Princess Of Darkness (Editing)

Twelve: Sirens Song (Edited)

The waves were awash in the full moon's glow, the ethereal light filtering down from the silver orb to illuminate the white caps of sea foam as the ship plunged and ploughed through the rolling waves.

I was standing at the bow of the ship, hands gripping a rope tightly to prevent myself from toppling overboard, fingers numb from the cold of the sea spray, desperately searching for something in the inky black water.

Before me, a ripple tore through the reflection of the moon, mirrored on the surface of the churning water, as a jagged reef loomed ahead of the vessel, it's treacherous, razor sharp edges bathing in the pale moonlight. As the ship sailed ever closer, I recognised the timid sound of a sweet melody, a song being sung so sweetly that it raised goosebumps on my flesh, tears springing to my eyes at the purity of the sound.

The crystal clear voice was high pitched and soft, but somehow carried all the way over the stormy waters to my ears, calling me toward it, promising solace and love and endless fulfilling desires.

The waves were crashing into the hull of the ship, rocking it to and fro. It was battered by a gust of wind, the tattered sails whipping through the air, and a great cracking sound tore through the night. As if time had been slowed down, the mast was torn from the ship, falling and toppling over the side, ripped from the deck, crashing into the water. Ropes and canvas whipped through the wild wind, right above my head, dangerously close, but still, I wasn't afraid.

Despite the chaos all around me, I felt completely calm.

The song was louder now, as though it was engrained within my being, calling to me, promising to protect me from the wild storm, if only I would swim to the safety of the jagged reef.

I leant over the side of the ship, reaching for it, but I over balanced and plunged down the side of the hull and into the shockingly cold water.

The water was black, thick like oil, and I kicked to try and break the surface. My lungs were burning as I looked up toward the shimmering moon, the waves overhead causing it to dance and lurch and distort its shape. I was reaching, reaching, but the moon only grew smaller, growing further and further out of my reach as I started sinking to the bottom of the ocean.

Around me, dark, human like shapes were gliding, slipping, dancing beneath the waves, battering me this way and that. Then a slippery hand wrapped it's long, icy tentacle like fingers around my ankle and dragged me down, down through the black water as the siren's song claimed it's newest victim.

I woke with a violent jerk, my burning lungs gasping for breath, covered in a cold sweat. I looked around, the ship having disappeared, and I realized that I was still in the bed I'd fallen asleep in after I finished practicing magic with Lucian the previous day, safe, try, breath flowing from my lungs in ragged gasps.

That sound.

It was the same ethereal song I'd heard, following me from the depths of my dreams.

It called to me, even while I was awake, soft and sweet, promising safety and protection as it had in my dream. I was drawn to it, like a moth to the brightest of lights, desperate to reach it's source. I threw back the sheets and touched my bare feet to the floor boards, barely registering the freezing cold as I glided, translike, across the room to the exit.

I slipped around the door, leaving it swinging on silent hinges behind me. I was barely conscious of where I was going or what I was doing, I just followed the song, desperate to find where it was calling me to. That was all that mattered, anyhow; the song, and nothing else.