Page 28 of The Slayer Seduction

She stares at me like I am a wonder, and I love it, giving her a smile. I’m not sure I’ve smiled this much in any of my cycles. Well, except after a kill, but these smiles are genuine, just for my mate.

“Okay. Enough of that. Let’s get to the bottom of everything. Where do you come from? Who sent you here, and how many…cycles have you been here?”

My mate wishes to know me.

“I come from the void. I do not know who sent me here, only that there’s a book that the humans use to summon me. The amount of cycles, that’s difficult. Too many to count. Though it’s been a long time since my last cycle, humans have changed greatly.”

She’s listening intently and something about my words clicks to her.

“A book? Do you know what’s inside of the book?”

I look away from her. Yes, she’s my mate, but she’s still skeptical of me. Can I give her the truth? Hmm, I can’t lie to her.

“My true name. The humans must sacrifice a blood relative as my vessel, chant the spell, and summon me from the void. I take over the vessel and continue my duties as a vampire slayer.”

“You have no control over it?” Iris asks.

I adjust myself on the bed. It smells like her and I don’t think I’ve ever smelled anything sweeter. Sure, I’ve lived thousands of lives, but nothing has prepared me for the scent of my mate.

“No. I have no control over when I’m taken out of the void. But I must say this bed has been my favorite place I’ve ended up in any cycle.”

Iris gapes at me for a long moment. I’ve rendered my beauty speechless.

“You don’t have any control over being a vampire slayer?”

I turn away from her slightly before answering, because it’s complicated. “I was designed for this. It’s a drive that I do not have authority over.”

“But you like it?” Iris questions, and when I look over at Scarlett I can’t help but to think I’m fucking this all up.

“Yes, I like it.”

I told her I wouldn’t lie to her, but she also doesn’t seem to like that answer either.

“You asked me not to lie, to be honest.”

“I did,” Iris says, rubbing her temples again. “How many?”

“Vampires?” I ask, and she gives me a sharp nod. “Too many to count, but I suppose you could count every line on my skin.”

I raise my arm slightly in my restraint, and she comes slightly closer, squinting her eyes to get a better look at the designs on my vessel’s flesh. Some of them are solid designs, filled with many tick marks. Those were my most impressive cycles. Others have turned into almost floral like patterns and I wonder if it’s because I was fated to be with my sweet Iris. Fate wanted a reminder of her on my skin.

“That’s a lot of vampires,” she says, backing up and sitting on her chair.

“It is,” I say proudly.

“But it was a vampire who”—she motions her hands around her neck— “injured you.”

“Yes. When I find the nasty bloodsucker who did this to me, I’ll rip his fucking heart out.”

Iris’ breath hitches and Scarlett looks to the sky. Ah, I’ve messed up. I need her to realize that vampires are evil, that I’m doing something positive for the world.

“I believe you would want him dead too.”

“Oh yeah, and why’s that?” Iris asks, her tone confusing to me.

“Because he’s after the one you previously considered your best friend. She’s in danger because of him.”

This has her pulling her wand out, pointing the tip right at my throat, and it takes everything in me to not moan. I quite like it when the witch gets a little aggressive with me. It shows that she cares.