by Jarica James
"About a year now," he replied as he pulled out keys and hit unlock on the fob. A sleek, burgundy SUV chirped to life across the lot. He tossed the keys to Evander, who caught them easily and let out a loud whoop. It must usually be a fight over who got to drive.
"But we are willing to take girlfriend applications if you're interested," Aeson teased. I looked over at him and blushed at his heated gaze. It was honestly the first time someone had made me feel desirable. Tristan's steps faltered, making me stumble for a moment before turning to see what was wrong. He had a look on his face I couldn't quite decipher. He turned to me and put a hand on either side of my face. My heart rate sped up at the close contact and the serious expression on his face.
"The fact that nobody has ever made you feel sexy or special is a fucking tragedy. You're gorgeous, Lennox, and more than that, you're strong and fierce. You'll find your worth, and I for one, am so excited I get to witness it." Tristan's words were beautiful, and everything in me wanted to believe him. It was time I let go of the hate and embrace the feelings these guys brought out in me.
"Thank you," I whispered back, my voice choked with emotion. "Now let's go, no more mushy stuff." He smirked at my words and let go of my face. The others were already in the car, so he led me to the passenger side and slid in, pulling me with him.
As we drove through the town, I took it in as if seeing it for the first time. Really, it might as well be. I rarely drove through except for holidays, when the tinted windows and relief at leaving didn't leave much time for sightseeing. It had a cute town feel for a bigger city, everything based around the ocean. Obsidian Cove played it up for tourists who wanted to visit the dark waters of the Obsidian, and we were one of the few areas where they could be surrounded by the sea and still have comforts like hotels and restaurants. The town took up the main portion of the peninsula that wasn't surrounded by mountains or trees.
The Obsidian Sea's waters appeared darker than the average ocean, thanks to the dark vegetation that grew just under the surface. There was an old legend that townspeople loved to share anytime regional history was brought up, about the island sinking little by little over the years, the lands underneath the water making it seem more ominous than it should.
The city kept most of its larger buildings inland; all of the cute and cozy oceanside homes were on the outskirts with all the tourist trap shops and activities. Evander drove toward the town's pier and boardwalk, where most of the tourists ended up. Since it was winter and the offseason, and most shops had shorter hours, the town was pretty dead. Luckily, that meant we wouldn’t have to deal with any crowds, just whale watchers and locals.
Once the car was in park, Evander jumped out and pulled my door open before I could even reach for it. He gave a bow before offering his hand and peeking up with a smirk. His dark hair fell in front of his eyes, the deep blue orbs lit up with amusement.
"Thank you, kind sir," I joked, taking his hand and letting him pull me out. I took a deep breath of ocean air and started to relax. I guess now I knew why I felt so at home here, so drawn to the sea. It was the siren in me perking up, begging me to go for a swim, but I pushed the urge away. Something told me turning into a siren in the middle of the boardwalk was a bad idea.
Aeson walked over to me and wrapped his arm around my waist, before leaning down and whispering in my ear. There was nothing sexy about his words, but the feel of his breath on my neck was torturous, my body perking up at the closeness. "There's only one actual restaurant here, and it's lined with fish tanks and overlooks the ocean. We thought you might like it. Want to check it out now, or look around first?" My stomach rumbled in answer, officially breaking the intense moment.
"That answers that! Now, quit flirting and feed the woman. I don't know if she gets hangry, but I'm not trying to get lured into the ocean by a hangry siren," Tristan joked, butting his boyfriend out of the way. I tuned them out as we walked onto the main part of the boardwalk, where the pier jutted out into the sea. Before I could stop myself, the ocean's call was dragging me forward. The sea filled my senses, the cool breeze blowing off it swirling around me and bringing my feet closer to the edge. Images of plunging between the dark waters filled my mind’s eye, blocking out my vision. I couldn't hear the sounds of people passing by, or see the railing that separated me from my heart's desire. I just wanted to go home.
"Oookay little psycho. You can't jump in, so snap out of it," Calev hissed, his cool fingers wrapping around my wrist and pulling me back to reality. I had to blink several times before I could see his face, the frown I was growing used to replaced by a look of concern. "You with me?"
"Kind of," I mumbled, still disoriented. "I think I need to be in the water again, Calev." The truth was, it scared me. I should have been able to resist the temptation like I had before, but something within me needed to be in the water.
"We'll do that tonight then. Doesn't Obsidian Cove Prep have a pool?" he asked quietly, pulling me away from the concerned onlookers. I nodded numbly, hating myself for ruining a nice outing. My relaxed muscles tensed as the ocean continued to try to pull me away from my new friends. "Stay with me," Calev whispered again, linking his fingers with mine and pulling me forward. His cool fingers helped ground me, giving me something new to focus on and block out the call.
"We said restaurant, not catching our own fish," Tristan teased, giving me an understanding smile. It helped knowing that they had their own secrets hidden away, that I had someone who knew what I was dealing with. Do they still feel a call to the source of their power? Will this pass? Will I always have to stay away or be lured to sea? The thoughts swirled around in my head, as they led me the rest of the way to the restaurant. A flashing neon sign distracted me from my inner panic, the restaurant’s name causing me to giggle. The 'Boisterous Barnacle' seemed like a fun place to eat.
"Welcome to the Boisterous Barnacle, we're glad you came to visit us today!" The waitress’s cheerfulness seemed fitting for the name of the place. She gave an overly wide smile, as she grabbed our menus and ushered us to a table against the window. I didn't miss Aeson slipping her a tip and flirting with her to get his way. A small twinge of jealousy made me narrow my eyes at the pair. Tristan nudged me and gave a small smile, picking up on the emotion. If he wasn't jealous, then I had no right to be. I wasn't even dating him.
The restaurant itself was definitely one of those hidden gem type of places. Beautifully maintained fish tanks lined the walls, filled with gorgeous saltwater fish and flora that kept the place looking bright and colorful. The tables looked like they were made from driftwood, the faded tops fitting perfectly with the bright white walls and pale blue tiled floor. The decor all centered around the beach, but it wasn't over the top.
My stomach gave another rumble as the smell of fish and fresh bread wafted out from the kitchens. A menu was slid in front of me, but I was too busy looking out the window that Aeson had snagged for us. The view of the sandy beach and the dark, choppy waters was perfect. The sun was still high, making the light dance off of the surface.
"Come on, Little Psycho, find something to eat," Calev teased, tapping my menu and bringing me out of my gawking. I glared at the new nickname, which only seemed to amuse him more. I couldn't deny how nice it was to see him loosen up, his usual stoic behavior made him a bit more intimidating than the others.
With another rumble of my stomach, I opened my menu and started looking through everything they had. After reading it way more thoroughly than I needed to, I finally settled on a sampler plate that had a few different things to try. Our waitress came back just as I shut the menu, taking all of our food and drink orders before shuffling off again with one last smile. She came back a few moments later with drinks and a basket of bread.
"So, you clearly aren't from around here. Where are you from?" Lachlan asked, starting up the conversation. I gave him a grateful smile, happy to avoid the awkward silence that would have fallen without him.
"I grew up in Linet, a small tow
n about an hour inland. My... adoptive father owned a chain of food packaging factories along the coast," I explained, stumbling over what to call the man who raised me now that I knew the truth. The word father only brought me back to that awful letter, and the secret they’d dropped. I wanted to know who my real father was, and why on Earth he thought it was a good idea to leave me with those assholes.
"We can look into it. I'm sure someone at our school will know something," Tristan said with a reassuring smile. I hoped he was right, but it seemed like a stretch. I didn't even know my real last name, let alone any clues that could lead to my biological parents.
"Let's not talk about my depressing upbringing, someone talk about something else," I mumbled, hoping someone would be kind enough to listen. Aeson gave me a wink when I peeked up at them, and started a new conversation.
"So does this mean we have to attend classes while we're here?" he mumbled dramatically. "I don't think Economics will be helpful to me later in life."
"I feel like there's so much I have to learn," I groaned dramatically. Saying I felt overwhelmed was an understatement. This all seemed like way too much information to process, and I kind of just wanted to curl up in bed and forget all of it was happening.
"Maybe, but that doesn't mean you have to learn an entire new world's worth of information in one day, Doll Face," Evander said gently. We all grew quiet as the waitress came by to refill our drinks and drop off new baskets of bread. As soon as she walked away, the conversation picked back up.
"And you have us," Lachlan pointed out around his mouthful of bread. "We can teach you different things, so it's not so bad."
"Eloquent," Aeson joked at Lachlan's lack of manners. "He's right though, it's not a test. Right now our job is to figure out what you are, and go from there."
"It's just really overwhelming," I said with a deep sigh, hating how whiny I sounded. Thankfully I was saved by the appearance of our food. The guys all seemed to forget our conversation, their eyes trained on the food as it was set in front of them. The waitress laughed and gave me a knowing look before heading to the back again.
My mind went over everything my parents had ever said to me... which honestly wasn't that much, considering. No matter how much I searched my memories, nothing about being adopted, or the supernatural, ever came up. They were either oblivious or secretive, and I wouldn't put either option past them.
By the time the food was cleared and dessert was brought out, I was overly full and had no new answers. The guys seemed content to ignore the topic for the moment, so I followed their lead and pretended like the world made sense. When they flagged down the waitress, I immediately said one check and handed her my card. Let my asshole adoptive parents pay for this one. Plus, the look of shock and horror on the guys' faces made it worth it. At least they aren’t trying to argue. They’ve clearly learned how stubborn I am.
"I was thinking we could go down to the aquarium. It's too cold for other shit, and there you won't be tempted to go for a dive," Aeson said with a chuckle. I couldn't argue. Clearly, anywhere close to the open ocean was too tempting right now.
"It's actually just a quick walk. There's a path between the arcade and the taco shack that leads over to the aquarium and city museum," Calev added, leading the way out of the restaurant and holding the door open for everyone. Once we were all outside, he took the lead again. I held my coat tight against me and focused on following him, trying my best to ignore the call of the sea. The further we walked, the harder it was to ignore.
"Let me go to it," I said, my voice taking on a melodic quality that was unfamiliar to my ears. The others all nodded, seemingly entranced by the change in my voice. All except for Calev, who spun around to face me.
"Control it," he said sharply, stepping up to me, so our noses were almost touching. A thick shadow swirled between us, our bodies hiding from everyone else. The cool touch of shadows and the crisp smell of clear, night air filled my senses, quieting the ocean's call.
"Let me go," I said again before the shadows grew thicker, and I couldn't even see the man less than a foot in front of me. I snapped out of the trance I seemed to be in, and the mental hold my siren side had on the other guys finally let go. When the shadow cleared, the guys blinked around in confusion, not catching on to what just happened.
"Evander, vampire speed her out of here right now," Calev ordered, glancing up and down the sidewalk to check for passersby. When the coast was clear, Evander took my hand in his and started toward the walkway Calev described earlier. When we stepped between the buildings, his arms circled my waist as he shot forward, wind whipping over my hair and face, and my feet lifting into the air. We came to an abrupt stop just before we crested the hill. The moment my feet touched the ground I wavered, trying to get a hold of my senses.
"It's rough the first time. Sorry, Doll," he said, putting his hands on my shoulders to steady me. I gave him a smile, but I felt like I was about to puke from the sudden wave of nausea that followed his speed. The others joined us a few minutes later, looking relieved when they saw that I wasn't trying to make a break for the ocean.
"What the hell was that?" I hissed at Calev as he walked past me. He gave me a quick shake of his head. A few moments later, a couple passed us, making sense of his reaction.
"A siren's call, and I'll explain more about that later," he said calmly, before taking the lead again. My eyes narrowed at his back, which he clearly felt because he turned around and gave me a small smirk, before hurrying up the last few steps. Does he have to be so sexy AND a pain in the ass?!
"Yes, he does," Tristan answered as he snaked his arm through mine. "We’ll figure it out, but for now, let's go check out this aquarium. I've heard it's the best in the area!" His voice was full of childlike excitement, and I couldn't help but laugh, his enthusiasm rubbing off on me.
"You two are adorable," Aeson said from behind us, causing us both to turn.
Tristan leaned close to me, his lips brushing lightly over the shell of my ear as he whispered."He's a flirt, but he's harmless. Though, I promise he wouldn't flirt if he wasn't interested." My cheeks heated at his words, and my body shivered in response to the intimate whispers. Aeson's eyes darkened at the sight, before he turned a heated glare at his boyfriend.
"Keep teasing me, babe. You know I like it," he purred, brushing past us and landing a playful smack on Tristan's ass. Fuck, these two are hot. Images of a Lennox sandwich danced in my head, both of them audibly groaning as Tristan picked up on it. I wasn’t even a little sorry for that one.
Needing a change of pace, I hurried past him again and into the warm air of the building. Calev, Evander, and Lachlan were waiting for us inside, Calev rolling his eyes at Aeson's smug smile and my heated cheeks.
"Stop teasing her," he warned before storming off to the ticket counter. I followed him over, but he already had all six tickets purchased before I could protest, shooting me a smug look.
The moment we entered the aquarium itself, I was transfixed. The hallway was an aquarium itself, fish swimming over and around us. The light danced through the water and over the floor, making it feel like we were in the sea with them. My spirits lifted as I walked through, a brilliant smile on my face as I stared at everything. When we got to the end of the tunnel, it opened up into a wide room with vaulted ceilings. Floor to ceiling tanks lined three of the walls, more tunnels branching under each one.
I forgot all about my companions as I explored the aquarium, stopping in front of the large tanks and taking in every fish and sea creature inside. The chatter of people grew louder, eventually distracting me from my trance. When I glanced back, a crowd was watching me, and more were joining them. The guys all looked exasperated, but I had no clue why until I turned back to the tank. A large group of creatures was in front of me, floating and waiting. When I took a step forward, they followed me, stopping when I stopped again. No wonder they're watching, you're a freaking siren, and the sea creatures know it!
Pretending li
ke nothing weird was happening, I continued looking around until I found a good moment to step away. Something stopped me as I passed the last tank, an overwhelming wave of sadness that was so encompassing that a tear fell from my eye. My eyes immediately found the source, a small shark that was by itself, swimming slower than everything around it.
"Doll? What's wrong?" Evander asked as he stepped forward and gently wiped my tears away.
"She's so sad," I whispered back, more tears following as I felt her pain. An image flashed in my head of a slightly bigger and darker shark that must have been her mate. A worker passed by, and I stopped him.
"Isn't there a shark missing?" I asked quickly, pointing her out. He seemed confused before a spark of understanding crossed his face.
"Yes, he was in quarantine for a check-up. They found a growth, so the vet took a look. He should be back sometime this afternoon though, he was fine," he explained, pulling out the walkie talkie he had clipped to his belt. "Hey, when does the shark for tank 3A go back in?" Static followed for a moment, before a female's voice answered.
"Right now," she answered quickly, "in time for feeding time." The crowd seemed to follow us over, gathering around as a hammock device was lowered in. When it was fully submerged, the shark swam out, looking exactly as I pictured in my mind. The two swam around each other for a moment, as relief and excitement replaced the overwhelming sadness.
Now that they were reunited, I slipped away so the crowd could watch feeding time. The others followed me without hesitation. As soon as we were outside and out of earshot, the questions began.
"How did you know there was another shark?"
"Why were you crying?"
"What the hell was that?"
"How did you not notice all the fish following you?"
"Did he speak to you?"
"Calm down guys, I'll explain in the car," I fired back, annoyed by their badgering. “I'm still trying to figure this whole thing out myself.” I spent the entire ride back to campus explaining the mental images she sent, and the emotions that came with it. Even Calev was surprised, which meant they knew just as much about my powers as I did.
