I snarl and stalk towards him. Within seconds, the half-hearted effort becomes a real game. I chase him around the house, refusing to give up, staying right on his trail.
“You have to always find me,” Lirin whispers. “I can’t fix it and make it work. I don’t know how, but I can’t not see you. So, you have to remember that when you can’t see me, you have to find me.”
And then, he just disappears.
I turn in a huge circle, wondering if the beetle left some remnants of poison in them and is lingering and making them insane. Reed kisses me, and Lirin doesn’t want me to go. What does that mean?
My stomach tenses, and I get this horrible foreboding. Something terrible is going to happen. I know because everything I've ever loved has died. I’m not allowed to have good things. Those are for other creatures. I’m not allowed to be happy.
My mum dying was one thing, but every creature that I managed to befriend died, too. Most often, it was Deux, but sometimes, it was something else. I am always hunted.
I don’t want the Sirens to be hunted.
I don’t want to see them dead.
Aren’t they my enemies? I hate them. They rejected me, they chose another.
But she’s dead, I killed her a long, long time ago. Can they have another mate?
One kiss does not a mate make, I remind myself.
I huff and crouch down, stroking my claws along the carpet. Wondering where in the house he led me and why this room smells strongly of Ronit.
I shouldn’t be in here. Ronit would be a terrible Siren to meet in the dark. His brand of anger is aggression, and he is not happy with me, not in the least.
How do I know that? That’s a strange insight to have with no basis. I try to think, but I get lost in the smell of him. When the door opens, Ronit walks in and sits in a chair right in front of me. My muscles tense one by one as I wait for him to speak.
“You saved us all yesterday, Mei. I didn’t listen, and I went into danger, and I let the others down.” He exhales like he’s in pain. “I was arrogant, cocky. I wanted it done, and I underestimated the enemy. No, don’t interrupt; I know it was my mistake. Thank you, Mei, for getting us out. It was unexpected, and I am very grateful.”
He sounds angry and cold. I long to creep closer to feel his skin or his body and see if it’s really as hard as his voice is.
“Did…did I do something wrong?”
Ronit exhales roughly. “No, Mei. I’m angry with myself, I almost got everyone killed.”
“You didn’t know. Bugs are dangerous. Even in Nightmare, everyone avoids them. They are feared.” I trail off, not sure what else to say.
This is awkward.
I would rather he tried to kill me or hit me or something.
“Well, um. Yes, thank you.”
I stand up and step back, but he’s passing me, and we collide heavily. I crash against something, end up bent over with him collapsed on my back. The door opens.
“Well, then, I didn’t know it was like that,” Diablos giggles. “I thought you hated each other?”
Ronit snarls, and it has me trembling, like light bugs dancing in my belly. When he’s up, I put the entire room between me and him, needing the space, wishing the heat that has filled me would go away.
“I know you think you’re funny, Demon, but enough is enough. You cannot just walk in here and-”
“I have a job for you-”
“Absolutely not,” Ronit snarls in fury. “Mei is just recovering. We are not doing any jobs or risking her until she’s back at one hundred percent.”
“Why do you care?” Diablos says with a laugh.
I wince.
