The Siren and the Deep Blue Sea

by Kerrelyn Sparks

  She huffed. “You came to see me every month for four years, then disappeared all of a sudden, and you didn’t expect me to be concerned?”

  “No, I didn’t. I certainly didn’t expect you to come looking for me. Or bother the Seer because of me. I’m not your lost pet, Maeve. You want steady companionship, get a real dog.” He winced inwardly when she flinched, but forced himself to continue. “My welfare is none of your business. So go back to your own life—”

  “Brody!” Her brow creased with exasperation. “I was worried sick about you.”

  “Not my problem.”

  Her mouth fell open. She glanced around for a moment as if searching for answers. “I was so excited about seeing you tonight. And when I did see you, I was so happy that I kissed you. But then I slapped you because you made me worry so much—”

  “Not my problem,” he repeated firmly, even though the injured look on her face was ripping at his heart. He lifted his chin. “I have things I need to do, and you’re interfering. So go home—”

  “Why are you acting like this?” When he merely shrugged, she huffed angrily. “Fine! I’ll go.” She dove underwater, headed for the shore, and he let out a sigh of relief.

  Suddenly, she resurfaced and faced him. With a start, he realized the water only reached her waist now, and he could see the contours of her breasts, partially hidden beneath locks of long wet hair. Dammit! He spun around, putting his back to her. What the hell was she doing? Was she trying to seduce him?

  “We could at least talk a little before I go.” Her siren voice softened his heart. And hardened his groin. He didn’t know which was more dangerous.

  “I brought some food. And some clothes,” she continued. “Aren’t you hungry?”

  Goddesses, yes. Just knowing that she was standing there, her breasts exposed, made him want to grab on to her and never let go. He tightened his fists. “You should get dressed.”

  She made an impatient, dismissive noise. “We’re shifters. Occasional nudity is simply part of the process.”

  Did she not realize how seductive she was? Don’t give in, he warned himself. “I didn’t come for conversation. I want you to go home. The Seer told me your future lies at Ebton Palace.”

  “I don’t care what the Seer says. He’s rude and overbearing.”

  Brody winced. Apparently, he’d overdone his autocratic Seer persona, and it had backfired. “But you clearly belong at Ebton. You have family there. You have suitors. You’ll have a happy life—”

  “I don’t want those suitors. I have someone else in mind.”

  A pang shot through his heart. No, Maeve, not me. “I have work to do. I don’t have time for this.”

  “Ah.” Her voice sounded closer. “So you know I was referring to you.”

  Yes! His heart celebrated. But as he turned toward her, his mind flailed with one last feeble attempt to reject her. She had moved toward him, deeper into the water, although he could still see the upper curves of her breasts. “Maeve, I’m not the one for you. I never will be.”

  She halted, a pained look crossing her face. “We’ll discuss that later. Right now, I have something else I need to—”

  “My thoughts will not change. Go home, where you will be safe.”

  “I am not a child.”

  “I know that.” All too well. He struggled to keep his gaze on her face and not on the curves of her breasts. “But you’re not a soldier, either. So go home and be safe. Please. That’s all I have to say. Good-bye.” He turned and walked away.

  “I’ll be safe if you come with me.”

  He glanced back at her. “What?”

  “The seals have confirmed my suspicions. There is an island southwest of here. The Isle of Secrets. A perfect place to hide the Embraced army, don’t you think?” She motioned to the blanket stretched out on the beach. “So we should eat the food I brought, then start our journey. We’ll swim as seals, and you can even shift into an eagle to spot—”

  “No!” He stepped toward her. “I won’t let you get involved in something so dangerous.”

  She scoffed. “You won’t let me? I don’t recall that you have any authority over—”

  “Dammit, Maeve.” He moved closer. “You will not go looking for an army. They’ll outnumber you. They’ll have powers. They’ll want to hurt you.” He slapped a hand on the water’s surface. “It is not happening!”

  Her eyes narrowed. “And I’m supposed to believe you don’t care for me?”

  He hissed in a breath. “Look. I have my own plan for finding the army and dealing with the last of the Circle of Five, and—”

  “What is your plan?”

  “None of your damned business!” He glared at her. “I can’t carry out my plan if you’re interfering and making me worry about you. So go home!”

  “Why don’t you go home? Then I can go about my plan without having to worry about you!”

  He scoffed. Had she always been this stubborn? Once again, he wondered how well he actually knew her.

  She took a deep breath. “I can see you’re going to be stubborn about this.”

  “I’m stubborn?”

  “Yes.” When he continued to give her an incredulous look, she shrugged. “All right, we’re both stubborn. So you should go ahead and pursue your plan, and I’ll pursue mine. I can ask the seals to go with me. Good luck to you.” She sank underwater and shifted into a seal.

  “Maeve!” She swam by him, but he leaped on top of her, grabbing hold of her to stop her from leaving.

  She wiggled, trying to break loose, but he held on tight, lifting her head above water so she would be able to breathe.

  “Listen to me,” he begged her. “Don’t do this!”

  She shifted back into human form, her hair dangling in wet locks down her face. “Let me go!” She shoved at his chest.

  He pulled her closer, then froze when her naked body collided with his own. Holy goddesses.

  She gasped, and the quick intake of air pressed her breasts against his chest. “Brody?” Between strands of hair, she peered up at him.

  “Yes.” He gently swept her hair back so she could see.

  “Let me go,” she whispered.

  “I did.”

  “Oh.” She glanced at his chest, where her hands were still resting. With another gasp, she lifted her hands and stepped back, putting a few inches between them.

  When her gaze met his, the last remnant of his resistance wavered. Don’t touch her. Don’t—To hell with it! He leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers.

  She made a small sound, halfway between a sigh and a groan, but it roared through him, destroying the last of his resolve. He pulled her into his arms and claimed her mouth. Maeve. My beautiful Maeve.

  And she was kissing him back! She wrapped her arms around his neck as her body melted against his.

  Maeve. His kiss became more desperate. More ravaging. He’d wanted her for over four years. He’d admired her—hell, he had worshipped her from afar as she’d grown into a beautiful woman. And here she was, opening her mouth to him, letting him inside. Letting his hands roam down her back, over the contours of her narrow waist and the flare of her hips.

  Heat rushed to his groin, making him grow hard against her flat belly. Damn! He grabbed her hips and pushed her away as he stiffened with an erection.

  “What . . . ?” She gave him a dazed look, her lips pink and swollen from his kiss.

  He groaned inwardly. How could he explain his predicament to sweet, innocent Maeve? She really would think he was an animal. “I-I shouldn’t have—”

  “Don’t.” She stepped back, raising her palms in a stopping motion. “That was my first real kiss. Don’t ruin it for me.”

  He winced. But he had ruined it. He shouldn’t have kissed her, not when he couldn’t have a future with her. “Maeve—”

  “Don’t you dare act like you regret it!” Tears glimmered in her sea-green eyes, and the sight wrenched at his heart.

  He took a de
ep breath. Maybe it would be better if he changed the subject. “Will you go home as I asked?”

  She closed her eyes briefly with a pained look. “Were you trying to coerce me? Is that why you kissed—”

  “No!” Shit, he’d just made things worse. Now she must think he was a monster. “There was no ulterior motive involved. It was nothing more than . . . lust.” And longing.

  Her eyes widened. “You feel lust for me?”

  “Well, yes. A little.” He waved a dismissive hand. “At the moment. Any man would. You’re naked. And you’re the most beautiful woman in all of Aerthlan.”

  She gave him a dubious look. “I’ve never heard anyone else make that claim.”

  “Believe me, the men are thinking it,” he growled. “They all want you, I’m sure of it.” The bastards. “So don’t you dare shift in front of anyone else. Understand?”

  A corner of her mouth curled up.

  Why the hell did she look so amused? “This is not a jest, Maeve. You may think that getting naked is simply part of the shifting process, but to any man it’s going to be damned seductive. So be careful. All right?”

  She bit her lip as if she was trying not to grin.

  Dammit, she still wasn’t taking him seriously. “You don’t understand the power you wield as a siren. When you sing, men will cross oceans to hear the sound of your voice. When you laugh, they will lose their hearts to you.”

  Her smile faded as a wary look crossed her face.

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “I feel that I do need to apologize for getting carried away. Are you all right now?”

  She groaned. “I’m fine. And you shouldn’t apologize. As far as first kisses go, I thought it was rather nice.”

  “Nice?” Hell, he’d never gone stiff so quickly in his life.

  “I would say glorious, but then I have nothing to compare it to.”

  His groin sprang back to attention, urging him to give her a full range of samples for her comparative analysis. Control yourself, you dog. “So, will you go home?”

  “No. Will you tell me your plan so I can help you?”

  “No.” He couldn’t let her find out that her parents had started the Circle of Five.

  She sighed. “We seem to have reached an impasse.” When she folded her arms across her chest, the movement lifted her breasts a little bit.

  He gulped and looked away.

  “You fussed at me that I would be no match for an Embraced army,” she muttered. “But neither are you. It’s too dangerous for you to take this on by yourself. What if they capture you? How will we know where to find you?”

  He didn’t want to explain that he would be safe as long as he was disguised as the Seer. But still, she had a point. As soon as he discovered the whereabouts of the Embraced army, he needed to let Leo and the other kings know. If Maeve was correct, and the army was hidden on another island, he could fly to the Isle of Moon quickly enough that no one would miss him. “All right. You can help me.”

  Her eyes lit up. “How?”

  “Remain here at the convent. If all goes well, I’ll come tell you the location of the Embraced army. Then you can have Nevis take the news back to Leo.”

  Her shoulders slumped. “That’s it?”

  “I’m counting on you. It would take too long for me to fly all the way to Eberon.”

  She nodded slowly. “When do you think you’ll come?”

  “I’m not sure. Sometime in the next few days. I’ll probably have to sneak over here in the middle of the night.”

  She sighed. “Very well.”

  “Thank you.” He stepped back, memorizing every curve and angle of her beautiful face, her sea-green eyes shimmering in the light of the full moons, her creamy pale skin and midnight-black hair. “Please stay safe.”

  She gave him a wry look. “Careful, or I might think that you care.”

  He winced inwardly. “I’m only thinking about myself. I don’t want any distractions while I’m working.”

  Her mouth curled up. “Right.”

  Was that a hint of sarcasm? He’d better get the hell out of here. “Good-bye.” He turned, and as he shifted into a seal, he heard her sweet voice calling out to him.

  “Be safe, Brody.”

  He swam around the bend and slid up onto a rocky shore. Then he shifted into an eagle and flew away. As he passed over the convent, he heard her singing. Her siren voice was so beautiful, so alluring, it made his heart ache. It was the same song she had sung the first day he had met her.

  “My true love lies in the ocean blue. My true love sleeps in the sea. Whenever the moons shine over you, please remember me. My lonesome heart is torn in two. My grief runs deep as the sea.

  Whenever the waves roll over you, please remember me. Please remember me.”

  Ah, Maeve. How could he ever forget her?

  * * *

  How could she ever forget that kiss? Maeve lay back on the blanket, looking up at the stars while she let the memory sweep over her once again. Brody had actually kissed her! And with so much passion. Heat flooded her face and she pressed her hands against her cheeks.

  It had been glorious. That was, until he apologized. Dammit!

  She sat up. Did he really regret it? Just the thought made her angry. And why had he purposefully been so rude? She hadn’t expected that. He may have ignored her in the past, but he’d never been rude. She’d been so sure that he would go with her to the Isle of Secrets that she’d even left a note in her room to inform the sisters of her upcoming trip.

  But the meeting had not gone at all as she had hoped it would. After Brody had left, she’d wandered onto the beach. Missing him already, she’d sung the Song of Mourning while she’d put on her gown. The basket of food and men’s clothing sat there unused. He’d refused to eat with her.

  But he’d kissed her!

  He’d refused to travel with her.

  But he’d kissed her!

  He’d refused to share his plan with her.

  But he’d kissed her! With a groan, she’d plopped down onto the blanket and reached for the basket.

  Now, an hour later, she’d finished most of the food and half a bottle of wine, but she was still confused. Brody had kissed her with passion as if he truly cared for her. He’d begged her to stay safe as if he truly worried about her.

  But he’d been rude to her, too. Rude and overbearing just like the Seer.

  She shook her head. That meeting with the Seer still had her perplexed. He’d moved like an old man who could barely walk, but then, when he’d thought he was out of sight, he’d hurried toward his cottage with the stride of a healthy young man.

  Then there was the fresh grave, just like the one she’d seen in her dream. Whom had Brody buried? As far as she knew, there was only one inhabitant on the Isle of Mist.

  Her breath caught, and a chill crept down her spine. If the Seer was dead, then who . . . ?

  No, not possible. Brody wasn’t capable of taking on a human shape.

  Or was he? There had been a moment when the Seer’s eyes had reminded her of Brody’s. And then something Brody had said: “When you sing, men will cross oceans to hear the sound of your voice. When you laugh, they will lose their hearts to you.” Hadn’t the Seer said the same thing?

  She jammed the cork back into the bottle of wine. She’d drunk too much. Her mind was cooking up some strange ideas.

  With a sigh, she stashed the bottle back in the basket. In a few nights, she would have to camp out at this beach all night to see if Brody returned with information. Dammit, she’d wanted to do more than just pass on information to Nevis.

  How did Brody know that Nevis was here? The Seer must have told him. Or if he was the Seer . . .

  “Aargh.” She lowered her head and pressed her palms against her temples. This was too frustrating. How could she wait here doing nothing? Knowing nothing?

  But Brody was counting on her being here when he returned in a few days.

  A few days . . .
/>   She sat up, her mind suddenly clear. In a few days, she could find the Isle of Secrets herself and come back here.

  Her heart raced as she rose to her feet. Did she dare do it?

  Brody’s last plea that she keep herself safe echoed in her mind. No matter how hard he’d tried to push her away with his harsh words, she didn’t want to believe him. If actions spoke louder than words, then his kiss had been the true portrayal of his feelings. He did care for her. That’s why he wanted her to be safe.

  But as long as she remained in seal form surrounded by her seal friends, wouldn’t she be safe? If the Sea Witch or an Embraced soldier spotted her, they would simply think she was one seal out of many.

  She could do this! She didn’t have to follow orders from Brody. Or the Seer. Or her sisters. She could make her own decisions, dammit. And pursue her own destiny.

  My darling dears! she called mentally to her friends as she pulled off her gown. Will you come with me to the Isle of Secrets?

  They yipped in agreement, then slid off the flat rock as she strode into the water.

  In just a few seconds, she’d shifted. Let’s go!

  Chapter 7

  “What do you mean she’s missing?” Nevis asked the next morning when he arrived at the convent for breakfast. “We’re on an island. Where could she go?”

  “Out to sea.” Mother Ginessa handed him a folded note. “We found this in her room this morning.”

  Nevis opened the scrap of paper.

  I’m taking a long swim with my seal friends. Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon. Maeve

  “What the hell—oh, no offense, my lady.” He read the note again while the nun waved a dismissive hand. “A long swim? Does she do this sort of thing often?”

  Mother Ginessa shook her head. “No. That’s why we’re worried.”

  Dammit to hell. He had one job, watch over Maeve, and he’d completely screwed it—no, he had two jobs. He was supposed to meet Queen Esther, too. But now he’d failed miserably on both counts. “I take it she swims well?” Surely, she would be safe.

  Mother Ginessa sighed. “I suppose she does, but . . .”