Scott's life hadn’t been so bad for his entire existence—he hadn't always been lonely. He had his family and friends. Scott had found love in one breath and lost it in another. Some by his desire of being young and not ready to commit. And others because of his fears and stupidity.
Over the years, he'd pushed his lovers away because he couldn't fully give them what they’d desired most, his heart. Even though they were ready to give him theirs. But what hurt more was watching his lovers die.
A vision of Alec came to his mind, and the hurt of losing his last lover and submissive still burned inside of him. Scott hadn’t cared that Alec wasn't his mate, he loved him more than breath and life itself. He had been willing to do anything to keep him by his side forever.
If only I’d been there.
But there was nothing he could’ve done. No matter how many times he’d told Alec he loved him, Scott couldn't have saved him from himself. Not as his friend and lover. Scott would have turned Alec, but even he had to admit he’d been afraid of what his lover would have been capable of if he had been given the power of a vampire.
Would he have done much more than harm himself?
The night he and Alec had met... it was as if there had been no one else in the room but the two of them. Scott had been completely mesmerized by the curly, dark-haired man who’d been playing the piano with more passion than he'd ever seen.
His fingers had seductively glided over the piano keys, and Scott had felt as if he was playing for him and no one else. Alec had lifted his head and looked out into the crowd, and Scott had known the second their eyes met that the man would be his.
Scott had introduced himself to Alec after the concert and soon after their romance began. Alec was human, and Scott had told him he was a vampire. His lover had taken it in stride but made him promise if anything were to happen to him and he was on death's door to never turn him.
At the time, Scott hadn’t thought about it and respected his request, because he thought Alec would be with him for eternity. To him Alec was his mate, even if they weren’t fated. It was the reason why he’d started using Alec’s last name,Shelton. They had been in happy bliss for twenty years.
But since Alec's death, he wished he hadn't respected his lover's wishes.
I never imagined Alec would kill himself.
After Alec's death, Scott had been lost and closed himself off from everyone who loved and cared for him. Scott had been a young musician when he and Alec had met. But after his lover's death, he’d quit the band he'd formed and stopped singing. It had been as if the music had died along with Alec.
Scott had refused to leave the house or see anyone and had surrounded himself in his guilt for not being able to save the man he loved. There’d been a few times he’d wanted to join Alec in the afterlife, but had known his bearer, Braxton Boroson-Dracul and Rosemary Vale would go to the depths of the underworld to find him and bring him back.
Scott smiled, thinking of his bearer and Rosemary's close friendship. Braxton Boroson-Dracul—formerly the god Baldur and the favored son of the god Odin and the goddess Frigg—was a well-known actor. Most wouldn't believe him if he told them about his family relation to the mighty Norse gods. Or that he was the grandson of Dracul—or Dracula to those who believed in the myths.
There were times he could not believe it himself.
His bearer Baldur later changed his name to Braxton when he’d started living amongst humans. On more than one occasion, Scott had heard the story of how Braxton and Rosemary met. It was an instant friendship. Braxton had become bored with his life in the in-between realm and had decided to live amongst humans.
In the beginning, Odin was against it and felt that gods should not mix with those who worshiped at their feet. It hadn’t helped that Braxton had already met and fallen in love with Armand Dracul, the first-born son of Vladimir Dracul the third. His refusal to return to the in-between realm where all the gods lived, had resulted in a battle between father and son.
History books spoke of a great earthquake that had shaken the world, changing its geographical status for all eternity. But those who knew the truth recalled it had been Braxton and Odin who were in a fierce battle for forty days and nights. Once Odin had grown tired of fighting with his favorite son, he’d allowed him permission to live among his followers.
Scott was grateful for his parents. They’d raised him, his brother, and sister with the knowledge of who they were—vampires with the strength and blood of gods running through their veins. But they’d also taught them to protect and stand up for those who were weak.
Scott was also thankful for Rosemary, who’d been a constant in his life from birth. He knew of the closeness his bearer shared with the former mayor. It has been said that when the two were together, even Odin shudders in fear of what kind of trouble they could get into.
Scott realized that, even through his loneliness, he had people who loved him. But it didn't stop him from missing the man he’d loved and would possibly love for all eternity. Scott knew he could go to his cousin Hellenna to bring Alec back from the underworld, but he'd kept to the promise he made to Alec.
As much as he loved his cousin Hellenna, the woman couldn't be trusted to fulfill her end of the deal without wanting something in return. The woman was smart, conniving, and drop-dead gorgeous. Which was how she conned many men and women to do her bidding.
“Scott, you all right?”
Scott was pulled from his thoughts when he heard the question and looked up to see his best friend Chance staring at him. Scott creased his brows, wondering exactly when he’d stopped walking. He recalled his initial plan was to go to the diner.
“Yeah. I’m good, just thinking.”
“Thinking? You look like you were miles away. Anyway, it’s a bit odd to see you out and about so early.”
“What is it with you and Marlow? I’m an early riser,” he said, crossing his arms. He was lying his ass off.
Chance snorted. "Since when? Dude, you're a typical vampire. If it were up to you, you'd get up at sunset. So, what are you really doing up?"
“I thought I was running late for work and rushed out of the house an hour early. Marlow kicked me out of the office because, apparently, he takes his ‘me time.’ What the fuck does that even mean?”
