Soul Breather (21st Century Sirens Book 1)

by T Stedman

  “I won’t let you die.” She whispered, and she meant it at that moment. How could she lose the one person who could understand her so totally?

  Dante grabbed her by the hand and began walking so fast, towards the house, that she was forced to run to keep up with him. “Where are you taking me?”

  He continued to walk fast. Her eyes were wide with fear as they came through the kitchen. Never had she seen such pent up anger – not even in her spiteful foster mother.

  Mrs McNally turned from what she was doing and let out a small yelp, and jumped back with her hands up as they stormed through her kitchen.

  Dante paused on the threshold. “Tell my father we are in the pool now April, do you understand?”

  “Right away sir!” she replied, all of a fluster.

  As they came into the wood-panelled hallway, Marco was walking out of the sitting room with a newspaper under his arm. Dante flew at him like a banshee.

  Tia screamed, “No, Dante!”

  He ran at him and smashed him up against the wall so violently that it cracked with the force. He wedged his forearm under Marco’s jaw, restricting his breathing. “You’d better shut that fucking hatch man, do you hear me? Because, if I come out of there alive, I will fucking kill yer!”

  Paolo and Antonio rushed out of the sitting room, grabbed Dante’s arms and pulled him off. Dante’s eyes remained riveted with hate on Marco, who grabbed his coat off the hat stand silently and made his exit out of the front door. Dante was left glaring at his other two brothers.

  Paolo spoke up, “We didn’t tell you, because we couldn’t see how it would help; you being on the wagon and all. What difference would it have made?”

  Dante spat with contempt. “Y’all want me dead,” he said, pointing a finger.

  Tia’s gradual backing away was halted when he picked up her hand again and pulled her towards the basement stairs, and the viewing room.

  When they got to the damp room, he threw the switch on the lights that lit the tank and the pool house at the top of the stairs.

  “Come, it’s time to put your money where your mouth is,” and he pushed her roughly up the stairs.

  She tried to reason with him with apologies and pleas of how she thought he knew, but it fell on deaf ears.

  “Undress,” he commanded, as they got to the top of the stairs.

  “What?” she said, in a weak voice.

  “Get in the fucking pool,”

  “No!” she said, sick of being pushed around.

  He nodded at her menacingly and began stripping off – shoes, socks, trousers and t-shirt until he was buck-naked. She couldn’t stop her eyes skating over every inch of him.

  Human-style tattoos covered the majority of the top half of his body, but she recognised the Dubonnetti coat of arms on his arm and the trident emblazoned on his back. The pictures were scenes of the sea; mermaids nestled amongst intermingling swirls and arcs. Every flourish stabbed her heart with a memory of Jay.

  He stalked slowly towards her. Her core temperature shot up betraying her. Fuck! Fuck! What was happening? She wanted to fight him off but found herself pulling off her trainers as she watched him approach.

  “Everything,” he said, as he got to her, and helped pull the sweatshirt off over her head and then her t-shirt.

  He ran a finger gently over the lace of her bra. “You can take this off here, or it comes off in the water, it’s up to you.”

  Almost hyperventilating, she unclipped the clasp and peeled it away.

  His face flashed red and hers did in response.

  “I’m burning up,” she said, in a whisper.

  “So am I … come,” and he pulled her into the shallow end where they could wade in.

  They stood waist deep in the water facing each other. The water was cooling and soothing, but their cheeks were still flaming red.

  “Why do we heat up like this?” she asked, her throat feeling like it was closing up.

  He trailed a finger slowly down her cheek and down to her breast. “Our bodies are building up to it.”

  “Up to what?”

  “I can’t tell you. It’s an instinct … I guess we’ll find out together.”

  “Have you ever breathed under water?” She asked.

  “Never.”

  She swallowed, realising the enormity of what was about to happen and the trust he was putting in her.

  He leant down and kissed her mouth slowly and reverently this time, and she didn’t fight him. When she thought of Jay, she somehow felt that he was nothing to do with this. This was totally separate and necessary. “I love him, Dante,” she said, and looked into his eyes so he knew she meant it.

  “But you want me.” He ran a thumb along her jaw.

  “Yes,” she whispered, shutting her eyes and swallowing down her shame. “Yes I do.” At that moment, she thought, she’d never wanted anything or anyone so much in her life.

  “Let’s do it then.” And he swam towards the deep end and she followed.

  His brother Antonio came up the steps and Dante nodded to him.

  Tia guessed he was to close the hatch after them.

  Dante took a deep breath and dove down and Tia followed him. They heard the clang of the hatch being closed soon after. She pulled him to the bottom and he swam over to the glass and knocked with his knuckles and they heard a knock back. She supposed witnesses were needed. It was a marriage after all. Fuck, this was it.

  Chapter 14

  Quickly she allowed the water into her lungs; she didn’t want to waste time. She needed her wits about her in case everything started to go south.

  When she felt the bubbles start to rise from behind her ears, she pulled Dante down so he was sitting on the floor. She set about calming him down. Panicking was not a good thing down there. He was big and she was small; damage could be done and then he definitely could die. They sat and sat. He had a longer capacity for holding his breath than the average Human, she realised. She watched in awe as he produced similar markings to her own. But still he sat.

  When they’d been there about ten minutes, Tia started to mime to him to let the water into his mouth. He shook his head and resisted. She had to think quickly and decided to sit on his legs and clamp her own behind his back and hold each side of his face with her hands. She tried to communicate with him through her eyes: calm down, let it in; just let it go, relax. She stroked his face, his forehead and back.

  He began to shake his head wildly, fighting the inevitable intake of water.

  Let it in, she willed. Relax. She nodded slowly.

  He let out a silent cry and squeezed his eyes shut. She felt the worst person alive as she gripped her arms around the tops of his so he couldn’t push her off. And for a few moments she fought with him with all her strength She was about to have to give up, he was so strong, when he started to push and pull weaker and weaker, until he eventually stopped and went limp.

  His eyes were open but unseeing. His arms just floated in the water.

  Dante … Dante … she thought, shaking him.

  She looked behind his ears. All she could see was a faint red line like a scar – no gills to speak of. God, how long did she have? Panicking, she wracked her brains. What did he say about building up and up?

  On impulse she thought of CPR – the kiss of life – and put her mouth on his.

  His lips were slightly parted so she pushed her tongue in and blew slowly and went with her gut. God, if he died, Jay would think she killed him and hate her.

  She concentrated. The feeling she remembered always came from the centre of her chest. She imagined it there growing and growing, bigger and bigger, travelling up her chest into her throat, through her mouth, into Dante’s and down into his heart.

  When she opened her eyes Dante was glowing. First he was red, and then orange. His face glowed brightly and then his chest. She continued to repeat blowing and kissing, blowing and kissing. She felt him jolt, then jolt again, and then his eyes opened. His arms came ar
ound her and she threw her head back in relief and triumph.

  She didn’t intend for it to go so far. To be honest she didn’t think past keeping him alive for Jay and she would have hated to lose the surprising affinity she had discovered in him already.

  Then when he clamped onto her after she’d saved him and swam with her to the secluded part of the tank, all sane thought just evaporated with her underwear. She knew he was a gorgeous bloke, but this attraction between them was ridiculously off the chart. And God, after his essence first entered her, so he was inside her body and mind, there was no hope of going back. She was totally fucked. He had her fair and square and so she was pulled in, hook, line and sinker.

  ***

  The feeling was like being kicked in the chest – not once but twice. When his eyes opened he was hit with such an immense feeling of euphoria, it was like main-lining joy.

  Hey, welcome back! She was in his head.

  He was aware of jets of air behind his ears and the feeling of rushing in his heart intensified, followed by an erection such as he’d never had in his life before. When he saw her throw her head back an instinct took over and he bit down on her neck and sucked. Fuck! Where did that come from?

  He wound his legs around her and swam with her to the far end of the tank where a dark glass wall was positioned for privacy and soft seaweeds grew on the floor like a soft bed. He swam with her there with his lips on hers. Good job she didn’t need to breathe.

  As they entered the cordoned off section he pushed her into the corner so she couldn’t move. She wasn’t resisting him; it was just that he felt all-powerful and he was a man possessed. She had saved him, chosen him, wanted him above anyone because no other could share this feeling with her but him. He was hers and she was his, irreversibly; it felt perfect. He wasn’t sure what passed between them or what it was called, but in that moment he understood her to her core – her feelings, her intentions and her fears. She could project the thoughts she wanted him to hear, and he wanted to reciprocate. He wanted to reach that place in someone – in her – and not deny that instinct deep inside him any longer.

  He kissed her slowly, solemnly; his hands moved all over her, gradually moving down between her legs.

  I want you, he heard as a whisper in his head. He wished she could hear him as well. His fingers stroked the heat of her and groaned at the strength of feeling he had already for her; so different from any previous fumbling attempts with Humans. This was who he was meant to meet his whole life.

  He jolted when she touched him in impatience. She stroked and pulled him to her.

  Now, he heard her say.

  Without preamble, he positioned himself with her legs around his waist and he pulled her slowly on to him to his full length. He filled her completely. He began a slow rhythm, building and building in strength and speed; the feeling in his chest grew in symmetry. The power of the sensation was enough to bring him to his knees if it wasn’t for the water holding him in a caress.

  She scratched his back deeply and pulled him to her mouth. He felt a sharp pang and tasted the metal tang of blood as she trapped his tongue with her tooth and breathed the wonderful glow into him again.

  He pushed into her and retreated faster and harder. She was so pliant, but she gripped him hot and tight. What he felt was indescribable – out of this world – and tipped him so far off the edge he thought he’d never stop falling.

  The weight in his chest became unbearable until the sensation was like bubbles travelling upwards into his throat and then his lips. He understood, yes. He wanted it to leave him and travel across their tongues and into her. Over it went.

  She looked startled initially, but it quickly dissolved as the white glow permeated her face and he could feel her drift in ecstasy as she let go. Her muscles pulsed around him in an orgasm that milked him on and on.

  This is how it was meant to be, Tia, he said, as he moved over her.

  Fuck, yes, oh yes.

  They could now communicate telepathically. Her life’s essence had gone into him, and he had gathered every part of himself and it had flowed into her, and it knew exactly where it was going. Like a migrating bird instinctively knowing its way.

  It had been the perfect communion of body and soul; complete intimacy on every level. The very thing they’d always missed with every other joining.

  Carefully he laid her on the floor. He was so grateful they’d had this privacy. As he lay with her in his arms, he didn’t want another living soul to spoil this special time together.

  He promised her she would be his queen and he would take no other.

  It did feel like a marriage – one of the spirit.

  ***

  Jay went up to the bedroom after Tia had gone and sat on the bed. He had to get a grip. Dante was his best friend and would know how much this one meant to him. It didn’t stop him wanting to punch a wall though.

  There was a soft knock at the door.

  “What?”

  Cash’s voice came through the door. “Sorry man, but Alfonzo wants to speak to us before he goes.”

  “I’ll be right down.”

  Jay walked into the study and nodded at Sean and Cash who were already there. Alfonzo sat at the heavy desk and Dino stood next to him.

  “Please take a seat Jay. I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for protecting the eldest daughter of the Bonaci family and bringing her safely to her destiny, which is of the upmost importance to the Atlantean nation.”

  “She will be married in the next few hours and presented as queen to her mother and father tomorrow at the wedding celebration and you will be expected to attend.”

  They all remained silent.

  “You will be expected to remain her Protectors for life, and will be retained financially by the family. That will be all.” Alfonzo nodded at Cash and Sean, which they took as their dismissal. “Jay, please stay for a few moments.”

  The two men shuffled out the door. Cash touched Jay on the shoulder as he left.

  When the door closed behind them, Alfonzo resumed speaking, “It was hard to see her go?”

  Jay gave a small almost imperceptible nod. Where was this going?

  “The Bonaci are grateful for your sacrifice and would like to reward you and welcome you as part of their family going into the future.”

  Jay didn’t say anything, he didn’t really understand what was being said to him and willed him to just get on with the golden handshake.

  Alfonzo threw a large brown envelope across the desk, which Jay leant forward and picked up. Here we go.

  “Open it.”

  He did as he was told. “The deeds to the hotel?” He looked over at Alfonzo in confusion.

  “Yours.” Alfonzo lounged back in his chair for a few moments. “We know you have a position of privilege within the Dubonnetti family, but we think, and I think you will agree, that this will be difficult to maintain once Thelxiepia is married to your lifelong friend and brother, so to speak.”

  “Dante and I will remain friends.” He will know she’s mine.

  “And that is commendable, but having discussed this with Christian, Dante’s father, we have agreed that you will be offered the same privilege with the Bonaci.”

  “Thank you, but I’m sure it isn’t necessary.”

  “Think on it, you can let me know tomorrow. A point to note: The Bonaci has a large corporation, which will be worth billions now that our Siren has been located. We would like to appoint you as CEO as the public face of Bonaci.”

  Jay sat there dazed, trying to take in the new information. He was kind of expecting some sort of pay-off to disappear out of Tia’s life, but welcomed into the fold he was not.

  Alfonzo rose from his chair and Dino helped him gather his things. He stood still at the door.

  “Make the right decision Jay.”

  Jay nodded without looking at him.

  Chapter 15

  They weren’t sure how long they’d been in the water but guess
ed it was a long time when Dante’s skin on his fingers started to crinkle. Time to face the music.

  Finding the hatch open, they swam through and waded out of the shallow water holding hands. As soon as they were out of the deep water Tia coughed and spat the water out of her lungs, and projected for Dante to do the same.

  She rubbed his back and sympathised with him for the searing pain that always came as the air replaced the water, through the windpipe and over the vocal cords, which was why speech was difficult for a while.

  When Dante’s eyes cleared, they noticed a beautifully made up day bed with blood red petals strewn over it and the tiled floor. Freshly-cut flowers had been arranged everywhere making the whole room smell fragrant.

  Tia put her hand over her mouth overcome with emotion. Never had she had all this attention. Dante hugged her smiling, hey look, Mrs McNally thinks of everything. He walked over to a small table with a single red rose in a tiny vase. There was a Thermos which he opened and sniffed, Hot honey and lemon. The rest of the tray was covered in an array of salads and seafood, iced champagne and two flutes.

  Two fluffy robes were folded neatly on a chair. Dante passed her one whilst rubbing his hair on a towel. I think my first proclamation should be that you have to be naked.

  She looked at him slyly, what all the time?

  He drank her in, appreciating every inch; I’d never tire of seeing you like this. He picked up her hand and twirled her around so he could see every angle of her transformed skin.

  Her belly ached with a rush of emotion. He liked her strange markings and all the differences she’d tried to hide all her life. And my, did she like his.

  She sat heavily on the bed munching on a juicy peach. Seriously, what is the first thing you’re going to do?

  He dropped his eyelids. Sleep with you on that bed, and when we get too hot … get back in the water.

  She lay back against the pillows giggling. Your wish is my command.