Page 5 of Halloween With the Siren
“Yes.” The word is a confident chorus. Nothing about this process was done lightly. It was a pack decision after researching exactly what would be required of us and putting plans in place for a leave of absence from work.
All friendly smiles now firmly tucked away, Lauren fixes a hard stare on us, showing us the fierce being underneath their easygoing exterior. “I’ll just ask that again. I don’t want to give our siren any false hope today. A creature in heat can be very demanding of your attention, and if they expect you there and suddenly you’re not, it can be extremely distressing for them. I do not want that for her, or anyone else in the midst of a heat haze.”
Silas meets Lauren’s gaze with calm determination, no trace of doubt to be found on his face or in his voice. “If we get chosen, she’s our sole priority.”
Seemingly satisfied with that answer, Lauren switches back to their affable nature. “That’s what I like to hear.”
Bash leans forward in his seat, his brow pulled low as his sincerity shines through. “We may not have assisted with a heat before, but all three of us have occupations related to the ocean. We are well aware of a siren’s biological needs and we’re not entering into this blindly.” Moments like this remind me of why we asked him to join our pack. There’s so much more to Bash than his bright smiles and ill-timed jokes.
Lauren’s lips curve up at the corners. “You should tell her that. I think it could be a great comfort for her.”
Clearly chuffed by their response, Bash asks, “Any other tips you can give us?”
“Relax. Be honest. Show her who you really are. And for fuck’s sake, treat her well, give her a taste of what it’ll be like with you attending to her needs.”
Frowning, I fold my arms across my chest and lean back. “Except for relaxing, aren’t all of those common sense?”
Lauren scoffs. “You’d be surprised. I had to pull her from an earlier meeting where a creature listed all of his attributes and told her why she had to choose him. He didn’t once ask her any questions about herself or talk about how he’d take care of her.It felt like he was trying to tick a heat experience off a bucket list or something.” At the three deep growls emanating from us, Lauren quickly reassures us, “Don’t worry, he’s banned from Nesting Grounds and I’ve already flagged his profile for any of our other branches.”
“Good,” Silas utters in a gruff voice.
Mouth pulling into an astute grin, Lauren stands. “Already protective of her? Major green flag right there.”
Bash perks up. “Can you tell her about all our green flags?”
“Nah, I think you can do that yourselves. If you’re ready, I’ll go fetch her now. Had to give her a breather after her previous meeting.”
I give them a firm nod. “We’re ready.”
Chapter 3
Bash
“Ihad a feeling that you’d be pretty. But you’re way beyond that. You’re beautiful. Like an ocean goddess walking among us mere mortals.” The words are out of my mouth before I’ve even processed them. For a second, I contemplate taking them back, fearing I might have overstepped, but the stunning siren gives me a pleased smile, an alluring blush traveling across her cheeks as she ducks her head.
Silky black hair hangs down to her waist and my fingers ache to run through the strands to find out if they’re as soft as they look. I bet Killian is already thinking about wrapping those strands around his fist. And Silas, with all his caretaker tendencies, would most likely want to brush or braid them for her.
I’ve always loved how well the three of us complement each other despite our vast differences. I can only hope the captivating creature in front of us finds these qualities endearing. And hot.
“You’re too kind,” the siren says, tucking some of that shiny hair behind her ear. “I’m Marisol.”
Silas places a hand on his chest. “We’re Pack Morgan. I’m Silas, the big guy on my right is Killian, and this ray of sunshine is Sebastian.”
“Everyone calls me Bash. But you can call me anything you like.” I aim to sound smooth, a little flirty, but the words come out too breathy. Marisol is indisputably gorgeous and she’s got my tongue all scrambled.
Marisol lets out the most adorable giggle as Lauren steps forward, and I cringe, realizing I didn’t even notice the coordinator was here too.
“Marisol, would you like me to sit in on this meeting?” Lauren asks, sounding fairly nonthreatening, though I find myself standing up straighter and clasping my hands behind my back. Just in case. No one needs evisceration on the day they meet the potential love of their life. But that’s not why we’re here. Only heat assistance. Maybe. If all goes well, then perhaps we can see if there’s a chance for more.
“I think I’m safe with them,” Marisol says with a touch of humor and a quick assessing glance between the three of us.
Her easy—and accurate—appraisal of us has me bouncing on my toes. But only for a second before I try to school my features again and force myself to stand still.
Killian dips his head to catch Marisol’s eyes, his hands hanging loosely at his sides. “We promise you are. We’ll take good care of you.” The double meaning of his statement, combined with the unusually deep rumble of his voice, has Marisol’s attention locked on him.
Her lips part and she sucks in a breath, her back arching slightly. A second later, her scent hits us and our pack takes a collective sniff.
Marisol smells like a sweet ocean breeze, of mornings out beyond the crest of the waves, where the vast expanse of blue calms your soul just as much as it invigorates you. She smells like secrets beneath the surface and warm sun caressing your shoulders. Floral notes of roses and jasmine and water lilies. She smells like our future.
