Conclave (Hypernaturals 3)

Old Flames

'The Firehouse' is a bar and grill, nestled along the twisty, curvy Hill Country roads northwest of Austin. The bar is bigger than the grill, and they are in separate spaces, although you can get food in the bar too. I am not sure why they divided it up like that, but I guess if you want a burger, it is nice to be able to sit in a booth and not have a bunch of drunken Sirens running around.

'The Firehouse' is owned by the Sirens. Sirens are so-called because the males of the species possess hypernatural voices. Voices that hypnotize humans and occasionally the female of the Siren species. Sirens reproduce by having sung or talked a woman into sex. A Siren cannot 'claim' a woman he has not first taken control of with his voice unless they agree to be claimed.

The hypnotic voice of the Siren seems (to me) to be a compensation for the coarse nature of the male of the species because in most ways they are not very nice people. The ones I know of are rough, violent, and lacking in emotional intelligence. Not saying they are stupid. They are ruled by their emotions and desires. Since they have the ability to get whatever they want via their voices, they have no reason to learn how to be any other way.

Your date gets pissed. Wants to go home, so you sing to her, and she strips off and wants you right then and there. Why ever learn any manners? The women of the species are not nearly as susceptible to the song. Sirens have a better chance of having offspring with girls of their own kind rather than human women. Therefore, they have to use SOME manners. Siren women chose their lovers when they are not under the influence, and Siren men do not like that.

Sirens hate Vampires, and I do not blame them. Vampires tried to kill them all off. Kind of a pisser.

Siren also do not like that Vampires are (mostly) women they cannot easily dominate. The only Vampire I know of that the Sirens 'dominated' they kidnapped, chained, and serially raped.

Melissa.

The Sirens abused Melissa for a very long time. She told them all sorts of things about the ways Vampire society worked. When I claimed Melissa in order to free her, the Sirens brought her to my house in chains. A shadow of a person. Rather than hating her captors and rapists, she questioned her own self-worth.

I am the Liaison to a species that can do that kind of thing to a woman, and I need to hide what I feel about them. I can not think about Melissa without thinking about how I pissed Jessica and Helen off by not telling them my suspicions and plan to free her.

The only Sirens I like are the women, like Vera and a few others. Not because they are women. They are decent. Especially relative to the boys in Sirenland.

The apparent owner of the bar is a Siren named Larry, and he is who I am here to see. When I walked into the reception area, a familiar face sat at the reception table, looking through a ledger.

"Hi Vera. You working here now? And tonight?" I greeted

"Hey Adrain: How's it hanging? You get rid of the Amazon or the little blonde Barbi doll yet?"

I dated Vera on and off for seven years, never quite able to stop seeing each other, but also never able to take it to the next level. Vera is a Siren, but neither of us had known that. Vera has a certain restlessness. An inability to settle down. Her moral compass is missing a few waypoints as far as I am concerned as well. She always struggled with that but never seemed to be able to overcome it.

I like Vera and have never viewed her as irredeemable: She at least does struggle against her darker, more amoral impulses. I am fairly alone in that point of view.

Jessica and Helen really dislike Vera, and it is mutual, but Helen and Jessica started it.

"My wife and Helen? No. Also, Helen looks more like a Cameo than a Barbi."

Vera shook her head. "Too bad."

"Why? Aren't you enjoying your new Siren lifestyle?"

"It's good. Can't complain, but I miss having an intelligent conversation with a lover from time to time." Vera smiled, a genuine, warm smile, full of memories. "How weird is that?" she added with a small shrug. A 'What can you do?' kind of motion.

"Weird enough." I agreed. Vera still seems to be stuck between liking men who treat her poorly, and men who treat her well. That used to be the center of her and my problems. I am not into bondage or forcing her to do things she did not want to do, and she wants that. I could never get my head around it. I fear that someday I will read that Vera has been accidentally killed by a lover because of erotic asphyxiation or bondage went wrong. She seems like she would go there. Vera also wants cuddling and warmth and love and acceptance sometimes. I was good for that part.

"You know you are the only Vampire that ever fucked a Siren woman. Right?" Vera said, indicating herself as the aforementioned Siren woman.

"I was not a Vampire when you and I were having sex, and I doubt that is technically true in any case. There are probably numerous Siren women, like you were, out there who have no idea what they are. Hell, you didn't know before I told you." I thumbed towards the door, indicating outside and everything beyond. "All those female Sirens, hungry and alone, sleeping with all sorts of humans and maybe even the occasional Vampire. We boy Vamps are pretty rare, so I doubt it happens often. Hell: Maybe I did?"

"You and your facts. Do me a favor and do NOT mention that to the guys. They are wondering how they compare to a Vampire in the sack. A competition. One where I get all the prizes."

"Great." I shook my head ruefully, gave her a stern look. "I suppose you don't give them any reason to think they are measuring up to this fiction?"

Vera scoffed. "You kidding? Competition with you inspires the boys to try harder. They normally think putting you into a leg up missionary position and pounding you harder than they did last time is the same thing as being good. Dumb asses think they have owned you right proper that way. I like a good pounding as much as the next girl, but I mention the wonders of a flickery and talented Vampire tongue in some nice places, and at least they try to compete. They are not used to having to deal with what I want. If I can't have you anymore, at least I can get them to try to be you. You loved going down on me, and for as long as I required and then some, so I'm not making shit up or anything. Gets them to rise to the occasion. I am not cheating them on this. I always give better than I get, even when it's just a mattress slamming."

The Siren competitive thing I know about. Many things in the Siren world are decided by fights. They quit challenging me to them after severely losing two major rumbles. Once they figured out Male Vampires are not the puny weaklings they had been led to believe by Melissa, they decided to cut their losses. Melissa had no way to know about my speed or the fact that Jessica trains me hard to kick anyone's ass. Melissa had no idea I even existed since she was already a captive for years when I came along.

I pointed to the right, at the Saloon style double doors "Larry in the bar?" A saloon-style bar opens up behind the swing doors. It is a little hokey. No hokier that the wagon wheel ceiling fans, or the recently carved in India old west bar at the back.

"Of course." Vera said, a hint of scorn. Seems Vera does not like Larry very much.

"See you later." I almost left, stopped, turned back "Helen said 'Hi' by the way. Deep sultry voice. I think she wants you, and she does like all the flavors. Forgot to tell you."

Vera did not believe it for a second. "I'll bet she did. Blonde bitch."

"Good in bed, however, so don't pass her up. She has an even more talented Vampire tongue." I said, turning and walking through the doors

"Right. Liar. You keep saying that: Like you tapped that icy bitch." Vera called as the doors swung back and forth.