Chapter Forty-One
BLISS
The next day, I’m back in my apartment and I don’t wake up until three in the afternoon.
Or should I say, I don’t get out of bed.
I busy myself with random tasks until The Wild Mare opens.
I need to go meet with Amber and talk about coming back to work early.
I took off time originally for my starmoon, and Amber was insistent that I leave it somewhat open-ended.
She understood how much I needed to find my mate.
But I don’t think either of us expected me to want to come back to work so quickly.
A few days ago I was thinking this conversation would be about me quitting to be Goddess’ Trance’s full-time band manager. But now I don’t know if that’s a good idea.
Even if Pisces does get released, I can’t go on tour with them, can I? It will be too awkward. Too painful.
I arrive just before opening, Lowell letting me in and allowing me to mix myself a drink while I wait for Amber to get off the phone. Apparently she’s in a meeting that’s been going on for hours. I finish my free drink and ask Lowell if there’s anything I can do to help him out.
“There are some trash bags from the kitchen that need to be taken out,” he says sheepishly. “I was waiting for the rain to stop.”
I smile in return and nod. “I’ll get them.”
I take the trash out to the alley. There’s a light drizzle, but it’s not pouring like it was before.
I heft the bags into the dumpster, feeling a bit sorry for myself.
For a while there I thought my life was improving.
I thought things were finally looking up.
When I turn around, I startle, almost jumping backwards.
The song wraith is standing there, looking at me, face unreadable.
“What do you want? Trying to get me arrested again?” I look around, making sure we’re alone. Though as much as that eases my worry about being caught dealing with a wraith, it terrifies me, despite the knowledge that the wraith promised not to harm me.
He cocks his head at me. “Is that anyway to greet a friend?”
“Right…” I hedge, trying to brush past him. I need to get back inside. He catches my arm and spins me around.
“I wasn’t under the impression you wanted out of the deal, but if that’s true… Well then, I suppose I’ll just keep what I owe you to myself.”
“I didn’t deliver,” I say, confused.
“Oh, but you did. I had to step in at the end there, but I got what I needed.”
“Okay then, so where’s my bondmate and when are you going to un-succubus me?”
The wraith smiles almost fondly at me. “Bliss, you already have your bondmate.”
Pisces’ face flashes in my mind. “But he can’t be.” Even though I can’t deny that I wouldn’t mind if it was true.
“Why not?”
“Because he’s Made. So we can’t have a bond. They don’t work like that.”
The wraith raises a brow at me. “And who says? Are you saying fae tell the stars what to do?”
“No, of course not, but it can’t be true. I don’t see a rune in his eye. So he can’t be my mate.”
The wraith nods knowingly. “Because Made fae don’t have runes. The rune is a result of the activation ceremony. Pisces has not undergone one, so he has no rune.”
“So what? He needs to have a ceremony?”
“No, a ceremony would do nothing for him. You’ll see in time.”
“So why does my bond feel so weird?”
The wraith pretends to pick lint off his immaculate suit. “The magic interfering with your bond was why you had the odd reaction with the stone. And why your bond ties feel different.”
“Okay, so fix it.”
“It is already fixed. The bond is strengthening the more you’re around him. It’ll heal on its own and break the magic surrounding it. So that just leaves one last thing I owe you. What will it be, then? Water nymph? Wolf shifter? I think you’d make an exquisite earth elemental.”
I lower my eyes. Is it really that simple? I just tell him what I want to be and he makes the change?
Can I really turn my back on my essence, my core? Using my power on Jinx showed me there is so much else to be discovered about my powers. And if Pisces has another way to feed, then maybe so do I.
I lift my face back up and meet the wraith’s eyes. “No, I’m not going to change who I am.”
“Are you sure? Your entire existence seems quite exhausting.”
I ignore the slightly insulting statement and square my shoulders. “I’m sure. I’m just going to have to find out the right way for me to be a succubus. The way that works for me.”
The wraith smiles almost kindly, reaching out his hand. I clasp it, shaking his hand in goodbye. “It’s been a pleasure, Bliss Rassard.”
“Wait,” I reply, earning a wider smile. “Why did you need his tears? What are you doing with them?”
“They’re an ingredient for a spell.”
I already knew that. “What spell? It must be a pretty important one if you’re going to all this trouble? What are you planning?”
“Bliss, I have already told you, I mean no harm. That is all I can tell you. But don’t worry, this isn’t a final goodbye. You will be seeing me again.”
“Coming from you, that sounds like a threat.”
He smiles again, but this time it’s more of a grimace. And then he’s gone, leaving me in the alleyway. The rain has started to pick up again and I realize I’m soaked through. Turning, I make my way back inside The Wild Mare. But instead of returning to work early, I will be giving Amber my notice.
I’m going to get my bondmate back. Even if he hates me.
I have to believe that what’s between us is strong enough to overcome everything.