The black SUV glided to a stop outside the hotel. Flashes from cameras were already lighting up the night sky before Jinx even exited the car. Muffled voices shouted out questions. A hulking man in black stepped from the front seat and moved to Jinx's door. Jinx pulled her long loose curls over her shoulders. Her hair was a deep purple, so deep it had the appearance of being black, only when she shifted and it caught the light did its true color stand out.

The bodyguard pulled the car door open and Jinx was besieged with the lightening camera flashes as a tidal wave of voices crashed over her, dulling the sound of the city just beyond. A barricade of black suited men formed around her as she exited the car. Men with eager faces desperately pressed against the ring of muscular men, trying to capture images of her sapphire eyes, full, red lips and porcelain skin.

"Who are you dating?" a man called out.

"Ariel! What is the reason for you sudden success?"

"Where did you come from?"

"Ariel, how do you account for your single beating every record?"

"Tell us how you have the entire world spell bound?"

The questions cut across each other, becoming a tornado of deep voices and questioning tones.  The shield round Jinx guided her past the chaos of the paparazzi and into the safety of the hotel. Free from the storm, the men widened the circle, giving Jinx breathing room. The gray haired man behind the desk looked up as Jinx past. He gave a nod accompanied with a reserved smile.

"Good evening Ms. Song," he said.

Jinx turned her gaze on him, a sweet smile slipping onto her lips.

"Hello," she said, the words floating from her mouth, buoyed by soft lilting notes.

A dazed, glazed eyed expression entered the man's face and the smile widened. Before he could pull himself from his trance to move or speak, Jinx had followed her bodyguards onto the elevator. In silence, they ascended, the stone faces around her facing forward. At the top the doors parted and the group stepped off. At her door, Jinx broke from the group and unlocked it.

"Good night, gentlemen," she said, the hint of music notes wrapped around each syllable.

The stone faces softened and they stared at her with transfixed expressions. Jinx waved and slipped into the penthouse. Pale moonlight filled the spacious suite. Two story windows showcased a scene of New York city, glowing with lit up apartment buildings. A large living room took up the main section of the suite. Off to the left was a wide kitchen and dining room. Attached to the living room on the right was a full bar with bar stools.

Jinx sighed and pulled off her jacket, letting it drop to the couch as she past it.

"What do you think you are doing?" a deep, melodious voice said.

With a jerk of surprise, Jinx spun around, finding the source of the voice. Leaning against the bar counter, dressed in all black was a young man. His features were attractive, angular and ageless. His dark hair was pushed back off his broad forehead. His eyes. His eyes were a dark blue and seemed to change like the way shadows played on a dark blue of water. Jinx forced herself to remain calm and looked at the man with an innocent, helpless gaze.

"How did you get in here?" she asked, the words dancing over the whisper of music.

A smirk cut across Thorian's lips as he let out a low wry chuckle.

"Your tricks don't work on a Guardian, Jinx," he said.

Panic seized Jinx but she smothered it.

"I don't know what you are saying. My name is Ariel Song," she said, giving her voice as much strength as she could muster, music notes twisting between the words.

Thorian let out another soft, condescending chuckle.

"Don't try to play with me, Jinx," he said, unfazed by her voice.

Keeping her fear from her face, Jinx put her hands behind her back and twisted a section of the metal bracelet around her wrist. A blade of obsidian appeared. Thorian's expression hardened as he studied Jinx, the laughter gone from his face.

"Do you even understand what danger you have caused?" he asked, his voice like the edge of a knife.

Jinx flinched, the sound grating on her ears.

"In deciding to part from your kind you have threatened the safety of every Siren alive," Thorian said. "For what? So you could be adored by human kind."

His words were said with such a precise sound that they seemed to freeze the air in the room.

"I do not belong in that world anymore," Jinx said, finding her voice. "I made my decision to leave and left. That is the end of the story."

Thorian stood, his muscular body clear even through the layers of clothes. He took a step forward, the motion as flowed as if he were made of water. Jinx took a step back, gripping the dragger in her hand. He leveled her with cool gaze that held a look of disgust and contempt just below the surface.

"You were selfish in your decision," he said, his words a sharp slap to Jinx. "Breaking from the protection of the Guardians was senseless. Because of you Banshees have been tracking you. It's only due to the fact that you have been constantly moving you are not dead right now."

The name Banshee was said with a tone of such loathing, Jinx felt it to her bones. His eyes darkened like a cloud shifting over the surface of a lake.

"Though I wish you dead, as a Guardian I can not allow it to be my the hands of Banshees. For if they possessed your power our kind as well as human would be destroyed."

"They do not scare me!" Jinx said, forcing a level of conviction to enter her voice though every fiber of her being betrayed her terror.

"Then you are as thoughtless, immature and reckless as I assumed you to be."

Thorian took a step forward and this time Jinx did not retreat, her knuckles turning white as she clenched the blade, gathering strength from the cold, unforgiving metal.

"You are to return with me. Though we prefer you to be banished, as I have mentioned, your death would cause more trouble."

Jinx met his ice like glare with a fierce, fiery look that turned her blue eyes brilliant.

"I'm not going anywhere with you," she growled.

In one swift motion, she moved forward, raising the dragger, bringing it down to his neck. A strong hand engulfed her wrist and the feel of a cold metal tip touched the bottom of her chin. She glanced down to find Thorian holding a knife to her. He looked on her with an amused, condescending look.

"How cute you thought you would kill me." His eyes hardened, his handsome face darkening. "Do not try it again, or you will find how easily it is for me to kill you myself."

They stayed there for an intense moment, glares battling each other, blades inches from each other's necks.

The sound of a shout and a ear splitting scream broke the moment. Jinx screamed out in response to the shriek, the sound like daggers in her head. She collapsed to the floor, covering her ears, the knife clattering to the floor. Thorian seemed undisturbed by the sound. Gingerly, as if she were nothing bigger than a doll, he hoisted her from the ground. He grabbed her face with his hand and forced her to look at him, though it was hard as tears of pain streamed down her cheeks.

"Saylu," Thorian said.  

The word was spoken with a powerful, authority voice, and trailed by a note sharp and clear. The pain in Jinx's mind vanished. Before she was even able to steady herself, Thorian was pulling her towards the balcony. Jinx glanced back as another scream pierced the night.

A blast of cold air rushed towards them as they moved onto the balcony.

"Wait," Jinx said. "My body guards."

Thorian's face was tight with anger.

"Those men are dead," he said, coldly. "You have killed them."

Jinx's breath caught in her throat. Thorian dragged her to the balcony ledge and stepped up onto the stone wall, pulling Jinx up beside him. She gasped as she swayed, though Thorian's strong grip kept her from falling forward. Instinctively, Jinx wrapped her arms around Thorian's neck. She looked at him.

"We're not-"

"Yes, we are," he said.

She glared at him.

"I hate you," she said.

"The feeling is mutual."

His hold on her tightened then he jumped off.

**************

Hey!

So I wanted to write a story that brought an old myth to modern times. That's how this came about. Not a clue where it's going but obviously Thorian and Jinx will get together! It will probably be part romance, part adventure, as they fight Banshees and try to save human and Siren kind. Yup, that's pretty much all I got so far. I'll figure it out later!

Vote, comment, follow! Don't you want a Thorian? I know I do!

And though I know this won't be written for a good while what cover do you find the most captivating? I like the one at the top but also this first one. But which one do you like??