My mind felt clear and open as I leaned over the side of the boat, allowing my fingers to trail in the freezing water, forming ripples. They were turning pink from the cold, but I didn't care.
"I see the shore," Nigel said, breaking the silence. I looked up and sure enough, not too far out in the distance, the Lake of Ice ended and the beginning of snowy mountains began, "I've never ventured this far out, it's completely vampire territory over there."
My eyes slipped back towards the water, my fingers still trailing through it. A glowing, light caught my attention, deep in the waters. I squinted at it and watched as it slowly grew in size, "What is that?" I spoke the question aloud.
Killian was by my side in an instant, peering over the edge of the boat and into the clear waters. His brows drew together as the light split into two and then three. I caught sight of what looked like a fin, "Get back!" Killian put his arm in front of me, shoving me back away from the side, causing the boat to rock, "Everyone stay away from the edge."
"What is it?" West inquired as he continued rowing the boat, a little slower now.
"Sirens," The warlock had barely gotten the word out when a shrill screech hit my ears, causing them to ring.
There was a slap as the tail of a fin broke the surface, splashing water in our direction. I could see them clearly now, circling around the boat, their long hair floating around them. "It couldn't have been a school of fish, or even a shark, no it had to be sirens." Illius grumbled as he reached for a dagger tucked safely in his belt. I gripped the hilt of one of my own daggers, my heart hammering with anticipation as they continued surrounding us, the scales of their pearly fins reflective in the sunlight. One by one, their heads popped up out of the water. My gaze met one with bright, turquoise eyes. She had sharp angles to her features, her skin ivory white. Her hair looked like it was spun from gold, dripping droplets of water that ran down the side of her defined face.
Her lips parted and the most enchanting voice I had ever heard rung through the chilly North air, "Hear my voice beneath the sea, feel the sound. Let my voice lead you this way, I will not lead you astray. Trust me, nothing is wrong. Close your eyes, sleep with me so peacefully. At the bottom of the sea, sleep for all eternity." They each joined in singing, harmonizing a tune so luring, I hung to every word.
"Don't listen to them! Ava, don't listen to them!" Illius yelled, but his voice was drowned out by their enchanting song.
"Hear my voice beneath the sea, feel the sound. Let my voice lead you this way, I will not lead you astray. Rest now love, sleep with me so peacefully. At the bottom of the sea, sleep for all eternity," Her eyes held mine and I leaned forward, someone tried to grab my shoulders and pull me back, but I shoved them off. The siren tilted her head, her two companions coming to her side. One with dark hair and skin with light blue eyes, the other just as fair with haunting brown orbs and fiery red hair that swirled in the water around her. They hummed, such a sweet tune and extended their hands out towards me, my own hand reached for them.
"You won't have her!" Killian slashed out with one of his knives, forming a cut across one of the siren's arms. They pulled back, hissing, revealing sharp teeth made for devouring unfortunate sailors. The injured siren dove into the waters, "Ava, get away from the edge!" The warlock shouted at me, but my hands were already reaching for the water.
I felt so peaceful. The lake called to me like a long lost friend and I had the urge to take a dip inside of its healing waters. The two remaining sirens reached out towards me, their eyes pleading. There was a sudden jolt followed by shouts as the boat was turned over by the third siren. I crashed into the water, instantly my head pounded from the shock and my body tingled. I sank helplessly deeper into the lake's frigid trap. I could hear their calls, echoing much like a whale's would. Webbed hands clasped around my ankle and I let out a gurgled scream as they yanked me down, I struggled against them, suddenly free from their spell. I could see the sun rippling above the lake's surface, it slowly faded into the distance and a murky darkness surrounded me. The water became warmer towards the bottom and my lungs contracted, begging for air.
I was suddenly released and the siren with turquoise eyes swam up in front of me. She cupped her hands in front of her mouth and blew, a stream of bubbles floated towards me and surrounded my head, "Let the ocean fill your lungs, struggle not, soon peace will come. Taking in your final breath, sink down to the ocean's depths..." Her voice, dancing through the bubble filled my ears and the air filled my lungs in one last, final breath.
I moved my arms and legs, fighting to swim towards the surface, but they were quick to grab me, pulling me back down. I fought, kicking and flailing, but it was no use. Their grip was like iron around my ankles and wrists. The struggling had left me without air and I inhaled water. It burned and I felt the world around me fading, turning to darkness as sirens sung me lullabies.
It was so dark...
~*~
He pushed through the numbing water, down towards a darkness he couldn't see past. He had to find her, to save her. He swam through kelp and seaweed that brushed against his face with a slimy texture. Catching movement in his peripheral vision, he pulled a dagger out, spinning in the water, he drove the knife into the shiny fin of a siren who had been advancing on him. She let out a pained cry, the water turning crimson as she fought to swim away. He gripped the wet sand, pulling himself around an abundance of coral and his heart pinched.
There she was, floating motionlessly in the center of a coral reef. Her light, brown hair swirling around her, her eyes closed as if she peacefully slept. Illius kicked through the cloudy water towards her, his fingers brushed against the icy skin of her face when he was suddenly shoved with force. His back smacked against a group of coral, broken pieces floating up around him. He pushed off mushy sand towards the vicious, snarling siren with dark skin - threateningly flicking her fin as she guarded Ava - his dagger aimed for her heart. She darted towards him with a snap of her tail, her clawed, webbed hands outstretched, her mouth of deadly teeth open in a deafeningly loud shriek.
She spun around with strength through the thick water and slapped her mighty tail against the side of his body, knocking the breath out of him. He gripped thick branches of seaweed to steady himself. A second siren with fiery red hair twisted through the grove of macroalgae, swiping at him with her nails, cutting the skin of his cheek, leaving three distinct markings. His lungs felt tight and constricted, but he had to keep fighting, for her.
He yanked out two daggers from his boots, grasping them firmly in either hand. The siren rounded back, her fin flicking with power, propelling her towards him. He dodged to the side and she swam past, his eyes met hers as she wheeled around, letting out an angry shriek. She lurched at him again, her brown eyes furious. He braced himself against an algae, covered rock, and pushed off, thrusting himself over the impulsive siren. He struck his dagger into the fin of her tail and she let out a cry as he forced her down. Gripping her slick tail, with one swift movement, he yanked her down, wedging the dagger between two rocks, pinning her to its hard surface. She struggled against it, crying out for help and help came swiftly, with vengeance in her eyes.
The dark haired siren gripped him by the waist, propelling forward. She drove him towards the stern of a ship that sat rotting on the bottom of the lake. They crashed through the stained glass windows and his back slammed against a wall in the captain's quarters. She screeched at him, her eyes rabid. He drew back his arm and dug the dagger into her side. She let out a pained grunt and he threw her to the side where she crashed into a shelf, her hand flying to the hilt of the dagger, her eyes wide. Her chest raised and fell with labored breaths. He turned from her, slipping through the broken windows of the stern.
Swimming through the seaweed, his eyes searched desperately around the coral reef until they found what they were looking for. He swam towards her, wrapping his arms around her waist, he drew her against his chest and pushed towards the surface of the lake, out of the murky darkness.
They breached the surface and he took in a generous inhale of air, his lungs burning. He pulled her towards the shore, his body aching from the frigid waters. He grunted as he threw himself onto the ground, pulling her up beside him. Her lips were blue and her skin pale, cold to the touch. He leaned over her, brushing wet clumps of hair from her beautiful face, "You're okay. Breathe. Just breathe, please Ava," He begged her, his shaking fingers trailing down the side of her face, "Open your eyes. Come back. It's okay. It's over now. You're okay," He laid his head on her chest, a sob escaping him, "Wake up. Please wake up. Don't do this to me. Don't do this to me." She remained still, frozen. He pounded his fist into the snow beside her, "Don't do this to me! I love you. Come back, Ava, please." She coughed, water pouring out from between her blue lips. He lifted up as she rolled over, coughing and gagging out lake water from her lungs. She fell back onto the snow, shivering, her teeth chattering. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his embrace as he sat up, cradling her, "You're okay. It's okay. I'm here." He breathed.
There was another hack as West pulled himself up onto the shore near them, dragging a weak, gigantic wolf with him, "Idiot," West choked as he coughed up more water, "Changing to wolf form in the water, what were you thinking?" The werewolf whimpered, taking heavy breaths as it lay on its side.
"Ava!" Killian exclaimed as he came crawling from down the shoreline.
He reached out towards her, but Illius quickly pulled her away from him, his eyes warning, "Don't touch her!" He snapped, rocking her back and forth as she continued shivering.
"I-I can warm her," Killian pleaded with the protective demon, holding up his palms of which were glowing purple, "Please let me warm her." Illius glared at him distrustfully, "Please." Killian said in one last attempt.
Illius looked down at her, her grey-blue eyes peered up at him, her blue lips quivering, "Then warm her." He ordered the warlock. Killian moved towards her, running his palms over her face and down her body. He continued doing this until color began to return to her face and her trembling ceased.
Her eyes traveled to Illius, "Illius?" She croaked, her voice straining to come out.
He pulled her against his chest, "I'm here, Ava."
"You saved me?" She breathed, her eyes searching his.
"I'm not as bad as the books say, you know," He ran his thumb over her lips.
"Quiet, evil one," She teased, a playful smirk growing over her face.
"Ooh, name calling. So fearsome," He grinned down at her, "I'll always save you Ava and I guess that's one of my weaknesses. It seems I do have one after all. I don't jump in to save myself anymore, I jump in front of you, to save you. I almost lost you," His blue eyes filled with visible pain for the first time in a very, very long time, "I can't lose you again. I can't, not ever again. I'm not strong enough."