Siren Song

by A

  the wimpy little aspirin tablets that were all Bubba had on board, I was trying to think of

  anything and everything else. One thing was certain. If I was going to keep running into the

  demonic, I was going to need to take precautions.

  A light tap on the door distracted me. I pulled the lightweight cotton sheet over me for

  modesty‘s sake. A little late for it, all things considered. But hey, we were just going to pretend

  I hadn‘t flashed Creede, Dahlmar, and the entire siren navy as they‘d come to the rescue.

  Apparently, I‘d leapt right out of my bra when I went over the demon. Creede swears he didn‘t

  notice.

  Not even when he was handing me a towel to cover myself with.

  ―Come in.‖

  I rolled over to see who it was and immediately wished that I hadn‘t. The burns were

  healing. But it was slow going. I‘d had the last two shakes, to take the edge off of my hunger

  and make sure the humans didn‘t look tasty, but my body apparently needed more. Less food,

  slower healing. But there wasn‘t anything else on the boat I could digest unless I decided to go

  fully vampire. So until they finished hauling the boat into the harbor and found something I

  could drink, I was pretty much screwed.

  ―How are you doing?‖ Queen Lopaka stuck her head through the doorway. She wasn‘t

  wearing anything ceremonial, just a pair of faded jeans and a white cotton button-down shirt

  with the sleeves rolled up. She wore boat shoes, probably a good thing considering the

  splinters and worse that littered the deck.

  ―Been better,‖ I admitted. I probably still looked like one of the lower rungs of hell. When

  I‘d gone into the bathroom to take the aspirin I‘d scared myself. Second-degree burns on the

  face were not pretty. I was just glad I hadn‘t burned my eyeballs. I didn‘t even want to think

  how much that would have hurt. ―Be sure to thank Ren for me. I appreciate her calling in the

  cavalry.‖

  Lopaka smiled and I swear it lit up the room. Straight white teeth and dimples to die for.

  ―Yes, well, better late than never. You apparently did well enough all on your own. Although

  at some cost.‖ She sighed and lowered herself onto the edge of the bed. ―You must be in pain.

  And my condolences on the loss of—‖

  I dipped my head and sighed. ―Ivan. He was King Dahlmar‘s bodyguard.‖ The king was

  beside himself, though he wasn‘t showing it much. There‘s a point at which a bodyguard

  becomes a member of the family.

  ―And he died in the line of duty.‖ She sighed again. ―How do you want to handle this?‖

  ―I don‘t know,‖ I admitted. ―It‘s a complete clusterfu—‖ I stopped in mid-syllable, horrified

  at myself. You don‘t use language like that in front of a queen, no matter how appropriate or

  how casual the situation.

  She laughed, hard enough to shake the bed. Wiping a tear from the corner of her eye, she

  said, ―Yes, it is.‖ She looked thoughtful for a moment. ―All right. If you don‘t mind, I‘ll have

  my people handle the questioning of the remaining pirate. I‘m also going to have them

  investigate King Dahlmar‘s allegations of political tampering in Rusland. We have very

  stringent laws forbidding political machinations of that type. If indeed that is what‘s

  happening.‖

  ―You don‘t think it is?‖

  She gave me a long look. ―It‘s a landlocked country.‖

  I put two and two together. Sirens need oceans. Need them. But just because they couldn‘t

  live in Rusland, that didn‘t mean they wouldn‘t want to control the power and the gas. I started

  to open my mouth to say as much, but I didn‘t have to. She‘d been listening to my thoughts.

  Which I hated. I tried to stifle that thought before it got me in trouble.

  ―We have hospital facilities on the island. Your injuries can be tended there.‖

  I shook my head no. Hospitals had bleeding people. The smell of blood could make me very

  dangerous—particularly when I was hungry and injured. ―I appreciate the offer, but I can‘t.‖ I

  didn‘t explain further, but I didn‘t have to. Either she was still eavesdropping on my thoughts

  or she was bright enough to figure it out on her own. She reached the right conclusion and

  quickly.

  She gave me a horrified look. ―It really is that much of a problem? I saw you looking at

  Adriana‘s neck and you left so swiftly, but—‖

  ―Oh, it‘s a problem. So far, I‘ve been able to deal with it. It‘s better, easier, if I have some

  broth or baby food with meat. Or something with protein that‘s run through the blender. But no

  hospital. That would just be a bad idea right now.‖

  ―I understand.‖ She gave me a speculative look. ―I can arrange for the food. And if you‘ll let

  me, I can help with the pain and let you rest until it‘s ready.‖

  ―That would be lovely.‖

  She reached forward, touching me on the forehead. I heard her voice inside my head. Sleep.

  I slept.

  I woke to the smell of food: beef broth, French onion soup, and other, more exotic things that I

  couldn‘t name but that smelled of tropical fruits and banana. Opening my eyes, I discovered it

  was night. I rolled over . . . and it didn‘t hurt. For just a moment I reveled in the fact that I

  didn‘t hurt. The absence of pain was absolutely glorious.

  The boat wasn‘t moving. Well, it was rocking gently, but not like it was out on the ocean.

  We‘d apparently made harbor. Which explained why somebody‘d felt secure enough to leave

  several open food containers on the nightstand next to my bed.

  Vampires have terrific night vision. I didn‘t even need to turn on the light. I sat up in bed

  and begin tearing into the food. I was ravenous and most of it tasted wonderful. I skipped the

  fruit drink, though. I loathe bananas. I was just finishing the last drop of soup when I noticed a

  slip of folded note paper that had been tucked under one of the bowls.

  I unfolded it, to find a note.

  We need to talk, but Queen L. said not to wake you.

  We’re staying in her guesthouse. See you there.

  Creede

  I was glad they‘d let me sleep. Now that I‘d healed up and eaten, I was much safer to be

  around. But I wanted to clean up before I went out in public. The shower in the head on the

  boat was tiny but in working order. I dug up some toiletries and made myself presentable.

  Thankfully, some kind soul had brought my things down from the deck. It would‘ve been nice

  to have some fresh clothes, but unless I wanted to swipe something from Bubba, I‘d have to

  make do. Since the lavalava didn‘t have any blood- or food stains, that was what I put on,

  covering it once more with my jacket to protect my still red and somewhat tender skin.

  I sighed as I laid the empty holster on top of the bed. No point in putting it on. The gun was

  gone. That sucked. One of my knives was gone. That was even worse. But I was alive. Bubba,

  Creede, and Dahlmar were all injured, but they had made it, too. I was sorry about Ivan. But

  considering what we were up against, it was practically miraculous we‘d only had one

  casualty.

  I glanced at the clock built into the wall. One A.M. Most likely everybody else was in bed by

  now, but maybe not. Besides, having rested and fed, I was wide awake. So I picked my way

  through the disaste
r area where the mess used to be and made my way to the stairs and up top.

  It was a beautiful night. Not too hot, with just enough of a breeze to flap the sails on the

  boats that had them and rustle the leaves of the palm trees on the shore. Water lapped gently

  against the hull of the boat, and the clear white moonlight made it easy to see but also made the

  shadows seem that much darker.

  As I stepped from the cabin doorway, I saw one of those shadows move ever so slightly.

  Someone was trying very hard to remain unseen.

  I pulled my knife and charged, using vampire strength and speed. Before my opponent knew

  what was coming, I was on her and she was down, pinned to the deck with the edge of my

  knife at her throat.

  I felt magic building and I pressed down on the knife so that the tip dimpled her skin without

  drawing blood. ―Don‘t even think about it.‖ I hissed and bared my teeth to make the . . . point

  perfectly clear.

  Then my vampire sight kicked in and I suddenly realized she was just a kid. She couldn‘t be

  more than fifteen or sixteen. When I‘d hissed at her, she‘d let go of her power and lay still, her

  eyes wide as dinner plates. Her entire body quivered with fear. I could hear her heart pounding

  like a trip-hammer, her breath rasping. She was obviously terrified. But I didn‘t move the

  knife.

  I heard running footsteps and a voice called out from the dock, ―Princess, is something

  wrong?‖

  ―I have company.‖

  There was swearing and pounding feet. Three armed guards swarmed on board, shining

  flashlights like spotlights onto us. The kid beneath me started to cry. She was pretty, with

  exotic features—dark brown skin and hair that would‘ve been kinky-curly if it hadn‘t been

  kept cropped close to her skull. She was wearing a black sports bra and matching jeans. A gold

  belly button ring twinkled in the harsh light.

  She looked up and around at the people behind the spotlights and whimpered, ―My mom is

  going to kill me.‖

  ―Only if I don‘t do it first.‖ I smiled, deliberately letting her get another good look at the

  fangs.

  She swallowed hard and tears filled her eyes. ―Please don‘t kill me, Princess,‖ she

  whispered.

  ―Give me one good reason not to.‖

  The nearest guard was a tall woman. Her hair was cropped short in a buzz cut that should

  have been very masculine. But it looked good with her chiseled features and the seriously buff

  body encased in camo pants and an olive tank top. The loaded weapons belts were the perfect

  accessories. A small, embroidered name tag was affixed to the shirt. Marks on the tag probably

  signified rank. Her name was Baker.

  ―Okalani, what are you doing here?‖ she snapped.

  The kid didn‘t answer. Tears were trailing from the corners of her eyes.

  ―How did you get past the guards?‖ I added.

  ―Oh, I know how she got past us,‖ Baker snarled. ―And her mother is going to hear about

  it.‖ Baker gestured to an underling. ―Go to the kid‘s house and tell Laka what happened. Bring

  her back here with you. And send Martin to notify the palace. We don‘t need this to go over

  the airwaves.‖

  The second guard took off at a trot. I still hadn‘t let the kid up. The knife was still at her

  throat. I didn‘t figure she was out to kill me. She probably wasn‘t a threat. But I‘m not inclined

  to take chances, and she needed to be taught a lesson.

  Baker gestured and the rest of the guards left the boat, probably going to resume their

  positions. ―Why are you here, Okalani?‖ she asked.

  The kid blinked and snuffled. Tears were running freely now, but she didn‘t dare move to

  wipe them away. ―I wanted to talk to the princess. I want to know about the mainland.‖

  The guard shook her head. ―You had to know how dangerous it was. Word of what

  happened to this boat is all over the island. The queen provided the princess with guards for a

  reason.‖

  The girl tensed beneath me and even through her tears I got a sense of stubborn anger. She

  was determined. She had balls, too. More balls than brains, actually. Pinned to the ground,

  knife at her neck, and she was still going to argue. ―I want to meet my father.‖ There was pain

  in that simple statement, so much pain that I cringed. Because I have my own daddy issues. I

  still have nightmares about him turning his back on me.

  ―Not going to happen,‖ Baker said. Her voice was a little more kindly. Well, not kind,

  exactly, but less hostile. ―You know that.‖

  The kid turned her head, not wanting to meet Baker‘s eyes, and I had to pull the knife back a

  little or she would‘ve cut herself.

  ―Why not?‖ I asked as I climbed off of the kid and put the knife back in its sheath.

  ―Mom sent him away with my baby brother. I‘d be with them, but my mother thinks the

  mainland is too dangerous.‖ The kid snuffled again as she scooted herself into a sitting position

  and started digging in her pockets. She pulled out a tissue that looked a little worse for wear

  and began blowing her nose noisily.

  Baker squatted down so that she was eye-to-eye with the kid. I took a few steps back, giving

  them room. It was obvious the guard knew the family. Maybe she could talk some sense into

  this Okalani. Probably not. It was painfully obvious that the kid was stubborn and headstrong.

  But it was worth a try and Baker was making the effort. ―She‘s not wrong, you know. If the

  princess was a full vampire, you‘d have been dead before we could get to the boat.‖

  ―There aren‘t any vampires on the island.‖

  ―True,‖ Baker admitted. ―No werewolves, either. But there are on the mainland.‖

  ―I wouldn‘t be out after dark on the mainland,‖ the kid countered, her jaw jutting out

  aggressively. ―I‘m not stupid.‖

  ―And yet you‘re here.‖ I flashed the fangs again.

  My sarcasm was not well received. Well, not by the kid. Baker gave a snort of amusement.

  ―I don‘t belong here.‖ Wow, the despair those four words could hold. I felt her pain in my

  own chest.

  Baker shook her head. ―I get that. I do. Once you‘re an adult you can do what you want. But

  you‘re not old enough. Not yet. It may seem like forever, but it‘s only a couple more years.‖

  ―My mother doesn‘t want me to leave at all,‖ Okalani said resentfully.

  Baker gave a snort that might have been laughter. ―Of course not. She‘s your mother. Once

  you‘re of age, she can‘t stop you. Until then . . .‖

  ―I‘m trapped.‖

  God, she sounded bitter. Baker had been trying to be nice, but her patience was limited. I

  watched as her expression hardened, her gray eyes darkening to the color of storm clouds.

  ―Yes. You are.‖

  I turned away from the two of them, my attention attracted by movement on the island.

  There was a lit path into the woods—probably the same one I‘d walked earlier today—and

  someone was coming our way. I concentrated, deliberately getting my eyes to do the vampire

  hyperfocus. It took a few seconds, but I finally got it to happen. A guard was approaching,

  accompanied by a woman who bore a strong resemblance to Okalani. She had that scared-

  frustrated-angry look on her face that you see so often on the mothers of teenagers.

 
The guard on the path gave a call sign. One of the two on the dock answered. Once they‘d

  been given the all clear, the mother and her escort stepped onto the dock.

  I‘d moved away to stand at the railing and was only half-listening to Baker explain that I‘d

  thought I was being attacked. She told the siren that I‘d had a knife at her daughter‘s throat

  when the guards came on board and that because Okalani had broken the law by boarding the

  boat she was liable to be facing legal charges.

  ―She‘s very lucky to be alive,‖ Baker finished.

  Okalani‘s mother tried to hide it, but I saw her give a tiny, full-body shudder at what might

  have happened. Still, her voice was cold and controlled when she spoke to her daughter. ―You

  should apologize to the princess.‖

  ―Yes, ma‘am.‖ Okalani stood. I watched her take a deep breath. Gathering her courage, she

  walked past her mother, toward me. I turned and waited.

  ―I‘m sorry. I wanted—‖ She stopped, swallowing hard. The tears were perilously close to

  returning, but she fought them back. ―I wanted to talk to you and I knew they wouldn‘t let me

  see you. But I shouldn‘t have done it. I‘m sorry.‖

  ―I forgive you. But you need to be more careful. People have been trying to kill me. I

  thought you were one of them. Normally I don‘t hesitate when I‘m defending myself. You

  were really, really lucky tonight.‖

  She shivered. I hoped she was remembering the cold, razor-edged blade against her throat,

  the fangs, or both.

  It was important she remember. But it was also important that she get a chance to talk to

  someone about the mainland. Because if she didn‘t, she was liable to do something even more

  stupid than sneaking onto Bubba‘s boat. She was desperate. I understood because I‘d felt

  exactly the same way when I was only a little younger than she was now. I‘d gone looking for

  my father. I‘d found him with his new family. He‘d turned his back on me. I hadn‘t believed

  that was possible. I‘d believed that he loved me enough . . . and he hadn‘t. You can‘t protect

  kids from everything. But I‘d spare anyone that kind of pain if I could. ―Look, I don‘t know

  how long I‘m going to be here or what my schedule is going to be like. But if it‘s okay with