She ignored Jase as he got off the bike and stalked toward her. One look at his face—as arctic as a judge’s when sentencing a condemned man—and she took an involuntary step back. Goose bumps covered her bare legs. She already knew how bedraggled she looked, but his icy stare confirmed her worst fears. If she wasn’t frozen and the gravel didn’t cut into her feet, she’d have stormed off with her nose in the air. Of course that meant she’d still have to find someone to fuck before Neptune got his barnacle-encrusted hands on her.
Saul marched toward the door, then tapped his foot in exasperation. “Jase, quit stalling and get her inside. Just open the damn door.”
Jase scooped Lindy into his arms, and, like a bridegroom carrying his bride, he moved toward the door. Again it opened without him touching anything. That was one hell of a photo-recognition system he had going on. Something about it sent chills shuddering through her. Earlier Saul had said she wasn’t his, and Jase clearly hadn’t wanted her. Not that she needed either of them. Well… All right, Jase made her mouth water, but she was a Siren, for goodness’ sake not some ornament for them to put on their mantel. A check of her ruined clothes and her bird’s-nest hair, and she knew she didn’t look ornamental at all.
“I thought you guys were never coming.” A gangly teenager, more boy than man, shot to his feet.
Lindy wriggled and writhed to get out of Jase’s arms. Even when she unleashed her Siren strength, her struggles were useless. Every movement sent hammer hits of pain pounding through her ribs, so she finally stayed still.
The teenager wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Honestly, Jase, if you were going to bring back a female, you could have picked a pretty one. That one’s a mess. Why send me shopping for cake at that posh café in Harrogate when all you’ve caught is a tiddler like her. Toss her back and catch another.”
Jase and Saul exchanged amused glances. Saul raised an eyebrow at the irritating teenager. “You’re thousands of year old, barely look sixteen, and you act like you’re twelve. Damn it, boy, you’ve got some serious growing up to do.”
Jase grinned, and although he put Lindy down, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. Okay, broken ribs here, a little gentleness, please. And how the hell is that kid thousands of years old? Come on, guys, get real. Whatever rubbish Saul spouted, her rescuer wanted nothing to do with her or any other Siren. So why did it feel so good when he held her like this? The way her head fit beneath his chin was perfect.
She felt Jase move his head and heard the laughter in his voice, and, tucked in against his body, she was certain he grinned. She couldn’t see it, not when he held her so close, but she wanted to. He’d be gorgeous when he managed a genuine smile.
He whispered conspiratorially, “It’s all right. I think she’ll clean up okay. Did I say this little beauty’s a Siren? That means she’s as deadly as she is beautiful. Play nice, or she’ll sing so loud she bust your eardrums. That, or she’ll tear your arm from its socket and feed it to you fist first. Either way, you’ll be in too much pain to insult her again.”
At last, some respect.
Then the youngster blew it. “What’s so special about a Siren? I still say she’s so small you should’ve thrown her back.”
Jase clamped his arms tighter, stopping her from beating some manners into that kid. Yeah, that loudmouth was definitely old enough to know better, but she calmed as Jase’s cock dug into her back. At least his dick liked her, and since her virginity was a…liability, that was all that really mattered. Still, that cocky teenager had better learn some manners and respect—fast.
Saul leaned against the wood paneling, hands folded across his chest. “You should get down to some serious study, boy. Sirens are second cousins to the harpies. Juno tricked them into a singing contest with the Muses and rigged the result. When the Sirens lost, they forfeited their feathers and turned almost human. They’re still seething about all that cheating and lying, but that makes them one of the most violent preternatural species. They’re strong and sexy, born survivors, and even the gods grow wary when they sing.”
“Sing, for a loudmouthed punk like him? Never,” Lindy snapped.
Jase growled when Saul called her sexy.
Get over it, big guy. We’re smart, sassy females, and I don’t want anything from you—especially not your approval. Now, fucking… Yeah, that’d be a whole different ball game.
“Juno tricked them?” The teenager grinned. “Then it’s okay for me to bend the truth when it suits me.”
Saul answered instantly. “Not if you want to stay with me and Jase, it’s not.” Jase shook his head and chided gently, “Some messenger you are, kid, if you can’t recognize a Siren on sight. I think a few more hours with the textbooks beckon.”
The teen blushed. “Things are different, clearer, when I’m wearing my sandals and helmet. I’m the messenger of the gods, remember? Not some errand boy to fetch your cakes and buns.”
Helmet? Sandals? Messenger of the gods? Either this loudmouthed youth with limbs too long for his body was deluded, or he was the Roman god, Mercury. And when she glanced at the coffee table, the teen really had brought a wonderful array of cakes and buns. Not that it made any difference. She wanted to ram his insults down his throat, but Jase still cradled her against his chest.
If Jase thought a little thing like him physically restraining her could stop her, he’d best think again. Her tongue was her fiercest weapon, probably because it got so much practice.
She beamed her sweetest, most beguiling Siren’s smile. “Messenger of the gods. Gosh, kid, I’m so, so sorry. Haven’t they told you that you’re redundant yet? Or are your gods too dumb to use a cell phone?”
Jase’s shoulders shook with suppressed laughter.
He’s one arrogant, sexy male, but he’d better watch his back. Sirens were born fighters as fierce in battle as they were in bed, but with him, she felt safe and protected. How sappy is that? She should be standing her ground and grinding her enemies into dust. Instead, she snuggled closer to his body and wished he’d love her into sensual bliss.
A spark kindled between her legs, and her cunt overheated. Fierce and proud, all she wanted was a casual fling. A chance to lose her virginity before she moved on and lived her life—without him. No commitment. No strings. That’s the Siren way. Right? Then why did his slight woodsy essence and the warmth of his chest make his arms the best place she’d been in a while? A long while. Maybe ever, but she refused to think about that. What he lacked in good manners, he made up for in sheer, unadulterated masculinity. He smelled sweet and earthy, and when he held her like this, her one-night stand grew more appealing by the minute.
Before she could argue, Jase swept her off her feet and started up the stairs. “You should fix your hair or something. I’ll take you up to your room.”
Whatever he intended, she was willing—eager, really. She nestled into his chest, her broken wrist cradled in her good hand. He marched through an open bedroom door, then stopped abruptly as if surprised to see the bed—a king-size one with silken sheets and piles of pillows that looked so soft and squishy she just knew she’d sink into them.
Lindy stroked his cheek, her smile pure provocation and delight. As she wriggled her body against his, Jase slowly let her breasts slide down his torso. She reached up and locked her arms around his neck. Her nipples rubbed at her beer-stained top, and a tingle sizzled through her pussy.
Stuff you, Neptune. I’m about to get laid.
Her body ached for him. Sirens were as horny as they were beautiful, and she’d never needed a man more. She ground her cunt against his thighs in invitation. Judging by the way his cock reared up in his jeans, he definitely liked that. Her gaze homed in on his lips, and she wanted a taste. No, not true. She wanted to gorge herself on his kisses or feast on his dick. With a soft, eager moan, she ran one hand over his chest, then moved lower until she found his washboard abs. The contours of his muscles fascinated her, so she stroked them again.
&n
bsp; Back home in Scopuli, she’d seen every shape and shade of men, bare-chested and besotted by Siren song. Not one of them compared to Jase. He was strength and safety, but his mocking air confused her. She wanted to reach up and free his hair from that band and let it fall around his shoulders, but a stern light lingered in his eyes. She took the coward’s route and concentrated on his dick. At least that part of him liked her—and she liked it right back.
Another roll of her hips, and she licked her lips. He didn’t speak, just curled one arm around her waist and yanked her body closer to his. She loved how his cock poked at her belly. Another groan, and she snaked her hand between them and unfastened his jeans. His penis escaped like an eager lion, ready to pounce.
Her friendly, country-singer exterior had hidden a shy Siren who’d never really wanted a lover. Now her clock was ticking, and she’d found a man to make her mouth water. Her fist closed around his cock—almost. Even the guys in the few porn films she’d watched weren’t hung as well as Jase. Thick and hot, his dick twitched within her hand. A drop of precum spilled across its head.
When she stroked his length, his cock jerked again, so she squeezed it tighter. Jase shuddered and closed his eyes in bliss. Heady with feminine power, Lindy was primed and ready, her pussy damp, her spirit eager, but she wanted to taste his pretty pink penis. Torn, unsure whether to suck his lower lip or kneel and nibble his cock, she froze in his arms.
Jase blinked and shuddered again. His eyes darkened, and the stern, frosty look was back on his face. When he stepped back, she missed the heat of his body pressing against hers. His eyebrows drew together into the fiercest frown she’d ever seen. With a low, angry growl, he picked her up and dropped her on the bed so hard she bounced. “Save it for someone who’s interested.”
The bastard. He’s playing me, and I need him so badly.
Her bruised ribs protested, right along with her wrist. Hot desire pooled between her legs, and she wanted…the one man who didn’t want her back. Sure, she could sing him into submission, but she refused to enthrall Jase into her bed. Either he came willingly, or she’d move on and bed another—maybe.
Sirens didn’t cry, but she’d rather he stabbed a knife in her heart than turn his don’t-touch-me-again glare on her again. Hurt turned to anger, and her body trembled with fury. Sarcastic comments welled up inside her, but Jase backed toward the door.
That grin was devastating, so sexy her toes curled, but his stare was a winter storm on her summer’s day. “Your bathroom’s through there. Either sleep, or come downstairs after you’ve made yourself look a bit more respectable. We can talk tonight or in the morning. I don’t much care which, but Saul owes us both some answers.”
Lindy burned for him, even if she only wanted a one-night stand. With him, her virginity was an endangered species whether Neptune hunted her or not.
Her nipples puckered into tight little rosebuds as her sexual appetite growled for fulfillment and full-on sex. Screwing Jase would be like a shot of the heroin or cocaine she’d seen humans spaced-out on. She just hoped he didn’t prove as addictive—not that she was likely to find out.
If she didn’t watch her back, or more truthfully her heart, he’d make her crave the things she’d didn’t want. The things Sirens could never have, like a faithful lover and a family.
Desperate to get laid, she smiled her most seductive Siren’s smile. “Or you could come in about a half an hour and see if I scrub up as well as you said.”
His voice turned arctic, and he headed for the door. “Let’s get one thing clear from the start. Saul was the idiot rushing off to your rescue. I just went along for the ride. Bat your eyelashes at him, princess. I’m immune to a Siren’s charms.”
She so wished she’d kept hold of her boots; then she could have flung them at his head all over again. This time, she wouldn’t miss. Only, her body still craved his, and whatever he said, she had two days to get laid. The hunger pulsing inside was pure lust and longing. She’d want to bed him even if Neptune hadn’t named her as the solstice sacrifice, but no way would she pander to his ego and tell him that.
A one-night stand, remember? Then I’ve got to move on. Her body clamored for Jase, but her rational side demanded respect as well as sex. Despite everything, her doubts came a poor second to her lust. She must be more of a sex-hungry Siren than she’d realized, but she could use that to her advantage.
Couldn’t she?
Chapter Four
Sirens were the fiercest females on the planet—unless Neptune was involved. They’d lost their home in the skies and taken refuge in Atlantis, but to Neptune, they were trespassers in his seas. Given his druthers, he’d wipe them from the face of the planet.
He started the earthquake that destroyed Atlantis, drowned a whole nation to eliminate the Sirens they’d taken in. He hadn’t reckoned on Sirens being as tough as they were cocky, and he hated that they’d survived. Since he’d failed to destroy them, he demanded an annual tribute. Each summer solstice, he’d screw one of them and regain his youth—as long as they sent him a virgin.
The Sirens loathed him right back, but they wouldn’t risk losing their homeland, Scopuli, again. Fierce as they were, they’d do anything to placate Neptune. Lindy was different. She abandoned friends and family rather than risk her lot being drawn. Then he went and named her as the sacrifice anyway.
Thank the stars her friends and family back home had kept her updated. She still missed them sometimes, but she’d forged a new life in the North of England. Leaving her extended circle of sisters had been a wrench, but she’d felt for Ligea—an unwilling sacrifice from four years back. She’d sung for her freedom, but that bastard Neptune had beat the bejesus out of her, then silenced her with a potion that hadn’t worn off for months. Life without speaking or singing was hell for a Siren. Ligea had almost faded to nothing before the foreign magic cleared her system.
Lindy’s heart had bled for her friend. No way had she been willing to stick around and suffer the same fate. She’d packed up and left for Britain, and Joe had become the father she’d never known. All this for what? To have mermen hunt her down, strip her naked, and tie her to an altar? So not happening. Being the star turn in a fish-head gangbang sucked, but to avoid it, she had to persuade Jase into her bed. And the jerk had told her no.
Hiding her disappointment behind a glower, she hissed and hopped off the bed. “Back at the club, I’d be doing my second set about now. Sleep’s the last thing on my mind. I’ll see you downstairs, but you’d better save me a piece of the cake your resident idiot brought.”
Jase’s mocking laugher followed her into the bathroom. Who the hell does he think he is? Dissing me like that. Turning heads came naturally to her kind. Didn’t he know Sirens were the most seductive of races? Maybe she should enthrall that arrogant—What is he? Not human, that’s for sure. Not that it mattered. No male ever created could resist her song. Only, she truly believed sex should be consensual and willing.
Once she ruled out the loudmouthed teen, that just left Saul as a potential bedmate. She didn’t normally go for laid-back dudes with a goatee, especially not ones that resembled Neptune after he’d fucked his way back to his prime. Still, Saul or Neptune? No question about it. Saul, every time. Even if he’d told Jase she wasn’t his.
Another day, and even the snot-nosed teen might look good—especially when she considered the alternative. Neptune would keep sending his goon squad after her now he’d named her as the one. Not a forever-and-forever one, of course. Just a quick screw to restore his youth, coupled with as much pain and humiliation as he could heap on her head. Then next year, he’d screw another unfortunate Siren senseless.
She’d kept human males at bay with her sharp tongue and prickly manner. Of course, that meant her virginity stayed intact. Now she had to lose it. Fast. Look out, Saul, here I come. But…
She stripped quickly, still favoring her wrist. Her ribs had healed up now, and by this time tomorrow, her wrist would be fine. Meanwhile,
a little caution was in order.
She showered the stale beer from her bruised body. Her hair hung in tangled rat’s tails, but her wrist hurt her too much to drag a brush through it. If she didn’t have a blond surfer type to seduce, she’d have hacked it off with the bathroom scissors. Then she remembered her sisters telling her how men had a thing for long flowing locks.
Her clothes were as messed up as her hair. Definitely nothing seductive about them. Or her. Much as she loved her sister Sirens, she hated how they sang any passing male into their beds. Sluts, and proud of it. Not that it changed anything. They were family. They’d laughed at her romantic notions and told her that life was better with sex. Lots and lots of sex. Even before Lindy left Scopuli, she’d wanted one man to have and to hold—not the small army her sisters screwed every month. She just hadn’t met the right man yet. But, when it came to Jase…maybe.
Then the sexy bastard bounced her down on the bed and walked away. How unfair is that? I find my dream man; then he turns out to be the world’s most unfeeling louse. Neptune excepted, of course. If Jase truly wasn’t interested, she wouldn’t warble a note. No way would she compel him to fuck her against his will. Neptune screwed unwilling Sirens on an annual basis, but she refused to do the same to Jase. Moving on when her body screamed, Do Jase! seemed wrong. Rejected, remember? But what a waste of his fuck-me body and those sensual lips that just beg for my kiss. She ached deep inside, not that Jase gave a damn. Okay, beggars, choosers, and all that. Time to move on and seduce Saul.
Except the way that errant lock of Jase’s hair escaped its bonds and framed his face fascinated her. His eyes glinted with bronze lights that melted her defenses. That slightly been there, done that look gave him a rakish edge she found appealing. As she imagined his fingers on her clit, her pussy creamed, and she knew he’d be one amazing lover if she ever let him into her pants. Let him? She was practically begging.
Giving It Up for the Gods Page 3