The stench of sweat, beer, and vomit got worse with every step he took towards the lake. Someone was on his land, and it excited the monster that there was something fresh to hunt while the man inside the beast was sickened by it all.

A man stood at the edge of the lake with a dazed look on his face. He was about to lunge at him when he heard them. The three Sirens and a Mermaid bickering over who got to kill him.

"Our song lured him here, we should get to kill him!".

"You got to kill the last one".

In daylight, they were plain, middle-aged women, but at night they were gorgeous, vain, vicious creatures who had killed more than one man. The Sirens would lure a weary traveller with their song. He would run through the forest like a man possessed just to see them.

So mesmerized by their pale skin, long golden hair, and cherry lips, he wouldn't notice their huge wings with feathers blacker than coal or their long sharp claws that were ready to tear him apart.

An argument between them and the Mermaid would break out on how to kill the bewitched fool, every single time. They wanted to eat him alive, while she wanted to drown him.

This pathetic shell of a man was their prey and they would not let him poach it from them. The last time he'd tried he almost got clawed to pieces.

He reluctantly retreated and went on the prowl for something new to hunt. If he were lucky then more than one man had heard their song and had been lured to the castle.

~~~~

Lucas body ached. He just wanted to sleep, but that was impossible with Mrs. Marcus outside his bedroom door demanding that he unlock the door. Lucas would normally, just put a pillow over his head and block her out, but the urgency in her voice forced him to get out of bed.

He unlocked then opened the door half asleep and irritated.

"Andrew went to fetch Miss Cranbrown for breakfast, but she wasn't in her room," Mrs Marcus babbled. Her cheeks flushed from darting from one end of the castle to the other. "But he swears that Anna was in there and you know what she can be like".

Lucas let out a loud sigh. Mrs. Marcus stood there nibbling on her bottom lip, waiting for him to say something.

"You and Grattle search the castle don't let the others know anything is wrong," Lucas ordered his voice calm and collected. "I'll search the green houses, the lake and the rest of the grounds".

'What about the forest?" Mrs. Marcus asked while he searched for a shirt.

"If we don't find her here I'll take Andrew to help me search it. He knows it better than anybody else!" Lucas declared his mind racing with a hundred different possibilities as to where Helena could be.

The fact Anna was in her room left him unsettled he loved her, but he knew what she was capable of when she was jealous. It was petty jealousy that had gotten them in this unending nightmare to begin with.

~~~~

The greenhouses were empty a part from the roses that continued to thrive long after the rest of the flowers had withered and died. The roses were Anna's favourites she had tended to them every day she had been at the castle.

It had begun to pour down with rain the moment he stopped searching the last greenhouse and had gone outside. All Lucas wanted to do was go inside and have a cup of tea. But instead he was traipsing down to the lake hoping that Helena was there.

The castle was a large place it was possible she was in one of the rooms, but Lucas didn't think she was and he had no idea why he thought it.

It wasn't difficult to spot her. She was half way between the greenhouses and the lake, spinning around in the rain. Her red dress drenched and clinging to her body.

"What are you doing?" Lucas demanded his arms folded across his chest. Helena didn't seem startled by him as she spun around to face him, in fact, she was grinning.

"I'm enjoying the rain!" Helena called out loudly to make herself heard over the rain. "Dance with me?".

Lucas looked at her like she had lost her mind. He didn't dance and if he did, it wouldn't be in the rain. She was in good spirits, there was no way she'd be that way if she'd had a run-in with Anna.

"Breakfast is ready, come back to castle!". He was tempted to say "Come back to with castle with me," but that sounded too friendly in his head. He had reminded Andrew more than once that it was no good getting attached to someone that was bound to leave sooner or later.

"Has anyone ever told you that you need to relax and just enjoy the moment?" Helena asked as she began walking towards him. She was still smiling and Lucas found it strange that anyone could be so happy in such miserable weather.

"No".

"I find that really difficult to believe," Helena replied. "Race you back to the castle!". She sprinted towards the castle before Lucas had a chance to reply.

The competitive side of him reared its ugly head and he couldn't or wouldn't allow himself to be outrun.

She was fast on her feet, he would have to give her that, but he was quickly gaining pace. The beast inside found the whole thing exhilarating. It fueled his aching and tired body to run faster until he was in front her.

His home was so close. It was strange to have someone running towards it rather than running away from it and him.

Author Note

I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Do you agree with Helena about Lucas needing to lighten up?

I've finally decided what song fits Lucas, Demons by Imagine Dragons.

Haven't figured out what song fits Helena yet.

And for anyone interested I have a graphics book that will contain stuff either made by me or others for The Kanefire Curse. It also has Premade covers available for others.