Among Demons : A Siren's Voice

Ch. 10 : Your Melodic Laughter

*Nick Carnia*

I sat in the car in complete silence, still stunned by what I had seen when I walked into the store. My mind replayed the moment I locked eyes on Lora, over and over again and the same heated rush I felt spread over my body hit me everytime I pictured it.

Dev had texted me and asked if I was free to help Lora out with her shopping, which I readily agreed to as I jumped into my car and made my way over to them. I had found it amusing that Devin, my ever impatient sister, was actually enjoying herself while out shopping.

Especially when she normally complains about Nyla or Sammy when they drag her along with them. Though her annoyance comes from both of them basically wanting to play doll with my sister and making her try on hundreds of things from many different stores. Yet here she was, smiling like the dork she is while she passed on the load of bags and things that Lora had already bought.

I had been about to tease her and threaten to tell Nyla and Sammy about it when I heard the sharp sliding sound of a curtain moving and turned to look.

My entire body locked onto the very floor I stood on, facing the small hallway that led to the few changing rooms the shop provided. The archway was wide and allowed for my sister and I to stand at the entrance with a clear view to the large mirror at the end of it. I watched Lora step out from the curtained door of the changing room next to this mirror, and the warm rush that spilled over me made my eyes widen as I stared at her.

The shimmering silver dress looked to have been made for her perfectly, hugging her body gently and swishing around her legs as she twirled around in front of the large mirror. The touches of black around her neck, in her hair and on her ears made her look elegant yet playful, with the long earrings swinging around as she spun. The bright smile I could see on her face made me shiver for some reason and my mind went blank as I saw her look up at her own reflection. Her ringed eyes practically glowed with her smile and the next second I had to open my mouth and try to swallow, quickly realizing that my mouth had gone dry somehow.

She turned to face us when my sister moved from standing on my left side to my right and her cheeks flushed delicately with embarrassment. I didn’t hesitate to show her what I thought of the dress, or her in it for that matter. Though I did try to hide my obvious attraction to her a little, not wanting to freak her out. My sister soon started to shove me away and I, ever the perfect flirt that I am, looked back at Lora and gave her two thumbs up as if I were rating the dress. Also tossing in a stupid grin along with it before I was finally shoved completely out of view.

And now I sat in my car, banished by my sister, as they continued to shop.

It made me smile as I watched them walk around between stores, seeing the smiles they shared with each other. It also made my own heart swell when I caught sight of my sister looping her arm through Lora’s when they were finally done shopping.

My sister, with all the torment and pain from a past that I know still haunts her, had clearly taken to Lora quickly. Something about the Siren seemed to click with my sister, though them both being Demons probably helped a lot. Yet seeing it now, as they slowly walked towards me with a few more bags hanging from their arms, made me smile widely. I jumped out of my car a moment later, helping them with the bags they carried while my sister continued on with a story I instantly remembered.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” I cut in as they took their seats behind me in the car. “Let's not finish that story there.” I glared at my sister through the rearview mirror.

Devin smiled mischievously, giving me that bratty little look she always gave me when I tried to stop her from causing trouble… or block her from embarrassing me.

“But it’s such a precious childhood memory.” She taunted, glancing at Lora with a wink.

“Dev…” I warned, pulling onto the main road that led us out of the Village.

“Oh, C’mon Nicky…” She pouted at me for a moment, then looked at Lora who also nodded and mouthed out her plea.

I nearly jerked the car onto the sidewalk when I caught Lora’s wide ringed eyes and pout. I had to force myself to swallow the sudden overflow of saliva in my mouth and had to pull myself away. A part of me was stunned that her puppy-eyes were actually affecting me, especially when neither Nyla nor my sister had ever had any affect on me. Her pout even added to those wide, glowing ringed eyes and I shook my head hard, grateful that we were stopped at a red light. But the image continued to pop up into my mind as I drove, no matter what other things I tried to focus on.

So I sighed, glancing back at my sister with a defeated expression and nodded.

She raised her eyebrows in surprise and sat up straighter before turning to Lora with a big grin.

“So, anyway…” She called on Lora’s attention and I turned back to the road, turning up the music and focusing on the lyrics.

I didn’t want to relive that embarrassment through my sister's retelling, so I muttered along to the changing songs, forcing myself to focus on only the music as I continued to drive through the city. But I could still hear bits and pieces of my sister's voice, pulling on one of the memories I so badly wanted to erase from existence.

By the time I was pulling into the Secondary Office parking lot, my face was red from embarrassment and my sister was practically laying back in the back seat. Her arms were holding her sides and tears gathered in the corners from how hard she was laughing. And Lora, she was trying so very hard not to continue laughing, biting her lips together and fake-coughing as I turned off the car. I turned back to find her face flushed with effort and her eyes glittering with humor.

“Go ahead.” I huffed, feeling even more defeated. “I know you want to…”

A tiny giggle left her. Then another. And one more. But when my sister tried to sit up, still laughing, and ended up snorting like a pig, Lora lost control and folded over with peels of laughter shaking her body.

I sat up a little more at the sound of her joy-filled laugh, my eyes going wide as I realized what it meant. My sister sat up a moment later, still breathing hard, but no longer cackling like a maniac. Her eyes were still filled with happiness but they were focused on Lora who was still bent forward. We glanced at each other and our smiles grew, a knowing look passing between us before we refocused on the still laughing Lora.

When she glanced up at us her body stopped shaking and her laughter faded into giggles before halting altogether. And a second later, her eyes silently questioned why we were staring at her.

“Your laugh.” I began, curving my body around my own seat to look at her better. “It’s a very beautiful, musical sound.” Her eyes widened then and her hands flew to her throat, turning to look at my sister for confirmation.

Devin nodded, still smiling as she said, “My brothers right. It’s a very pretty sweet sound, Lora.” She reached out to hold her hands and scooted closer to her. “The potion that you were made to drink is starting to cycle out of your body.” I nodded along with her words before jumping out of the car, closing my door and opening it for Lora. “I’d say you’ve got a couple more weeks, at the most, before you can speak and sing again.”

I reached in a bit and smiled when Lora turned to look at me, moving slowly as her mind clearly reeled with my sister's words. She took my offered hand and let me help her out of the car, her gaze distant for a couple seconds before another blissful smile appeared on her lips.

She turned to thank me for some reason, mouthing out the words to me before rounding the back of the car and hugging my sister, thanking her too.

We all made our way to the building with an added bounce in our step. Though the one filled to the brim with joy was Lora who hadn’t stopped smiling and touching her throat here and there. Out of nowhere, I felt an elbow jab into my side and turned to find my sister leaning towards me as we walked.

“What?” I asked softly, not wanting to cut into the gleeful steps of the Siren in front of us.

“Oh, nothing.” She said in that annoying teasing tone. “Just glad to see you smiling again Nick.”

I raised a brow at her and slowed down some more, confused at her words.

“What is it, Dev?” I pressed, knowing there was a reason behind her tone and knowing look. “I can just feel you getting ready to mock me or something.” I turned in a slow circle, trying, and obviously failing, to look at my own back. “Did you tap some stupid note on me again?”

She laughed as she grabbed my arm to stop me, shaking her head before pulling me along beside her.

“I’m not messing with you… at least, not like that.” She explained, pausing to nod Lora inside once we reached the doors. “I’m just happy to see that my big brother is finally moving on and showing interest in women again.” I froze just as we walked into the building, feeling weirdly embarrassed that she was talking about it so bluntly and annoyed that my attraction was noticed by my little sister. “I like her. And I’m more than ready to help out on the romance front.” She winked. “You know, since you’re clearly a little rusty.”

“How dare you.” I breathed, managing to shake off the annoyance while I placed a hand on my chest. “I’ll have you know, women have gone out of their way to approach me and give me their numbers.”

“Yeah, uh-huh.” My sister answered, her tone unimpressed and bored. “How could I forget what a drop-dead casanova you are.”

I couldn’t stop myself after seeing her roll her eyes and turn away. I rushed at her with a devilish chuckle and lifted her off the floor, tightening my hold on her waist before swinging her around. She laughed as she demanded that I put her down, kicking her feet out while Lora giggled at our antics. But I just swung her from one arm to the other, ‘accidentally’ bumping into the walls as we climbed into the elevator. Once inside, I threw her over my shoulder and held her there, laughing as she screamed and kicked and hit my back, demanding that I put her down. She tried to use the small space of the elevator to her advantage and tried to escape, kicking off the walls after I’d poked at her side. But the elevator was fast and we were on our floor quickly enough to avoid her breaking free.

When the doors opened again we found Marcus waiting for us, his face breaking into a big smile once he noticed that his fiancee was being carried around by her brother.

“Do I want to know?” He asked with a chuckle, stepping closer to us and reaching for her.

“No.” I chuckled, dropping her from my shoulder and swinging her fast to one side while she continued to laugh. “I’m just trying to scramble her brains and erase some memories.”

He chuckled back when he finally reached her, maneuvering her so she ended up in his arms bridal style. I rolled my eyes when they started smiling all lovey at each other, pressing their foreheads together before he turned and walked back towards our lounge.

I leaned towards Lora as we followed behind them, hearing them whispering cutesy s**t to each other.

“I’m gonna need some nachos with all that cheese they’re spilling.” I muttered, smiling when she giggled a little before trying to muffle it with her hands.