Page 18 of How to Seduce a Slender

He poked his head up from his work.

Melody flashed him a smile. “Thank you, again…for trying to crack the case and taking care of me.”

The words flew out of his mouth before he had a chance to filter them. “I will always take care of you, sweet girl.”

Her cheeks reddened, her cute fangs tugging on her lip. She immediately tucked her head back down and began to sketch the feline perched on his desk. Smith lingered there, studying her as she worked in meticulous silence. A heartbeat he’d forgotten existed started again. Slender didn’t need things like lungs or hearts, just stomachs for feasting. But catching her gaze as she peeked up, it made the obsolete part of him return with a vengeance.

I thought that died and disintegrated ages ago…And yet, it thump, thump, thumped against the cavity of his chest. His curious little werewolf wiggled her way down onto the couch before fully delving into the full-page sketch of Moonpie. Smith spared the creature a sideways glance. Moonpie peeked over her shoulder, licking her chops before she went about cleaning herself on his desk once more.

“Why must you do that in here?” He huffed, prodding her tail with a finger. Moonpie was not bothered nor hindered from clearing their legs and paws.Only because she’s drawing you!

Chapter Seven:

Melody

Allittookwasa yawn. Melody stretched her arms above her, not sure how long she’d been cramped on the couch like a gremlin. Everything cracked in deliciously loud pops. Then she yawned and Smith zipped to her side. She snorted. “I’m fine.”

“The healer suggested rest, and you have dutifully drank your water, allowed me to over feed you, and have taken your medicine without much complaint.” He crouched before her, arms folded over his endless legs.

“You know, I’m really starting to feel sacrificial lamb-y,” she teased, squinting at him suspiciously.

He chuckled, offering her a hand. Whisking her to her feet with ease, she felt herself gliding through the air. As her slippers touched the ground, she was inches from him. A minty scent brushed her face that was eerily similar to the soothing tea he poured for them both earlier. Smith’s gloved hand cupped her palms in his before offering an arm. She beamed, ignoring the flutter in her chest.

“I solemnly swear that there will be…er…” He trailed off.

“See!” she hissed, jabbing a finger into his bicep.

“Ouch,” he scoffed, tugging her finger from his suit jacket. “Ms. Deathless, I merely meant I can’t swearnosacrifices will happen. This is Rosemont Manor. A little bit of necromancy is to be expected on a good day. I should correct my statement to be there will be no sacrifice ofyou.”

Melody looked him up and down, clenching his arm to her chest tight. “Mmm, likely story.”

Tendrils of her hair fell where she’d wrapped it up into a knot. It fluttered around her face. Gloved fingers brushed across her cheeks, tucking the hair behind her ear. Then the pad of his thumb brushed across the bridge of her nose. “You have…a scar?”

“Oh?” She flushed, recoiling back an inch to touch the barely visible scar that raced from cheek to cheek over her nose. She’d hardly touched it in years. Most days it blended in so well…but if someone was taller than her, like Smith was, he could see it glint in the dancing lights in his office. Melody prodded it lightly with a fingertip. “I got it when I was young.”

“Werewolf accident?” His raspy voice ran goosebumps down her back.

“Oh, no…” The confession strangled her as she shook her head slowly. “I don’t know, really, how I got it. I just remember waking up in the woods one day with the mark.”

“Melody?” His head tilted, working to catch her gaze as it darted away from him.

Two fingers caught her chin and lifted her attention back up to his face. And this time…it was more a face than it’d ever been. Less static, no flashing or crackles of energy; a skull shaped face with glowing hollow eyes, lips that covered rows of sharp teeth. Melody memorized every inch of it, determined to draw it later when she inevitably couldn’t sleep.

She cleared her throat, laughing to ease the tension in the air but it didn’t have the same tinkle she was used to sounding. It dropped out of the air like a lead balloon. His face didn’t ease, it only turned more to stone.

“I guess it wouldn’t be particularly surprising that this wasn’t the first time I’ve been attacked in the woods and completely forgotten how it happened?” She grimaced.

“Melody!” he huffed.

“It didn’t seem important until now. It was ages ago when I was eleven!” She burned to a crisp as she avoided his burning stare once more.

“Of course it’s important! Anything that happens to you is important! You being attacked in the woods, no matter the time apart, is not a coincidence, it’s a pattern!” Smith tugged her gingerly, but she could still feel the steam escaping his metaphorical ears.

“Well, last time it wasn’t anywhere near here and I landed inside King’s Fall, and when I ran away, no one found any evidence of what happened. It was just me spewing a whole bunch of nonsense that I don’t even remember what I said!” She flapped her hand as she tried to fight the building embarrassment. Maybe she should have told him. Maybe she should have just confessed on the first day:Hey, I know you don’t know me very well but there are a few, key important details to me as a person—first being I don’t remember key important details, apparently.

Smith stopped halfway out the office door to stare down at her. Melody pouted to herself, glaring at the running carpet before her.

“Melody,” he warned.

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