Drawn to the Sea

Chapter 18: Notes

Douglass

When I stirred from my sleep the next morning, I was tucked closely into Nate's chest. He was asleep on his side, facing me with one arm around my waist and the other curled under his head. His eyes were closed, still asleep, and his whole body was relaxed. Save for the multiple red spots on his neck that traveled down to where he was covered by the sheets, he looked perfect. Maybe the marks I'd left made him look even more perfect. He also looked peaceful. 

I reached my hand up and brushed my fingers lightly over his cheek. His eyes fluttered open, and he smiled tiredly at me. "Good morning."

I let a breath of air out of my mouth in wonder. "I was afraid I'd dreamt it. But you're really still here."

He chuckled, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "I'm not going anywhere."

I pressed my face into his chest, savoring his warmth. Even as a volcanic sea witch, I was always cold. That came with the territory of being a sea creature. Your body has to adapt to the cold temperatures of the ocean water, which means that it stays colder to make sure the water doesn't seem as cold as it really is.

He ran his hand up and down my back, tracing the crevis of my spine. "Hey, Douglass?"

I hummed in response.

"When we first met, you told me you were a siren. Do sirens really sing like they do in stories?"

"They do. The pod of sirens I lived with sang often." He thought back to that time, recalling everything he could. "Most sirens are born that way and they sing as soon as they can use their voices. All sirens are born female. They're created once a year in the darkest part of the ocean and the adult sirens travel to the cave when they hatch. The cave gifts them a child to raise on the ways of the sea."

"What about male sirens?"

"Well, male sirens are made into sirens later on in life, or they tranistion. Being made into one is rare though."

"I mean, do they sing?"

"They do. Some say that they sound even better than the females, that their voices are more alluring and powerful. Some legends say they could command the minds of mortals with their voice alone. Female sirens can only tempt them."

"Do you sing?"

I thought back to the last time I sang. Not just hummed, but really sang. "I used to, but not for a long while." I moved my head back to look at him. "Why? What brought this on?"

He sat up, looking down at me. "Sing for me."

I sat up as well, raising my brow. "...Why?"

"I want to hear you sing."

"I... I wouldn't even know what to sing."

"What about that song you were humming when I first started staying here? That one sounded nice."

"I don't think I could remember the words, even if I tried."

He frowned. "Is there really no way I can get you to sing?"

I bit my lip. "There's... There might be a song I learned about a man who fell in love with a siren. I think I can remember the words."

He smiled. "Really?"

I nodded. "Just give me one second."

I got up, walking over to one of my trunks of belongings. I dug through it, feeling Nate's eyes on me. I was wearing my underclothes, but by back and most of everything else was visible. I smiled at the thought of why I was only in my underclothes.