Chapter 36
Njall
River’s legs straddled me while her mouth devoured mine.
I tried to buck her off, to twist my head away, but my arms were bound behind me, and River's grip on my face held me in place. Talia crawled up behind me and sang softly into my ear. I closed my eyes and tried to drown her out, but the melody was alluring, and it weaved its way into my mind like a drug. In a minute, I felt a haze settle over me, as though I'd downed an entire flask of ale. River’s lips moved to my neck, and Talia’s hands roamed across my chest. A raw hunger stirred in me as I strained against the ropes, desperate to reach out, to touch.
As I struggled to free my hands, River bit down on my lip and pulled it away from my mouth. The sirens giggled. Sliding off my lap, River bent down to unclasp my trousers while Talia alternated between singing softly to me and nipping at my earlobe.
River’s claws scratched my skin as she tugged my pants down, and I hissed. My cock sprang from my underwear as she pulled them off and tossed them aside.
“He certainly has it where it counts,” Talia murmured, her breath hot against my neck.
“Yes, he does,” River purred, her claws tracing my inner thighs, making my entire body buck in surprise. “Think he tastes as good as he looks?”
A voice in my head tried to protest, but Talia's song drowned it out. River lowered her mouth onto my cock. I moaned loudly as the siren’s tongue ran up my shaft before she swirled it around the head.
I wanted to let out a cry, but Talia turned my face toward her and stuck her tongue into my mouth.
Her song echoed in my head until it felt like it was coming from inside me.
River released my cock from her mouth. Nothing I did would have stopped my body responding to them.
Between their song and soft touches, I was lost. River's voice cut through the haze, something about needing it more, and the next thing I knew, Talia was lowering herself onto my rock-hard cock.
River took up the song, her voice weaving in and out, while her friend gripped my shoulders.
The song grew louder, and it was as if they could read my mind.
Every move and stroke felt like exactly what I needed, as if they could read my thoughts, anticipate every twitch of my body.
My skin felt as if it were on fire, but there was a coldness spreading within me, a strange, unsettling contrast that I couldn't explain. It was as if they were stealing my heat from me, but that couldn’t be.
Talia moved faster as she slammed into me one more time. The song crescendoed, and, unable to hold back any longer, I burst with a force that left me gasping. River stopped singing, and Talia let out a satisfied moan before pulling away.
“Good boy,” she said, reaching out for River's hand to steady herself as she got off of me.
As the song’s influence faded, I felt a wave of disgust and twisted to my side, retching. The sirens just laughed. Coral's sharp voice cut through the sound, ordering them to pack up if they were done with me.
After they’d dressed me again, the trio moved with the finesse and speed of an army that had trained together their whole lives.
I watched in awe as they cleared away their belongings and stuffed them into their rucksacks, scattered sticks around where there were none, and even gathered a pile of leaves to soak the fire.
They would leave no trace of what had happened.
While they worked, I looked for a way to free myself from the ropes that were cutting my flesh.
I hadn’t felt it during their siren song, but now my wrists felt raw.
I cursed myself for not stealing one of Elva’s daggers when we were at the cabin.
The only sharp rock was by the fire. Before I could make a move, Talia grabbed two burning branches to use as makeshift torches, and River and Coral doused the fire with the leaves, plunging us into darkness.
“Get up,” Talia ordered, and when I didn’t move fast enough, Coral grabbed my bound shirt and yanked me forward. I stumbled as I struggled to regain my balance.
River slapped me across the face. “Idiot male,” she growled, revealing a row of razor-sharp teeth. If I tried to run, and they caught me, it wouldn't end well.
I nodded, and then the tall siren turned her back to me and walked across the clearing toward the darkest part of the forest. I was forced to follow, with my heart hammering in my chest. Goosebumps erupted along my arms from the chilly early morning air.
It was a half hour of walking until I dared speak. “Where are you taking me?” I asked.
“Back where you belong,” Coral replied.
I had a feeling she didn't mean Tyndorf. Before I could ask, Talia clarified. “You’ll be joining those useless male sirens back in Huestur. The guards were more than happy to pay us a small fortune if it meant not having to keep searching for you all. The king has offered an exceedingly generous reward to whatever group of knights brings you back.”
“And a bonus if they provide the creatures who helped you escape,” River added.
“What about Elva?” I asked, despite knowing the answer. “She is the one who released me. Isn't she worth more?”
“Turning her in is against the siren warrior code,” Coral replied. “Her brother- and brother-in-law are fair game, but we fought alongside her, and many of us owe her a life debt.”
“But you’ll take away the one she loves.”
River cackled. “You?”
“Sindri,” I replied calmly. “I don’t think she’ll take kindly to you handing her brother over for a few gold coins.”
“Try a thousand,” Talia snapped. “Each.”
And now I knew my price, and why Elva's was higher. The danger of taking a siren was significantly larger.
A large steel sword hung from a worn leather scabbard on Coral's hip. Talia wore a sheath for her daggers similar to Elva’s, but hers was on her hip rather than across the chest. The jewels on the hilts of the daggers sparkled in the light from the torches.
River had a dark leather whip hanging from her right hip, while on the other side was a quiver of arrows that had seen better days.
Her bow looked almost new, gracefully slung over her back.
These women were likely as dangerous as any group of my father’s men; it was clear that capturing one would command a steep price.
Knowing the prize the guards were offered made me wonder why they hadn’t offered the peasants more, but likely they were being paid for information rather than apprehending us.
Lost in thought, I stumbled over a large tree root protruding from the ground and blocking our path.
Coral swore under her breath and crossed the ground to pull me to my feet.
Just as we turned around, we heard a crack behind us.
Everyone froze, and Coral’s grip on my shoulder tightened painfully, but I bit back any sound.
A low growl echoed from the woods. The warriors quickly drew their weapons and formed a circle around me, brandishing them.
“Pay attention, ladies. We're not losing our cash cow to some wolves, got it?” Coral said.
“Understood,” Talia and River replied in unison.
As we all scanned the tree line, I spotted a pair of glowing yellow eyes watching us from the darkness.
“There.” I pointed as best I could with my shoulder since my hands were bound behind me.
River acted swiftly, and before I could even process what was happening, she'd fired an arrow toward those menacing orbs.
A loud yelp echoed through the woods, followed by the sounds of snapping sticks as the creatures fled.
For a moment, we dared to think the danger had passed.
Another snap broke the silence, and River’s unease was palpable as she whipped her head around to inspect every angle of the forest. She grabbed Coral’s arm and whispered urgently to her, but Coral pulled away, shaking her head.
“Just stop it,” she hissed. “The faster we move, the faster we’ll lose her. ”