Page 14 of Ensnaring the Siren

“Then if you wanted my attention, you could’ve just popped above the surface and waved. You didn’t need to grab me.”

“I’m sorry.” She dipped her head, but more in acquiescence than shame. “That wasn’t my intent. I wanted to prove a point.”

“And what point was that?” This was her domain, that much was terrifyingly clear. It didn’t need to be proved over and over again.

“That if I was a mindless creature driven to murder, you’d be dead twice over. But I’ve no reason to protect my own from you, do I?” The question was casual, but there was an unmistakable wary pointedness to it that struck him. It sounded a lot like uncertainty. Like he might be the threat in this situation and leaving him alive a risk she might one day come to regret.

That zapped his anger. “Are you…afraid of me?”

“Should I be?” It wasn’t mockery he heard, but more of that wariness. She was afraid. Maybe not of him specifically, but of what he could do, and that disarmed him further.

“I don’t know,” he admitted quietly.

She nodded once, dimming. “I guess that’s fair. You’ve your own to protect, too.”

She sounded so resigned, he’d the odd desire to reassure her. They weren’t enemies per se, but they weren’t allies either. And yet, some weird, disturbing part of him missed her smile now that it was gone—wicked thing though it was—and he missed, too, the mischief illuminating her eyes.

“You think I’m a monster,” she continued, holding his gaze captive. “And I am. But not without reason.”

“I don’t want to be your enemy.” The words just spilled out of him. No thought, no consideration, just plain, unvarnished truth, even though it didn’t make a lick of sense. He should still be pissed at her for yanking him under, but when a small, half smile lifted the corner of her lips, all he felt was relief.

“Then don’t be.”

The radio crackled. “Kruetz, you good down there?” It was Perez.

“Yes, fine. Just give me a minute.”

“Make it a quick one.”

“Kruetz,” the mermaid repeated. “Is that your name?”

He shook his head. “That’s my family name. My name’s Reid.”

Her smile grew, some of that mischievousness returned, along with a healthy dose of amusement, and it was damnably infectious. It wrestled a smile out of him too.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t hold out on me now. My name means something ridiculous in mermaid, doesn’t it?”

“Not at all.” Her smile softened, almost warm. “My name’s Nireed.”

Well, I’ll be…He was just a couple letters off from sharing a name with a mythological creature. “That’s pretty,” he trailed, and immediately wanted to punch himself. There was no way of paying that kind of compliment without sounding conceited or trite. “I mean, it’s…”

Prettier than mine? For fuck’s sake, he was hopeless.

With a playful flick of her tail, she splashed water at his face. “See you around, Reid.” And then she was gone, disappearing beneath the waves.

He kicked his legs faster, half expecting her to yank him under again, but she didn’t. It was just him out here now.

A barrage of teasing awaited him inside the helicopter.

“Get her number while you were down there?” He could practically hear the smirk in Perez’s voice.

“What? No.”

“She was totally flirting with you.”

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