Chapter 23
TWENTY-THREE
ATLAS
I should be exhausted after everything that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours, but instead I feel energized, renewed, like I’ve been freshly carved.
Like I did during the nights when we were being held captive, I listen to Rune’s soft, steady breathing and watch the way his eyelids flutter with his dreams. I’m filled with a sense of peace instead of worry now.
The threat has passed, my mate is safe, and we have a long life ahead of us.
Together. I still have to face Auri though.
I’m sure he knows by now that I lied to him and went rogue, but that’s tomorrow’s problem.
When I’m sure Rune is sleeping soundly, I slip out of bed and quietly into the void. The same way Kallis’s magic guided me straight to Rune without me needing to know where I was going, his magic inside me takes me exactly where I want to go, even if I have no clue where I actually am.
I materialize in the middle of a small, modern apartment.
It’s in a city, I can see that much from the lights coming in through the windows from the tall buildings around it.
Beyond that, it’s hard to tell where in the world I am, and it doesn’t really matter.
I wanted to go to his most frequented home, and I think I found it based on how lived-in it looks.
There’s an open notebook on the coffee table and dishes in the drying rack next to the sink.
I was only planning to grab a few of his things and head straight back, but now that I’m here and I can smell how stale the air is, it really hits me that he’s been gone for weeks.
I put a pin in my original plan and step into the small kitchen.
I check a couple of cabinets until I find a roll of garbage bags under the sink, along with several bottles of cleaning supplies.
A chuckle slips past my lips. It’s odd imagining Rune taking out the garbage or cleaning a toilet.
He seems so… ethereal most of the time. A warm feeling spreads through my gut knowing I’ll get to do all these domestic, everyday things with him, that I’ll get to see a side of him he never lets anyone else see.
I whistle to myself as I open his refrigerator and clean out the spoiled food.
Once that’s done, I put away the dishes in the drying rack, wash the few things that were left in the sink growing mold, and generally tidy things up around the rest of the apartment.
By the time I’m satisfied, the sky is just starting to turn pink with the sunrise outside.
Not that that tells me much about how long I’ve been here, since I still don’t know where “here” is.
I want to get back to him before he wakes up though, so I hurry to get back to my original task.
I find a suitcase in his closet and pack a few days’ worth of clothes.
I remember him waxing poetic about his custom shampoo and conditioner when we were being held captive, so I grab those out of the bathroom.
I also pull a couple of notebooks off of his bookshelf, as well as the one on his coffee table, and pack it all into the bag.
I don’t want him to feel like I’m moving him in without discussing it, but a few of his things should make him a little more comfortable, at least until we can decide what we want to do in the long run.
I slip back into the void and right into my bedroom, materializing at the foot of my bed.
Rune is still fast asleep, clutching my pillow and snoring softly.
The scent of sex lingers in the air from earlier, making a possessive feeling rumble in my chest as I pull back the covers and climb into bed next to him.
He stirs just enough to reach for me in his sleep.
I swallow down a satisfied growl at the unconscious gesture.
“Mine,” I murmur quietly, nuzzling the top of his head and wrapping my arms around him tightly. And then I finally close my eyes and fall asleep.
RUNE
I’m so used to waking up already on guard and a little bit anxious that I never even noticed it; it’s just been a normal part of my life. It’s actually a little jarring to wake up feeling relaxed and safe, but I think I might be able to get used to it eventually.
I grin to myself as I stretch and yawn, happy to have the weight of Atlas’s massive arms around me and the warm puff of his breath against the back of my neck. I see my small Gucci suitcase at the foot of the bed, and I huff out a laugh.
“Hm?” Atlas grunts, still half-asleep but already tuned in to my every subtle movement and quiet sound. I know it’s only been twenty-four hours, but having a mate is kind of nice.
“You went and got my stuff?”
He nuzzles the back of my shoulder and nods. “Just a few things. I wanted you to have a change of clothes and a couple of other essentials.”
I open my mouth to thank him, but the words turn into a groan as it hits me how long I’ve been gone.
“Oh my god, that place must be a biohazard by now. Is it even salvageable or am I just going to have to set it on fire to deal with the mold and flies?”
He chuckles. The sound is a deep, warm rumble that reminds me of a bonfire or a cozy blanket wrapped around me on a cold, snowy night. Ugh, am I just going to be sappy like this forever now? I still have a reputation to maintain.
“It wasn’t that bad, and I already took care of it.”
“What?” I wiggle in his arms until he loosens his grip, then I roll to face him.
My half-chubbed morning wood drags against his warm, muscular thigh and he engulfs me in his arms again.
“You popped out in the middle of the night to clean the rotting food out of my fridge and bring me clothes? How are you so nice? Is it just a ploy to trick me into mating with you?” I tease.
He barks out another laugh and tightens his arms around me, sliding one hand up my back to brace it behind my neck. I happily let him pull me in for a lazy, lingering kiss that makes my heart race and my cock go from half-stiff to fully hard in a matter of seconds.
“There’s no end of things I would do for you, love,” he murmurs against my lips.
Emotion swells in my chest and it hits me all over again that this is real.
I don’t think I had time to fully process it yesterday, but I can feel the weight of it now.
Atlas and I are bonded, we’re fated, we’re connected on an unbreakable, soul-deep level for the rest of our very long lives.
I smile into the kiss and sink against him even more fully.
“I love you,” I whisper, carding my fingers through his beard.
His breath catches even though I already said those words last night.
Maybe it feels more real to him now that we’re not on the verge of sex.
“You know, you don’t have to say that if it’s too soon.
Just because we’re fated and bonded doesn’t mean we have to rush the courting process.
It’s okay if it takes time for you to really feel that way. ”
I pull back just a little and arch an eyebrow at him. “Do I strike you as a man who does or says anything he doesn’t want to?”
“No.”
I study his face for a second. “We talked about this already, but if you need more time, that’s fine. I felt it bubbling up inside me and I wanted you to know, but no pressure, okay?”
“Of course I love you, Rune,” he growls, dragging me back into the kiss. “How could anyone not fall in love with a snarky, cocky, powerful, sexy, incredibly complicated, and endlessly perfect man like you?”
Flattering, yet honest. I couldn’t have dreamed up a more romantic declaration than that.
“No one’s ever told me that before.”
“That you’re cocky?” he teases. I shake my head and my throat tightens. The meaning of it seems to hit him and he frowns, a bit of sadness filling his eyes. “Truthfully, no one has ever said it to me either.”
It’s strangely comforting to know I’m not the only one.
“Let’s spend eternity telling each other, then, until we’re both absolutely sick of hearing it.” Again, could I be any more gag-inducing? It’s nice though. Really damn nice.
A sharp knock at the door shatters our perfect bubble of happiness. I crane my neck to glare in its general direction with a sneer curling my lips.
“Should I curse whoever’s out there?” I ask.
Atlas snorts. “As much as I share the sentiment, I think it might be Auri.”
The flicker of worry that crosses Atlas’s face as he untangles himself from around me and slips out of bed puts my hackles up. He said he likes working for the demon, but is it possible he’s just too afraid of him to want to break the contract?
He doesn’t bother covering his nakedness, which isn’t surprising.
As a human mage, the casual nudity of shifters is something it took me a few years to get used to, but I get it now.
When your shift leaves you naked, it’s impractical to spend much time worrying about who might see your bare ass.
He pulls the door open and I stay in bed, sitting up with the blankets pooled around my waist. I let some of my magic surge to the surface to illuminate my tattoos and the matching ones on Atlas’s skin.
Is it a power play? You bet your ass it is.
Auri isn’t the first demon I’ve dealt with, and one thing I’ve learned is it’s all about confidence.
If they sense a moment of weakness or a crack in your armor, they’ll eat you alive… sometimes literally.
Atlas’s body is blocking the door, so I can’t see who’s on the other side, but the shift in his demeanor is noticeable. He stands up a little straighter, like a soldier at attention.
“Auri, hi, good morning. I was planning to come down to your office to talk to you…”
“And you figured I would be patient enough to wait around until you were finished with your honeymoon first?” His voice is cool and dripping with an unquestionable air of authority.
“Uh… well…”
“Let’s not add any more lies to this situation, hm?” Auri says. “Put some pants on and come to my office.”