Page 92 of How to Seduce a Slender

Smith sat with the question for a long time. As the other two women finished their bowls and went about washing up, he sat there, mulling over it. Finally, as Agatha came back to the table to remove the empty glass from his hands, he answered. “A ball.”

“A ball!” Agatha, like a pup having just seen a ball produced for playing fetch, hunched over the table.

“Yes, I would like to invite all our family and friends of Rosemont Manor to enjoy a birthday ball. I’d like a night of dancing and music and food.” What he didn’t say out loud was he wanted a trap. Elyth wanted to infiltrate the house. She wanted to trap him and collar him? Let her come. He’d at the very least draw her out from the woods. No more hiding. She didn’t keep lurking in the shadows.

Agatha squealed, vibrating till the candles nearly exploded over his head. “Yes! A hundred times yes! I’ll go inform Lord Rosemont we’re hosting a ball! Oh! Oh! I can’t wait!”

The banshee burst from the room. Melody stood, buffeted back in her wake. When Smith and Melody’s gazes met, she confessed. “I don’t have a dress.”

“That won’t be a problem!” Agatha bellowed from the hall. “I’ll have a gown for you by tomorrow night!”

Smith chuckled, rising from his seat. “Can you tell she loves making ballgowns?”

Melody snickered, “Would have never known.”

Smith slithered up to her, scooping up her hands. “And I hope it’s not too forward of me to ask if you will accompany me as my dance partner? It is my birthday, after all.”

It didn’t matter that he didn’t see it as an actual birthday. He wanted her there, on his arm. Even if it was a rouse. Having Melody there, at his side, would make him feel better. Smith was far more efficient with her.

“I would love to, but are you sure? I’m not much of a dancer. You’d have better luck waltzing a drunken werebear.” She grimaced up at him.

“Well, we have about three days to practice. And besides, at worst, you step on my feet? You need not worry, I have no bones!” He chuckled, warming as her lips curled up on her cheeks.

“That’s a fair point. I could probably just stand on them the whole night if I forget which way to spin.”

“Precisely,” he sighed dreamily, hoisting her hands to his mouth. Smith kissed her knuckles. “Will you be my dance partner, Melody Deathless?”

She giggled, chewing on her lower lip. That lovely cherry burned across her cheeks again. “I think you’ve struck so many deals with me at this point, you forget…I’m yours, Smith.”

He snaked an arm around her back, keeping the other hand clutched in his gingerly. Her glowing rubies were soft, studying his face as if there were anything to study. And for a moment, maybe, he believed there was. He wanted her to see how much he loved her. Smith wanted her to know she was the object of all his desires and the pang in his chest. If she were to banish him.

He wouldn’t be able to stay away for even a second.

“And I am yours, Melody.”

“This ball is a trap, isn’t it?” She speared him alive. Her hands slid up, out of his touch, and cupped his cheeks. He sank into her palms. “You’re hoping she’ll show up.”

“Am I really that predictive?”

“Well, who asks for a ball for their birthday when you could have had a pony?” She raised a singular eyebrow, staring through all his blur and static and strategy. Melody Deathless saw him. He’d bet anything that she meant it when she said she saw something.

“True,” he sighed, only to pull her up closer. “My hope is she won’t be able to resist.”

“Smith…” Melody exhaled heavily, the playfulness in her face falling. “I don’t like it.”

He opened his mouth only to have her capture his lips. She tugged him all the way flush up against her. Melody tugged on his lip, stealing his air, and whispering against his mouth. “But I trust you. Now, I’ve had a full meal. Your turn.”

And she led him out of the kitchen, up the stairs, and back down into their bed.

Aworldofendlessmuted color. The greens were more gray than forest, the bark was ashy on every tree, and as Smith opened his eyes to his previous home he couldn’t help the twinge of disappointment every time. What was life in the Endless Woods when like in the mortal realm was bleeding with color.With life.Then a sweet pair of hands scooped up his and tugged him between trees. And he was wrapped up in her, even if she was drained of her usual vibrancy here.

“Okay, so dancing can’t be that hard, right?” Melody flashed him those cute fangs before her panicked eyes looked down at his body.

Smith chuckled, scooping up one of her arms onto his and pulled them flush against the other. She beamed as her eyes returned to his. The one thing, even in the Endless Woods, Melody’s eyes glowed. They’d permanently changed to a pretty cherry color. She took ahold of his other hand surer of herself.

“This dance is about one person leading and one following. And—one, two, three,” Smith trailed off, repeating the words till they were a hum. Despite her reservations, Melody picked up the base waltz quite fast. He attributed it to her new werewolf reflexes. Though, the second he opened his mouth to praise her for her grace, she stumbled over a massive rock and took the pair tumbling down. It took a long time and lots of giggles to clamber back to their feet. And they were back, one, two, three, Smith humming a soft tune while Melody murmured the numbers under her breath.

The dizzying woods fell away from them as Smith began to spice up their waltz. Soon he was spinning her out and bringing her back into his chest. Her nervous giggle made his heart soar. She grunted as her back collided with his chest, only to melt as he kissed her cheek. He would let her get the hang of the continuous circle before introducing a twirl or a dip or a lift. Each time she would beam brighter to the point he saw it again. Her tail. Here in the Endless Wood, it sprouted as a thick, dull but slightly red smoke cloud behind her. It wagged as he happily spun her out then spun her back into his chest. As he kissed her neck this time, she shivered from the top of her head to the tip of her tail. Smith couldn’t help the dream eating grin on his face at the feel of her tail wiggling through his body.

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