41. The Slayer
The Slayer
“You can drop the illusion,” the woman in front of us says.
Her wand isn’t as pretty as my Iris’. It looks more like gnarled tree roots, not the sophisticated beauty of the swirled patterns of my mate’s metallic wand.
Something about this witch seems oddly familiar and I’m not sure why.
“Well. I haven’t got all day,” the mayor complains and when I look down at Iris she seems uncomfortable, but with a flick of her wand she removes the illusion, and now the witch can clearly see us.
“We don’t have an issue with you or your coven,” Iris says, trying to be diplomatic, but the woman finds her words humorous.
“Coven?” The woman snort laughs, shaking her head. “You sound just like her, you know that?”
My mate stills next to me and I reach between us, grabbing her wrist.
“It was silly of me to make you such a promise of a mate, Atilius. Look where it’s landed me.”
I grab Iris’ wrist harder than I mean to as this woman says my true name. The one that I promised to give Iris; it was only ever meant to come off her tongue. Iris adjusts her hands so that our fingers are interlocked in a soothing caress.
“You created the slayers?” Iris stumbles through her words and the woman before us rolls her eyes.
“The price of staying young is difficult. I figured out a way to use vampire souls to keep my youth. I know it’s shocking, isn’t it?
The idea of them having souls, but it’s true.
So when a strong-willed human died, I’d trap their soul into the void, make them so miserable and desperate that they’d have no choice but to become a slayer for me.
They collect the soul, but it funnels right back to me. ”
Iris’ brows furrow next to me.
“And how did you promise him me?”
The witch sighs. She seems bored with all this as she looks Iris over again.
“Because, dear Iris, I’m the creator of the Celestial Coven.
So, of course, you don’t have an issue with my coven, because we’re one and the same.
Now, I’ve already had to remove one unruly member of our coven for finding out my secrets.
I’d hate to have to do the same to you.”
Iris blinks and her grip on my hand grabs me tight, like I’m tethering her to the world.
“An unruly member?”
The woman clicks her tongue. “Yes, well, I guess it’s frustrating to find out your child has been used as a bargaining chip.
Seers truly are such a pesky fucking business, knowing things they shouldn’t.
I was going to let you have your fun too, Atilius.
You’ve been a very high producing slayer for me, but now that you’re trying to kill your brothers and have them all in a jealous fit, it seems I may need to eliminate the problem.
I thought this could all be avoided, keeping you out of commission for a while.
Then that fucking vampire stole that book. ”
The use of my name has a shiver rolling down my spine.
“You need to teleport out of here, get Iris as far away from this woman as possible,” Adam says in my head as alarm bells basically sound off in my mind.
If this witch brought me here, she’s ancient. I can’t imagine how strong she must be. We’re no match for her.
“My mom. You killed my mom?” Iris whimpers out and my heart shatters for her.
“She knew too much. She was planning on trying to stop me, just like you are, and I can’t have that.”
Iris’ eyes are wet with tears, and my rage is boiling over. I let go of my witch’s hand to grab a stake and it’s my greatest mistake yet.
The moment my hand leaves hers, the witch across from me gives me a wide grin, flicking her wand and I watch as she teleports Iris away from me.
“Bring her back now!” I bellow and the witch looks bored as ever.
“You know, they always say keep your employees happy and they’ll work hard. Well, I think that’s a crock of shit. Hold something over your employees’ head, something so precious to them they wouldn’t dare to act up and risk their life.”
“I’ll kill you,” I promise, gripping the stake in my hand furiously.
“While that’s really adorable, I’m afraid that if you kill me, your sweet Iris will also suffer. I’m the only one who knows where she is. If I were to disappear, who would make sure she has water and gets fed?”
My pulse beats like a drum in my ears. No, I can’t let Iris suffer. She’s brightness and all that’s good in the world. I can’t help but to feel like I’ve failed her yet again.
“Now, if you’re a good little slayer, and I mean superb, I’m talking employee of the century level, then I’ll let you see Iris. For every five vampires you kill, you will be rewarded. You don’t provide, then poor little Iris goes without a meal…or worse.”
“You can’t take her from me. You promised me.”
“I promised you a mate, you greedy, ungrateful monster. You’ve been brought back time and time again, living forever, and this is how you act? I didn’t promise anything other than you would have a mate bond, and well, you have that.”
“We need to get out of here, reconvene with the witches and come up with a plan to save Iris,” Adam warns.
“You were always too stubborn for your own good. Even when you were actually alive, I thought it would make you a good slayer. You might have more marks than anyone else, but you are truly disappointing me right now.”
I could do it. I could throw my stake at her heart right now and then pray that I can find Iris.
“Hmm. Or I could give Iris to another more deserving slayer. I think that’s just what I’ll do.”
What would they do to her? I’ve seen their brutality, how there isn’t much humanity left in some of them. She’s mine, and it’s my duty to protect her from everything. I need to be smart about all of this.
“Now. I’ll need Essam and Janus’ books immediately. Return those to me and meet your quota and Iris gets to live another day. Disobey me and Iris will suffer for every indiscretion you make.”
I know that Iris doesn’t want me to give her the books, but what other choice do I have?
“Give her what she wants. We need backup,” Adam says, and I know he’s right. For now I need to be patient. I can’t fly off the handle like I usually do. Iris’ safety is on the line.
“A vow,” I blurt, remembering when Iris made me vow to not leave the house until she said.
It kept me in check. The magic was powerful and tethering.
Whatever I can do to give Iris a better chance, it’s what I need to do.
“A vow that you will keep up your end of the bargain and that if I die, you’ll free Iris. ”
“What are you fucking doing?” Adam rages in my mind and I promptly ignore him.
The witch looks me over, pleased with my compromise. She rounds her desk, holding out her hand, her eyes meeting mine. Nothing about her is familiar and then I see it, the unmistakable blink of a vessel flashing in and out. This isn’t the witch’s body, not really, just as Adam’s is not mine.
Whatever magic she’s used to keep herself alive all these years requires finding a vessel and a part of me realizes she must be able to take herself in and out of the void.
“I vow it,” she agrees, the magic slithering up my arm, sealing our deal.
This could have been the greatest mistake I’ve ever made, but it’s all I can think of doing to ensure that Iris is free and able to live her life.
If I have to opt out to make sure she lives a happy life, I will, but that is the last option.
There’s still some hope that I can figure something out that grants us both our freedom.
The witch flicks her wand, mumbling under her breath, and it feels like a summoning of some sort.
A giant man wearing business casual clothing appears before both of us, his eyes a deep void, mirroring my own.
He looks similar to the witch in front of us, both of them have the same warm olive skin, dark black hair, and cupid bow lips.
The vessel he’s using was definitely the mayor's real son, but it’s clear neither of them are here anymore, both of them destroyed by the beings who took them on as vessels.
“Balam. Make sure your brother does as he’s told.”
“Yes, mistress,” the slayer says, not caring that she says his name.
He takes two long strides toward me, roughly grabbing my biceps as we portal out of the woman’s office. He teleported us right in front of Iris’ shop and apartment.
How long have they been watching us? We were never really safe, were we?
“Go get the books,” Balam says, shoving me at my back.
“You seriously work for her? Knowing that she’s the reason for all these painful cycles?”
He doesn’t even flinch at my words, but he grabs my shirt and tugs me in close so that he can growl into my ear. “You can not fight her. I have tried. She will kill your mate if you don’t do as she says.”
I pull back and appraise him. None of this makes any sense to me.
“But you were coming after her, all of you were. It was my fault because you wanted what I had.”
Balam sighs, shaking his head. “When you stopped producing vampire souls for her, she wanted you back under her control. She taunted us with everything we wanted if we provided what she needed. The others desperately wanted a mate. I have other reasons for obeying her.”
“And who exactly is she?” I question.
“Isn’t it obvious? She’s Celeste.”
“What do I do?” I say it out loud to Adam.
“Do as he says.”
The other slayer tilts his head at me. “Your vessel hasn’t fully depleted?”
“Nearly,” I lie, leaving him at the entryway, not able to step foot in the apartment because of the wards.
A nervous-looking Ember stands behind the counter. Iris’ friends and family have been helping her keep the shop up and running while we worked on our problems.
“Where’s Iris?”
I glance out the window at the slayer glaring daggers at me. I know what I have to do, the thing that might just kill a part of my soul.
“Call your vampire, solicit your coven. We need to get Iris back,” I say, climbing up the stairs.
“What does that mean? Where is she?” Ember yells up the stairs, following me.
Scarlett is asleep on the couch, and I gently rock her to wake her up. She makes a pitiful noise at me and nearly bites my finger as she blinks her eyes open.
“Slayer. What do you mean we need to get Iris back?” Ember says, and that has Scarlett fully aware now.
“Mistress is in danger?”
I rake my hands through my hair, wanting to pull it out from the roots.
“The witch, Celeste. She has Iris. She’s been using the slayers to keep herself alive all of these years.
She’s the creator of the spell books and she has nearly full control over us.
I don’t know where she took Iris, but she said if I didn’t give the books back and if I didn’t make my vampire quota, Iris would suffer.
Scarlett, I need you to retrieve the books. Now.”
The fox looks at me with so much confusion and hurt that I’m not sure she’ll ever trust me again.
“Do as he says, Scarlett,” Ember adds. “Warin is on his way. I think it’s best that maybe you give Adam control when he’s here?”
I groan, but agree, hoping like fuck he’ll figure out some way to get us out of this mess and save Iris.
If not, I make the decision that I’ll just wither away, letting Adam have all the control. It will probably work for a while until Celeste kills me, but at least then Iris will be free.
“Give me control, Slayer,” Adam says, and I do it immediately.
I make a promise to myself that if we get out of this mess, I’ll make a better attempt at being kind to Adam.
I have to get Iris back; she is my purpose.