Page 21

Sirens Call

Grace

We land back at the palace, and the Death God storms through the front doors, heading straight to Tai’s room. We arrive at his dark wooden door, and he immediately slams it with an angry fist. “Tai!” Ro shouts, fuming, pounding his hand on the wood, rattling the hinges.

I pull myself up Ro’s tense back to look around his shoulder.

Tai opens the door with a wet gleam on his surprised face, the scar on his cheekbone standing out. “Brother, I wasn’t expecting you back so soon.” He pants exerted.

“The girl ruined it, take her.” He drops me onto the hard ground without warning.

“I didn’t ruin anything; it was your fault too!” I point at him while I shout. I look up at Tai from the ground and realize he is naked, hiding his lower half behind the door.

“Look, I have Pearl over tonight. She has to go somewhere else,” Tai explains, whispering to him as Ro glances behind the sweaty God. “Bring her to Kai.”

“Kai is still fucked up from Chaos’ session, just put her somewhere in there. She’s small, she can fit.” Ro’s starting to sound desperate as he tries to push open the door.

“Sorry, brother, sounds like she’s with you tonight.” Tai gives a devilish smile and slams the door shut, locking it with a click.

Ro stands still for a while, registering. “ Fucker .” He bends down and picks me back up, throwing me over his shoulder once more.

“I can walk. Put me down.” I kick my legs and hit his back. He is being such an asshole. Ro slaps my ass again, most likely leaving a mark. I whimper at the contact, but, on the other hand, I crave more of his touch. I’m tempted to hit him again if I can get another slap.

He walks us into the middle of the stairway, stopping to look at Kai’s hallway. Ro stays there for long minutes, deciding whether or not to drop me at Kai’s, but then he sighs and turns toward the upper stairs. Ro begrudgingly walks us to his room, no doubt pouting I have to sleep in his room tonight. He opens the large door and immediately drops me onto the ground like a heavy sack of potatoes.

“You are sleeping on the couch.” Ro saunters to his bed, peeling his damp shirt off as he goes.

As he tears off his shirt, I spot a black tattoo of a gaping skull shrouded in shadows, dancing across the entirety of his back. It hides under his wings, and I find myself crouching low to the floor, trying to get a better look. I watch as his muscles flex and pull as he strolls to his kingly bed, making me flushed and angry.

I stand up ruffled and walk to the couch with a sour face. “There is no blanket or pillow.” I scoff with attitude, crossing my arms as I pop out my hip.

The dark God sighs loudly, grabbing a blanket and pillow off his bed and bringing them to me. He throws them onto the couch and looks at me angrily. “You will sleep now, and I will not hear another word out of you.”

Ro stares me down with cold eyes as I sit on the couch, pulling a blanket on me. I smile at him sweetly before he grunts, storming away.

I wait until I hear him snuggled in his bed to call out, “I need to use the bathroom.” I hear him groan in response, and I chuckle quietly .

Ro stomps over to me and glares at me, his eyes hold a cold promise of punishment that makes me bite my lip. He assesses me, black eyes wandering my body before pointing behind me. “The door next to the bed,” he responds in icy fury.

I smile again and stride to his bathroom, opening the wooden, black door. I step in and my legs falter. I immediately decide his bathroom is my favorite of the brothers’. There’s a large waterfall cascading down big boulders and into a steaming spring. Large candle pillars are scattered, emitting a warm glow across the ripples of water and emerald moss that grows along the rocks. The moss continues to grow, covering the ground in an emerald blanket. I step forward onto the damp plant, letting its soft stems caress my feet. My gaze follows the room, and I see a large wall missing. The space leaves room for an opening to the mountain air. Hot water from the bath flows and trickles out, falling gracefully out of the open cavern.

I step forward toward the view, and it is absolutely amazing. You can see the surrounding mountains blanketed in fog, illuminated by the pale moonlight. The breeze is cold, but the room is warm and steamy. It’s a perfect blend. I hear birdcalls the further I go in, sweet little chirps mixed with the sprinkle of water. The scents of the fresh water and nature around me are so calming; this is really where he bathes? I was not expecting his bathroom to be so warm and full of earth.

I also wasn’t expecting him to have a favorite flower.

The lilies were so beautiful. He was right. They glowed and shimmered, and their scent was so unique. I even saw Ro smile . I don’t know what is more rare, his smile or him allowing me to kiss him. He touched me, and I touched him, and Ro was enjoying it. If he had just let me continue, I would’ve shown him real pleasure. But now, he is back to his angry self. If I can just break through to him, I think maybe he could actually like me.

I finish my business in the bathroom and walk out to an angry Ro, hovering by the couch.

“Bed,” he demands.

I roll my eyes. “Yeah, I’m coming King Ro.”

“Do not call me that,” he says sternly, his jaw clenching.

“Whatever you say, Your Majesty.” I smile at him and do a little curtsy with my hands.

He growls a hum in response, watching me with a snarl on his face.

I get to the couch, and I decide to tease him even more. I take off my pants, watching Ro as I roll them off seductively. The God watches with cold narrowed eyes, before walking away without another word, completely uninterested.

I sigh as I crawl on the couch, getting comfy as I watch the fire dance in front of me. I try to fall asleep, I really do. I lie there for however long, tossing and turning, but I cannot sleep. I’m still worked up from earlier with Ro. He was naked before me, his thick, long length so close to my touch. He was marvelous, his body cut to perfection, decorated with beautiful art. He had strange markings on his skin along with pictures and letters that made no sense. Ro has way more than Tai and Kai, I wonder why?

I get on my knees and peek over the couch. Ro lies in his bed, his breathing slow and even. I stare for a while, squeezing my legs together, desperately trying to stop the ache. It’s not fair. If the moon thing didn’t interrupt us, we would’ve surely kept going. He was reacting to me, to my touch. The God of Death liked what I was doing. If he just let me finish … I take a sudden quick breath as I get an idea—he will either like it or actually kill me this time.

I slide off the leather couch and sneak over to his bed, my bare feet squishing in the soft plush of the large ornate rug. I bite my lip as I quietly glide into the opposite side of his massive bed, the sheets a soft black silk. I watch him for a while within the icy cool of his blankets, starting to feel a little creepy like Kai. I embrace it and crawl closer, coming up right next to him. I gaze at his relaxed face, and I remember the massive tattoo covering his back. The giant skull with its mouth open, screaming into the winds in silent agony. It was beautiful, in a terrifying and sad sort of way. Is that what he feels all the time? Is that who he is? Beautiful and terrifying?

I nervously look over the God of Death one more time before I lift the blanket covers and slip underneath. Oh blazes, Ro sleeps entirely naked. I pant a little, looking at him, all of him. His hard body is all muscle, and I carefully slide over him. I breathe heavily under the heat of the blanket as his length is already semi-hard. I wonder what he’s dreaming of. My heart beats erratically, and my hands shake. Am I really doing this?

I go for it. I give his cock a long lick up his length. Ro stirs in response, and I smile. His member responds as well, swelling into its full hard length. It gives me strength to keep going. I put his broad tip in my mouth. I lick it gently, playing with the grooves. I hear a little groan above the covers, and my pussy responds, aching for him. I start sucking and twirling my tongue as I bob up and down. I hear him wake suddenly, panting, and he tears the blanket off of us. He grips my hair with white-hot fury and tears me off of him.

“What the fuck do you think you are doing?” Ro breathes angrily.

“Do you like it?” I squeak, my words coming out pained as he pulls my hair tight.

“What?” he shouts furiously, angling my head so my throat lays bare to him.

“Did you like it?” I whisper, a little frightened. I fucked up. I really fucked up.

He pauses for a long while, glancing at his cock and back to me a few times. Ro stares at my mouth curiously. I watch the hunger grow in his dark eyes until, finally, he’s starving. “Yes,” he whispers and loosens his grip on my hair. Giving me permission to go back to his cock.

I smile in victory as I’m still alive. I get to continue, but this blowjob is the most important one in my life. I need to show him pleasure. I grab his thick length and lean down, his tip reaching beyond his belly button. I shove it into my mouth and hear his breath hitch. I lick his tip, changing between a flat and pointed tongue, toying with him. My eyes meet his; he is watching me with such intensity. I stare into them as I start to bring him deeper into my mouth, sucking as I inch my way down his cock. Ro’s eyes roll back as I stretch my mouth wide, choking, making spit run down his length as I bob up and down.

I glimpse at him to see his head fall back in pure ecstasy. Ro’s hand tightens in my hair, encouraging me to go faster. His balls start to tighten as his length goes rigid. He’s so close already, urging me to continue.

“Grace,” Ro begs, his voice rumbling through me and pooling in my stomach. He looks at me, jaw tight and eyebrows tipped up in pleasure. “Grace, I feel something,” he pleads through gritted teeth.

I add my hand onto his spit-soaked cock and squeeze up and down in tune to my mouth, giving the rest of his length attention. He lets out a desperate groan and grips my hair so tight, I let out a cry. His cock jerks at the sound, and Ro’s gaze falls to me as he starts thrusting his hips, slamming his cock deeper into my throat, making me gag and choke. After a few thrusts, he holds my head and stills his hips as his pleasure comes to a crescendo. I watch in happy completion as he throws his head back, groaning deep and loud. Hot spurts of cum squirt into the back of my throat, coating me in seed. Ro’s cock throbs and bobs into my mouth before his hand falls from my hair.

The God of Death lays in the mussed midnight sheets, a delicious gleam of sweat on his body. He pants under me, his eyes closed and his body going lax. I suck out the last of his cum, rewarding me with another rich groan. His taste, sweet and salty, coats my mouth. I wipe off the spit from my mouth and crawl to lie next to him.

“Good night,” I purr, and quickly turn over.

“Wait, Grace, what did you do?” Ro asks, his voice tired.

I don’t respond. He dropped me on the way to the cave and carried me on his shoulder the whole way back. He can stir for a little while.

“Grace,” Ro pleads.

Another pause.

“Little creature, please , what did you do to me?” he whispers, coming closer to me. Ro scoots next to me until he’s directly behind me. He leans his head into my hair and breathes in deeply. He touches my arm lightly with the back of his finger, careful not to cut me with his sharp claws.

He stays like that, breathing me in and lightly caressing my arm, sending little shocks into my arm and giving me butterflies. I drift into sleep peacefully, with Death lying right behind me.

The next morning, I awake surrounded in warmth. I blink open my eyes and see I’m lying on Ro’s muscled chest, encased in his arms. He holds me to him tightly, his warmth seeping into me. Above us, he uses a wing to enclose us, making the space feel extra cozy. I’ve never felt so safe. There is something about Ro that makes me need to be near him so dearly. I don’t quite understand it, but I know he is mine. Even when he’s being an asshole.

A light knock on the door echoes into the room, stirring Ro awake. “Fuck off,” he warns, his voice a deep gravel, pulling me in tighter. Butterflies gather in my stomach as a large smile forms on my face. Does he know what he is doing? Was a blowjob all it took to get him to like me?

The door opens, and large footsteps enter into the room. “Pearl is waiting for the girl, Ro. She is supposed to start training,” Tai says gently. I could swear there is a hint of amusement in his voice.

Ro groans, opening his wing as he looks down at me with furrowed eyebrows. “She owes me answers,” he whispers into the air.

I smile at him and give him a quick kiss on his chest, unwrapping myself from his arms and crawling out of bed. I look at Tai, and he watches me with a smirk on his face.

“I brought you fresh clothes.” He snickers, handing me a new set. “Yara, a maid, she actually had these made for you. I guess she saw you walking around in oversized pajamas and felt bad for you. Plus”—he holds up a pair of shoes—“new boots so you’re not a little barefoot gremlin.”

“Oh, sweet!” I shout excitedly. “Look away.” I shoo Tai with my hand before throwing my shirt off. I hear Tai snicker, and I peek my head at him. He has a smirk on his face, looking at Ro. “Is he looking?” I whisper.

“Ass,” he whispers back.

“Good,” I say with a smile. I throw on the new shirt, it’s a beige-fitted tunic with a dark brown leather half corset. I bend over and hear a deep groan behind me. I grin mischievously and decide to take a little longer putting on my pants, making sure to sway my hips a little extra.

Tai starts laughing. “Give him mercy, girl.”

I snicker and pull on my pants. A dark brown leather, and find they’re a little tight, but I think I just need to break them in. “These are great; where is Yara? I’d like to thank her,” I ask Tai.

“I’ll tell her to find you after training,” he mentions to me. “Ready?”

“Wait,” Ro interrupts. “She comes to my study directly after training. I told you, she owes me answers,” Ro demands, becoming agitated.

“Kai and I will answer your questions, brother. Let the girl make friends,” Tai pleads.

Ro contemplates for a moment, devouring me with a sinful gaze as he thinks. “Fine,” he finally mutters.

“After training, come to my room, I’ll have Yara meet you there.” Tai sets his rough hand on my shoulder. “Come, let’s go.”

The War God guides me out of Ro’s hallway and down the magnificent staircase through the Grand Hall. I cannot believe Ro was cuddling with me this morning, his beautiful, feathered wings enclosing me into a blanket of dark warmth. I could get used to waking up to him.

We arrive at the large double doors leading us out into the open air of the mountains. The night has frozen over the ground with tiny snowflakes turning the forest into a winter marvel. There is a light snow dusting the aged trees, and wind holds an extra bite to it this morning; winter must be near.

Ice crushes under our weight as we walk. “I didn’t bring a sweater,” I tell Tai, looking up at him as I bring my arms to my chest for warmth.

He brushes me off as he looks to the trees. “You aren’t going very far, and you won’t be needing one soon. Pearl’s workouts are grueling; you’ll be thanking the realm for its cold air today.”

Pearl prances out of the trees dressed in a sleeveless black tunic tucked into her tight brown pants. Her bare toes dance on the ice as she floats to us.

“Are you ready?” she calls to me excitedly.

I smile and run over to her. “No wolf riding today?”

Pearl chuckles. “No, we aren’t going very far. There’s an open space in the tree grove nearby that makes for a perfect sparring ring.”

We part ways with Tai and walk together as I enjoy the nature around us. I love the way the ice transforms everything around it. There are baby snowflakes dotting the moss. Its white ice animates the vibrant greens underneath. Vines hang down from the trees, trailing over the massive overgrown roots decorating the forest floor. The ground is dazzled with a thin layer of white snow, crunching as we walk.

“I haven’t seen any animals out here,” I mention.

“You won’t see any here. No creature dares to live in the Infernal Mountains. Creatures have an acute sense of death. They stay far away from Ro,” she says with a shrug. “Makes my job a little easier. I don’t have to scare off any Malmogs.” She shudders.

“What’s a Malmog?” I ask curiously.

Pearl chuckles, shaking her head. “They’re nasty creatures and extremely aggressive. They are giant arachnids with armored shells and giant pinchers. They have three extendable tails with poisonous barbs, enough to kill a small army. You have to pierce their brain to kill them, which is under their armor so it’s difficult. If you cut off a tail, two more will grow back. They’re adaptable to live anywhere, but usually, they’re in the forests and deserts. They make nests underneath the ground and wait for vibrations in the ground to pop out and kill their prey. One Malmog on its own is difficult for a skilled fighter. If you run into more than one? You’re dead.”

A shiver runs up my spine. They have giant poisonous, carnivorous bugs? I am never leaving this mountain. I look back down to the icy snow.

“Do you know how close we are to the Winter Solstice? My days are a little turned around here, but I’m so excited for the festival,” I ask, breathing warm air into my hands.

“Oh, Grace. Ro doesn’t celebrate the festival here. He hasn’t done it in a very long time,” she says sheepishly.

“What? No Winter Solstice? But that’s my favorite,” I whine, upset. I love the Winter Solstice, it’s my favorite holiday of the year. I look forward to it every year, the hot spiced cider and the cold air. The decorations are everywhere, and there is always lively music. You get to dance, and then there’s a big feast with lots of sweet treats. And then, you give a present to someone you love. Fallon and I used to exchange presents while we sat in front of the fire. We could never afford anything fancy, but we still managed to get something for each other.

“I’m sorry, Grace. Ro stopped them after the war. Kai has already tried to get him to do it, but there is no changing that man’s mind,” Pearl mutters. “How was your night with Ro by the way?” She bumps me knowingly with her elbow, a sly smirk gracing her face. “I heard him outside Tai’s door, begging him to take you.” She giggles.

“Things were good, actually. He only tried to kill me a few times, I think.” I look at her, and we start laughing, a snort escaping my mouth.

“Ro will kill anyone that exhausts his patience. He almost succeeded once with Kai,” Pearl says, smoothing her hair back.

“What, really? Why would he kill his brother?” I quiz her, starting to feel angry for Kai.

“It’s not what you’re thinking, Grace. A long time ago, Kai got tired of letting Chaos out, so he kept him in as long as he could. Well, that severely angered Chaos. He broke out and completely took over. Chaos wouldn’t return Kai’s reign back. He went crazy, Grace. He was incredibly destructive and violent to everything and everyone. We tried everything, but we couldn’t get Kai back. Ro had to make the difficult decision of putting down his brother for the sake of our combined worlds. Ro is the only one who can kill a God, but he has to be physically touching them to do so. Chaos wasn’t about to go out without a fight, and so they did exactly that. Except, I’ve never seen Ro lose a fight. He knocked him in his face so hard his canine flew out. Chaos realized he was going to lose and backed down, letting Kai come back out. Ro is the only one that keeps Chaos from taking over again.”

I’m rendered speechless. What horrible agony Ro must have been in to have to be the one to kill his brother. I’ve seen Kai’s silver canine, but I never thought Ro was the one to knock it out. I know Ro doesn’t show much emotion other than anger and annoyance, but I know he has more deep inside him. I felt it last night when he caressed my arm lightly while I slept. I feel it whenever he looks at me. Ro may say he wants to kill me, but his eyes burn with a need for a connection between us.

“Every time I talk to you, I learn about a new side to Ro,” I say thoughtfully.

“I know he seems cold, but he does care deeply about mortal lives. I’ve seen the way he protects their souls, but I think the war took a toll on him. It must have been hard to reap all those people.” Her voice is small and distant.

“He said something yesterday about me quieting voices. Do you know what he meant?”

“Yeah, he hears them, everyone’s souls.” Her hand flutters in the air near her ears. “He can hear when they call for him, when they are dying or hurt. The ones in the river call for him, too, because they are in a very confusing state, an In-between. They all call for his help. I don’t understand how the man can focus, but I guess he’s had eons to practice.”

Our feet scuff along the forest floor, her long strides few while mine short and many. Fragrant flowers bloom, catching my attention. The deep purple petals hang down from long, thick vines, stretching out their long, curly segments. The shape mimics that of a cat’s mouth, with delicate fangs and a long, undulated tongue carrying an amber liquid.

“Careful, those flowers are carnivorous. They won’t kill you at your size, but they emit a sort of acid. The sticky dew will give you a nasty rash.”

My face ruffles at the betrayal of the beautiful flower. Beautiful and deadly, like another being I know. “Do you know how old he is?” I wonder out loud .

“Who? Ro? He is the oldest of the Gods, the closest to the Celestials. They say the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars were created first, bringing along light and darkness. When the first star collapsed, it exploded in a cataclysmic blast, creating our world. Death was created in the blast, brought into the world, and forged in the darkness. For a while, he was alone in the bare kingdom with only the Celestials in our universe. The moon sisters, sad to see the world bare, decided to bring life to the dead rock while the sun nurtured her growth. With nature, came Meadow and Talon. With the sky, came Aesha.

“When mortals came into the world, so did War and Chaos. They were created in the same darkness and so bonded to Death. Many other Gods were born in the creation of mortals; Velaya, Megala, Dom, Acteem, they were all created.”

“They didn’t teach us any of this at home. Gods were forbidden. They made up a faith consisting of the moon and made us follow it. Ro must have been so lonely, no one but himself on a bare kingdom.” I shake my head in pity for the God.

“I don’t know, he probably liked the silence.” She chuckles.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” We laugh together as we enter a ring of sparse nature. Short grass dusts the ground in frozen patches while the tall evergreen trees form a circle.

“I need you to warm up, start by running some laps around the ring,” Pearl orders, all laughing gone.

I start jogging, the icy air has frozen my face, turning my nose numb. Puffs of white air burst from my mouth as I pant. Ro is as old as the world and has never known love. How is that possible? What a lonely existence, but maybe he has liked being alone. It doesn’t matter now, because he is mine. I will show him what love is. I will fill him full of warmth and laughter. I will give his body pleasure and attention. I will make Death live.

“Bring it in, Grace,” Pearl calls to me. “I want to start with strength exercises, you look like you’ve never worked out a day in your life.”

“I’m sorry, I’ve only been caring for my terminally ill mother for the last four years. But yes, let me work out in my spare time. Between cooking, feeding, taking her to the bathroom, bathing her, cleaning her shit, washing the dishes, going to the market for her medicine, doing the laundry, taking care of the house—”

“Grace! I get it.” She laughs nervously, putting gentle hands on my shoulders, trying to calm me like one would calm a spooked mare. “Blazes, girl. I want you to take all that anger and put it into your workout. Remember, you’re bettering yourself, but also, remember who you want to be and why you’re putting in this work.”

I nod. I am so ready. My anger roils under my skin. I cared for my ailing mother only for her to turn on me the first chance she got. If I ever see her again, I will be ready.

We arrive back at Tai’s room, and I am utterly exhausted. Pearl did not take it easy on me, the girl is a damn sergeant. She had me throwing punches and kicks, and strength training my arms, back, and core. I need a bath, badly. I peek at Pearl, and she’s jumping onto the bed, getting comfortable.

“Are you staying here, Pearl? Do you mind if I take a quick bath? I’m so sweaty and gross; there is a layer of dirt and grime on my skin that I desperately need to clean.”

She chuckles. “Yeah, go get clean, I’m okay by myself.”

I sigh as I walk into Tai’s bathhouse. I will never get over how giant this bath is. I get out of my dirty clothes and step into the warm waters, letting a moan slip out of my mouth. Today has been good, I love working out with Pearl. She pushes me so hard, I don’t even have time to think or second-guess myself. I give my whole body and emotion into the training, letting loose anything I have. Now, I just feel like me.

I soak my body, wash off the sweat layer, and dunk my head. If Fallon could see me now, he’d be so proud of me. One day, I will avenge him. Somehow, I’m getting back over that wall and dismantling the crown. But that’s a problem for future me. I’m nowhere near ready to take them on. I need more training.

I get out of the bath, thoroughly clean, and wrap a towel around my sore body. I hobble out and see Pearl stretched onto Tai’s bed, talking to Yara who is holding a pile of clothes.

“Hi, Yara.” I smile and wave at her. “Thank you for the clothes earlier. ”

She smiles and walks up to me. “I brought you more. I figured one set probably wouldn’t be enough.” Yara rifles through the clothes to pull out some form-fitting pajamas. “Here, I’ll put the others away.”

“Thank you,” I say, throwing on the clothes. The pajamas hug my small curves, and they’re so comfy. I look at her, inspecting her. They said she was dead, but she seems so alive to me. “I’m sorry for staring—and for maybe being a little cold when we met. You caught me at a bad time. Are you really dead?”

Pearl snorts in the background. “Grace, you can’t just ask people if they’re dead.”

I feel an embarrassed flush overcome my face, but Yara smiles at me sweetly.

“It’s ok. Yes, I am dead. I’ve been working in the castle for a few hundred years now,” she explains quietly.

“Why are you here and not in a realm?” I ask.

She looks away sheepishly. “I made a mistake in my life, and I’m paying for it now in death. Master Death gives a lucky few an option, to those with mistakes not so bad, but will still land them in the Infernals. He lets us work off time, serving him and the Black Palace. When we are done, and if we have satisfied him, he grants us the Blessed Isles.”

“How much longer do you have to serve?”

“My sentence is a thousand years,” she says softly. “It’s actually not that bad, considering other servants’ sentences.”

Wow, I cannot imagine such a length of time, let alone serving it. I look at her, her hair is perfectly styled into a bun, and she seems to take time in her appearance, but I can sense her soul. It feels tired. “Will you sit with us?” I invite her to stay, smiling gently.

“Oh, my lady, I don’t think I should,” she whispers, looking down at the ground.

“It’s ok. Tai said we can hang out … if you wanted to, I mean.”

Yara looks up at me, hesitant and unsure, but then she gives me a small smile. “Ok, yes, I would like to.”