apparently. ”
Leif settled back down. “I can’t imagine Celeste explaining herself to anyone ever. It seems her nephew being missing has her more frazzled than I realized.”
All thoughts of laziness disappeared. “I don’t know who her nephew is, but you’re supposed to be a soldier she trusts heavily.
Until you walked away, anyhow. You know what I mean.
You should be out there helping her.” As soon as the words passed his lips, another thought hit.
Celeste had told him to take care of Leif.
“After you get some more sleep.” He urged Leif to relax.
Aspen went back to running his fingers through Leif’s hair.
“You’re no good to anyone this exhausted.
Just close your eyes. Everything else can wait a few more hours. I’ve got you.”
Leif closed his eyes.
Aspen felt his determination to stay awake.
He worried about Aspen’s wellbeing above his.
But in no time, Aspen put him to sleep with his tender touches.
Aspen smiled at the sight of Leif sleeping on his lap, as if he had never popped up in anger.
His gaze moved to the scar everyone would see on Leif’s neck.
This was his favorite day. Aspen sipped the coffee he had set aside when he sat down with Celeste.
He winced. It was cold and needed honey.
He had gotten distracted at the grocery store yesterday and forgot to pick some up.
Leif rolled to face him and snuggled closer. He touched the cup Aspen held. Steam rose from the top, yet Leif was asleep.