26. Adam
Adam
Itake a deep breath, staring down at the blood and guts on the floor. I was present the entire time. While watching the Slayer kill the being that ruined my life, I felt a sense of peace. For the first time since having to share my body with him, I understood his bloodlust.
Though I wasn’t completely sure why exactly he gave my family the book, it’s pretty clear it’s some vampire feud that has nothing to do with me. I was a pawn in some supernatural bullshit and the only person who seemed to care about that fact was Iris.
“He’s the one who gave my family the summoning spell?” I ask Iris.
She places a hand on my arm, giving it a light squeeze, and my breath hitches. No one has ever been there for me the way Iris has and it’s a comfort I’m not sure I deserve, but I soak it up nonetheless.
“Yes. I’m sorry, Adam.”
I toe the guts with my shoe. It’s already covered in blood, so what does it matter?
“This piece of shit ruined my life.”
“Mine too,” a deep voice croaks behind me. “Sunshine, you mind ripping another one of these out of me?”
It’s the vampire from the other night, the one that broke this witch’s door that she’s now in love with? Finding out about the paranormal world has been one totally fucked-up thing after another.
I’m trying to follow their conversation as the Slayer rumbles in the back of my mind.
“Give me back control.”
I shake my head and he hisses.
“I won’t push you away,” he promises and I give in, hating that I succumb to his demands, but the fact is, if this vampire tries anything, it’s better if the Slayer is in charge.
The shift is easy, and I don’t feel any pain and I’m completely present at the moment. It’s almost as if the Slayer and I are one. He’s controlling the body, but it’s as if I’m a spirit looking in over the conversation, able to hear and feel everything around me.
“Nope. Hell no. I kissed you and you promised Adam would be in control,” Iris chastises.
The Slayer glances down at Iris, not liking her reasoning at all. He glares at the vampire he wants to kill so fucking bad. Is it awful that I kind of want him to? It’s probably not fair to hate this vampire too, but he’s clearly part of the reason I’m not in control of my own life anymore.
“I don’t like it either, man. We both tried to kill each other, so let’s call it even,” Warin tries to reason with him and the Slayer’s hand trembles, but as he looks down at Iris, he gains an amount of self control I’ve never witnessed from him.
His bloodlust always won out, but right now he seems to be able to hold it back.
“Another kiss and I let them walk away,” the Slayer says, and it’s really hard to contain my laughter.
This motherfucker is the most desperate, fucked-up, murdering prick ever, and we’re doomed to spend eternity together.
“Fine,” Iris agrees in an irritated tone. “Can you two please get out of here quickly? Oh, wait. Here, Ember,” she says, tossing her friend a potion bottle. “Now, can you two get out of here?”
“Gladly,” the vampire says, happy as shit to get the fuck out of dodge.
Once they’re gone it’s just the two of us—well, three of us.
Iris has her hands on her hips as she looks up at us.
God, she’s beautiful. I’d dated here and there in New Orleans, but nothing was ever serious.
I mostly had one-night stands or meaningless sex at the clubs.
I had a hard time letting people in with all the trauma my family left me with, but there’s something about Iris that’s pure and complicated, yet totally perfect.
She’s smart, obviously cunning, and loyal. Despite her small stature, she intimidates me. I don’t think I would have had the guts to approach her if I met her at a bar a few months ago; she was the type of beauty that was on magazine covers and I was just some tall asshole.
“My kiss, mate,” the Slayer interrupts my musing about how gorgeous she is.
Iris licks her lips. “You can’t keep manipulating me for kisses.”
The Slayer shrugs, not making any promises, and Iris gives up, tilting her chin again. The Slayer has other plans as he grips her around the waist, lifting her off the floor so we don’t have to lean down as much.
She feels delicate and perfect in our arms and the Slayer grins as her breath hitches.
“Adam thinks you’re the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. I agree with him,” he says, completely throwing me under the bus.
I don’t have a moment to dwell on it, because the next second my lips are touching Iris’ it’s like the world stops. I might not be the one physically moving my lips, but I can feel the plushness all the same.
It’s not the simple peck the Slayer gave her earlier, either, no this is deeper, fueled by thousands of years of waiting. Her smaller form goes pliant against ours and she gasps when she realizes she’s enjoying the kiss far too much.
She pulls away and wiggles out of our grip. She unconsciously licks her lips and I’m not sure who shivers, me or the Slayer.
Iris takes a moment to get herself together as she finally takes in all the disgusting remnants of vampires surrounding us. She makes a slight gagging noise.
“What do we do now?” Iris asks the Slayer, his grin wide.
“Oh sweet, Iris, we burn it all down.”