Siren's Call

Jet scowled at Gary and motioned him to go away.

Gary rapped harder on the glass. “Open up,” he yelled. “I need to talk to you, Lily.”

People passing by on the street stopped and stared.

“He’s making a scene,” Opal noted, tapping her lips.

Jet stalked to the front door in brisk strides. “I’ll get rid of him.”

“No. Let him in before he breaks the glass,” Lily said. She picked up a pink chiffon scarf from the counter and knotted it at her throat, hiding the faint line of scars where gill slits aligned both sides of her neck. She didn’t bother with it around Nash because he’d seen the marks when they were children and she’d made up a story about an accident. And she hadn’t bother to cover it up around Opal. Seeing as she had her own scar to deal with, they figured she wouldn’t ask prying questions.

“You sure?” Jet hesitated, hand on the doorknob.

Lily touched her scarf in a silent reminder.

Jet turned up her collar, covering the gills that were also three inches in length on either side of the neck, extending from the top of the collarbone to her windpipe.

At Lily’s nod, Jet unlocked the door. The smell of whiskey preceded Gary as he staggered straight to Lily.

“Whatever I done wrong before, Lily, I’m sorry.” His eyes were weepy and red-rimmed, yet also held an odd glimmer of hope.

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Lily said, sweeping up her station. “I wasn’t feeling it anymore.”

“But why? I must have done something.”

She almost winced at the pleading note in his voice. Best to cut him off quickly.

“I promise whatever it was, it’ll never happen again.” He stumbled closer and drew his face next to hers, trying to kiss her cheek.

Lily stepped back, eyes watering from the whiskey fumes on his breath. She hated these kinds of scenes.

He straightened, took off his baseball cap and began twisting it between his hands. “I couldn’t believe it when I got your message. Thanks for giving me a second chance.”

“Message? I didn’t send you any message.” Her sympathy vanished. Stupid drunk. What a lame pretext to make a play at her again. “For the last time, Gary, I’m not interested anymore. Let’s leave it at that.”

He flushed. “I can’t believe this. I thought you wanted to get back together but you’re so...” he waved a hand in the air “...so cold-acting.”

Lily shrugged. “Move on. I have.”

Gary rocked unsteadily on his heels, as if she had struck him. “But...I broke up with Wanda to see you.”

Jet stepped in front of him. “You heard her. Time to move on.” She laid a hand on his arm and pulled him forward.

“I’m not going anywhere.” Gary jerked his arm back and glared at Lily. “Not until she explains why she’s playing games.”

Lily crossed her arms. “I’m not playing and I don’t like your game.” Despite the show of bravado, Lily’s stomach fluttered. Had someone—Twyla—set this up to cause trouble?

Opal stood and placed a hand on Gary’s arm, trying to ease the confrontation. “This is obviously not working out. Maybe you and Wanda can get back together.”

“But I want Lily,” he insisted like a two-year-old denied his favorite toy. He advanced toward the object of his desire.

“Oh, no, you don’t.” Jet clamped an arm on him and yanked. “Time to go.”

“No, I don’t want— Hey, you’re strong.”

Lily almost laughed at his stunned expression. Jet, with her rare blue mer-clan bloodline, had the strength of two men. Too bad they didn’t share a paternal parentage. The physicality could come in handy.

Jet pushed him out the door hard enough that he fell on his ass. Gary shook his head as if to clear his mind, obviously stunned he’d been manhandled by a woman. Jet locked the door behind him and pulled down the shades.

“Wow.” Opal pressed her fingers into Jet’s biceps. “You’ve got muscles.”

“Um...yeah. I work out a lot.” Jet went back to the desk and resumed working, head bent over the figures.

“Do you get that a lot from old boyfriends?” Opal asked. “Must be scary.”

“Sometimes. He was more forceful than most.”

Opal clutched the plastic cape closer to her body. “Twyla might have done it to piss you off.”

“Maybe. You think so?”

“Sure. Could be a warning for you to cool it with the men awhile.”

Lily studied Opal’s blue eyes. They were shot through with alarm. Nice to have someone outside of family actually give a damn.

“You could be right.” Lily lifted her chin. “But my interest isn’t with a local man right now. That should keep me safe.”

“Really? I wouldn’t be so sure.” Opal absently ran an index finger over the scar on her cheek. “If I were you, I wouldn’t see anyone for a few weeks. Let everything cool down a bit.”

Lily lifted her chin. “No way. Nash will be gone by then.”

“Okay, ignore the warning signs. I just don’t want to see you get hurt.” She crossed her legs and folded her hands in her lap. “Your decision.”

Chapter 6 (#ulink_beccb977-3a0d-55fd-b104-b3d1411aea89)

The red moon of August lay low and full, as if scorched and swollen from summer’s heat. Lily’s step skipped in time to the rhythm of her rapid pulse. It seemed like it’d been three weeks instead of three days since she’d seen Nash. She grinned at the sight of his truck and the light in the cabin. Even better, Sam Bowman’s vehicle was gone. She rapped at the door, feeling like the wolf descending on the innocent Little Red Riding Hood.

The door flung open and she was eye level to Nash’s bare chest. She looked up and stared into verdant green. He registered no surprise at finding her on his doorstep. Casually, he leaned an arm against the doorframe.

“You again,” he said, voice tinged with smoke and velvet.

The low, deep timbre of sound vibration made her gut clench. Is that what her voice did to men? It was wonderfully disturbing.

“What kind of welcome is that?” she purred, reaching up and laying a hand on the curve of his jaw.

Nash stepped away from the heat of their touch and waved her inside. He shut the door behind her, and Lily was struck by the fact they were alone and sheltered from the world. A cozy company of two. Without a word, Nash walked into the den, snatched a T-shirt from the back of a chair and pulled it over his head.

Darn it.