Siren's Song

by Kaye Draper

  He pulled himself up off the fold-out bed and headed to the shower. If nothing else, he could let the hot water drum away the icy mood descending over him. He stripped and turned the shower on as hot as he could stand. Then he stepped in and let the water wash his tension away. He breathed the steam deep into his lungs and felt it warm him from the inside out, melting the hunk of ice in his gut.

  He grabbed the soap and lathered up. Grey felt his body temperature rise as he thought of Luca’s big hands sliding over his skin, making love to the body Grey had shared with no one else, accepting the part of himself he’d hated all these years. Grey took comfort in the thought, even as he felt guilty, since Luca really wasn’t into guys before now. And…a wicked part of him just wouldn’t rest until he imagined what it would be like to have Ethan and Matheus’s hands on him too, all of them worshipping him, pleasuring him.

  His dick was rock-hard, and he stroked the massive thing slowly from root to tip, letting his head fall back against the wall of the shower. God, he was going to come so fast and so hard just thinking about them all.

  A cold sensation started on the side of his foot and slid up along his ankle. Grey looked down and let out a strangled scream, scrabbling to brace himself against the side of the flimsy little shower while pulling his feet away from the thing that was swimming in the bottom of the tub, all while his stupid hard-on raged away. It would be just his luck he’d slip and fall, hit his head and die, and they’d find his corpse with the world’s biggest erection.

  A shimmery gray creature, so flat as to be almost two-dimensional, floated in the scant accumulation of water on the shower floor. It reached out one if it’s dozens of tentacles and wrapped it around Grey’s ankle. Grey kicked it free with a stifled shriek that would have done Abbie credit. A second later the thing was grasping for him again. He shook it loose several more times, nearly breaking his neck and pulling the rust-stained shower curtain down in the process, as he skated about the slippery shower.

  “Leave me alone!” He shouted, fed up. “Get out of my house!”

  The creature disappeared down the drain with a gurgling laugh.

  Grey dried himself off and made his way back to his bedroom, all lusty thoughts firmly chased away by the weirdness that was his life. Apparently, the supernatural creatures of the island weren’t content to wait patiently and let him work on the curse. The sea sprite had warned him.

  It was easy to pretend the whole mess with his mother had been a dream. Especially when he was caught up in balancing the band, and online classes, and his messed-up love life. He sighed. No matter what he did, no matter how hard he tried, it was never enough. There was always one more thing just waiting around the corner to demand his attention.

  Grey tried to tell himself it wouldn’t be like this forever. It would get better. But today that only made it worse. He could hear the lie in it. Like telling someone everything is going to be okay when you know they’re terminally ill. How the hell was he supposed to go up against a magic-wielding mythological creature? And even if they were successful and somehow broke the curse and reversed The Change…then this Grey right now would cease to exist. Nothing was going to be okay. Grey felt trapped, boxed in. Claustrophobic.

  And through it all, he felt that need rising up again. Not just a sexual desire, but a need to be close to Luca…and the others, if he was being honest—to take comfort in what was his.

  He pulled his knees up under his chin and closed his eyes. A futile tear escaped, and he berated himself for being weak. Pathetic.

  In his desperation, Grey snaked out a hand and grabbed his cell off the battered eighties relic of an end table. He grasped the phone like a lifeline as he searched his mind for something to hold on to.

  “Hey Grey, what’s up?” Luca’s deep voice was like a security blanket. “Grey? Hello?

  Grey held the phone to his ear until Luca gave up and ended the call. Hopefully, he would think that Grey had dialed him on accident. He rolled over and uncurled himself. Finally, he padded out to the kitchen to start dinner. He tried to shake his petulant mood but wasn’t very successful. He wanted Luca there with him, right then. But he wasn't selfish enough to call him back and tell him that. Not with what a mess Grey was lately. Dealing with a guy who had gender issues was one thing, but the baggage Grey dragged around had just gotten a whole lot heavier. Luca didn’t deserve to shoulder that.

  Grey had just put the potatoes on to boil when there was a knock at the door. It was getting dark outside, the wind was really whipping up a storm out there, and it had begun to sleet. “What kind of idiot would be out in this crap?”

  Grey wrenched the door open to find Luca standing there. He had his hood pulled up, and his pink scarf was doing a pathetic job of protecting his neck. His high cheekbones were wind reddened and his eyes bright with cold.

  “Geesh, get in here!” Grey hauled him in and shut the door.

  Luca shook the damp slush off his coat and hung it over a kitchen chair, then went to stand by the stove to warm up.

  Grey watched him in disbelief, not daring to ask how he'd even gotten there so fast. “What in the world are you doing?”

  Luca paused where he was, holding his cold hands over the steaming pot of potatoes. His expression said, “Getting warm, duh.”

  Grey shook his head. “I meant here. What are you doing here?”

  Rick had texted him to say he was staying at a motel at the other end of the island where he was doing some work for a guy who owned a yacht company. Grey had been sure he’d be complete and utterly alone tonight with his misery.

  Luca grinned and pressed his newly steamed hands to his cheeks. “I wanted to make sure you were okay,” he said casually.

  Grey shrugged. “I’m fine, why?” He could have kicked himself for his stupid wallowing.

  Luca turned back to the stove and picked up a spoon, stirring the pot. “You called me, but there was no one there…must have butt dialed.” He smiled. “You shouldn’t put your phone in your back pocket all the time. Or activate the security lock or something.”

  Grey’s eyes watered and he blinked hastily, trying to hide his sudden feminine outburst. Luca had come all the way over here in the sleet just for that? “You’re an idiot,” he whispered, not sure if he meant Luca or himself. He didn’t ask how Luca knew Grey really needed him. That was just one of Luca’s abilities—he always knew what Grey needed, usually before Grey even knew himself.

  Luca turned to Grey, and his dark blue gaze went right to Grey’s soul. “You’re okay? I thought...I thought I heard you tell me to get over here, now.”

  Grey stared at him. He hadn't said anything into the phone. But he'd sure as hell thought it.

  Luca smiled at Grey, ignoring his discomfort. “Well, since I’m here, can I help make dinner?”

  Grey shrugged. “If you want.” He went to get plates for something to do.

  Luca came up behind him and pulled the plates down. His broad chest pressed to Grey’s back and Grey pulled in a quick breath. He was startled, as always, at his reaction to the slightest touch, at that little zing of energy between them. Luca chuckled at his sudden tension, his deep voice rich and knowing as he dropped a soft kiss on the bit of exposed skin where Grey’s t-shirt met his neck. Maybe Grey wasn’t the only one who felt that little zing.

  Grey spun, face flaming, and went to get silverware. His evasive action wasn’t enough to deter Luca, however, and it wasn’t long before he found himself seated on the edge of the table, his hands fisted in the devil’s silky black hair, gasping for air as his world turned inside out.

  Grey lost himself in the sensation of Luca’s graceful touch, in the delicious heat of that perfect mouth wrapped around his cock, teasing, then demanding. Grey curled around Luca, clutching his broad shoulders as he came with a loud, uncaring shout. Then he collapsed backward, boneless and half-naked on the kitchen table, not giving a single fuck about anything except the way the restless thing inside him finally shut the fuck up
and went to sleep.

  Luca chuckled and tucked Grey back into his pants. “I think dinner’s ready,” the degenerate said, as if he hadn’t just blown Grey’s last working brain cell right out of his head.

  It wasn't until much later that Grey remembered what Luca had said about hearing Grey call for him. What was it that had brought Luca running to Grey’s side when he was upset? Grey had a bad feeling it wasn’t just Luca’s amazing intuition and empathy, but something darker—something that slept inside Grey, just waiting for a chance to dominate and feed.

  Chapter 58

  Grey walked down the quiet aisle, soaking in the tidy rows of books, their spines a wild rainbow of prints and colors. He had managed to squeeze in an hour or two here or there to help out at the book shop, even now that he didn’t need the cash. It was a nice break from everything else that threatened to drive him crazy these days, and he liked helping out the elderly Mr. B. But he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to keep it up much longer.

  He took a deep breath, inhaling that smell that said books. Something in him settled when he was here; it calmed down, let go. There was something about the calm, quiet solitude of other worlds and other minds right there within his reach—quiet, undemanding, but there just the same, waiting. Reading was one of the only ways Grey had found to escape this island, and his cursed existence. Music was the other.

  Grey set down the box of books he carried and opened the flap, revealing rows of books arranged in alphabetical order by the author’s last name. He stooped and took a few out, tucking them under his arm, then climbed up the short ladder that they used to reach the top shelves. It was really too bad they had to use the upper shelves. Those titles wouldn’t sell as well, since people didn’t want to climb all the way up there just to browse. Grey shelved several books then looked down at the last one in his hand. He was in the romance section. He glanced around guiltily before he slipped his reading glasses down off the top of his head and opened the book. This was one he hadn’t read yet. And if the cheesy cover was any indication, it would be a decadently ridiculous read. He pushed his glasses closer to his nose. It was weird, but his need for the visual aid seemed to come and go these days for no apparent reason.

  The little bell over the door jangled and Grey mumbled a cursory greeting. People liked to browse. Grey personally found it annoying when store clerks were all over you. If someone needed something, they would ring the little bell at the desk. He shifted on his perch, leaning a hip against the ladder. The book was off to a promising start, with plenty of overflowing corsets and chiseled jaws. He lifted his eyes and found Luca standing below, staring up at him with a half grin, the warm light glinting off his shiny black hair and sparkling blue eyes. He had removed his coat and hung it up, leaving him in a worn Henley and jeans that looked soft to the touch. Grey immediately put the book away. He fought to look unaffected. Like he didn’t care that Luca had just caught him reading something no guy in his right mind would pick up.

  “Don’t let me interrupt you.” Luca was silently laughing at him.

  Grey pushed his glasses down on his nose and looked over the top. “Do you need something, Sir?”

  Luca stepped closer, coming to lean his hands on the sides of the ladder. “Not really, no. I just came to say hello. Thought you might like some company.”

  For fuck’s sake, Grey had come here to get away from everything else. Every time he tried to hole himself up somewhere, Luca found him. But he couldn’t really seem to work up any real anger over it.

  Luca’s heated blue gaze ran over Grey from head to toe. Grey crossed his arms and pretended to be unaffected. “I’ve got enough to do to keep me busy, thanks.”

  Luca raised an eyebrow and put one foot on the bottom rung of the ladder. “Oh, I see that. I didn’t know you were so into bodice rippers.”

  Grey took a deep breath and fought the hot flush that he could feel creeping up his cheeks. That cover was a doozy—ruffled shirts, heaving bosoms, and long hair everywhere. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was just shelving it.”

  Luca put his other foot on the ladder. “Don’t be embarrassed. It’s okay if you like smutty books. Maybe I should buy a ruffly shirt. You know, for the next performance. Or for the bedroom. Either way.” He winked. “We could get you a corset if you want. I won’t tell anyone.”

  Grey grasped the sides of the ladder in alarm as Luca slowly climbed toward him like a stalking cat. The wooden ladder was probably original to the building. Who knew how sturdy it was? “Hey! Get off.”

  Luca slowly and deliberately climbed up another rung. “You weren’t going to come down, so I’ll come up there. Those glasses are really sexy, by the way. Maybe you can wear them when I wear the shirt. Ooh…wear them with the corset, like some sort of Victorian librarian or something.”

  Grey swallowed, his throat suddenly gone dry as everything in him said to reach out and claim the man in front of him. “Luca….”

  Luca lifted a hand and placed it on Grey's thigh, slowly sliding it upward. Grey waited breathlessly for him to make it to the top. The sudden thought dawned on him that there were windows at the front of the shop. What if someone could see down the aisle? Grey shot up straight at the thought.

  Luca’s dark blue eyes went wide. The ladder wobbled, and Grey let out a whoop of surprise that turned into a really un-manly shriek as they toppled over sideways. Grey caught at the shelves to slow their descent, but all he managed was to do was pull down a shower of books in the process.

  He hit the floor with a heavy thud. Opening his eyes, he found himself lying sprawled on top of Luca. The taller man had landed dramatically in the middle of the disarray. Grey braced himself on his hands in the middle of Luca’s chest and peered at Luca through his crooked glasses. “You idiot! Are you okay?”

  Luca smiled up at him. “Fine. This is where I wanted you anyway.” He fitted Grey’s hips firmly to his. Then he reached up and slipped the glasses off before pulling Grey down to him. “Mmm…right in the middle of all these books.” Their lips were inches apart when the bell over the door jangled.

  Grey flung himself off Luca and hastily started picking up books, willing The Cosmic Joke to stop making its throbbing presence known. “Hello! Let me know if you need anything,” he sang out in an overenthusiastic voice.

  Mr. Blot peered around the end of the aisle. His little blueberry eyes went wide in surprise. “Grey, my boy, what have you done to the books?” He didn’t mention the gorgeous man sprawled in the middle of the mess or ask about the welfare of the customer. Mr. Blot had his priorities. Books came first. Cats second. Humans were a very distant third.

  Grey grinned at him. “Sorry. I fell off the ladder.”

  Mr. Blot snorted and raised one wild, bushy white eyebrow. “Probably goofing off. Serves you right.” He made a shooing motion with his hands. “Hurry up and put it right.”

  Grey laughed to himself as the old man disappeared to the front of the store. Mr. Blot owned the store, but he was getting up there in years. He had to be at least eighty-five years old if he was a day. He had hired Grey part time to help keep the store clean and put away the merchandise. He wasn’t up to lifting the heavy boxes of books anymore. Instead, he was content to putter around the shop and gossip with the locals who trickled in from time to time. Mostly, he just told them stories about his cats. Sometimes Grey wondered if Mr. B. was a morph. He acted so much like a stereotypical little old woman. And that name was obviously fake.

  Grey waited until Mr. B was out of earshot then gave Luca a glare and hissed “Thanks a lot!”

  Luca chuckled and started picking up books. As punishment, he got to put away all of the ones that belonged on the higher shelves. Grey told himself he was only watching to make sure Luca got them in the right order. He wasn’t enjoying the way Luca’s shirt went taut across his broad shoulders as he reached over his head or the subtle play of muscle in his back and arms. Not at all.

  The possessive thing inside him near
ly purred with delight over how well they’d chosen.

  When they had put all the books away, Grey dodged into the bathroom to straighten his hair and take a leak. He was washing his hands when the pipes beneath the antique pedestal sink began to knock, loudly. Water sprayed out of the faucet with sudden force, splashing him in the face. Gurgling laughter made Grey’s blood pressure spike. He turned the tap off with a thunk and spun to grab a hand towel off the towel rack beside the sink. There was an ominous gurgle from the toilet.

  “Son of a bitch!”

  Grey launched himself onto the floor and grabbed for the shut-off valve just as the water in the stool began to rise. He wrenched the knob until he was sure the water was turned off.

  “Leave me alone!” he ground out, irate.

  There was a tap at the door and Luca peeked his head inside. “You okay in there?”

  Grey glared at him and wiped the water spots off his glasses. “Peachy.”

  Luca seemed to find it all really damned funny. Ha-freaking-ha.

  Grey said his goodbyes to Mr. B. and gathered up his stuff. The elderly man was puttering around behind the counter muttering to himself, but he lifted his head and graced Grey and Luca with a kindly, if a bit misty, smile. He didn’t even seem to notice Grey’s damp state.

  “Make sure to bundle up, boys,” he said. “It’s unnaturally cold out there today.” He shivered, apparently at the memory of his walk to the store. “I can’t believe that woman, wandering around town with her breasts on display in this weather.”

  Grey met Luca’s startled gaze and rolled his eyes. Mr. B. was definitely off his rocker. But you had to envy the ability to say whatever popped into your head without fear of censure. It must be nice to be old enough to get away with it.

  Mr. B’s foggy gaze turned thoughtful. “She had the most beautiful necklace…like half a raw geode. Interesting thing.”

  Grey raised an eyebrow and shot Luca a look, suddenly questioning everything he knew about Mr. B. That had to be Arianna and her half of the kleidí. And no way had he just mentioned that on accident. But he didn’t say anything. Maybe outing fellow not-humans was some kind of taboo. Luca followed Grey out the door as they headed home.