Page 88 of How to Seduce a Slender

“Clarify,” Smith spat.

Persephone’s face nearly split in half as she grinned at him. And here he thought his smile was sinister. “The Guardian of the Woods is under my domain, much as Book Guardians are under the Hungry One. They are abominations who work for the gods. Your sweet little werewolf will defend my domain. And when I deem it appropriate, aid me in fending off threats. Some nights while she is cozy in her bed, you may feast on her dreams, but it will be here she prowls, not your woods. Other than that, she is free to live her life with you in the mortal realm. Her heart is yours, but should I call for it, her loyalty is to me.”

Melody woke up, twisting to face her. “And why would I ever be loyal to you when you stole it from me in the first place.”

“Stole!” Persephone cackled, tossing her head back in a violent mix of coughing and laughter. Then she slammed forward, knocking Smith and Dahlia back from the table. She snatched Melody by the cheeks. Smith thrashed, attempting to free himself from a chair with no restraints. But he was pressed into a faraway wall with no mercy. Persephone growled in Melody’s face. “You sold it to me for safe passage. All things have a price, little Wolfie. I am the shepherd of the forgotten, the finder of wandering souls, and the goddess of the lost. And you were so lost, little thing. I did you a favor, and one would think to be more grateful.”

“I wasn’t lost!” Melody barked back. “I was transported against my will.”

“Oh, my dear, naïve Wolfie…you were lost long before that blood sucking wench lured your brother into the woods. The day your parents died, you became lost. I am just as much a goddess of madness as I am a saint of those left to wander by themselves. And regardless of how you ended up in my hut, you asked for a deal, and I gave you one. Now if you want it back, you will stay one of my lost things, for all of eternity.”

Smith and Dahlia were wrenched back to the table. Persephone sat back in her chair, hands folding over the table.

“I won’t do your dirty work,” Melody whimpered, swiping tears away from her cheeks with the back of her hands.

“I don’t need a minion. I have those. I haveplentyof those. I need a guardian. One to prowl the woods and fend off threats. There are a great many dangers in your realm alone you know nothing about, not to mention others that I keep under my wing. So, the deal is simple, you get your wolf back in exchange for you working for me. Do we have a deal?”

Melody’s eyes darted to Smith, begging him to tell her what to do.

And so, Smith exhaled heavily. “I want specific terms, will Melody be forced to kill for you?”

“If they’re foolish enough to enter the Nightmare Realm, then yes. She will kill them without hesitation.”

“Will she ever be made to assassinate anyone of interest or emotional attachment to her?”

“Are you thinking of attacking my realm, my lineage, or my chosen?” Persephone arched a brow.

“No, but I will not agree to blanket acceptance of orders from you. Especially if you were to decide within the next few days that Dahlia was a threat, and she would be forced to harm her?”

Persephone’s wicked grin curled, “A fair point, lawyer. How about this? Those Melody holds dear are safe from any malicious intent from me on the condition that The Hungry One and the Lich King keep their truce with me. I swear no harm will come to them from me as long as they swear a peaceful pact between us?”

“I’ll agree to that,” Dahlia growled darkly.

“Perfect. Any other considerations?” Persephone straightened her back.

“Melody is not to be forced to endure it alone. As her lawyer, where she goes, I go. If you wish to change or address the pact again, it is only acceptable while I am present. Any attempt to go back on your word or change the contract without both our consent will consider the pact null-in-void, and Melody will be rendered her pelt in totality without loyalty to you.”

Persephone snickered, extending a hand to Melody. “We have a deal.”

Melody took a deep breath in and took the hand of the goddess.

“Lawyer, best if you sit on your hands,” Persephone growled, wrapping her gnarled fingers around Melody’s hand. “If anyone interrupts this process, it could be quite painful to fix…and it’s already going to be bad enough.”

Smith didn’t have time to ask what she meant when Melody screamed like her very body was being torn apart.

Chapter Thirty-One:

Melody

Makingdealswiththeeldritch is never a good idea. She would never suggest it if one could avoid it. But Melody Deathless could not.

There was not a word good enough to describe the pain. Not as the clothes around her body exploded off or she was wrenched backward like she was strung up between four horses and being tugged in every direction. There were no tears. She couldn’t produce anything but scream after scream as something skinned her alive. From the back of her heels to her scalp, the scar tissue was ripped off her body. She was flayed, left hunched over the table. Blood spilled from her skin. It pooled onto the wood, making her cough and sputter to breathe. It went up her nose and into her gaping mouth. Melody dug claws into the tabletop. Splinters filled her palm as she dug gouges out of the plank.

Then a cooling hand touched the burning flesh as the nape of her neck. Persephone loomed over her, stitching something into her. Melody trembled, sobbing despite having no tears to spill.

“Shhh, shhh, little Wolfie, the worst is over.”

Her cooing did nothing. Melody forced her eyes open. Smith stood behind his chair, fingers burrowed in the wood. He was held back by the tiniest thread. Melody hiccupped, unable to form words. She wanted to tell him it was okay. She would be okay. Despite the pain…something was being sewn back in that had been missing for most of her life. An ache she had never been able to fill suddenly stopped. As her claws grew, her fangs stretching in her gums, she felt her wolf return home.

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