A Deal with a Siren

☽✪☾

His response sent a chill down my spine. My instincts told me not to, but if I want to live, what other option do I have? I was distracted by my internal conflict with his thick English accent.

"You're wasting precious time."

"If I agree, how can I be sure you're telling the truth?" His intense look made me dizzy as his eyes gleamed in the moonlight. He held us without moving, even though the siren colony was getting closer and the tide was shifting again. "You'll just need to have faith in me."

I retorted, "I have no idea what your name is." But how come he knows yours? I thought. "My name is Silas."

Silas.

"All right, Silas," I said, savoring the sweet flavor of his name. An inconceivable emotion swept across his face before it faded into obscurity as his eyes narrowed in reaction. "You can have my blood."

Alongside the menacing smile that revealed his long fangs, his feline eyes glowed with a predatory glint. I gulped hard. "Deal."

His webbed hand, which was gripping the back of my neck, quickly shifted into a position where his claws were gripping the corners of my throat. Silas nuzzled his face into the flesh of my neck, where the left side was exposed. His smiling lips made me shudder from the fiery path his touch created in the curve of my neck.

Silas' lips formed soft kisses that he deepened with his tongue as it moved over my skin. With a gasp, I instinctively put my arms around his neck and ran my fingers through his damp hair. With a snarl, Silas started sucking on my feverish skin. When I felt his fangs rip my skin, I let out a whimper.

I attempted to break away out of pure panic from his painful bite. His claws came dangerously close to piercing my cheek as his hold on my jaw grew tighter. My fingers pulled on his hair, evoking a groan of pleasure from him.

All at once, a surge of relief extinguished the embers of pain and replaced them with pure bliss. Euphoria overtook my muscles, which began to relax. Silas bit me sensuously, his lips delicately sucking on the flesh as though he wanted to relish every nuance of the way I tasted on his tongue.

Silas traced his tongue over the sensitive spot on my neck, then planted a gentle kiss in its place. The ocean's chill replaced the warmth his mouth offered against my skin. His eyes met mine, beaming with amusement.

As promised, he gave me the necklace and said, "Take this." With flush cheeks, I untangled my fingers from his hair and grasped the necklace, holding it in my fist. "Remain calm and relax your body."

I followed his instructions with a new desire to win his approval. When webbed hands clutched both of my thighs underwater, I shrieked in surprise. With a seamless transition, he moved my body against his. My arms and legs instinctively encircled his body.

He sang quietly, leaning in and placing his lips next to mine. "Take a deep breath and hold it, Kehlani. And don't let it go until we reach the surface."

"Okay." I followed his command and closed my eyes. The colony was closing in, its distinctive screeches echoing in every direction to disorient its prey: me.

The water felt like ice when I felt my head submerge under the surface. I cringed, my fists shaking from the freezing temperature difference. The charm was warm in my hand, reminding me of the strength it provides me. You got this, Kehlani; don't even think about it. Mind over matter.

Silas and I were penetrating through the tide with graceful ease. My ears started to ring from the water, invading them at the new speed we were going. We were going so fast that it hurt.

My lungs began to tighten; the breath I consumed was no longer enough to satisfy their ravenous need for oxygen. My ears rang and hurt, and I couldn't escape the pressure. As the water jarred my senses, the wails of the siren colony faded into the background.

I took a deep breath when we broke through the surface.

Silas let me go, my wobbly legs stumbling to stay up when I felt the ground beneath my feet again. I shakily started to walk out of the water, the shore right before me, and the beach house just about an eight-minute walk away.

I started to cry tears of joy and laughed. I was relishing at the moment that I was back on land, safe and alive. Silas had once again fulfilled his end of the bargain.

Silas...

I quickly turned on my heels to see him in all his glory. I gasped at his torso, which seamlessly transitioned into his long obsidian tail. The pale moonlight reflected a holographic gleam from his tiny black scales. His pectoral and ventral fins matched the color of his tail, their spiked webs having a tint of violet. In the middle of the crescent end of his tail fin, a long sword acted as a weapon.

Silas was frightening, just as he was beautiful.

Silas was hunched over with his head down, his talons buried in the sand as he held himself up. He was visibly shaking, his skin rippling underneath. My hand flew to my mouth in horror, and I took a few steps back, feeling helpless. All I could do was watch-my body was paralyzed.

Silas let out a groan as his back shot up. The black dorsal fin along his spine began to shrink and retract into his back. The skin on his back shrank, exposing the new tissue and muscles sewing themselves together once the sharp tips of his dorsal fin had successfully retracted.

The skin on his forearms began to split and peel, revealing crimson flesh free of scales. On the sand, blood spilled. The dark waves carried away the red tears. Silas growled and groaned as his body twisted and turned with excruciating cracks. His body becoming human sounded so unbearable that I shuddered at the torturous sight.

The scales on his tail gradually started to rip apart, revealing a pair of bloody human legs. The end of his tail fin broke down into nothing but blood and gore, abandoned and dismembered in the sand.

Silas gasped, his head snapping up. The gills on his ribs slowly stitched together to reveal smooth skin. His face scrunched up in pain as he parted his lips and groaned. His fangs began to shrink, completing the final part of his beautifully damned transition into becoming human.

Silas collapsed, his forearms now propping him up on the sand as the waves that washed along the shore lapped at his naked body.

I blushed, trying to avert my gaze from his waist down. You seriously can't be thinking about- girl if you don't approach him! He just saved your life! I carefully approached him, kneeling to his height. My hand extended to his shoulder blade. I gasped from the heat that radiated from his skin without having touched him.

"Silas, are you okay?" It was a stupid question, but my mind blanked.

"Yes." He nodded; his voice sounded raspy and deep. Silas found my eyes instantly.

I extended my hand to him, holding his intense gaze. Silas hesitated for a long time before giving in. Our hands molded into each other with an odd sense of familiarity. Weird... I cleared my throat, his feline eyes silently watching me with a stoic expression.

"Come on. Let me show you where you'll be staying."

•••

After a hot shower, I changed into an oversized sweater, shorts, and fuzzy socks. I walked into the kitchen to get myself some water from the fridge. I closed the fridge door and nearly dropped the glass. A warm hand gloved my own, preventing the glass from slipping out of my fingertips.

"I didn't mean to scare you."

The tiny smirk and devious twinkle in his dark eyes made me call bullshit. But I wasn't gonna let him know that I knew that.

"You're good," I whispered, his hold on my hands sending chills down my spine. His lips ghosted a smile.

I took in his human appearance. Silas was lean and covered in various inks. The black scales no longer coated his forearms and hands; instead, tattoos did. My eyes trailed down his inked torso. Of course, you wouldn't wear the shirt. I bit my lip, taking in his fitted, glowing body.

My eyes trailed down to his waist, where the waistband of the black sweats hung dangerously low at his hips.

Fuck, Kehlani, get it together. You just got out of a two-year relationship; entertaining another man is not the solution. True, but he would be one fine ass distraction. Kidding, sort of.

Silas squeezed my hands with his own as he chuckled seductively. His voice was smooth and compelling as he asked, "Am I better as a human to you?"

The intensity of his amber caused my cheeks to flush as our eyes remained locked in. "No, because you're breathtaking in any case."

With a nod, Silas gradually released his grip on my hands. His response made me whimper, as I was already missing his touch. Did I say something wrong?

"Thank you for your hospitality and the clothes."

"No problem. I'm grateful that you saved my life. Do they fit okay?" A mischievous grin formed on his lips. "What do you think, Kehlani?"

"What do you mean, Silas?" I stumbled out a shaky laugh. I began to backpedal, and like a lamb to the slaughter, he quietly walked forward, trapping my body against the counter. His hands gripped my hips as his fervent gaze held mine.

"I liked how your eyes were examining my body with admiration." He made himself appear almost innocently human by tilting his head. I tried to clear my throat as I flushed. I looked away from his tattooed chest. "So tell me what you think, Kehlani."

"You look good in the clothes."

"Just good?" He purred, and I couldn't help but say, "No, you look fucking fine regardless of who you are or what you wear."

He released me from his influence after nodding as though he was pleased with my response. "Very honest of you; thank you."

"Yeah, what's causing that?" He leaned back against the counter and cocked an inquisitive eyebrow at me. "Why is it that I felt drawn to you as soon as I saw you the other night? What the hell are you doing to me?"

"Are you acknowledging that you're attracted to me?" I gave his sarcasm a fierce look. His voice was taunting yet unquestionably seductive. His hand shot to his heart. "How are you sure it's not just you developing feelings toward me?"

"Because I was devastated after my ex-boyfriend of two years broke up with me. I still am, but when I see you, it's like... It doesn't matter anymore." But it does matter. I bit my lip in realization. "Is this how he feels about me?"

Silas shrugged, "I couldn't tell you how he feels. I can tell you, though, that he's better off as your ex, nonetheless."

"Why?" I asked him.

"No one can know about our deal; it's our secret. It would be more challenging if he were still around to keep this from raising his suspicion."

"True. Other than my blood and a place to sleep, what else did you want?" My attention to detail made him grin. "Very perceptive, Kehlani."

"You can call me Lani; my friends do." I wouldn't say I liked how he said my name-not because it was terrible, it was the opposite. Silas' voice triggered a reaction from my body that craved his touch and attention. I didn't like how easy it was for me to respond to him.

"But I'm not one of your friends."

Ouch. I swallowed the lump in my throat. I didn't understand why his rejection hurt so badly. He was staring at me thoughtfully. He tilted his head, his feline eyes narrowing slightly.

"I'm not one of your friends who will shorten your name for my convenience. Your name is beautiful and deserves to be said in full, Kehlani."

Wait a damn minute. So he's proposing to me at this point. Is Silas even real?

"Oh, okay. Sure." I stumbled over my words, and he laughed. "You're right. I need more than just your blood; that's only part of it."

"What's the other?"

"I need your help with breaking my siren's curse." I shook my head, unsure how he expected me to do that. "I think you're over your head with this one, dude. How do you expect me to do that when I barely know much about sirens?"

"You're lying," he stated smoothly. My heart pounded against my ribs, guilt amplifying its accelerating rate. "You're a practicing witch, aren't you?"

"I mean, not like the miracle-type shit and potions," I said, as his lips quirked into a humorous smirk. "Not every witch practices the same craft, and not every witch's craft is the same. Their magic is uniquely tailored to them; it's singing in their blood because it's a part of them."

I shook my head in denial of what he was hinting at. There was no way I had magic in me. I'd been normal all my life, with no signs of powers or special abilities. Why now? If now. His eyes held mine, their intensity undressing my entire being.

"There's magic in your blood, too, Kehlani; it was singing to me in the water."