Siren’s Desire: A Dark Tides Novel

by Devyn Quinn

“That may be so,” Mason allowed. “However, now is not the time to discuss the particulars of our differing social structures. My present goal is to open a dialogue that will allow for peaceful negotiations between my people and the Mer.”

  She gazed at him in silence for a moment, then said, “I am prepared to speak with your leaders and work with them in ways that will see the Mer fully assimilated back into these waters. As a show of good faith, I intend to return you to your comrades, unharmed.”

  Mason allowed a nod. Relief eddied into his veins. The stories Tessa Randall had told him about how the Mer treated their prisoners weren’t pleasant. “I’m listening.”

  “I have dispatched an envoy to speak to your people and to let them know what we expect in return.”

  “And that is?”

  “That the descendants of Queen Nyala be returned to Ishaldi to stand trial for the crime Nyala committed against the Mer.” She pretended to examine the fingernails of one hand. “I have one of the sisters in my keep now. When I have the other two, then we shall begin our talks of peace.”

  Mason started, rocked to the core by her words. “I don’t think that’s going to happen,” he said, struggling to keep emotion out of his voice.

  Magaera smirked. “Oh, but I always get my way.” The ruthless light of the fanatic sparked in her eyes.

  “We’ll see.” The idea of being used in exchange for two innocent women didn’t sit well with him.

  The rogue queen ignored him. “Meanwhile, I need something to amuse me.” Her gaze passed over the length of him.

  Raising his hands, Mason took a step back. “Don’t even think about it—,” he said firmly.

  Queen Magaera ignored him. Before he could even think to react, she lifted her hand and flicked her wrist in an outward motion.

  Mason felt his feet leave the floor. He cried out in surprise as some invisible force seized him and flung him toward the queen’s bed.

  The next thing he knew, he was on his back and the Mer queen was bending over him. Though she wore the trappings of an angel, she simmered with pure, unrestrained evil. By the cruel set of her jaw, he knew she’d have her way with him—and he’d be helpless to stop the assault.

  No one—and certainly not a woman—had ever touched him like this. Mason struggled to lift himself up, but he couldn’t move a single inch. The invisible force holding him down was unrelenting.

  He stared at her, frozen. By the look on her face, Magaera took certain pleasure in the cruelty she so easily inflicted on her subjects. “Don’t.” His voice was an unrecognizable rasp to his own ears. He was vulnerable in a way he’d never imagined.

  Magaera’s fingers moved along the line of his slacks. Her eyes were as cold as an iceberg, and just as remote. “Be not afraid,” she crooned. “I will bring you pleasure such as you have never known with any human woman.” A button was unfastened, and then his zipper crunched down.

  And then there was only the feel of her insistent hands invading his bare skin…

  Mason swallowed, unable to speak. Acid rose from his gut, a hot bitter taste in his mouth. He closed his eyes. This, he thought, is not happening…

  Chapter 25

  Commander Hawkins was not a happy man. “Are you positive that’s our only choice in the matter?”

  Vice Admiral Harold H. Dalton nodded. “Although we are not in the habit of offering support to despotic regimes, our hands are tied. We want Captain McKenzie back, preferably alive.” He glanced toward Gwen and Addison. “At that time, we will begin negotiations to have the Lonike sisters returned to us.”

  Hawkins shook his head. “There’s no way Mason would want that. I know him. He’d rather die than send innocent people to their deaths.”

  “McKenzie is a fine officer,” Dalton countered. “It’s why we want him back.”

  Addison could hardly believe her ears. Her throat tightened as she listened to the man who held the fate of her and her sisters in the palm of his hand. The USS Evanston, one of the navy’s cruisers stationed in the Mediterranean, had steamed into these waters barely an hour before, bringing much-needed backup to the beleaguered Sea Horse.

  Vice Admiral Dalton had assumed command, and with him came orders from the highest level of government. The eyes of the world were on them.

  Shaking off her exhaustion, she finally found the courage to speak. “I can’t believe you’re going to turn us over to Magaera,” she spat, unable to keep the bitter tone out of her voice. “Do that and you’re signing our death warrants, for sure.”

  Dalton shot her a look of admonition. A grumpy old coot with a beefy build and a ruddy face, he resembled a pit bull that had seen better days in the dog-fighting ring. “According to what our legal experts have told us, as Mer, you are both bound by the laws of Ishaldi.”

  “That’s bullshit,” Kenneth Randall broke in. “My wife and her sisters were born in the United States, in the state of Maine. That makes them legal citizens, and bound by the laws of our country.”

  Hawkins added his support. “I do believe the fourteenth amendment backs that one up.”

  Dalton peered over the thick black rims of his glasses. “That’s true if you’re human,” he allowed. “But we have to consider the fact that your wife and her sisters are, essentially, an alien life-form. Isn’t it true that the sea-gate is also some sort of wormhole, and that Ishaldi isn’t even a part of this planet?”

  “Technically, that’s not true,” Kenneth said. “As Jake explained it, the sea-gate is a wormhole. But one that works interdimensionally within our planet. With a shift in dimension, Ishaldi is essentially located in the center of this planet. Our two worlds are part of the same whole.”

  “Even if this is true, the Mer are still another life-form entirely,” Dalton said.

  It was Blake Whittaker’s turn to step up. “One that’s been entirely compatible with humans for centuries.” He slipped a protective arm around Gwen’s waist and pulled her close. “And you’ll send my fiancée back to Ishaldi over my dead body.”

  Kenneth stepped in front of Addison, folding his hands across his chest. “Same here. And don’t forget my wife is on that island and pregnant. I’m not in the mood to lose her or my daughters to that nut job who calls herself a queen. Instead of turning innocent women over to Magaera, you should be trying to figure out how to get that damn scepter out of her hands. That’s what put her in power in the first place.”

  Vice Admiral Dalton threw up his hands. “And we’re going to walk over and pluck it out of her hands how?” His eyes shifted to Jovon. “And correct me if I’m wrong, but even if she didn’t have her shiny little toy, doesn’t she still have a decently sized armed militia at her command?”

  Jovon allowed a brief nod. “It is true Magaera commands many soldiers who would fight and die for her,” he said slowly, “but there are also many Mer still within Ishaldi who do not support the monarchy. Were Magaera deposed, I believe they would, in fact, be the majority.”

  “That’s true,” Kenneth added. “Those are the Mer who have taken human mates and want peace. They were the ones who sacrificed their own lives to help us escape Ishaldi.”

  The vice admiral appeared to weigh their words. “I have to admit I am not wholeheartedly in support of turning over women who will surely face execution for a crime some ancestor of theirs committed centuries ago.”

  Addison stepped around Kenneth. “Queen Nyala sealed the sea-gate because she believed in the human race more than she believed in her own people. Had the Mer continued down their savage path, it’s entirely possible the Mer would control the world and you would’ve been born one of the lessers and doomed to a life of slavery.”

  “Your point being?” Dalton grumbled.

  Addison refused to be intimidated despite the fear gnawing in her belly. She couldn’t explain why, but she felt the entire future of the Mer hung on the decisions they were making right now. Magaera was not a leader in touch with her sanity. If allowed to remain in power, the rogue queen
would destroy everything she touched.

  “It’s time for a new regime in Ishaldi, for the leadership of one who will work to bring democracy to the Mer and return the Nyx to their homeland,” she said.

  “That would be much easier to work with,” Dalton allowed. “Now, how do we do it and still make it appear that we weren’t the aggressors?”

  “Perhaps I can offer a solution,” Jovon said quietly.

  All eyes turned to the Nyx.

  “If you’ve got something, we need to know,” Dalton demanded. “Spit it out, man.”

  Jovon threw the man an austere look. “Although the scepter grants a Mer queen the command of a goddess, it is a power that punishes as well as rewards.”

  Addison looked straight at him. “Is that true?”

  “Yes,” Jovon said. “And the secret lies in the arrangement of the jewels in the scepter. Magaera can use it to move heaven and earth, but at her own expense. Energy cannot be pulled from the jewels and filtered through a Mer for her use—instead, the jewels generate power by siphoning energy from the user.”

  Everyone followed this explanation sketchily. Even though Jovon spoke the language well enough to communicate, his strange accent made some of the words difficult to understand.

  It was Kenneth who put two and two together first. “Wait a minute. Are you saying she’s the battery that powers the scepter?”

  The Nyx smiled. “Exactly. Atargatis was not unwise when she granted the Mer such a power. A queen who does not wield the scepter sensibly and with restraint will only punish herself in the end. Every time Magaera uses the scepter to strike out against her enemies, it drains a little more of her vitality.”

  Excitement sent a rush of adrenaline through Addison’s veins. Suddenly she didn’t feel so tired or defeated. “And the more she uses it, the more it takes.”

  “Exactly,” Jovon said. “Should she continue on her present course, the scepter will eventually drain her dry. Even now she is surely finding it difficult to replace those energies. Cellular degeneration will soon set in. At her age, she would wither before your eyes.”

  Blake snapped his fingers. “Just like the wicked witch in The Wizard of Oz,” he said. “Throw enough water on her and she’ll melt.”

  Everyone turned an inquiring glance his way.

  Kenneth snorted. “Where the hell did you come up with that analogy?”

  More than a little embarrassed, Blake shrugged. “Hey, I’ve got a kid, remember? Trevor’s really into those flying monkey things.”

  A rumble of laughter filled the room, a much-needed break from the tension of recent hours. Even as they stood there discussing the pros and cons, vital minutes were ticking away. Queen Magaera had set a deadline. A plan of action wasn’t the only necessity; they would need time to implement it.

  If that’s even possible, Addison thought.

  “So that’s the key!” Hawkins exclaimed. “We’ve just got to wear her down.”

  “I would imagine Magaera is still capable of inflicting much damage,” the Nyx warned. “What you must be able to do is counter her destructive acts and keep pushing her to exhaust herself.”

  Vice Admiral Dalton rubbed his craggy chin. “That’s probably going to be one hell of a firefight,” he commented. “Is there any guarantee we’d win?”

  “You can if you have the right weapon,” Jovon continued.

  Dalton eyed him. “And would you happen to have one?”

  “While it is true the goddess granted the Mer many powers,” Jovon said with a wry little twist of his mouth, “the Nyx also have many heaven-sent talents. Although the jewels of Atargatis are the goddess’s gift to the Mer, it was her husband, Atar, who fashioned them into their final shape. As the sons of Atar, the Nyx have long retained the knowledge of their creation.”

  “I’ve never even heard of Atar,” Gwen murmured. “I mean, I know some of the lore surrounding our people, but that’s all new to me.”

  Jovon hesitated a moment, reluctant to reveal more. “The Mer are well-known for rewriting parts of their history they find undesirable.” His neutral voice betrayed none of his own feelings about the matter that had so grievously wronged his kind.

  Addison nodded. “That’s true. Tessa told me that much of the history of the Tesch dynasty was erased.”

  “It’s not an uncommon occurrence for a dictator’s regime to rewrite history to suit themselves,” Dalton mused.

  But Addison wasn’t interested in discussing philosophy or the rearrangement of historical facts through the ages. “Can the Nyx create something that will neutralize the scepter?”

  Jovon drew a deep breath. “Much of the ancient technology has been lost, but there are a few of us who still retain the old knowledge. I believe Andru—he is the oldest of the Nyx—could create a bejeweled arrangement that would counter that of the scepter.”

  “I don’t suppose you happen to have a treasure chest stowed somewhere nearby,” Hawkins muttered.

  “I don’t,” the Nyx admitted. “But these waters are rife with ships that have gone down through the ages. Although their riches mean nothing to my people, I believe they would serve you well now. There is one nearby, a ship of Spanish origin, I believe, once known as the Santa Maria.”

  Commander Hawkins’s eyes sparked with recognition. “If I recall my history correctly,” he said, snapping his fingers, “wasn’t the Santa Maria one of the ships Queen Isabella sent out when she was trying to sell her jewels to finance Columbus? For safety’s sake, they’d divided them, and half were lost to these waters.”

  “Those gems could be our salvation.” Gwen’s voice trembled more than a little.

  Addison looked to the man who held in his hand not only her fate but also that of the Mer. “What do you think?” she asked Dalton. “Can we do it?”

  A long pause ensued, stretching everyone’s nerves to the breaking point.

  Vice Admiral Dalton’s steely gaze finally connected with hers. The man had the weight of the world on his shoulders, and he didn’t look happy. “I’m not always convinced that the boys in charge make the right decisions,” he said as he slipped off his glasses. “They’re politicians, and too far removed from the action to get a clear view of the situation and how it affects the people whose asses are really on the line. In my experience, it’s the men serving in the field who have a better grasp of events, and how to respond.”

  “Go on,” Hawkins said.

  “This isn’t exactly uncharted territory,” Dalton continued. “And certainly the powers that be would not want to be accused of supporting a despotic regime that gives little consideration to the will of the people. Magaera has attacked us not once, but many times over. I believe she will continue to do so unless we take definitive action to stop her, once and for all.”

  Addison grimaced. “That’s saying a mouthful.” She couldn’t be sure, but she had the distinct impression Dalton wasn’t exactly in favor of handing her and Gwen over just to retrieve Captain McKenzie.

  “I may soon be facing a court martial for what I’m about to do,” Dalton said slowly, measuring each word. “But if there’s a chance we can end this now by overthrowing Queen Magaera and set the Mer on the path to democracy, then I’m all for it.”

  Hawkins didn’t hesitate to add, “USET was implemented to function outside naval operations already taking place in the Mediterranean. I could say I received your orders and chose not to obey.”

  Dalton grunted. “Nobody rakes my ash out of the fire, Commander. When the shit hits the fan, I’ll be the one who smells the stink.” A little twinkle crept into his eyes. “Besides, it washes off when you’ve got friends in high places.”

  Hawkins let out a breath that wasn’t quite steady. “I can’t believe we’re going to do this.”

  Jovon spoke up. “The Nyx will be there,” he promised solemnly. “My men are yours to command.”

  “There goes my retirement.” Returning his glasses to their place, Dalton shook his head and sighed. “Might
as well go out with a bang rather than a whimper.”

  Heart pounding a million beats a minute, Addison forced herself to calm. The generosity behind their sacrifice shook her so profoundly that for a moment she couldn’t think straight. The defiance of an executive decision would probably land them all in prison by the time all was said and done.

  She decided then and there it didn’t matter. If Queen Magaera was spoiling for a fight, she was going to get one.

  This wasn’t going to be easy, even if they were all in total agreement. She already knew without asking that the job of taking on Magaera would fall squarely in her lap. Jovon had called her a future queen, and she knew without a doubt that his words were absolutely true.

  I must restore the Tesch dynasty to lead Ishaldi, she thought boldly. It is the only way to save my people.

  Lifting her head, she angled her chin. “Let’s do it,” she said. “Let’s take this bitch down.”

  The countdown had begun.

  After a long blurred nightmare of having his body manipulated in ways he’d never imagined, Mason opened his eyes. Sometime during the night he’d managed to fall into a fitful sleep, though rest hadn’t come easily or without a price. It seemed to him that he’d wandered through shadows lit by strange flickers of lightning, running desperately away from the beast that nipped at his heels, hungry to take bite after bite out of his vulnerable flesh.

  As his vision cleared, he realized he was still in the queen’s bedchamber, lying amid a heap of downy cushions and milky sheets. The flames of ever-burning lamps leapt and wavered, and the grotesque shapes they cast on the walls danced with obscene vigor. His limbs were stiff from hours of sleeping in one uncomfortable position. He felt more than a little numb, as if certain nerves in his body had been severed.

  With some difficulty he turned his head. He made out the shape of Magaera. She lounged in resplendent nudity beside him, sipping from a goblet.

  A shiver wound its way up his spine. Oh God. He hoped she wasn’t getting ready for round two. Although she’d abused him in ways that most would find unimaginable, he’d been unable to respond in any way. She was a beautiful woman, but he harbored nothing but revulsion for her. She’d coaxed and crooned, using her hands, mouth, and tongue in an attempt to get a rise out of his recalcitrant penis.