Page 69 of Siren’s Mark (The Siren’s Mark Duology #1)

AVA

I wake up to the sound of my pulse hammering in my head. My limbs are sore and impossibly heavy and the room is spinning. I groan and bury my head under a pillow.

I should know better. If you have chronic pain and have the audacity to do anything other than lie down and sigh, you’re basically asking for trouble. Ever since we returned from Utah yesterday, I’ve been paying the price for trying to be a normal person.

Through the pillow, I hear the familiar lull of Zane’s voice but can’t quite make out what he is saying, so I begrudgingly lift it from over my head.

“What?” I ask. My voice is hoarser than I expected; I sound like a chicken with a sore throat.

“Are you feeling okay?” he asks.

I open my eyes to see him looking back at me with wrinkled brows and his lips pinched into a thin line.

“I’m technically alive,” I grumble.

‘Okay’ is complicated for me. Some days I can’t tell if I feel worse or I’m just not as up for coping with it all.

“Yes, love,” he says, sitting beside me on the edge of the bed. “I could tell you’re alive because corpses don’t usually do a lot of talking. But I’m getting the distinct impression that doesn’t actually mean you’re feeling well.”

He flashes me a sarcastic smile.

“Can you feel it?” I ask. “Is it hurting you too?”

“Sort of,” he says. “The feeling isn’t as strong as it was when we first did the mark, but I can still sense it. I can feel that your pain is intense, even if I don’t feel it to the same degree.”

“Yeah,” I mumble, though it comes out as more of a groan.

“I take it you’re not feeling well enough to join me today?”

“Join you for what?” I ask, rubbing my eyes as I sit up slightly. Just this small action has my head pounding.

“Remember? I got a call about a possible lead on Asmodeus. I’m leaving to meet the guy in about an hour.”

“Oh, was I supposed to come for that?”

“Honestly, it’s probably better that you didn’t. I don’t know too much about this bloke. I just didn’t want to leave you alone.”

“Well, I’ll be fine here, anyway. I think you’re being paranoid about me always needing bodyguards.”

“You’re going to have ‘bodyguards’ as you call it regardless,” he says with a teasing glare. “I was going to have Finn come with us, but if you’re staying home I can have him stay with you.”

“Wow, only one bodyguard?” I ask jokingly. “You really like to live dangerously.”

“Nice try. I’m calling Kami too.”

I sigh and flop back down onto the bed.

At least I’ll get a chance to sleep.

After spending most of the day lying in bed while Finn and Kami hung out in the living room, I finally dragged myself out at about 6 in the evening.

“Oh good, you’re up!” Kami says, eating potato chips out of a bag. “Girl, you can really sleep.”

“I wasn’t sleeping so much as I was just lying there cursing life,” I say.

“Okay then, sunshine,” she says with a laugh. “Well, I’m glad you’re here. There’s only so much of listening to Finn’s old-man stories that I can take.”

“Oi!” Finn snaps. “I’m not an old man. I’m not even 400.”

“You’re almost twice my age, old man,” she says teasingly, throwing a chip at him. He manages to maneuver himself in such a way that the chip lands in his mouth.

“Thanks, love,” he says with a smirk.

“Well, I see you two are a bit stir-crazy,” I say, pouring myself a glass of orange juice.

“I’m not really made for babysitting,” Kami says. “No offense hon, happy to help you of course.”

Ouch. Offense definitely taken.

“Just to be clear,” I say. “This is entirely Zane’s insistence. I’m pretty sure I’d be perfectly fine at home on my own. We have security and massive locks and whatnot; I don’t think even Asmodeus could break in here.”

“I wouldn’t underestimate him,” Finn says. “The Demon Kings are incredibly powerful, and Asmodeus has a truly insidious mind.”

“Well thanks, Finn,” I say. “You’re making me feel a lot better.”

“Speaking of leaving the house,” Finn says. “I’m sorry, but I need to head out soon. I have family business to attend to this evening. Since Kieran’s working tonight, I’ve arranged to take you and Kami to Pike’s.”

“Isn’t that more dangerous than being at home?” I ask.

“It’s better to have two of us looking after you than just one,” Kami says. “Besides, Pike’s is a public space with lots of humans. The last thing Asmodeus wants to do is make a scene.”

“He’s the methodical, patient type,” Finn adds. “He won’t just strike in a room full of people without a plan. That’s not his game.”

“But isn’t Kieran kind of useless against him?” I ask.

“Not if you have these,” Kami says, pulling a set of ancient-looking handcuffs from her purse.

“Uh, do I want to know?” I ask.

“They’re not for kinky things, Ava,” she says. “Get than dirty human mind out of the gutter! They’re immobilization cuffs. Anyone in them can’t use their powers or move anything but their head. In an emergency, we slap these on Kieran and he can’t be used by Asmodeus.”

“Okay, sure, but he can’t help us either,” I say.

“True,” she says. “That’s if Asmodeus shows up. But he’s not usually that straightforward with his attacks. He’s more of a devious, in-the-shadows type. If he sends his demons or anyone else for you, Kieran can help us fight.”

I nod slightly, hardly acknowledging that my life has become a series of these really bizarre conversations.

Finn encourages us to get going, so I get dressed in my most comfortable yoga pants and sweater, plus a big puffy coat since it’s absolutely freezing outside lately. We make our way to the parking garage and Finn hops in his car. I join Kami in her car and we head to Pike’s.

After a 20 minute drive, we pull into the relatively empty parking lot of Pike’s and head inside.

“Hey! Who let that man in here?” Kieran shouts from behind the bar, pointing at Finn. He steps around the bar and walks up to us. “Excuse me, sir, we don’t allow seafood in this establishment.”

Finn gives him a playful slug to the gut.

“Oh really?” Finn asks. “Then what’s a little shrimp like you doing here?”

Kieran and Finn both erupt in laughter and greet each other with a big hug.

“Boys,” Kami says with a sigh, rolling her eyes.

“So how’s ‘Ava Watch’?” Kieran says. “You look like you’re still in one piece. Good job, you two.”

I try my best not to cringe at the thought of being babysat by my boyfriend’s friends.

“ Oi, love ,” Finn’s voice rings in my head. “ We’re your friends too. ”

Sometimes I forget he can do that. Oh god, what other awkward things have I been thinking?

Finn gives me a subtle smile.

“What’s the word on the patrons?” Kami asks.

Finn looks around at the other people in the bar. One man sits alone at the other end of the bar, sipping what looks like a whiskey on the rocks. A couple across the room is getting cozy in a booth while a group of frat boys is playing pool.

“I can read everyone except shrimpcakes over here,” Finn says with a smirk.

Kami rolls her eyes.

“So what’re you heading home for?” Kieran asks Finn. “Must be pretty good if you’re skipping out in the middle of all this Asmodeus crap.”

“I uh… um… well…” Finn stutters.

“That’s not suspicious at all,” Kami says.

“Well, right now is… I haven’t said anything so far but… well…”

“Holy shit,” Kami says, her eyes wide.

Finn nods with a smile.

“Can someone let me in on the secret?” Kieran asks.

“I need to head home for the Zenith,” Finn says. “Because it’s the one time every few years when Selkies can, well…”

“Oh shit,” Kieran says. “You and Marella are gonna make a baby?”

“Yep,” Finn replies, slightly blushing.

“Gross.” Kieran scrunches his face in disgust.

“Well, I think that’s really cool,” Kami says. “I know you guys have always wanted to have kids.”

“Might as well,” Kieran says. “Since you’re old now and have no game.”

Finn flips him off and they both laugh.

“At least I had game to begin with,” Finn says with a grin.

“All you Immortals think you’re hot shit, but when push comes to shove, it’s me going home with the hotties.”

“Is that why you need Zane’s help to get laid?” Finn asks.

“Ohhh, damn,” Kieran says. “I don’t need Zane’s help to get laid. His venom just makes it more potent. Besides, Zane and I have already competed and I won.”

What? When did this happen?

“I would hardly say you won,” Kami says. “You pretended Ava was here to make Zane panic. That’s cheating.”

“Wait—this happened when Zane and I were already together?” I ask.

“No, no,” Kami said. “This happened shortly after he met you when he was all piney and obsessed with you.”

“He’s like that now,” Kieran says.

“Which just further proves beating Zane doesn’t mean anything. He was a lost cause.”

I can’t tell if that’s a compliment to me or not.

“What is it about Immortals? Every time we get together, somebody makes it a big power play,” Finn says with a laugh. “Can’t we just agree we’re all capable of turning humans into putty and call it a day?”

Pshh… rude. I’m right here.

“Bollocks, sorry Ava, that’s not how I meant it,” Finn says.

“It’s okay,” I say.

“Well, unfortunately my loves, this is where I leave you,” Finn says.

“Alright, bro, go stick it to your woman and make some mer-babies,” Kieran says with a wave. Finn flips him off before giving us all a wave on his way out of the bar.

“The bromance between you two is the worst,” Kami says with an eye roll.

The jingle of the door lets us know that someone has entered the bar. Zane should be back soon and a little part of me hopes it’s him. Instead, I turn to see another familiar face: Shayna.

Anger burns through my chest at the sight of her. It’s the first time I’ve seen her since Jen and I saw her cheating at the mall—since she broke my best friend’s heart. She doesn’t seem to see me as she approaches the bar to talk to Kieran.

“Hey,” she says. “I’m here to pick up my paycheck.”

Without thinking, I walk over to her. The blood rushes to my face as I contemplate what to say to her.

I finally settle on going with the first thing that comes to mind: a hard slap to the face.

My palm makes a sharp ‘smack’ sound as it contacts her cheek, leaving behind a red handprint.

She looks at me in shock as she touches her sore cheek with her hand.

“What the fuck, Ava?” she asks.

“Really?” I ask. “You cheated on Jen! First with Kieran, then with that bitch at the mall. You don’t even bother being discreet about it! Not that you should’ve hidden it better—that’s not the point! The point is, you broke her heart, you big… giant… ho-bag… bitch-face… bitch.”

Nailed it.

In hindsight, I really should have planned what I was going to say.

She raises an eyebrow and pinches her lips between her teeth as if she’s holding back a laugh.

This isn’t really going as I planned.

Suddenly an idea occurs to me.

“Kami, can you help me?” I ask. “I need a redo on this.”

Kami smirks and walks over to a slightly confused Shayna and reaches for her hand.

“You don’t remember anything about this encounter with Ava,” Kami says. “Everything she says from now on will be the first time you’ve spoken today.”

Kami steps back and Shayna nods before giving me a confused look.

“How could you cheat on my best friend?” I ask, my voice getting louder with each word. “You broke her heart. I have no idea what she ever saw in a cheating, garbage, basic bitch like you, but you know what? Good riddance!”

“This is none of your business, Ava!” she says with a glare. “You think Jen is so innocent, but she was living with her ex and kept it from me for weeks.”

“Yeah, Jen’s not perfect, but she deserves someone a million times better than you. And you deserve exactly what you got. You lost a sweet, wonderful human being who actually cared about you. God knows why she did—you are clearly not worth her time or kindness.”

I turn on my heels, rather pleased with my rant, before turning back around.

“Oh yeah,” I say. “One more thing.”

My palm connects with her cheek again, the force radiating through my hand and Shayna’s face even harder than before. I turn around as she stares in shock and sit myself back down at the bar.

My hand hurts like hell, but I’ll be damned if I show that while she’s watching.

“Bitch-face bitch?” Kieran asks with a sly smile.

“Oh, shut up.”