Page 44 of The Slayer Seduction

“No…I-I think it might be warded against supernatural beings?”

Violet glances over, making sure not to crash the car. “Well, let’s go test that theory,” she says, driving us back to her home.

When we pull up to the drive, everyone is waiting on the doorstep for us: her husband Silas, her cat familiar Walter, and his reluctant girlfriend Marie.

It’s late, but of course they would all drop everything for Violet at a moment’s notice.

Silas is already bounding down the steps to meet us at the car. He’s a large man, clearly a shifter with his thick beard, and bulky build, his skin sun-kissed from working outdoors.

“Everything went okay?” he confirms, looking over his wife with care.

“Yeah, everything went fine,” she says, giving him a quick kiss. We head inside her home and I delicately place the book on the kitchen counter.

“Can any of you read this?” I ask, delicately flipping the page.

Silas’ brows furrow, and he shakes his head. Violet looks down at Walter, who’s licking his paw with a bored expression.

“Walter. Just take a quick look.”

The cat huffs, glancing at the book, and he must communicate with Violet, because she sighs.

“Nothing.”

“Fuck. That means we’re going to need a human, but what if they read it and something happens?” I question.

“Don’t you want to send him back?” Violet questions.

“I don’t know,” I admit. I am worried about Adam, but I don’t think I can send the Slayer back either.

“Right,” Violet agrees, though it seems like she has something else she wants to say.

“Honestly, it’s probably not the worst thing in the world to keep a slayer around. The vampires are the most likely to ruin this treaty,” Silas says and Violet pokes him in the side. “What? I’m not saying we send him out to hunt them down, but just as a failsafe to keep the pack and the coven protected.”

“Either way, it’s up to Iris. He’s her mate.”

“I don’t know what to do,” I admit to Violet, my stomach churning with worry just having access to the book.

“It’s okay. I know a lot is going on right now. You don’t have to make a decision right way. Are you going to take the book, or should you leave it here?”

What should I do? Part of me feels like I need to keep it near, but another part is worried about what might happen if the Slayer sees it.

Then I remember that Adam is human and he should be able to decipher the spell book.

“I’ll take it with me. Thank you for having my back tonight, Violet.”

She wraps her arms around me and squeezes. “I always have your back, no matter what. Whatever you decide, we’re in this together.”

With a forced smile, we part and I portal back into the shop. I can hear the faint snores of the Slayer as Scarlett bounds down the stairs.

“He’s been out like a light,” she says as I place the book on the table. She looks down at it and then back at the Slayer. “You won’t really send him back, will you?”

“I don’t know,” I whisper.

“Listen, I know he’s weird, socially inept, and rather strange. But something tells me that if you try to send him back, the consequences will be much worse.”

“I’m worried about that too, and I just don’t think I can send him back to that place,” I admit, feeling like I’m failing everyone. I’m not protecting Ember, the vampires she cares about, but most of all Adam.

It feels wrong to my bones to go through with this plan. But I do need to know the inner workings of the spell.