Soul Breather (21st Century Sirens Book 1)

by T Stedman

  His phone rang. Shit. Dante. Fuck. He may as well get this over with. “Hello?”

  “Is she with you?” He sounded ruined – his voice almost gone.

  “Yes,” Jay answered.

  There was a silence for a few moments.

  “Can you tell her they jumped me Jay? I didn’t plan it, it just happened.”

  “Look mate, I was standing with her, she saw what she saw. It’s none of my business … I doubt it was just that.” His old friend surprised Jay. He didn’t rail or swear at him or threaten him. He sounded like the shit had been kicked out of him. But Dante did everything in a big way, so it stood to reason that if he fell in love then it would be hard.

  “Will you tell her?” Dante asked.

  “Of course.”

  “And look after her.”

  This really cut Jay to the quick. Dante was usually so selfish …”I will.”

  The phone clicked dead. Jay looked at the dead phone, as dead as his childhood friend. That guy had gone forever. With a heavy heart, he put his phone away.

  ***

  Every time Jay went to leave there seemed to come up a reason to stay. He’d barely said a word to her, but leaving her felt as hard as saying goodbye to your record collection or that favourite leather jacket. It just wouldn’t happen. And so he watched her mope about.

  Every day she would get up early, ride and help out with the horses. He would lie in his bed –not a morning person. She would take a book and sit on the swinging chair on the veranda. He’d work on his computer and on conference calls.

  Cash tried his best, give him his due, to organise dinners or barbeques to get Tia to loosen up. But she’d just grab something and take it to her room like a teenager. Fuck, he didn’t know what do with her or what she wanted.

  That evening, he sat, kicking back with a beer with Cash and Sean. Tia had gone to bed as usual and Sarah had gone too, as she was still in the first stages of pregnancy and got really tired.

  I’m going back soon, I want Sarah to have her check ups at home,” Sean informed them.

  Jay and Cash both nodded, as it seemed the natural thing to do.

  “I wish Tia would perk up before I go,” Sean said, directing his gaze at Jay.

  Jay looked sideways at Cash who was giving him the eye as well. “What?”

  “You can’t think of anything?” Cash said.

  “Fuck knows. I’m beginning to think I did the wrong thing in taking her from Dante.”

  Cash and Sean just rolled their eyes.

  “What?”

  Cash got up and grabbed another beer for each of them, then plonked back into his chair. “You never told us how you met her … I mean, it still amazes me how the fates work.” He pointed to Jay’s bracelet. “You were best friends with the future king and you cross paths with a crooked Protector, win his talisman and come into the path of a Siren.” Cash whistled and shook his head. “That’s some crazy shit right there.”

  Jay raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement and nodded. He had to admit that the coincidences that landed him in the Atlantean world were adding up. He took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. “It was a couple of years back,” he began, “I used to play a lot of cards. You see I had really good luck. I mean, I used to tell myself I was a clever poker player, but now? I’m not so sure.” He smiled ruefully at Cash and Sean who got his drift.

  Dannyl lived over in Shoreditch, East London. He had a little dive with a basement and bar. It was done out tacky – you know, like a Copa-cabana. I got there late, this particular night…

  ***

  The game had already started. Dannyl had specifically invited Jay as he’d taken all his money at another game the month before.

  He followed the black bouncer down the concrete steps, into the basement, past the little beach bar covered in bamboo. That was when he first saw her. She looked about sixteen years old, but she was beautiful even then. She was busy putting away clean glasses when she first flashed those eyes at him. They stopped him in his tracks. He’d never forgotten it. He had to snap himself out of his stare before he got caught out. You never let Dannyl know you liked something – especially if it was his.

  Jay sat down to the game.

  Dannyl was a rubbish player, so Jay had to let him win a few rounds so he could keep his temper and save face. But every so often Jay had to take another peak at the girl who worked away as unobtrusively as she could, until she was eventually finished.

  She took a last lingering look over at the poker table as she ascended the stairs and Jay couldn’t pull his eyes away.

  “You like my woman, Jay?” Dannyl said.

  Shit! Captured. But knowing Dannyl he’d clocked him all along. He decided to brazen it out. “What’s not to like? She’s beautiful,” Jay said, not missing a beat. He regretted showing his hand. He wasn’t sure what Dannyl would do to her after when no-one was around.

  “Hands off Casanova,” Dannyl said.

  The others round the table chuckled.

  “She’s just a baby.”

  Jay bowed his head slightly. “I wouldn’t dream.” But he knew Dannyl didn’t care two shits how old she was.

  Jay lost patience after she’d gone and cleaned Dannyl out soon after. All he had left was his jewellery and the club they were sitting in.

  Deciding to leave Dannyl on good terms after his whipping, he just took his jewellery. He put the bracelet on and wore it ever since …

  ***

  “Now of course it seems that was meant to happen all along,” Jay said, coming back to the present. “Why, I have no idea.”

  Cash and Sean both looked amazed.

  “Did you see her again after that?” Sean asked.

  Jay shook his head. “Nah. I sent out a few feelers to see if she was okay, but it wasn’t long after that we heard Dannyl was dead. I figured she was all right then. It wasn’t till months later I heard that a girl had been arrested for it. I didn’t have a clue it was her though. I didn’t see her again until she walked into my hotel a few weeks ago.”

  “Shit,” Sean said.

  “What?”

  Sean looked at Cash

  Cash understood immediately. “It was around that time that Tia got arrested.”

  “What, you mean it could have been over me? Do you know what happened? I never asked her, and she never volunteered the details when she touched on it,” Jay said.

  “The guy was the worst kind of bully. You were right. He didn’t care how young she was; easy to control, having no-one to look out for her. Fuck, it was supposed to be him.” Cash said, pointing at Jay’s bracelet again.”

  Jay’s heart began to sink as he could guess what came next. “What did he do?” he asked, bracing himself.

  “She didn’t tell me much. She’s closed mouthed about most things in her past, but she did tell me that when he wanted to take something out on someone he would tie her up and beat her.”

  Jay closed his eyes. He’d suspected as much, but hearing it put into words … “Did she kill him?” He hoped she did, and made him pay.

  “Well, she isn’t sure really, but I think she did.” Cash looked at Sean, and he nodded in agreement. “You see, she didn’t know of her powers then. She said one night he tried to force himself on her, and when he tried to kiss her, she said he froze, keeled over and died. Just like that, his heart failed. But instead of running, she called an ambulance and the police got involved and she ended up getting arrested. And with no-one to fight her corner, she ended up in a youth remand centre, which is where she crossed paths with me,” Cash said, smiling.

  “How do you think she killed him?” Jay asked, more curious than anything.

  “Just as they can breathe their spirit into a person, they can take a spirit away … when he locked lips with her, it was the kiss of death, literally.”

  Jay sat back and absorbed the info. It all made sense, and his mind flashed back to what Dino had said to him back at the hospital, when he’d first given him Elixir.


  He ran the stones of his bracelet between his fingers. Something, somewhere, had delivered this bracelet into his hands, so that when he met Tia again he could look after her. It was astounding. If you thought about it too long it would blow your mind, what with all the other implications of Dante, and the Dubonnetti, and everything else. He dragged his mind out of its tailspin. “You always knew what you were?” he said to both Cash and Sean.

  “Pretty much,” they both replied.

  “And you weren’t tempted,” Jay said, though narrowed eyes.

  Sean looked at Cash, who answered first. “Of course we were tempted. But we knew what we were, and what she was, and it would have been foolish to have even contemplated going there … It was easy for me to take on a more fatherly role.”

  “What about you?” Jay said directly at Sean. He noticed how quiet he’d been.

  “He’s right … I never went there. Look, shall we get back to deciding what we are going to do to perk her up?” Sean said, obviously not comfortable with the conversation continuing in that direction.

  Jay continued to look at Sean a while longer, but decided to let it go … for now. He sat quietly sipping his beer until he felt the two other men staring at him again.

  His eyes moved from one to the other when he realised they were waiting for him. “Look the only thing she likes is music and horses.”

  “That’s all?” Sean said.

  “Horses ain’t doing it,” Cash added, swigging his beer.

  They were like a bloody double act.

  A thought struck Jay. Today is Tuesday. He could probably get them here by the weekend. “Do you have a barn that’s empty, Cash?

  “I do.”

  “Can you get a few people together for a party this weekend?”

  “Sure I can.” Cash saw where he was going.

  Jay got up. “I’ve just got to order something online. It must be here before Saturday.”

  Cash and Sean clinked beer bottles.

  ***

  They arrived on Friday. Jay and Sean spent ages faffing, trying to put them together. They eventually enlisted an electronics whiz that Cash knew. Finally, by the Saturday morning, they were ready.

  They couldn’t fully test them without giving the game away, so Jay prayed that everything worked.

  “Go get her,” Sean said, when they’d finished.

  Jay found her curled up with a book on the swinging sofa on the porch. She looked so small and fragile at that moment. As if she were wasting away with melancholy.

  “Tia!” he said, as he walked up to her.

  She instantly shut her book and sat up. She looked on tenterhooks.

  “Can you come with me? I want to show you something.”

  “Okay,” she said, warily, as if she didn’t like the sound of it.

  Fuck, he hoped this worked. He was at a loss if it didn’t.

  He led her to the barn and threw the sliding door across. She walked in and looked at the bunting and balloons and hay bales arranged like seats, that he, Cash and Sean had spent hours arranging.

  Cash and Sean grinned and held out their arms to present the surprise.

  “Record decks!” She shrieked

  “Surprise.” They all shouted.

  She burst into floods of tears.

  ***

  She just stood like a baby with her hands over her eyes. She felt arms go round her – mmm, Jay’s, and snuggled into him crying all the more as the floodgates opened.

  “Fuck. Tia, I’m sorry. I thought you’d like it. I wouldn’t have done it if I’d known.”

  “I love it,” she said, between hiccupping sobs.

  “You what?”

  “I love it … it’s the nicest … thing anyone’s … ever done for me.” And she wailed again.

  “It’s okay.” Jay breathed a sigh of relief as he looked up at Cash and Sean. “She likes it.”

  She completely milked the opportunity to wrap her arms around Jay; it had been so long.

  Cash and Sean came over. “Come on soppy,” Sean said, laughing. “You’ve got to play tonight, Cash has arranged a party.”

  She looked up at Jay for confirmation. He just looked down at her and nodded.

  “Records?” She shouted. “What am I gonna do without records?”

  “It’s okay, I’ve ordered a selection of some of the ones I’ve heard you play – Sean helped. And I put in a few I like.”

  She wiped her eyes and nose with the back of her arm. God, she must look a sight. “I’d better practice.” And she broke away from Jay’s arms and began to ooh and aah over the crisp new twelve inches. She slid them out of their sleeves and treated them like they were precious. Soon she was cuing up and practicing in a world of her own.

  The boys left her to it.

  “Base. I need more base,” she shouted, as she dropped in a break beat.

  ***

  The night was a great success. Some of the older stable hands were even two-stepping to a dance classic by Masters At Work – much to Jay and Sean’s amusement.

  Lots of alcohol was being consumed and everyone was having a great time, even though, for the most part, those invited had never heard a lot of the music before. But as usual, Tia had her crowd in the palm of her hand, to do with what she would.

  Jay watched her with awe. Her skill was astounding. He couldn’t believe that he hadn’t known this part of her for so long. Music and rhythm was obviously at the very root of her being, and he could have kicked himself for not thinking of this therapy earlier.

  He watched as Cash managed to get her to play some old country music for the old folks, as he called them. She must have took pity on them as she gave in and played some records that Cash handed to her, and he could tell she’d never heard of them.

  Cash then took to the floor with a lovely flame-haired lady, who came in once a month to do his books.

  Sean, he noticed, was whispering and laughing while he sat on a hay bale with Sarah, taking the load off.

  Jay shuffled his feet awkwardly, with his hands in his pockets when he saw Tia making her way towards him.

  “I’ve handed over to Jeff,” she said, in way of explanation.

  “You wanna drink?” he asked.

  “Yeah, a long one.”

  They walked over to the improvised bar, rigged up by Cash. Just a few kegs with some pretty fairy lights around.

  “You played my favourite song,” he said.

  “Oh really, which one?”

  “Heaven. The Chimes.”

  “Aah, so you’re old school. I saw you moving to that. You’re a sexy mover.”

  Jay felt himself blush. “Oh I just shuffle around.”

  “No. Understatement is cool. Less is more, you know?”

  He laughed and looked into her face. She was radiant tonight, and he felt the familiar pull towards her. He also noticed that they’d subconsciously stood closer and closer into each other’s personal space. He kidded himself it was because they couldn’t hear, but they sipped their drinks at the same time as well. “Do you reel me in like you do your audience?”

  She looked up at him wide eyed and shocked. “Why, is it working?’

  He laughed.

  “What?” she said. “Seriously, I don’t know what I do to people.”

  He felt suddenly reckless. “You do something to me,” he said, quietly, leaning down so his face was mere inches from hers. “You really don’t know what you do to me?”

  Her lids lowered as she stepped in so her lower body touched him. “I know what I want to do to you.”

  The electric atmosphere was cut when Cash walked up to them with the lovely Miranda on his arm. Jay and Tia instantly sprang apart, but Cash had definitely noticed and flashed a knowing smile at him. Jay just scratched his head nervously.

  “It’s breaking up about now. I’m going to go in and make some hot chocolate if you want some?” Cash said.

  “Sure.” Jay said. He looked at Tia. “You can sort out your rec
ords tomorrow.”

  “Yeah, good idea. I’m knackered. Thank you both for a lovely surprise.” She kissed them both on the cheek.

  They all walked together across the yard to the main house and drank hot chocolate in the kitchen.

  Sean and Sarah had already gone to bed. Cash was next to say goodnight.

  Jay and Tia looked at each other wide-eyed when Miranda followed him. “The old dog,” Tia whispered, and laughed.

  They found themselves alone. It was quiet for a few moments. Jay broke the silence. “I’ve got to go back to London in a couple of days.”

  “Oh.”

  “I’ll probably take Sean and Sarah back.”

  “Okay,” she said, nodding.

  “Your father is assigning the Honourable Guard to stick with you now you’re alone and Sean and I have a lot on.”

  “That’s the army isn’t it?”

  “So I understand,” he said, quietly.

  She stood up, and so did he, not knowing what to do with himself. He sensed her disappointment.

  “I’d better go up,” she said, awkward all of a sudden.

  He nodded. “Tia?”

  “What?” she said, a little too quickly.

  “Nothing. I’ll come up as well.”

  They walked up the staircase and along the long landing with all the bedrooms in a row. Her door came first. “Thank you … for tonight,” she said, not looking at him.

  “You’re welcome. You seem happier,” he said, leaning down kissing her on the cheek.

  She didn’t look at him anymore and slipped in to her room.

  He stood there for a moment after she had gone in, took a deep breath and went next door to his room.

  ***

  She shut the door and leant on it, shut her eyes and took a deep breath. Why did he still have such an effect on her? She thought they were going to kiss. No, it was obviously one-sided. He must have been toying with her earlier.

  She kept replaying his words over and over: ‘you do something to me’. She was getting hot at the thought of what it meant.

  She kicked off her shoes and stepped out of her jeans and then switched the shower on, dial set to cold.