Siren's Mark

Chapter 3

"What does that mean, you'll pass?"

"I mean I don't think it's worth putting in that much effort getting to know someone like that. If you start off acting like an arse, it's not my job to wait until you're tolerable."

He smirks and takes a sip of his drink.

"He's not an ass, or 'arse.' Whatever. And I think you're being an arse for saying that anyway."

He looks up from his drink, looking slightly vulnerable. For a moment, his brown eyes catch the light in a way that makes them look an almost-otherworldly shade of green. Damn, this guy is good looking. That chiseled jaw, perfectly placed freckles across his cheeks, elaborate designs inked into his arms...

What was I saying?

"You certainly aren't the first person who has said that," he says with a smile. "So you might have a point. I just speak my mind is all."

"I have a bit of that foot-in-mouth problem myself. I still prefer honest people over phony ones, so I guess if you're an ass that's okay as long as you're straight up about it."

He smirks at me and looks down at his drink. His smile is incredibly charming and he seems to know it. I follow the line of his jaw to his neck and down to a tattoo on his bicep. It seems to be a harp with a snake wrapped around it.

"I like your tattoo," I say. "A harp?"

He looks down for a moment. "Yeah, thanks," he says. "It's uh... kind of a long story."

"So you don't play the harp?" I joke.

He chuckles. "No, it's kind of a juxtaposition thing. The beauty of the song pulls you in, but the snake is waiting to bite you. It's kind of supposed to represent the danger in beautiful things."

"Or the beauty in dangerous things?"

"I haven't put it that way before, but I like it."

Kieran suddenly turns to join our conversation. "So what are we talking about?" he asks in a singsongy tone. He seems like he's had a bit too much to drink.

"Tattoos," I say.

"Yeah?" he asks. "What's the rose mean?" He points to the rose tattoo along my wrist.

"Oh, well, I read that the rose is a symbol of both life and death. I liked the paradox. Plus I was a super moody teenager and it seemed fitting for my dark, twisted soul."

Kieran laughs and I notice a few tattoos on his arm.

"What about yours?" I ask.

He looks confused for a moment.

"I didn't even notice those!" Jen says, at a volume she only thinks is appropriate because she's a bit tipsy.

"Oh yeah, uh... these are just random designs really. No meaning or anything." He blushes and looks down. Zane's mood has suddenly shifted and he's now casting a glare in Kieran's direction.

"Hey Jen," Zane says abruptly. "What type of drink is that?"

That was weird. Why is he suddenly asking about her drink?

"Oh, it's um," she looks down to remember what she ordered, "a Manhattan I think."

Zane reaches for Jen's hand and casually brushes it.

"Would you mind if I try some?" Zane asks.

She seems flustered, but smiles and passes him her drink. He takes a sip and hands it back to her.

"I was interested in trying it, but yeah, not for me," he says.

Kieran is eyeing Zane with a questioning expression. There seems to be a silent conversation happening between them. Jen takes another sip of her drink and Kieran quickly resumes conversation with her. The whole interaction seems a bit odd, but everyone is already moving on.