The Mark of the Phoenix [The Triplet Mermen Trilogy] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove)

by Casper Graham

  “That’s right, sir. She must have a good reason to do what she did. Making herself grow old physically, that is.”

  Mr. Lee was quiet for a moment before sighing. “I think I know what it may be.”

  “Okay.”

  “Lydia, that’s my wife’s name, was extremely attractive. I was insecure back then because I wasn’t wealthy or good-looking. I’m still neither of those things.” Mr. Lee chuckled, and Drake gave the elderly man an indulgent smile. “She must have known about my fear of losing her to a better man than I could ever be.”

  “Merpeople mate for life, sir. You have her pearl, haven’t you?” Mr. Lee nodded. “Then, you have nothing to be worried about. She would never have cheated on you or left you for someone else.”

  Mr. Lee heaved out a sigh. “I allowed my low self-esteem to cause her so much pain. It was too late to tell her how sorry I am.”

  Drake wiped the tears from his eyes and shook his head. “I’m sure she understood.”

  “Do you really think so?”

  Drake nodded. “I do.”

  Mr. Lee smiled at Drake and pulled his hands away before lifting the teacup to his lips. The elderly man sipped on the tea before replacing the teacup back onto the table. “I’m now ready to hear about my future.”

  Drake had been so absorbed in the elderly man’s past that he almost forgot about the terrible event that would occur soon. “It’s…it’s not a positive one.”

  Mr. Lee chuckled under his breath. “I’m an old man by human’s standard. Don’t worry. I can take it.”

  Drake hesitated for a few seconds before responding. “You’re about to meet a siren.”

  Mr. Lee scrunched up his eyebrows. “I’ve heard about sirens from Lydia back when we were a young couple. Sirens are brokenhearted mermen or mermaids whose magic is twisted to the point of turning them into evil beings, aren’t they?”

  Drake gave the older man a melancholic expression. “Indeed.”

  “Okay. What’s going to happen to me then?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Mr. Lee gaped at Drake. “But you’re a seer.”

  “I’m a merman with the seer magic within me. The ability to see into the future isn’t an exact science, sir.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Everyone has the ability to make decisions. Correct?” Mr. Lee bobbed his head up and down slowly. “Depending on what you choose to do between now and your meeting with the siren, it will affect the outcome of the encounter.”

  “So, nothing is set in stone then?”

  Drake shook his head. “Some things are meant to pass. Your meeting with the siren is one of them.”

  “How do you know which events are supposed to occur?”

  “It’s based on the strength of my feeling when the vision appears inside my head. Things that cannot be altered have a similar overwhelming and overpowering sensation. Things that can be influenced tend to have a more fluid impression when it comes to me. Your meeting with the siren is the former.”

  “Okay. That’s confusing.”

  Drake chortled. “It can be.”

  There was a momentary silence between them. Neither of them uttered a single word for a minute or so.

  “Is that all?”

  Drake gazed into Mr. Lee’s eyes. “I had multiple visions with some of my other customers, but in your case, that was the only vision that rushed into my head earlier.”

  “All right then. Thank you. I also appreciate you listening to me rambling about my wife. It’s wonderful to talk to someone who understands. My sons have their own lives, so I don’t converse much with them these days.”

  Drake grinned at Mr. Lee. “You’re welcome. Please come back anytime. Even if it’s just to have a cup of tea with me.”

  Mr. Lee handed over the payment, which was placed inside a white envelope, before shaking Drake’s hand and leaving the room. Drake put the envelope inside the drawer of his “fortune-telling” table before peeking out through the door and calling out for the next customer. He had a few more people to attend to. After that, he would have to contact Edwin. They would have to modify their plan for later that evening. Dinner would have to wait. They had a siren to deal with.

  Chapter Six

  Edwin had gone to hell once or twice. After all, aside from Jefferson and Gavin, he was also friends with other supernatural beings, including the Grim Reaper and the three-headed hellhound. However, he had no doubt now that no fire in hell could compare to the burning heat in the crotch region inside his pants. His hard cock strained and throbbed against the front of his pants, resulting in an obscene bulge, and it was because he couldn’t stop staring at Drake’s sexy ass as the merman walked a few steps in front of him. He yearned to bite those perky butt cheeks and sink his tongue into Drake’s delicious hole as he feasted on the delicious taste of the ass he craved to fuck. He was startled when Drake spoke up all of a sudden.

  “Now isn’t the right time to leer at my ass, Ed.”

  He glanced up and noticed Drake smirking at him. “Sorry.”

  Drake lowered his gaze and snickered at Edwin’s pulsing bulge. “I’m flattered. I really am.”

  “Sorry,” Edwin repeated, feeling the heat rising up his neck and cheeks in embarrassment at being caught ogling the merman’s ass. “I mean, I’m sorry if I make you uncomfortable.”

  Drake’s laughter was melodious as it rang out loud and clear. The two of them were now standing at the edge on the rooftop of an older building at ten o’clock in the evening. There weren’t many people down there on the sidewalk, and only a few cars passed by along the road. Edwin scrounged up enough courage and reached out for one of Drake’s hand before intertwining their fingers together. He gave Drake a tentative smile and heaved out a huge sigh of relief when the merman beamed at him in return.

  “You can look as much as you want.” Drake spoke up eventually before grinning widely at him. “It’s nice to be desired.”

  Edwin nodded. “Okay. Thanks.”

  “You’re more than welcome.”

  The two of them snickered almost at the same time. Then, Edwin inquired about Drake’s vision.

  “Can you tell me more about this elderly gentleman?”

  “I’ve informed you about his late wife and his adult sons.”

  “And the vision?”

  “I saw a male siren grabbing Mr. Lee’s cheeks.”

  Edwin observed the pedestrians below for a moment before speaking up. “Absorbing the elderly man’s life energy? Or is the siren luring him away?”

  Drake appeared to hesitate for a few seconds. “That wasn’t clear within the vision itself.”

  “What was Mr. Lee’s reaction?”

  “He was strangely calm.”

  “Suicidal?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Hmm, that’s weird.”

  “Indeed.”

  The next few minutes drifted by while both men watched the people and cars down on the sidewalk and on the road decreasing.

  “Drake.”

  “Yeah?”

  “I like you.”

  Drake faced Edwin and tilted his head to the right side. “I feel the same way about you.”

  “I know…I know it’s a bit too soon, but I’m wondering what your thoughts are about us.”

  “In what way?”

  “As possible mates.” Drake stared at Edwin in astonishment. “Not…not immediately, but someday soon.”

  Drake was quiet for several seconds before responding. “That’s…wow! I didn’t expect to hear that.”

  Edwin felt as if his heart was being squeezed painfully. “You don’t want to?”

  Drake’s cheeks reddened. “I do.”

  Edwin swiveled his head to face Drake as the burst of hope began to blossom somewhere deep within him. “Really?”

  Drake nodded. “Let’s just take it one step at a time.”

  Edwin bobbed his head up and down, not bothering to mask his excitement. “
Absolutely.”

  “Great. By the way, what’s inside the cloth bag? Additional weapons?”

  Edwin had almost forgotten about the bag next to his right foot. He bent down and pulled out a folded cloth before spreading it wide open on the floor. Then, he removed the leftover sandwiches, cupcakes, pies, and tarts from inside the bag before placing them on a few plates on top of the cloth. Finally, he grabbed a couple of vacuum flasks and handed one over to Drake, who raised an inquiring eyebrow at him.

  “There’s hot chocolate inside.”

  Drake chortled in amusement. “We’re supposed to hunt for a siren, not go on a picnic.”

  “We can do both.” Drake was still snickering while he sat on the cloth. Edwin grabbed an Earl Grey and lavender custard tart before passing it to Drake. “This is one of the bestsellers at my bakery.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome,” Edwin said before picking up the beef sandwich for himself. “How is it?”

  Drake moaned softly. “Delicious.”

  Edwin gulped and looked away. “Glad to hear that.”

  For the next minute or so, he concentrated on eating the beef sandwich and did his best to ignore Drake’s groaning sound next to him. He was also trying not to think about his erection, which seemed to grow impossibly harder inside his pants. He could detect beads of perspiration forming on his forehead and above his upper lip as he struggled not to orgasm inside his pants just from listening to the incredible sounds coming from Drake. That would be fucking embarrassing. He gritted his teeth when Drake pressed his whole body closer against him. It got worse when Drake rested his head on his shoulder.

  “Thank you, Ed. This is a very thoughtful and sweet gesture.”

  Edwin attempted to smile as naturally as he could while holding back his climax. “I’m de…delighted that you like it.”

  He expelled a sigh of relief when Drake moved away from him before drinking the hot chocolate from the flask. As much as he missed Drake’s warmth, he was also grateful for the respite. He couldn’t believe how close he was to losing his control. Drake’s scent and nearness alone were enough to drive him insane with lust and desire. He had to clench his guts in a desperate bid not to shoot his cum inside his pants like a teenage phoenix shifter. He was an adult male phoenix shifter, for fuck’s sake. He had better composure than that. He refused to climax in such a mortifying manner.

  Fortunately, he could feel his libido calming down bit by bit as the evening progressed. Soon, he and Drake were chatting and laughing about their day. They also conversed about what they wanted in the future. He wasn’t surprised that one of Drake’s greatest wish was to cure Baltic. He made a mental note to ask around. Maybe Jefferson could point him in the right direction. After all, Jefferson was an elf and a healer. If anyone could help Baltic out, it would be Jefferson. Edwin didn’t linger on that thought for too long, though. He was determined to enjoy what little time he had with Drake at the moment. After all, they had a siren to catch.

  * * * *

  Drake was comfortable. His whole body was leaning against Edwin’s more muscular form. Moreover, Edwin released plenty of warmth. Drake had no idea if that had to do with the fact that Edwin was a phoenix shifter or if the man was just naturally hot from head to toe, but he couldn’t care less. The chill in the evening air prompted him to shift his whole body even closer to Edwin’s. The other thing he was grateful for was his height and body type. He was about five inches shorter than Edwin. He was also much leaner than Edwin. Consequently, Edwin was able to shield him from the biting cold wind.

  He had no idea how much time had passed since the end of their impromptu picnic. The plates, flasks, and remaining food were already stored away back inside the cloth bag. He had yet to hear the siren song that would signal the presence of the creature, so he relaxed as much as possible. Since a siren could present himself or herself like an ordinary human, the only way to detect him or her would be through scent or song. He was about to doze off when he heard the unmistakable sound of a haunting male siren song. His heart clenched painfully for the male siren. After all, the siren used to be a merman. Drake might not have experienced a heartbreak before. At least not one that shattered the seal on his pure merman magic and turned him into a siren. However, he could sympathize with the siren, who had once been his fellow merman. He sat up straight before noticing Edwin staring at him.

  “What?”

  Edwin was quiet for a moment before cupping his left cheek and caressing it with gentle fingertips. “Are you sure you’ll be fine, sweetheart?”

  He beamed at Edwin and nodded. “I will. Let’s just get this over with.”

  Edwin gazed at him for a few seconds longer before getting up and offering a hand to pull him up to his feet. “After you.”

  He moved toward the edge of the rooftop and listened to the enchanting siren song. “It…it’s coming from the right side.”

  “I agree.”

  He didn’t wait for Edwin. He peered down to make sure that the road was empty before jumping down from the building. There were enough lights from the street lamps, but the song made the hair on the back of his neck rise up high. Edwin landed next to him mere seconds later. The two of them dashed toward the source of the sound. When they reached it, he wasn’t surprised to discover the scene that had appeared in his vision several hours ago.

  “Let him go.”

  The male siren turned toward him before glancing at Edwin and then back at him again. “You have no idea how much it hurts.”

  He gave the siren a sad smile while ignoring the stench of rotting fish wafting toward him from the direction of the siren. “No, I don’t, but you don’t have to do this. Please.”

  The siren sneered, and his face contorted into an ugly caricature of what was originally a beautiful face. “I’m going to kill all men and women, ordinary humans and supernatural beings alike, to prevent my fellow mermen and mermaids from experiencing the same heartbreak as me. I’ll wipe them out. Then, all merpeople will be safe. Forever.”

  Abruptly, the siren’s claws lengthened. Drake was about to summon his water magic to freeze the siren when something unexpected occurred. Mr. Lee reached up both hands and cupped the siren’s cheeks. Drake was shocked, and he could sense Edwin stiffening next to him. A siren’s song was supposed to immobilize its victim. This was an unprecedented turn of events. Then, the realization hit him.

  “Lydia’s pearl,” he muttered under his breath in relief before grinning at Edwin. “It’s still protecting him.”

  “What?”

  “Mr. Lee still keeps his late wife’s pearl with him. It will shield him till the day he dies. When that day arrives, it will disappear.”

  “Oh.”

  Drake returned his gaze toward the siren, who was obviously just as astounded as him and Edwin.

  “This…this is impossible,” the siren croaked out in astonishment. “You aren’t supposed to be conscious.”

  Drake watched in amazement as Mr. Lee dug out a shining pearl from the pocket inside his pants and showed it to the siren.

  “Take this. If you consume this pearl, you will return to your original form.”

  Drake was flabbergasted at Mr. Lee’s generous gesture. While reading the elderly man’s aura earlier during the day, he could tell how much the man loved his late wife. For the man to sacrifice his late wife’s pearl in order to save a siren, it must not have been an easy decision. Drake waited for the siren to respond.

  “I…I can’t take something as pure as that away from you.”

  Then, the siren relinquished his hold on Mr. Lee before turning around, but the elderly man gripped on tightly onto one of the siren’s arm. The siren faced the elderly man once again while Drake and Edwin observed in silence.

  “Lydia used to tell me that her pearl has several magical properties. Aside from protecting me from magical assaults and allowing me to live a much longer lifespan than most ordinary humans, it also has the ability to restore a s
iren back to his or her original form.”

  The siren gaped and stared at the pearl longingly. “Are…are you sure?”

  “Lydia may have died about two years now, but I still miss her with every passing day.” Drake wiped his tears away as he witnessed the touching scene in front of him. He looked up gratefully at Edwin when he felt the phoenix shifter’s arms being wrapped around his waist before turning his eyes back toward Mr. Lee and the siren. “Take the pearl. I’ve lived long enough. I just want to be reunited with Lydia again soon.”

  The siren’s hand trembled as he stretched it out toward the brilliant pearl and brought it close to his lips. Once the pearl was consumed, Drake waited patiently for the siren to return to his original form. A bright light engulfed the siren for a few seconds. When it dimmed, a gorgeous merman floated in the air where the siren had been a moment ago. This particular merman had a golden orange tail.

  “Thank you, sir. My name is Wade Coburn. I’ll forever be in your debt.”

  Mr. Lee shook his head. “There’s no need for that. You should return to the ocean. I’m sure your family will be overjoyed to have you back.”

  Wade bowed at Mr. Lee before approaching Drake and Edwin. “My deepest apology for causing so much trouble on land. I’ll face my punishment after I meet up with my family.”

  Edwin nodded. “I’ll have a word with the council. I promise.”

  “Thank you.”

  Drake stepped forward and pulled Wade into a tight embrace. “Go home now, and try not to fall for the wrong person again.”

  He and Wade laughed out loud together before breaking apart. Then, Wade waved at Mr. Lee before disappearing into a portal made of water.

  “This is an unexpected night for me.” Mr. Lee spoke up moments later. “I love taking a walk in the evening when I can’t sleep.”

  Drake chuckled. “Just be careful in the future, sir. You don’t have Lydia’s pearl to protect you from any other supernatural beings anymore.”

  Mr. Lee chortled in amusement. “I’m an old man. I have to die sooner or later. I’m not afraid of death. Besides, I’ll get to be with Lydia again.”