Page 22 of How to Seduce a Slender

“Sir…Ialmostate Ms. Deathless.” Smith pulled on his own ‘flesh’, feeling it peel away and flop back into place like he was made of bouncy clay.

“Mmm, old friend, we’ve all been there, done that. Not with Ms. Deathless, of course—you’ve claimed her as your beaux, not a soul in this house would betray you in such a way. But, trust me, Smith, I know.”

“Thank you—”

“Devouring Dahlia is like the sweetest treat within this realm—”

“Sebastian!” Smith roared.

His employer, and his friend, roared with laughter as the kettle began to grumble. “Relax, old friend, I’m teasing. Especially after that rather pointed comment before, as if you weren’t right there watching me fawn over her every day for five years. Oh, how the mighty have fallen, Mr. Smith. Not too long ago, I came to you for advice…and look at who’s asking the lamenting Lich for advicenow?”

Smith slapped a hand to his forehead. “Look, I’ll admit it’s easier to provide advice when you are not in a crisis, but our situations are not the same. You lied about someone dying…I hovered over her like a starved beast and almost…”

The words didn’t even form as he sank back against the counter.

“You’ve been hungry for quite a while, friend.” The room hushed, even the candles softened. Sebastian pulled the kettle from the stove just as it gave off a heavy breath, seconds before the scream. Two mugs floated down from their dangling hooks over their heads. Sebastian whipped up hot chocolate with swirling fingers. Cocoa, marshmallows, sugar, and a stick of cinnamon spun around like a witch’s brew. Sebastian plucked the white mug off the counter, handing it to Smith. “When was the last time you fed?”

Smith didn’t answer. Not at first. He followed Sebastian to the table. His mug clicked against the top of it, reminding him of the resounding click of a window sliding shut behind him. Smith, slithering through a room in the dark. A sweet smile against her pillow. Just a taste. His tendrils pressed into her flesh. Her body lurched and eyes flooded open. White eyes that saw through him, accusing him.

And then he was stuck there, devouring her dreams and watching them. Like his eyes were forcibly opened, and there was no end to the madness.

“It wasn’t like that back in the Endless Woods,” he murmured.

“In the Endless Woods, you were a horror in a realm of horrors.” Sebastian raised his mug to his lips, taking a slow sip.

“They didn’t have names then,” Smith hissed. He used the cinnamon stick to stir his chocolate. “They weren’t…people.”

“Friend, you won’t find judgement here. Do you not recall how I found most of the parts? But they have names now.” Sebastian tapped his fingers on the outside of the mug. “But her nightmares?”

“They’re…” he sighed dreamily. “It’s like biting directly onto a live wire. I could only taste her from afar and I knew I’d be full with just a single drop. That’s how strong they were.”

His stomach growled again.

No. Never again.

“Maybe you should.”

“What?” Smith barked.

“You haven’t fed in ages, don’t think I haven’t noticed your habits, old friend. You aremyslender. My lawyer. Mine. I know everything about every single one of you. And you haven’t fed in far too long.” Sebastian accentuated harder and harder with a jab of finger.

I should eat.His stomach wassoempty.

“Oh! So, I should lurk out into the woods and devour someone?”No! They’re people with dreams.“You want me to be the monster in the woods?”Devour. Feast upon their minds. Refuel yourself.“I should just…rip out someone’s dreams…” Smith trailed off as his gaze fell to his chocolate again.

“Smith? Where’d you go?” Sebastian whispered.

“It’s—it’s nothing.” He shook his mind away from the scars along the back of her neck. He’d not seen them before.Whatever they were, they weren’t pretty. It couldn’t be her memories.It’s probably just a trick of the shadows…I am deliriously hungry.

His stomach growled again.Always hungry, never fed. Maybe they should have calledyou The Hungry One!What good is a slender if he’s hungry? He couldn’t even fight off The Hungry One. His parents,not really parents but mentors—Slender aren’t born, but that was getting off track—desecrated whole realms in their prime. Picking off people one by one, filling the Endless Woods with their screams. And Smith couldn’t even defend his home that he loved so dear.

Because in order to be like them…I have to feed like them.

“I can help you, Smith. I can keep you from hurting people while you feed. You know I can do that for you. I know you don’t need it, I know you’re capable of control, even more than I. But that is within my power to do…” Sebastian extended a hand, “Friend, let me help you.”

Smith shook his head slowly, choking on his own tongue. “I’m fine. It was just a shock. I’ll adjust.”

“Smith…”

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