Voices of the Sea (16 page)

Will didn’t bother to respond. As soon as she shut the car door, he peeled out of the driveway and raced dangerously down the street like a wild animal. Lora stormed into the house and slammed the door behind her. She stopped in front of her mother’s picture.
Why
? she wondered, hoping somehow her mother could answer her.
Why does Will have to be such a complicated person?
She missed the easy-going days of friendly banter, of reliance on one another. Those days were gone, leaving troubled times and restless nights in their wake.

Lora wondered if she could remain friends with Will if she continued her relationship with Ryan. The idea that their friendship might be ruined bothered her more than she cared to admit, for both men meant a great deal to her. She couldn’t choose between them, but lately, Lora was realizing that the two men would never be friends, and it broke her heart.

She could hear whispers from the ocean, giving her advice, perhaps, but it sounded too distant for her to hear clearly. Slowly, very slowly, she grew used to the sounds. For so long the ocean had only sung different melodies to match her mood. The myriad of voices she could hear now, combined with the ocean’s songs, were distracting. If she concentrated, however, Lora found she could almost make out the meaning of the song.

“Lora?”

Her father’s voice floated downstairs, and she called back in reply. Lora glanced around and felt a brief sense of disappointment when she didn’t see Ryan, but shoved the feeling aside and bounded up the stairs to see her father. He sat on the bed with his laptop, his eyes narrowed and focused on the content before him.

“Daddy?” she said as she entered the room. “What are you looking at?”

On the bright screen, she saw a faded newspaper clipping with the words “Tragic Accident Claims Family of Four” in bold letters at the top. Lora leaned forward to examine it more closely.

Tragic Accident Claims Family of Four
November 1, 1947

The Mason family, prominent members of the Portland, Oregon community, died last night in a tragic fire that engulfed their home. Mary and Richard Mason, along with their two children, Diane (4) and Joseph (8), were sleeping when the fire started. Emergency officials were unable to extricate the family from their home before they succumbed to smoke inhalation.

Although the cause of the fire has yet to be determined, officials have found no evidence to suspect foul play. A neighbor of the Mason family claims to have seen three men, dressed in dark colors, lurking around the perimeter of the home the night before. Police were called, but the mysterious perpetrators were not found. Despite the supposed suspicious activity, the fire department has determined a lit candle inside the house caused the accident.

The article continued, but Lora had read enough. “You think the Sons of Orpheus did this?” Lora asked.

“The Masons were a well-respected Siren family up and down the west coast,” her father replied. “My father often talked about the Mason family who lived in San Francisco in the 1960s. I remember the wife, a well-respected doctor in the community,” he continued. “They never mentioned this killing, but it sounds like the Sons of Orpheus found their ancestors in Portland.”

Lora shivered, unable to stop staring at the picture of the Mason family. The children reminded her of the Haynesworth children. They had the same innocent faces, the same trusting eyes, as if nothing in the world could hurt them. The Sons’ cruelty never failed to shock her. “They’ve been hunting us for a long time, Dad,” she said, taking a seat on the chair behind him. She could still see the smiling family on the screen, and she closed her eyes, trying to eradicate the image from her mind.

“I’m seeing a pattern,” he said. “What information do we get about the Sons of Orpheus from this article?”

She leaned forward, reading the words carefully.

“They killed the family with fire,” she said. Her father nodded, but he obviously searched for other, more important, information. As she continued to read, an idea occurred to her. “There were three of them,” she said.

Her father put up his finger. “Bingo,” he said. “I’ve been checking out a lot of these articles and many of them mention two to three suspicious individuals who were lurking around before the ‘accidents.’” He used his fingers to accentuate the word, emphasizing its irony.

“Show me,” she said.

Together, they read through close to thirty articles they found on the Internet, searching for similarities, desperately seeking some information that could give them an edge over their enemy. After several hours, her eyes were tired, tearing up, burning with exhaustion. Sometimes it was hard to tell if the victims were Sirens or not, but she agreed with her dad. A pattern emerged. Most of the time, when Sirens were killed, the deaths appeared to be accidents, and witnesses may have noticed suspicious individuals beforehand. However, the police had difficulty finding enough evidence to prove foul play, which told her the Sons of Orpheus were very clever.

At six o’clock, Lora stretched and rose from her chair. “I need to get ready,” she said, rubbing her eyes, tired from staring at the computer screen. “I have a . . . meeting. With Ryan.” Her father barely glanced up from his laptop.

“Have fun,” he said. “And be careful.”

Lora nodded, picturing the ocean in her mind. “The sea will protect me,” she answered, recognizing full well that the sea offered minimal protection.

Despite her trepidation, the prospect of seeing the ocean excited her. It lifted her up the steps two at a time as she made her way to her room to change. Her meeting with Ryan may not be a date, but she couldn’t stop squirming with inappropriate fantasies. The mere speculation of him made her quiver with anticipation. The sea, its song, and Ryan. She could not imagine a more perfect combination.

Chapter Eighteen

F
rom the moment she opened her bedroom door and saw Ryan standing there, her feelings for him deepened. Her heart beat faster. Though her mind told her to take things slowly, she felt complete with Ryan next to her. Finally, they would be alone.

“Hi,” she said, feeling a bit shy at first. “I didn’t hear you come home.” He wore dark jeans, a casual checkered button down shirt, and brown flip flops. He radiated sexy. Every inch of him—sexy. Ryan’s lips curved upwards and the sea sang in jubilation, a direct mirror of her feelings for him.

He leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “You are beautiful,” he said, his lips brushing her ear as he spoke. She shivered with delight.

Overcome with a sudden impulsiveness, Lora clasped his hand and pulled him down the stairs and out the front door, toward the car. “Let’s go now.”

“Wait,” he said, laughing as she dragged him behind her. “It’s still light outside. We should wait until it is dark so no one can see us. Why don’t we grab some dinner first? Then we can go to the ocean together for the first time.”

Immediately, the ocean’s song changed, as if waiting for the moment they would arrive. The song was a complex, haunting tune. Even the dark clouds could not diminish the beauty of its sound.

“Do you hear it?” Ryan asked her, stopping to glance in the direction of the sea, though it could not be seen beyond the eucalyptus grove.

“I do,” she said. “She wants us to come.” Lora had never heard this song from the sea before, and she wondered what would happen when they were finally alone before their Mother Ocean, when they stood together before the water. She’d heard stories before of the ocean blessing Siren unions, but had never witnessed this personally. Lora stole a glance at Ryan. Did fate intend for Lora to spend the rest of her life with him? Could the ocean really perceive their union this early?

Yes, she decided. It could.

Searching his strong face, his black eyes, she believed what her heart whispered.

It was a short drive to the restaurant, a small, family-owned Italian place called Vito’s. Lora had been there only once before with her father, on her fourteenth birthday. The restaurant’s atmosphere, perfect for an intimate, romantic dinner, had dimmed lighting, candles, and tables tucked away from the busiest areas of the restaurant. The waiter led them to a table in the back, next to a small window facing the rain-soaked street.

She tried to read the menu, but couldn’t concentrate on the words. Lora could only focus on her proximity to Ryan. She could feel his eyes on her, smell the salt air on his clothes.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

Lora nodded emphatically. She’d eaten nothing since breakfast. “Very,” she said, finally focusing on the menu. She ordered a chicken dish with a delicious description. After Ryan ordered, the waiter removed their menus.

“Tell me about you,” Ryan said, leaning forward to take her hand.

“What do you want to know?” she said.

“Everything.”

Lora laughed. “That would take a really long time. Narrow it down for me.”

Ryan let go of her hand and sat back in his chair. “All right,” he said. “Tell me about your childhood. Were you happy?”

“Mostly,” Lora said. “When I was really little, I remember being happy all the time. My best memories are playing at the beach with my parents. They loved me so much. But they loved each other, too, and I always felt safe.” The waiter arrived with their drinks, and she drank a sip of water.

She remembered being a small child, running and hiding among the cypress trees in her yard while her father chased her. She remembered racing through the sand to Devin’s house, baking cookies, swimming in the ocean on warm days. The bad memories so often managed to push away all the happy ones.

Sensing her mood, Ryan sat up. “I’ve lost you,” he said. “What are you thinking about?”

“My mom,” she said. “Losing her was . . . hard. She is a huge part of my good memories, but it’s hard to think about her without feeling sad at the same time.” A woman at the table next to them laughed loudly, breaking her daydream. “I still miss her.”

Catching herself, she remembered everything Ryan had been through recently. “I’m sure you miss your parents too. It happened so recently.”

Ryan took a deep breath and his hand caressed his forehead. “Yeah,” he said. “About four months ago.”

How could she have been so callous? The Sons eliminated Ryan’s entire family, stole them from him, and she’d been talking of her own sorrow. “I’m so sorry,” she said, squeezing his hand. “I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“No,” Ryan said. “I don’t mind talking about it. To you, at least.” He picked up his soda and took a sip from the straw. “I guess their deaths weren’t a huge shock. The Sons of Orpheus moved quickly in our clan, killing everyone within a month. I didn’t expect to survive, actually. I wake up some days and have to remind myself I’m still alive.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, again. Her eyes stung, and she looked down at the table. Lora wished she could take away his hurt and sorrow. She wished she could wash away any despair he suffered at the hands of the Sons of Orpheus. But in a way, they were the same, she and Ryan. Sad children whose parents, or parent in her case, had been taken from them too soon. She couldn’t get over the pain. Instead, she learned how to handle it. To accept it as normal.

“Their deaths weren’t your fault,” she said, stroking his hand with her thumb. “They must be so glad you survived.” She let her eyes travel over his body as she spoke, unable to ignore his lean, muscled arms or his strong brow.

Ryan raised his head. “Have you heard them?” he asked. “When the ocean speaks to you, do you hear them?”

Lora shook her head. “I don’t ‘hear’ them the way you might think. I can sense the spirits whispering, but I can’t distinguish any voices. And I never met them, so I wouldn’t know what to listen for.” He regarded her tenderly, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze from across the table. “But if the power ever changes, I’ll tell you first,” she told him. “Maybe someday the voices will become clearer.”

Their waiter brought their plates, and they both attacked their food. Several minutes of silence passed before either one began to talk.

“Were you happy growing up?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he said. “I hated moving, but my parents loved me a lot. They might have been afraid of being discovered, but they never tried to keep me from being a Siren. We went to the ocean all the time. I still feel safest when I’m near the sea.”

“Mmm. Me too,” Lora said, nodding. “There’s no place I would rather be.” She ate another bite of her food. It tasted warm and delicious. “What were your parents’ talents?” she asked.

“My dad played the fiddle. My mom played the harp.”

Lora sighed. “Oh! I love the sound of a harp. I bet she played beautifully.”

“She did.” His voice rang full of sad memory.

“I wish I could have met them,” Lora said. “They sound like wonderful people. You were very lucky to have them.”

She saw Ryan swipe away a tear. His loss still felt raw. Four months ago his life had been entirely different. Now, she couldn’t imagine her life without him in it. The Sons of Orpheus were horrible monsters, but they had brought Ryan to her.

They arrived at a remote area of the beach as the sun descended behind the water and night enveloped them. The electric sand under her feet sent currents through her body. Ryan held her hand. A thick fog swirled around her with every step, but she could feel the energy which surrounded them as they closed in on the ocean together—stronger, more powerful than by themselves. Ryan was the catalyst. The sea’s whispers grew stronger until they were no longer whispers but chants, singing in her head, calling her forward. Calling them both forward.

“I can hear it,” Ryan said, tightly holding her hand. “When I touch you, I can hear the ocean speaking, but it’s never spoken to me before. I’ve only heard the ocean sing.”

Lora rested her head against his shoulder. “It only speaks to Guardians. Which is a shame, because the ocean’s voice is such a beautiful sound.”

Ryan nodded in agreement. “It is beautiful,” he said. “But some of your clan would say your voice rivals the oceans'.”

“That reminds me,” she said as they continued toward the water. “What is your gift?”

“I sing,” he said, staring out at the dark water before them.

This surprised Lora. Most male Sirens played an instrument. Very few of them were able to entrance with their voice. “You’re a rarity,” she said. “Eric is the only other male Siren I’ve met who sings.”

Shrugging, Ryan nodded. “I’ve never met another one, either, besides Eric.”

Hearing this news only strengthened her convictions that they were a good match. She wasn’t like most Sirens, either. Having Ryan near made her regard herself in a new way. He made her feel unique, not strange or weird.

The ocean’s chanting grew stronger and louder as they drew closer to the water, and a gusty wind swept her hair around her shoulders. The wind again billowed around her, but this time she could feel the magic it contained, sent from the ocean. It thrashed around the pair with a powerful force that made Lora catch her breath. She heard Ryan do the same.

“Amazing,” he whispered, moving so his body pressed against hers. Lora closed her eyes and began chanting along with the sea, matching its rhythm and passion. Her body tingled with the power growing within her breast until she trembled, filled with the ocean’s spirit. The salt sea air circled around them, whipping her clothes and her hair. It grew stronger. The ocean’s passion flowed between their joined hands; Ryan’s presence fed her gifts. She already felt stronger.

The wind still soared around their bodies as the chanting continued; then slowly, very slowly, she raised her hands and felt the ocean do her bidding.

Like a giant maelstrom, the ocean water became a wall in front of her, growing in size as it joined the wind, circling around the pair. The water created a towering cylinder of black surrounding them. Ryan gasped at the powerful tornado of water. With outstretched fingers, he touched the sea wall. The ocean’s chanting grew louder and louder, until it resembled a chorus more powerful than the roar of the heaven. The tall wall of water astounded her, magnificent and majestic, the most amazing sight she had ever seen.

The water lowered to the ground and pooled at their feet. In the water, a dim glow started and then intensified. Golden light traveled from the water to their feet, bathing the two of them in its radiant glow. The ocean said her name one last time, whispering three final words, before retreating from the beach, the glow subsiding.

As the wind died down, the ocean’s chanting ended, and the beach returned to its calm state. When the water had again settled, Lora turned to face him.

“You are a goddess,” Ryan said with heavy breaths. “I’ve never met anyone so powerful.”

But she hadn’t possessed power like this before. Although she could control the sea in some ways, and although it spoke to her, the unfamiliar energy which flowed through her body tonight felt much stronger.

Lora remembered what Devin had said to her long ago, soon after her mother had died, when Lora could barely leave her room in the morning. “The power is within you,” Devin had said. “But no Guardian is complete on her own, for each must have a counterpart.”

As she remembered the conversation, the last words the ocean said to her made perfect sense.

Είστε υποχρεωμένος. “You are bound,” it had said.

“It was you,” Lora said, facing Ryan. “You gave me the strength and the energy. Devin told me I needed a counterpart, and promised my counterpart would open the Guardian’s door. That’s why I started hearing the clan after the meeting on Silas Weatherby’s boat. It’s you,” she said again, staring at him with large eyes, soaking in every inch of his face, trying to memorize this moment.

Inside, she felt the bonds forming between them, the bonds of a Guardian who has found her counterpart. Her strength grew; she could feel a new connection to her clan, feel their wants, their needs, their sorrows and joys, despite the distance between them. It was not as she had imagined it would be. The feelings were there, and though she couldn’t discern individuals with perfect clarity, she finally understood how Devin seemed to know what was going on at all times. All doubt in her abilities washed away, leaving her refreshed and renewed. Devin had described this moment to Lora so often, the moment Lora had feared would never come, the moment which permanently changed her.

Ryan made the change. Their destinies were one.

Ryan put his cheek against hers. “I’ll give it to you as long as you want it,” he whispered to her. “I’ll give it to you forever.”

Lora’s heart leapt at his touch, and at his offering, as her body tingled with a deep longing. Ryan’s lips met hers. They were soft at first, but grew with increased passion as they pressed against hers. Lora drank in his scent, his taste, wanting more. The ocean’s water lapped around their feet, filling her body with electricity, blessing their union.

Breathless, Lora pulled away, smiling with swollen lips. “We are bound forever,” she said, for there was no doubt, no hesitation. Not anymore. Though Lora had met him only two months ago, she was confident she and Ryan’s fates were intertwined. Her deepest core told her they would remain together for the rest of their lives. The sea had united them as counterparts for eternity.

Will sat on her front porch as Ryan pulled his car into their driveway. Lora’s heart grew heavy within her.

Ryan frowned. “What is he doing here?” he asked.

“He’s one of my best friends,” Lora said, “and he doesn’t know you very well. Will is probably just being protective.”

“He doesn’t need to be protective,” Ryan said as Will stood and stormed toward the car. “You have me to take care of you.”