Siren Awakened

by C. R. Jane

  “If I had this room, I’d stay here all the time.”

  “Well, it’s a secret room for a purpose, and if I want to keep it, I can’t let the guards find out.”

  I nodded and slid back into the soft embrace of the couch, suddenly feeling more comfortable than I had in too long. My bed was lumpy and hard. It seemed I’d forgotten what comfort felt like.

  Alaric returned, handed me a can of coke and tossed me a bar of chocolate.

  I caught it with one hand as my mouth fell open. “Are you kidding me?” Not waiting for a response, I ripped the packet and bit right into the block. Velvety sweet heaven danced on my tongue, and I almost wanted to cry at how badly I had missed this.

  Alaric just stared at me, and I gripped the chocolate tighter. “Oh, did you want some?” I took another quick bite.

  He chuckled as he sat on the other end of the couch. “It’s all yours, pet. I’m worried I might get my fingers bitten off if I get too close.”

  “Seriously, I have never been happier to see chocolate.” Two mouthfuls later, I set it down on the coffee table beside me and opened up my soda, then took a long sip. The sweetness flooded me, the best taste in the world.

  “I’m glad I could bring you some joy. What you went through recently is horrific, and I am here for you, gorgeous. For anything.”

  Swallowing another mouthful of drink, I watched the way he pulled up a bent leg between us, how relaxed he looked. I reminded myself who I dealt with. An incubus. A warlord. A powerful man who was used to always getting his way. But it was still strange to have a normal conversation with this man who I’d had sex with and who melted my insides each time he so much as looked at me. I still remembered the first time he took me in the kitchen, the moment a savage explosion of arousal, heady and full of desperation. But I learned there was so much more to Alaric than maybe most realized in the penitentiary.

  I set my drink down and turned to face him, leaning into the softness of the couch. It took every ounce of strength I had to not crawl over into his lap and taste his lips. Instead, I took a deep breath to calm myself.

  He studied my face.

  “What are you staring at?” I asked.

  “Trying to read your expression. You’ve gone through so much trauma lately, and I’m worried about you.” He reached over, his hand laying on top of mine in my lap. There was only tenderness, which was different to his usual possessiveness.

  I tilted my head to the side. “And what do you see?”

  “Someone brave. Someone hiding their fear. Someone so beautiful inside and out that it breaks me to know of your suffering.”

  A tinge of surprise struck me. That wasn’t the response I expected, nor did I expect my body to tremble slightly at how close to the truth he skirted, except I had to keep reminding myself of who I dealt with. I saw him first hand with the warden, talking about the scepter after he’d grilled me about it.

  “You’re a real sweet talker, you know,” I teased him. “But you don’t owe me anything to hand out such compliments.”

  His fingers brushed across my arm, causing goosebumps to race up my skin, awakening a deep desire, a reminder of the pleasure he brought out in me. “But I do owe you. I should have been there when Keon went AWOL.”

  I frowned at his words. “What happened wasn’t on you.”

  “I can’t sleep at night, thinking about how badly things turned out.”

  He shuffled close across the couch, the side of his thigh touching my bent knee, and a smile flickered across his face. “Thanks for talking with me. For a while there, I feared you’d push me away as you had Keon.”

  Emotions welled inside me, squeezing my chest at his sincerity. I was dwarfed by his size, yet he stared at me with such affection. Was he truly moved by nearly losing me, or was this another game?

  “When I was young, I almost died. Maybe I did die, no one really knows,” he admitted.

  I stiffened and eyed him with shock. “What happened?”

  “My father had a horrible temper, and one day, I pushed him too far. He left me beaten so badly, I passed out. The servant who found me insisted I had been dead, but my father wouldn’t hear a word of it. He is a real asshole.”

  I leaned in closer, torn to hear his father abused him so severely. “I’m so sorry.” I placed my hand on his, and the earlier spark ignited through my veins like it always did in his presence. “Do you remember anything after passing out?”

  “Stars.”

  I wrinkled my brow and pulled back. “Like stars in the sky?”

  He shrugged. “They were all around me. So maybe. A psychic once told me death followed me, since I had crossed over at a young age.”

  His eyes lifted to mine, and with each passing second, the vulnerability painted on his face hardened back to the man who was always strong and unmoved. His story pained me, as it seemed it wasn’t just me who grew up with terrible parents.

  To change the topic, I asked, “How do you get away with so much in this place? This room for example. You told me before you had men who worked for you everywhere, but does that include the guards?”

  “Where is this coming from?” He arched an eyebrow, his low intimidating tone ramping up my pulse.

  But I wouldn’t fall prey and overreact, so I shrugged. “Well, ever since my brush with death, I want to know who I’m dealing with so I don’t get hurt again.” Every word was the truth. “It’s the new me.”

  “Oh, baby girl.” He leaned in, cupping the side of my face, and his fingers swept through my hair to the back of my head. “I would destroy every last person in this place to keep you safe if you let me. I’d bring out their most dreaded fears and make them relive it over and over, not giving them reprieve. Not a single fucking second. They’d pay for ever laying a hand on you. Just say the word, and I’ll take out Keon.”

  “No.” My response shot out quickly.

  “You like him a lot,” he said, a thread of jealousy flaring over his face.

  “He killed me, so no, I don’t like him, but I don’t want him dead. And I will deal with my own problems.”

  I should’ve pushed him away, instead I sat before him as his fingers slid down to the back of my neck to the soft flesh, where they pressed into my flesh to hold me in place. His presence swallowed me. The protectiveness he promised awakened a primal need to nestle against him, to accept his safety. Except was that what he was counting on? Was he preying on that part of me that would always fear the criminals in the penitentiary? Or was I overthinking it all?

  I nearly caved and kissed him, nearly curled myself around him, nearly made him mine. Anything to ease the fiery ache between my thighs. Though, he seemed different today. Softer. Unguarded. Still, I held back my truth.

  “You truly are amazing,” he whispered.

  I licked my lips, and his gaze fell to my mouth. In a sudden spark, the energy around us changed to something fiery, something electric. All I could think about was needing his touch all over my body. To let my body mold against his, to have him lavish me with kisses, greedily tear my clothes off. And then what? While I still retained some basic control over my lust, I pulled back and grabbed my drink, taking a few sips, then said, “You never answered my question.”

  He gave me a nod and pulled back, sitting tall next to me. “Ask me anything. I have nothing to hide.”

  The temptation to just ask about the scepter pressed on the forefront of my mind. Then wasn’t I just falling prey to him once again, letting him know what truly plagued my mind? He was no fool and would know I wasn’t revealing everything.

  “You want to know about me. Yes, I have a handful of guards under my command. Several of the shifter packs in the penitentiary have also sworn me allegiance, all of them feeding me information. The warden has no clue he has spies under his own roof. Remember, I am here voluntarily to search for things that if I find will mean my territory outside will never be challenged again.”

  I recalled his explanation, so having that many connec
tions, it made sense he’d get his way most of the time and that he always remained informed. Was that part of his play with the warden when I overheard them?

  “Is Keon one of these guards?”

  He chuckled. “Fuck no. That one’s a dangerous wild card. The demon inside him is unpredictable as fuck, and let’s just say, that wasn’t the first time I’ve heard of Keon finishing a fight that way.”

  I pursed my lips. “He’s killed someone before,” I said matter-of-factly.

  He nodded.

  A shiver gripped my spine. “Why didn’t anyone tell me about Keon?”

  Alaric’s lips pursed. “The real question is, why didn’t he tell you himself?”

  My heart twisted with the recollection of the day Keon attacked me, but I wouldn’t allow myself to be swallowed by the darkness.

  I watched Alaric’s face change like he read my thoughts.

  “How did you get into the business of being a warlord anyway?” I asked, drawing my knees up to my chest and hugging them, needing to change my thoughts about Keon before they consumed me.

  “Family. I grew up with my father running his own territory. Well, until I took over at a very young age. Forced me to grow up quickly.”

  I wanted to find out secrets about him, weaknesses, but instead, I was left with my heart clenching at his hardship.

  The silent pause stretched between us, until he said, “Want to watch a movie?”

  “Sure,” I replied. “Something funny please.”

  He laughed and got up to collect the remote from near the television. “Let me see what I can find for us.”

  Before long, we were both huddled close, his arm around my back and me leaning against his side, the lights out, and the start of the only movie available called JoJo Rabbit. Name sounded funny. We both cuddled like we were at the theater.

  It was a strange sensation to feel torn between desperately wanting to give myself over to Alaric and reminding myself constantly that he had been playing me. And more than anything, I wished we could just be together without any complications or deceit. But I worried I was making a bad, bad decision.

  Chapter 8

  Selena

  My eyes fluttered open to silence and an empty hallway. Panic squeezed my insides as I frantically looked around to find myself slumped against the wall while everyone else was locked up in their cell. It had to be the middle of the night by the stillness. I moved to get up when something sharp stabbed my palm. I flinched and looked down to a long black feather with a point at the end, pricking my hand. I tossed it aside.

  The primal terror of feeling utterly lost crashed into me. I scrambled to my feet, catching sight of the prison cell I stood next to, the door sitting slightly ajar. Inside, the floor was covered in more black feathers. I scratched my neck, and my hand came back with another feather. My eyes widened as I desperately patted myself, only to find more of the little things all over me like I’d just plucked a chicken.

  What was going on with me?

  I scanned the rest of the room for what I’d done, finally spotting a taxidermic raven on the floor, completely plucked, its stiff body lying inches away from the back shelves.

  I gasped and lifted my gaze to the bunk beds where the two witches from the mess hall were fast asleep. Ice filled my veins.

  Slowly recoiling, I held my breath, too afraid to make a sound to wake them and find out what I’d done. What the fuck had I done? I thought they’d gone mad when they’d accused me of stealing their stuff. Except they were right. Oh God, I was losing my mind.

  Fright gripped me. When I was far enough away from their room, I turned and ran toward my prison cell. The overhead lights cast a muted glow, my light footfalls hitting the floor. There was no one in sight.

  The door to my room was open, and shock rattled through me. Had someone opened the doors on purpose, but why the witches? Shaking, I darted inside and dragged the door shut behind me. I had enough crap going on with me that I didn’t need someone playing pranks on me. Or was this all me?

  Last thing I remembered was Alaric walking me back to my room after I’d bawled my eyes out at the movie he picked. Who would put such a funny name on a story revolving around Hitler? By the time I started crying, I was too far invested to stop watching it. But I was left with a shredded heart. Alaric held me as I cried, which only added to my confused emotions, where I knew I had to push him away, but he felt so good at the same time.

  And then after dinner, I had gone to sleep like most nights. Shaking, I hugged myself and searched the room for anything out of the ordinary. It all looked normal. So instead, I got undressed, plucked every damn feather I could find and flushed them down the toilet. Then I pulled on new clothes. A quick look in the small, warped mirror near the sink, and I plucked out three more feathers. I leaned close and stared into my eyes to see if anything appeared out of sorts. Aside from some redness from exhaustion, they seemed normal.

  I hurried into my bed and ducked under the blankets, curling in on myself. What was wrong with me? I’d broken into someone’s cell to pluck their dead raven?

  My teeth chattered from the terror of what I’d just experienced. I clutched the blanket to my chin. The witches had been right. They had seen me, but the scarier part was that I had no control of my body apparently. Was I sleepwalking? A side effect from the shock of dying?

  Curling in on myself, I decided that I had to speak to someone about this soon, because it was clear this wasn’t a one-off incident. Something was very broken inside me.

  That morning, I made the decision to pay the three men who had turned my life upside down a visit. A secret, spying kind of visit to get to know them better, when they would show me the side of them I wanted to see. The time I spent with Alaric had given me a lot to think about during my delivery shift. He had revealed a softer side of himself, but I kept wondering if that was him pitying me or if he was genuine.

  I hated not knowing the truth, so I was prepared to play the sleuth. I had seen a part of Alaric that surprised me. Though, he still kept secrets, and I wasn’t finished diving into what he hid. The same applied to Keon. From what I’d learned, he was a ticking time bomb, but there was more to him I wanted to learn.

  After storing the cart away in the kitchen and cleaning up, I headed out into the empty mess hall. Quick steps carried me deeper into the penitentiary. I scaled the steps up to the next floor and kept my head low. I learned that making eye contact was an invitation for war. Plus, I’d also done well so far to avoid the two witches, though I had no doubt they would be blaming me for the feathery mess in their cell.

  A shiver gripped me when I remembered what I’d done, but I shoved those thoughts aside. I couldn’t think about it without giving myself a panic attack. I’d seek help soon, but right now, I wanted to focus on the task at hand and not freak myself out that I was losing control.

  Seth’s door came into view up ahead, and my stomach tightened. I was still unable to get the image out of my mind of him kissing the gorgeous fae. The muscles in my shoulders twitched at how perfect she had been. Perfect white hair. Perfect lips. Perfect body. I hated her, and I didn’t even know her.

  A guard marched toward me, and I bristled as his eyes traced the length of my body. He passed without a word. A few steps later, I glanced behind me to make sure he was gone. Then I raced up to Seth’s barred door. I pressed myself flat against the wall near the entrance, taking a deep breath, then stuck my head out to look inside. A dim light filled the space, and near the bed, Seth crouched on the floor, facing away from me. By the movement of his arm, I could only imagine he was drawing.

  There was something painful about watching such a powerful fae stuck in a room and drawing on the floor to stop from going insane. I remembered the last image of his I found of me. The delicate lines, the beauty with which he’d captured me. Why would he have done that, with no intention of me finding the illustration, if he had a fiancée the whole time?

  I furrowed my brow and drew away, u
nsure how to solve the mystery that was Seth. The only real answer lay in asking him directly. As cowardly as it sounded, I didn’t have it in me to confront him about it or hear him admit he was committed to someone else.

  I wanted to imagine it was me he painted on the floor, but for all I knew, it was the ethereal woman he’d held in his arms last.

  An ache rose through me, bringing with it the painful memories I wasn’t ready to face. Not yet, so I quietly left him behind and made my way to the farther corridors where many of the packs resided. On my travels with Trevor to deliver meals, he’d revealed passages less traveled that would take me there. If the penitentiary behaved and didn’t change hallways, I might be able to avoid the majority of the inmates and come out not far from Alaric’s prison cell.

  Turning left and right, I moved swiftly in dimly lit stone hallways with no one else around. An eeriness climbed up the back of my legs, which had me speeding. When I emerged from a narrow passage, I stepped out into a familiar hall where Alaric and the snake shifter had first fought.

  People were everywhere, the place reminding me of a busy sidewalk on Christmas Eve filled with angry shoppers.

  I darted across the hallway and stayed near the wall to not be seen, then made a beeline for Alaric’s room. I peered inside as I reached the doorway, only to find it empty.

  “He’s not home.” A deep guttural voice came from behind me, a voice I recognized all too well. A delightful shiver raced up my back as I turned to Laz.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked.

  He leaned an arm against the wall, staring at me with those deep eyes that brought back so many memories of our time together. An escape from everything else, and yet in his presence, my body flared awake with arousal. Those perfect full lips curled upward into a mischievous grin. Everything about him called to me when it shouldn’t have.