Page 15 of How to Seduce a Slender

An explosion of electricity filled the room as seven Smiths filled her vision. She didn’t like the floating feeling. However, a few of the Smiths knelt before her. “Melody?”

She swatted at the air as a shot glass was offered to her, but with several of them swirling in her kaleidoscope eyes, she missed. And instead, firmly planted her bare palm against the side of his face.Bzzt.Melody had never shocked herself before, never touched a doorknob after shuffling on carpet nor caught a zap from drive by static…but there’s nothing quite like a few volts coursing through one’s blood to clear the senses. Melody yelped, body jumping on the mattress as everything immediately came into focus. Smith ripped her hand from his head mere seconds after she touched him, but it didn’t matter, the pop of television static to her veins fixed her.

“That was…weird.” She blinked rapidly, clearing any remaining sleep from her eyes. Flashing an apologetic ‘butI’m fine, see’smile at Smith, she took her shot glass dutifully. Smith cocked his head slightly to the left, clearly eyeballing her like she’d lost her marbles. Melody tossed back the shot before shoving the glass back in his gloved hands. “All better.”

“Are you?” His gravely voice sent a shiver down her spine.

“Yup! Never better. It’s like you rebooted me. Nothing like a little buzz to get you right back to center, right?” She flushed, trying not to notice how he fit between her knees. Smith knelt before her with his arms draped over her legs.Or how incredibly warm she was between those thighs. That she was juuuuuuust close enough to close around him.He was a slender man—literally—she could hook her ankles around him no problem. It’d be so easy to tug him close and bring himright to that spot… No! Bad Melody! Bad!She planted her palms firmly against his shoulders and shoved him away in the same movement she stood up. Smith climbed to his feet, still not satisfied with her answer by the way he inspected her. The back of his gloves was pressed to her forehead.

Melody rolled her eyes. “How would you even feel my temperature?”

“You run unnaturally hot. I could wear oven mitts and feel your warmth, Ms. Deathless.” His rebuttal made her insides twist up.Stop!Her cheeks burned to crisps as she swatted his hands away from her. With a huff, she stomped around him toward the bathroom.

“Agatha, please ensure she is brought to me when you’re done.”

“Whoa-whoa-whoa.” Melody threw her arms out, spinning to face him but Smith was gone. She glared at the spot he once stood in before looking to Agatha for help.

The banshee grinned mischievously. “Don’t worry. Little does he know, Lady Dahlia’s requested you to the kitchen this morning for a full breakfast and coffee. And, technically, she’s my boss. So, Ms. Melody, what would you like to wear today?”

Melody snickered to herself as she ducked into the bathroom to clear the fuzz from her teeth. “I’m rather fond of red.”

“Finally! Someone who appreciates color!”

Chapter Six:

Smith

Mayhapsitwasasmidgenselfish of him to keep her to himself. Melody was a delight to behold. He ought to share her with the house. Agatha adored her, couldn’t stop chattering in his ear about how sweet she was yesterday. Even Kevin chortled over being threatened with his own garden trowel. Massive Carl was happy now that Melody wasn’t frightened of him, his tail sweeping the whole kitchen floor with rapid wags as she sat at the table, scratching the top of his head. Plus, Havershum seemed all too pleased to investigate the newest guest of the house. Smith shouldn’t hoard her all to himself. But when he came storming to the kitchen to demand where his ward was, he stopped in the doorway like he ran face first into a wall.

Melody sat at the table, smiling at Dahlia as the lady of the house poured her coffee and served her crumb cake with a side of everything. Roasted pheasant, one of Dahlia’s most recent obsessions, herby vegetables in a savory sauce, garlicky fingerling potatoes, and a slice of her apple crumb cake. Carl’s whole head was in her lap, happy as could be, while Kevin hung herbs from the iron rack near the pantry. Agatha was folding towels on the other end of the table, nodding along as Melody talked. And Smith was jealous.

Everything in this house was shared. Sebastian’s attention, Dahlia’s cooking, Agatha’s mothering, Kevin’s joking, Havershum’s protection—all of it. They shared everything in the house. It never fazed him until the moment he had something of value he wanted all to himself…and everyone wanted to share.

Smith didn’t want to share. He wanted to covet Melody’s smiling giggle as she tried not to choke on coffee all to himself. The sparkle on her face when she peeked under the table at Carl or the happy wiggle in her seat as she ate. All of it. He wanted all of it.

“Hey, Smith!” Austin’s jovial voice broke him of his concentration. He jerked out of the doorway as the pale ogre stepped into the kitchen. All conversation died as the two appeared. “Morning, my lady! Aggy! Kevin! You should come and look! Lord Rosemont got the flame unicorns fixed up and is gonna bring them to the stable! They glowblue!”

“Flame? Unicorn?” Melody glanced between Dahlia and Austin with confusion.

“They’re just called Nightmares, Austin,” Smith sighed, patting him on the arm. “Good morning, my lady. Melody, this is Austin, Lord Rosemont’s right-hand assistant.”

“Hello wolf-lady!” Austin waved vigorously.

“What?” Melody choked on her own air.

“Wolf-lady?” Dahlia eyed Melody with confusion.

“How-ha-ho-how did you know I was a werewolf?” Melody stammered and Smith saw all the pieces click together.

A werewolf!Of course!The fangs, the claws, the strength even when severely weak, the burning temperature…Melody Deathless was a werewolf.

“Well, you got a wolf hanging around your back, like Lady Rosemont’s got that shadowy tentacle thing.” Austin shrugged, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder. “And Lord Rosemont’s got that big ole’ fish thing shadow that follows him.”

“Austin!” Sebastian’s usual huff filled the room and Smith froze. “We talked about discussing your special eyes with the unsuspecting.”

Oh…right.They hadn’t quite patched up their relationship after their quarrel in the hall. Knowing his lord, Smith couldn’t imagine he had forgotten nor forgave the slender yet.

Sebastian Rosemont, the Lich of King’s Fall, stepped into the room. His plague doctor mask in place, hands tucked into the small of his back where the coattails flapped at the bottom of his jacket. Sea-foam green hair fluttered behind him as he briskly walked across the room. Dahlia immediately rose to meet him, kissing the side of his cheek where the mask shifted a little but not a lot.He wouldn’t remove it fully until he was comfortable with Melody.

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