He continued, “Please. Let us discuss this somewhere else. This place is not secure. Someone listens.”
“It’s a ghost, Agrios. I hardly think he’s much of a threat.” I noticed the boy had returned and was hovering in a corner. In this incarnation, his bleeding throat was apparent. It was pretty disgusting to see but a nice terrifying touch if you wanted to scare a human away. Unfortunately for the dead boy, we weren’t human.
“No, but they repeat things. Like parrots. Please, let’s go have a glass of wine. I’m feeling parched.”
Still fuming, I agreed and we left the club. The boy’s big eyes followed me; I could see he was pleading for something, but I had no idea what.
“Sorry, kid. I hope you find what you’re looking for.” He vanished, and I felt a blast of cold air hit me as I closed the door behind us.
Chapter Six—Nik
Strong Tide
My route home took me past Cruise’s house. It was closer to the East End and was more secluded. I liked his little place, although he didn’t invite me to visit him often. He had a living room covered with nothing but vintage motorcycle tags. The weird thing was he never owned a bike, but he talked about them a lot. I paused under the cedar trees behind his house. Maybe I should knock on that door. His police car was there, and I could see lights on in his living room.
With my siren hearing, I heard him strumming his shabby guitar, trying to find the right chord. He wasn’t doing too well, but that wasn’t anything unusual. I smiled as I listened to him butcher Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven.
“God—you’re really bad at that. This is the chord you want,” I heard the other person correct him. “Let me show you.” It was a woman’s pretty voice. She must have known what she was doing because now the old guitar played like an entirely different instrument.
I didn’t wait to hear what came next. No wonder I hadn’t heard a peep from Cruise in the past twenty-four hours. He had someone else keeping him busy. Probably one of these college girls who came down for the fishing rodeo. I never thought of Cruise as a two-timer, but he was human. And that was his biggest flaw. I slipped back into the cover of the cedar trees and followed the sandy path back to my house. It didn’t take me long to get there, and nobody bothered me. No evil vampires jumped out to grab me. Was Lily even for real with that? Maybe the vampires didn’t have anything to do with Antoinette’s death after all. Kicking off my shoes and pulling off my shorts, I stood at the water’s edge.
Just because I missed her, I whispered her name.
Meri…Meri, let’s swim.
No answer. Only Springer barking in the house behind me. And that was another thing. Why was Springer here? I needed to let go and leave some of these questions at the bottom of the ocean. I walked into the water and quietly slipped under the waves. They were raucous and white. That meant that somewhere nearby, Oceanids were stirring up the deepest parts of the ocean. There was a strong tide running tonight, which was good. It meant only the strong ones would venture out into the water. I swam out past the jetty, past the rocks that Meri liked to haunt.
Meri…I called into the darkness. I heard nothing. No waves of love. No joy. But on the fringes I felt something else. Another mermaid—no, two mermaids—swam near, and they were watching me. Observing me. Listening to me, and closely.
I am looking for Meri…I said in my mind, hoping they would swim closer. I dared not go to them. Not all of mermaid-kind were as friendly as Meri. They did not respond but turned quickly away, obviously surprised that I had detected them so easily. Then they were gone into the Down Deep where it was cold and black and bottomless.
Meri! I cried again—my eyes glowed with grief as I bobbed my head above the water to look about me. The ocean grew calm, as if the creatures near me felt my grief and shared it. They loved Meri too.
I swam again, letting my tears become a part of the saltiness around me. As long as I swam, I would not feel the tears on my face.
Jack! How I miss you, too! And now the pain of losing him felt so great that my heart would surely burst in my chest.
My memory performed flawlessly now, and I recalled days gone by with seamless detail. Like the day Jack proposed to me. I wore a red and white polka-dot dress and he a gray suit with a white shirt. He wore no tie; he hated ties and said he would never wear one again. He’d kept that promise to himself. Jack planting roses. Jack lighting a candle in the island chapel on Sundays. Jack strolling barefoot along the shore of the beach. Jack’s warm smile and trusting eyes.
Jack, a scholar of mythology, had uncovered the truth about me. Because he loved me, he kept my secret from others. He had to leave me, of course, and when he returned ten years later, I pretended to be his relative and then later his granddaughter. It was then that I decided to enter my sleep. It was the only way. The only way I could stop from climbing into bed with him at night, whispering to him like a lover in public. I was a siren, and love came naturally to me, but humanity wouldn’t have understood our relationship. He was so much older than I had been, at least in their eyes.
Once again, time had stolen a husband. A lover. A friend.
Now Meri. I cried again and sang a song of sadness as I spun deep into the water. The sea life nearby made themselves scarce. It felt good to sing, and by the end of my song I felt empowered by the emptying of some of the heavy grief. I needed this swim. I should have taken today day off and spent the day in the ocean. Although traces of the grief remained, and I had no doubt they would resurface eventually, I still had traces of humanity in my psyche too. And this felt good. Having emptied the sadness into the sands of the ocean, I swam for pleasure, unafraid of a nearby blackfin shark and other predators that edged toward me. If they got too close, they would be reminded of my powers.
At least now I didn’t have to worry about hurting Cruise. He had moved on quite quickly without all the heartache. Modern men were like that. They were so led by their own needs that they did not care for the needs of others.
The water began to feel cold now, and my bones were tired. Tomorrow was Sunday; I’d get to sleep in, but I still had some projects that needed to be handled. For example, I planned to install cameras around my trash cans and make sure Targetti knew about them. Imagine eating someone’s garbage. Tritoni were gross creatures if they thought of dumpster diving as a fun activity. And I’d been planning a road trip. Since Molly was now the official Sirens Gate guardian, I could leave the island without fear. Many of the local supes worked in Mobile County and came home at night to the island. But as much as I had wanted this day to come, I now found the idea of crossing the bridge frightening. Weird for a siren…maybe I would swim it instead?
Maybe if things didn’t go well with Shipwreck Souvenirs, I could even leave the island.
Probably not.
Shipwreck Souvenirs had been Jack’s treasure. It was how we had lived when the grant money dried up, and I wasn’t ready to let it go yet. But there was nothing to say I couldn’t take a day trip across the Dauphin Island Bridge. Maybe I would do that tomorrow. Yes, most definitely.
I rose from the water, straining the ocean from my hair as I twisted it. Maybe I’d even cut my hair. It was time for a change. I nearly gasped in surprise when I saw Ramara sitting on the beach drinking a Corona.
I picked up my shoes and shorts and sat next to him in the sand. We sat in the quiet darkness; the only sound was the sloshing of waves against the sugar-white sands. He took one last swig of his beer and began peeling off the label absently. He had something on his mind, but I wasn’t good at guessing games. Not today.
I didn’t know if it was my current loneliness that made me do it or if it was just because he smelled so good, but I touched his arm with my finger. And it wasn’t the touch of a friend. He froze but didn’t push me away. I rubbed my index finger along the length of his arm, as he had done to me this morning. I felt the hair on his arm stiffen and his body tense up. Then we hung there, right in the moment, my skin touching his skin. Wo
uld I kiss him? Did he want me to? I knew he was probably reading my mind, but I felt so free and empty, I didn’t care. He didn’t move, and I sensed the tension rising.
I shook my head, reminding myself what it would cost him. I could not destroy my friend. I could not be the reason he lost his powers. I just couldn’t.
I scooted an inch or two away from him and tried not to seem upset when he gave a visible sigh of relief.
“What happened after I left? Did Agrios and Liliana tie up?”
“No, but I thought it might happen.”
“Something is off with Agrios.”
“How can you tell?” he answered sadly. He pulled two more beers from a bag he had beside him and offered me one.
I accepted it with a wry laugh. “I know. He’s so unpredictable. I’m surprised he helped us at all the last time. I thought it was because of Heliope, but here he is again without her. But…”
“But what?”
“I thought I heard her voice earlier. And you aren’t going to believe what else happened to me.” I was all set to tell him about Springer, but he broke into my train of thought with a question I thought we’d already put to rest.
“Why did you touch me, Nik?”
I drank a good portion of the beer before I answered him. The drink had an immediate calming effect on me. Not at all like that tequila. Too much tequila. I was convinced the stuff they’d served me at the Shark’s Tooth was gasoline. I would never drink liquor again.
“Because I wanted to, Ramara.”
“You and the cop have a fight or something? He mad about his shoes?” He gave me a gorgeous smile.
“No. I don’t know. I haven’t really talked with him today. I won’t touch you again. Not like that. I promise.”
He stared at me, his handsome face a confused mix of emotions. “Maybe you shouldn’t,” he said. “But I would like to stay the night. On the couch. If there are vampires looking for sirens, I want to be here. You can’t defend yourself if there are more than a few.”
I stood up, dusted myself off and handed him the empty bottle. “That is very thoughtful of you, Ramara, but I think I need to be alone.” And I didn’t mean just tonight. He didn’t argue with me; in fact, he seemed relieved. And that also broke my heart.
Get it together, Thessalonike! I warned myself.
“Goodbye, Ramara.” I marched in the house, locked the door behind me and leaned against it, fighting back the emotions. “I’m not doing this,” I said to my empty house. I flipped on the radio. Funky Dan from WBLR played America’s Horse with No Name, and I hummed along to shake off the doldrums that threatened to take over my mood again.
I’ve been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert, you can remember your name
’Cause there ain’t no one for to give you no pain
La, la, la, la, la, la…
I was getting sand everywhere. I hummed and pulled off my clothes, tossing them into the open washing machine as I passed it. Cold and sandy, I stepped into the shower. In a few minutes I was salt-free, dry and sliding into pajamas. Tying my hair up in a towel, I called for Springer. He must be asleep somewhere. Probably in Jack’s bed. I pushed the door open and called him again, but he wasn’t in there. I removed the towel and rubbed my hands through my hair. Ugh. Pollution. I really needed to condition this mess, but it would have to wait.
“Springer? Where are you, boy? Springer?”
I searched every room in the house. I’d heard him barking earlier. Was this what it would be like having a ghost dog? Would he be disappearing like this all the time? Then I heard his muffled cry, and my heart beat faster. He was obviously stuck somewhere. How was that possible? “Springer? What is it, boy? Where are you?” I began opening closet doors, his whimpers making me more anxious by the minute. “Springer?”
I opened the linen closet and nearly screamed my head off. There was Springer—in the arms of a vampire.
Chapter Seven—Cruise
Rookie Mistake
I hadn’t expected to see Kendra—I mean, Officer Tragic—standing on my doorstep last night, but it had been a nice surprise.
“Brought that paperwork. I don’t know why it was so hard for Molly to get it, but I figured I’d help if I could. All I need is your signature, Chief.”
“We’re off the clock, so call me Cruise.”
“Okay, Cruise,” she said cautiously. “May I come in and get your signature? I’d like to fax this paperwork back to the county office tonight.”
“Yeah, okay. Come on in. You hungry? I ordered pizza. It’s not good, but it’s something to eat.”
“Um, no. I ate already. Sorry I’m here so late, but I have to work in the morning and Molly seems like the kind of person who likes to have her I’s dotted and her T’s crossed. Can’t show up for my first solo shift without the official stuff.”
“You got that right. She’s definitely by the letter, but she’s a real help.”
Kendra didn’t stay long after that, but she’d impressed me with her musical ability. In one half-hour session, she taught me more about the guitar than anything I’d ever learned on YouTube.
“I’m not a natural,” I joked as I awkwardly strummed the strings.
“Well, practice makes perfect.”
“My dad used to say that all the time. Funny thing is, I never saw him practice anything except hunting.”
Her brown eyes widened. “Your dad liked to hunt?”
“Yeah, lots of guys around here do. Why, does that surprise you?”
She looked away and swallowed. “I was just… You didn’t seem like the kind of guy that would like to hunt, and I guess I assumed your dad wasn’t either. Is this a picture of him?” She walked to the kitchen wall and pointed out a dusty old frame.
“Yep, that’s the old man. He died about five years ago. I loved him, but he was a stubborn old cuss.”
“Don’t see any pictures of your mother here.”
“Oh, well, I don’t have many of those. Here’s one, though,” I pointed at the frame on the television stand.
Kendra picked it up and dusted off the glass with her finger. “Yes, I can see the resemblance. You favor her. Same brown hair and brown eyes. Looks like a nice lady.”
“I don’t remember her.” I strummed the guitar, trying to remember the chords she showed me.
“No, it’s not that. Use that finger.” She adjusted my hand, and I tried it again. “Good. You’ve got it. Just have to practice going from C to A. Well, I better go.” Her voice sounded sad and quiet now. I guess she was as tired as I was.
“Okay.” I put the instrument down and walked her to the door. She paused in the doorway, and I thought I saw her sniff the air.
“What’s that smell?” she asked.
I sniffed too. I didn’t catch anything at first, but then I caught a definite odor. Sweet, soft and like some kind of fruit that I could not identify. “Don’t know. I just assumed it was your perfume.”
“Not mine.” She frowned at me and walked down the concrete steps. “See you Monday.”
“Don’t get carried away out there. There’s going to be a lot of traffic, people leaving after the fishing rodeo. Bring an extra ticket book because you’ll probably spend a lot of time issuing citations. It’s a big money day for the police department.” She made a gesture like she was saluting a superior officer. “You sure you don’t need any help, Officer Tragic?”
“Nope. I got it, Chief Castille. Good night, and enjoy your Sunday.”
I went to bed and fell asleep right away, probably thanks to the allergy pill I popped after she left. My sneezing fits had returned, and I hoped I wouldn’t wake up with a full-blown allergy attack. I turned the air down to keep the dust down. I’d have to clean tomorrow. No getting around that.
I hoped I could avoid the terrifying nightmares that had plagued me recently. I woke up around four in the morning thinking I heard something. I g
rabbed my gun from my holster and assessed the house but found nothing, not so much as the wind blowing through the leaves outside. It was eerily still, in fact. The hair on my arms stood up so high it looked like it had grown about an inch. After my sweep of the house, inside and out, I crawled back into bed, and then the nightmares came. I saw the monster again, and it was full-on evil. The black-winged creature with the hideous woman’s face, black furry legs and talons for feet. She inched toward my face and screamed, and my soul shuddered at the sound in both the dream world and the real one. Her black fingernails were long and gnarly, and she scratched me with them from the top of my left shoulder across my chest to my waist. I screamed and woke up, reaching for my gun again.
My heart hammering a thousand beats a minute, my breath coming fast and hard, like I’d just finished a marathon, I yelled into the darkness, “All right, you sonofabitch! Come out where I can see you! I know you’re there!” I stood and pointed my gun in the dark like a crazy person. I nearly knocked the lamp over trying to turn it on. Then I heard something shuffling in the hallways. What was that? I got the light on and stood waiting for it to appear. It never did. I sat on the edge of the bed still clutching the gun. I put my hand on my heart to still it, and that’s when I noticed. I was bleeding.
“Holy crap.” I put the gun down and went to the bathroom, flicking on the light to see the wounds better. Yep, there they were, bloody gashes across my chest like someone had taken a box cutter to me. They weren’t deep slices, just glancing blows, but they bled pretty good. “What the hell is going on?” After I stopped the blood from flowing, I bandaged my chest. I popped some ibuprofen for the pain and looked at the clock. It was nearly six. Might as well get up. After flipping on every light in the house, I made myself some coffee. I had a sudden, inexplicable urge to call Nik, but it was so early I decided against it. I drank my coffee instead and sat on my front porch watching the vacationers’ cars ease down Seahorse Lane. That’s good. At least it’ll be quiet down here now. No more late-night parties.
Escape to Sirens Gate: Sirens Gate Books 1-3 Page 15