Siren Song

Siren Song, Chapter 1

Karia strode into the dark interior of the bar, waist-length tawny blond hair flowing out behind her. All eyes turned to the newcomer as she paused in the doorway to let her gold eyes to adjust to the lack of light. A few men (and one woman) called out or whistled, all of which were ignored.

She wasn't overly tall, about five seven, and her tanned skin seemed to glow even in the darkness as she made her way to the bar. She threw her wide-brimmed hat on the stool to her left, shrugged out of her black duster, which really was more of a brown because of how damned dusty this planet was. Her white tank top left little to imagination, green cargo pants were tucked into her brown knee-high boots, and a belt with two colt 45s were slung around her curvaceous hips.

The bartender brought her usual over to her, and she sat sipping her whiskey until she felt a presence next to her, and a male voice ordering a water. A glance over showed her a very tall man with spiked blond hair, aqua eyes, like an Easter egg left in dye too long, and a long coat the color of bloodred roses. Fuck me. How the hell did he remind me of Earth? I had forgotten about it for so long...

He glanced over at her and she gave him a dark, dirty look and looked away. He looks too damned innocent to be in a place like this. The bartender brought her a refill, and she felt eyes watching her. Another glance to the right, and her gold eyes met his aqua ones. "What do you want?" She snipped at him.

He smiled brightly, "I'm not sure what you mean." Karia huffed, "Don't play coy with me. I saw you watching me."

"Well, who can keep their eyes off a beautiful woman? With such beautiful guns?"

Karia smiled faintly and took a drink of her whiskey, "You. And anyone else that has a desire to keep breathing." Yeah, that was harsh. But someone like me has to be. Can't have anyone get too close or they'll get hurt. She grabbed the bartender's attention and got a bottle to go. Her new drinking buddy seemed sad to see her go.

"I'm going home. You're too much of a happy-ass to drink with." Picking up her coat and hat, she walked out into the sunset, feeling his aqua eyes on her the whole way.

Her house wasn't far from the bar, but it was a small town, so it was pretty close to everything. Setting the bottle down on the table she flung her hat and coat over a chair, started a fire in the grate, and sat down. Gazing into the fire, she let her memories of Earth wash over her. The smell of honeysuckle and roses in the summer rain, trickling through the emerald leaves, and flashes of lightning lighting up the black night. Before long, she was asleep before the fire, awoken by a commotion outside.

Heart leaping to her throat, Karia jumped to her feet and grabbed her gun from her holster before cracking the door slightly. She gasped as the light from inside fell on the guy from the bar. Drunk as a skunk. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh! The pretty lady from the bar!" He slurred and made his way over to her door. "Don't you have a place to stay?" She griped. He pouted, "No, I'm new in town. Just got here earlier, when I met you in the bar."

Sighing to herself, and going against whatever instincts not to let a stranger into her home. "Get in here, you stupid drunk," she chastised as she opened the door wider.

"WOW! Thanks pretty lady!" He threw his arms around her. Karia stiffened and pushed him off of her. "Spare bed is upstairs on the left, Mr...?"

"Oh I don't have a name, pretty lady!"

"Stop calling me pretty lady. My name's Karia. And you have to have a name, liar."

"Well, Karia, I just don't have one. How about you give me one?"

"What are you running from?" He seemed to sober up a little at that question. "I can't tell you. I don't want you to get involved." She sighed, knowing she wasn't going to get a straight answer tonight. "You caught me on a nostalgic night. I suppose... Cairo. How's that work?" He smiled brightly at that.