Page 31 of The Slayer Seduction

I rub the bridge of my nose in frustration. What the actual hell are the chances that the three of us would find obscure mates? What’s even worse? Mine is actively trying to kill Ember’s and I can tell that she’s being truthful, that she really cares for this vampire.

I can’t let the Slayer hurt her in this way. But the idea of hurting the Slayer also sends this disgusting ball of guilt and sadness rattling around in my stomach.

Shit. He really is my fucking mate, isn’t he?

“This is so fucked,” I mutter under my breath as a vision hits me.

It was the one I had before I went to see the tarot card reader of Ember with a bleeding bite mark against her neck. But it’s not dark and violent like I originally thought. No, she’s enjoying it.

“What’s wrong with her?” Ember asks and I have to sigh, because the list is probably a little too long right now.

“We’re starting with you first. All that talk about vampires in the past, I thought it was a fantasy, maybe something you’d try once and get out of your system. I didn’t think you were serious,” Violet says.

“Me either, okay? I didn’t expect it. I tried to resist him. Well, maybe not super well. But it makes sense now. We’re mates, Violet. You should understand that,” Ember retorts, and I groan.

Because I’ve got a mate too, and despite every bone in my body, I don’t want him hurt either.

“Who is he?” Violet asks.

“Warin Auclair.” The name sounds like a swear. A promise of retaliation of the man tied up at my house.

“Yeah, okay, I can see the appeal. He was at the meeting when I saw Silas again for the first time,” Violet surmises, like we’re all not in very deep shit.

“He can’t stop, he won’t stop,” I mumble.

“Iris, honey, is everything okay?” Ember asks.

Far from okay. Ember has found the love of her life, the one thing she’s desperately wanted for ages and I’m harboring the ancient being who wants to kill him.

“I think the…thing…man, living in my house who claims to be my mate might be the one who tried to kill your vampire.” I don’t think, I know, but I’m not sure how to word this all.

“The Slayer is at your house?” Ember says. “Wait. What? He’s your mate?”

“Yes. The psychopath in my house is my mate, and he’s dead set on killing Warin Auclair for injuring him,” I tell them, and they both take a seat at the table with me.

“You’re both sure?” Violet asks.

“I’m positive,” Ember says happily

“Yeah. Unfortunately. I’m sure,” I say back.

“Okay. Wow. I thought maybe you were feeling down about the date with Bobby not going well. As far as you, Iris, I thought something was bothering you but didn’t know what,” Violet says.

I feel ashamed for not telling them about my visions or that I knew something was coming for me, but now is not the time to dwell on that. We have more important problems at hand.

“Warin and the vampire council are searching for the Slayer now.”

I wave her off, not worried about them finding him.

“They won’t find him. My store is warded, and he’s still healing. He won’t leave. What I’m worried about is what happens when he’s healed. He’ll either get himself killed or kill your vampire.”

“You know that he staked a vampire near me, and showed up at my house?” Ember tells me and I sigh.

“I’m sure the psycho did. Listen. I don’t like him much either, but I can’t let him die, okay?”

Ember stands, her chin held up high, protective of her vampire.

“Well, I can’t let anything happen to Warin. I actually like him.”