𝔸𝕧𝕒

After about an hour on the road, we pull into the parking lot of a run-down church. Its red-brick facade is stained and crumbling and the property is overrun with sprawling vines and weeds.

"Well," Kami says, looking to Zane and me, "this is it."

I have to admit, the last place I expected to be meeting a human trafficker was at a church.

Finn's car pulls up beside us and he hops out with Morgan and Kieran close behind.

Zane lets out an exasperated sigh and gives my hand a squeeze before getting out of the car. Kami and I join the group, now standing in a half-circle in the empty lot.

"You lot good to go?" Morgan asks.

"Always," Kieran says with a smirk.

"We've got this," Finn says, looking to Zane as if he's talking to him in particular.

"Somebody's got to grab...uh...her," Morgan says, glancing in my direction.

Zane takes a heavy breath in and swallows hard, grabbing my forearm and closing his eyes for a minute. He looks at me with wide, sad eyes, as if to ask if I still want to go through with this. I reply with a small nod. Almost instantaneously, his expression morphs into a cold, lifeless one that I've never seen on him before. But I know this is him playing a role, one he knows all too well—the immovable Iron Siren.

He tugs me forward as we walk toward the entrance of the church. I know this is all just for show, but I'm surprised by how uncomfortable it makes me. It's not that my boyfriend is manhandling me, but rather than seeing them all so serious is just unnerving.

Kami knocks three times on the tall wooden door and a large, imposing man opens it. His broad shoulders fill the doorway. He looks like a bodybuilder, but his top half is twice as big as the bottom.

Somebody skipped leg day.

"We're here for Syllek," Kami says. "We have merchandise for him."

She tips her head toward me. I say nothing, since I've been instructed to say as little as possible and let her and Zane do the talking.

The man with the Hulk torso comes up to me and leans into the crook of my neck, inhaling my scent.

"Interesting," he says in a low, gravelly voice. "One moment."

He retreats into the church, shutting the door behind him as we wait.

"You're doing great," Finn's voice echoes in my mind.

The door opens again and Mr. No-Leg-Day stands before us.

"Syllek will meet you," he says. "But only two."

The group exchanges looks for a moment while I attempt to keep my head down and play the role of prisoner.

"Then it's me and my bodyguard," Zane says, looking to Morgan, who nods.

The big guy steps aside and lets us pass into the church.

"I should be able to reach your thoughts in there," Finn says in my mind. "If anything goes wrong, tell me right away, and we'll bring the cavalry."

I will.

We're led past dusty church pews and stained glass windows to a dimly lit stone staircase that heads underground.

Yeah, this is definitely the kind of place in a horror movie where you know everybody is about to die.

At the bottom of the stairs is a system of wide archways and tunnels, lit by electric sconces.

Not gonna lie, I was expecting torches. This is a very torchy type of place.

We follow the man into a large room at the end of a corridor where a man sits on a plush sofa drinking wine. He's wearing a suit with a loose collar and no tie. He looks young at first, but his splotchy skin and haggard appearance seem to reveal a man far older than he looks. His cheekbones are sharp and his sunken, pale blue eyes are haunting.

"Syllek," the man says. "These are the guests who brought you a Siren's mate."

Uh oh.

The plan was to say that they didn't know what I was, only that I was both immortal and human, but apparently they already know exactly what I am.

"A Siren's mate," he says in a slight French accent, standing up and setting down his glass. "How did you get her away from her Siren?"

"He abandoned her," Zane says, his face stone cold.

"A Siren abandoned their marked mate?" he asks, raising a brow.

"Precisely why she's a rare creature."

Syllek steps toward me like he's inspecting a product. Then again—I guess that's exactly what he's doing. I feel Zane's grip on my arm tighten slowly, but he maintains composure.

"Why would your mate abandon you, beautiful?" Syllek asks, grabbing my chin between his thumb and forefinger.

"I..." I say. "Because I'm sick. It wasn't what he signed up for."

Zane's piercing eyes meet mine, but his expression remains still.

"Sick and immortal," he says with a smirk. "You are unique."

He grabs my arm from Zane and looks at the tattoo on my wrist.

"And you're decorated," he adds. I try to tug my arm from his grip, but it's no use. He smiles and his eyes roam up and down me. "She's very attractive... and feisty too. Which is perfect. I have plenty of clients who prefer them... resistant."

Zane's jaw tightens, but he doesn't move or look at me again.

"And what are you looking for in return?" Syllek asks.

"Information," Zane says. "We want to know how the demons stopped the Siren birth cycle and how we can restart it."

"Well, you are correct in assuming I have your information, but why would I want to give it to you? A Siren—former Council no less—brings me the abandoned mate of a Siren. This is an obvious setup. She has to be yours."

"No," Zane says. "She's not mine."

He pulls off his jacket and T-shirt and his wings unfurl.

"See? Two wings. If she were mine, I'd have none."

"Hmm..." Syllek says, tapping a finger on his lips. "Then prove it."

"I just did."

"Hit her."

My eyes go wide. Syllek smirks as he picks up his wine glass and takes a sip.

"What? No!" Zane says.

"You want me to buy her, you want that favor, then prove to me this is not a trap. Prove that she's not yours. Hurt her. I don't care how."

"I'm only here because I need your help. I don't like it, but I'm here. That doesn't mean I have to participate in your games."

Finn? Are you still hearing this?

"I'm here," he replies in my head.

Tell Zane it's alright. Tell Zane he can hit me if he needs to sell it. I'll be okay.

"Ava, he won't."

"Yet you'll sell her to me? What would make you think my plans for her will be any better?" Syllek asks.

"There's a difference between knowing what will happen and participating in it," Zane says through gritted teeth.

"Or you can't bear the thought of hurting your mate."

"I'll solve this," Morgan says, his eyes wide when they meet mine.

He grabs my hips and pulls me toward him in a quick motion. One of his hands goes to the back of my neck and his lips are suddenly on mine.

I'm completely frozen, my every cell locked in place.

What the flying fuck is happening right now?

Morgan leans into the kiss. His lips are soft against my own but all I can think of is how insanely awkward this moment is. This is not how I expected this mission to go.

Risk of potential death? Sure! Sign me up. Risk of Morgan kissing you while your boyfriend watches? Uh... no thank you.

Oh my god. Zane is watching right now. He's going to kill Morgan.

Morgan takes a step back, one hand still at my hip as he breathes heavily. His blue eyes are wide and unblinking.

His dear-in-the-headlights expression fades as he backs away.

"There," Morgan says. "You think a Siren would let me live if I kissed his mate like that?"

Syllek looks to Zane, who hasn't moved from his position. His face is cold and indifferent, but I can sense a sea of emotion behind his eyes.

"You have a point," Syllek says. "Fair enough, I'm convinced. So you want to know what Leviathan and his demons are up to and how you can undo whatever they've done to Sirens."

Zane nods.

"Well, it's simple enough. They've cooled the volcano—Thera—from which you are all born. I'm not exactly sure how, some sort of scientific apparatus beneath the surface, but I know it can be manually shut down."

"And you're sure of this?" Zane asks.

"I am," he says.

"We're coming," Finn says.

In an instant, I hear a loud bang and what sounds like wood breaking. Zane's arms are wrapped around me like a shield as Morgan fights off both Syllek and his top-heavy guard with ease. More guards come bursting through the door, but Morgan sends them flying with a wave of his hand. Two more guards suddenly burst into flames.

Before I can even process what's happening, another guard is on the ground and a smirking Kieran appears on top of him.

"That's right," he says. "Cavalry's here, bitches!"