Siren's Song

by Alexi Raymond

  “But you are going to work?” He put his hands low on her hips.

  “Yes.”

  “And you’re needing to be there sooner than later?” Gabe moved within a few inches of her face.

  “Yes,” she whispered, unsure anymore of why she ever wanted to leave.

  “Well then,” his lips brushed hers, “I guess I’d better not get in there with you.” His hips rocked against hers and hung there.

  “Oh…” Victoria put her hands on Gabe’s chest, her gaze trailing to his jeans. She brought her eyes back up to his steady, heavy gaze. “Then I guess you should go. ’Bye!” she chirped and pranced off.

  “Hey!” he yelled after her, and she turned, laughing hysterically.

  The fabric of her tank slid off easily, and she threw it to the ground and walked toward the bathroom.

  “Evil woman!” Gabe’s voice teased, but she heard his zipper and the sound of his jeans hitting the ground.

  The steam from the hot water filled the room quickly. Victoria pulled her panties off and straightened to find a smiling Gabe naked in the doorway. She moved the curtain out of the way and jumped into the shower, paying no attention to the water temperature.

  “Ouch ouch ouch!” she screamed, moving to the back of the shower.

  “Water’s hot, huh?” Gabe reached into the other side of the shower curtain and turned the nozzle to make it cooler.

  “I’ve got to pay better attention!”

  Gabe slid in behind her, extending his arm around her to test the water. “It’s cool now.”

  Victoria let the water cascade across her as she grabbed the soap. She lathered her arms and chest, only realizing how weird it was to be actually cleaning herself with Gabe behind her when it was time to soap up her ass. She hesitated.

  “Let me see that soap.” Gabe grabbed the bar of soap. His touch was tentative. The gentle rubbing of soap on her shoulders drifted to her back, and before long she felt the soft tickle of bubbles drifting down her body. Victoria held her hair over her shoulder, her grip getting tighter as his lathering hands moved to her ass.

  Victoria leaned back against him and heard him sigh. He reached over her and grabbed the showerhead to rinse her off.

  “I have to wash my hair,” she regretfully said to him.

  “That’s okay. I’m just going to go get dressed.”

  “Oh…okay.” Victoria didn’t turn around to watch him leave, but she hurried to finish getting ready herself. Wherever Gabe was, he was silent. “Gabe?”

  He poked his head from around the corner, his torso still unclothed.

  “I thought you were getting dressed?” She smiled, holding her towel and eyeing his bare pecs.

  “Not yet.”

  Gabe grabbed her hand and led her to the couch where he laid her down. He hovered over her, his hair curling and leaving little drops falling down on her. When he kissed her, it held none of the lust it had last night. Slowly, each brush of his lips sent her a message. Victoria waited for his hands to roam, waited for him to thrust into her with a vengeance, but he remained still.

  “I meant what I said, Tori. I do love you.”

  The soft vibrations of his voice, the serious tone he took, everything was right and Victoria knew it. She knew he meant it, and she knew what she felt, but the lump in her throat closed off her ability to speak. She nodded, feeling tears prick already swollen eyes, her lips pursed together. His kiss was gentle, taking her breath away and leaving her with pressure on her chest even as he rose away from her. Victoria wiped at the tears running down her cheeks, hoping she wasn’t caught crying again. She was tired of always being so emotional, but it was his fault. He was able to drag a million emotions out of her in a single, breathless moment.

  Chapter 26

  The days leading up to the Street Fest were nothing less than chaotic. Roads were closed with bright orange-and-white wooden boards. Vendors assembled their tents, and balloons flew high to catch attention. Every car in the hotel garages had some sort of racing paraphernalia or a small cartoon man urinating on a racer’s name or number. Gabe focused on every detail of every decal he saw, the bright colors of the vehicles and the darkened bruises some of the bumpers had suffered. Every vehicle had carried people away from their homes to be here, to celebrate the race and be with others doing the same thing. And he was going to perform for them. There was something to be said about knowing an audience, and Gabe was determined not to disappoint his.

  With their relationship on the right track, it felt like life was back to what it was supposed to be. His nights were no longer sleepless, and he spent the days thinking about her and happily working. More than that, he’d found his love for performing again. Even he could see the pride in Victoria’s eyes when she talked about him or the band. It was part of who he was, and she loved it. Embraced it. It was about time he did too.

  The stage stood large and black. Black curtains even hung from the sides where it sat directly in front of Monument Circle. His fingers trailed the railings up the stairs; rough grooves from years of use were carved into its polished-look finish. This was it. The night he would either lead the band to some sort of agent and a possible record deal, or it would be the last time they’d all push forward for the dream together.

  “Hey, dreamer, wanna help?” Ti called out, his voice sounding strained. Gabe turned to see him and Troy struggling to lift an amp up the stairs. Watching him with expectation, Burke kicked at a large, black box near the stage.

  Bent over with one hand on the handle, Gabe looked up at Burke. “Um, help?”

  “Lift with your knees.” Burke smiled and squatted appropriately.

  “Smart ass,” Gabe muttered, but he tucked his butt down and spread his feet.

  The backstage area wasn’t glamorous. It was lined off by the empty boxes that had carried the stage and equipment to the event and offered no real protection from anyone that cared to stand by and watch the guys before their show. A van’s honk ripped through the relative peace of a work day, the source being a large, white catering van headed straight for the barricades. It slowed to a stop, and the band watched as a police officer leaned up to the window, nodded, and moved the barricade to the side.

  The boys were about to go back to tuning up their equipment when Gabe noticed a van was headed past all of the vendors and was pointed toward the stage.

  “Ti, did we forget something?”

  Ti looked around at their supplies. “No, I don’t think so. What’s up?”

  Gabe nodded to the van that was then moving around the stage toward their backstage area. “I don’t know, but let’s go find out.”

  The four members of Banshee Exodus walked up to the plain, white doors of the van and watched as Sarah’s bob popped out of the driver’s side window.

  “Heya, guys! Hungry?” Her elbow perched comfortably on Ti’s shoulder, her smile warm as the summer day beamed out at them.

  Behind the sliding side door revealed several trays of sandwiches, gallons of soup, and a few dessert trays, which the guys immediately started eating.

  Gabe hung back. “Tori isn’t here with you?”

  “Nah, she’s covering my shift. She’ll be here later, though.” Sarah shrugged but didn’t offer any more information. He and Tori talked most every day, but they hadn’t seen each other much. Gabe had to get the song done, and she had to work. Not to mention the song was top secret. She knew it was special, but he refused to tell her anything else about it. He hated not seeing her, but at least she seemed to be sure of him now. She hardly mentioned the time Gabe spent with Amelia and only complained about the Street Fest because it had caused a rapid increase in customers. Tips were good, but time off was better.

  “Hey, Sarah!” Ti yelled, holding a baguette to his pants as if it were his penis, wiggling it at her and grinning like he was still in eighth grade.

  There was nothing Gabe could do but shake his head. Maybe his drummer would never grow up, but at least he was having a good time.
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  “God, Ti! Put that love gun away and, for God’s sake, quit aiming it at me!” Sarah laughed and slugged Gabe in the arm. “Knock ’em dead tonight, Gabe.” She smiled warmly and ran off, no doubt to tease Ti about his crusty appendage.

  * * * *

  Dusk fell and soft lights from vendors lined the path from the entrance of the Street Fest to the main stage like airplane runway lights. Victoria took a deep breath when she saw the crowd gathering in front of the stage. She wanted to be front and center, but she hadn’t gotten out of work until late and had to go home and change. The loose banana curls she perfected took extra time, but they were worth it. She’d never felt better about herself. They were held in place with a slim headband that was the same shiny fake leather as the tight fitting vest she wore. Victoria was determined to remind Gabe of what he’d been missing the past few days as he worked day and night to finish the song.

  Halfway through the crowd, Victoria hit a brick wall of ignorant teenage girls unwilling to move. Rather than fight them, she took out her phone and snapped a picture of the stage from her angle and sent it to Gabe so at least he would know she was there and her general vicinity.

  Before she could get a response, the stage lights flared to life, and a tiny silhouette emerged from them. Victoria hollered for Amelia, cheering her on and getting the crowd excited as the small girl crooned her country love songs and visions of open fields. She really was good.

  When she’d finished to a round of applause, she bowed quickly and introduced Banshee Exodus. Victoria was leaping in her spot, her heart a nervous jumble as the members of the band came on stage. Last to appear was Gabe. Her heart stopped for a moment as she took him in. He wore long, dark jeans and a black shirt with silver lettering that appeared to be slightly ripped near his rib cage. His blond curls danced under the lights, and those lips that had caressed her skin and professed his love for her curved into a grin that spread across his entire face. He put a hand up over his eyes and searched the crowd. Their eyes locked, and his tongue flickered across his lips. Her stomach flipped with the unspoken promise.

  “Welcome to Street Fest! We’re Banshee Exodus, and before you hit the track for the race, we’re hoping you’ll like the tracks we’re laying down!” Gabe’s voice alone could have made the audience swoon, but with Ti’s steady beat behind him and Burke and Troy picking the planned notes on their guitars, the crowd’s excitement was thick enough to be tasted.

  The crowd hopped around and danced to a top forty cover, cheered in encouragement to an old favorite, and sang along to Siren’s Song. Every. Verse. Victoria couldn’t believe her ears. She looked at the teens in front of her who had been steadfast in their method to not get bumped any farther back in the crowd. They ran their hands through their hair and swiveled their hips, no doubt pretending they were the sirens.

  “I freaking love this song!” one yelled to her friend.

  Her friend stopped dancing and shouted back, “Right! I wish someone would sing this to me!” They nodded enthusiastically and went back to their dancing.

  Victoria could hardly keep still. The music carried her away like it always had. With the crowd fully warmed up, Banshee Exodus introduced each member, allowing them time to show off some of their skills to the appreciation of the crowd.

  “Give it up for my wingman, the beat to all of our songs, and one heck of a player—ladies, you’ve been warned!” Gabe screamed into the microphone as he ran up the stairs to Ti’s percussion perch. The beat started slow as Gabe talked, but as he finished, Ti broke into a full out solo worthy of an induction into a musical hall of fame. Victoria watched the precision in which he hit the exact part of the drum or symbol to make the noise he wanted. His feet never stopped the steady beat, but his hands were everywhere. Victoria felt dizzy just watching him.

  “Boy’s got skills, huh?” An elbow lightly tapped her ribs.

  “When did you get here?” Victoria hugged her friend, both screaming and clapping for Ti’s solo as he finished.

  “Been here on and off all day! Took me this long to find you though, and my, my, my, aren’t we looking saucy tonight?”

  “This old thing?” Victoria laughed. The lacy red bra she wore under the vest wouldn’t stick out unless it was shifted, so she pulled the shoulder back for Sarah to eye.

  “Wow! Excited to have this night over, huh?”

  “Ugh! Excited to get this night started is more like it!”

  Troy’s voice boomed from the speakers above them. “Hey, you forgot one of us!” Gabe turned to him on the stage. “Don’t forget our fearless leader, our resident writer guy, and the sticky glue that holds us together. Give it up for Gabe!”

  The crowd went wild. Victoria and Sarah screamed their hearts out with the rest of the world around them, sending Gabe all the positive energy they could muster.

  Gabe pushed his hands down to quiet them. “You guys know there was a special contest for tonight, right? And Miss Amelia, who you all saw earlier, won her spot and the right to sing with us for a song. What do you say we bring her back out here?”

  Sarah clapped, but Victoria wrung her fingers together. She knew Gabe loved her, knew there was nothing going on, but still—jealousy was quick to poke up its ugly green head. She hated they would share the stage, let alone a microphone. There were no other stands on stage, no stools, and Amelia didn’t act like a dancer earlier…What did they have planned? More and more heat seeped into her stomach, fear for the unknown and anger that she was feeling any of it at all. Amelia was a nice girl. She deserved the spotlight, and Victoria owed it to Gabe to trust him.

  “The very first time I met my girlfriend, I knew she was the one. Here’s to our future of sleep-filled nights and love-filled days.” Gabe held up his mike in a “cheers” motion. The girls in front of Victoria sighed loudly, dreamily. Sarah pulled Victoria’s hands apart and squeezed, sweaty anticipation coating both of their palms.

  “It started in a dream, a place that you should never be; someplace no longer safe for me.” Amelia’s soft voice sounded scared from behind the curtain as she sang and walked to center stage.

  “Just a look, just a touch—somehow feels like maybe it’s just enough. Caught somewhere between forbidden and everything I need.” Gabe answered her, distraught in his part of the story.

  Amelia answered his heartbreak; her words were what Victoria had heard in her own mind since the first time she met Gabe. “I keep dreaming about you, singing about you, and I’m terrified—what if I start talking in my sleep?”

  “She’s terrified to close her eyes, afraid he’ll wake her in the morning, see she’s been crying, nothing he can do and nothing he can say…” Gabe let his voice linger on the note before he finished it with force. “Can take me from her dreams today.”

  At the same time, Amelia sang, matching his vocal force. “Please don’t take that man in my dreams away.”

  A tear rolled down Victoria’s cheek as she heard their story come out in his melodic verses. The lyrics of her life, played in front of an audience. Words she’d never expressed and yet he’d known.

  “Talking in her sleep, words that shouldn’t mean so much to me. But she and I, we have to be.”

  “Never thought I’d be the one living right and dreaming wrong, my guilty conscious gets the best of me. Can’t let him find me, talking in my sleep.” Amelia wasn’t singing so much of alternate verses as she was mirroring the other part of Gabe’s story. Her voice was light and airy, like the crowd was hearing a silent prayer sent up from a girl hopelessly in love.

  “Of all the pain and sleepless nights, struggling to do what’s right.” Even through her tears, Victoria could see him look directly at her and hear the lyrics he’d left behind for her the day they met.

  “Never knowing, always dreaming, wondering and never being.”

  “Now she’ll never have to be terrified to close her eyes. I’ll never wake her in the morning and see she’s been crying.” Gabe had a small smile on his face.
A delirious kind of grin as if he was waking from a pleasant dream. If his hands shook, Victoria couldn’t see it. He gripped the microphone and slid it back into its holder.

  Their voices were in a perfect harmony. “Nothing anyone can do or say can take this love away.”

  The moment she heard the last word, Victoria pushed her way through the crowd. Fans she’d seen at other Banshee Exodus events looked awed at the different sound they’d produced, and she could tell some of the obviously more country fans had enjoyed the performance as well, but that was the last thing on her mind as she moved through the number-emblazoned baseball caps and Banshee Exodus puffy-painted T-shirts. After saying “excuse me” a thousand times with no response, Victoria resorted to slinking through the crowd silently. She earned herself several nasty glares, but she made it out of the main crowd and to the side of the stage in record time. Several police officers stood in front of the barricades to the stage, glowering at her as she approached.

  “Excuse me, officers, but I need to get back there.” She knew it wouldn’t work, but she was hoping the extra cleavage she sported would earn her a little leeway.

  “Sorry, miss. You need a press pass for an interview.”

  Frustration bubbled in her gut. She didn’t need a press pass. She needed to see Gabe. And since Gabe was on stage, odds were he wasn’t going to hear her protest from the catering van and come let her in. The catering van!

  “Sir, you don’t understand. I work for the restaurant that catered for the group.” Victoria pointed to the van behind them.

  “The restaurant, huh? You don’t have a name for it?” The officers chuckled and remained blocking her.

  “Damn it, the love of my life is back there, and I need to tell him! You have to let me in!” Victoria’s normal nice-girl, quiet demeanor dissipated before she could keep her tongue in check.

  “What you need to do is take your pushup bra somewhere else. Now get out of here, you’re not getting back there.”

  “Hey now! Let’s not underestimate the power of a good pushup bra, guys!” Sarah pulled Victoria’s arm back and stepped in front of her.