Page 110 of Bind Me

The pendant in my hand pulses with a gentle glow, guiding me toward her, the anticipation like a fire in my chest. Every second that ticks by is torture, every heartbeat echoing in the space between us.

I spot someone leaning over the railing, eyes scanning the water, and I slip back beneath the surface, allowing the ocean to close over me. I swim under the boat, deciding to climb on from the side. It’s less risky to be spotted that way. In my head, I play out the plan—find Sasha, steal her off the boat, then deal with Lilia and her crew. It seems straightforward enough.

Just then, the movement of the water changes. A ripple of bubbles ahead signals someone entering the water with me. Even in my human form, my sight is strong enough to see the dark waters, and right now, I’m tensing, muscles coiling, ready for whatever’s coming.

I’m no longer alone.

A solitary figure moves through the water with a captivating grace. Her flowing, glittery tail trails behind her like liquid gold. Her dark aquamarine hair dances around her face, framing eyes that see through me, piercing and profound. Those perfect, perky breasts bounce in the water, clawed fingers extend from delicate hands, and her lips peel back to reveal a predator’s smile.

My heart lurches painfully as I recognize her—Sasha, my Sasha, transformed into a siren.

Seeing her like this, knowing the horror she must feel trapped in a form she dreaded, it’s killing me. A piece of my heart shatters with every second that ticks by, with every moment she stares at me with cruelty in her gaze. The very gaze that once softened with love now turns hard.

“Sasha,” I plead with her.

Her eyes focus on mine, and for a moment, her expression shifts. Then, slowly, beautifully, she swims toward me, her teeth hidden behind a smile that has my heart racing. The temptation she offers is impossible to ignore.

She begins to hum in the water, the song twirling in my mind, wrapping itself around my heart, my very soul. It’s a siren’s call, seductive and beautiful. My resolve wavers, my purpose blurred by her melody. For a moment, I forget why I’m here. All I see is Sasha, gorgeous and deadly, swimming circles around me.

“Come to me,” she purrs, a melody that dances along my skin.

I remind myself to resist the pull of her song, but the desire to give in is overwhelming. It’s like being burned alive from the inside, a torture I can hardly bear. My skin itches with the need to reach for her, my heart splintering in two. I want her in my arms, desperately, an ache I can’t escape.

For a fleeting second, I remind myself that this isn’t truly Sasha—she’s a siren under control, sent to end me. But as I watch her lips, the thought crosses my mind—would dying by her kiss be such a terrible way to go?

I shake my head, trying to clear the fog.

“Sasha, stop this. It’s me. I know you’re in there somewhere.” Desperation paints my voice.

She doesn’t flinch, doesn’t bat an eye at my words. She begins to sing again, the tune making me forget myself. It’s as if each note is a thread, pulling me toward her, away from reason.

The world narrows to a single point—her. Sasha, the center of my universe, the siren of my destruction.

Rushing to her, closing the distance, I reach for her waist.

“Let me take you from here.” My plan to rescue her, to destroy this damned boat and whatever control Lilia has, slips from my mind as I gaze into Sasha’s eyes.

Her teeth bare at me for a split second, claws digging into my chest, scratching the skin. Then, as quickly as the hostility appeared, it vanishes. She morphs back into the goddess she is, pressing herself against me, those breasts so delicious, so soft, making me lose my mind as she sings softly in my ear.

She doesn’t recognize me under Lilia’s curse; that’s clear. My heart cracks open, the pain unbearable. Her attention holds me captive, her eyes offering the promise of my destruction, yet all I can see is the love we shared.

She lifts herself, bringing our faces close. My pulse races, memories of our time together flashing through my mind—our laughter, our banter, the love that once burned brightly. I can’t imagine a life without her, without those moments.

My throat thickens because I’m so close to her, yet I feel we’re worlds apart.

The thought of pulling away slips from me, replaced by an overpowering obsession to be with her.

I lean in, whispering, “I’ve never been able to resist you.”

Her lips suddenly meet mine, and electricity jolts through my body, a current so intense it sends us both into convulsions. In the chaos, the pendant in my hand glows fiercely. Sasha thrashes against me like she’s trying to pull away. Her kiss should have ended me, should have stolen my life, but it doesn’t.

Holding the back of her head, I refuse to let her break the kiss. I shove the pendant against her chest, figuring it needs to touch both of us, praying it works as a burst of magic surges between us like electrical currents.

Her body shudders violently, and in a heartbeat, she collapses, going limp in my arms.

Dread crashes over me like a wave, cold and relentless. I break the kiss, panic rising as I call out, “Sasha!”

Chapter 31

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