Page 45 of Siren Sins
I followed his gaze up to the banister to find Apollo descending on a fucking floating throne. “The hell?” I hissed. I looked for wires or something to explain how he was floating down, but all I could see was an annoyingly arrogant smirk plastered on his face. I looked down, only to find a circle of women dressed in sleek, tight dresses with their hands outstretched and palms upturned. They chanted as Apollo descended into the circle. “Are those actual witches?” I asked.
Luke nodded. “That or there’s some strong hallucinogens in this whiskey.”
Apollo raised his hands as the witches parted, and the crowd roared with excitement. “Welcome, fine members of the supernatural community,” he began. A hush descended over the groups of vampires, werewolves, incubi and succubi alike as Apollo gathered the folds of fabric that covered the mysterious box in the center of the room. “Today, I bring you a spectacle not seen in the entirety of our existence.”
He jerked the sheet away and a gasp shocked through the crowd.
“Holy shit,” I muttered as I gripped Luke’s arm.
It was impossible, but somehow, right there in the middle of the room was an aquarium that housed a very real, and very terrified mermaid.
“What is this?” Sarah shrieked as she ran to the aquarium and pressed her palms against it.
As if she already knew who Sarah was, the mermaid flicked her tail and turned, pressing her own fingers against the glass.
Apollo crossed his arms and marched his way around his prize. “This, my daughter, is what must be done.” His amber eyes, so much like Sarah’s, went wide with determination. “I require the power of three elements to save supernaturals from endless imprisonment. You have a Tear of the Sea, but it keeps you alive. So when a mermaid came looking for you, I made sure that she was captured.”
Vikki eased to Sarah’s side and moved to pull her away, but Sarah shook her off. “Did you know about this?” she snapped.
Vikki shook her head. “No, of course not.” She found me across the expanse of the room and I shrank into Luke’s shadow. She pointed at me, making my attempts to hide pointless. “It’s her fault!”
It felt as if the entire room turned to stare at me. “Get me out of here,” I hissed through clenched teeth.
“Nu-uh,” Luke insisted as he tugged me towards the spectacle in the middle of the room. “You wanted to save the world, you gotta get your hands dirty.”
Growling with frustration, I jerked out of his grip, but kept walking. The line of witches glared at me with eerie stares that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I didn’t know much about covens, but something about this one reeked of Apollo’s influence.
Blocking me, the tallest witch glowered and matched my gaze with magic swirling in her eyes. The purple onyx touches were more mesmerizing than they were terrifying. “Who said you could approach the King?”
I rolled my eyes. “There’s no King here. Just a prick.”
The crowd gasped, and just as the witches raised their fingers to entrap me with a spell, Derek’s laughter boomed against the marble walls. “Making friends everywhere you go, I see.”
I glowered past the aquarium to find Derek with a slew of sirens hanging off his arms. He shrugged them off as he approached. “Sorry I’m late,” he said to Apollo with a handsome grin. “I was enjoying your… gifts.” The sirens gave a collective sigh. “Let the succubus in,” Derek said, turning serious. “She’s one of mine.”
With a growl, I shoved past the row of witches who glowered and hissed. One glance over my shoulder showed me a very worried looking Luke. Because of him, I was going to be okay. I was in control.
“Not one of yours,” I corrected as I crossed my arms and gave Derek a glare. “Not now, not ever.”
“Au contraire,” Derek said with a smug smile. “You were born and raised in Seattle, the capital of my domain. As a succubus of the d’Ange family, you’re under my protection.”
“And good thing,” Apollo said. “I’d have made her cut off her own tongue by now if you didn’t fancy her. She’s broken my poor girl’s heart, and now she waltzes around with that boy on a leash. It’s disgusting.”
Derek chuckled. “Ah, Luke. Almost didn’t recognize you with that tan. Why don’t you come and join us?”
Luke narrowed his eyes. Low blow. The poor guy had been locked up in a dungeon for heavens knew how long and had always been unnaturally pale, but he pulled it off. I don’t think it mattered how much sun he got; a tan wasn’t going to happen.
The witches parted to allow Luke through. He backed up a step, only to find himself blocked in by a row of growling werewolves. He straightened and made his way to my side. “Derek,” he said with a nod, “can’t say it’s nice to see you again.”
“Always a pleasure,” Derek said with a toothy grin.
Apollo clapped his hands. “Great. I’m so glad we’re all here to enjoy this wonderful moment.” Apollo grinned and caressed the glass. The mermaid shrank away as if he could reach straight through and strangle her. “It’s time.”
Sarah stomped her foot. “What’s going on? Why have you taken a mermaid? Just look at her. She’s terrified!”
The mermaid’s gills on her neck flared as her chest fluttered like a caged bird. Her wide, turquoise eyes that observed with eerie otherness watched Apollo with an unerring stare. She knew that he was her captor, and that he was dangerous.
Apollo glanced at me as he held out a hand. A witch appeared at his side with a ceremonial dagger. The blood drained from my face. I didn’t like where this was going.
