Page 3 of His Siren Prince

I leaned forward so that the sharp spines of my ear brushed his cheek.

“It doesn't matter how much you try to hide it, Commander,” I hummed. “I can give you what you want.”

“Your Majesty,” he hissed, and I nearly moaned. It looked like we were thinking exactly the same thing.

“I could have you whipped for scolding a prince of another nation.”

But he lifted his head, meeting my eyes with a look that dared me to try. We stayed like that as the gentle sound of the waves lapped against the sand and our breaths shuddered in time with it.

I surrendered first, and my face split into a grin as I shot up.

“Enjoy the entertainment, Commander,” I purred. “I’ve specially prepared it for you.”

Hopefully, the usual seductive atmosphere of our banquets would make him so horny that he wouldn't resist me when I made my move.

I stepped back from him, and I didn’t miss the way his gaze traced my calves before it snapped back onto the sand.

If I planned it properly, it was going to be such a fun night indeed.

Carrion

“If you are here to kill me, I would turn back now,” I said as I sensed the figure attempting to open the door of my bedroom.

My sword was propped on my thighs as I cleaned her; long, calm strokes over the blade as I washed away the blood of those who had sacrificed something for their cause. Be it ally or enemy, we all believed in something as we raged into battle.

It was my ritual after every war. I secluded myself in a dark space, such as a weapons store, or under the lonely night sky, where I could have peace to contemplate the lives I had taken.

I was unfamiliar with such lavish rooms. I was not worthy of the wealth that dripped from every corner in bright colors and metals, but there was an ungarnished reed chair forgotten in a closet. That, along with a single musk-scented candle burning before the mirror behind me, was perfect for my ritual.

“And what if I said I was here to fuck you?” Prince Azul hummed, leaning against the doorframe in nothing but sheer blue fabric, his arms folded, meeting me with a look that promised danger.

I did not like to be disturbed, especially by assassins, and definitely not by rogue royals.

I had barely controlled myself around him weeks ago when he welcomed our army before we left for the Demon King's land. And his closeness on the beach earlier today pushed the limits of my restraint. Even in the banquet hall, sitting at the same table as him had sent me into a craze.

My grip tightened on my sword as I tried to temper the force of the desire raging through me at the sight of his dappled ice blue scales against deep blue skin, his pointed teeth, and his cat-like yellow eyes.

His voice had become my dream and my worst nightmare. I swore to myself I would leave the Sapphire Shores before I made a dreadful mistake, but now my dread had come knocking.

“Your Majesty,” I said, warning heavy in my voice as he confidently stepped inside. “I strongly advise you to return to your rooms. This is no place for you.”

And I didn't trust myself to be alone with the prince when I had already imagined unspeakable things as I lay sleepless and hard at night during the long weeks we fought against the Demon King’s hordes.

Sirens could control any creature with their voices apart from the demons that ravaged their shores. As a human, I had no hope if Prince Azul used his power on me.

I refused to look up. It was against my every instinct as a soldier to keep my head lowered before an attacker. But if I met his eyes again, I would be lost.

He knew I would never raise my blade against him. Threatening a royal would be an instant death sentence, and a reason for the sirens to break ties with the Sun Nation should they choose it.

Despite that, I couldn't resist a glance as the shell-studded door clicked closed behind him. I caught his wide grin, and the scales that lined his jaw glittered in the candlelight as he stepped towards me.

“Your Majesty,” I hissed, my chair rattling as I jumped away. But he was fast, or I let myself be slow because I didn’t want to escape. Either way, he shot out a hand, claws digging into my shoulder as he pushed me back down.

I had served the Sun Nation for thirty years, and made a blood pact with the queen at the age of ten. I would gladly give my life for her. I had hoped for a glorious death in battle for the past ten years, but death never called me, and I had reached a place in my life where I looked to things other than battle. Like extending my bloodline. And rumors of the siren prince had been rife since he was crowned.

I had despaired of ever finding a mate. As one of the last humans, it was my duty to pass on the memories of my people to my children. But the more the years wore on, the fewer chances I had to meet a partner.

I dreamed my mate was a simple person, one who wanted a house, a child, and nothing more than to tend a shop or a farm, and who had no interest in the affairs of royals and state.