11 Order

The circus was destroyed; there were many dead bodies of the onlookers and coven members. Tabatha calmly walked out of her tent when she saw the destruction. The witch heard the chaos but didn’t leave her hiding spot since she knew the creatures would go after her; she also didn’t have enough manpower. Walking through and seeing the destruction made Tabatha’s blood boil; her creatures escaped. “Sister Tabatha.”

“Bethany, did all of my monsters escape?”

“Most of them, but a few were captured since many can’t swim or fly.”

“And what about my favorite pet?”

Although Tabatha looked calm and collected on the outside, Bethany knew that the coven leader was fuming. She could feel her anger even from afar. “Unfortunately, he escaped. We shouldn’t be surprised since he can fly.” The siren was her favorite of all the creatures in Tabatha’s collection. Bethany felt that Tabatha had an unhealthy obsession with the siren since they discovered it. The siren was a legendary creature that was truly out of their world. “However, I am certain that we will find it.”

“If you are trying to save your skin, you are wasting your time. I-”

“Sister Tabatha.” The women stopped as they noticed Jovan walking toward them. “I know you are angry that your pets escaped, but all is not lost. I have two people who know the culprits.” He turned and motioned a group of six coven members to walk forward. The group dragged two people and threw them on the ground in front of Tabatha. “Their names are Zachery and Kahlua; they came with other people who looked suspicious.”

Kahlua and Zachery were gagged; their hands and feet were tied. They also looked beaten up as they trembled. Tabatha glared at the duo, standing before them and kicking them across the face. “Did they talk?”

“We didn’t interrogate them yet. They were trying to escape and we wanted to await your orders.”

“And where is Othalia?”

“Grr, right here.” Everyone noticed the young woman walking toward the group. They were surprised to see her injured, but Othalia didn’t complain about the pain. Othalia was considered the masochist of the coven; she enjoyed inflicting and gaining pain. “Those bastards did us good; they escaped the island.”

Tabatha’s hands turned into fists, but she eventually calmed down, and a smile formed on her lips. “Well, it shouldn’t be a problem. I doubt that whoever did this doesn’t live far.”

“Well, they could be tourists. Don’t you think we need to act fast, just in case?” asked Othalia.

Jovan cleared his throat. “Sister Tabatha, if I have permission to speak?”

Tabatha’s smile never wavered as she waved her hand. “I think it is best that we leave this island. Some of our guests were able to escape this island, and there is a possibility that law enforcement will arrive on this island. We must go to the nearby island to plan our next steps.”

“Yes, you do have a good point. Those who were killed will be called missing, and we can’t afford to get caught. Jovan, I will leave you in charge of these two, and I want you to get the names of the others who arrived with them. Bethany, give the order for all our belongings to get packed.”

“What of the bodies?”

“Keep a couple; fresh meat is needed to feed my pets that will return to mommy. The rest need to be disposed of. We will leave by tomorrow afternoon.”

Bethany and Jovan bowed as Tabatha went back to her tent. “Take the two away and prepare them when we leave,” Jovan ordered the coven members, who took the duo away.

Othalia didn’t look too pleased. “Hmm, Sister Tabatha always gives you all the fun. I could get the information out of those two in seconds.”

“Yet, you let those who let go of the creatures escape. You are not as intelligent as you think.” Bethany rolled her eyes. “Now that I mention it, if you hadn’t let them escape, then we could have gotten rid of them without difficulty. Now, we have to find those fools.”

Without warning, Othalia grabbed Bethany by the neck, tightly squeezing her. Her face became deranged, which would make a grown man fear for his life. “You damn bitch! Do you think you can do better!? How about I show you that I-!” Othalia couldn’t finish her statement as Jovan roughly and violently grabbed her by the neck and pushed her down to the ground. The young witch was surprised by the suddenness; she eyed Jovan, who merely looked at her with an emotionless expression. They looked at one another until Othalia slowly stood up and giggled. “My, my, you know how to handle it rough.” She slowly licked her lips while slowly walking toward him. “Is that how you handled our sister in bed? You couldn’t please her enough since she seems tired of you.”

Jovan looked indifferent. “Jealous that you could never get her attention? As Bethany mentioned, if you could get off the fools, we wouldn’t have to waste time trying to find them.” He lifted one of his eyebrows. “You’re losing your touch.” He noticed that Othelia bit her lower lip so hard that blood drips flowed down.

“Hn, don’t think this is over, Jovan. You may be Sister Tabatha’s pet, but I know you’re hiding something and I’m going to find out what.”

Othalia marched away, leaving Bethany and Jovan alone. “You didn’t have to get involved, Jovan.”

“We shouldn’t fight amongst ourselves. I was merely stopping the situation before it got out of hand. You know how she gets when she gets crossed.”

Bethany shrugged her shoulders. “She is nothing more than an immature, sadistic child. Anyway, we must prepare to get out of this island.” Bethany began to walk the opposite way but stopped as she glanced at Jovan. “Be careful, Jovan.” She left while Jovan stood and thought about his following actions.

12 Troubled

The boat ride back to the main island was intense, but everyone was silent. Everyone was tense and trembled in fear. Danae was in pain due to her fall, but she was relieved that she and her friends were able to escape the island. When Danae got out of shock, they realized Kahlua was the only one missing. She looked at Malia, who sat silently; her eyes said it all. “Malia is Kahlua…?”

Malia exited her trance-like state; her arms and hands were around Danae. “While you were gone, we disagreed, and Kahlua went to mope somewhere. I don’t care what happened to her and that freak.”

No one said anything, not even Makoa. Danae was a little surprised, but she thought it was for the best that he said nothing. The young woman didn’t want to be too cruel, but she believed Makoa faulted guilt-tripping everyone to the circus. After tonight’s events, Danae knew that no one would be the same; the trauma was too intense. Makoa drove the boat to the pier, and to their luck, no one was in attendance. They didn’t want anyone to see their current state. Once the boat was parked and secured, Malia and Akamu assisted Danae off the boat while Makoa went off to get his vehicle. “A-Are you guys going home?”

The siblings looked at one another, and with their look alone, they agreed. “We wondering if we could crash in your place for a while. Malia and I don’t want to be by ourselves.”

“Understandable. I also don’t want to be left alone with Makoa. I want someone else to be there so I won’t say anything stupid. We all went through hell.” Makoa eventually arrived; the siblings assisted Danae into the vehicle. “Hey Makoa, they asked if they could stay with us for a while. I told them that they could.” Makoa merely nodded in agreement; Danae looked at the siblings. “We’ll see you there.”

When the door was closed, Makoa drove away from the pier. The two noticed the siblings getting inside their vehicle. Danae and Makoa said nothing throughout the ride home; they wouldn’t even look at one another. Danae was thankful for the silence. She didn’t know what to discuss, even if she wanted to speak. While on the road, she was happy to see the small city; it made her feel safe. However, some of her felt that something wasn’t right; she didn’t know why.

The two arrived at their home moments later. Makoa exited his vehicle first and assisted Danae to their apartment. Once inside, Makoa helped the young woman to her room so she could rest. “Thanks.”

Makoa nodded but said nothing as he stood beside her. The silence made Danae uncomfortable, and when she looked at him, his eyes were emotionless. She wondered if Makoa was still in shock. When Danae was about to speak, Makoa beat her to it. “I-I’m sorry.”

His words were unexpected. “Makoa?”

The young man slowly began to pace back and forth as he ruffled his hair. “I know what you all feel, and you’re all right. I shouldn’t have pressured you all to go to the event with Kahlua. I would have never imagined that something like this could happen. Especially what we…witnessed.”

Danae couldn’t believe that Makoa had apologized. She knew him to be not only to be a helpful man but also a prideful man. Makoa was the type who didn’t like to apologize even when he was wrong. Her thoughts were interrupted when there was a knock on the living room door; Makoa went and opened it. Akamu and Malia arrived, and they went into Danae’s room. With the room fully lit, Danae could see the tiredness and stress in their eyes. When Makoa reentered the room, he sat on the small sofa; everyone was silent.

Everyone didn’t know what to say. What could they say? Danae put her hands together and looked at everyone. “I-I know that we’re all still trying to process what happened in that circus and I know that we’re all scared.”

“Scared? Hell, we’re not scared; we’re terrified and traumatized! How could we live on normally after what we saw!” Malia covered her face and scrunched it up a bit. “I’m scared that those murderers will come after us.”

“That is a possibility,” said Akamu. Everyone immediately looked at him. Akamu hid his expressions well, but deep down, he was terrified. He knew that there was the possibility that they would be chased after. “I don’t want to scare you all, but we saw what they look like and what they have done. They will not let us go easily.”

Danae bit her lower lip as she took a deep breath. “H-He’s right. I-I also let the creatures go.”

Then, everyone’s focus was on her. “You did what!?” yelled Malia. “Are you crazy!? Why in the hell would you do that!?”

“Look, it was the only way! Besides, one of the circus workers gave me the key to free. He told me that the others knwe about us.”

“So what you are trying to say is that one of those freaks isn’t technically evil?” Malia asked.

“Well, I’m not entirely sure, but if they were truly evil, then they wouldn’t help their victims. There’s also a possibility that the guy who helped me, maybe wants out.”

Malia huffed as she scratched her head. “Even if he did what he did, it doesn’t change the fact that you let go of those things go! We saw what they were capable of! How do we know that those things won’t hurt people public!?”

Danae froze; it was something that she didn’t think about. She was so preoccupied with escaping that she forgot what the creatures could do. She then remembered the miserable looks on their faces and thought of the possibility that they were forced to kill. “Look, whoever those people were will probably focus on searching for those things. The creatures looked very important to them. Think about it, those people may know how we look like but they don’t know where we live.”

“If they do? What then?” asked Akamu.

“Then, we need to fight back. I think we should go to the police.”

“Are you crazy? Do you think that the police are going to believe us? Either way we did nothing to stop the murders; we might get charged.” Makoa and Malia began arguing with one another.

Danae sighed as she massaged her forehead. “Okay, enough, both of you!” The two stopped arguing. “We all had a terrible day and must rest to decide the best course of action.” She looked at Malia and Makoa, who glared at one another.

Akamu motioned his sister out of the room. “We’ll sleep in the living room.”

“I’ll give you guys some blankets.” Makoa turned off the lights in Danae’s room. Danae turned on her lamp that dimly lit the room.

She didn’t feel like sleeping in the dark; she was scared. While dozing off, she noticed a shadow outside her window. Danae gasped as she turned toward the window; there was nothing. “Snap out, you’re just scared, that’s all.”

While Danae was about to lie on her bed and try to sleep, the male siren stood on a tree branch near her apartment. He let out a sharp smirk.

13 Appearance

Danae stood by the ocean shores as the moon lit the night sky; her almost see-through white dress flowed with the calm wind. Her hair flowed mid-air as she enjoyed seeing the soothing ocean waves. While watching the ocean waters, a sound was heard from afar. Danae slowly turned around to see where the sound was coming from, but nothing was seen, only rocky hills and the city from afar.

The sound got louder and louder as if someone was singing. The young woman stilled as she heard the singing; the voice sounded familiar. “It-It can’t be…” She wanted to run, but as the singing got louder, her body felt weak, but she also felt a sense of euphoria. Her mind and body felt as if they were floating on clouds. Her legs were feeling wobbly. Her mind was going dizzy, and she lost balance. Her eyes fluttered, trying to stay awake. Danae thought she would fall on the soft sand, but it didn’t happen. A strong arm held her waist, refraining her from falling. The singing stopped, and the euphoric sensation slowly died down.

To her shock, Danae slowly opened her eyes and saw someone familiar. “You-”

RING! RING! RING!

“Gah!” Danae breathed heavily as sweat formed and dripped from her neck and forehead. She looked around her surroundings and realized that she was in her room. The young woman was slowly sitting up from her bed and felt her body sore and in pain. The pain, however, was not as bad as the previous night. “That dream.” Danae looked at her phone on the cabinet beside her bed; it kept ringing. She turned it off and turned on the television to keep her mind off last night’s events. Nothing was on, but she left it on the news to see if something was out of the ordinary. A knock on the door interrupted Danae’s thoughts. “Y-Yeah?”

The door opened, and Malia entered; she wore clothes from the previous night. It was noticeable that there were bags under her eyes. “Hey, Malia. Couldn’t sleep?”

Malia walked in and sat on the bed with Danae. “No, it was hard to. Also, Akamu’s snoring made it ten times more difficult.”

“Can’t blame you. Are Akamu and Makoa still asleep?”

“They went to get some breakfast; no one feels like cooking. However, we need some food to keep our strength up.” Malia folded her arms together; she bit her lower lip. I heard you talking in your sleep; it seems you were having a nightmare.”

Danae massaged her forehead. “I-I don’t know if it was even a nightmare. I was standing in front of the ocean and I heard singing.”

“Singing?”

“Yeah, it sounded so beautiful that I felt my body lose strength, and I felt an immense feeling that I never felt before. Everything felt so real.”

“Well, that sounded like some dream. Y-”

Malia couldn’t finish as she and Danae heard something from the television news that caught their interest. Danae got the remote and raised the volume.

“Breaking news! The body of a female university student was found dead at a park near the University of Hawai’i Maui College! The body was found at 5 a.m. by a man who was having his morning jog with his dog! Upon arrival, police said that the victim suffered a brutal death as she seemed to have been mauled!”

The women sat still, and it seemed as if their hearts skipped a beat. Danae felt her lips tremble; a person was dead. “M-Malia, do you think that…?” Glancing at her friend, she noticed her friend slowly turning pale.

On the news, it switched to two police officers standing in front of a podium; they had grim expressions. It looked as if they were troubled by what they saw.“The body of the female victim was found brutally mauled in the morning hours of 5 a.m. However, it was found that the victim became deceased around 2 a.m. We want to inform the public that we will use all resources and all the manpower that we have to find who is responsible! We also recommend that everyone walk in groups and not go out alone at night!”The news eventually ended as the newscasts spoke about how to be safe and more.

Danae and Malia sat silent, trying to process what they heard. “D-Do you think it was those people?” asked Malia in a silent voice.

“I-I don’t know, Malia.” She scratched her head. “I-I also released those creatures, and they could…” Danae didn’t want to think of the possibility, but she couldn’t let it go entirely. “It’s my fault…”

Malia got the remote and turned the television off. “L-Look, we don’t know exactly what happened, so we can’t jump to conclusions. When the guys come back, we can talk about it.” She stood up. I need to take a shower. Since you and I are the same size, could I wear some clothes? I’ll clean them and return them to you when I return home.”

“Sure, go ahead. Take what you need.”

Malia got some clothes from the closet, walked out of Danae’s room, and went to the restroom. Danae was alone and decided to move her body to gather her strength. Her body released soft cracks; her muscles were sore, but it didn’t stop her. As she stood up, a loud thud was heard on the roof. Danae stilled; the noise sounded loud. “Akamu, Makoa?” No one answered as she walked close to her room door, and the shower was heard running. “What is wrong with me? I’m just stressed out.”

Then, there was a loud bang from one of her windows; it was opened. The cool morning air entered, making the room cold. “Wh-What the hell!? Wh-Who is there!?” Two hands with long nails were seen through the curtains. A low growl was heard as the figure entered the room. Danae struggled to breathe and speak due to the shock. The figure fell to the floor and let out a soft groan. “N-No way…th-the siren…”

The siren looked at his surroundings until his eyes stopped at Danae; he let out a sharp grin.

14 Siren

Danae and the siren were face to face. The shock overwhelmed Danae; she didn’t know what to think or feel. The siren’s look didn’t waver; he moved his head sideways like a pug. “Y-You? H-How did you find me?” The siren’s grin widened as he slowly stood up. That was when Danae realized that he was nude and was able to see his body, and…she let out a squeal and covered her eyes. “Y-You’re naked! D-Don’t you have clothes on!?”

The siren looked amused with a hint of confusion as the young woman covered her eyes when she looked at him. He looked down on himself and realized that she might’ve felt embarrassed seeing his body. The siren chuckled as he touched his slightly muscular body. “You look,” he said.

Hearing him speak made Danae still with surprise. She slowly uncovered her eyes; the embarrassment of seeing him nude went away. Danae still kept her distance and tried getting off her bed. Her body was still in slight pain, but it was tolerable. “Y-You can talk?”

The siren raised an eyebrow, but his look didn’t fade. “I talk.”

Danae knew little about sirens, but she read enough to know that they tend to lure victims with their beautiful melodies. She never read that they could make a speech, but the possibilities were endless. “You can also understand me? I-I thought you came from Greece.”

The creature nodded again, understanding her. “I learn.”

It was silent between them again; Danae didn’t know what to think or feel. She could hear Malia taking a shower but was afraid of her reaction if she saw the siren. That was when she remembered what she saw in the news: a female victim was killed. There was the possibility that the coven may have done it to get revenge or to send a message. However, Danae thought it wasn’t entirely possible since they didn’t know which island they lived in. Other creatures were freed and escaped. If that were the case, there would have been more victims. Her blood turned cold when she thought of the possibility that it was the siren had something to do with it. She thought about calling the police, but the siren was powerful and could use its melodies to control anyone. “Y-You learned? How?”

The siren’s grin lessened, and his eyes darkened as he let out a low growl: “B-Bad humans.”

“C-Can you talk in longer sentences?” Danae noticed how he moved his head sideways again; it was adorable to her. “I guess not. H-Hey, I heard in the news that a woman was…killed. W-Would you happen to know anything about that?”

The siren looked confused but then began to walk toward her. Danae tried moving away from him but didn’t look where she was going, so she fell onto her bed. The siren looked unbothered and continued to walk toward her until he stopped before her. A smirk paved the way on his lips as he licked them when he saw her. The siren lived alone in the mountains and was the only one of his kind. He had watched human roam and live their lives. The siren couldn’t help but be intrigued by how humans have changed. However, he also realized how dangerous they had gotten and steered clear of them; many of his kind were killed by humans. Yet, the siren couldn’t deny that he would get lonely and desired to have a mate by his side.

He couldn’t forget that Danae was the one who set him and the other creatures free. She was the only human who had shown him kindness. That was when he knew right then that Danae was meant to be his. The siren then slowly crawled on top of Danae while licking his lips. The young woman stilled when she saw the handsome creature seductively on top of her. His eyes were filled with lust and passion. She looked down and noticed his penis getting erect; veins were forming. Danae had some experience in bed, but the siren had an impressive body; he almost looked like a Greek God.

Danae’s thoughts were interrupted when she felt him touching her. His right hand went under her shirt, feeling her skin. The young woman gulped; his hand was cold but felt rough and strong. A pleasurable chill went through her body; her body wanted it, but her mind told her it was wrong. “S-Stop!” The siren did so. He looked confused as Danae sat up, moving further from her. “You need to go. M-My friends are coming soon and they might get scared if they see you.” The siren understood her but didn’t look pleased as he growled, showing his sharp teeth. Danae was afraid for her friends’ safety and didn’t know what the siren was capable of; she couldn’t take the risk. “I-I want you safe. How about this? We can see each other tonight by the ocean?”

The showerhead was heard turning off; Malia finished showering. The siren noticed the stressed look on Danae’s face. He understood that someone else was in the room. He also understood that Danae wanted him by the ocean. “You go?”

“Y-Yes. I will go at night! So please go outside!” Danae pleaded.

The siren nodded as he got off the bed and approached the window. “You, ocean. Night.” He jumped and flew away, letting out a soft gust of wind in the room.

Danae ensured that the siren was nowhere to be seen and sighed in relief. “Hey, Danae, are you okay?” asked Malia as she entered the room wearing the new clothes.

“Huh? Oh, yeah. I was getting some exercise. Th-The guys will be coming with the food soon.” Danae tried to contain her composure; she couldn’t tell anyone what happened. She also couldn’t believe what she would meet with the siren. However, there was no other option in her eyes. Danae felt that she had to convince the siren to leave her alone so no harm could be done to him or anyone else.

15 Interrogation

The island of Hana, which was still part of Maui County, was known to have many resorts and private homes since it was close to the beach. Also, there was a ton of nature, and many private homes had their land and privacy. The Hidden Shadows Coven believed it was a good hideout since they could find a temporary residence in the private home of a millionaire and his family. The private home looked like a traditional Japanese home with clear or black windows; many doors led to many rooms. On the outside was a long rectangular pool with some chairs, tables, and an oversized garage that could be mistaken as a small home. The house also looked modern and futuristic, surrounded by wilderness far from the nearby cities. The family who owned the house also had a hiking trail.

The millionaire was from Japan and the CEO of a company. However, the CEO didn’t take his wife and children; instead, he had his mistress with him. The CEO lied to his family that he was going on a business trip, but it was nothing more than a lie. Unfortunately, every action had its consequences. The Hidden Shadows Coven arrived at the home where Othalia, Jovan, and two other coven members entered the home, found the CEO and his mistress having sex, and killed them on the spot. When the cost was clear, the rest of the coven members were given the thumbs up to enter the large home that could fit them and all their belongings. Othalia, who was covered in blood, sat in one of the four sofas in the main living room. “Ah, now that was a bit of a thrill. To think we would catch an old fart fucking with a golddigger. Well, at least I ended her misery of having her last unpleasurable fuck.”

Jovan stood by the most extended sofa where Tabatha sat. “You need to be careful with your language, Othalia. When Sister Tabatha is present, you need to…”

“Blah! Blah! Blah! You always try to speak so maturely in front of our sister. When are you going to realize that-”

Suddenly, a wine bottle was thrown toward Othalia, who barely dodged it; it collided with the white wall. Everyone in attendance flinched at the sudden action. Tabatha was the one who threw the bottle, but her facial expression was composed. “Enough, both of you. If you don’t shut up, you will become my pets’ new food.” Othalia was slightly surprised but thought it was best not to press the issue anymore. Jovan also kept silent and had a straight face. Deep down, he knew that Tabatha was not in a good mood. Some creatures were still on the run, especially Tabatha’s favorite, the siren. “Tell Bethany to bring the prisoners.”

Jovan looked at one of the coven members guarding the door and went outside. Everyone waited patiently and quietly, not daring to make a sound. Moments later, screams echoed from outside, begging to be set free. Bethany entered the house first, looking annoyed. Then, four coven members entered, holding Kahlua and Zachary into the house with black bags over their heads. The two were dropped on the floor before Tabatha. However, coven members surrounded the two to ensure they wouldn’t try anything. The black bags were taken off their head, which gave the two a clear view of Tabatha and the coven members; fear overwhelmed them. “P-Please let us go! We did nothing to you!” begged Kahlua.

“I beg to differ. My coven informed me that your friends caused all the destruction of my circus and set my pets free. Since you are friends, you are just as guilty as they are.”

Zachery shivered as he saw everyone, especially Othalia, covered in blood. “Th-Those p-people weren’t MY friends! She brought them to the circus! I am the innocent victim here! It’s more of this bitch’s fault!”

Kahlua’s eyes widened as she looked at him. He was blaming her so he could be set free. She thought Zachery was different from the other men she dated; she was wrong. Another wrong guy was chosen. Kahlua was getting sick and tired of being hurt by men. ”Why can I just get a guy to stay and like me?”she asked herself. “You were the one who lied to me and my friends! You said that this event was special and was going to be fun! You never told us that something like that would happen, or we would have never come by!” Kahlua looked at Tabatha. “The one who should be blamed is him! If he enjoyed those things, he could have come by himself!”

“You bitch! You were the one who told me that you were into the things I was! You even said that you’re friends were also into it! If you told me the truth, I wouldn’t have invited you all!”

Othalia rolled her eyes. “Geez, both of you are stupid. You guys belong together.”

Zachery looked at Tabatha pleadingly. “I have always watched your shows, and I never missed them. You and your coven always bring meaning to my life! The people you massacre in your shows bring me so much pleasure and joy! Unlike her, I would never betray you! She would say anything to be set free!”

Tabatha glared at them both and sighed. She slowly got up and walked to Zachery. “Now, I remember. You are BloodyHound666 from my online shows. Now, I remember. You always make generous donations and make quiet requests for my victims.” The witch smiled. “I appreciate that you have watched my work.” A sense of hope filled Zachery, believing that he would be set free. “However, you were the one who brought these bastards to the island. You believed this bitch and her lies. You are still one of the reasons why my pets escaped.” Tabatha snapped her fingers; the male coven members grabbed Zachery and forced him to stand. “Although all your donations and fandom are appreciated, you were still the one who brought them all.” She looked at some of her coven members. “He’s good meat; feed him to my pets.”

The male coven members dragged him toward the door, and Zachery pleaded for mercy. His screams echoed throughout the house, making Kahlua’s ears hurt. “What about her? Can I kill her?” asked Othalia.

Kahlua began to cry as Tabatha eyed her. “No, we will keep her alive.” The witch knelt before Kahlua and motioned her face to look up at her. “If you don’t want to be fresh meat for my pets. You will take us to your little friends. If you please me enough, then I might consider let you live. Do you understand?”

“D-Deal.”

Tabatha smiled. “Good, we need to make plans before making our move.”

16 Plans

Akamu and Makoa finally returned with bags of breakfast, which they put on the kitchen table. Danae and Malia went on with the men where the food was being unpacked. The women sat as they each got their food box, but Danae didn’t feel hungry. She was still in shock at seeing the siren again. The young woman hoped that she would be able to move on and forget the trauma she had seen and went through. However, the siren found her and knew where she lived. Escaping it wouldn’t be an option. Then, she remembered the news she saw of a woman being killed.

Did the siren kill her, or was it the coven?

All Danae knew was that she was scared of what might happen next. “Hey, Danae, are you okay? You look thoughtful.” asked Akamu.

“Huh? Oh, uh, yeah. Sorry, it’s just that I have a lot on my mind. We’ve all been through a lot and I can’t help but feel scared.” Everyone was silent, and no one could tell her not to feel her sentiments. However, the truth was that Danae was worried about meeting the siren. She could not go to the beach and hope for the best. If she didn’t, then there was the possibility that the siren would come back and find her, maybe worse.

“Guys, we saw in the news that a woman was found dead; she was mauled,” stated Malia.

The men stopped what they were doing when they heard about the victim. “M-Malia, I don’t think-!”

“Danae, they have the right to know! It’s all over the frickin’ news! It was either the coven or those monsters that were released! We can’t be sure, but that shows we’re in danger!” Malia massaged her damp hair. “Everything is going to hell!”

“Malia, you need to calm down! What’s done is done. Right now, we have to stay low and stay together until we find out what’s going on,” said Akamu.

“He’s right. First, we must find out if staying here would be safe. Remember, we don’t know if Kahlua and that bastard are still alive,” Makoa said. “If they are alive, then we don’t know if they were able to escape or captured.”

Malia scoffed as she paced back and forth. “I doubt they escaped. Kahlua is a coward at heart and that bastard would aboneded her to save himself.”

“That can be true, sis, but if Kahlua was captured, there is a possibility that she would tell those murderous psycopaths where we live.”

Silence reigned again, and Danae looked down on her food and debated whether or not she should tell them about the siren. Ultimately, she decided against it, or else they would involve themselves in her troubles. The young woman would meet the siren and tell it to go home, and hopefully, it would be done. “I-I agree. W-We need to move out of here as soon as possible. It would only be a matter of time before we hear something again.”

Everyone looked at one another and nodded; Makoa decided that he would be the one to find another place to live since he had some connections who worked in home retail. Everyone agreed. The day was going smoothly and without trouble, but they ensured to have the television on to see if there were any new updates. Makoa was in his room looking for new apartments or homes for rent; he sent emails and made calls. Akamu and Malia returned to their apartment to pick up their stuff. However, Danae was researching siren mythology in her room and laptop. Sirens were considered bird-like creatures with alluring voices and were usually female. Not only that, there were confusions of sirens being mermaids.

Either way, Danae felt that she had to inform herself before she met the siren. Then, she typed the dreaded question: What do sirens eat? Google wasn’t much help since it spoke about mermaids and flying creatures, so the answers were mixed. However, some answers had similarities, such as fish and some human food, but there was also the possibility of human flesh. A shiver went down her spine, but Danae felt the siren wouldn’t harm her. He had the opportunity to do so when he found her. There was a possibility that he felt indebted to her. Danae kept researching until 6 p.m.; Akamu and Malia finally returned with all their stuff, making Danae turn off her laptop.

The young woman couldn’t believe that time had passed so quickly; she hadn’t even eaten lunch. “It’s time that I go before it gets dark.” Before going out, Danae got her woven bag where she put some clothes and pepper spray, just in case. Once done, she walked out of her room with her woven bag on her shoulder, where she saw the siblings with bags of their belongings. You guys are back. Did you get everything that you need?”

“Almost, but we need certain things to get the today. The apartment manager was shocked at the suddenness of us moving out, and he was pissed. Either way, our lease was going to end in a couple days,” said Malia.

Suddenly, Makoa got out of his room; he looked tired. “Hey guys, sorry, I’ve been researching some places and not many places open close to us since many foreigners want to move here.”

“Don’t overstress yourself, Makoa. Apartment managers always want those with money to rent places. If we need to rent on another island, hell, we can do so. We still have some time. Hey Makoa, can you help us get the rest of our stuff back? Some of it is heavy?” asked Malia.

“Yeah, sure, afterward, we can get an early dinner. I didn’t even eat lunch.” Makoa looked at Danae. “Are you coming with us?”

“Oh, uh, I wanted to go to the grocery store. We’ll need a bit more food since there are more of us here. Don’t worry, I will make sure to go to the more crowded store and will come home as soon as I can.”

Everyone nodded; the trio went off, leaving Danae alone. She looked over the curtains to ensure they had left. When the coast was clear, Danae exited the apartment, locked it, went to her car, and drove off. The sun was slowly going down, and it terrified her; she would put herself in a vulnerable position. However, Danae took deep breaths as she lowered the windows so the cool air could soothe her. There wasn’t much traffic toward the beach since it would be too cold. It took ten minutes until she parked her car in one of the many parking lots on the beach. Once parked, Danae sat silently, contemplating situations and what she could do if something went wrong. That was when she realized something; she didn’t know what side of the beach they would meet.

Danae face-palmed herself. “Great, now it will think I broke my word. I still need to try.” She exited her car and walked toward a small wooden bridge leading to different paths. One led to the sands of the beach, the second to the cliffs, and the other to a longer path toward another side of the beach. She decided to go toward the cliffs; Danae thought sirens liked high places.

Unknown to her, a swift sound echoed in the skies, and she noticed Danae walking toward the cliffs above the ocean waters. She sat on a wooden bench far from the edge when she got to the cliffs. Danae sat on the bench and waited; every second felt like torture. Many questions ran through her mind, and she wondered if she should walk around and search for it. The young woman was so preoccupied with her thoughts that a soft gust of air shifted down the dirt path; it was a figure.

When it took its first step, a couple of rocks crunched, making Danae flinch and turn around. Her eyes widened when she saw it.

The siren finally arrived.

17 Name

The siren and Danae were face-to-face; the ocean currents echoed as they hit the cliffs. The siren moved his head sideways like a pug. It was adorable to Danae, but she knew how dangerous he could be. “H-Hello, there. I-I see that you are doing well in freedom; I hope.”

The siren smiled as he slowly walked to her. Danae had the urge to walk away from him, but she didn’t want to express fear for him to react. “You here. You came.” He stopped in front of her but ensured to give each other space; he then reached out and touched her hair. The siren noticed her flinch; he thought he was hurting her but gently played with the bottom parts of her hair. It was as if he was showing that he meant her no harm. “No hurt.”

Danae felt her heart beating rapidly when the siren touched her hair. She wondered if he had other intentions. However, the young woman didn’t want any misunderstandings between them; she knew that she had to get the siren to leave. “H-Hey, it’s nice to see you and that you are okay. Where do you live? Your home?” It was difficult to know if the siren understood long sentences. Danae decided to use short sentences to see if it made it easier for him to understand.

“Home? Cliffs. Rocks. I fly.” The siren smiled. “Home here. I like it. I like you.”

“Oh…uh…” Danae was speechless, and her fears intensified. He liked her, but she hoped it was not the romantic way. “I like you. You friend only.” She was trying to find the right words to say, but her eyes went down, and she noticed that the siren was nude. Danae reached inside her bag and motioned for his clothes. “You wear this. It’s cold outside.”

The siren looked at the clothes, confused. That was when he realized that Danae wanted him to wear it but didn’t want to. “Me no cold. Me keep warm.” The siren backed away as he motioned out his arms, which changed into bird wings; feathers slowly formed on his body. The lower part of his body turned into bird-like legs; his feet almost looked hawk-like. “Me warm.”

Danae’s eyes widened as she was processing the sight. She had forgotten that the siren was an actual legendary creature, and it was something she wasn’t used to. The silence reigned between them, but the siren still kept his features. “So, uh, what’s your name?”

“Name? Me no have name. Your name?”

“Oh, my name is Danae. So, you never had a name?”

The siren shook his head. He understood parts of what Danae was telling him. However, he never had a name. It was uncommon among his kind, but he couldn’t deny that names intrigued him. That was when he thought of an idea. “You give me name.”

“Y-You want me to give you a name?” The siren nodded as he put his arms down; he smiled and looked intrigued. Danae didn’t expect any of this to happen. She hoped to get the siren far from Hawaii, but it seemed that the siren had no intentions of leaving since he liked her. Danae wanted to scream to him to leave but felt she had to play it cool. “Well, I’m not good with names but since you’re a siren, your name must have some sort of meaning.” The young woman was thinking of many names, but the names she knew were of her native tongue and were of the indigenous Hawaiian people. “The one, I think suits is Keanu. It means ‘cool breeze over the mountains.’ Do you like it?”

“Me like it. My name Keeenuuu.”

“It’s Keanu.” Danae felt bizarre that she named a legendary and deadly creature. However, she couldn’t forget that…Keanu was still a dangerous creature. She gathered her courage and walked closely to the siren. “K-Keanu, I need to tell you something.” Keanu looked curious as Danae gathered the courage to approach him. Usually, humans run away in fear when they see his proper form. “You need to leave. Leave Hawaii. Never come back.”

Keanu raised an eyebrow and moved his head upward. “Me leave?”

“Yes, you need to leave. The bad people might be coming. You are in danger.” Danae didn’t know if the coven would come after them, but it was possible. She also didn’t want Keanu to follow her and her friends.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the siren growl. His teeth were apparent, and he wasn’t happy. “Me no go. You here; I here. I like you.”

“Look, you can’t stay. You, me, and my friends are in danger. My friends and I are going to move away. I just came here to warn you.” Danae was about to walk away, but Keanu blocked her using one of his wings to block her. “What are you doing?”

Danae saw that Keanu wasn’t happy. “You no go. You go with me.”

The fear intensified in Danae, and she realized that Keanu wouldn’t let her go. If she tried hard to escape, the situation would intensify. There was another option. “Keanu, I can’t go. Not yet. I need to help my friends. I need your help.” She noticed the siren calming down and looked confused. “I’m scared of the bad people. I’m scared that they can hurt me and my friends. They can kill us.”

“No kill you. You safe with me.”

“I’m scared of bad people. They might come here. You want to help me?”

The siren slowly walked to her and lowered his wing. “Yes, me help you.”

“Thank you. I need to go home. We meet again tomorrow night. Here. Okay?”

It was silent, and Danae hoped the siren would be okay. Her heart was beating with anticipation. “Okay. You come here, tomorrow. I keep you safe.”

Danae sighed in relief. “Yes, Keanu. I know you will. I will see you tomorrow. I promise.” She slowly walked around Keanu, and when she noticed he hadn’t stopped her, she walked quickly to her car, turned it on, and drove away. When driving far enough, Danae let out a low scream. “I-I can’t believe I did that!” She was trying to calm herself, but the stress was overwhelming. It scared her that Keanu had feelings for her, and it would be difficult to get rid of him. Not only that, the coven would be after her and her friends. Danae hated to admit it to herself, but she regretted letting the siren and the other creatures out. When he sang the melody, she wondered if she was lured to do so or if she thought it was a good idea to distract the coven.

It didn’t matter anymore.

The young woman knew she couldn’t hide the situation; she had to tell her friends the truth. There was no other way.

18 Decisions

Danae was trembling while driving back home. “What have I done?” she asked herself repeatedly. The young woman didn’t know why but felt it wouldn’t be the last time she would see the siren, no, Keanu. Danger lurked for Danae and her friends if they stayed in their apartment. Danae drove faster, almost hitting other cars, but it didn’t matter to her; she was scared.

The drive felt like an eternity, but Danae eventually arrived home, and the lights were still on. When she parked her car and got out, Danae ran and entered her apartment. Once the door was closed, Akamu, Malia, and Makoa stopped doing what they were doing. Makoa was in the kitchen, finishing his dinner, when he noticed Danae breathing heavily by the door. “Woah, Danae. What happened? The others and I were worried about you. Malia tried calling and texting you, but you didn’t answer. We thought something bad happened to you.” Akamu and Malia were outside in the small backyard having drinks when they saw Danae return.

Malia ran inside, worried. “Damn it, Danae! Where the hell were you!?”

The group noticed that Danae looked gaunt and afraid. It was as if she had seen death itself. They also noticed that their friend was trembling. Danae slowly looked at her friends and tried to speak, but her throat was dry. The urge to cry was imminent, but she contained herself; she took deep breaths. No one said anything; they knew something was wrong, but they waited until Danae regained her composure. Eventually, the young woman calmed down as she looked at the group. “I-I-I messed up.”

The group looked confused, glanced at one another, and then focused on Danae. “What do you mean that you messed up?” asked Akamu.

Danae hesitated to tell her friends the truth but didn’t want to hold secrets as Kahlua did. “I-I met with the siren.”

Silence reigned. The trio’s expressions were emotionless; they were letting in the information that they were told. Then, Makoa laughed; his laughs echoed in the room, but when he noticed that Danae’s demeanor hadn’t changed, he realized it wasn’t a joke. “Wait, you’re serious, aren’t you?”

“It seems that the siren knew where I lived and it…came into my room.”

“WHAT!? That thing came here and you said nothing!?” asked Makoa. He was fuming that Danae kept it from everyone. The young man was also terrified that a dangerous creature was close to them.

“It’s not like I asked it to follow me! I’m scared as hell, too! I barely convinced it to meet me by the beach!”

“Why would you do that!? That siren monster kills!?” asked Malia.

Danae wrapped her arms around herself. “If I hadn’t then you all would’ve been put at risk. I was able to speak with it?”

“It can talk?” asked Akamu, looking intrigued.

The young woman nodded as she paced back and forth, trying to calm her nerves. “It can speak a bit, but it can understand me fully. I’m scared, you guys. The siren was hellbent that I go with him.” Everyone looked shocked. They noticed that Danae was about to melt down, but Malia went to her friend, hugged her, and tried to comfort her. “I-I shouldn’t have released him and the other creatures. We’re being hunted left and right!”

“Calm down, Danae. If you hadn’t then we would’ve been killed by those serial killers. Either way, we would’ve been found out and been in danger. What happened had happened.”

Makoa calmed himself down, realizing they were all in danger, but Danae was worse off. “Okay, we need to think of a way to escape this situation. All I know is that we can’t stay here for too long. It will be a matter of time until that siren or those people will find us.”

“So what do you propose?” asked Akamu.

“It’s not the best of plans but first we need to get out of this place; we’re not safe here. We have to hide somewhere where the siren or those killers won’t find us. Something that is unsuspecting.”

Everyone was quiet and became thoughtful. Then, an idea hit Akamu. “You know, there are empty millionaire houses that are just left unattended. We can hide in one of them.”

“Are you crazy, bro? Those houses must have security and other forms of security.”

“They do, but you know that I have hacking skills and I used to work as a security guard for many of these rich houses. I also still have contact with some of my acquaintances still work there. Whenever these owners weren’t at home, we used to sneak in the houses, hangout, have food and drinks.”

Everyone looked surprised. Akamu was known to be the most serious member of the group. “I never thought that you would do something like that. I’m surprised you were never caught,” said Malia amusedly.

Akamu cleared his throat. “Well, I always wondered how it felt like to live in a rich house. Also, it’s just as I said, I have hacking skills where I am able to disable the security systems. What do you all think?”

The group looked at one another. Danae took a couple of deep breaths to soothe her fear and stress. “O-okay. I think that is a good idea. However, how will we know which house is safe for us to hide in?”

“I can make a few calls to see which ones are available. Meanwhile, it’s best that we start packing the things we need. When we’re inside one of the houses, then we start planning on our next move.”

Everyone agreed, and everyone began to get their bags and pack. However, unknown to them all, Keanu was standing on top of an electric pole and watching their friends through one of the windows. The siren growled when he saw Danae close to males, and he didn’t like it one bit.

19 Taken

The group made haste as they packed everything to leave the apartment. Danae was afraid of what would unfold. She couldn’t shake off the feeling that the siren would find her wherever she went. If that were the case, the rest of her friends would be in danger. When she was done packing on what she thought was necessary, Danae contemplated whether or not it was a good idea to go along with her friends. She and everyone went through a lot after witnessing innocent people being murdered, and the thought of her friends being killed became too much for Danae. Her thoughts were interrupted when there was a soft knock on her door; it was Makoa. “Hey Danae, we packed everything that we needed. Akamu is still making some phone calls but I think that it won’t be too long until he finds one.”

Danae nodded as she said nothing. However, she looked toward the window where it was dawn, which made her feel slightly at ease. “C-Can we really escape from them?”

Makoa flinched, raised an eyebrow, and slowly walked toward Danae. He noticed how tense she was. She was scared, he knew, but Makoa couldn’t shake off the feeling that Danae was going to say something that would cause a stir. He slowly sat beside her and looked at her. “Danae, what’s in your mind? I can’t shake off the feeling that you are keeping something.”

It was silent between the two. Danae knew that she wouldn’t be able to hide anything from Makoa. He was a man of the heart and could read people. “We all have seen the dark side of humanity and have seen things that we thought were just stories. Why did it have to be us to see these realities?”

“I don’t know, Danae. Sometimes, I can’t help but feel that things happen for a reason. It sucks that we were the ones who have to deal with this but I know that we will overcome this.”

“You sound so sure, Makoa. I’ve always admired that about you, but I’m unsure if we can overcome this this time. We have never dealt with this kind of people before. Let alone creatures that kill.” Danae shook her head as she clenched parts of her hair. “I made the situation worse by letting out those creatures, that siren.”

Makoa knew that Danae felt that she had a blame for releasing the creatures. “You released those creatures because you felt their pain and sadness. Those things suffered at the hands of those psychopathic killers. Those people are the true monsters; they’re worse than those creatures.”

The two remained silent. Makoa hoped that he had lessened Danae’s fear and guilt. “Thanks, Makoa.”

“Hey, it’s no problem. You know that you could always talk to me. If I am to be honest, I also feel guilty for making us go with Kahlua to that circus. I always tried to see the good in everything and everyone; I guess you could say that I used my past to try to help fix people.”

Danae knew about Makoa’s past; he grew up with alcoholic parents who neglected him. Makoa had to fend for himself in his childhood. He worked since he was ten to earn money for food, but there were times when his parents would take his money to feed on with their addictions. He couldn’t take it and ran away from home when he was thirteen. Makoa was fortunate to find a shelter for run-away teens, which helped him get through his education and a job. She couldn’t deny that she and everyone were angry with Makoa for making them go to the island, but Danae couldn’t entirely fault him. Makoa was a man with a heart of gold who just wanted to help those in need. “I’m not going.”

Makoa’s eyes widened, and his lips trembled as he tried to find the right words. “Wh-What?”

The young woman stood from her bed as she paced back and forth. “I can’t help but feel that the siren will find us. It wanted me to go with him, which made me think that he wouldn’t stop until he has me in his sights. I’m putting you guys in even more danger than we already are.”

Makoa also stood; his heart raced, and his mind blurred. “A-Are you trying to say that you want us to leave you behind? Th-That’s crazy! You know that we’re not going to do that!”

“I made up my mind, Makoa. You know you guys are at risk if I tag along. We are surrounded and are being hunted by different killers, but there’s one who knows where I live and will follow me.” Danae wrapped her arms around herself, trying to comfort herself. “I’m more terrified if something were to happen to you all rather than myself.”

“You’re talking crazy, Danae! We got in this together; we will get out of this together! There’s no way in hell that we’ll leave you behind!” When Danae was about to talk back, he didn’t let her. Makoa grabbed onto her arms, making her let go of herself. Then, he wrapped his arms around her, forcing Danae to get closer to him. Using one of his hands, Makoa motioned her face closer to his; their lips touched.

Makoa kissed her. Danae’s eyes widened as her mind tried to process what was happening. However, she couldn’t deny that his kiss was soft and warm; his tongue was on her lips, trying to ask for entrance. The young woman slowly opened her lips, letting his tongue sliver inside her mouth. Makoa’s tongue was on hers and intertwined. Danae didn’t respond, although she slowly tried to comprehend what was happening.

Makoa liked her?

For long?

She had many questions since Makoa never indicated his feelings for her. As the two embraced, a loud crash made the bedroom window break, breaking their kiss. Glass flew everywhere in the room; Makoa shielded Danae as they both fell on the floor. While on the floor, a growl was heard in the room. Danae immediately got out of shock when she recognized the growl. Danae immediately looked up and saw the siren, Keanu. His eyes looked almost bloodshot red from the rage he felt. His arms were now wings, his legs were bird-like, and his body was filled with feathers. Danae couldn’t help but feel in awe that Keanu looked almost like an angelic demon and that even god and the devil were in one.

The commotion made Akamu and Malia enter the room, and they saw the siren. Malia wanted to scream, but the fear and shock made it impossible. The siren noticed the two but focused on Danae, who Makoa protected. The siren eyed him and growled at him; he slowly showed his teeth at him as if he wanted to cut his neck open. When Danae noticed that siren growling at Makoa, she got out of his grip and knelt before the siren. “Keanu, please don’t! Don’t hurt my friends!”

“He no good! He no good!”

Danae felt his anger and intent to kill Makoa; her fear intensified. “Take me if you want! I will go with you!”

Makoa’s eyes widened, but he couldn’t speak through the shock. Keanu eyed Danae; he understood what she said. The siren didn’t hesitate as he went to Danae, used his bird-like claws, held onto one of her arms, and dragged her. Malia was the first to get out of shock as she saw what the siren was about to do. “N-NO! D-DANAE!” She ran to her friend, who was slowly dragged out of the room. Before Danae could be dragged through the window, Malia could get a hold of Danae’s right foot. Malia tried pulling her friend away from the creature, but the siren’s grip was immense. It pulled onto Danae so hard that Malia was dragged out of the room, losing her grip and falling a couple of feet on the ground.

The impact made Malia dislocate her shoulder, but she looked up and heard Danae’s scream as she was flown into the skies.

20 Jovan

Malia groaned as she looked up at the sky as Danae was flown away. She punched the ground with her uninjured hand while Akamu and Makoa ran out of the house. They also looked up at the sky, still suffering from shock. “D-DAMN IT! I-I COULDN’T STOP THAT THING! I- AH!” The men eventually got out of their shock and went to Malia, who had difficulty standing up.

Akamu went to his sister and looked at her arm. “Damn, you dislocated it. We can fix it, but you know what we must do, sis.”

Terror filled her; Malia didn’t want to go through the process, but they didn’t have time to go to the hospital and spend money to put back her arm and shoulder in place. “A-Alright, d-do it.”

“Not here. We need to go back to the house.” Akamu gently carried his sister inside the house; Makoa followed suit. Once inside, the door was closed, and Malia was put down on the living room sofa, where Akamu and Makoa examined her arm.

“Akamu, I have a little more experience. Please hold her.” Makoa went to the kitchen, got a clean rag, rolled it, and gave it to Malia. “Bite it hard.” Malia did so as she was instructed to then lay on the floor. Akamu assisted his sister, and once on the floor, he held her in place so she couldn’t move. Then, Makoa took hold of her arm, put it in a particular position, and pulled it as hard as he could. A crack echoed in the living room, and Malia yelled onto the rag. The painful sensation was still felt, but it wasn’t as severe. “How do you feel now?”

“I still feel a bit of pain, but it’s not as bad as before. Thanks,” Malia said as she slowly sat up. Akamu assisted his sister to the sofa again. He then went to a nearby cabinet, where he found an arm supporter and put it on Malia.

Makoa paced back and forth as he finally processed that the siren had taken Danae away; he was scared for her. The young man didn’t know what to think or do. “W-What are we going to do!? That thing took Danae, and we don’t know where he took her!” He scratched his head violently as he felt stressed and couldn’t help but feel guilt that Danae was taken.

“Okay, we need to calm down first! We’re not going to solve anything if we stress out! All we know is that our plans have changed but it would give us a bit of an advantage since we will be on the move.”

“Yeah, but where will we stay while searching for Danae!? That thing might take Danae away from the island for all we know! Or worse!”

The trio argued among themselves, not realizing that someone entered through one of the apartment windows. “Your friend will be fine; the siren seems to take a liking to her.” Everyone stilled as they slowly looked at where the voice came from. They focused on the figure who motioned out a gun toward them. “Greetings, I’m Jovan of the Hidden Shadows Coven. It would be wise that none of you move or try to escape, or you would give me no other choice but to kill you all. However, a quick death would be better than what Tabatha has planned for all of you.”

The gun frightened the trio, and they knew it was best not to fight. Jovan eyed Makoa and motioned him to sit down; the young man did so. “If we had to guess, you are from that group of killers. Since you found us, I assume Kahlua had a thing in this?” asked Malia.

“Indeed. We are a coven, but if that is how you see us, then so be it. I have other coven members that are around the area, so you won’t be able to escape. I convinced Tabatha not to send the others; they are far worse. I saw the siren take your friend away.”

“Y-Yeah. You also mentioned that he wouldn’t hurt her and that he had a liking to her. How do you know that the siren won’t hurt our friend? He killed that innocent person during the show! How can we trust what you say!?” asked Malia.

Jovan slowly put his arm down but still displayed the gun. “The siren is dangerous, and he eats human flesh. However, Tabatha forces him to kill for the show. The siren only kills and eats to survive; it’s not as monstrous as you think he is. Also, sirens don’t hurt the ones they choose as their mates.”

The trio flinched. “M-Mates? Wh-What are you trying to say?” asked Makoa.

“As you heard. The siren chose your friend as his mate. He probably felt something for her when she freed him. She is the only one who showed him true kindness and he had mistaken that act as her interest in him.”

Then, everyone became silent, and the trio tried to process everything they were told. So many thoughts trailed through their heads. The coven found them and didn’t know what else they could do. “S-So what will happen now? Are you going to kill us?”

“Tabatha, the coven’s leader, wanted to kill you all since you know too much. However, Bethany and I convinced her not to do so.”

“Bethany?”

“She is another coven member who thinks rationally as I do. I will tell you all the secrets you should never speak, but some members, myself included, want to get out of this coven.”

“Wh-Why?” asked Akamu.

Jovan was expressionless; he hardly blinked, making him look empty. “At first, the coven was small and practiced the way of Wicca; Tabatha came from a long line of Wiccans. She took in many people who were shunned. I was one of them, and we became friends and lovers.” He shook his head. However, one day, we all traveled to Greece, and that was when we found the siren. Tabatha became entranced, but eventually, she became obsessed. She was so obsessed that she researched more about them and how to keep them. That was when she turned to the dark web. She was able to get in contact with people who were interested in what she was doing and convinced them to join the coven. Most of them were sadistic psychopaths, and we became who we are now.”

“So, I guess you can’t just leave, right?”

Jovan shook his head. “It is forbidden, or there will be drastic consequences. However, I can’t stand what this coven has become, and I had enough. As mentioned, I was lucky enough to persuade Tabatha that I was the one to find you all. With that, I want to make a deal with all of you.”

“A-A deal?” asked Makoa as he felt uneasy.

“I will do my very best to protect you from Tabatha’s wrath and instruct you on how to survive the coven. All I ask in return is for your help to destroy the coven.”

“H-How d-do we know that we can trust you? For all we know, you could be lying to us,” challenged Akamu.

“I understand your sentiments; I would feel the same if I were in your position. However, you will have to learn to trust me. We can work together to destroy this coven once and for all; they have done so much monstrous things that traumatized me.” Jovan closed his eyes momentarily and sighed. “I also have regrets for not leaving sooner but I at least can make things right again. Will you agree to the deal?”

The friends looked at one another; they still didn’t entirely trust Jovan, but they knew they couldn’t escape otherwise. “Alright, deal.”

“Good, now this is my plan, and we can’t afford screw-ups or we will be in a terrifying finale.