Shipwreck Souls

by Kendra Moreno

  He stared at me in confusion. “I’m Roger Malone. And you are?”

  I nearly smacked myself on the forehead. Of course, I would stumble upon the mystery man who owned this ship, the one who wasn’t supposed to know I was here. But what an opportunity it was to find exactly who I desired, and he looked exactly as Carrie had made him sound.

  “My name is Coi. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt you.” I gestured towards the closed doorway, assuming he was heading inside. I would have followed if he did.

  He laughed. “No. Believe me. I’m not going in there.”

  “Why not? It looks like a lot of fun.” I raised my brow with a smile.

  “I tend to avoid people at these things. I don’t really want to join in with an orgy that the tabloids will start talking about tomorrow morning. You’d be surprised how many people would pay for a little bit of juicy details.”

  “Then why host such a gathering if you have no desire to partake? Certainly, there are better things to spend your time on.”

  “There are.” His intelligent eyes met mine, and I had the urge to move just a little bit closer. This one was the most powerful man on this ship, and I was feeling curious, the scene behind me adding to the fire burning low in my belly. I could hear moans and the slapping of skin, and I suddenly needed release. The man in front of me would do nicely. He tilted his head as I stepped closer, studying me closely. “It’s hardly a hardship to hide out in my luxury room floating on the ocean.”

  “It must be lonely,” I purred, placing a single finger on his chest and drawing it across his well-defined muscles.

  Roger smiled at me. “Are you offering to help chase away my loneliness, Coi?” I could hear the tease in his voice, and it made my eyes crinkle just a little. Oh, this one liked to play.

  “I thought you didn’t like the people on your ship?” A particularly loud moan reached my ears, and I grinned, leaning my head towards the sound inside. Perhaps, I should have gone back in there, let them all pleasure me instead of just taking part. I longed to be worshipped, and four people worshipping me sounded divine. But I found I was drawn to the man looking down at me, something about his soul urging me to take him for my own.

  “People, no.” He turned his head towards the sound, listening. Did it excite him like it did me? “But you are far different from the normal people I host.” His eyes took in my body, as if to prove I was unlike anything he’d ever known. “You’re welcome to hide out in my room with me.”

  “Is that an invitation for sex?” I asked bluntly. Say yes, I urged him. Say yes.

  “We could just talk.” He grinned. “Anything besides that is up to you.” His eyes slid down my body again, perusing, and I did the same. When he held out his hand, I slid mine into his without hesitation. Yes, Roger would do nicely.

  When he led me through another door a few seconds later, I didn’t pay attention at all to the room. My only focus was on how quickly I could get him undressed and inside me. The seconds were ticking quickly by, and the ache between my legs was only growing.

  Roger clicked the door closed behind us and locked it, making me wonder if the other group had purposely left theirs open for others to join. But I was no longer worried about them, not really. I was about to have far more fun in this room.

  Roger released my hand and moved towards a desk in the room, leaning against it as if he had all the time in the world. I almost scowled. With his eyes resting on me, he seemed to be waiting for something. I raised my brow in question.

  “Are you sure you want me here?” I inquired, taking a step forward. “I’m not tame.”

  His brow wrinkled at my choice of words, but still he smiled. “Free spirits don’t scare me, if that’s what you mean. And yes, I’m certain. Tell me about yourself.”

  I took a few more steps until only three feet separated us. “Do you really want to talk? Because I have something else in mind.”

  “Oh?” His eyes sparkled at my admission, as if he knew exactly what I was going to say, exactly what I wanted. I didn’t need to talk. I preferred not to. My rite needed to be completed, and while I could take a brief interlude, I still yearned to return home as soon as possible. I already missed my sisters.

  “You’re not worried?”

  “About what?”

  “I could be some sort of monster,” I teased, too close to the truth.

  “Well, then,” he said, his voice husky, “I will gladly let you eat me.” There was heat in his voice, and I ignited at his meaning.

  Desire clouded his eyes when I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck, my fingers digging into his skin. He didn’t seem to care, relishing in my touch more than leaning away.

  “I have to admit the scene from the other room did something for me,” I confessed, grinding my pelvis against his front when I closed the distance. “Perhaps, there’s something you can do about that.”

  His hands wrapped around my waist gently, his strong fingers caressing the skin there, sending tingles across my skin. What would it be like to have a human? I wondered. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his, kissing him with all the heat in my body, my desire too strong to deny. He matched my ferocity, his fingers hooking under the tank top and sliding beneath to graze the bottom of my breasts. His fingers were rough against my soft skin, sending a bolt of pleasure straight to my core. I reached between us and rubbed his hardness through his clothing, causing a low moan to slip from his throat. He spun us around, suddenly, putting my ass against the desk and kissing me hard. I didn’t wait for him to remove my clothing. I kicked the baggy pants from my legs quickly, the urgency singing in my veins. He chuckled against my lips when he realized what I had done and ran his teeth down my neck, nipping, cranking my desire higher.

  “In a hurry?” he teased against my throat.

  I didn’t answer. I threaded my fingers into his hair and pushed him to his knees in front of me, opening my thighs for him. I had the satisfaction of seeing the fire flare to life in his eyes before I pressed his lips against my core. Oh, yes. That’s fucking perfect.

  He took to licking me as if I was the sweetest honey he had ever tasted, swirling his tongue against my clit until I gasped in pleasure. I didn’t release my hold in his hair. Instead, I pressed his face harder between my thighs, until I was uncertain if he could breathe or not. There was something about having a powerful man kneeling before me that drove my desire higher than ever. I had never felt like this, not with the men back home in Atlantis. Perhaps, human legs were not so bad after all.

  Roger’s tongue wound me higher and higher, until I was moaning in pleasure. When his finger ran through my folds, I came undone against him, crying out as my orgasm slammed into me. Finally, I relaxed the hold I had on his hair and allowed him to stand. He stood quickly, his hands everywhere on my body.

  “You’re fucking beautiful,” he growled. He didn’t waste time removing his clothing like I did. He pushed my shirt up to reveal my breasts before pulling his cock from his pants. He didn’t push his clothing all the way down, leaving them stretched around his hips before he slammed inside of me.

  “Seas!” I cried out, grasping his shoulders hard enough to draw blood as he started to pound inside me, pressing me harder into the desk. He threaded one of his hands into my hair and wrenched my head back almost painfully, his teeth going to the soft tissue of my neck, marking me.

  “Who the fuck are you?” he snarled. “You drive me insane.” I didn’t answer, so lost in pleasure I could hardly think. Seas, this is glorious. “Is this not to your liking?” he asked, because of my silence. “Perhaps I should take you like the woman from the other room and take you from behind.”

  “Yes!” I cried. I would give him anything he wanted if only he didn’t stop.

  He pulled out of me quickly and spun me around, bending me down over the desk. I shoved the items on top away, clearing more space just before he slammed back inside of me hard enough to shake the desk. His fingers returned to my hair
, pulling me backwards until I was arched up, with his free hand at my throat. He didn’t slow his momentum, fucking me like he owned me.

  “I don’t know where you came from, Coi,” he whispered in my ear, “but I don’t plan on letting you go.”

  “No one owns me,” I gasped out, as he hit a sweet spot inside of me.

  “Who said anything about owning?” He bit the skin at my shoulder. “I want to worship you.” Roger grasped a handful of my breast and squeezed, drawing another moan from my lips. “Tell me what you want.”

  “Fuck me harder,” I moaned.

  He released my hair and practically shoved my body down flush with the desk. His hands gripped my hips, and he pistoned inside of me so hard, I screamed, clawing at the wooden structure in an attempt to hold myself in place. He didn’t slow, hitting my nerves over and over again until I saw spots in front of my eyes, and my climax crashed down upon me. He jerked inside of me, following me over the edge, his movements stuttering.

  I shook on top of the desk, my legs like jelly, as his pumping slowed and he braced himself on either side of my back.

  “Am I hurting you?” he inquired, shifting his weight. His breath was ragged and he was breathing just as hard as I was. His weight was a comfort, heavy but protective. I knew if I told him yes, he’d move immediately, even if he thought he had some claim on me. I allowed it for a short time.

  “No,” I breathed with a tiny chuckle. “You’re far from hurting me.”

  “Where did you come from?” he questioned, his lips pressing a gentle kiss on my spine.

  The action drew more honesty from me than I expected. It was so tender, from a practical stranger, one who is always lonely while surrounded by people, and he chose to bring me into his sanctuary. He chose to trust a monster, so in turn, I gave him the same courtesy.

  “The ocean.”

  I waited for his confusion, a mocking laugh maybe, but it never came. Instead, he slipped free from my core and lifted me in his arms, laying me down across the soft platform against the wall. It was plenty big enough for two, and I practically purred when he climbed on beside me and drew me back against his chest.

  “Well, then, remind me to give my thanks back to the ocean,” he mumbled against my back, already drifting off into sleep.

  Oh, the ocean would be plenty pleased with its sacrifice, I thought. She would be happy indeed.

  Chapter Two

  I sat on the top of the ship, watching all of the partygoers with a slight tinge of glee. Before this night was over, their laughter would turn to screams, their joy to despair. Was it horrible of me to look forward to such sounds? My sisters would give me disapproving frowns perhaps, but they were my sisters. If I was a little bloodthirsty, they would not judge me for it. Just as I wouldn’t judge their disgust.

  Below, Roger was sleeping off our time together. He’d been perfect, exactly what I wished to experiment with. I’ve considered keeping him as my own personal pet, but I was not certain that would be possible. A human could not breath underwater, and I couldn’t stay on land forever. Either way, because of his fine skills, he will be conveniently close to a life raft along with Carrie. I didn’t have to snuff out all the souls aboard, and I’d found small reasons to leave them unscathed. The rest, however, will be easy to sacrifice. Feed the sea. Complete my task. Go home.

  Or I could find more ships to sink.

  Already, the thrill of what I was about to do sang through my blood, and I realized, as much as I didn’t approve of being forced here, I was going to enjoy every last second of my rite of passage.

  Quietly, I began to hum, so low there was no way the party goers could hear me. There wasn’t much that happened at first, my powers tampered, barely a trickle, but I did watch Orca move away from the ship in the waves, his bright orange a beacon to my sharp eyes. Good, he would be out of harm’s way once we began.

  The wind picked up and lifted my hair around my shoulders, the gentle caress cool against my skin. I started to hum louder, a gentle blue glow emanating from my skin, my voice still soft compared to the loud music pumping through the speakers aboard. The ship rocked from side to side, barely much different than before, but it was enough for everyone standing on the decks to reach out and steady themselves on whatever they could find. Sometimes it was a railing and sometimes it was a body. I grinned at their uncertainty, as a few looked around in confusion when the waves began to rise a little higher.

  And then I actually began to sing.

  “Little siren of the seas,

  swim in pools of darkness,

  Sing their death upon your lips,

  your duty is to harm them.

  Violent siren, blood-red lips,

  you must complete your task,

  Let their screams feed the sea,

  humanity cannot last.”

  The music coming from the speakers stopped as every eye looked up at me where I stood. The ship lurched violently to the side, and a panicked murmur came from a few partiers, but not all. Most were too enamored with my voice, a tempting lure of powers threaded into my words. That was the power of a siren. We were temptation and heartbreak, lust and love. Whatever it was you desired was what drew you into our depths.

  “Little humans of the land,

  sink to depths unknown,

  Let the ocean embrace your soul,

  your journey is now done.

  Violent deaths breed violent ends,

  whisper on the waves,

  Sink beneath the ocean’s depths

  and rest within your grave.”

  My voice brought the ocean to its most violent. All it would take to send the ship to the bottom of the sea was a few more stanzas of song, but something brought me to a stop. I cut off the song and frowned down at the black water, sensing a vibration that wasn’t there before. Curiosity calms the waves, nothing more. I could always sink a ship. There was no need to rush when I was so close.

  “Sing again!” someone in the crowd yelled at me, with a harsh glint in his eye.

  “Sing for us!”

  “Don’t stop singing!”

  I ignored the shouts of the enamored and stared harder at the water over the side. There were more vibrations now, letting me know that whatever was coming, there were more than one. I heard Orca’s angry chortles from a distance, but I was relieved he was okay. Perhaps a dozen individual signatures danced across my skin. That meant there were a dozen possibilities of harming my friend. Bubbles broke the surface to my right, and it was followed by several more. I didn’t react when some kind of creatures slipped from the water, cloaked in black, easy for human eyes to miss, but not for a siren’s sharp gaze.

  But they weren’t creatures at all, I realized the moment they climbed aboard. Each one held some sort of weapon, and they all wore gear that allowed them to breathe underwater, the human version of a mermaid. What in the seas were they doing?

  The men and women on the boat didn’t even realize something had interrupted their party. The music had already started again. The ones waiting for me to sing still watched what I would do next, completely ignoring the rest of the scenery. None of them reacted when one of the men lowered his gear and pointed his weapon in the air. The sounds it made when he fired it—the CLACK, CLACK, CLACK—made even me cover my ears and duck. It was unexpected. The rest of the people on board started to panic, screaming and cowering on the floor as all the men stood tall around the ship, taking up defensive positions.

  “Nobody move!” The man that shouted seemed to be the one in charge. As I watched, he lifted his mask over his head and slid the black head covering off. And then I felt the other ship coming closer from the darkness. I could sink two ships now if I wanted to, but I restrained myself. I was too curious to stop whatever was happening. My sisters always said my curiosity would be the death of me. “We’ve come for your jewels and your money. Don’t worry. Most of you bastards have enough money that it won’t hurt you in the slightest to hand it over.”

  T
he other men started moving through the crowd, bags held in front of them. I watched as women dropped jewels into the bags with shaking fingers. Some of the men scowled as they dropped in what they wore, their wallets, whatever they had. A few cowered worse than the women. One man stood up and tried to fight. The men in black didn’t waste any time. One of the crew pointed their weapon right at his head and that awful noise rent the air again. The man dropped to the deck, the screaming and crying rising as bright red blood seeped from a hole in his head. A woman who had been standing beside him stared in shock at the blood splattered across her body, no sound escaping her lips as she began to shake.

  “Let that serve as a warning,” the leader spoke. “You fight, you die. You cooperate, you live.”

  Almost as if he could sense me, he looked up to where I stood, his eyes taking in the loose pants I wore, and the too small tank top. I raised my brow at him in defiance, daring him to come after me himself. I wouldn’t waste time with the others. I always wanted the leader. Power would get me in trouble if I wasn’t careful.

  He nodded to one of the other men and passed his large weapon over, before he disappeared, no doubt heading for me. Good, I would like to meet the eyes of a man as ruthless as this one.

  I didn’t have long to wait, and I didn’t turn towards him as he climbed onto the top deck behind me.

  “Well, what do we have here?” he growled, his voice turning me on more than I expected. What would it be like to bring this one to his knees? No doubt he would be crasser than Roger. I almost groaned in pleasure at that realization. “Why are you not down with the others, hmm?”