Siren's Mark

Chapter 63

ℤ𝕒𝕟𝕖

The doorbell rings as Ava grabs a beer for Kieran from the fridge. As expected, it's Finn, in his go-to navy varsity jacket over a grey t-shirt and jeans.

"Come on in, mate," I say, gesturing inside.

"Oi, whole gang's 'ere!" he says, opening his arms to invite Kieran in for a hug.

"C'mere you beautiful bastard!" Kieran says, jumping over the couch and pulling him in.

"Hey Finn," Kami says with a smile. He separates from Kieran and turns to greet Kami.

"Ava, lovely to see you again," he says, spreading his arms again for a hug.

I feel a creeping displeasure as his body touches hers.

Finn has a life mate. A mate for life. He is not interested in mine.

A small growl exits my lips, but quietly enough that no one seems to hear before Ava and Finn separate.

I swear I used to have self-control, but you'd never know it now.

"So why the secrecy? I feel like I'm in a Bond film," Finn says as we all take seats around the coffee table. "Based on your messages I assume we aren't gathered for a birthday party."

"Unfortunately no," I say. "An old 'friend' is back."

"So by your tone, I'm hearing... not really a friend," Finn says with lowered brows.

"Asmodeus," Kami adds.

"Bloody hell," Finn says, his mouth falling open and his eyes widening.

"Yeah, pretty much," Kieran says.

"He found Kieran at Pike's and was asking about Ava and me," I explain. "He used his powers over Kieran to try and force it out of him."

"Christ!" Finn says, quickly bringing a hand to his forehead and shoulders to make the sign of the cross.

"He didn't tell them," Kami mutters, her eyes glancing to Kieran before quickly falling to the floor.

"Hey, you're leaving out the part where I bit off my fucking tongue to save these two like a fucking hero," he says, grinning as he gestures to Ava and me.

Finn's eyes grow wider still and his brows raise in horror.

"Heroes don't call themselves bloody heroes, mate," I say. He responds by holding up his middle finger and giving me a glare.

"Okay, I think we're getting off track here," Ava says.

"Ava's right," Kami says. "We know he's here. We know what he wants. Now, what the hell are we going to do about it?"

"And what he wants is Zane and Ava?" Finn asks. "Why?"

Kami looks to me as if to ask my permission to explain, so I give her a slight nod.

"When we were young, Zane and Asmodeus were both interested in the same woman—Ilen," Kami says.

I look to Ava and notice her slightly shift in her seat. She stares at her hands as Kami speaks.

"Well, we didn't know per se, but we had a feeling," she continues. "It was his classic M.O., the mysterious deaths of a woman's suitors and all. He was always one for controlling things from the shadows. But she was pretty and we were young. Zane started, well, um... sleeping with her."

My head falls into my hands. Ava strokes my back and gives my arm a tight, reassuring squeeze. In one simple touch, it's as though she has lifted all the weight off my shoulders.