Page 60 of Siren in Love
“There’s a path down there that leads to the beach,” Peter said.“You two go ahead.I’ll spade off a few more heads before I follow.”
He glanced down at Mike’s shovel and gave an approving nod as he walked back toward the opening in the greenhouse wall.Gray arms were already reaching through, grasping at air as if it could give them life.
“You sure?”Mike asked.
Peter laughed.He was enjoying himself, Mike realized.“I am.Keep your librarian safe, Michael.”
Peter swung his spade.A zombie moaned before its head rolled onto the grass.Mike hissed at the severed head, then ran after Corvin, who was already picking his way toward the beach.
“Are you okay?”Mike asked as he caught up with him.
“I think so.She didn’t bite me.Fuck, I’ll never be able to look at an older person and not remember this.How are you so calm?Don’t tell me this is normal for you.”He looked at Mike.The wind had tousled Corvin’s hair, and smudges of gore streaked his face and hands.
“It’s not normal.”The footpath to the beach was steep and not exactly an easy walk.Mike gripped Corvin by the shoulder to make sure he didn’t fall forward in the darkness and hurt himself.“But it does happen.I mean, I’ve never had an ex try to get me back with a horde of zombies, but a lot of our clients are supernaturals.”
Corvin glanced back.“Wow.We need to have a super long and detailed talk after this.You need to tell me what a yule cat is, and why it was trying to eat you, just for starters.”
“It wasn’t.It just roamed before it was time to roam and maybe got angry when it saw someone wearing last year’s clothes.”
Corvin stumbled and almost fell forward, but Mike pulled him back, hard.They landed in a heap on the path, and the press of Corvin’s body, the warmth of him, made Mike want to hold on, to protect what was his.
He braced both arms around Corvin and kissed the back of his head.The scar tissue there wouldn’t have been noticeable to anyone else, but Mike caressed it, remembering how that evening had started: him, waiting, and Corvin, walking toward him while music drifted around them from the inside of the Old Church.
“Thanks.”Corvin’s voice was husky.Mike could easily pick out the desire in it.
“Anytime.”
With Corvin so close, Mike was almost tempted to forget where they were and what was after them.Corvin made a breathless little noise in the back of his throat, telling Mike he felt the same.
Peter appeared on the path above them.“This is not the time or the place for sweet affection.I dispatched a few more, but the cleanest option would be to go for the necromancer at this stage.I think he brought the entire cemetery.”
Corvin cleared his throat and scrambled back to his feet.Mike picked his shovel up from the sand.“Okay, let’s do that then.”
“My pleasure.Corvin?Sweet Corvin, you’ll see this through with your siren lover?”
“Fiancé,” Corvin said.Mike’s heart swelled with love and pride.“That siren is my fiancé, Peter, and yes, I’m in.Unless you want me to, uh, help?”
“Aww, you want to help.”Peter turned in a pirouette.Mike heard his spade connect as the vampire used the momentum to cave in a zombie skull.Corvin squeaked as a body tumbled down to the beach ahead of them.“The gesture is appreciated, but perhaps you could stick with staying safe.Pick up the pace, you lovely couple.The zombies are getting hungry.”
Mike had to keep Corvin from falling twice more, but they made it to the beach in one piece, feet sinking into the wet sand.
The moon painted diamonds on the cresting waves and made the sea foam look like ivory, but the sea itself was velvety black.It sang its ode of cold and deep waters to Mike, who hummed to it in response.
Behind them, the zombies groaned from a hunger that nothing living could ever sate, stumbling and falling to the sand only to reach for them again with grasping hands.
“You can’t run forever, Mikey!”Dominic yelled from above.“You sway the living, and I sway the dead!We’ll be powerful.Together.No one will ever be able to stop us!You belong to me, Mikey.”
Corvin snorted.“The nice thing to say would be you belongwithhim.It’s good you’re getting hitched to me if this guy was the best you could do before me.”
Corvin’s praise, even if said with panic tingeing his voice, still made Mike’s chest swell with pride.
“Corvin, are you suggesting ours will be a pity marriage?”
The moonlight was enough for him to see the surprised expression on Corvin’s face right before he started laughing.“Oh, fuck.Nice one, Pineapple Mike.Yes, this will be our pity marriage.”
“Mikey!Answer me!You’re mine,” Dominic yelled from behind his horde, interrupting their moment.
Is that what he wants?My power?What does he want itfor?Not that it matters anymore.
