A/N: Here's a bonus double-chapter in Zane's perspective! The originals are Chapter 29 and Chapter 30 in Ava's POV if you'd like to go back and find them. (I recommend reading them again first as a refresher.)
ℤ𝕒𝕟𝕖
－ ＡＬＴＥＲＮＡＴＥ ＰＯＶ －
ＣＨＡＰＴＥＲ ２９
The cab pulls up outside of Tempt, a trendy nightclub in downtown Port Charlotte that Kami loves. It's housed in a towering white building flanked with columns and lit with purple and blue lights.
Club-goers huddle together in a long queue that snakes around the building. There's a deep chill in the air and everyone is wrapped in heavy coats.
I step out of the cab, reaching an open hand out to help Ava as Kieran and Kami exit through their respective doors.
I take a look at the scene around me—half-drunk humans in thousand-dollar outfits, all freezing their arses off to enter an over-crowded nightclub so they can down liquor and rub up against each other.
Why are we here again?
"I can't believe I let you three talk me into this," I say with a shiver, shoving my hands into the pockets of my blazer for warmth. "Nightclubs are the absolute bloody worst."
"I think it's a testament to how whipped you are that Ava was able to talk you into coming along," Kieran says with a laugh. "He never does this."
I roll my eyes as we follow Kami past the bouncer.
Ava has an excited smile on her face, even though she's rosy-cheeked and shivering in the cold.
Kieran's right—I'd do anything to make this girl smile.
We enter the club through a mirrored hallway, lined with neon lights. The girls stop at the coat check and Kami instructs us to find a booth.
"Oh? Am I your errand boy, now?" I tease.
"Go, errand boy!" Kami says, waving her hand toward the main section of the club. I laugh and give her a playful two-fingered salute as Kieran and I head further inside.
The center of the club is two floors flanked by glass and lit in bright blue. The dance floor is packed wall-to-wall with sweaty twenty-somethings gyrating against each other to a heavy bass beat.
"Looks open," Kieran says, pointing to a large velvet booth in the corner.
We walk over and I find a hostess nearby.
"Excuse me, is this booth available?" I ask.
"It is," she says. She explains the drink minimums for the booth, we put in a drink order, and she seats us before leaving to grab our drinks.
Kieran jumps into the booth and slides over so he can keep one eye on the dance floor and I sit across from him.
"Man, getting you out clubbing is like a fucking Bigfoot sighting! I can hardly believe what I'm seeing!"
"Yeah, well take a good fuckin' look then, mate. Not planning on making a habit of this."
Kieran's eyes go wide, his pupils practically reaching the edges of his irises.
What the hell is he looking at?
I turn around to see Ava in a tight red dress, strips of fabric hugging her curves and her breasts lifted and on display. My eyes trace the lines of her body down to her legs, which are barely covered by the tiny amount of fabric.
Bloody hell.
"Tha... Wha... This is a... uh... That is..." I say.
Fuck me, that was nonsense.
"Nailing it, Z," Kami says, snickering as she walks up behind Ava and steps into the booth.
"Wait, what the heck? You do have tattoos!" Ava says, squinting as she looks over my shoulder. "They're, like, magical tattoos? They just appeared on your arm out of nowhere!"
I turn to Kieran and see his arms covered in fresh tattoos. My jaw clenches and my fists ball up at my sides.
This wanker has a serious death wish.
"They better bloody disappear as fast as they appeared," I snap.
He looks down at his arms and the ink slowly fades.
"There, Cranky Britches," he says. "Happy?"
I shoot him a quick glare before approaching Ava.
"So love," I say, leaning in and placing my hands on either side of Ava's hips. "Was this dress part of an attempt to kill me? Because it might work."
"Well I had to see how immortal you really are," she says, smirking.
I lean in to kiss her neck, before moving upward to whisper into her ear.
"You sure you want to do this whole club thing?" I ask. "Because if we left now, I could be fucking you senseless in about 15 minutes."
She shivers slightly under my touch and I can hear her heartbeat quicken.
"No, I want to stay," she says, her cheeks flushed. "The whole reason we're doing this is because I can finally feel good and do normal young person things again. We can control ourselves."
"Speak for yourself, love."
"I thought you were well known for your self-control."
"Yeah, but you know you're my weakness baby," I say, softly brushing her cheek with my fingers.
As badly as I want her right now, I'd feel like a dick if I interrupted the night she had planned. I clench my teeth hard and shake my head in an attempt to shake off the desire rising in my chest.
"Okay," I say, inhaling deeply. "A night out it is. Whatever my girl wants, she gets."
I can do this.
As long as I can keep my eyes closed all night long.
I shift my focus to the dance floor, trying to let myself cool down a bit. It's not particularly effective, since my attention remains mostly on the sensation in my increasingly tight pants.
Fuck.
"Okay, first thing: I'm ordering a round of drinks!" Kami says, standing beside the table. "This is gonna be awesome! And we might even run into a surprise guest!"
What is she talking about?
I give her a questioning look but she simply winks in response before flitting away.
"Surprise guest?" Kieran asks.
"No idea," I say, rolling my eyes. "Kami does enjoy her surprises."
"You wanna dance?" Ava asks.
Is this woman trying to murder me?
My eyes meet hers before traveling down her neck to her chest. The dress she's wearing cups her breasts and hugs every inch of her figure. It practically looks painted on.
I'm desperate to taste every inch of her skin, but Ava said she wanted a night out.
This is important to her. Control your bloody self.
I take a heavy gulp in.
"Not right now, love," I say, clasping my hands together so tightly I'm surprised I still have circulation in my fingers. "Maybe in a bit."
"I'll dance with you Ava," Kieran says.
A growl rumbles from my chest and I give him a warning glare.
I don't care if you're my mate, I'll rip your bloody arms off.
"Hey, you're the one who said no!" he whines, throwing his hands up. "Fiiine. Sorry Ava, your pussy of a boyfriend won't let me."
I cross my arms in front of my chest and sigh and Kami walks up with a huge platter of drinks and a blond woman who looks vaguely familiar.
"Look who I found!" Kami says, bringing forth the woman who I now recognize as her annoying nymph friend—Abby, I think.
"And who's this?" Kieran asks, flashing a flirty smile and standing to shake her hand.
"This is my friend Gabby. Gabby, this is Kieran," Kami says, pulling the girl's arm back when she attempts to meet his handshake. "He's a demon and he's definitely going to try and get in your pants, so feel free to stab him if he gets handsy."
"Whoaahh," he says. "How rude! I thought we were friends!" He holds a hand to his chest, pretending to be wounded.
"Uh, hi Kieran," Gabby says apprehensively, reaching out again.
"Hellooooo beautiful!" He pulls her hand to his lips to plant a kiss on it.
"Annnnyyyywaaayyy," Kami interjects. "Gabby, you remember Zane."
"Yeah hey," I say, trying to avoid catching Ava in my line of sight. Even the outline of her body in my periphery has me losing my cool.
"Hey, Z!" she says, draping her drunken body over my shoulders in a sloppy hug. "And who's this?"
She points to Ava before raising her eyebrows suggestively at me.
Leave it to fucking Gabby to draw my attention right to the one person I'm doing my very best not to focus on.
"Uh this is... um..." I stutter, trying to look anywhere but directly at her. "This is Ava."
Fucking smooth.
*****
ＡＬＴＥＲＮＡＴＥ ＰＯＶ － ＣＨＡＰＴＥＲ ３０
"Hey Ava!" Gabby says, leaning across the booth to hug her. "So nice to meet you!"
"Hi," she says.
The group redistributes themselves around the booth to make room. I'm startled by the sudden sensation of Ava sitting down on my lap. I shudder in response, as the feeling of her arse up against me sends a jolt of pleasure through my body.
If I don't stop this now, I'm about to have Ava right here in this booth.
I scoop her off my lap and sit her beside me. She gives me a pouty look in response.
"Just not right now, love," I whisper into her ear.
It's impossible to have my lips this close to her and not kiss her.
"Are you two together?" Gabby asks, gesturing between Kieran and Ava.
Kieran bursts into laughter, choking a bit on his drink.
"No," I say, anger rising in my chest. "She's... she's with me."
I look at Ava for a moment and it's immediately apparent that's a bad idea.
That bloody fucking godforsaken dress.
"Oh my gosh, Zane!" Gabby says at a high pitch. "You have a girlfriend? I didn't know that!"
Yeah, 'cause I'm big on telling Kami's annoying friends about my personal life.
"She's gorgeous!" she says, turning to Ava. "Oh my god, girl, look at you! You're stunning!"
Thanks, Gabby, I bloody know my baby is fit as fuck. You're not helping.
"Has someone finally won over The Iron Siren?" she says with a giggle.
This shit again?
Typically I'd groan at this particular topic of conversation, but right now I'd prefer just about anything that wasn't how fucking shaggable my girl is.
And she is...
"Oh, you have no idea," Kami chimes in.
Okay, that's enough.
"I'm gonna go grab a pint," I say, launching from my seat and rushing over to the bar.
I charm my way past a couple of people in line until I reach the front.
"What can I get fo-" the bartender asks, but I cut him off.
"Absynthe, uh... with pineapple," I say. "Just one, please."
He nods and grabs a bottle, pouring my drink and sliding it over to me.
"Eighteen dollars," he says. I hand him my card and open up a tab.
I down the glass, the liquor burning my throat on the way down. Absinthe is far from my favorite, but I know several Sirens who like it for its calming properties.
I look over toward the booth and see Ava tossing her hair back over her shoulders. She looks so good, even from here. I turn back around and see my glowing green eyes in a reflection behind the bar.
Shit.
"Another?" I ask, catching the bartender's attention. He nods and pours me one more.
I down that as well.
"Take it easy, man," he says. "That stuff can mess you up."
Not worse than this woman can.
I walk back and scoot back into the booth.
"Hey," Kami says. "Where's your pint?"
Good bloody question, why would I get up for a drink and come back without one? Smooth.
"Oh uh," I mumble. "Line was too long. Gave up."
"What?" she asks. "Z, you didn't seriously wait in line, did you? What is wrong with you? Did you forget you had powers?"
"Let it go, Kam," I mumble at a low enough level to avoid human ears.
"Hey guys, I'm gonna go to the bathroom, I'll be right back," she says, stepping out of the booth.
I follow behind, just to make sure she's feeling okay.
"Hey," I say, tapping her shoulder. "You okay, love?"
"Oh yeah, don't let me interrupt your quality time with Gabby," she snaps.
My eyes narrow and I pause for a moment.
What is she saying? Is Ava... jealous of Gabby?
I almost laugh out loud but Ava has already hurried off toward the restrooms.
She's jealous? Over me?
The thought immediately makes me grin.
I've gotten so used to being the smitten one with Ava, I started to think she didn't feel the way about me that I always have about her.
I head back to the table and sit down at the end next to Gabby. I can't stop thinking about Ava being jealous. I know it's wrong, but something in me loves the idea of her being so crazy about me that she wants to defend me—maybe it's just my Siren instincts.
I watch as Ava comes out the restroom door and heads immediately over to the bar.
What is she doing? She was hardly in there very long and now she's going to the bar?
She passes a man who eyes her up and down as she walks by.
If he wants to keep them, this bloke better keep those bloody eyes to himself.
I catch her looking at me a couple of times and I see a fire in her eyes that is somewhat foreign to me—she's jealous. The waitress appears in my vision with a tray of drinks. Gabby and I both get up to help grab bottles and I try to spot Ava again through the crowd.
I set down a couple bottles and sit, just in time to see a man's silhouette approaching Ava in the distance. I try to look further, but a body temporarily obscures my vision and I feel a weight on my lap—Gabby.
Why are Nymphs always so touchy? Doesn't she realize I'm British?
Gabby, Kami, and Kieran chat while I try to locate Ava again at the bar. I can just make out the bright purple of her hair as it catches the light and can clearly see a man standing next to her, seemingly chatting her up.
Why did I ever think I could let her out of my sight looking like that? It's like someone poured liquid sex into a red dress.
Whoever this bloke is, he's about to have his teeth for supper.
She glances at me again for a moment and I can see hurt in her eyes.
Is she jealous seeing Gabby sitting on my lap?
I know I shouldn't be loving that, but I am.
I look up at Gabby as she drunkenly giggles at something Kieran has said. I don't know why I'm allowing this. I know I would be quite jealous if Ava sat on another man's lap.
What the hell am I saying? I'd rip his bloody legs off.
"Oh my god, Zane, are those your Siren eyes?!" Gabby squeaks.
"Aw shit!" Kieran says. "Is some guy hitting on Ava?"
"Shut up, mate," I grumble.
"No fighting tonight, Z," Kami says, giving me a stern look.
"You expect me to sit here and let someone flirt with my girl?"
"I expect you to let her handle it so we can enjoy our night," she says. "That's probably too much to ask, isn't it?"
"Definitely," Kieran says with a laugh.
"Fine, well... there are other options than fighting," she says.
She's right. In Siren culture, if someone approaches your mate, you can assert your claim over your mate physically—coating them with your scent and letting everyone know they're taken with an overt display of affection.
Then again, I've been trying to avoid jumping on Ava all night.
I glance over again and can just make out Ava's outline amongst other silhouettes in the dark as she appears to talk to the same man.
That's it, this wanker is done for. I'll toss his bollocks in a blender and make a fucking cocktail out of them if he keeps eyeing my girl.
I pull Gabby off my lap and set her down onto Kami's so that I can get up.
"Zane..." Kami warns, seemingly knowing exactly what I'm thinking.
"What?" I say, feigning innocence.
I stare back at Ava, this time she's returning the gaze.
This bloody absinthe isn't working at all. I'm so keyed up I can hear the blood rushing past my ears.
I've officially met my limit. My body has a mind of its own and I take off toward the bar. I push through the crowd until I spot Ava's stunning grey eyes. I can't help but throw myself into her, pinning her to the wall as my hand snakes around the back of her neck. I lean into her body until my lips just brush against hers.
"Hey there, gorgeous," I hum, our lips still barely touching. "I missed you."
I can see my glowing eyes reflecting in hers as I push my body firmly against hers. The pressure in my trousers is nearly unbearable. An almost purr-like growl rumbles in my chest as I grind my hips into her.
I probably shouldn't take her right here in front of the bar, but god do I want to.
"Oi! I don't recommend in-the-middle-of-the-club sex. Not hygienic," a man's voice says from behind me.
This bloke has bollocks, I'll give him that. Not for long, of course.
I snarl and whip around, grabbing his shirt collar and twisting it around my fist.
"Take a hint, mate!" I snap, my jaw tight.
My eyes take in the man's form—warm ginger hair, a pale complexion, and an impossibly bold smirk that could only be attached to one particularly cheeky Irish Selkie.
I feel my jaw drop and my grip loosen.
"Finn?"