Page 81 of The Slayer Seduction

“I’ll talk to her,” Iris assures Violet.

I place an assuring hand on Iris’ shoulder, the touch comfortable and gentle as she leans into my palm.

“We’ll have our wands and phones on us. Any sign of that slayer? You get out of there,” Ember repeats.

I don’t reply, because I can’t promise that. If I’m given the opportunity to kill him, I’ll take it.

“I’ll check in as soon as we get to the safe house.”

Her friends do the same thing as they did last time, imbuing safety on her. What shocks me is when Ember stands in front of me.

“May I?” she asks.

She wishes to use her magic to give me safety? Internally I groan, because now I’m truly forced to like the witch, no matter who she loves. I give her a sharp nod and feel a tingle as her magic waves over me. Violet does the same thing as they step away from us.

When I look down at Iris, she looks nervous, but happy.

I wrap my arms around her and teleport us to the middle-of-fucking- nowhere Texas, with a shovel in hand.

Chapter 37

Iris

The sun is setting; the sky is a brilliant painting of cotton candy behind us.

The horizon seems to go on forever in this flat, desolate part of Texas.

My map is in one hand, my wand in the other as the Slayer walks beside me. He’s far more alert this time, a stake in one hand and a shovel in the other as our boots crunch against rock and sand.

“Should just be a few minutes this way,” I whisper as we head north.

I’m not sure that they could possibly set up any sort of cameras or anything in a deserted space like this, but what do I know?

The area is dead quiet, not even a bug chirping, which has my hackles raising even further. The Slayer notices as he whispers quietly to me.

“I don’t sense anyone near, do you?”

“No, no magic at least.”

He grunts in acknowledgment as we continue our walk until we’re standing right on top of the glowing orb on the map.

“Here,” I tell him, pointing at the spot. He thrusts the shovel down and immediately it reverberates against metal. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

With my wand, I stir up the dirt, whipping it away, exposing what looks to be an entrance of a tornado shelter. Panic fills me suddenly as I think back to crawling in that tunnel and how claustrophobic and terrifying that whole experience was.

The Slayer grabs my shoulders, steadying me, his eyes boring into mine. He’s wearing dark black gloves. The odd texture feels foreign against my skin, but it was our solution to him touching the book.

“You will stay here with your wand and your potions. You call out to me immediately if you see anything or are scared. Even a whisper that you’re afraid and I’ll come right back.”

I swallow thickly, hating that I’m being such a wimp.

“I’m coming with you,” I tell him, refusing to be out here alone and letting him go in by himself.

He doesn’t coddle me or tell me what to do, he just gives me a sharp nod.

“Wand and potion ready?”

Both are in my hands as he grips each side of the steel entrance, prying the doors open with his brute strength. Dust flickers out of the shelter, but otherwise it’s quiet.