The Siren and the Deep Blue Sea

by Kerrelyn Sparks

  Was there something going on between these two? Brody wasn’t sure whether Nevis was flirting with his sister or trying to change the subject. Maybe both, damn him. “Ellie, you were about to tell me what’s going on?”

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  “Wait.” Nevis lifted his hands in a calming gesture. “Brody, you might find the news a bit alarming, but don’t let it upset you. You know how important timing is, so we have to remain patient. We mustn’t attack anyone until Leo and the others have arrived.”

  Brody narrowed his eyes. Why was Nevis acting as if he might go berserk? “Just tell me,” he growled.

  Elinor took a deep breath. “Cahira doesn’t trust Maeve, so she’s making her prove her loyalty. In a week, Maeve has to get married.”

  Brody jerked back a step. What? Maeve was being forced to marry? He shook his head. “No. It won’t . . . I won’t let it happen.” A chill skittered down his spine. “Who? Who is she supposed to marry?”

  Elinor winced. “The Chameleon.”

  * * *

  Damn, damn, damn! Brody cursed with each flap of his wings as he sped toward the castle. He was going to kill that damned Chameleon! As soon as that bastard arrived at the castle, he had to die. Nevis could preach patience all he wanted, but . . .

  But you know he’s right, Brody admonished himself. He couldn’t screw up everyone’s plans just because he wanted to kill the Chameleon the minute he saw him.

  Dammit, Maeve should have told him. Why would she keep something this huge a secret? Because she knows you’ll try to kill the bastard. Was she worried he wouldn’t win the battle? He scoffed. She should have more trust in him than that. Of course he would win.

  Wouldn’t he? As far as their shifting powers went, he and the Chameleon were evenly matched. Brody suspected he was better with a sword. But when it came to being ruthless, the Chameleon was the clear winner. The bastard had killed his own father and half-brother. Maeve was right to be worried. Dammit.

  He flew through the open window into the Seer’s bedchamber, landed on the floor, and shifted into human form. The light of one candlestick flickered, illuminating the dark room enough that he could see.

  “Maeve?” he whispered, but there was no reply. She must have gone to sleep in her own bedchamber. Good. He was too exhausted to have a difficult conversation with her now. And too upset that she’d kept her upcoming wedding a secret. Besides, after talking to his mother and Nevis, he’d used up most of his allotted two hours to be himself. He probably had less than thirty minutes left.

  He glanced about the room, noting that the curtains around the bed had been drawn shut. All was quiet. Good. No one had realized that he’d been gone all night.

  He wandered over to the sitting area, where a candlestick sat on the round table with a fresh tray of food. That was thoughtful of Maeve. Even though he’d eaten his fill on the Isle of Moon, the long flight back had made him hungry again. He stuffed some ham and cheese into a small loaf of bread, then ate while he headed into the dressing room.

  There were two buckets of water next to the tub. Maeve had been considerate again. He set down his sandwich and quickly washed up. After drying off, he wrapped the towel around his waist and resumed eating his sandwich as he headed toward his bed.

  He drew back the curtains and nearly choked on the food in his mouth. What the hell? Maeve was in his bed!

  Damn. His first instinct was to tear off his towel and climb into bed with her. After all, it was what she wanted, wasn’t it?

  No, he argued with himself. He’d already decided to be honest with her. He needed to bare his soul first. Then, if she could accept him, if she could still love him, he would claim her.

  For now, she needed to go. He couldn’t risk Cahira or any of the servants seeing her in his bed.

  “Maeve?” he whispered.

  With a small groan, she snuggled closer to the pile of pillows that was supposed to be him. Damn but that made him ache with longing. She should be snuggling up to him. She should be sleeping through the night with his arms around her. But with the curse, that could never be.

  He strode to the door leading to her bedchamber, unlocked it, and left it wide open. After dropping the last few bites of his sandwich on the table, he returned to the bed.

  “Maeve.” He pulled back the covers and winced at the way the thin nightgown accentuated her curves. It was bunched up around her hips, leaving her long legs bare, and for a second, he imagined them wrapped around him in the throes of passion.

  He pushed that thought aside, but his body still reacted, his groin tightening.

  “Maeve, you need to sleep in your own bed.”

  She rolled onto her back. “Mmm.”

  He groaned. She was so beautiful, her dark lashes framing her closed eyes, her pink mouth slightly open, her long black hair strewn against the white pillowcase.

  Mine. The thought hit him hard. He’d realized earlier that he loved her. But now, he realized he couldn’t live without her. He couldn’t possibly send her back to Ebton to marry one of her suitors there. He had to be the one. Even she had said earlier that he had to be the one.

  No doubt she was desperate to avoid marrying the Chameleon. Was that why she’d suddenly insisted on losing her virginity? She’d called it unbridled lust, but what if it was simply a strategy to avoid her upcoming wedding?

  Damn. That possibility deflated his ego. And the bulge beneath his towel.

  Gritting his teeth, he slipped his arms beneath her and lifted her up.

  “Brody?” she mumbled, her eyes still closed.

  “No need to wake up,” he muttered as he carried her into her bedchamber. It was dark in there, so he was forced to slow down. And forced to think about how good she felt in his arms. When his eyes adjusted, he spotted her four-poster bed and headed straight for it.

  Her eyes blinked open. “You’re back.”

  “Aye.”

  She touched his bare chest. “Are you going to make love to me now?”

  He jerked to a stop. Yes. “No. We’re out of time. The sun will be rising soon.”

  “How much time does it take?”

  He hurried over to the bed and dropped her on top. “I’ve flown all the way to the Isle of Moon and back. I’m too exhausted.”

  She sat up. “That’s all right. As long as you’re willing, I can do all the work.”

  Work? Was that how she saw it? Dammit, she really was doing this just to avoid an unwanted marriage. “It’s not happening. We need to have a long talk first. And I’m almost out of time to be myself.”

  “Then we’ll do it really fast.”

  He scoffed. “You’re not doing this out of love for me, are you? You’re just trying to avoid the wedding.”

  She gasped. “You know about that?”

  “Hell, yes. You should have told me! I had to find out from Nevis and Elinor.”

  “What? How would they know?”

  “They’re here on the island. Hiding in the village. They came looking for you.”

  She tilted her head, thinking. “I can understand Nevis coming here, but why on Aerthlan would Princess Elinor come? It’s too dangerous for her here.”

  “That’s what I said, but she’s refusing to leave.” Brody hesitated, wondering if he should go ahead and admit to being Elinor’s brother and a prince. “Maeve, I—”

  “So you know I’m being forced to marry the Chameleon.” Her shoulders slumped. “I can’t do it. I really can’t—”

  “Don’t worry. I won’t let it happen.”

  She sat back up. “Then you agree to take my virginity?”

  “No!”

  With an angry huff, she jumped out of bed. “Why are you being so stubborn? Is it such a chore for you?”

  “It’s not a chore. But this is the wrong time—”

  “I don’t have time! The wedding is in a week!”

  He gritted his teeth. “The wedding won’t happen. I will kill the Chameleon.”

  She scoff
ed. “You’d rather kill someone than bed me? Am I that undesirable?”

  “I do want you, Maeve. I’ve wanted you for years. But I don’t want that bastard being the reason I bed you.”

  “So you’d rather risk your life? I don’t want that! My idea is much better, so let’s get started.” She reached for his towel.

  He jumped back, but his towel slipped loose. “Dammit.” He grabbed the towel, making sure his crotch was covered. “Maeve . . .” He paused when he saw her gaze was focused on his hands. Damn, but he could feel himself starting to swell. He’d better change the subject fast. “The mainland kings will be coming here soon. As soon as they arrive, we will be at war.”

  She blinked, and her gaze lifted to his face. “All of our friends will be in danger? Surely there is another way . . .”

  “The Circle of Five and the Embraced army must be defeated. Honestly, Maeve, even if there was no wedding, I would still have to fight the Chameleon. I’m the only one who can do it. The final battle between us has been destined for years. The time has come, and there’s no avoiding it.”

  Her eyes glistened with tears. “I don’t want you to get hurt. If we could force them to surrender—”

  “The Chameleon murdered his own father in pursuit of power. He’s not going to surrender. I will have to kill him.”

  She winced. “And my mother? Will you have to kill her, too?”

  He tightened his grip on the towel. This was the perfect time to tell Maeve that her mother had killed his father and brother. He opened his mouth, but the words refused to come out.

  “Are you afraid I will blame you?” A tear rolled down Maeve’s cheek. “I love you, Brody. No matter what happens, I will always love you.”

  His heart expanded. “I love you, too, Maeve.”

  Another tear fell down her face, and she wiped her cheeks dry. “Then what are we waiting for?”

  “I want it to be good for you, but I don’t have much time left as myself. Maybe about twenty minutes.”

  “Then we have no time to lose.” She turned her back to him and whisked her nightgown over her head.

  His eyes widened at the sight of her bare back and buttocks, her skin pale in the dim light. Her nightgown fell to the floor as she climbed into bed and pulled the covers up to her breasts.

  “Maeve.” There were still things he needed to say. He hadn’t admitted who he was or what her mother had done to his family. “I’m still cursed. I have only two hours a day—”

  “And I’ll be grateful for them.” She reached a hand toward him. “Because I love you.”

  His beautiful, stubborn Maeve. He could only hope her love for him would endure the hardships to come. Letting his towel drop to the floor, he strode toward the bed.

  Chapter 16

  It was happening! Maeve’s heart raced as Brody slipped into bed beside her, his naked body brushing up against hers. No more excuses about the curse. He was truly hers, and she would never give him up.

  With tears in her eyes, she laid a hand on his cheek. “Brody.”

  “Mmm.” He gave her a brief kiss. “Will you promise me one thing?”

  “Anything.” She wrapped her arms around his neck.

  He brushed her hair away from her brow. “Never call me Julia again.”

  She winced. “It was a mistake at first because you make such a pretty dog.”

  “But after you knew it was me, you kept doing it.”

  “Because you kept ignoring me.”

  His eyes widened. “You were purposely trying to annoy me?”

  “You were purposely ignoring me.” She frowned at him. “It hurt my feelings.”

  He smoothed a finger over her pouting bottom lip. “What else could I do, Maeve? I wanted you from the first time I saw you and heard you singing on the beach. Your beauty astonished me; your voice captivated me. I knew there would never be anyone else for me—”

  “Then why did you avoid me?”

  “You were only sixteen. I knew I had to wait.”

  “But you wouldn’t even dance with me.”

  “I didn’t trust myself.” He nuzzled her neck and kissed her beneath her ear. “I wanted you too much.”

  His voice sent a shiver down her arms. “I wanted you, too.” She felt something hard pressing against her hip. It must be his manhood. She’d caught a glimpse of it when he’d approached the bed, and she’d been surprised by its size. But good heavens, it seemed even bigger now. And harder.

  Too big. This was going to hurt. But she was determined to complete her deflowering mission tonight. Steeling her nerves, she rose up on one elbow and pushed Brody onto his back.

  The first light of dawn crept through the window, chasing away enough darkness to allow her to see the surprised look on his face.

  She smoothed her hand over his muscular chest. “I know you’re exhausted, so just lie there and rest. Tell me what to do, and I’ll get right to it.”

  His mouth twitched. “Are you going to follow my orders for once?”

  She narrowed her eyes. Was he planning on abusing his authority? “I’ll do whatever you say as long as it makes sense.”

  “Ah.” His blue eyes twinkled with mischief.

  She sat up. “You are knowledgeable in this sort of thing, aren’t you?”

  He nodded. “Somewhat. Though I’m terribly out of practice.”

  “Why?”

  He gave her a wry look. “First, I’m only human two hours a day. Secondly, most women do not find my situation appealing. Thirdly, and most importantly, I’ve been waiting the last four years because I wanted you.”

  So he’d been faithful to her? “Oh, Brody.” She leaned toward him and gasped when her bare breasts brushed against his chest. “Quickly now, tell me what to do.”

  “Kiss me.”

  She pressed her lips against his. “Now what?”

  He frowned at her. “I meant a real kiss. A long one that makes us—”

  “We’re short on time. We need to move on to the next step.”

  “You said you would follow my orders.”

  “If they make sense—” Her breath caught when he suddenly pushed her onto her back and planted his mouth against hers.

  His lips melded against hers as he kissed her slowly and thoroughly. Her thoughts scattered and all her determination to rush through the ordeal melted away. This was far too pleasurable to do in a hurry. Her hands delved into his hair to pull him closer, and when his tongue entered her mouth, she welcomed it with a stroke of her own tongue. A warm, languid feeling slid down her body, and soon, she was rubbing her legs against his.

  He broke the kiss and whispered, “Does it make sense now?”

  “Yes.” She pulled his head down for another kiss. His taste, his scent, the feel of his body against hers, they were all so pleasurable. Intoxicating. Brody. She tangled her tongue with his. How long had she waited for this moment?

  The insistent pressure of his manhood no longer frightened her. Quite the opposite. Now she welcomed it as a sign of his passion. She wanted it. She wanted it so badly that her own groin started to ache for him.

  “Brody.” She trailed kisses across his handsome face. “What do we do next?”

  “This.” He cupped her breast, then dragged a thumb across her nipple.

  She hissed in a breath. “Th-that’s very nice, but do we have time for—” She halted when he dipped his head down and sucked her nipple into his mouth. Oh, dear goddesses, this was heaven. “I suppose a few minutes wouldn’t hurt.” The aching emptiness between her legs flared with heat.

  After a final tease with his tongue, he glanced up at her. “Did that make sense?”

  “Well . . . only if you do both.”

  He nodded. “Very sensible.” He latched onto her other nipple while he teased the first one with his fingers.

  As the needy feeling grew, she squeezed her thighs together, relishing the sharp friction, the insistent feeling that she was spiraling toward something tremendous. “Brody, what .
. . what’s next?”

  “This.” He smoothed his fingers lightly down her torso, and her skin prickled with gooseflesh.

  “Yes—” Her breath caught when he rested his hand on the black curls guarding her womanhood.

  “Open your legs,” he whispered. “Let me touch you.”

  She blinked. “Is that done?”

  His blue eyes glimmered with heat. “Yes. But only by me.”

  Slowly, she opened her legs. She gasped at the touch of his fingers caressing her most intimate flesh. The shock quickly faded as the most glorious pleasure made her melt. “Oh. Oh, Brody.”

  “You’re so beautifully wet.” He sat up and tilted his head so he could look at her. “So pretty and swollen.”

  She slammed her thighs together, pinning his hand between them. “Why are you looking at me?”

  His mouth curled up. “Because I want to.”

  “Is that done?”

  “Yes, but only by me.”

  “Oh.” She relaxed her thighs. Now that she thought about it, it made perfect sense for him to see her. After all, she could see him. His manhood was thick and stiff with black curls at its base. Since he was touching her, shouldn’t she be allowed to touch him?

  She reached toward him, then jolted when he inserted a finger inside her. Oh, dear goddesses. Whatever he was doing was glorious. Just when she thought it couldn’t possibly get any better, his thumb brushed over a special place. She saw stars for a second, then moaned when he rubbed against her briskly.

  “Oh.” She shook her head. This was far too pleasurable. How could she endure this?

  “You’re so wet, I want to taste you.” He moved between her legs, and grasping her by the hips, he lowered his head.

  “What?” She attempted to sit up. “Is that done?”

  “Yes, but only by me.” He pushed her back down.

  “What?” She jerked when she felt his tongue stroke her swollen and slick skin. Oh, this was truly the most pleasurable thing yet. With a groan, she lifted her legs, resting her feet on his shoulders.

  He lapped. Thrust. Suckled.

  She panted, writhing beneath him, soaring higher and higher until she teetered, breathless, on an edge. The sound of him growling pushed her over, and with a jolt, she shattered.