Page 49 of Ensnaring the Siren

Didn’t they know? They couldn’t get answers from her when she was dead.

But no. That wasn’t true. Surface Dweller scientists liked cutting into things.

“Dissections,” they called it.

“Nireed.”

She never told Shorewalker that.

That they’d wanted to cut her open to study what was inside.

“Nireed.”

A hand fell to her shoulder, shaking.

Something was in the tank with her.

“Nireed!”

She shot up, eyes flying open. She was walled in on all sides, the air close in the small, cramped space. Trapped. She was trapped. A horrible shriek ripped out of her mouth, dry and rasping and parched. No, no, no, no, no. Not again.

“Nireed?”

Ignoring the panicked voice beside her, she scanned her surroundings for a means of escape. Wall, window, wall. Door! She lunged forward, crashing into a chair, before slamming to the floor, sharp pain shooting up her side. Black spots dotted her vision, but she wouldn’t, couldn’t stop.

Hand over hand, she dragged herself toward freedom.

Almost there. Almost there.

It struck her that this was too easy. Something should jump out and stop her—a security guard, a scientist—but nothing did.

Reaching up, she grabbed the door handle and wrenched it open—cool, salty sea air embracing her. And the ocean. There was the ocean, beckoning her to safety.

She dove in.

Reid darted after Nireed, shucking off his shirt along the way, the water rippling from where she dove in. Maybe she’d be okay with those injuries. But maybe not. And that just wasn’t something he could leave to chance.

Something had spooked her badly.

Something from her past. He’d seen it before in seasoned Aviation Survival Technicians, haunted by nightmares and memory in equal measure.

It was risky.

It was stupid.

It was the furthest thing from self-preservation that had him following a man-eating mermaid with PTSD into the water.

But he dove in after her.

Nireed doubled over in pain, her side spasming something fierce before cramping and locking up tight. She couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. Oh Goddess, why couldn’t she move? If she didn’t move, water wouldn’t flow past her gills, and she’d drown.

Twisted fate for a mermaid.

Something plunged into the water behind her.

She flinched, bracing for an attack she couldn’t defend against. Whatever it was flutter kicked hard, getting closer and closer. It was coming straight for her. I’m sorry, Aersila. I’m so, so sorry.

A familiar scent filled her senses, cutting through her fear.

---