Chapter Two
A bang jolted me awake. The sound of footsteps invaded my delirious mind as I wondered where I was for a moment. Nothing was recognizable.
“Who’s there?” A callous voice called from above me.
I blinked and the memory of last night returned.
How could I let myself be discovered so quickly?
The steps came nearer and I shot up in a defensive position, or at least it was what I assumed a defensive position would look like. I had my palms up towards the male who was approaching and an icy glare set on my face. I didn’t say anything but that didn't deter his loud voice.
“What the Hades are you doing on my ship? Women don’t belong on the sea. It’s bad luck and you’re going to cause our ship to wreck.” His voice was loud and authoritative and it reverberated off the walls.
I frowned. “That’s preposterous. The captain would be at fault, not the woman. But that’s besides the point because I’m not a woman.”
“Now who’s preposterous, because you certainly look like a female to me.”
“I’m a female, but not in your sense of the word because I’m a siren.”
Why did I offer that up so quickly? I couldn’t say it was my brightest moment, but I was never skilled at talking to others besides my parents.
“That’s ridiculous. I thought sirens were supposed to be part bird. That’s what a sailor I once knew always boasted about.”
“A bird? Really? Do I look part bird?”
“Well, no, you look mostly human except for your beauty. It’s more animal-like.”
“That sailor probably had us confused with harpies.”
“Harpies are real too?”
I nodded. “Humans hunt sirens, so how can you not know what we look like? I know most humans believe that sirens are only females, but we have males too. Our looks should be a given though.”
“Well, I’ve never hunted sirens, but I know a siren wouldn’t be hiding on a ship unless you were planning to kill us all. Come on.”
His hand shot forward quicker than I imagined a human could move and grabbed ahold of my arm. He yanked me towards the deck, but I struggled to pull away.
“Unhand me.”
“Stop it, wench. You’re going overboard whether you struggle or not. If you claim to be a siren, then you should be able to swim.”
“No, please, they’ll find me and kill me.”
The sunlight nearly blinded me, but I sat on the wood floor to keep him from pulling me any farther. It worked because he paused and his fingers loosened slightly. The other sailors were muttering around us and stopped what they were doing to openly stare.
“Who’s going to kill you?” His eyes narrowed as they scrutinized me, still cold as stone.
“The other sirens,” I said quietly, suddenly ashamed of the truth.
I didn’t belong anywhere. Not on land and not in the water. I had no family and I had no home. This ship was my only hope… for now.
“That’s a pretty wench. We should have some fun with her before she’s sent to her watery grave,” someone yelled.
The man who was holding me smirked. “That sounds like a good plan, but I’m going first.”
I fought to pull away, but he yanked me into a room and banged the door shut behind us. He pushed me forward, but instead of landing on the hard floor, something soft connected with my bottom. My gaze remained on the guy in front of me and I realized his icy eyes were the color of steel. He had a fresh stubble of hair on his face and honey-colored hair that held soft waves. He was more attractive than I expected since he was human. Compared to sirens, I’d heard most male humans were dull, but this guy could hold his ground next to one of our males with his looks.
“Well, I’m waiting.” His voice broke my dangerous thoughts and I was thankful he didn’t notice I was checking him out.
I swallowed hard. “Waiting for what exactly?”
“An explanation as to why you’re on my ship as a stowaway rather than trying to overtake it?”
“I had nowhere else to go. I was hoping this ship would take me far away from those who seek my head.”
“Why would the others want to kill you? What did you do to piss them off?”
“I was born from a half-human mother. Sirens are only supposed to reproduce with one another. It’s considered to be an abomination to have children with mortals.”
“You don’t look like an abomination to me. Only a liar.”
“Think what you want, but I’m no liar.”
“Then, prove it.”
I quirked my eyebrows at him. Was this human insane? “How? You want me to make you walk off the ship and fall to your death?”
“If you’re capable of doing so, then why haven’t you already?”
A defeated sigh escaped my lips. “Because I don’t know how. I’ve never used that skill before because I had no reason to. My parents and I lived in seclusion.”
“You’re going to have to try because my patience is wearing thin.”
I recalled the day Dad taught me a few pointers about entrancing humans, but I didn’t think it would ever come in handy. I sent a prayer to the gods and took a deep breath. He stood still as I rose to my feet and closed the space between us. Holding his stare, I focused on making my voice sound melodic.
“Remove your sword and toss it aside,” I said.
“Not a chance.”
I groaned. “Did you feel anything?”
“I felt something, but it isn’t what you were hoping for.”
“What did you feel?”
He chuckled and shook his head as if I made some type of joke. “Look, I love killing people. It’s what I’m good at, so I’m not usually one to be lied to. Many of my crew also know that I’m superstitious. I believe in karma and the wrath of the gods, so I’ll make a deal with you. I’ll let you remain on this ship until I decide what to do with you. If I find out you’re lying, then—pretty face or not—you’ll feel the cold bite of my blade.”
“What made you change your mind about tossing me overboard?”
“As I said, I’m superstitious. I wouldn’t want to cast aside one of Zeus’s children. That would surely bring bad luck.”
“Poseidon.”
“What?”
“Contrary to what most people believe, sirens were created by Poseidon to emphasize the beautiful, but deadly ocean.”
“Well, I definitely don’t want to piss him off since the majority of my life is spent sailing on a ship. Because of that, you can stay. For now. First, we need to lay down some ground rules though. You must remain in this room at all times unless I have someone escorting you out.”
“I’m not going to hurt anyone.”
“This rule is to protect you more than the men. They go months without the feel of a woman’s touch and who knows what they’ll do with one walking freely on the ship.”
“You think they would hurt me?”
“Possibly. That’s actually the only rule I have for now. I never got your name.”
My cheeks heated. “It’s Sera.”
“Sera,” he tested my name and it sent an odd thrill through me. “I’m Steel, also known as Bloody Steel, and you're sailing on my ship The Sea Nymph’s Revenge.”
“The Sea Nymph’s Revenge? That’s an odd name for a pirate ship.”
“That’ll be a story for another time. My name didn’t sound familiar to you?”
“No, should it?”
“Never mind, just remain here while I go speak to the crew. I’ll post someone outside the door to make sure you comply.”
He left before I could say anything else and I looked around at my new living quarters. I hoped he didn't expect me to stay in here with him. It would be awkward since we didn’t know each other and even though he was allowing me to remain on this ship, I still didn’t trust him.
Bloody Steel.
He was surprised that I didn’t recognize his name, but I was certain I would’ve remembered something like that. It was an intimidating name, especially for someone who liked to kill others. He seemed civilized while we were talking, but what was hiding underneath his personable attitude?
I was disappointed in myself for not being able to tap into my siren ability. What should’ve come natural preferred to remain dormant within me. My dad should’ve made me practice it even though he frowned upon it. If these humans changed their mind and decided to kill me, I was incapable of protecting myself.
Instead of standing in the same place, I snapped out of my thoughts and looked around. There was a drawing of the ocean and local islands on the table that sat along the wall. I ran my finger along it and wondered where we were in this vast world. Which island had once been my home?
A pang of fear jolted through me. According to my dad, humans would ask for my death just like the sirens. Steel could be leading me into a false sense of security, so I needed to remain on my toes. I was tired from the stressful morning, but couldn’t risk taking a nap. Not right now. I needed something to ensure my safety.
After rifling through Steel’s things, I discovered a knife and tucked it into my dress. The cold metal wasn't as reassuring as I was hoping for, but it was better than nothing. There was a tiny, circular window that gave me a view of the ocean. The blue was never-ending and no land was within sight. The window didn’t open, much to my dismay. Fresh air would’ve been comforting for this stifling room.
I was tapping on the glass when the door banged open. My hand went over the knife as if it was visible through the fabric and Steel raised his eyebrows at me. He held out what appeared to be a thick dress.
“I brought this for you to change into,” Steel said. “Your piece of cloth is very exposing. This will be more appropriate for when you’re allowed on the deck.”
I took it from him and held it out in front of me for a better view. “This seems… heavy and hot. The dress that I’m wearing was made by my mom.” I picked at the silky, pink fabric. “It’s my favorite piece of clothing and the only thing I have left from her. I can’t part with it.”
“I rather enjoy you in that sheet, so feel free to stay in it while you’re in this room. It’s a nice view before bed.”
“You mean you’re sleeping in here too?”
“It’s my room, so yeah.”
“But I don’t even know you and don't feel comfortable sharing a bed.”
“Feel free to sleep on the floor then, but this is the only room where you’ll be safe. Nobody would dare come in here without my permission. That and there’s no empty rooms available.”
“The floor? You can’t be serious?”
“Dead serious.”
“I can’t be expected to stay in this hot, smelly room this whole time. I’m a siren. I need fresh ocean air to breathe eventually.”
“Feel free to leave the ship then. The freedom you seek is waiting for you overboard.”
“I can’t. Not until there’s more distance from the sirens who are looking for me.”
“Then, You have to abide by my rules while on this ship. Gregor will be bringing you some food in a moment. He will be your guard when I can’t be around.”
“Wait, where are you going?”
He paused at the door. “I’m going to take my place at the Captain’s Wheel. Change your clothes, and here comes Gregor now.”
Steel stepped aside to let a massive man with blonde hair into the room. He had a scar on his forehead and bright aqua eyes that reminded me of the ocean. A friendly smile was set on his face and it made his eyes crinkle from the width of it. Even though he appeared nice, his bulky muscles made me a little apprehensive. Once Gregor was in the room, Steel left and closed the door behind him.
“Hello there. You are a vision, but I would expect nothing less from a siren. I’m Gregor, Steel’s first mate, and I’ve brought you some food.”
He slapped down a tray of vegetables and some type of meat.
“What is this?” I asked as I poked it.
“It’s chicken. Haven’t you had chicken before?” Gregor was looking at me like I was crazy and my cheeks warmed.
“No, the only meat I’ve had is fish.”
“That ain’t meat. Eat it. You’re in for a treat.”
“Isn’t a chicken a bird?”
“Don’t tell me you haven’t seen a chicken either.”
“If I haven’t eaten it, why would I have seen it?”
“You really aren’t from the human world. Everyone knows what a chicken is. We keep some aboard the ship for fresh meat. Meat typically spoils on the sea and we get sick of junk.”
“Junk? You have such odd words.”
Gregor chuckled. “It’s the word we use for our beef. It’s very salty and hard to chew, but it’s satisfying. Chicken is a treat for when we’re about to pillage or port.”
I picked a piece off with my fingers and tentatively placed it on my tongue. Once the taste filled my mouth, I grinned. “This is delicious.”
“Good. Would you like me to hang out with you in here or stand guard outside?”
“You mean, I actually have a choice on the matter?”
He smirked. “And to think you’ve only witnessed Steel’s good side.”
“That was his good side?”
“Yeah. You wouldn’t be breathing if you met his bad side. He’s ruthless, which is why he’s the captain.”
I chewed on another piece of chicken. Steel’s nice side was rude, but he did say he was known as Bloody Steel. Humans must thrive off killing just like sirens. How could two completely different species both enjoy murdering each other so much? Death was cold and permanent. It wasn’t something to dish out so casually.
I never answered Gregor’s question about him staying in the room, but he lingered nonetheless and I hated to admit that I enjoyed his company. I wasn’t used to being alone and it didn’t suit me. The never-ending silence that loneliness offered was terrifying.
It wasn’t until I was finished eating that Gregor spoke again. “So, Steel says you’re a siren. You’re gorgeous enough to be one, but what would you want with pirates other than to kill us?”
“I don’t want to drown anybody. I only want to escape the other sirens who want me dead.”
“So, you board a pirate ship?”
“I didn’t know it was a pirate ship and I was hoping I wouldn't get caught. Now, it’s my turn to ask a question. Am I’m ever going to breathe fresh air again or am I going to be trapped in this room the whole time I’m here?”
“That’s up to Steel, but you definitely need to change first. My eyes keep going to your legs and I can only imagine how many men want to bed you because of them.”
Bed me? He wasn’t talking about… oh. Oh. My heart sped up at the notion and I had to clear the lump that formed in my throat. If only I could tap into my siren’s powers then I wouldn’t have to worry about anyone trying to take advantage of me. Maybe I could practice on Gregor, but he was so nice that I didn’t want to betray his trust.
Gregor was saying something but I was no longer listening. My instincts kicked in and this was my only chance to practice because I felt more comfortable around Gregor than Steel. I didn’t feel pressured to succeed. I no longer wanted to be in this room and I wanted to hear what Steel and his crew were saying about me. The knife hidden under my dress was comforting as I waited for Gregor to stop talking and meet my gaze.
This was for my safety, not to kill and that was why I would be able to do it. I would use it for good, not bad.
Once Gregor’s eyes locked on mine, I spoke in the most melodic voice as possible. “Please sit in Steel’s chair.”
I almost broke my concentration when he did as I asked. I couldn’t believe this was working. As long as I was relaxed, the power within me came out naturally.
Once he was seated, I said, “Remain quiet and still as I tie you up. You’re not in danger so stay calm.”
Gregor’s body visibly relaxed as I tied his hands and feet to the chair. Once I was satisfied with my work, I left the room while he was still in a daze. It was a miracle that it worked and I wasn’t waiting around to see how long it’d last.