To Seduce A Siren

by Cousins, Jane

  Leaping off Nate, Destiny flowed like quicksilver to her feet. Cocking a hip to one side she rested a slim hand on it as she surveyed her five, recently acquired, minions. “Will you quit it with all the pissing and moaning, can’t you see I’m having fun here?”

  Four of the vamps cowered before her, the fifth continued to hiss and spit in her direction. It was the one who’d lost a leg and almost an arm. He seemed to be lodging some sort of protest for the group. Whatever Destiny had done to their former Queen to make her disappear, it didn’t seem enough to intimidate this vamp minion.

  Or maybe the vamp was just stupid, Nate decided, as Destiny flashed forward, gripped his injured arm, ripping it all the way off. With an easy toss she sent the limb hurtling away into the darkness. “Now unless you want to play fetch with your remaining arm, I suggest you button it Gustave. I don’t care if you’re hungry or you’re hurt. I’m busy playing with my handsome new, anatomically correct Ken doll, and I don’t want to hear anymore whining from you.”

  It was perturbing to watch Destiny turn, issue a high-pitched girlish giggle and coyly skip back over to him. Ugh, this twisted woman… creature, made his gut roil.

  Standing over Nate once more the vamp Queen smiled down at him. “Now where were we?” Quicksilver fast, she was once more snuggled on top of him, leaning over to lick at one of the still bleeding furrows she’d created across his chest. “Hmmm, yummy… even better than I remembered.”

  Nate ignored the attentions of the vamp Queen, focusing instead on testing the chains holding him prisoner. The metal stake used to chain his left leg had the slightest bit of give when he pulled against it. Could he tear it loose? And proceed to do what exactly? Okay next option… the wood beneath him was warped and old, maybe he could break it up, he’d still be chained, but flying chains could do a lot of damage. Of course he’d have to somehow get rid of the swords through his shoulders… think man.

  “Hey!” He snapped out of his musings as Destiny’s hand trailed down his body to cup his less than interested cock through his trousers. “Claws to self, Vampira, I assume you brush your teeth twice a day but I have no idea where those hands of yours have been.”

  Destiny backhanded him hard across the face, snapping his head back to bounce against the wooden floor. Whether it was because of his joke or his lack of interest in the charms she displayed so freely he couldn’t be sure.

  “Oh Lover.” She snuggled up higher, licking at the fading red mark she’d made across his cheekbone. “In a few days you’ll be begging for my touch…” She laughed. “That’s if you last that long… I hope you do, I really hope you do.”

  Nate frowned, distracted from making a witty comeback by a weird sound, which was steadily growing louder. What was that? It was annoying as hell. How was he supposed to concentrate on plotting a cunning escape plan with that dreadful caterwauling distracting him? Maat, and not only was the damn sound getting louder, it was growing closer.

  Whatever it was, Destiny finally seemed to have twigged to it, though she seemed less annoyed by the sound and more… dazed? He glanced over to the minions; they too were being affected by the sound, three of them actually swaying in time, as if being lulled by that Maat awful noise. By the Sands, what was going on?

  Destiny moved off him slowly, to crouch by his shoulder, a wary hand now resting on the hilt of the nearest sword, her silver eyes fixed on the pathway leading up from the private cove. Nate lifted his head higher. Whatever was coming had Destiny spooked, which had to be a good thing, right?

  Clouds that had been blocking the light of the three quarter moon parted, just as Charisse crested the top of the cliff. Oh shit, no. “Cyd, run… vampires!”

  For his trouble he received a rather absent-minded second crack across the face from Destiny. And still Charisse approached, strolling languidly forward, wearing nothing but a yellow bikini, her hips rolling, she appeared to be exaggerating her stride.

  No one moved a muscle, not Destiny and not the minions. Maat, Cyd was luminous under the moonlight, her perfect flawless skin gleaming and looking all too touchable. Her hair was wet and dark, falling over one shoulder, water dripping from the ends, creating captivating rivulets of water that ran down over one full breast to splash droplets down those long toned legs of hers.

  Cyd’s eyes glowed impossibly bright in the darkness, seductive green pools of promise. And that wide mouth of hers, a wicked smile teasing the edges as she… sang? That dreadful noise was Cyd singing? Not possible. Maat, when the minions snapped out of lust they would tear her to shreds. Except the minions weren’t snapping out of anything, they continued to be frozen in place, gazing at Cyd as if she were a family-sized Slurpee blood special.

  Absently Nate thumped his head back against the floorboards, this could not be happening. Was he dreaming? Though seriously, he wasn’t sure even his imagination would have been able to do Cyd justice in that yellow bikini or hers. She had to be here, and the vamps, even Destiny, appeared caught up in whatever spell she was weaving in her brief yellow bikini.

  “Hi there.” Charisse came to a stop a few feet from the cluster of minions. Two of the minions instantly dropped to their knees next to the vamp with only two limbs left. Charisse let out a small delighted laugh, one more abruptly dropped to his knees. “So sweet.” She gave them a wide smile and looked over to where Nate was being held captive, Destiny hovering over him.

  “What are you doing here Cyd?” Nate enquired between gritted teeth. Afraid any moment the vamps would snap out of their trance and take Cyd down like a gazelle in the wild. Under him the floor boards gave a distinct creak as he strained against the chains.

  “Saving your ass Superflirt.” Charisse took a step in his direction. The only remaining minion standing hissed low and sharp, whilst the others began to move restlessly. Charisse halted in her tracks, humming softly under her breath as she turned her attention back to the minions. “So many of you and only one of me… how will I choose?” Casually she reached up and flicked her hair back over her shoulder, exposing the long line of her throat to the minions. Instantly the five erupted into battle, tearing and ripping at each other, determined to be the one. Charisse gave a satisfied nod now that the minions were occupied, moving a few steps closer to the decking. “And just who do we have here?” She smiled warmly Destiny’s way.

  Nate thought Cyd was delusional if she believed her charms would work on the psycho vamp Queen, but any distraction at this moment was a precious one, so he’d play along. “Cyd meet Destiny. Destiny this is Cyd.”

  “Cyd.” Destiny repeated the name low, almost like a purr.

  Nate’s head snapped upwards at the way Destiny said Charisse’s name. It was filled with avid interest… oh, so the vamp Queen played both sides of the field did she? Fuck, whilst that kind of intrigued him on a purely male level, for the most part he was horrified. Destiny liked nothing more than to play with her food, case in point, his current predicament, what would she do with Cyd?

  Cyd moved up the stairs slowly, exaggerating every move she made, bending over to run a hand lightly up Nate’s left leg. Nate was pretty sure both he and Destiny had their eyes locked on Cyd’s bodacious cleavage. Snap out of it man, escape plan, remember?

  “I like what you’ve done with the warrior… the swords are a nice touch.” Charisse praised, straightening up to stare down at Destiny.

  Destiny caressed the hilt of the sword under her hand, slowly rising from her crouch to face Charisse across Nate’s chained body. “What are you… pretty one, some sort of sea nymph?”

  “Would that be a bad thing?” Charisse fluttered her eyelashes, green eyes full of mischief as her hand came to rest on the hilt of the sword next to her, mirroring almost exactly Destiny’s stance.

  “Not at all.” Destiny shook her head, flashing her fangs for a split second. “In fact I’m rather partial to salty blood.”

  Nate felt Cyd give a discreet tug on the sword, it was lucky if it moved a quarter of an inch. Maa
t, he hoped Destiny didn’t work out Cyd’s game before she could work that sword free.

  “Sorry, not a sea nymph.” Charisse shook her head, offering a cheeky smile. “Would you like to guess again?”

  Destiny leaned forward slightly, sniffing the air, silver eyes travelling slowly down Charisse’s almost naked body. “Perhaps if I had a little taste of you.”

  Charisse laughed and playfully leaned away. “Now that would be cheating.”

  Whip quick, Destiny captured Charisse’s free wrist, yanking her across Nate’s prone body.

  Thankfully Cyd had retained hold of the sword when she was pulled, managing to discreetly yank it out of the wood beneath him by a good inch if not more. If he heaved he was pretty sure he could pull it out the rest of the way. Okay, one sword down, that just left one sword and four chains to go.

  Looking up Nate studied Cyd’s rear end, damn her gorgeous hide she was distracting and now it looked like Vampira was going to take a big damn bite out of her.

  Seemingly off balance for just a moment, Charisse giggled, clutching tightly onto Destiny, bringing her breasts flush up against the vamp’s zippered catsuit, letting one of her hands trail down Destiny’s arm to come to rest on top of the hand the vamp Queen still had on the hilt of the sword thrust through Nate’s shoulder.

  Charisse forced out another giggle. “Oops, sorry… you surprised me.”

  Destiny reached up, trailing a razor sharp nail down Charisse’s soft cheek. “Do you like surprises Beautiful?”

  Charisse studied those silver cat eyes closely, a smile tilting up the edges of her wide lips for just a second as she leant forward suddenly, planting her lips on Destiny’s. Beneath her grip she felt Destiny’s hand tighten on the hilt of the sword, with a rough aggressive shove Charisse planted one of her legs between Destiny’s, forcing the vamp to back up a step to gain her balance.

  Nate felt the second sword give. If his and Cyd’s lives hadn’t been at stake, he might well have paused to enjoy the show but thanks to Cyd and her mystical magical mojo he was no longer pinned securely to the deck, time to break free, get Cyd to safety and kill a vamp Queen. He’d no sooner had the thought when the sensual vibe Destiny had been giving off as she played with Cyd abruptly changed.

  Destiny broke the kiss and cat-quick grabbed hold of Charisse’s face in one hand, forcing Charisse up on tippy toe unless she wanted five deep gouges in her face. Destiny’s incisors looked very white and sharp by the light of the moon.

  “Excuse me for being a tad suspicious Cyd. A bikini clad bimbo saunters out of the night. Mind fucks my minions and tries to ply her wiles on yours truly. It practically shrieks of a badly thought out plan to save the warrior from the clutches of the beautiful vampire Queen. Just blink once for yes if I’m right, because if I hear even a squeak past those tasty lips of yours, I might be forced to chew them off.”

  Charisse made a slight sound. Destiny tightened her grip, forcing Charisse to strain upwards even further.

  Shit, this had all gone south in an instant. Nate flexed and then heaved with all his might, ripping the four metal stakes right out of the wooden floor, sending broken wood flying. Destiny reacted fast, ripping the sword under her hand right out of his shoulder, grabbing Charisse by the throat and using her as a shield as she turned them to face a pissed off, elite warrior of Maat.

  “I love a toy full of surprises.” Vampira absently tapped the flat of the sword against her thigh as she shook Charisse like a puppy, her five razor sharp nails piercing the tender flesh of Charisse’s throat, blood beginning to trickle down Cyd’s pale alabaster skin.

  Standing upright, breathing hard but still in chains, Nate reached up and yanked the remaining sword from his shoulder, pointing it in Destiny’s direction. “Let the girl go.”

  “I don’t think so. She’s interfered in my fun.” Destiny looked over in the direction of the still wrestling minions. “Created havoc amongst the help and… correct me if I’m wrong here Lover, but I can’t help but think she might have mind-fucked you as well, captured your heart when you should be ripping it out of your own chest and offering it to me. I don’t know what she is…” Destiny gave Charisse another hard shake.

  “Enough!” Nate snapped out the word, hating the sight of the blood dripping down Cyd’s throat even as she bravely gritted her teeth, refusing to give the vamp Queen the satisfaction of making any noise. Okay, he didn’t have much time, Destiny could very well rip Cyd’s head right off if she grew angry… or even bored for that matter, she was a fickled bitch, on top of which, at any moment one of the minions would finish beating his fellow minions into submission and want to claim his yellow, bikini-clad prize.

  Nate didn’t have time to unravel himself from the trailing chains and spikes so there was only one possible solution… use them to his advantage. Lightning fast he grabbed hold of the chain around his left wrist and yanked it back hard before snapping it forward, sending the attached metal stake whipping outwards fast to sink deep into Destiny’s thigh.

  Even as Destiny howled out a shriek, Charisse bought her fist down hard on top of the spike, slamming it even deeper into the vampire Queen. Nate barrelled into them both, ripping out the stake as he gathered Charisse up in one arm, yanking her away from Destiny and spinning them towards the safety of the house.

  Hisses sounded from the minions, who’d broken up their fight upon hearing their Queen’s scream of pain. Though by the way the two least damaged of them leapt after Cyd, Nate was willing to bet it was more the idea of losing their new lady love that had them reacting so swiftly rather than coming to their new Queen’s aid.

  Nate hauled Charisse through the broken conservatory doors, mindful that he’d probably hurt her in the process but bruises were preferable surely to being snacked upon by a vampire. He took a deep breath; they were over the threshold… safe. That’s when he was nearly yanked off his feet. One of the minions had grabbed hold of a trailing chain and pulled.

  Fuck, he scrabbled around, managing to grab hold of the chain wrapped around his right boot just in time, the heels of his shit kickers digging into the floor, only inches from the threshold. Across the invisible barrier he came face to face with the snapping jaws of a pissed off vampire, black blood oozing from several cuts across its too pale face.

  Two could play at the tug-o-war game, with a hard yank, Nate pulled the surprised vampire still holding on to the end of the chain right over the threshold. Closing his eyes and holding his breath as it exploded in a large black cloud of dust over him. Shit. He waved his hand in front of his face, even as he double checked that all his other chains were safely inside the boundary of the house.

  Turning he looked towards Charisse who was standing a few feet away, looking pale, her eyes wide with shock. “Cyd? You okay? Cyd?” He lurched to his feet.

  “I… thought that whole threshold thing was just a myth.” She murmured.

  Slapping vamp dust out of his hair Nate grimaced. “Nope… though remind me next time to stand back a little.”

  Charisse glanced past him, pale but her spine was now ramrod straight, a fierce look in her eyes. “Okay then warrior… stand back.” Turning she looked at the other vamp minion pacing in front of the open conservatory doors, eyeing her with blood lust in its eyes.

  She began to sing, ignoring Nate as he reacted by slapping his hands over his ears… seriously, what did he have against her singing? It was enough to give a Siren a complex, but not enough to stop her from luring the blood sucking vampire assassin to take just three steps forward. POW… another cloud of vampire dust billowed into the air. Two down, three minions and a mad vampire Queen to go.

  Destiny let out another loud shriek, racing towards the open conservatory doors, stopping just short. Eyeing the two of them with fierce eyes, Nate’s sword in one of her hands, whilst the other was clenched over the hole in her thigh where Nate had ripped out the metal stake.

  “I cannot express with words right at this moment how much I loathe your
wide, bikini-wearing ass, Cyd. Those were two of my best minions… Helmut and… and the other one. I don’t know what you are bitch, but I’m very much looking forward to carving you open and finding out, and just for shits and giggles I think I’ll let the warrior here watch while I do it. It’s always so much more satisfying when one has an audience.”

  “Goddess you love the sound of your own voice, don’t you?” Charisse shook her head in bemusement.

  Next to her Nate unwound the last of his chains, dropping it to the floor. “You okay?” He moved to stand next to Charisse, concerned with how pale she was suddenly looking now that the encounter with the vamps was over and the adrenalin was wearing off. She’d been incredibly brave… kind of stupid, but still, heart-stoppingly brave. But now she was beginning to shiver and her eyes had taken on a slightly glazed look.

  Suddenly her pallor turned deathly pale indeed, her eyes widened as she instinctively bought a hand up to her mouth. “Bathroom?”

  “Upstairs… third room on the right.” He watched as she turned tail and ran.

  “I’m really going to enjoy killing that girl.” Vamp Queen sneered at Cyd’s exit.

  Nate turned to look at Destiny. “I’ll be waiting for you. Come back real soon Vampira.” Walking over he slammed shut the conservatory doors, kicking the piles of chains over to keep the doors firmly closed. Turning, he flexed both his shoulders, they ached but they were through and throughs, no bone or muscle damage. He should be able to heal them fast.

  Walking across the room he knelt by the all but forgotten pizza delivery guy. Rolling him over, he noted the nasty bruise and accompanying knot on the side of his head. With a bump like that, the kid would be out for a few more hours he guessed.

  Standing up he knew he couldn’t put it off any longer. It was time to go find out how Charisse was doing and more importantly, discover just exactly what sort of mojo the girl wielded that had vampires, and now he came to think about it, drunks, fishermen, sailors and every bloody passing tourist, literally worshipping at her dainty bare feet.