One Last Song

Copyright © Emmi Lawrence

Edited Dec 28th, 2014: This story has been removed and below is only an excerpt. The entire Siren Song novella will be available for purchase in January 2015.

Siren Song cover designed by James, GoOnWrite.com

Later, when Jieve had already fallen asleep and Wela was outside resetting the rodent traps around Mother’s garden, Rikel sat across from Kula, letting the constant movement of her hands drive away the desire to go see Caarafk. She glanced up at him now and then, but mostly kept her gaze on her lap.

“Wela will stop you if you leave,” she said finally. “You might as well go to bed.”

“Are you coming?”

She shrugged.

After another moment, he asked, “How do you do it? How do you sit here day after day and never even go to the water? You don’t go to the docks. You don’t even walk along the cliffs. It’s like you’re not song sick at all.”

Kula’s hands froze for a second. Then she continued without losing her place in the thin ropes. “You find something that is more important. When I was little, Father used to threaten to whip me if I so much as touched the water and I was more scared of him than I desired to find my siren, especially after he told me he’d sell me off to an old farmer from Vaisar a few years later.”

Rikel snorted. “No, he didn’t.”

“Yeah, why do you think we never got along? When I figured out he would never do something like that, I had an awful phase where I would sneak out. At first, I would just go to the cliff and sit there, listening. Then I would go to the Gamble and wait. No one ever came.”

“Gods,” breathed Rikel. “You don’t still do that, do you?”

She shook her head. “Tarok caught me coming home one night. Reamed me until I was crying. The songs don’t have the same effect anymore, mostly because I know I’m not truly wanted.”

“What if your siren had met you there and did still want you?”

She didn’t glance up from her work. “Then I’d probably be dead.”

This is only an excerpt of Siren Song. For more excerpts you can go to the Excerpts page.

Barnacle Tide

Copyright © Emmi Lawrence

Edited Dec 28th, 2014: This story has been removed and below is only an excerpt. The entire Siren Song novella will be available for purchase in January 2015.

Siren Song cover designed by James, GoOnWrite.com

When Mother was gone, Wela turned to Rikel, though she still didn’t look at him, preferring to stare over his shoulder where a neighbor’s cows were meandering downhill. “Your siren started this?”

“No,” said Rikel. He glared at her, gesturing to the sea though only the horizon was visible from this angle. “He saved my life. Saved Narin and the others too. He wasn’t responsible for this.”

“Do you hear yourself, Rikel? You’re making him into some sort of hero. How do you know he wasn’t responsible? How do you know he didn’t organize it all?”

“Because he wasn’t there. I was under the hull when it happened. I was right there and he wasn’t with them.”

“Narin said there was at least two dozen. You’re telling me that in the chaos of that fight you might not have missed him?”

“I wouldn’t have missed him! Others, maybe, but I’d know him anywhere.”

Wela’s jaw tightened. “You’re listening to this, right? We need to get you help before you kill yourself. Or worse, kill another shipful of people.”

Rikel recoiled. “I didn’t do this. I fought them, Wela. It wasn’t until later that Caarafk showed up—”

“He has a name?”

“They all probably have names.”

“But you know his name.”

This is only an excerpt of Siren Song. For more excerpts you can go to the Excerpts page.

 Bright Storm

Copyright © Emmi Lawrence

Edited Dec 28th, 2014: This story has been removed and below is only an excerpt. The entire Siren Song novella will be available for purchase in January 2015.

Siren Song cover designed by James, GoOnWrite.com

Wela gave a short laugh. “We thought we were going to find your mangled parts washing up on the north shore, Rikel.” She turned toward him and he had the decency to flinch at the contorted distress on her face. “Don’t do that to us again.” Then she started the long walk back to the house.

The wind gusted and then dipped, low enough Rikel caught the heightened sounds of the sirens’ song and felt an ache tug at his heart. Or maybe his groin. Everything seemed to be directly connected to their song. As if Caarafk had left an echoing layer smeared on the insides of Rikel’s ear canals as a parting gift. An exchange for his hair. Hair that ended up being as useless as his own.

A dull fear pulsed inside Rikel and he spun around. “Wela, wait.”

She paused, twisting just far enough to look at him.

“What if I’m song sick?’

Something flickered across her expression, but it was too dark for Rikel to made out what she must be presuming. Then she shrugged, her dismissal of his fear calming him far more than any platitudes or promises could have. “Then you’ll fight it. Like all good sailors do.”

This is only an excerpt of Siren Song. For more excerpts you can go to the Excerpts page.

Violet Flames

Copyright © Emmi Lawrence

All rights reserved. No part of this story may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission from the author.

Edited Nov. 25, 2014: This story has been removed and below is only an excerpt. To read the entire Dark Phoenix novella you can go to the Books page for links to your preferred retailer.

Dark Phoenix Cover designed by James, GoOnWrite.com

She sank into the waves, becoming nothing but a shadow, then Landon felt himself be yanked under the water. He had a moment of absolute terror, his mind shouting for Jak as bubbles slipped from his mouth in a silent shout.

Then her hands climbed his body until her face pressed against his. A kiss, of sorts, but there was nothing sensual about it, nothing stimulating for either of them despite her beauty.

Her mouth opened against his. Her voice rang with power, the best of it flowing over him, around him, within him. He could practically taste summer. Could sense the billions of creatures swimming around him. Could feel the currents as far as the closest trench. Could see the beauty among even the murkiest waves. Continue reading →

 Gentle Burn

Copyright © Emmi Lawrence

All rights reserved. No part of this story may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission from the author.

Edited Nov. 25, 2014: This story has been removed and below is only an excerpt. To read the entire Dark Phoenix novella you can go to the Books page for links to your preferred retailer.

Dark Phoenix Cover designed by James, GoOnWrite.com

“Jak?” asked Landon as he pushed closer to the phoenix’s sleepy warmth.

When Jak didn’t respond, Landon slid his hand under the blanket and dragged his palm down Jak’s bare chest. He tweaked one of Jak’s nipples, then stroked it gently until it hardened. Then he reached lower, letting his fingers tease the hair by Jak’s navel on his way to the elastic band of Jak’s underwear. He stroked Jak’s soft cock over the fabric, but when that cock began to fill, hardening quickly with morning anticipation, Landon pulled down Jak’s trunks and took him in hand with a firm grip. Continue reading →

Searing Betrayal

Copyright © Emmi Lawrence

All rights reserved. No part of this story may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission from the author.

Edited Nov. 25, 2014: This story has been removed and below is only an excerpt. To read the entire Dark Phoenix novella you can go to the Books page for links to your preferred retailer.

Dark Phoenix Cover designed by James, GoOnWrite.com

He was just turning around, the shells clinking, but hopefully not breaking, when the surf roiled, reflecting sunlight straight into his eyes. Landon blinked, then blinked again at the womanly figure pulling herself through the shallow water like a creature from a horror flick.

She had long green hair, almost neon-shaded, with strands of seaweed and bits of kelp twisted in. Scales of green, blue and white coated her body, shimmering in the morning sun as she paused within the wet line of sand to let the water course back with the tide.

Her tail—her tail—flipped out of the water as she cocked her head. Eyes, pale orange and blue, gazed up at him. Continue reading →

Heated Invasion

Copyright © Emmi Lawrence

All rights reserved. No part of this story may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission from the author.

Edited Nov. 25, 2014: This story has been removed and below is only an excerpt. To read the entire Dark Phoenix novella you can go to the Books page for links to your preferred retailer.

Dark Phoenix Cover designed by James, GoOnWrite.com

There came the sound of the fridge opening. Landon curled his hands into fists and followed Jak, stepping into the kitchen in time to see Jak straighten with a can of beer in his hand, his eyes on the label.

“I don’t care about phoenix and I don’t care about syrens. And that’s mine,” Landon said as he grabbed the can out of Jak’s hand and bent to put it back into the fridge. As he stood, he smashed his head right into the open freezer door and staggered away with a fierce curse aimed at Jak. Still rubbing his head, he turned to see Jak calmly pouring himself a half glass of vodka. “What do you think you’re doing?” Continue reading →

Phoenix Fire

Copyright © Emmi Lawrence

All rights reserved. No part of this story may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission from the author.

Edited Nov. 25, 2014: This story has been removed and below is only an excerpt. To read the entire Dark Phoenix novella you can go to the Books page for links to your preferred retailer.

Dark Phoenix Cover designed by James, GoOnWrite.com

He froze as he reached the landing, the wood of the deck creaking as he shifted his weight onto his back foot. Leaning against his door was his morning’s stalker. The guy was young, average height and crack-addict thin. Wore board shorts patterned in neon green and black, a white shirt with the beginnings of yellowing around the collar to date how long it’d been owned and black sandals that looked to be coming apart. A mop of brown hair with just enough curl to make it seem messy from the wind adorned the man’s head and a set of aviators perched on his nose. Continue reading →