The Dark Siren's Unexpected Mate

Climb Aboard

For a moment I focus on the ship in the distance, wondering if I should fetch the other sirens. After all, I am the reason for their doom. They tried to protect me from Merlin, and now their fate is tied to mine. The least I can do is share this feast with them.

But then that boy’s face flashes in front of my eyes. It haunts me. Poisons me.

I have to do this. I have to take all of the humans on that ship for my own and devour each and every one of their souls. It’s the only way.

So I take off toward the vessel, swimming with stealthy speed.

When I get close, I slow down and use my tail to lift myself out of the water… just enough to expose the top of my bare breasts.

I take a long breath and open my mouth, and the haunting, dark music begins to pour from my tongue. The magical song given to me by the sea witch dances through the air and over to the unsuspecting victims aboard the ship.

Just like always, curious faces begin to appear over the side of the boat, desperate to catch a glimpse of me. I smile victoriously at them. You see, rumors of me have begun to spread, so many sailors in this area have begun to cover their ears for protection. 

These fools weren’t so prepared.

They gawk at me as I sing to them, and I swim closer and closer with an inviting smile on my lips. Now there are at least ten sailors practically hanging over the side of the ship, gawking at me with lusty eyes.

They’re mine.

I stop singing and blink through hooded eyes at them, well aware that the waves are lapping dangerously low around my chest. “Such strong men,” I sigh, “It’s been so long since I’ve been held by muscular arms…” 

A few of them nod like hungry dogs waiting for scraps at the dinner table.

“I’ve been cursed with this horrid tail, you know,” I say with a seductive pout, flapping my fin just above the water to show them. “The curse can only be broken by true love’s kiss.”

“Well,” one of them says, coughing and sputtering like an i***t, “I’d be willing to try… to help you, of course.”

“You would?!” I exclaim in my most innocent voice. A few others chime in, and they begin arguing with each other over who will get to kiss me first. I lick my lips hungrily as I watch the filthy animals in amusement.

“Wait,” says another. He’s just emerged from the cabin below, and he’s looking at the others in horror. He obviously didn’t hear my song. 

He’s young and incredibly handsome, I can see his rippling pectoral muscles peeking out from the laces of his shirt as it blows in the breeze. “Mates, wake up! It’s a siren, don’t you see? They never hunt alone… the others will be here soon if we don’t get out of here!”

He pleads with them in desperation, grabbing one by the shoulders and shaking him in a futile attempt to free him from my magic. But it’s no use. There is no escaping my song.

“My dear boy,” I say, “I am not just a siren. I am the queen of the sirens. And you can do nothing to resist me.”

He defiantly puts his fingers in his ears and stares me down for a moment before running toward the ship’s helm. He’s going to try to sail his crew to safety. He’s going to take my meal away from me.

“No,” I growl under my breath.

I’m not nearly as strong out of the water, but I’m not letting this chance slip through my fingers. So I swim toward the boat as quickly as I can, then leap up with a forceful flick of my tail. I jump just high enough to grab the side of the ship. This damned tail feels so heavy behind me, dripping seawater off as I hang there.

The sailor is still trying to escape, but trying to run a giant ship by himself is a nearly impossible task.

So I fling myself over the side and look to the nearest hypnotized sailor. He’s eyeing my bare breasts like a hungry wolf. “Well hello, stranger,” I say as I land on the deck. ‘How about that kiss?”

I know it’s risky, killing him in front of his crew, but I need legs to function right now… and this is the only way I know how to get them.

The sailor licks his lips and walks toward me, trembling with nerves and fear. He has no idea that these will be his last steps. His last breaths.

He leans forward and grabs my face with clumsy force, planting a slobbery kiss on my lips. His hands start to find their way down to my shoulders, and lower. I can tell where this is headed.

Men are such pigs.

But I don’t push him away. I simply take a long, deep breath and start to inhale his life force. I can feel it tingling through my fingers and toes as it fills me up. 

But wait… I have to stop. I can steal some of his energy without killing him, without scaring the others. At least… not yet. I can come back to him later when the others are weakened.

So I push the victim away and pout at him. “I’m sorry it didn’t work,” I say, then I lean forward to whisper in his ear. “But maybe we can try again later.”

He gives me a weak smile, his skin greyed and shriveled.

Luckily the others don’t seem to notice. “Who’s next?” I call out. 

They begin clambering toward me, a herd of lumbering oafs. Soon I’m surrounded by a crowd of drooling mouths and dirty hands. 

I feel the ship begin to move beneath me, the foolish boy is still trying to escape. 

It’s time to enact my plan. 

One by one, I kiss each and every one of those mouths of rotted teeth. I suck a tiny bit out of each soul, sampling each vintage little by little. My own murderous wine tasting.

The faces become more worn and wrinkled, the color draining from their skin. But they still clamber for another touch of my lips. 

I oblige, of course.

The ship begins to pick up speed, and I can see the young sailor steering the ship out of the corner of my eye. He’s tied his shirt around his ears to keep me from hypnotizing him.

I really hate it when they’re smart.

I’ll take special pleasure in sucking out his soul. 

I feel my tail beginning to tingle, and I know my plan is starting to work. I turn back to the first sailor and grab his face, pulling him to my lips for one last kiss.

When I inhale his final breath and drop him to the deck, the others look at me in fear. This is always the hard part, when they realize what’s happening and try one last effort to fight me off.

But it’s too late. 

My tail is starting to transform, and I’ll be able to chase them down. They’re too weak to fight me off now.

I pull myself to my feet and grab the collar of a nearby sailor as he tries to crawl away on his hands and knees. 

He’s my next victim.

I feel his energy coursing through my body, making me even stronger. 

I’ve never killed this many at a time before. The power is… intoxicating.

One by one I grab them all as they beg and plead for mercy.

I have no mercy left in my soul…. Only black vengeance.

Finally, I’m surrounded by a pile of lifeless bodies and my skin is tingling with the power of a dozen men.

This one final sailor can do nothing to fight me off now.

I stalk toward him, feeling the heat of the sunlight all over my bare skin. I toss my blond hair over my shoulder and smile.

He senses my approach and turns around, his face painted with horror and disgust when he sees the path of destruction I’ve left behind.

He looks back at my face and connects with my eyes as he backs away. “Why?” he asks.

“To teach all of you lusty men a lesson,” I answer as I grab him by the chin and lift him into the air, ripping away the shirt he’d tied around his head.

He doesn’t struggle. He knows that his fate has already been sealed.

“We aren’t all like that,” he mutters.

I shut out his words, pretending that I didn’t hear them as I lean in, pressing my lips to his for one final kill.

I will do whatever it takes to get back to that mysterious boy from the cliff. Nothing is going to stop me.