Lured (Klance)

Siren

Any person is bound to have heard stories about mermaids and sirens luring sailors to their deaths with a beautiful song.

That isn't exactly the case.

Their songs are true to their word, but it is only for self defense, hunting, or mating. Never in recorded history was a siren's call used to, without reason, lure anyone to their deaths. The song itself puts a person or creature in a trance like state. Drawn toward the siren, it makes it easy for the siren to kill the animal or human if necessary.
If spared, some people can go frantic, desperate to hear the song again. They can become so forlorn they eventually hallucinate and die.
Their death is always by drowning.
With that being said, there is no special area of the ocean where people are lost. In fact, sirens stay as clear away from people as possible.

But that doesn't mean that when given the chance a siren wouldn't kill a person.

Sirens are natural born hunters. In the water, their primal instinct is to kill.

To hunt.

It is a kill or be killed situation.

Their bodies are adapted for it. They have powerful tails that power through the water, and sharp teeth and claws that can tear through the toughest of skins. Their eyes are designed for the dark depths of the ocean where little light strays. The barbed spots on their fins are perfect for self defense, though they rarely are in much danger.

Alongside the siren's songs, the merfolk are incredibly smart creatures. They learn quickly, adapting to changes in their environment. They can pick up on human speech abnormally fast, promoting the ability to blend in with mankind on land.

But how do people come into the mix? They don't. At least not normally.
There are very rare occasions where a boat goes missing alongside the crew, but there has never been photo or video evidence of a siren attacking.
As said, it is rare.
But recent, suspicious activity had spiked in the past year.
Only a few months ago, a boat was found, covered with blood of the crew members and scratch marks all along the deck and holes where spears pierced through.
That was enough to get some people curious about what mysterious creature could be out there.

And the myth of the siren was soon becoming a possible reality.