Page 113 of Bind Me

Sasha grins, a defiant light in her eyes, and I want to kiss her so much my heart aches. Under the boat, our kiss, our pendant—it worked. Somehow, it brought her back. Here she is, my girl, faking still being under Lilia’s control until the moment came to strike.

Her stoic expression breaks into a grin, and in a heartbeat, she rushes at Lilia with a determined ferocity. Her movements are a blur. In one fluid motion, she slashes the pendant across Lilia’s throat, a trail of crimson following in its wake.

A gurgled scream tears from Lilia’s lips as she stumbles into me. Her hands fly to her throat, trying to stem the flow of blood, but it’s too late.

I shove her aside, and she falls over.

Sasha stands over her, panting. “You won’t control me anymore,” she says, her voice strong and unwavering. “Not now. Not ever.”

Lilia’s body shudders on the deck, blood pooling around her. Her eyes fix on Sasha, a final flicker of defiance burning out as life drains from her.

A part of me is disappointed I couldn’t deliver the final blow myself. But seeing her writhing there, dying slowly, her life draining away, there’s a certain satisfaction in knowing she’s finally suffering, finally going to face the darkness she wrought upon so many.

“Die, bitch!” I growl.

Sasha grins.

The pendant Sasha used to kill her lies nearby, covered in blood, its sharp ends glistening with the crimson that had torn her throat apart.

A surge of magic rises out from Lilia’s mouth, dark and thick like smoke. As she chokes and bleeds out, the energy pours from her faster, threading and spiraling out in five directions. It funnels into the four sirens on the deck, each thread seeking its target, curling around them, seeping into their being, and another strand spears off the boat into the night. Most likely to other sirens she’s cursed.

The sirens on the boat stumble, blinking as though waking from a long nightmare. They appear to be shaking off the curse that had them under Lilia’s control, but while they look lost, they are still dark sirens, still trapped souls. Three of the sirens glance around frantically and jump overboard, vanishing beneath the waves.

Sasha’s mom remains, staring at her with a sense of recognition and something deeper. My understanding is that sirens still remember some elements from their lives, even if they may slowly forget emotions over time. She looks at Sasha as if she remembers, as though she misses her.

“Mom,” Sasha says, stumbling toward her.

Her mom blinks at her, and I step closer behind Sasha’s back, just in case. Sirens are unpredictable, and while her mother may not remember much, the natural darkness of their form still lingers.

“I forgive you, Mom,” Sasha finally says, her voice breaking. She sniffles and wipes at her cheeks. I hold on to her shoulders, letting her know I’m behind her, supporting her.

Her mom stares at her, her expression filled with something akin to sorrow. “I will always think of you.” Then she dives into the water, vanishing into the depths.

Sasha rushes to the railing, staring down into the pitch-black ocean. I’m at her side, embracing her with my good arm. She turns and cries into my chest, her body racked with sobs, and my insides are breaking for her.

Around us is death, chaos in the making for centuries, so much hatred and jealousy, and it’s finally come to an end. I left Tartarus to do two things—find my fated mate and discover who put my grandfather there. I have those now, coming at a huge cost, but with Sasha by my side, it’s something I won’t ever regret.

“You did incredible today,” I whisper to her, and she glances up at me, tears in her eyes. It kills me to see her this way.

“I’m so happy,” she says, voice cracking with emotion.

“Oh, you are?” I question, reaching up to wipe some tears away from under her eyes.

“I got to see my mom again, knowing that she’s out there, but she’s no longer trapped. I know she didn’t kill my father of her own doing…”

I nod, understanding the bittersweet relief she’s feeling. It’s a small comfort, but a comfort nonetheless.

“I don’t think I’ll forget today for a long time,” she continues. “But most importantly, you saved me, Kaden.” She grins, reaching up to kiss me. “I have no idea how you worked out how to bring me back from being a siren, but is there a chance we can use it on my mother, on other sirens?”

I shake my head, the weight of the truth heavy on my shoulders. “The magic only works on those turned within twenty-four hours and only by those true of heart,” I smirk, trying to lighten the mood. “That’s me.” I pat my chest.

She’s laughing and crying.

I lift her into my arms. “I’ve got you now, Sasha, and you want to know something?”

“Yeah, what’s that?” she asks, giving me her cheeky grin.

“Today, I gave myself to you, willing to let you kill me, because I’d rather be gone than be in a world without you.”

---