Chapter 19: The Siren

“I’m nervous,” I said as we pulled on cloaks and Atticus led us to the other end of the villages we had explored during the day.

He led us deeper into the surrounding forestry, and I frowned, fidgeting my hands in front of me as we walked.

“She lives away from the others?” I asked.

Atticus nodded and kept walking, pulling me with him. “Don’t be nervous, Fox. She’ll love you. It’s impossible not to.” His wink made my heart flutter.

“I know I agreed to get to know the realm, but we were just intimate, Atticus. Won’t she be able to sense that? What if she meets me and is angry that I have two other alphas as well?”

He chuckled. “She is a kind soul, Fox. She will not judge you.”

“Then why does she live out here by herself?” I asked, trekking over roots with the other two alphas following closely and silently behind.

“You’ll find out in a moment,” he grinned like he knew something that we didn’t. And he did because whatever he thought his mom could explain was going to be the first time it had been.

Atticus stopped me as we came to a wooden hut in the trees, smoke billowing out the top of the chimney. It had stones around the surrounds and a welcoming porch with two chairs and a table.

She had shells and knick-knacks all around the house that made it seem much more inviting than I had expected.

“Shhh,” Atticus whispered.

I frowned and looked up at him, stopped when he did. The other alphas paused too, and we listened.

Then I heard it.

A beautiful, lyrical voice that resonated so deep in my soul that it brought tears to my eyes. I sucked in a breath and looked up at Atticus.

He smiled down at me.

I looked back at the hut and listened closer. It was such a pretty voice. One that brought all kinds of feelings with it. Ones I recognized.

I had heard the voice before, one that whispered and sung in the wind when we had first arrived.

“C’mon,” Atticus said, then led us to the front door. He gave it a rap of knocks with his knuckles before he entered. “Mom, I brought company. What’s for dinner?” He grinned.

There, standing in front of a hot pot on the fire, was a gorgeous woman with long blonde hair, a blue leather braid in it like the one Atticus had bought for me.

She was soft, with killer curves and a smile that lit up the whole room.

She had candles and lanterns everywhere that did a fine job on their own, but her smile was captivating. Her blue eyes too were just like Atticus’.

She was a tall woman too, her posture strong as she came and hugged her son.

“A delicious new stew that I have just finished, Sweetheart. Come, sit down, you must try some.” She urged him into a seat. He sat down and so did we as she bustled about, humming with every step, getting dinner prepared.

“And who are your friends? They smell important.”

“Kassandra Kane, Mom. She was our joint claim for the blood moon. She’s from the mountain.”

That had his Mom stopping. She turned and eyed me with so much curiosity. Then she came over and leaned closer, her hands on either side of my head, all her beaded jewelry clinking.

“Yes. You are, aren’t you? Well, it is a special night after all. I had heard whispers of a song and thought, surely not, but I should have trusted it.” She grinned happily.

Then she stroked the blue braid in my hair. “This suits you. A calm to that red storm, hmm? I’m Serafina,” she introduced.

I smiled timidly. “Hi,” I said, clearing my throat to try and sound stronger.

She smiled wide then turned to Dorian and Zachariah.

“And you two. Well, didn’t you grow up as handsome as my Atti?”

“Mom,” Atticus warned. She winked at me before turning to her stew and serving it.

She put it down and despite looking awful, it smelled delicious.

“Mom makes jewelry, food, artwork, and everything else for the markets.” Atticus was already talking between mouthfuls.

I smiled and started eating, almost moaning at how good the food was. Even the other two, who I hadn’t seen eat much, devoured the stew.

“I think I know why you are here then, Son. I have heard the whispers of a song from the witches too. She is to choose, yes?”

Her eyes locked on me. I tried not to blush, but there was no point; I felt the heat pool in my cheeks as I nodded.

“And she is the one they are saying the realm magic went into?”

I nodded again.

Serafina nodded, tapping her lips with her fingers that were pressed together. Her angles knocked against each other as she did.

She wore a long turquoise blue dress with woven sandals that were as bright as the rest of the water pack outfits but somehow seemed to suit her more than most.

She smiled at me. “Your family must have kept you quite well hidden until now.”

I tensed, eyeing Atticus.

“She’s been in captivity. Vampires,” he sneered.

I swallowed, my appetite dissipating.

“Vampires,” she repeated in a mumble, a deep frown marring her perfect features. “That is interesting.” Then she looked up at me. “And you didn’t use your voice on them?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” I said quickly. I didn’t want to talk about my voice or what it could do.

I knew the others had an inkling, but I had gone my whole life being used for my voice. I didn’t want them to want me for it too. Was it selfish to hope they just wanted me for me?

Serafina considered me for a moment, then smiled. “You have been at the mercy of people who didn’t appreciate your gift, Kassie. But that part of your life is over.”

I didn’t know what to say. Silas still hunted me. There was no guarantee I wouldn’t end up back there.

“I can teach you. Help you use your voice. Wield it so the whispers don’t overpower you. They will protect you.”

I shook my head quickly. “I don’t have a voice to use. I don’t have anything except the power the realm gave me during the blood moon.” I was not giving in.

Atticus grabbed my hand under the table and squeezed it.

“Mom has learned how to use her voice, Fox. You can too. It’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“Silas is something to be afraid of. He is not like the other vampires. He is coming, and he is dangerous. I don’t want to do this, Atticus,” I said firmly, pulling my hand back.

“The girl is right, Atti. Silas is different. My songs tell me this too.” She turned to me then and took my hands in hers. My skin buzzed and hummed when she did, a lump in my throat making me want to use it. “You have lost a lot to this, Kassie. Don’t let him keep you locked in that trauma cell he has built in your mind.”

“I don’t understand,” I frowned back.

“What do you want to understand?” she asked gently, still holding my hands.

“What are you?” I asked, scared of the answer. Scared to validate everything I had ever heard Silas spout. I had been able to hide behind delusional denial for a long time, but it only took one look at Serafina to know that was not going to work anymore.

She leaned back in her chair. “I’m a siren, Kassie. And so are you.”

~

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