1. Siren Storm

1

SIREN STORM

M att

The waves swelled beneath our boat, and for the first time in my five years out on the ocean— I felt my stomach roll.

The only light at this time of night was ours, and all I could see was the glint of the water right before it sprayed against me. The rope around my waist tightened as I slid across the deck, cussing almost as violently as the storm that battered us.

I could hear my shipmates calling to me but I couldn't make out a damn thing they were saying.

This was one hell of a storm that had hit us out of nowhere. I'd watched the clouds form in what felt like a matter of minutes, while we'd all scrambled to pull in our netting and equipment.

The boat tipped suddenly to the side and I gripped my rope as I fought to walk up to the last of the equipment we had to bring in. The sea lurched us again, swelling and tipping the boat the other direction.

"Fucking hell!" I thundered, my temper snapping.

The sky thundered above, lightning hissing. I was thrown hard against the rail, holding on as tightly as I could so that I didn't go over the edge. I tasted the salt, letting out another frustrated scream that was drowned by the sound of the vicious waves.

I loved the sea. Respected the sea.

The sea did not love us.

I couldn't blame it either.

I was slammed against the railing, and this time my breath was knocked from me too. I gasped, only to take an unpleasant swallow of more salty water as it hit my face.

I opened my eyes, focusing on the darkness for a moment. The light of the ship moved and blinked, as I cursed under my breath.

Sharks? Was that what I had just seen?

Give him to me.

You hold my mate.

GIVE ME MY MATE.

I shook my head, the strong voice echoing through my thoughts. What the fuck?

Fuck the equipment. I grabbed my rope, using it to muscle my way back to the door.

The door flew open and I was met with the surly glare of the captain.

"What in the fuck are you doing, Matt?!" he bellowed, dragging me back inside.

"Trying to save our stuff!" I yelled back.

He shook his head. "Fucking idiot. Get down below and help clean up."

"Fine," I said, glaring.

The two of us damn near tumbled against each other but I grabbed on to the railing.

Part of working on a boat was that you got very used to walking sideways, sometimes on walls and holding on to rails. I was used to having days where my cereal went flying across the kitchen, or I was abruptly thrown from my bed.

I made it down the hall and threw open the door to the steps, launching myself down below. I managed to hit the floor at the bottom quietly and paused.

I heard the sound of gasping and cruel laughter. The sound of something smacking the floor.

I frowned, freezing in place. I gripped the rail against the wall, peeking around the corner.

What the fuck?!

Ethan, one of the guys who worked on the boat, was standing over a creature. One that had the upper half of a man, and the lower half of…

Fuck. A mermaid? A merman?

I blinked, rubbing my eyes and looking again.

The creature was thrashing against the floor, his tail yanking against a spear that kept him from moving. He let out a pained cry and then hissed.

"Such a pretty pet," Ethan laughed. "You'll sell well. We'll make a lot of money off all of your parts."

"Ethan," I said, stepping around the corner.

What the fuck was I doing?

He spun around, his face horrified. "Matt, what the fuck are you doing down here?"

"The captain told me to come down here to help. What the fuck are you doing?"

The gasps came again and then I realized that the creature was making that noise because he was choking.

I noticed a bucket of water sitting on the floor and lunged for it, my body sliding.

"MATT!" Ethan yelled. "Don't you fucking?—"

I threw the water on the creature and watched in shock as its scales regained color for a moment, his skin becoming almost luminescent.

The boat tilted and Ethan went tumbling. I also went flying, hitting the ground hard. Pain burst through my shoulder and head as I rolled toward a wall of boxes with a groan.

The sound of the mermaid screeching had me scrambling up. I made it to my feet and then looked around.

I froze, covering my mouth.

FUCK. Ethan had rolled straight into one of our hunting spears, and it was now clean through his chest.

"Fuck," I whispered, watching as his blood pooled.

He was dead.

The mermaid thrashed against the floor and I went to it, pulling the spear out of its tail.

Water. Sea. Set me free, human, and I will save you.

"Save me?" I whispered.

This storm will drown this ship. My pod needs to eat. I will make sure you don't die.

The boat groaned around us and my heart hammered in my chest.

This was a dream. A nightmare. It had to be. Because mermaids or merman, or whatever the fuck this creature was, didn't exist.

His hands reached up and gripped me, his skin feeling smooth like rubber. I looked down at his face, truly looking at him.

His face was like a human's, but his eyes were completely black. They had an iridescent sheen to them, and then his mouth… his mouth parted, flashing shark like fangs. There were gills down his neck, and his skin was tan like mine until it met the scales of his tail.

His tail was…

Beautiful.

I swallowed hard, taking in the array of colors. Even in the swinging yellow light, I could see how stunning his tail was.

Take me to the sea, human.

"I don't know how I can even hear you," I whispered.

But I did as he said.

It was going to be hell to get him up.

Everyone else must have still been helping the captain or in their cabins.

I leaned down and hoisted him into my arms, cursing under my breath.

"You weigh too much," I rasped. "Fuck. Your tail must be why."

Let me hold on to your shoulders and back and drag my tail behind. We're running out of time, human. You are strong.

I sucked in a breath and we managed to get into a position where he was holding on to me, and I could drag myself forward.

This was crazy. Absolute insanity.

I tried to step around the blood from Ethan and ended up stepping straight into it.

"Fuck me," I groaned, throwing open the door.

The ship lurched and the merman on my back gripped me tightly. My thighs burned as I stepped forward.

You have a good heart.

"Good heart," I scoffed.

I made it to the bottom of the stairwell and looked up, shaking my head. I was drenched from the water and couldn't tell what was from the sea and what was from my skin, but I knew I was sweating.

I took a step and my shoulder was knocked into the wall.

"Violent storm," I growled.

My mate isn't happy I was taken and not returned.

"This is because of your mate?" I rasped, taking another step.

The merman only held on to me tighter.

My mate is very powerful.

"I can feel that," I huffed, fighting my way up the staircase.

I was strong. I lived on this boat, my muscles always working. Still, carrying a massive merman on my back up a rocking staircase was the hardest thing I'd ever done.

Close.

"I know," I wheezed.

I made it to the top, pausing for a moment to let myself relax.

Keep going before the other humans come for us. Your leader is not good.

I shook my head, but I still threw open the door and carried him out into the hall. I could hear the sound of thunder even over the crashing of the waves, and I stumbled forward as we were lurched side to side.

Why was I helping him?

I made a noise, almost a growl. I was still not comprehending how I had a fucking mythological creature piggy backing me, but…

If what Ethan had said was true— that they were going to sell him… I couldn't let that happen.

The sound of his tail smacking the floor had me glancing back.

He was beautiful, in a very bizarre way.

We made it to the door that led to the deck and I pulled it open. The two of us were immediately thrown forward, sliding straight for the rail.

Even in the dark, I could see the massive outline of the wave coming for us. I felt my soul leave my body, just a little bit.

I was going to die. This was fucking it. There was no way I would survive that.

I'm going to bite you.

"What?" I asked, starting to turn.

He let out a little hiss and before I could shrug him off, I felt his fangs sink into my neck. I screamed out, but it was drowned by the sound of the ship completely tilting sideways, and the wave crashing straight for us.

Both of us slid, and he held on to me even as his teeth sank in harder. The pain turned into pleasure, and my body went limp.

We tumbled over the rail and plunged straight into the cold depths of the sea.