Siren Song

by A C Warneke

  “I passed out before anything could happen and then I snuck away when I woke up and found him sleeping,” she blurted out, pushing herself off the door and drifting over to her best friend. Automatically, he opened his arms and she fell into them, relishing his strength as he hugged her. “It was not one of my best moments. How was your night?”

  She felt his smile and heard it in his voice, “Amazing.”

  “Yeah; it looked amazing,” she heaved a sigh. “I guess I am just doomed to virginity.”

  He chuckled as he kissed the top of her head. “Get some sleep, minx.”

  “You, too, Dima.” Dragging herself from his sheltering arms, she stumbled up the stairs to her bedroom, “I love you, you know.”

  “I love you, too.”

  Chapter 3 (Saturday)

  The next day, Lexi slept in until ten and she didn't make it to the office. Swallowing a few aspirin, she took a long shower to scour the residual lust from her brain and then got ready for her lunch date with the women of her family. Despite the ridiculous amount of alcohol she drank the night before, she was feeling pretty good, even if she refused to think about a certain man that twisted her up on the inside. He could star in as many of her dreams as he wanted but she was not going to let him conquer her days, at least not often. The occasional day dream of him walking towards her, his naked chest glistening with manly sweat, a smile on his handsome face as he reached out his hand... hmm, that would be all right.

  She arrived at the country club just a few minutes late since it had taken her a little longer to dress up in the perfect outfit and put on the perfect makeup, designed to deliberately annoy her two oldest sisters. And when she saw them, all three of her sisters wearing a similar sheath dress, her smile widened. Thea was wearing beige, Agatha was in shell pink, and Penelope wore buttery yellow; all of them wore their thick, dark hair in elegant buns. Of course they each had perfectly manicured fingernails with just the right amount of jewelry. They fit in perfectly amongst the country club set.

  As she walked, Lexi jangled from the sheer number of bracelets she wore on both of her wrists. Her hair was tucked up under a mint green, chin length wig and there was enough glitter on her face to make any four-year-old girl squeal in delight. Lexi was particularly fond of the sparkly blue lipstick and sparkly blue false eyelashes that distracted her every time she blinked. Low riding, green leather pants hugged her legs and the cropped baby doll showcased her flat stomach and discrete belly button piercing. The outfit was paired off with a pair of wedge-heeled flip flops that were surprisingly comfortable.

  Bending down, she air-kissed her mother’s cheek, not wanting to smudge the immaculate make up with her blue lips. She took a moment to inhale the warm, light scent of gardenias her mother favored, a scent that reminded her of childhood and feeling loved. “Mom.”

  “Alexandra,” Charisma, her mother, beamed at her. She was still a beautiful woman at 60, with seven children and several grandchildren. Her dark hair had a few strands of white, making her look distinguished; she definitely didn’t look like a grandmother. Still trim, she had the shapely body that all of the Rudnar woman enjoyed. She was dressed casually in white linen pants and a pale blue cardigan set.

  Lexi faced her unconventional Aunt Sophie with a warm smile. Sophie was wearing a deep purple dress that flowed around her body. She was younger than Lexi's mother by almost ten years and she could pass for someone even younger. She always had a new boy toy, preferring variety over longevity. Her hair was cropped short in the back, close to her scalp, and longer in the front, in a sexy pixie-influenced cut. Lexi adored her Aunt Sophie, calling her up for advice whenever it was needed. Hugging the older woman, breathing in the familiar magnolia scent, she smiled, “Aunt Sophie.”

  “I’m glad you decided to join us today,” her aunt good-naturedly chastened. It wasn’t a secret that Lexi normally disdained the country club and all of the trappings that went with it, despite being born into such privilege. She preferred the casual atmosphere of Cole’s gallery or the cutting edge energy of Dima’s bar. Or the comfortable warmth of home. “We weren’t sure you would.”

  “Alexandra,” Thea murmured in her controlled, dulcet voice. Heaving a sigh, she shook her head even as she pursed her full lips, “Would it have been too much to ask you to tone it down some?

  “Yes, it would have,” Lexi grinned, sitting down and joining them at the table. Taking the napkin, she snapped it open and spread it over her lap. “Not everyone can pull off mint.”

  “Well, I think you look fantastic,” Penny interjected before the oldest Rudnar daughter came to blows with the youngest. As the very middle child of seven children, she was an expert at keeping the peace. As the mother of two sets of twins, she was learning to let things slide. “Jenny will want that wig when you decide to retire it.”

  Lexi chuckled, picturing the little girl that already had so many of her cast offs. Out of all of her nieces and nephews, Jenny was the only one who appreciated the artistry involved in Lexi’s wardrobe. The other girls were miniature replicas of their perfect mothers. And grandmother. And yet all of them were able to wrap males around their little fingers without so much as batting an eyelash. And in a family that was predominantly female, it was a sight to behold whenever they got together.

  Agatha summoned a waiter without saying a word and Lexi wondered once again for the millionth time how she did that. Aggie seemed to smile a secretive smile and suddenly a waiter would appear, eager to take her order and give her whatever she wanted. Lexi tried it once but the wires seemed to cross when a group of men appeared, not a waiter among them. Agatha had the same melodic voice that Thea had but it was more sensual, less measured and the waiter was practically salivating to do her bidding. “We’re ready to order; girls?”

  As everyone ordered, Lexi glanced around the table and realized how beautiful they all were, from her mother to her aunt to her sisters. She sighed; without her makeup and wigs, she was rather plain when compared to the rest of her family, with ordinary brown hair and regular hazel eyes. It was true that she had a spectacular pair of breasts but so did the rest of the females in her family; and they were all stunning without the blue lipstick or green wigs or creative outfits.

  They were all so elegant, like pretty little butterflies, fluttering about with their smiles and their perfect hair. And Lexi loved them to pieces; she loved watching them primp before the show, or party, and then preform, both on stage and in their social gatherings. They made the complicated dance of social interaction look so easy while Lexi felt more comfortable just barreling right through, spinning and dancing along the way, until she was in the sanctuary of her best friends' circle.

  She listened as her sisters chatted about their husbands and their children, smiling with pleasure at the antics of her nieces and nephews. One of the things she loved most about having such a large family was listening to them talk, the companionship amongst them. Even if they didn’t always get along she knew that any member of her family would be by her side in a heartbeat if it ever came to that. And yet she was a different person with her sisters than with Dima and Cole; with those two, she was the one doing most of the talking while they happily listened, offering their sage advice whenever it was wanted or needed. She wondered what her life would be like if she hadn’t met them and then she shuddered at the thought; it wasn’t even worth considering.

  “Alexandra, there’s something we need to talk to you about,” her aunt said, interrupting her pleasant interlude.

  Lexi’s eyes widened at the thought of suddenly being included in the conversation; she had nothing to add since she was still single and had no immediate plans to have children. And she knew that in spite of how much they loved her they didn’t understand her or why she chose to live with a bartender and an artist rather than at the estate. “What did I do now?”

  “Well,” her aunt hesitated, exchanging a worried glance with her mother.

  “It’s recently come to our attention
that you might be more of a Rudnar than we thought,” her mom said carefully.

  Lexi frowned at that, her thought process whirling rapidly and taking her to the logical conclusion of that statement: they didn’t think her dad was her father. In a hushed voice she asked, “Why would you would think daddy wasn't my father?”

  “What?” her mother’s voice rose an octave while she jerked back in her chair as if Lexi’s words were a slap to her face. “Alexandra, no.”

  “Why would you say I might be more of a Rudnar if that wasn’t the case?” Lexi returned, almost as confused and flustered as her mom.

  “Why would you even ask that?” her mother continued in a hurt tone, her eyes watering with unshed tears. “I’ve never even wanted any other man. From the moment I met your father’s eyes during home room in ninth grade he has been the only one I have wanted.”

  “I’m sorry, mom,” Lexi apologized, wondering how it as her fault for making an honest assumption based on her mother’s strange comment. But then again, it was her mother, who was still hopelessly in love with her father even after almost 40 years of marriage. And however many years of knowing the man “Of course you’ve been faithful.”

  “Of course I have.” Charisma looked up and to the left to keep the glistening tears from falling, unwilling to mar her makeup by something so messy as emotion. At least, not while she was out in public, especially the country club. Having a daughter wearing a mint green wig had to be embarrassing enough.

  Aunt Sophie chuckled, daintily wiping the corners of her eyes with the edge of the napkin. “Oh, Char, you’re scaring the poor girl. Just get on with it and tell her.”

  “I need a moment.” Her mother murmured and Lexi wanted to slam her head down on the table in frustration. But her false eyelashes might get stuck and that would have been awkward.

  “Do you know who just moved back to town?” Penelope asked into the silence, drawing everyone’s attention away from Lexi, for which Lexi was eternally grateful. “Dee Tremain!”

  Agatha hummed her approval and Lexi heard glass shatter somewhere close behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the embarrassed waiter trying to scoop broken glass back onto the tray he had just dropped; water had splashed everywhere and Lexi felt her heart go out to the poor boy.

  Her mother's sharp voice chided, “Agatha!”

  “Sorry, mother,” Agatha said softly, her eyes sparkling as she watched the red-faced waiter rush off to bring them some more water.

  “Who’s Dee Tremain?” Lexi asked absently, confused by her mother’s scolding of her sister. It wasn’t Aggie's fault that the waiter dropped the tray, was it? No, that was impossible.

  “Really, Alexandra, you should have paid attention to this kind of thing when you were growing up,” Thea chided, exchanging a knowing look with Agatha and Penelope. “If you hadn’t had your nose buried in a book every time we hosted a party you would know.”

  It wasn’t her fault she preferred reading to the pretentions of the people who attended her parents’ parties. She was never sure who was honest and who was lying to get what they wanted; the dynamics of the social circles she was born into eluded her. And so she left that world behind and found happiness in her new world, the world of Lexi Darling. “Well, who is she?”

  “He is just the most gorgeous powerbroker this side of Mars,” Agatha gushed, waving her hand in front of her face as if the merest thought of Dee Tremain was enough to make her blood boil.

  "That doesn't tell me much."

  “I’m surprised you haven’t heard of him,” Aggie continued, pleased to show off her knowledge to her uninformed sister. If only Aggie knew how much Lexi didn’t care. “He’s the head of Tremain Industries and Technology, one of the most deliciously ruthless businessmen in the country. He’s ice cold in meetings and red hot in the bedroom. So I’ve heard.”

  “What does he have to do with any of this?” Lexi asked, annoyed at her sisters’ adoration of the trappings of wealth and privilege. Even though they were married to some pretty influential men themselves, Agatha, Penelope and Thea still enjoyed gossiping about the goings-on within their social circles, especially the men.

  “Nothing,” Agatha admitted, still wearing a dreamy expression at the thought of the mysterious Dee Tremain. “I just think it’s great that he’s back. When he went away it was a huge loss for the women of our acquaintance. I think every female hoped to snag him.”

  “I heard he’s still single,” Penelope said, leaning in and lowering her voice as if her words were of utmost secrecy. “But he’s on the market for a wife.”

  “Oh, good God,” Lexi laughed, rolling her eyes at her sisters. “The three of you are married; I don’t think Dee Tremain is interested in another man’s wife.”

  Penelope tilted her head to the side and looked at Lexi, a mischievous smile curling her lips, “Wouldn’t Mr. Tremain be a perfect addition to the family?”

  “Absolutely not,” Thea said rigidly, her lips pressed together in a firm line as she glared at everyone at the table, especially Penelope. “While our families are on very good terms socially we cannot have anything to do with the Tremains or their relatives on a more intimate level; our kinds do not mix.”

  Lexi snorted at the dramatic words, as if they were two different and incompatible species, like one was a bird and the other a fish. She wondered if the flying fish would be an exception to the rule or did flying fish even fly? She’d have to look that up when she got home. But then she played the words over in her head and she frowned at her sister, “I’m not marrying some guy to add anymore prestige to our family; I think the three of you have that covered.”

  They had the good nature to blush. Aunt Sophie patted her hand and offered a consoling smile, “We actually wanted to discuss something else with you, dear.”

  Agatha did that special smile again and a waiter appeared instantly. “My sister would like a glass of red wine, please.”

  “Aggie, it’s barely noon,” Lexi reminded her. “And I am just getting over a hangover; wine is not something I want right now.”

  “Take it, dear,” her mother encouraged, her eyes sympathetic as she looked at her. “You’re going to need it.”

  With a low groan, she let her family have their way. But just because the wine was there didn’t mean she would have to drink it. “So, what is the big secret? Are one of you pregnant again?”

  Agatha blushed as she put her hand over her flat stomach and Lexi couldn’t help but chuckle. “Congratulations, Ag; do you think you’ll have another girl or are you hoping for a boy?”

  Her pregnant sister licked her lips and exchanged another look with the rest of the women at the table. Aunt Sophie cleared her throat, drawing the attention back to her. “Actually, dear, that’s something we want to talk to you about.”

  “Well, I’m not pregnant,” Lexi said, pressing her fingers to her chest for emphasis. “It’s kind of hard to get pregnant when you’re not having sex.”

  Her mother closed her eyes and swallowed thickly, “Are you having sex?”

  Lexi felt the heat rise into her cheeks and she did not want to be having this conversation with her mother or her aunt or her sisters in the middle of the restaurant. Or anywhere. “Didn’t I just say I’m not?”

  “Have you ever had sex?” Charisma asked, her eyes still squeezed shut and Lexi wasn’t sure which answer her mother would prefer to hear.

  “Is this really something we should be discussing in public?” Lexi asked softly. At her mother’s nod, she continued, “And is the answer so important?”

  “Just answer the damn question, Alexandra,” Thea snapped, making Lexi jump at the ruffled sound.

  Sitting back in her chair, Lexi let out a breath of air, “Fine, if it’s so important, I’m still a virgin. Happy?”

  Her mother started swearing under her breath, her hands fluttering uselessly around her head; her sisters started chirping to one another; her aunt simply looked at her with compassion. Crossing her ar
ms beneath her breasts, she addressed the only one who appeared half way lucid, her aunt, “I take it that was the wrong answer.”

  “Yes… no,” her aunt shook her head and smiled ruefully. “I don’t know; maybe.”

  Lexi simply sat there and watched the drama unwind before her; as her mother pulled herself together, smoothing her hands over her perfect chignon; as her sisters gathered their composure and once again sat serenely in their seats. Arching an eyebrow, she asked, “Is there something I should know?”

  Annoyingly, the group exchanged another look when her aunt groused, “Fine, I’ll tell her because the four of you are being absurd; it’s not like it’s that big of a deal.” Turning to Lexi, she took her niece’s hands in her own. “Alexandra, my pet, you’re a Siren.”

  Lexi stared at her aunt for a long moment, waiting for some major, life-changing announcement to fall from her lips and when nothing more came, she bit down on her lips. It didn’t help and the laughter rushed out of her; after all of the drama, it was a huge relief to discover they were just pulling a major prank on her. All of that build up for something so utterly crazy… “Only you guys could pull off a joke of this magnitude; I was seriously worried for a moment there….”

  When no one joined her in her laughter, she paused and looked at their earnest expressions as they simply stared at her. “You’ve got to be shitting me; a Siren? And what would make you think something so… so… ridiculous?”

  Aunt Sophie took Lexi’s hand in hers, gently rubbing her thumb over the tight joints. “Well, we erroneously believed that you hadn't inherited any Siren... gifts because you didn't seem to be the type and we had no reason to believe otherwise until recently.”

  Lexi’s eyes widened impossibly in her face; how could they possibly know about Duncan? She hadn’t told anyone other than Dima and Dima didn’t gossip with her family. And none of her sisters would be caught dead at Dima’s bar, even though it was one of the most popular spots among their friends. And there simply hadn't been enough time between last night and this morning for them to discover anything. “But, how….”