Siren's Mark

Chapter 43

ℤ𝕒𝕟𝕖

"Zane?" Ava's voice calls.

My eyes shoot open and I'm met with a view of the night sky, stars peeking through the haze caused by the city lights.

What time is it? Where am I?

I raise my head and see a bottle of brown rum in my left hand. It's cold and I'm outside lying on the pavement somewhere and my feet are wet.

Wait—why are my feet wet?

Through a groggy daze, I look toward my feet and see them dipped in Kami's pool. It looks like I decided to fall asleep right here.

"Zane?" I hear her voice call again.

I look to my side and see Ava seated next to me. I immediately sit up.

"Are you okay?" I ask. "What's wrong? What's happening?"

"I'm okay, I'm okay," she says. "I'm sorry to wake you, I just... can we talk?"

"Sure."

"I talked to Kami, and she explained what happened to... well what happened when you guys were living in Austria or Hungary or whatever."

I rub my eyes as I process what she just said.

Kami told her about Ilen? My eyes widen and I don't know where to start.

Why would she tell her that?

Ava's never going to trust me again. She's going to think I'm a monster.

I am a monster.

Why would Kami do this to me? Why would she ruin my chances with Ava?

Please tell me this isn't happening.

"I think I understand a little better, why you did what you did," she says, biting her lower lip and looking down. "I'm sorry that happened."

"I... wha-... what?"

"I don't want you to protect me from anything, especially if that means hiding stuff from me. But if you can do that, if you can give me total honesty and let me make my own decisions..." she lets out a heavy sigh. "I'm willing to give it another shot."

I let my body drop back onto the pavement.

"Oh fuck off!" I say, covering my face with my arms.

"Excuse me?" Ava's voice responds.

These bloody dreams are a million times worse than the nightmares.

Sure, nightmares are awful, but it's worse believing the lies in my dreams—believing that she has come back to me—only to awaken to an empty room and a bottle of liquor... or two... or twelve.

"This isn't real," I say to myself. "This isn't real."

"Zane," her voice says. "What are you talking about? I'm real, this is real."

I roll to the side. I'd rather be tortured in a nightmare than have to suffer through more of this false hope.

"Go away," I say.

I feel a sharp tug on my shoulder but I stay put. Suddenly I feel a much heavier jab in my back and I leap to my feet.

"Owww!" Ava says, hopping on one leg. "What the hell! Are Sirens stuffed with rocks or something?"

"Wha-... Did you just kick me?" I ask.

"Well, you weren't listening to me and I tried to turn you over but you're this big ol' impenetrable lump of Siren-person so what exactly was I supposed to do?" she says defensively. "Besides, I probably still owe you a kick or two."