Page 45 of Song of Lorelei

Nireed was just as bad as Lila had said.

Eyes closed tight, the siren didn’t even register Lorelei’s presence. The once vibrant oranges and metallic silver coloring in her fins were washed out and dull. Nireed drifted about the tank, her tail occasionally twitching, just enough to keep her moving and breathing. The siren’s grey and gaunt skin mirrored the color of death.

Lorelei rapped against the glass again but with more force. “Wake up, Nireed.”

The siren’s eyes shot open. Two glowing amber gems stared back at her from the dark shadows of the tank. Their light fluttered as Nireed blinked and shook lethargy from limbs and tail.

Lorelei leaned over the railing to press a hand to the glass.

With more life than she’d shown just moments before, Nireed raced over. She drew up short of collision and pressed her hand to where Lorelei’s rested on the other side. Hope shone bright and desperate in her eyes. She pulled back and signed, “Get me out?”

Lorelei nodded and pointed up.

Without further prompting, the siren sped toward the top of the tank, and Lorelei dashed up the rest of the stairs after her. When she opened the hatch at the top of the tank, she choked on the thick cloying scent that wafted up. Not a dirty, soiled odor, nor decomposition. The water reeked of despair.

Trapped in the same recycled water, Nireed was left to stew in her own pheromones, feeding a vicious cycle that could only be broken by dredging the tank and piping in fresh, new seawater. She was never intended to thrive here.

Nireed breached the surface and scrabbled against the opening of the hatch, trying to pull herself out. But she was too weak to support her own weight out of water and kept slipping. Reaching inside, Lorelei grabbed Nireed by the arms. While Nireed had lost her strength these last few weeks, Lorelei had regained hers. Careful not to grip too hard and bruise her, Lorelei hauled Nireed out. She tried to keep her upright, but the siren collapsed on the metal grating, breathing heavily, the passage of air rasping against her throat like ripping paper. Just the effort of leaving the tank knocked the wind out of her.

Their descent down the stairs was slow and clumsy, reminiscent of the first time they’d ever made the journey. Nireed’s legs were as weak and wobbly as a newborn foal’s. Partway down, after a few too many heart-stopping near-falls, Lorelei lifted the siren into her arms, taking each step down slow and steady, stomach lurching and thighs burning as she tried to maintain her balance.

As soon as they reached the bottom, Lorelei sat her in the nearest chair. Even with the help, the siren reclined back, wheezing. “Arms up,” Lorelei instructed. “It helps.” While Nireed held her arms in the air, Lorelei ran to grab the tote bag Lila stowed underneath one of the desks and passed the marine biologist on the way.

“It’s all packed,” Lila said as she lifted one of the coolers. “I’m going to start taking them out to the truck.”

“Great. I’ll help you as soon as I’ve got Nireed situated.” When Lorelei returned to Nireed, the siren’s labored breathing had subsided. She withdrew a pair of flip flops from the tote bag and helped the siren put them on, followed by a dress that she pulled over her head. “Come on,” Lorelei said, hooking an arm underneath Nireed’s and hoisting her onto her feet. “We’re almost there. Just need to get you out the door and into the car.”

“Car,” Nireed groaned, her complexion already draining. But she shuffled forward, spurred undoubtedly by the promise of freedom, despite her hatred of the moving metal contraption, and the effort it took to breathe.

“We’ve got you, every step of the way.” Lorelei hoisted the siren into her arms, making use of that supernatural strength. “I promise, you’ll never see this facility again. Just focus on breathing, ok?”

Closing her eyes, Nireed drew in air as deeply as she could, each breath rasping painfully in her chest.

“Kat’s leaving,” Lila announced, looking up from her smart watch as she passed Lorelei to get another cooler. “She just planted the family emergency story in Phil’s ear.”

They wouldn’t be returning to the party.

Lila was going to administer the virophages today, and it was Lorelei’s job to convince the sirens to accept it.

Chapter Twenty-Five

KILLIAN

He kept his truck running in the small lot behind the back entrance of the mermaid lab, mind racing a million miles an hour wondering how the ladies were fairing inside. What if they got caught, and Lorelei’s song couldn’t save them? What if her bosses and colleagues found out she was a siren? Would they kidnap her and throw her into that tank with Nireed for study? Poke and prod her with needles and parade her before all of Haven Cove and the world like some zoo exhibit?

He clenched the steering wheel, twisting his hands over the hard plastic. It sounded insane, but he wouldn’t be shocked if their worst fears came true. If those people dared touch Lorelei, he would burn that fucking place to the ground to get her out.

A nudge to his ribs jolted him from his rage-filled thoughts. “Hey man,” Branson said. “I don’t know what just crossed your mind, but you look like you’re gonna kill something. Wanna talk about it?”

Killian shook his head. “Just imagining a worst-case scenario.”

His friend clamped a hand on his shoulder. “They’re gonna be fine. It’s Operation BADASS Babes, remember? We’re just the sidekicks. If anyone’s gonna need help or rescuing, it’s us.”

Huffing with half-hearted laughter, Killian released his stranglehold on the steering wheel. “Yeah, you’re right. They’ve got this.” But the sick feeling in his stomach didn’t go away. Not knowing what was happening in there was stressing him the fuck out.

At 10:36, Lila burst through the back door, hustling but determined, not alarmed. Killian exhaled, and Will hopped out of the truck to go help his wife with loading in the virophages. The lab’s back entrance door locked as soon as it closed, and couldn’t be accessed by keycard, so they wedged a rock between the door and its jamb.

Lorelei and Nireed exited via the lab’s back entrance door a few minutes later. Even with Lorelei’s restored strength, carrying Nireed had her red-faced and breathing hard. Killian itched to help, but as their getaway driver, he had to stay where he was and keep the engine running, ready to peel out of there at a moment’s notice.

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