15. The Slayer
The Slayer
My healing has me going in and out of consciousness. There are times when I can’t even muster the ability to open my eyes, and then there are other times when I’m wide awake and yearning to be with my witch.
I’m not sure how much time has passed, but I can feel my strength finally coming back. Scarlett has taken this time to educate me on romance and the human existence.
“I do not understand,” I tell the fox.
This is the fourth movie she’s made me watch and all it’s done is shown me just how inept humans are.
“He’s in love with her. She likes him, yet she’s trying to find ways to push him away?”
“This was not the best movie choice. Maybe The Princess Bride. Yes, definitely,” the fox says.
I quite like the feisty little creature, even more so because she’s trying to help me. She tells me that Iris isn’t a natural romantic, that if I’m too intense, it might scare her away.
However, no amount of advice she gives me works, because as soon as Iris walks back into the room, all I can do is admire how perfect she is.
“You’re even beautiful when you scowl,” I tell her, which has the fox nipping my arm and Iris attempting to make her face neutral. It doesn’t matter what look she gives me, because she’s stunning either way.
She glances at where I’m tied to the bed; she held me at wand point so that I could relieve the vessel earlier, and I can’t deny I enjoyed the press of her wand against my back. As if I’d hurt her?
“You do not need to restrain me. I’d rather dagger this vessel than ever harm you.”
“No one is daggering anyone, Adam.”
When she says his name, it pisses me off. What’s so great about Adam? Sure, he’s the best looking vessel I’ve received, but if she actually got to know him, she would loathe him just like me.
“What’s the problem, Slayer? Jealous that your mate likes me more than you?” he taunts me, and I promptly ignore him.
Iris does not like Adam. She’s my mate, not his.
“The Slayer. I’m your slayer,” I tell her firmly. “You’ll have to untie me, eventually. I have a vampire to kill.”
My strength is growing, along with my bloodlust. I had hoped that maybe once I met my mate that all my duties would go away. I’ve done my time as a slayer. It should grant me some peace.
However, as I lie here, my palm itches, and the never ending need to plunge a stake in a vampire’s heart is overwhelming.
“A vampire is what wounded you?” she questions.
“Yes, and the moment I see his smug face, I’ll sink a stake so deep into his heart that he’ll explode on the spot.”
Iris looks disgusted, and the fox nods her head in agreement. At least someone gets it.
My witch rubs her temples. She does this a lot and I wonder if it has something to do with being a magical being.
She’s wearing dark blue pants that stretch against her legs, and a tight orange top that shows off her pierced navel.
I don’t know when people started piercing that part of their body, but I can’t deny that I find myself wanting to dip my tongue into the cute little spot and see what she tastes like.
I’ve never felt sexual desire before, and the feeling is odd as it is riveting.
“Oh goddess above,” Iris hisses, staring down at my crotch.
That is…new.
She shields her eyes and I just shrug.
“This is what happens when a male is around his mate. It is completely natural,” I say plainly, and Iris shakes her head.
“This can not be happening right now. This isn’t real.”
“Are you worried, my mate?” I ask her, and she looks at me with a puzzled expression. Of course, she would be worried. I’ve been around for millennia and she needs to understand that I’m devoted. “Don’t worry, I’ve never touched another with my cock. I’ve stayed pure, waiting for my true mate.”
“Fucking hell,” she says, rubbing her temples, her place of power.
“No other female could ever compare.”
“First off, please stop saying female,” she scolds me and I make a mental note to take the word out of my vocabulary.
“I will do as you wish. How was your day?”
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.
“What are you talking about?” she scolds me and I shrug my arms.
“Untie me, and I’ll tell you everything,” I tell her. It’s not as though I can’t get out of the bindings myself. I have many times. It would just mean more if she were to trust me enough to free me.
“Don’t play with me, Slayer. Which one of my friends is in trouble?”
I keep my mouth closed, because frankly I don’t remember her name, just what she looks like.
“Maybe she isn’t in trouble. I staked him, but I didn’t feel the relief of a new mark on my skin. Maybe it was because I was injured, but I think he’s alive and if he is, you need my help to save your friend.”
Iris’ eyes flash, and Scarlett turns on me baring her teeth.
“Tell me who and what’s going on,” Iris says, digging her wand tighter against my throat.
“Ask nicely, my little witch,” I say, and I realize that my Iris does not like this game.
The spell ripples over me quickly and it fucking hurts, like my blood is being boiled from the inside. It pushes me to the recesses of my mind and I’m not able to speak, but I can hear everything as Iris holds me under the spell.
“Adam?” she questions.
“How did you do that?” he questions her.
“That’s not important right now. I won’t be able to hold it long. Which one of my friends is in trouble? What is the Slayer talking about?”
“She has pink hair, lives in a cottage. The vampire seemed obsessed with her.”
“Did you see what happened? Is she okay? What about this vampire?”
I’m struggling, trying to push Adam out and take control of the body, but it’s unbelievably painful. My witch is powerful, and I’m at war with myself, finding it endlessly attractive and being absolutely furious that she’s using her strength against me to speak to Adam.
“The last I remember, she was still safely in her cottage. The Slayer did stake him, but it wasn’t in the heart. Iris, you’ve got to get away from him. Please, please help me take my body back. He can’t stop himself. He relishes in the kill. Neither of us will survive him.”
With what feels like all my might, I rip away from Iris’ spell with a near roar. Along with it, I break my binds. I spring up from the bed, my head feeling woozy. I still haven’t replenished my blood, but I’m fuming.
Iris looks frightened, holding her wand up at me.
“I won’t hurt you,” I tell her, though I can’t control my level of irritation.
“Why should I believe you? You were withholding information about someone I love very much,” she says, still pointing her wand at me.
I rake a hand down my face, take a few breaths, and sit back on the bed.
“She’ll never want you, Slayer,” Adam says in my head, and I feel like ripping my hair out.
“Scarlett, go see if Ember’s safe,” she orders her fox familiar, who pops out of existence.
We stay in her room; me sitting on her bed as she threatens me with her wand. I decide to stay silent. It seems like every time I open my mouth, all I do is piss my mate off even more.
Her hand trembles as she points it at me, and I sigh. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. They promised that we would be made for each other, and she hates me.
She hates what I am and there’s nothing I can do about it.
“You could let her go,” Adam suggests, and I wish I could punch myself in the face so he could feel the pain.
Cause I can’t let Iris go. No matter if she wants me here or not. She’s my mate; she’s everything, and I’ll do whatever it takes to show her that I’m not a danger to her or her coven.
I must become better.