Siren Blood (5 page)

             
Unless her father really was starting to lose his powers by denying it for so long. Plus, who was she to claim to be a witch when she was never properly taught. They both could’ve been wrong.

And they were wrong, because Adriana was back.

Maybe she isn’t Adriana.

The thought popped into her head.

But why wouldn’t she be Adriana?

She just isn’t.

This time, she couldn’t trust her inner voice, the same one that told her that she was meant to be with Domenico. How crazy was that? Domenico was like a brother to her. They cared about each other, but that was the extent of their relationship. Plus, Adriana was her best friend. She must be crazy to be thinking these things.

Maybe she just couldn’t handle the fact that Adriana was back a
nd how much Domenico still loved her. Was she jealous?

Domenico would never get Adriana out of
his heart. Maybe she did develop a tiny crush on him, but it was more like admiration. Domenico was strong, but vulnerable with his emotions. He was capable of devotion. His heart was bigger than anyone she’d ever felt. Once he found the right girl, he would stick to her, and that girl was Adriana. She should just accept it.

Could she really
be bitter that she would never have a chance with him now? Yes, she did feel cast aside. He would not need to ask her to stay and watch the sunset with him anymore. Domenico would never leave Adriana’s side now that she was back. They had grown close, but who was she next to Adriana? Just a gawky teenager with an unreciprocated crush.

She hated these thoughts. It was
incredibly selfish of her. She should be rejoicing in Adriana’s return, filled with joy like Domenico.

Mistico would just have to brush herself
of her own selfish feelings and her crazy theories.

…Or could Adriana
really have been back from the dead? She knew that necromancy existed, but neither she, nor her father, knew how it worked. Maybe his father did know. She would have to ask him.

Chapter Five

The sky got bluer, the trees greener, the sea lifted of its darkness. Domenico had never been this overjoyed. For a while, he’d doubted the existence of God, but now the faith had been restored as quickly as it had gone. Faith could get you everywhere, and he had prayed every night for the love of his life to return. He couldn’t imagine handling the death of another one of his loved ones. It would’ve turned his world into pure darkness.

Now that Adriana was back, he would keep his promise of
protecting her, cherishing her and loving her forever. He couldn’t wait to start a family with her, since their own family members had left before their time.

Today was the day that he would properly propose. He’d prepared a picnic, and he had baked the ring into the bread. His mother’s ring. She’d given it t
o him before she died, asking him to promise to give it to the girl he loved.

It was difficult for him to separate himself from Adriana in the evening, but after they become husband and wife, she would be able to live with him. She’d be the first thing he’d see in the morning and the last thing he’d see at night.

He’d taken Adriana back to her house the night before. The shock on her mother’s face Domenico would never forget. She looked as if she saw a ghost and she screamed and backed away, terrified. He’d looked over at Adriana, but she wasn’t concerned. She kept smiling and walking over to the woman, trying to embrace her. Her mother kept running away.

He had an idea of what she was feeling. For a mother to lose a child must’ve been just as ha
rd as losing a lover.

Adriana came in the door. He admired the lovely way she glowed, as if she’d swallowed fire. Perhaps she was even more beautiful than he remembered.
He wanted to devour every inch of her with his eyes, have her imprinted in his memory for good.
              He kissed her with passion. Her lips were a little cold, but it could’ve been from the breeze as she descended the house on the hill. She also tasted a bit like fish. But who was to say that Domenico didn’t taste like fish too? After all, it was their daily diet.
              “How did it go with your mother?” he asked.

“Oh, you know, she ended up crying the whole night.”

“That overjoyed, huh?”

“She certainly was
something.” She chuckled.

It was a new kind of laugh. Something higher pitched with a hint of mischief. He’d never heard her laugh this way, but perhaps she’d picked it up from the people she’d been living with for the past few months.

“She didn’t get upset again, I hope?”

“No,” Adriana said. “She’s fine.”

“That’s good to hear,” Domenico said. “She seemed to have calmed down before I left. Otherwise, I would’ve taken you with me.”

“Mother can be a bit much at times, but she and I are fine now.”

Domenico nodded. “I bet she was just relieved to have you back.”

“Precisely, darling.”

              Domenico noticed her temples were dotted with sweat.

“Are you hot?” he asked.

He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and began to dab at her temples.

“Maybe it’s this tight dress,” she said. “I’ll feel better when we’re out by the sea breeze. Oh how much I love the sea.”

She turned to the window and stared out longingly.

“Of course,” Domenico said. “I have everything ready. Let’s go.”

Little things were different about Adriana. Things that he would only notice after extended time apart. The way she walked. Her laugh. The way she stared boldly into his eyes instead of shyly. He knew he needed to adapt to it. But sometimes he got the feeling that something in her had greatly changed. Not by anything particular that she’d said or done. It was just a feeling. Something about her had shifted. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Just something he needed to get used to.

He took her hand as they walked. Her palms were sweaty and
burning hot that he had to unleash his grip. It was strange. Her lips were cold, but some part of her was hot.

“Adriana, are you feeling well?”

Her blue eyes widened.

“Why of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Maybe I’m just being overly concerned,” he said. “Or maybe it’s the heat that’s making you so hot. It’s just that your palm felt like it was on fire.”

“Oh, darling,” she cooed. “Maybe I’m just nervous.”

It was strange that she would pout. Adriana never used to pout or call him “darling”. She was way too demure and soft-spoken.

He spread out the picnic blanket on the sand. They found a quiet spot away from the fishermen who were coming back to shore. Domenico had taken a day off just to be with her. Gio deci
ded to take the day off too. Domenico wasn’t sure where and why Gio was going, but Gio wouldn’t offer an answer.

He’d made all of Adriana’s
favorite things: angel hair pasta, a cherry tomato salad. Adriana used to love to watch him cook. Her mother didn’t cook anymore and she had to fend for herself. That was how they fell in love. She used to come over and he and his mother, when she was still alive, taught her how to cook.

When Domenico spread out the food, Adriana didn’t comment at all. That was odd. She always made a f
uss whenever he cooked for her and shower him with compliments. She only glanced at it and her gaze reverted back to the sea.

“
Are you hungry?” Domenico asked.
              She turned to him and a wide smile stretched back on her face. The smile was odd as well. Almost fake. The eyes didn’t smile, just the mouth, the stretched-out lips revealing two rows of teeth.

“Sure, I am,” she exclaimed. “Starved!”

The way she looked at the food said the opposite. She looked like she wanted to hurl.

“Are you sure you’re not sick?” he asked. “You can tell me.”

She shook her head. “Maybe I’m just getting used to being back and I feel a little dizzy, but it’s nothing serious.”

Domenico was concerned. “You might feel better after eating. Here.”

He gave her a plate of the pasta.

“This looks real appetizing,” she said. “
Hmmm
.”

“I bet you haven’t had this in a long time.”

“No,” she muttered. “Never.”

She was supposed to take a fork from the blanket, but she did something else that was odd: she grabbed the pasta with her fingers and shoved it into her mouth.

She chewed for a long time, her lips stretched out to maintain a close-lipped smile.
              “This is delicious, thank you.”

“Did you learn to eat with your
hands recently?” Domenico asked.
              “Huh?” She was still chewing.

The old Adriana would’ve inhaled the plate in a minute.

“The old couple who took care of you didn’t like to use forks?”

“What old couple?” she asked.

Domenico grew really concerned now. Maybe Adriana did have brain damage.

“Oh!” she exclaimed. “The ones who took care of me. Why, they ate with their hands.”

He slowly nodded. “Okay. That explains it then.”

He ate his pasta with a fork and Adriana watched him curiously.

***

Maj was so sick of smiling. She
didn’t know how humans did it all the time. And being nice. Human affection and love. Calling him
darling
and
my love
. How nauseating. Almost as nauseating as the plate of what he called food that he tried to feed her.

It used to be so simple. As a siren,
all they had to do was sing and the man would be wrapped around their fingers. How did it come to this? Everything about being a human was hard. Their bodies weighed so much. It was nothing like being out in the ocean – the freedom of swimming anywhere she wanted! It was only a few days, but she missed being out in the water so much.

She hated walking, those rigid human legs that she had to maneuver. It took her forever to travel. How did humans even run with such things?

This girl’s body was cold at first, but she was burning up, thanks to the demon’s spell. All she wanted to do was to rip off this detestable dress and plunge into the cool waters.

Instead she had to sit here and make eyes at a human that she couldn’t even eat, consuming vile human food instead. What was it, some rubbery dough? She’d rather eat a tuna fish.

She couldn’t bear another bite. If she were to have her way, she’d lay Domenico on the sand and use the fork and knife that he was so fond of to carve out pieces of his flesh and meat. She heard that humans often used fire to cook meat, so she would have to try that too.

She salivated at the thought of it, and couldn’t wait to get married. On their wedding night, she’d tie him to the bed and begin roasting him.

Which meant the sooner she got him to marry, the sooner she’d get to taste him.

For now,
she couldn’t resist kissing him. She got to lick him and get a taste of what was to come. That damn demon would destroy her if she did something more.

She pressed her face hard into his. At first he was taken aback, but he pressed in too. She slipped her tongue insid
e his mouth. Unfortunately he still had the taste of human food and she slipped her tongue back out. She kissed his face, his neck, his chest. His shirt got in the way, so she ripped it open and licked down, tasting his nipples, his chest hairs.

             
“Wow,” Domenico exclaimed. “When did you get so wild?”

             
“I could eat you,” Maj said.

             
“I missed you too, but people might be watching.”

             
It was too hard for her to stop. She nibbled at his flesh, sucked and left hickey marks all over his chest. She so desperately wanted to draw his blood to her lips.

             
“I really want you,” she muttered.

             
“I want you too.”

             
He struggled, but succumbed to her touch, although he seemed to be in pain. The stupid guy had complained earlier about her skin being too hot. Let him burn. She grabbed him in all the hard places, squeezing him everywhere, hoping he’d let out at least one yelp of pain.

All of a sudden she pulled away, breathless.

“I can’t sleep with you,” she asked. “Until after marriage, of course. Then we can make all the love we want.”

Domenico looked confused. He looked at her strangely for a few seconds. Then he pulled out a piece of bread from the basket.

“Break it,” he said.

She didn’t know why, but it might’ve been some strange human ritual. She pulled the bread in half. Something fell from it.

It was a ring. A diamond bulging from its outer surface.

“Adriana,” he murmured. “I’ve wanted
to marry you the moment I set eyes on you. Please do me the honors of being my wife.”

Maj snapped her head back and cackled. Wasn’t that how humans displayed their joy?
By laughing.

“Yes! Of course I will. This is really the happiest day!”

              “My mother gave this to me before she died,” he said. “I think she always knew I would give it to you. I’m telling you because I want you to know that that’s how long I’ve wanted to marry you.

Domenico
slipped the ring on her finger as Maj pretended to beam. Indeed the diamond did look pretty. Maybe this wasn’t a bad gig if she had this pretty little thing. For the first time all day, she smiled for real. Domenico would soon get a lovely ring of his own.