21. Iris
Iris
The Slayer passes out on my couch, his mouth open as his head falls back against the back of the sofa.
I wish there wasn’t any guilt simmering inside me, that I knew I was doing the right thing. But when he spoke about the void? My heart broke for him.
No matter what I decide to do I need the spell book that brought the Slayer here. It doesn’t belong in human hands and I have to make sure of that, and I just need some more time to figure out what I’m going to do.
Before heading to meet Violet, I double check the wards, setting alarms in case the Slayer wakes up. He’ll be fine and as soon as Scarlett gets back, she’ll keep an eye on him.
Violet waits at the front of the restaurant, dressed in all black, like we’re ready to do a heist.
“That might be a bit of overkill,” I say, looking at her.
She just shrugs and nods to her car parked on the street. “Well, are we doing this or what?”
There’s a moment of hesitation. It’s my gut telling me not to, but I ignore it and get in Violet’s car. I’m not sure how to say that I don’t know what I want to do with the book, but I’m fully invested in making sure Adam’s parents don’t have any more power over him.
“So, how’d you get out of the house?”
“Sleeping potion,” I tell her quickly, wondering if maybe I gave him too much, but he’s a big guy. I couldn’t risk underdosing him.
“And you’re sure you’re safe with him there? Good goddess, it’s so weird knowing that Ember is with a vampire and you’re with a vampire slayer.”
“The wards haven’t kicked him out and I’m not with him,” I counter, not mentioning that he’s been rather charming and the opposite of murderous.
“Mates are a really weird thing.” Violet sighs.
I clear my throat, knowing if there’s anyone I can ask in confidence, it’s Violet.
“When did you know Silas was your mate?”
A serene smile takes over my friend’s face as she drives.
“Well, I think a piece of me knew when I was sixteen and made that wish. But there was always this pull between us, and I knew it was more than the hex. No matter how much he got on my nerves or how bad I knew I should stay away from him, I just couldn’t. ”
Instead of answering that, I process her words by staring out the window the rest of the ride to Adam’s family home.
When we arrive, it looks even worse than what I searched online. Trash is piled high on the front lawn and I feel sorry for the man. Not only did his family betray him, making him a vessel for the Slayer, but knowing he grew up in a place like this makes me feel even worse for Adam.
“Let’s hope they didn’t toss it in one of these piles of trash,” Violet says as we head toward the front door. “Are we sticking with the plan?”
“Yeah, let’s just keep it simple.”
I take the lead, knocking on the front door, my wand hidden but in my fist. I truly hate messing with people’s minds, but if anyone deserves it, it’s Adam’s family.
An older woman who looks worse for wear answers the door. The bags under her eyes are a dark contrast to her pale skin, and her hair is in a messy bun that needs a deep condition and the world’s strongest brush.
“We don’t want nothin’,” she says, about to slam the door in my face.
She gasps when it’s magically pulled back. Fear takes over her features and a part of me is glad I put it there. How could a mother do this to her son?
“Listen. We did what he said. You can’t come in unless we say so,” she says and I cock my head to the side and glance at Violet. What the hell does that mean?
“Who?”
Her eyes blink rapidly, and it’s clear she can’t recall. Not because her memory is poor, but they’ve spelled her to not remember in some capacity.
“Bring us the book and there won’t be any consequences,” I tell her and she tries to shut the door again.
“Dammit, Barbie, tell them we don’t want to join their religion or whatever the hell they’re selling,” a man’s voice shouts, which is promptly followed by pounding footsteps.
The man is large and imposing as he looks between me and Violet with beady eyes.
“Fuck off,” he growls, trying to shut the door as well and gets frustrated when it won’t budge.
“We want the spell book,” I repeat.
“I ain’t given’ you shit.”
“Iris,” Violet warns behind me, and so I do what I need to do, poking my wand underneath the man’s chin. His breathing stutters as he glares down at me.
“Where’s the spell book?”
“In the nightstand,” he robotically answers; his wife gasps at his giving away the location.
“Move,” I command, my wand in such a tight grip my knuckles are throbbing with my tight hold.
He moves and Violet holds them both at wand-point as I make my way through the house searching for nightstands.
The first bedroom doesn’t have one, just a mattress on the floor, but the next bedroom has two.
The wood sticks as I open the drawer, but when it gives way, I see it. The book has to be ancient; the cover is made with wood and it’s clearly delicate. Not wanting to spend a single more minute here, I clutch it under my arm and hightail it back to the front door.
I hold my wand, pointing it at the father while Violet points it at his mother. We both cast memory spells, making them forget we were ever here.
Violet drives the car like a bat out of hell as I delicately flip open the book.
The paper is fragile and I think it might possibly even be papyrus, like what the ancient Egyptians used to use.
“There aren’t any words,” I exclaim, gently turning the pages.
“What do you mean, there aren’t any words? Do you think they lied to us?”
“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.
“I need to wake Adam and have him read this,” I tell her and she looks at the pages, clearly unable to read it.
“And how exactly are you going to do that when you’ve given him enough sleep potion to knock an elephant out?”
“Tomorrow. I’ll need to do what I did last time and force the Slayer out so I can speak with Adam.”
“He isn’t going to like it,” Scarlett says and I sigh, because of course he’s not.
“I need you to keep this safe for me and when I summon you, I need you to portal to me immediately with this.”
“Of course, mistress,” she says, gingerly opening her maw and delicately holding the book before she disappears.
I glance at the Slayer, whose neck is at an odd angle, as he sleeps on the couch. I curse, levitating his body so that he’s flat and with no sore neck tomorrow.
When he sleeps, he looks like a simple guy, not a bloodthirsty killer.
Well, he didn’t look that way earlier either, did he?
When I was brewing his sleeping potion, he stared at my ass and told me how much he’s enjoying this cycle.
It was actually kind of nice doing a puzzle together, and the silence wasn’t as awkward as it can be with other people.
There’s more to the Slayer than meets the eye, and despite myself I want to know more. I’ll have to figure out another way to keep Ember safe and something for Adam.
With one last parting look, I get ready for bed. I go through my different moisturizing spells for my skin and hair, my bonnet tying itself with the spellwork, and do my damndest to get some sleep.
However, this night isn’t as peaceful as the last and I know without a doubt the vision that prevents my sleep is a warning.
How in the goddess’s name am I going to make this all work?