Siren's Song: The Gray Court, Book 5

by Dana Marie Bell

  “If only Pacifica were bastards like your parents thought they were, eh?” Jaden shook his head. He looked toward Robin with a pleading expression. “Can I kill them?”

  “No.”

  “Please?” Jaden batted his lashes at the Hob, giving Robin his best puppy eyes. “I promise not to get blood on the carpet.”

  “In the mood for sushi, my Blade?” Robin was grinning that vicious grin again.

  Jaden nodded. “Yes, please, thank you.”

  “No.” Oberon had to put his foot down before the entire Atlantean court got eaten by a pissed off vampire. As much as he’d like to get rid of the annoying royal family, he had no jurisdiction over them. They were under Gloriana’s crown, not his. Why she wasn’t monitoring her people better, he didn’t know, but he’d be having a chat with her later. She needed to know that one of the major water fae families was playing games with the balance of power.

  Robin looked less than pleased by that, but his Hob bowed. “Then we keep a close watch on the Atlantean court. We already have an agent in place, but I’ll see what I can do about upping the surveillance.” Oberon nodded his approval, and Robin continued. “In the meantime, we need to start looking into the Blades that had access to the palace that day.”

  “I’ve also begun looking for any that have gone missing since you disappeared.” Robin shot one more concerned look toward his son before returning his attention to Oberon. “Besides Etienne, Donald Summerville, Jennifer Douglas and Janice Lawhorne are all gone without a trace.”

  Four Blades missing?

  “How unusual is that, for four of you to disappear like that all in the same period of time?” Cassie sounded dubious.

  “Not very. Most Blade jobs are surveillance or guard work, nothing more dangerous than that. And these four had been on routine assignments.” Robin glanced over at Jaden. “Think Shane will talk to Akane about looking for them?”

  Jaden pondered that for a moment. “He might object if he thinks it would harm the babies. Akane would risk her own health to help us, but Shane is more protective of her.”

  Shane had good reason to be worried. Akane was an excellent Blade, but that very quality might lead her to doing something rash. The daughter of the Seer would use her unique gift of sight to help them if asked, but her pregnancy made her more volatile. She’d passed out the first time she’d used her powers to look at Robin, and done the same when she tried to look at Michaela. “Then we do this the old fashioned way.”

  “We put on our fedoras and grab our magnifying glasses?” Robin was grinning again. His Hob loved a good puzzle almost as much as a dragon did.

  “Only if I get to break out my meerschaum pipe.” Jaden was grinning right back at Robin, who laughed.

  “Smoking is bad for you, fang boy.”

  Jaden shot Raven a droll look. “What’s it going to do? Kill me?”

  “Gentlemen.” Oberon tapped his finger on his desk. “Remember, Cassie’s safety comes before anything else, even finding the traitor.”

  Raven and Jaden both nodded solemnly.

  “Then I’d best bring in Red to look for the missing Blades.” Robin drummed his nails on the small side table next to him. “If there’s a trace of them out there, he’ll find it.”

  “Do it.” Given enough time, Robin’s pet gremlin could find a single grain of sand on a beach. And the man was scary loyal to Robin above all others.

  Robin bowed, and disappeared.

  “Raven, Jaden, you two will remain on guard duty. Remember, do not allow the queen to be alone with any of the sirens for any reason, no matter their court.” For all Oberon knew the mermen in Shane’s sculpture might not be from either Pacifica or Atlantis, but some other oceanic court. He was taking no chances, not with Cassie’s life on the line.

  The two men bowed.

  “Cassie?” Oberon stood and held out his hand, smiling when she came to him and accepted it. “Good evening, gentlemen.”

  “Sire.” Raven disappeared in a swirl of black feathers.

  “Show-off.” Jaden left far more conventionally, through the door.

  “Bed, my dear?” Oberon was already walking toward the door, tucking Cassie close to his side. He’d long since discovered he liked having her there. The hum of their shared song seemed to vibrate between them when he held her close, soothing him.

  “And eventually to sleep?” Cassie looked up at him, her cheeks pink.

  “I do like the way you think.”

  Cassie snuggled even closer as he led the way to their bedroom, her hand tracing patterns over his shirt. She was going to drive him slowly mad with her soft, sensual touches and quiet sighs. “Oberon?”

  “Hmm?” He was utterly enchanted by the way her skin shimmered as she dropped her Seeming.

  “Walk faster.”

  Oberon picked up his bondmate, ignoring her surprised gasp, and shimmered to his bedroom. “Fast enough for you?”

  She blinked up at him. “It will do.”

  He chuckled as he lay her down on the bed. “Minx.”

  “Nope. Yours.”

  He shuddered at her words. “Mine, indeed.” He couldn’t get her clothing off fast enough.

  The urge to take her again, mark her in some way, rode him so hard he was sure he’d come before he ever got inside her.

  She really was going to be the death of him, but what a way to go.

  Oh, gods and goddesses. The man was going to be the death of her.

  Cassie shivered as Oberon dropped his Seeming, his skin glittering like stars in a pale sky. She stroked her hands up his arms, clutching his biceps, amazed as always that the man wanted her.

  Whatever she’d done to deserve this, she’d do again and again. She couldn’t imagine a time when she wouldn’t want his hands on her, his lips moving on her skin, sucking one of her nipples into his mouth.

  She hummed in pleasure, the pull of his mouth on her sending tingles straight down to her clit. She wrapped her legs around him, the feel of his slacks against her skin maddening. He’d taken off her clothes but left his own on. She wanted him naked, skin to skin, to feel his desire without the barrier of cloth in the way. She tugged on his shirt, forgetting for a moment that it was a button-down instead of a pull-over.

  “Can I help you, my dear?” Oberon lifted his head, a wicked gleam darkening his silver eyes.

  “Off.” She tugged again, trying to get her point across, but he’d scrambled her brains and all she could say was, “Off!”

  He chuckled and unbuttoned the shirt, granting her desire by sliding it off his arms and tossing it aside. “Anything else?”

  She glared and grabbed his belt loops. “Off.” He’d tasted her already, and now she wanted to return that favor. So when he sat up to undo his zipper she pushed him over, startling him. “Don’t move.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it.” His voice had dropped, the low rumble sexy as hell.

  She undid his pants, pulling his cock out with a happy sigh. “Hello, beautiful.”

  He chuckled, but it turned into a hiss of pleasure as she licked the head of his cock. The salty flavor of her bondmate had her purring as she took him into her mouth.

  Oberon pulled her hair out of the way, watching her suck his cock with a hungry gaze. She made sure to stroke the underside with her tongue, lapping at the edge of the head right where it made him buck his hips. She hummed again, their song thrumming against his skin, making him catch his breath before his eyes closed on a long groan.

  His cock twitched in her mouth, his hips thrusting up, pushing his cock deeper into her mouth. She kept the hum going, loving the hisses and sighs that came from her bondmate.

  “Drop your Seeming. Let me see you.”

  Cassie did, giving in to the guttural request.

  “Yes. There’s my siren.” He groaned as she cupped his balls, roll
ing them gently in her palm. “I could drown in you.”

  She thought about singing against his balls, lapping at them, her tongue vibrating against them. If he reacted that strongly to her simply playing with them it must be a hot spot for him.

  But she couldn’t bring herself to drag her mouth off his cock, not when he was enjoying her attentions so much his breath came in pants. So she kept the song going, sucking on her mate until he was tugging at her with shaking hands and begging her to stop.

  She didn’t want to. She wanted that taste on her tongue, to know the flavor of her mate’s passion. She ignored his pleas, tightening her lips around the shaft. She sang louder, stronger, willing his orgasm to overwhelm him.

  And it did. With a low moan he came, shooting into her mouth so forcefully she couldn’t swallow it all.

  He gazed at her with glazed eyes. “Whoa.”

  She laughed, laying her head on the junction of his hip and thigh. “Liked that, did you?”

  He smiled, slow and wicked. “Want to find out how much?”

  She nodded eagerly. She’d gotten what she wanted, after all. It was only fair he get what he wanted, right?

  Oberon maneuvered them both until she lay on her back, her legs spread, his head between her thighs. “You smell so good, Cassie.”

  She opened her mouth to reply, but all that came out was a low cry of delight. Instead of the slow licks and kisses she’d expected, Oberon sucked her clit into his mouth.

  She didn’t know what to hold on to as he began to drive her out of her mind. She clutched the sheets, his shoulders, his hair, anything she could grab. She rode his mouth, the intensity of the pleasure going higher and higher.

  Cassie toyed with her breasts, plucking her nipples and cupping the soft weight of them. It felt so good, his lips and tongue driving her insane while her fingers played with her nipples. Her voice rang out, singing her delight. The harmonies washed over her, shivered across her skin, the song he pulled from her lingering even when the pleasure forced her to gasp for air.

  He worked her into a frenzy, never letting up, keeping her just on the edge of coming. It felt so good she wanted it to never end.

  But it did as he pulled himself away from her, abruptly ending the song. “On your knees.”

  Oh, that deep, gravelly tone was back. She glanced down her body as he got on his own knees, his cock hard and dripping between his legs. Before she could comply he was turning her, pulling her up until her ass was in the air, her legs spread. She pressed her face into the pillow as he plunged into her, filling her so full she feared she might split. The position and his width put everything just on the edge of pain, the sensation only intensifying as he thrust into her again and again.

  Cassie sang again, unable to stop herself. This time the melody edged toward the madness of ecstasy, the overwhelming thrill of knowing she’d managed to somehow drive him to the edge. His hands gripped her waist so tightly she feared bruises, his hips snapping against her pussy so hard she could hear the slap of skin on skin. Groans poured from him, soft exclamations in his native tongue that sounded beautiful and kinky at the same time. She added his words to her song, twining them together even tighter as he plunged into her over and over.

  He was rough as he hadn’t been last time, and she was loving every second of it. It was as if the sound of her voice drove him crazy, made the desire that rode them both so much more intense.

  She cried out, interrupting the song. He’d bent over her, his hands landing on either side of her shoulders, his breath hot on her shoulder and neck as he peppered kisses across them. All the while his cock slid in and out of her, the explosive pleasure she sensed just out of reach.

  “Cassie. Gods.” He panted her name across her skin like a prayer, licking and nipping at her neck. He fucked her hard and fast, almost frantically. “Sing for me.”

  Her voice lifted, singing their shared pleasure. The touched almost from head to toe, the hum of their song sliding between them, stroking them with their shared harmonies. It was the most beautiful, most intimate thing she’d ever heard.

  “Yes. Come for me, love. Fuck me, a ghrá. Tá grá agam duit.”

  She was so close, riding the edge, unable to go over. “Oberon. Please.”

  “What do you need, mo shearc?”

  “You. I need you.”

  And somehow, he understood. His power flashed, their lights blending, silver and aqua swirling around them as he drew her power from her.

  She screamed, the orgasm ripping through her with the force of a tsunami. She shuddered over and over again, the ecstasy blinding her. Behind her he howled, his own orgasm triggering at the same time as hers. Together they rode the crest, the gift of their bond blazing through them.

  Cassie collapsed, her body shaking so hard she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to breathe right again. “Wow.”

  He chuckled, the sound breathless. He was barely holding himself over her. She could see the way his arms shook. “Indeed. Very much a wow.”

  She giggled, attempting to roll over, but he wouldn’t let her. He had her pinned, his cock still inside her though softening. “So. I guess you like it when I sing.”

  His head fell against her shoulder as he laughed softly. “I guess so.”

  “I’ll have to do it again then.”

  Oberon pressed a kiss against her lips, soft and sweet. “Please do, any time, anywhere.”

  She hummed happily when he finally collapsed against her. The full body, skin on skin contact only made their shared song that much more intimate, and very little made her happier than to hear it.

  He rolled over, pulling her tightly against him until her head lay on his chest. “Cassie?”

  “Hmm?” She yawned, ready to sleep.

  “I meant it. Tá grá agam duit.”

  A thrill of happiness shot through her. He might not be saying it in English, but she understood. “I love you too.”

  She didn’t think anything could be more perfect than when his arms tightened around her and he whispered his love in broken, reverent tones.

  Chapter Sixteen

  He couldn’t sleep, despite the fact that his bondmate lay sweetly in his bed, her aqua curls spread upon his pillow. Something was nagging at him, a distant sensation he’d felt before. So he made his way into his sitting room, ready for the interruption he was sure would shortly come.

  Pouring himself a glass of whiskey, he made his way to the seating area before the window. A sense of urgency was building within him. Something was going to happen, and soon. His instincts were rarely wrong, and they were screaming that the danger had not passed. In fact, he would swear it had increased, but since his return nothing, not a stray hair, not a single thing, was out of place. All seemed as it should be. Even the mating gifts had been gone over with a fine-tooth comb.

  Titannia had sent a sterling silver hand mirror. Oberon had handed it straight to Robin, who’d flinched and disappeared, returning an hour later without the mirror. With any luck it was gracing the bottom of a volcano with its poisonous presence.

  “They’re dead.”

  The edges of the cut glass tumbler dug into his hand. “You know, sometimes I hate it when you do that.”

  Glowing green eyes appeared out of nowhere, followed by that Cheshire cat grin. But instead of amusement, this grin was full of fury. “My apologies.” The rest of the Hob appeared, bowing in apology. “As little as I wished to disturb you in chambers, Red had some news I thought you needed to hear.”

  Oberon nodded. He was well used to these late-night visits. “Report.” He took a sip, the whiskey a smooth burn as it slid down his throat.

  “Etienne Valois, Donald Summerville, Jennifer Douglas and Janice Lawhorne are all dead, my king.”

  “How?”

  “Etienne was the victim of a failed vampiric transformation—”
>
  “What? Do we know who?” If one of the older vamps had gotten hold of Etienne, it might not be a failure after all. Etienne was a powerful Sidhe, but not as old or as strong as someone like Duncan Malmayne. A vampire of age, or one directly created by Titannia, could complete the transformation and make Etienne the very thing he hated more than any other creature. “Just because he’s dead doesn’t mean he’s not a vampire now.”

  Robin nodded. “Which is why his body is currently under surveillance in one of the palace’s holding cells.”

  Oberon nodded, relieved. The holding cells were dug into the mountain itself, and damn near impenetrable. “What of the others?”

  “Donald was set upon by redcaps while escorting one of Gloriana’s nieces to a White Court society function. He gave his life for hers.”

  “One of your Blades was dating Gloriana’s niece?” And why hadn’t he heard of it?

  “No.” Robin ran his hands through his hair. “The queen demanded protection for her niece after Prince Evan’s kidnapping. And no less than a Blade would do.”

  “Damn it.” He threw back the rest of the whiskey. “She has her own guards. The Knights of Oberon are not royal babysitters.”

  “As I told her, but she apparently called Donald directly.”

  “And when need demands, a Knight of Oberon responds.” It was part of what made his Blades who they were. When someone required protection, when those weaker than themselves needed help, the Knights would ride in. Even the most vicious had a soft spot for those who required a strong shield against the world.

  Robin grimaced. “Worse, Donald was a pupil of Alex Mallebron.”

  Oberon swore viciously in a tongue long forgotten by all but three people. “Nuada’s knight, and one of Gloriana’s staunchest supporters.” The fairy had been almost fanatically loyal to Nuada, and was one of the oldest living faeries alive. “He will not be pleased.” He’d been furious when Donald swore to the Gray instead of becoming one of Gloriana’s knights.

  “An understatement to say the least.” Robin flopped into the chair across from Oberon, the one Cassie had occupied not too long ago. He stared out into the darkness, crossing his legs and swinging his foot lazily. Oberon wasn’t fooled. For all his casual pose, the Hob was deeply perturbed by the loss of his people. “He’s planning on holding a hero’s funeral for Donald.”