Page 58 of The Lost Siren

“My stupid little siren.”

I laughed, even as I held Benedict carefully between my new claws, reveling at the iridescent, white scales that ran all over my body. Soft, white scales dotted my wrists and neck, leading to wings that shared the same astonishingly pure color. Benedict devoured the sight of me, emotions of shame and euphoria wafting off him to form a sickly aura. Was this part of being a Draken, sensing emotions?

“I am a coward, but I don’t care.”

I tried to think, but my mind was nothing but new animal instinctsscreamingat me.

"You are not a coward," I hissed back. "you'remine."

Benedict’s nose found my neck, and I decided I didn’tcareif he had manipulated me into realizing the truth, and I didn’t care if he didn’t evenlikeme. Maybe he only wanted me as the lost siren, but I needed him like the night sky needed the stars; like the spring needed winter in order to bloom. He stroked the white scales on my wing, and I purred. It was one of the most exquisite things I’d ever felt in my life. The sound acted as a catalyst, and Benedict drove me into the ground with the force of his body.

My new Draken instincts screamed with indignation, screaming not to give up without a fight. They overtook my human brain, and I didn’t recognize Benedict: I saw one large, unmated male Draken. I wriggled out of his grasp and fled, leaping off the top of the mountain and spreading my wings in joy. My wings flared and pumped hard to get ahead of the larger Draken, and then I was in theair,soaring along the mountain range in victory. The storm was over, the clouds clearing away to reveal a sun that was dipping below the horizon, coating my white scales in fire. My exhilaration was so complete, I didn’t notice him gaining distance until he slammed into me, knocking the wind from my lungs and sending us both towards the side of the mountain. I shrieked and raked him across the face with my claws, and the skin bubbled and frothed where my poison worked its way into his blood. He dropped me in pain, and I roared in victory. I dove hard for an outcropping of rocks, planning to use a feint to send him crashing into the stones below. The Draken growled and caught up again, even as blood ran down into his eyes. He grabbed one of my legs and yanked, sending me careening into the side of the cliff, and I was momentarily stunned by the hard impact. He used my moment of weakness to flip me over, pressing my face and stomach hard against the stone. His claws hovered at my neck, his large body pinning down my arms and legs. I was trapped.

I gave a fearful warble, and his claw traced down my spine. He sniffed the back of my neck deeply, frowning at the two large scars he saw. The rough pads of his tongue licked across them and I cried out in confusion and need. He stroked my neck softly, the hard surface of his claws cold against my skin.

“Mine.”

A soft growl left my throat: I belonged tono one. He pushed my body harder into the rocks, his wings straining to keep both of us in the air.

“Mine.”

I twitched, unable to thrash against him like I wanted. His fangs hovered above the veins in my throat and I froze, survival instincts taking over. His hands roved over my body, pausing again to stroke the delicate skin in between my wings. I gave a tortured moan of pleasure, and he chuckled darkly against my ear. My Draken instincts grudgingly admitted this one would make a powerful mate; large, strong, and able to protect our young. Ouryoung? I trilled in confusion, and his voice was next to my ear once more. I felt my body release a signal, a waft of pheromones potent to any Draken unfortunate to be near, and the large Draken’s muscles went rigid against me. I wanted him as my mate.

We disappeared in a wisp of black smoke, the roar of the wind still ringing in my ears. We landed in a hot spring, deep within the recesses of the mountain. The water felt scalding after the bitter cold of the mountain, and I hissed as my skin slipped beneath the surface. After a few moments I adjusted, and let my new muscles stretch as the water wiped away the last vestiges of the battle. The Draken with me watched me with hooded eyes as I threw my body under the large waterfall overhead. I leaned my head back, arching my back to bend underneath its powerful current.

The Draken grabbed me, tilting my hips as he plunged into me from behind, both of us feral and beyond any rational thinking. I screeched as he filled me, intense pleasure surging through my core as he roared his own satisfaction. The water pounded down my body, running in rivulets as his skin slid slickly against my own. Our scales flashed in the dim torchlight, his hands hooking under my armpits and pulling me flush against his pelvis. My claws reached back and caught his neck, neither of us caring as the water washed away the blood welling from the fresh wounds. His fangs sank into my shoulders as I bucked against him. It was exquisite feeling him dominate every aspect of my body, and a satisfied rumble grew in my throat. He laughed, one hand yanking down on my hair to keep my back arched under the pounding of the water. He nudged me to the ground, my hands grasping at the edge of the pool as he withdrew from my body. I couldn’t help the growl of disappointment that left me, and with one jerk he had me turned around, my back pressing into the edge of the pool as his gaze bore into mine.

His black hair fell into his eyes, lost in pleasure as he thrusted again into me, quickly settling into a pattern: in and out, in and out. My breath caught as his rough tongue swiped at my nipple, his fingers teasing and stroking my center in perfect time with his thrusts. The raging fire in my core felt like it was going to explode. My body thrummed in glorious, tangible anticipation as I came closer to an invisible edge, half delirious with pleasure and uncertainty. Was I going to be sick? He took my free breast into his mouth, biting down, then he wasdrinkingfrom it, two small pinpricks of blood running down my chest as all his injuries began to close. I moaned in desperation, the tension inside of me close to reaching its peak. I moved frantically against him, trying desperately to scratch some sort of internal itch as it came closer and closer, until finally—

I screamed as my body exploded, a strange animalistic screech that came from some unknown depths of my body. Every nerve flooded with euphoria, and my mind went blank as I moved against him. His eyes were feral at the look of absolute bliss on my face, our sounds harmonizing into a sound that stole my remaining breath. As my inner muscles spasmed around him he gripped my shoulders, holding me against the wall as his thrusts lost any semblance of a pattern. He pounded into me like a wild animal, and I never felt more alive or beautiful in my entire life. He tightly wound demeanor was utterly undone while inside of me, and it was thrilling.

He finished with a tortured gasp, clutching me so hard I knew I’d have bruises, if his blood didn’t heal them first. He held me there for a few moments, both of us panting as we chased our own highs. Then he pulled out of me and dropped me to the ground. I wobbled on shaky legs, healed but also feelingusedin a way that felt utterly satisfying. The fang marks on my shoulder bled furiously as he came inside of me, his member swelling and catching inside of me.

“I wasn’t strong enough to live without you. I’m still not.”

My new instincts were angry; why wasInot good enough for this Draken? I was the last female! He should be onbended kneebegging me for the honor of my company! I tried to wriggle away, hissing. He held me into place long enough to lick the marks on my shoulder until they healed over. He let go, his shoulders slumped in defeat.

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this. None of this.”

My wings slumped; my head tilted to the side. My mate was sad. My anger vanished, and I tucked myself into his body, curling my wings around him and putting my face into his neck. I trilled reassuringly, but I felt wet tears drop in my hair as he clutched onto me. My own human mind fought back against the Draken instincts, until I felt my wings retract and my claws disappear. My human form was familiar enough, with only a tell-tale shimmer of my skin any testament to my change.

“Word will get out that I’ve found you. The Overlord will come for you.Idid that.”

Indignation welled in my chest, as I broke through my animalistic haze to find my voice. I blinked, recognition flooding my face.

“How long have you known it was me?”

He met my gaze, unflinching. “Over five hundred years.”

I pushed him away, not understanding, not comprehending…

“After Rhyfel died, a Vampyre somehow survived the blast of black magick. She...she picked you up as a babe and ran through the forest, taking you to Crullfed’s. When I had healed from my wounds, I tracked your scent there, and the Vampyre who’d taken you. She was Crullfed’s daughter, and I spared her life if Crullfed didn’t ask questions about the human who would die, then show up on his doorstep as a baby again andagain. He knew as well as I did that if the Overlord found out he’d been hiding a magical human he’d be tortured hideously, so he had no choice but to keep quiet.”

I looked at my hands, remembering the claws that had been there moments earlier.

“I’m the lost siren, yet you resented me; hated me even.”

He swiped at the water, sending sparkling droplets everywhere.

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