Page 49 of The Slayer Seduction

“Your friend, she’s mated to a disgusting vampire?”

“That’s the only thing you got out of my apology?” I say, and I can’t help the slight smirk that takes over my face.

“That’s the worst part of that statement,” he says, and I can almost picture how disgusted he is by this thought.

“Do you think we could start over? With some caveats, of course.”

“Start over?” he mimics through the door.

“Yeah, like pretend the last few days haven’t happened and start anew.”

“Like a new cycle?” he says so innocently and my heart breaks a little more, Scarlett’s words ringing around my head. I might have a hard time getting used to what his nature is, but I’ve shown him no compassion at all. I’ve written him off because it was easier. I’m going to work harder to meet the Slayer where he’s at.

Acting as if I could make this all go away was foolish and I should’ve known better.

It doesn’t mean that the Slayer and I will ever be true mates, at least not in the sense he’s hoping for, but it doesn’t mean that we can’t be friends.

“Yes, a new cycle and in this one you aren’t trying to murder my best friend’s mate and you aren’t suppressing Adam completely in the body.”

“This cycle sounds horrible,” he says and I have to resist a laugh.

“But in this cycle we could become friends.”

“But I’m not your friend, I’m your mate.”

My head thunks against the wall as he says the words and I try to think of what I should say next.

“I know you’ve waited a long time to meet me, that you’ve been through more than I could ever imagine, but you have to realize this is all new to me. We only met a few days ago. What’s so wrong with being friends?”

There’s a long pause on the other side of the door before it cracks open. He towers over me as he looks down at me with his dark eyes. Surprisingly, you’d think they lack emotion, but they don’t. The Slayer wears his heart on his sleeve, and that’s a lot for me to take in.

“I can be your friend, but you’ll always be my mate. I can not simply change that because we have decided this is a new cycle,” he says it so assuredly, and I know there’s no point in arguing.

“Alright.”

“It’s going to be very hard to not brutally shove a stake into that vampire’s heart and watch the life leave his eyes, but for you I will try.”

I try to hold back my grimace as he describes it so simply.

“And Adam?”

“This is something I need more time to think about. I’ve never shared time with a vessel before and even though this is a new cycle, I’m still frustrated with the betrayal.”

I take a deep breath as the Slayer leans against the doorframe.

“Did you kill his family to get the book?”

“What! No, I didn’t kill them,” I say shocked and the Slayer smiles. “Wait. Did you just make a joke on purpose?”

He shrugs. “Perhaps I’m full of more surprises than you realize.”

The Slayer leans down, his face so close to mine, and my breath hitches as he smiles and grabs his sandwich before heading to the couch.

For a long moment, I’m dumbfounded as I sit there and watch him casually take up space in my apartment. Did that apology really go that well, or was the Slayer playing me? I grab my sandwich and join him on the couch.

“So are you going to tell me the full reason you made me make that vow?” he asks.

I consider lying. Will telling him the vampire council is here make things worse? He arches a dark eyebrow at me.