“Should we be breaking into a blood bank?” Marcy suggested.
“I thought I’d start with a drop or two from you, then take it from there,” Gemma said.
“All right. Do you have a sharp knife?” Marcy asked.
“Aren’t you even gonna ask what it’s about?”
“I’m gonna go out on a limb, but I’m guessing it’s about breaking the curse,” Marcy said dryly, and gestured to the scroll on the table. “But if you wanted to elaborate, I wouldn’t mind. ”
“Harper told me about her professor thinking the ink was made of blood,” Gemma said as she went over to the kitchen drawer to grab a new steak knife. “Then Harper told me that Lydia thought that made sense, since the curse was usually written in something that pertained to it. And then, finally, it’s so obvious—the way to break the curse is the curse itself. ”
“Okay, right. That makes sense. ” Marcy nodded. “So … you’re turning the paper into a siren?”
“I’ll use the methodology for it. I became a siren by drinking a potion—blood of a mortal, blood of a siren, and blood of the sea. ”
“What’s the blood of the sea?” Kirby asked.
Gemma lifted up the mason jar to show him. “Just water. ”
“So your plan is to make a mixture of your blood, my blood, and ocean water, and then just rub it all over the scroll?” Marcy asked, and Gemma nodded, so Marcy pushed up the sleeve of her hooded sweatshirt. “All right. Let’s get started. ”
Before they began, Gemma used a paper towel to wipe the scroll completely clean. She didn’t want their blood and water mixing with residue from anything else that might screw it up.
Gemma tried to cut Marcy’s finger, but she felt weird about hurting her. Then Marcy tried to do it herself, also without success, so finally, Kirby had to step in and save the day. With Marcy looking the other way, Kirby sliced the knife down her finger.
Marcy held her hand over the scroll, squeezing droplets out. Gemma’s finger had already healed again, so, hurriedly, she sliced open her own finger and mixed her blood with Marcy’s, then added the water last.
It wasn’t as much as she would’ve liked, but it was enough that she could smear it on the words of the scroll. The symbols began to glow beneath, shining brightly through her blood in a vibrant crimson.
At first, it seemed no different from before, when Gemma had tried out the energy drink for herself. But then they began to blaze even brighter, the dark ink shifting from red to an orange flame, like they were on fire.
She held her breath, thinking that this might finally be it … and then just as abruptly as it started, it stopped. The ink faded to its usual russet color. Nothing had changed.
“Well that sucks,” said Marcy. “I thought the scroll was going to burst into flames, then nothing. It’s never reacted that strongly before, right?”
Gemma bit her lip and shook her head, staring thoughtfully at the scroll. “That’s definitely never happened before, not like that. I wish we had the translation because I don’t know why it happened. ”
TWENTY-FIVE
Eternity
Daniel sat in the driver’s seat of the car he’d borrowed from Alex and took another fortifying breath. His phone was in his hand, still glowing from the last text he’d received. It’d been Harper, replying to his with, “I love you, too. ”
He’d wanted to say something more, but he couldn’t think of anything else. This might be the last thing he ever said to Harper, and if it was, “I love you” was the only thing that really mattered in the end.
Before he’d left the house, he’d gone over everything. He made sure to leave the keys on the dining room table, along with his mother’s phone number and insurance info. He’d tried to write a letter as a last will and testament, but he wasn’t really leaving much behind. The only things in his life that really mattered to him were his boat and Harper.
Today was his twenty-first birthday, and he was going to have sex with a woman he hated, and though he hoped she would accept his offer to become her concubine, he knew there was a very good chance she might kill him when she was done. He would die on the day he was born. At least that had some nice symmetry to it.
He was focused on the phone, on Harper’s last text to him, and he didn’t notice Penn until she was knocking on the car window, smiling seductively at him. Trying to force a smile back at her, he pushed the button to roll down the window.
“Are you ever planning on coming inside, or did you wanna do it in the car?” Penn asked, leaning on the door so he could see down the front of her slinky black dress. “Because I’ve done it in cars before, and it’s not as hot as it sounds. ”
“I’ll go in … unless you planned on changing your mind about today. ”
Penn threw back her head and laughed. “No way. Let’s go. ”
When he rolled up the window, she stepped back. He turned off the ignition and decided to leave the keys and his phone in the car. It would be easier for people to find if Penn killed him tonight.
He followed her into the house, and he was surprised to see how everything had been decked out. No lights were on, but there had to be a thousand candles casting a warm glow over everything. Civil Twilights played softly on a stereo, but otherwise, the house was silent.
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“Your sisters are gone?” Daniel asked as he glanced around.
“Yeah. I sent them away for the night, so we have the place to ourselves,” Penn said over her shoulder as she walked into the kitchen.
“I suppose I would prefer this without an audience,” he said under his breath.
A bottle of wine was chilling in a bucket of ice on the counter. Without asking if he wanted any, Penn poured two glasses and walked back over to him.
“Here, have some. ” She handed him a glass. “It’ll loosen you up. ”
Instead of taking a sip, Daniel sniffed the glass. “You didn’t drug this or anything, did you?”
Penn laughed again and tossed her silken black hair over her shoulder. “Of course not. I want you totally present for tonight. ”
“Thanks. ” He took a long swallow, almost gulping it down.
“Why don’t I show you to the bedroom?” Penn suggested.
“So soon? Shouldn’t we warm up first? Get to know each other?”
When she smiled, there was a devilish sparkle in her dark eyes, one that Daniel found unsettling. “I think I know everything about you I need to know. ”
Taking his hand, Penn led him through the living room and up the staircase to the loft above. There was only one bed in the center of the room, covered in black satin sheets. The bed had a heavy-looking iron headboard, with a gold wrap draped across it, apparently to set the mood, and Daniel wondered dimly where Thea’s and Liv’s beds were.
She took his wineglass from him, now nearly empty, and set it on the nightstand next to a black candle with an oddly purple flame. Then she came back to him, standing so close that when he breathed in deeply, his chest pressed against hers. The smile playing on her lips was wicked, and she gently bit her lip with teeth that were too sharp to be human.
Her tanned skin seemed to glow in the flickering candles, and he tried to think about how beautiful she was. If he could focus on the lovely parts of her exterior instead of the vile creature that lurked beneath, he might be able to get through this.
Penn seemed to be waiting for him to make the first move, so he knew he needed to do something. He put his hand on the small of her back, pressing her body against him, and he could feel the warmth of her skin through the thin fabric.
That was all Penn needed, and a small, purring sound escaped her lips. She reached up and ran her fingers through his disheveled hair until her hand rested on the back of his neck. Her grip was strong, too strong, and her fingers felt like fire, sending hot electricity through him.
Penn kissed him slow at first, reminding him of the way she’d kissed him out
on Bernie’s Island. Her mouth worked gently against his for a moment, but she couldn’t keep up the restraint for very long.
She put her arms around him, almost clinging to him. As she fell back on the bed, she was pulling him down with her, and he let her. He lay on top of her, and her legs wrapped around him, holding him to her. When she pushed up against him, he felt his body responding.
He needed the physical reaction to get him through this, to be able to perform and keep Harper safe, but he’d never before felt more betrayed by his own skin. Penn was repulsive and monstrous, and no part of him should find any pleasure in this.
Breathing heavily, he pulled away from her, which was rather difficult when she clung to him so tightly. He held himself up with his arms above her, and her lips were pressed into a tight pout.
“Penn, can I ask you something?”
She rolled her eyes and groaned. “Haven’t we talked enough?”
“No, I need to know something. ”
“Daniel. ” She ran her hands through his hair, so her fingers went over the scar that ran along the back of his head. “Come on. You can’t back out of this now. ”
“I’m not. I swear, I’m not,” he told her honestly. “I would if I could, but I know I can’t. ”
Penn sighed and let go of him, allowing Daniel to sit up on the bed next to her. “So what? What do you need to know that’s important?”
“When this is over, are you gonna kill me?”
“I’m not a praying mantis. ” She still lay back on the bed, staring up at the skylight and the darkening sky above them. When he’d arrived, the sun had been setting, but now the stars were starting to come out.
“You kinda are, actually,” Daniel countered.
She sat up so she could look at him directly. “Why are you even asking me this?”
“Because I want to know. Wouldn’t you want to know if you only had a few hours left to live?”
“A few hours?” Penn smirked. “You’re being generous. ”
“You told me you were gonna ‘rock my world,’ so I’m making assumptions here. ”
Her smiled changed, and Penn climbed onto his lap. She tried to straddle him, but Daniel pushed her legs to the side, so she had to settle for having her arms around his neck.
“Penn,” Daniel said firmly, keeping his hand on her thigh to stop her in case she tried to wrap it around him again. “No. I’m not doing anything until you answer the question. ”
“What if I am?” Penn asked, the same sultry smile and glint in her dark eyes.
“What?”
She lowered her eyes, staring down at his mouth. “What if I plan to kill you when we’re done? What then?”
“Then … I guess I’d better get busy dying. ”
Her eyes widened, either in disbelief or surprise. “Really? You wouldn’t try to talk me out of it?”
“I don’t know what choice I have,” he admitted. “If I put you off anymore, you’ll take it out on Harper or Gemma. And if I do it tonight, you’ll probably kill me. I’m choosing the lesser of two evils. ”
“What if…” She chewed her lip, as if debating on whether or not to say more. “What if I told you there was a third option?”
“A third option?”
“Yeah. ” The velvet in her words grew more excited. “I’ve been thinking about it. I cringe at the word ‘love’ and all its frivolities, but I feel something for you that I haven’t felt for anyone in centuries. And I’m not about to let you go. ”
“So you’re not planning on killing me?” Daniel asked.
Penn shook her head. “Not exactly. I want you to join me. ”
He waited a beat before speaking, almost too afraid to find out what she meant by that. “Join you how?”
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Penn slid off his lap and knelt on the bed next to him as she explained. “I mean, this is all assuming that you perform up to my expectations, and when I wake up tomorrow, I’m still as infatuated with you as I am today. ”
“So whatever you’re plotting hangs on your ever-changing whims?”
“Exactly. ”
“What are you plotting?”
“You remember earlier this summer when we realized that you were immune to our song, and Gemma’s stupid boyfriend was in love with her?”
He nodded. “I’m familiar with this. ”
“We didn’t understand why this was happening, and Thea in particular was obsessed with reevaluating the curse. So we pulled out the old scroll and were going over it when I noticed some particular wording. ” Penn tucked her hair behind her ear as she spoke.
“It went on and on about the curse, we have to eat boys’ hearts, we sing, there must always be four, blah blah blah. But there was one thing that really stood out. ”
“And that is?” Daniel pressed.
She smiled widely before delivering her big discovery. “It never said the sirens had to be girls. ”
It was a second before he managed to ask, “What?”
“We’d always assumed, and I’d never thought much about it,” Penn said, speaking more rapidly in her fervor. “The four of us were the original sirens until the 1700s, when Ligea died, so we haven’t used the replacement clause that much. And I’d never really wanted anyone other than a girl, another sidekick, but you’ve got me thinking. ”
Inwardly, Daniel groaned. He always seemed to get her thinking when all he was really trying to do was to get her to forget him.
“How did I get you thinking?” he asked.
“The other day, at the park. You told me I was doing a terrible job of picking minions, and you were right. That’s when it hit me. I don’t want a minion—I need a partner. ”
“A partner? And you think I’m that partner?”
He wanted to laugh, but he knew Penn would freak out if he did. He looked away from her and got up, deciding that standing would somehow make this feel better. Putting some distance between her and him had to help him think more clearly.
“Daniel, it will be perfect,” Penn continued, and in her excitement, her voice had almost turned into a song. “I’ve gotten so bored with life, and I’ve done everything there is to do. I’m so sick of the world. I’ve seen it all before, and everything has become redundant. But with you, it could all be new again. I could show you the world. ”
He glanced back at her, kneeling at the end of the bed and staring expectantly at him. “Did you just quote Disney at me?”
“Maybe, but it doesn’t make my point any less valid. ”
“I can’t be your eyes, Penn. I can’t give you a heart again or make you happy. ” He shook his head. “I know I should be trying to convince you that I’m everything you’re looking for, but I’m not. It wouldn’t be long before you would get bored with me; and then what? You’d have all of eternity to drag me around. ”
“Obviously I would get rid of you if I got bored with you,” Penn said, like she was talking about tossing out expired milk.
He laughed darkly. “You’re really making this appealing. ”
“I want you, Daniel, and I’m being as kind as I can be. ”
“Strangely, I believe that. ”
“You may not believe that you’re my last chance at happiness, but I do, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get it,” Penn said. “You need to accept my offer. ”
“Accept your offer? I don’t even really understand what it is. ”
“If you say no, I will have no choice but to kill you, and Harper, and Gemma, and every last person in this shit hole little town. I’ll slaughter them one by one, and I’ll make you watch. You’ll be the very last to die. ” There was no menace in her voice. She was merely stating the facts to him, and that somehow made it more chilling.
“How romantic,” he muttered under his breath. Swallowing hard, he looked up at her. “And what if I say yes?”
She smiled. “If you say yes, you’ll get far more
than your safety and your life and eternity. I’ll love you, I’ll serve you, I’ll feed your every desire. My life’s ambition will be to make you happy, as yours will be to me. We’ll live forever with incredible power and unlimited freedom. Together. ”
“And what about everyone else?”
“We’ll leave them behind,” she told him simply. “We’ll go far, far away, and we’ll never return to Capri. You’ll never see Harper or your family again, but that means neither will I. I’ll never hurt any of them, and they’ll live long, happy, little human lives. I will spare everyone, for you. ”
As horrible as the offer was, it still sounded too good to be true. He would have to spend the rest of eternity in emotional, physical, and sexual servitude to Penn, but he could save everyone. Everything he’d been trying for would come true. He might not be able to break the curse—at least not right away—but he’d be there with Gemma, to help her and watch out for her.
His mind raced, trying to find the flaw in Penn’s plan or what other devious thing she might be scheming at.
“With me, there would be five sirens,” he realized. “I thought you could only have four. ”
“We can only have four,” Penn confirmed.
And that would be the flaw. “So who are you getting rid of?”
Penn tilted her head, like she was considering, but she considered rather quickly. “I was thinking Thea. ”
“Thea?” Daniel asked, startled by her choice.
She laughed. “You look surprised. ”
“I thought you’d say Gemma. ”
“I’m not stupid, Daniel. If I killed her, you wouldn’t go along. I know that. ”
“But Thea is your sister, and she’s not totally insane and out of control like Liv,” Daniel countered.
He wasn’t entirely sure what Thea’s deal was or if he could trust her, but from what he knew of the sirens, she seemed to be the most sane and reasonable. If he had to a pick a siren to have on his side, other than Gemma, Thea was his top choice.
“She’s annoying and bossy, though. ” Penn wrinkled her nose in irritation when she talked about Thea.
“I don’t think I can spend the next hundred years or so dealing with Liv,” he admitted, though he failed to add that he didn’t think he could spend that long dealing with Penn, either. “If you want me to do this, then she’s the one. ”
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“You want me to kill Liv?” Penn nearly squealed in her delight, and she licked her full lips. “You’re so deliciously wicked, Daniel. I thought for sure you’d have some kind of moral argument about it. ”
“I’m fairly certain that Liv has already killed a lot of people, and if she hasn’t yet, then she will soon,” he reasoned. “She’s much more of a monster than Gemma or Thea, and maybe even you. I don’t have any qualms with getting rid of evil. ”
Penn had been sitting on her knees, but she moved so she was leaning back on the bed, propping herself up with her elbows. One of her long legs dangled over the edge, but her other foot was still on the bed, so when she moved her knee, Daniel would get a peek up her dress if he was looking.
Elegy Page 20
