“This rule is to protect you more than the men. They go months without the feel of a woman’s touch and who knows what they’ll do with one walking freely on the ship.”
“You think they would hurt me?”
“Possibly. That’s actually the only rule I have for now. I never got your name.”
My cheeks heated. “It’s Sera.”
“Sera,” he tested my name and it sent an odd thrill through me. “I’m Steel, also known as Bloody Steel, and you're sailing on my ship The Sea Nymph’s Revenge.”
“The Sea Nymph’s Revenge? That’s an odd name for a pirate ship.”
“That’ll be a story for another time. My name didn’t sound familiar to you?”
“No, should it?”
“Never mind, just remain here while I go speak to the crew. I’ll post someone outside the door to make sure you comply.”
He left before I could say anything else and I looked around at my new living quarters. I hoped he didn't expect me to stay in here with him. It would be awkward since we didn’t know each other and even though he was allowing me to remain on this ship, I still didn’t trust him.
Bloody Steel.
He was surprised that I didn’t recognize his name, but I was certain I would’ve remembered something like that. It was an intimidating name, especially for someone who liked to kill others. He seemed civilized while we were talking, but what was hiding underneath his personable attitude?
I was disappointed in myself for not being able to tap into my siren ability. What should’ve come natural preferred to remain dormant within me. My dad should’ve made me practice it even though he frowned upon it. If these humans changed their mind and decided to kill me, I was incapable of protecting myself.
Instead of standing in the same place, I snapped out of my thoughts and looked around. There was a drawing of the ocean and local islands on the table that sat along the wall. I ran my finger along it and wondered where we were in this vast world. Which island had once been my home?
A pang of fear jolted through me. According to my dad, humans would ask for my death just like the sirens. Steel could be leading me into a false sense of security, so I needed to remain on my toes. I was tired from the stressful morning, but couldn’t risk taking a nap. Not right now. I needed something to ensure my safety.
After rifling through Steel’s things, I discovered a knife and tucked it into my dress. The cold metal wasn't as reassuring as I was hoping for, but it was better than nothing. There was a tiny, circular window that gave me a view of the ocean. The blue was never-ending and no land was within sight. The window didn’t open, much to my dismay. Fresh air would’ve been comforting for this stifling room.
I was tapping on the glass when the door banged open. My hand went over the knife as if it was visible through the fabric and Steel raised his eyebrows at me. He held out what appeared to be a thick dress.
“I brought this for you to change into,” Steel said. “Your piece of cloth is very exposing. This will be more appropriate for when you’re allowed on the deck.”
I took it from him and held it out in front of me for a better view. “This seems… heavy and hot. The dress that I’m wearing was made by my mom.” I picked at the silky, pink fabric. “It’s my favorite piece of clothing and the only thing I have left from her. I can’t part with it.”
“I rather enjoy you in that sheet, so feel free to stay in it while you’re in this room. It’s a nice view before bed.”
“You mean you’re sleeping in here too?”
“It’s my room, so yeah.”
“But I don’t even know you and don't feel comfortable sharing a bed.”
“Feel free to sleep on the floor then, but this is the only room where you’ll be safe. Nobody would dare come in here without my permission. That and there’s no empty rooms available.”
“The floor? You can’t be serious?”
“Dead serious.”
“I can’t be expected to stay in this hot, smelly room this whole time. I’m a siren. I need fresh ocean air to breathe eventually.”
“Feel free to leave the ship then. The freedom you seek is waiting for you overboard.”
“I can’t. Not until there’s more distance from the sirens who are looking for me.”
“Then, You have to abide by my rules while on this ship. Gregor will be bringing you some food in a moment. He will be your guard when I can’t be around.”
“Wait, where are you going?”
He paused at the door. “I’m going to take my place at the Captain’s Wheel. Change your clothes, and here comes Gregor now.”
Steel stepped aside to let a massive man with blonde hair into the room. He had a scar on his forehead and bright aqua eyes that reminded me of the ocean. A friendly smile was set on his face and it made his eyes crinkle from the width of it. Even though he appeared nice, his bulky muscles made me a little apprehensive. Once Gregor was in the room, Steel left and closed the door behind him.
“Hello there. You are a vision, but I would expect nothing less from a siren. I’m Gregor, Steel’s first mate, and I’ve brought you some food.”
He slapped down a tray of vegetables and some type of meat.
“What is this?” I asked as I poked it.
“It’s chicken. Haven’t you had chicken before?” Gregor was looking at me like I was crazy and my cheeks warmed.
“No, the only meat I’ve had is fish.”
“That ain’t meat. Eat it. You’re in for a treat.”
“Isn’t a chicken a bird?”
“Don’t tell me you haven’t seen a chicken either.”
“If I haven’t eaten it, why would I have seen it?”
“You really aren’t from the human world. Everyone knows what a chicken is. We keep some aboard the ship for fresh meat. Meat typically spoils on the sea and we get sick of junk.”
“Junk? You have such odd words.”
Gregor chuckled. “It’s the word we use for our beef. It’s very salty and hard to chew, but it’s satisfying. Chicken is a treat for when we’re about to pillage or port.”
I picked a piece off with my fingers and tentatively placed it on my tongue. Once the taste filled my mouth, I grinned. “This is delicious.”
“Good. Would you like me to hang out with you in here or stand guard outside?”
“You mean, I actually have a choice on the matter?”
He smirked. “And to think you’ve only witnessed Steel’s good side.”
“That was his good side?”
“Yeah. You wouldn’t be breathing if you met his bad side. He’s ruthless, which is why he’s the captain.”
I chewed on another piece of chicken. Steel’s nice side was rude, but he did say he was known as Bloody Steel. Humans must thrive off killing just like sirens. How could two completely different species both enjoy murdering each other so much? Death was cold and permanent. It wasn’t something to dish out so casually.
I never answered Gregor’s question about him staying in the room, but he lingered nonetheless and I hated to admit that I enjoyed his company. I wasn’t used to being alone and it didn’t suit me. The never-ending silence that loneliness offered was terrifying.
It wasn’t until I was finished eating that Gregor spoke again. “So, Steel says you’re a siren. You’re gorgeous enough to be one, but what would you want with pirates other than to kill us?”
“I don’t want to drown anybody. I only want to escape the other sirens who want me dead.”
“So, you board a pirate ship?”
“I didn’t know it was a pirate ship and I was hoping I wouldn't get caught. Now, it’s my turn to ask a question. Am I’m ever going to breathe fresh air again or am I going to be trapped in this room the whole time I’m here?”
“That’s up to Steel, but you definitely need to change first. My eyes keep going to your legs and I can only imagine how many men want to bed you because of them.”
Bed me? He wasn’t talking ab
out… oh. Oh. My heart sped up at the notion and I had to clear the lump that formed in my throat. If only I could tap into my siren’s powers then I wouldn’t have to worry about anyone trying to take advantage of me. Maybe I could practice on Gregor, but he was so nice that I didn’t want to betray his trust.
Gregor was saying something but I was no longer listening. My instincts kicked in and this was my only chance to practice because I felt more comfortable around Gregor than Steel. I didn’t feel pressured to succeed. I no longer wanted to be in this room and I wanted to hear what Steel and his crew were saying about me. The knife hidden under my dress was comforting as I waited for Gregor to stop talking and meet my gaze.
This was for my safety, not to kill and that was why I would be able to do it. I would use it for good, not bad.
Once Gregor’s eyes locked on mine, I spoke in the most melodic voice as possible. “Please sit in Steel’s chair.”
I almost broke my concentration when he did as I asked. I couldn’t believe this was working. As long as I was relaxed, the power within me came out naturally.
Once he was seated, I said, “Remain quiet and still as I tie you up. You’re not in danger so stay calm.”
Gregor’s body visibly relaxed as I tied his hands and feet to the chair. Once I was satisfied with my work, I left the room while he was still in a daze. It was a miracle that it worked and I wasn’t waiting around to see how long it’d last.
Chapter Three
The way back to the top deck was simple and I gulped down the fresh ocean air once it hit me. Steel was walking around examining his crew as they worked. I remained in the hallway as I watched him. Nobody was talking and Steel wore a harsh look that twisted his handsome face. His body was tensed as he moved and it made him look like an animal ready to pounce.
A huge, bald-headed man appeared out of nowhere, grabbed my arm, and jerked me towards him. “A pretty little thing like you shouldn’t be hiding. Why don’t you come join the fun?”
He dragged me until we were standing next to Steel. Steel met my eyes and shook his head.
“What part of staying in the room don’t you understand?” he asked.
“I thought you were discussing my fate, so I wanted to hear the verdict myself.” I kept my chin up.
“I say we throw her overboard.” The bald man’s fingers dug deeper into my arm.
“I can swim, you idiot,” I snarked.
“Stan, let her go. You don’t want to piss Poseidon off, do you?” Steel narrowed his eyes at him.
“Poseidon? He wasn't the one who created sirens,” said a dark-haired pirate.
I recalled him from last night. He was one of the guys getting the captain some food. Now, I realized it had been for Steel.
A muttering broke out about where sirens originated from and I was unable to hold my tongue. “Who are you to deny who created us?”
“The stories my Uncle Willie used to tell me always involved Persephone, not Poseidon,” the dark-haired guy replied.
“And is your Uncle Willie a siren?”
“Well, no, he’s a drunkard who spends most of his time in a brothel.”
“Then, his words hold no truth when compared to an actual siren.”
“But he learned the myths of sirens from the Greeks himself.”
“The myths of sirens. Not the truth.”
Gregor came running onto the deck before anything else could be said. He was breathing heavily and his eyes were wide. “Captain the girl is—”
He cut himself off when his gaze landed on me.
“Yeah, thanks for the heads up, Gregor,” Steel said with a hint of a smile.
Gregor stood straighter. “I’m sorry captain. I don’t know how she did it. She was in the room and suddenly, I was tied to your chair and she was gone.”
“Looks like you were telling the truth after all.” Steel turned his attention back to me. “Let her go, Stan.”
“I ain’t scared of no gods. What have they ever done for us besides try to sink our ship?” Stan moved me away from Steel and closer to the water, tugging me along with him.
“This is my ship and it’s still floating as you can see, so release her before I take your arm.”
“Are you sure you’re not going soft because of her pretty face?”
“Do you all remember what happened to Black Heart and his crew? They captured a mermaid and filleted her like a fish. It angered King Triton and he killed every person on that ship, except one. That way his message could be passed along to the next sailors who think about capturing a mermaid.”
“But she ain’t a mermaid.”
“She’s still a creature of the sea and her death could lead to ours. Remember what also happened to the crew on Poseidon’s Whore? I’m not willing to risk that. Is anyone else?”
A chorus of “no’s” broke out and Stan reluctantly released me. The look he gave me said this wasn’t over and it made my skin crawl. I reacted by moving closer to Steel.
“Seems as though you weren’t lying about what you are.” Steel clapped an arm around Gregor’s shoulder. “You, my friend, have just been bested by a siren.”
“Holy Hades, why are we all alive then?” Gregor asked as he faced me.
“What do you mean?” I raised my eyebrows at him.
“Why haven’t you forced our ship to crash and kill us all?”
“You’ve already asked me this and my answer isn’t going to change. I don’t want to kill you guys. I only used my siren voice on you because I felt like a prisoner and didn’t like it.”
That and I discovered it didn’t work well under stress, but I wasn’t going to let them in on that tidbit.
“Now that you’re not going to kill us and we’re not going to kill you, can you get back to the room? You’re distracting the men from their work and I like my ship to be cleaned with soapy water, not drool.” Steel turned a glare onto the men who nearly ran into each other while trying to get back to their stations.
“Only if you’ll allow me time out of it.” I crossed my arms.
“If you change out of that thin and exposing piece of fabric first, then you can come out while most of the men are sleeping. Maybe you’ll even get a tour of the ship.”
“Fine.”
I allowed Gregor to direct me back to Steel’s room, even though I wasn’t ready to give up the fresh smell of open water. He closed the door behind us and eyed up Steel’s chair like it was going to attack him.
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to tie you to it again.” I sighed as I sat on the bed. “I’m sorry about that by the way. You’ve been nothing but nice so far and it was wrong of me to do that.”
His gaze was still cautious as he sat in the wooden seat. “You’re nothing like I imagined a siren would be.”
“That’s because I’m not your average siren. I’m part human. It’s only a quarter but that’s enough to grant me the human weakness of compassion.”
“What are the other sirens like then?”
“Dark and evil. They enjoy killing humans.”
“I still don’t understand why you’re on this ship.”
I retold the story about being hunted by the other sirens. His mouth was set in a deep scowl once I was finished.
“That’s terrible,” he said. “But you have to know that humans aren’t that innocent either. People, like Stan for example, would rather see you dead than aboard this ship. So, just because you’re safer from the sirens up here, death is still hiding around each corner. That’s why Steel wants you to stay in this room unless one of us is with you.”
“Is Steel really as superstitious as he says?”
“Yes. It’s probably the only reason you’re still on this ship. He’s usually one to swing his sword before thinking unless it’s something that would anger the gods. He’s worried the Underworld is calling for him sooner rather than later. I wouldn’t try his patience though. He doesn’t have much of it and holds a short fuse.”
“Um… I have an awkw
ard request… I have to relieve myself.”
“Oh…” He cleared his throat. “That’s… we usually urinate over the side of the ship, but you’ll have to use the head. It’s where we… yeah it isn’t pretty in there so you’re going to want to hold your breath and be quick. We aren’t used to having a lady on the ship.”
Gregor’s cheeks reddened as he led me back out and he didn’t say anything as we walked. His shoulders were stiff as he moved and I could tell I wasn’t in for anything pleasant.
“That’s… um… it.”
It was a hole and smelled foul. I thought the room’s scent was bad but it was nothing compared to this. Nothing could ever compare to this.
Gregor turned his back to give me my privacy. My food threatened to come up, but it wasn’t like I had any other choice. I did my business as fast as I could and was—for once—happy to be back in Steel’s room.
We didn’t speak of the head again. In fact, Gregor could barely look at me as he excused himself to stand guard outside for a bit. With his absence, I crawled under Steel’s covers. They smelled of him and I was shocked to discover that it calmed me. My eyes closed, but it would only be for a moment because I couldn’t go to bed. Not yet.
***
Steel woke me up before I even realized I’d fallen asleep. He was climbing into bed while trying to push me over.
So much for me staying awake.
“What are you doing?” I groaned and still felt half-asleep.
“I’m coming to bed. What does it look like?” He grunted. “Move over.”
“Not with me you’re not.”
“Then, feel free to get out of my bed.”
He slid under the covers and that was when I noticed he was shirtless. I launched over him and toppled to the floor, bringing the blanket with me. It revealed Steel without his pants as well. There he was, in all his glory, and I shamelessly couldn’t look away.
“If you like it so much you should get back into bed.”
My cheeks burned. “No way. I’m staying down here and I’m keeping the blanket.”
He shrugged. “Suit yourself. It gets hot anyway so feel free to keep the covers. I don’t need them.”
The Pirate's Siren (Sirens & Steel Book 1) Page 2