22. Chapter 22
Chapter 22
A shiver runs through my body that has nothing to do with the cool breeze. Goosebumps pebble my skin, and I feel a sense of unease. I was uncomfortable in the diner, and I’m pissed off that my favorite meal was ruined by the guy that could not take a hint. I’m no stranger to attention but usually I welcome it whole-heartedly, desperate to make the most of my short time on land and feel close to someone. My priorities have changed. My time here is no longer limited, and sex is not the only thing on my mind. I want to live, truly live and experience what it’s like to be human.
Truthfully, sex has been far from my mind over the recent days. I’ve had no interest in the men in town and I haven’t given them a second glance. Without my siren song drawing them closer, lowering their inhibitions and increasing their confidence, if anyone has shown interest, I haven’t noticed. Until tonight.
I don’t know what it was about him that gave me the creeps, but I was on edge immediately when he walked up to the booth I was sitting in. He’s objectively handsome, but plain and there was something about his eyes that made me feel vulnerable. Like prey. My automatic response was to shy away from him and try to display my disinterest by not engaging in conversation. I’m not usually docile but I’m still getting used to my new place in the world. He clearly did not pick up on the cues. Or just didn’t care. He kept pushing, trying to get me to go out with him despite the fact I was clearly sitting down to enjoy a meal on my own. In the end I had to be firm.
My discomfort and frustration with the situation continued to rise as he kept trying to touch me. A soft touch to my shoulder, my arm. At one point he leaned down so close to me that I could smell the beer on his breath. I had had more than enough when he placed a hand on my thigh and told him with complete conviction that I was not interested and was not going to go out with him. The flash I saw in his eyes at the moment concerned me, it was cruel, predatory. Like recognizes like. I’ve spent my whole life as a predator and in that moment, I recognized that this man saw me as prey. Fortunately for me, being in a crowded diner meant that he had no choice but to return to his friends to avoid causing a scene, but I didn’t relax.
I’m so used to playing a part when I come to land, I very rarely act in a way that is completely authentic. I try to suppress my worry and the tinge of fear and fake a confidence that will hopefully convey that I am not weak or vulnerable. I focus on eating my burger, frustrated that it had gone cold and lost some of its taste due to my focus being elsewhere. I wasn’t going to allow myself to lower my guard, so I remained vigilant.
When I was finished, I left the diner, ready to return the little alcove on the beach that I had made my own. I walk towards the beach and after about a minute or two, I hear the soft footfalls of someone behind me. I tense and all my senses are on high alert. I pick up my pace and hear the person behind me do the same. I’m being followed and I suspect it is the man from the diner. It isn’t late at night but most of the people in town are gravitating to the main area of eateries and bars. Which means fewer people near the beach where I am heading.
“Oh sweetheart, why are you trying so hard to leave? We are alone now; you don’t have to pretend you don’t want me.” My instincts were right about this one. He is a problem. But I don’t know how dangerous he is. I ignore him but that makes him more irritated.
“Stop being a whore and leading me on. You can’t look at me with those ‘fuck me eyes’ and then play hard to get. I’m getting tired of the games.” This. Fucking. Guy. I was sitting in a diner trying to eat an orgasmic burger and he has the audacity to suggest I was giving him ‘fuck me eyes’? If anything, I was giving those eyes to the burger. The burger can satisfy me a hell of a lot better than I’m sure this guy would.
I weigh up my options.
I can run, but I don’t have anywhere safe to run to.
I can yell for help. But I’m still hesitant to draw too much attention to myself.
Or I can fight. I want to fight but I’m suddenly all too aware of how fragile my new body is. As a siren I had my teeth, claws, and spikes. All capable of causing considerable damage to those who intended to bring me harm. I also had my song, which on land was my main defense. Now, I don’t know what I have to defend myself with. I’m more vulnerable than I have ever felt before and for the first moment since meeting Vala, I wish I had my siren form back. He wouldn’t be so cocky with his heart outside his chest.
I’m afraid and unsure but I’m going to fight. I’m not going to let this man take what is not his. While I used to use my song to manipulate men, I never took from them the way this man wants to take from me. My fear turns to fury when I think about how this is something that he has likely done before. How many other women has he preyed upon?
I turn to look at him. “There you go sweetheart. I knew you couldn’t resist me for long. Are you done with playing hard to get?”
“Go fuck yourself,” I spit. Was it my best line? Probably not, but I am beyond pissed off now. The streetlights cast just enough of a glow for me to see his face. It’s contorted in fury.
“Why would I fuck myself when I can fuck you, you little bitch?” He growls as he starts towards me. I raise my hands in front of me and widen my stance for balance. I’m prepared to punch, slap, gouge, do whatever I can to ensure that he goes down and does not take me with him.
He grips my wrist tightly. His nails dig into my soft flesh, causing me to gasp at the bite of pain. I don’t get the chance to fight back because a shadow is launching himself at him from the side. Head down, he barrels into the predator pushing him to the floor. I gasp when the shadowed figure looks at me and the glint of sapphire eyes awakens butterflies in my stomach.
“Eagan,” I whisper. He looks at me only briefly before raising his fist and smashing it into Logan’s face. There’s a sickening crunch followed by a howl of pain and a low groan as Eagan unleashes. The smell of copper, a scent I am all too familiar with, fills the air.
“Don’t you ever lay a hand on her again,” he snarls.
Eagan hits him once, twice, before rolling off of Logan and leaving him whimpering on the ground. Eagan’s body is heaving as he sucks in air, his eyes a little wild and the droplets of blood stand out on his pale T-shirt. I notice the adrenaline leaving my body as I start to shake. It takes me a moment for my brain to recognize that I’m safe and relax my stance. I’m not sure what would have happened if Eagan hadn’t been here.
“Are you okay Kairi?” he asks.
“What are you doing here?” I reply.
He runs a hand through his tousled hair. I can’t help but be reminded about just how attractive I find this man. And I have to admit, the bloodied knuckles are a turn on. “I was at the diner and saw him bothering you. I had hoped that he would leave you alone after you turned him down, but I suspected that he wouldn’t let it go. I stuck around to make sure that he didn’t follow. And when he did, and I saw what he was about to do…” he trails off.
“You decided to activate full protector mode,” I finished for him. He shrugs his shoulders and looks sheepish.
“Well, um, yeah. I guess. I couldn’t let him hurt you. I wouldn’t let him hurt anyone. Guys like him are sick. Honestly, he deserves much more than what I gave him.”
“Is he okay?” I question, although I’m not convinced that I give a shit.
He nods. “Yeah, probably just a broken nose. He will have a pretty banged up face to go with his killer hangover tomorrow. He’s lucky it’s not a lot worse.”
Silence fills the space between us. It’s not awkward per se, but it is clear neither of us know where to go from here. I distract myself from the fear and thoughts of what Logan was going to do to me by running my eyes over Eagan’s body instead. The times that I have seen him, he was in the throes of madness from my song, his appearance was unkempt and disheveled, and the tinge of crazy was visible in his eyes. Nothing could have prepared me for how he looks under different circumstances.
He’s trimmed his facial hair down to a short stubble that I long to run my hand over. His hair, while still a little long, is styled. Well, I assume that it was, but the scuffle has slightly mussed it up again. I am also able to fully appreciate his physique. The muscles of his biceps that poke out from the sleeves of his t-shirt, the veins in his forearms. It takes conscious effort not to drool when I picture what is under all the clothes.
He clears his throat, and I am pulled out of my fantasy. Oops. I think he caught me staring. I raise my eyes to him and give him a flirty smile.
“Where are you staying?” he asks me. “I don’t really feel comfortable with you walking around alone right now even though this guy isn’t going to be a problem.” He looks over to the lump on the ground who expels a moan, reminding me that we shouldn’t stick around in case someone finds us. “Are you staying in the motel?”
“Oh. Well, no. I’m sleeping on the beach.” He looks at me incredulously.
“You’re what?”
“I’m sleeping in a small alcove on the beach. It provides shelter, it's warm enough and reasonably comfortable.”
“What about the money I gave you?” He inquires with suspicion.
“I want to make it last as long as possible because I’m not sure where I’m going to get money from after. The motel will eat into it too much. Food and other essentials are more important, and the beach is fine enough.” I respond, indignantly, to the suggestion that I wasn’t being wise with my money.
He shakes his head. “Fuck, it’s a wonder nothing has happened to you before now,” he mutters under his breath. “Sleeping on the beach. Fucking hell.”
“Hey, it’s none of your business. You wanted to be done with me, remember? I’m figuring things out okay.” He stares at me intently and I wither a little under his gaze. It’s starting to dawn on me that being out in the open while I sleep may not have been the smartest idea.
“I’m probably going to regret this, but I’ll feel guilty as hell if I don’t. I’m going to take you to get your things and then you’re coming home with me.”