Chapter 30 - The Real Siren

Chapter 30 - The Real Siren
Author note - The song refrenced in this chapter is 'My Jolly Sailor Bold,' by Ashley Serena - I would definitely recommend listening to this song as it gives the right feel for the moment.

Axel

Axel stood outside Runagate, but hadn’t yet attempted to go inside. It was dark and the street lamps around the club seemed dimmer than he remembered. Unlike his previous visits so far, there was no queue outside of the club, there was no one. The lights were on inside, but there seemed to be no sign of activity or life inside.

He had begun to wonder if the vampires invite was a trap of some sort, but Sigmund had no reason to try and attack Axel; as far as he knew at least. Before he could even think of climbing back into the black car that had delivered him to the front of the club it had driven away and disappeared without a trace. He was stranded in a city he knew little about and the closest place that he was familiar with was looming silently in front of him.

He had a strange sensation coursing through him. At first he thought it was his nerves, the idea of seeing is beloved Mate again and maybe even getting the chance to speak with her was quite overwhelming. But there was something else mixed in with this sensation, a feeling he had never felt before. Like a deep primal part of himself was trying to warn him about something. He chose to ignore it, knowing if there was something truly dangerous then Leon would have picked up on it a long time ago and he was currently leaping around excitedly within Axel; the idea of seeing their Mate obviously outweighing whatever the other feeling was.

‘Hurry! She’s inside waiting for us! I can feel her!’ Leon whined.

‘There is no way you could feel her from all the way out here!’ Axel laughed.

‘I can! I have a special connection with her; it’s something you wouldn’t understand!’ Leon defended.

‘Oh yeah!? And pray tell, what is this special connection called?’

‘Love! Duh!’ Leon answered and Axel couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

He didn’t for one moment not believe that Leon wasn’t in love with her, that was how the bond worked. The wolf inside would instantly feel the connection and would die before any danger came to their Mate. Axel was laughing because of how cringey it sounded coming from his wolf. Tears were threatening to roll down from his eyes, it had been a long time since he had nearly cried from laughing so hard.

He was about to respond and poke fun at his corny wolf, when Leon suddenly growled warningly and it wasn’t at Axel. That’s when Axel abruptly seized his laughter and felt the presence that had joined them, it didn’t feel aggressive or dangerous but it was a presence he was used to being cautious around.

He gazed up and low and behold, standing by the doorway of the club watching him intently was the red-haired vampire hostess, Ruby. She was watching him with her keen blue eyes, studying his every move with a large wicked grin plastered on her face.

Axel quickly straightened and gazed back at the vampire woman. Her eyes were dancing with mischief as she stared back at him.

“Good evening.” She greeted; the amusement clear in her voice. Axel would have been embarrassed at being caught talking to and laughing at his wolf, but he knew Ruby was most likely more than familiar with Werewolves talking to their inner wolves from the amount she would have welcomed into the club.

Axel didn’t respond as he eyed her, he simply nodded in reply.

“He’s waiting for you.” She continued to smile and gestured to the open door behind her.

Again Axel nodded and made to join her by the door.

“No guards?” He asked; enquiring after the trolls he had seen guarding the front doors and The Basement’s doors.

Ruby laughed as she walked ahead of him into the main room; where he normally met her.

“Oh you won’t be seeing any of the guys tonight; it’s not safe for them to be here.” She laughed.

“Why not?” He asked, with a raised eyebrow.

“Because men are weak to her charms.” She smirked.

He didn’t ask her any more questions and followed her further inside, all the way back to the elevators where Sigmund was standing waiting for them.

“Good evening, Alpha.” Sigmund greeted. “Thank you, Ruby.” He nodded to the other vampire.

“Anytime Uncle.” She smiled and then strolled off, leaving the two men alone.

Before Axel could say anything else, the doors to the elevator binged open and Sigmund stepped inside. With nothing else to really do he followed him into elevator. As soon as he was inside the doors closed behind him and the two men stood in silence.

Axel felt like the silence would suffocate him, so he was the first to speak.

“Where are we going?” He asked.

“The VIP Lounge, of course.” Sigmund smiled at him. “She’s waiting for us.”

“She?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Maria.” His eyes gleamed, similar to how Ruby’s had. “You’ll have to be careful of her though.”

“Why is that?” He gulped, he usually didn’t like to show fear in front of vampires but there was something in Sigmund’s tone that made him feel somewhat fearful of this Maria.

“She is not a fan of men and may try to harm you.” Axel whipped his head around to look Sigmund in the eye.

“What?”

“Don’t worry, we’ll keep you both restrained.” He winked mischievously.

“Wait, why will I be restrained!?” Axel demanded.

“For your own safety. You could easily get hurt if we didn’t tie you down.” Sigmund smiled, leaving Axel absolutely stunned.

“Trust me, it’s in your best interest that we tie you down. At least if you value your life.” Sigmund added, still smiling.

Axel didn’t say anything else. He didn’t like the idea of having to be tied down to anything, but if it got him a step closer to his Mate he would put up with it; for now.

The rest of the elevator ride was done in silence. Once the doors opened, Axel was not prepared for what he saw. The room looked similar to how he had seen it before, though there were no tables and the regular booths and chairs were now replaced with about a dozen black leather, high backed armchairs. In most of these chairs different people were tied down with varying types of rope and chains, though none of them looked like they were here by force; in fact they all looked damn near excited.

“Follow me.” Sigmund told Axel as he strode forward towards the curtained stage.

At first after surveying the room Axel was a little sceptical about following after him, but he sucked it up and powered forward reminding himself that he would do whatever it took to prove he was mates with Siren.

They weaved through the chairs, past those tied down and were passed by the members of staff making sure everyone was secure; all of whom were women. Sigmund led him to the chair right at the front of the stage where a familiar short and spikey haired woman awaited them.

“Flit here will tie you down and make sure you are secured. I will be watching from a secure location, Flit no tricks or mischief.” Sigmund warned her before walking away again.

“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t pull anything when she’s involved; too much risk and no reward.” The little pixie shrugged, before gesturing for Axel to sit down.

Axel sat as instructed and that’s when he noticed what she had in her hands.

“Silver chains!?” He exclaimed, moving away from her in the chair.

“Don’t worry, it’s not enough to hurt you just to keep you weaker.” He gave her a questioning look. “Can’t have you running on stage and getting killed, like I said too much risk and not enough reward.” She smirked.

“And if I refuse?” He raised an eyebrow.

“If you refuse?” She chuckled. “You’ll have to leave, which means you won’t get to meet Maria and we won’t be able to determine whether you are as connected with Siren as you believe.” She answered with a mischievous and knowing gleam in her eyes.

Axel said nothing more to the pixie, he sat back straight and proud and watched as she proceeded to chain him to the chair. There were restraints built in which assured he wouldn’t be able to move is hands and feet but he no longer cared. He was waiting for this Maria to appear and prove what he already knew, that he was Siren’s True Mate. Then they would all change this suspicious and superior attitude and he would go to her.

Like she said, the silver chains didn’t burn but he definitely felt his strength beginning to drain. They were most likely treated with something to stop the silver from directly touching and hurting him but left the element of the silver to weaken him.

Once she had made sure he was securely tied down, Flit checked her watch and then looked back at Axel grinning.

“Show time! I hope you survive, it’s been getting way more entertaining with you around!” She chuckled before walking away and disappearing.

Before Axel could call back to her and ask what she meant the lights began to dim and the room fell into eerie silence, until they were all sitting in near pitch black darkness. He could no longer hear the female staff members and since he now had limited movement of his head, he could only assume that they had quickly vacated the area.

He heard and saw brief movement which appeared to be the opening of the curtains on stage, though he couldn’t make out who or what was on the stage due to the silver in the chains and cuffs having dulled his normally heightened senses.

Unlike before there were no stage lights which illuminated what was on stage, instead Axel glanced skyward where a panel on the roof seemed to slide away and reveal the night sky from outside. And just as it slid open the light of the full moon spilled inside and illuminated the stage below. There was a collective gasp as Axel shifted his gaze from the sky above to the now lit stage.

In the centre of the moons light was a chair, it looked as though it were made of white stone and had been carved to be much grander than the leather ones the audience sat in. Tied to it by strange, glowing white rope was a woman. But as Axel gazed upon her he knew that it wasn’t just any woman, it was his woman, it was Siren. Yet at the same time it didn’t feel like her, it felt like she was someone else. Her hair was the same long, dark red he had seen her sporting before and her skin appeared to be the same light shade, he couldn’t see her face as her chin was resting on her chest and his senses had been so dulled by his silver chains he couldn’t smell her scent. But he was sure it was her!

Leon seemed just as confused as Axel felt him pacing nervously inside, not saying a word.

Then it happened.

A strangely tempting voice reached out to him as she began to sing. His whole body felt like it had gone numb, paralysed in awe of her tantalising voice. Yet it wasn’t her voice, he had heard Siren sing her voice was soft and playful; whereas this voice was tempting and high. Like it were calling to him, trying to pull him from his chair and he wanted to go to her!

He felt his body strain against the chains he was tied with, as he tried to force his body closer to her. To be near her, to feel her, to get closer to her alluring voice. To look into her eyes as she sang to him. She was all that mattered, nothing else, just her. He had to get to her!

All around him he heard the faint sounds of the others in the room. They to were trying to fight against their restraints and get closer to his angel. The very thought of one of these bastards getting close to her made a deep growl escape his lips. No one was allowed near her, she was his! They shouldn’t be graced by her inhuman voice; it should be for only him!

She had spent the entire song singing with her head down and her face hidden, but the moment Axel had growled she shivered and slowly her face began to rise until she was looking him straight in the eye. Unlike before he wasn’t overcome with love and lust, but absolute fear.

‘That’s not Mate!’ Leon whimpered in his head as they gazed upon the eyes of a stranger.

It was the face of his mate but she wasn’t the one gazing back at him. Her sapphire eyes that normally dazzled him were all white with no trace of colour and below her eyes black veins travelled from the bottom of her eye lids down her face to her blood red lips. It was her, but it wasn’t; something was very wrong!

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips, but it wasn’t her smile. It was wicked and cold and malicious, as she continued to sing. He could still feel his body fighting to get to her, but his mind was paralysed with fear and he could hear Leon whimpering in his mind.

“My name it is Maria…” She sang making Axel’s eyes widen as his body continued to act out with his control.

She tried to rise from the white stone chair unsuccessfully as she continued to stare right at Axel’s struggling form. Her body straining against the glowing white ropes that held her to the large chair.

No matter how much he tried Axel couldn’t get control of his own body or look away from her haunting eyes; he could only stare back and listen to her song as she tempted him closer. She seemed to realise she wasn’t going to move and instead reached out her hand for him, as if offering for him to come to her which his body so dearly wanted to do. But his mind screamed for him to stay away from her; a thought he never thought he would have towards his Mate. Even Leon was yelling at him not to go to her; again something he never thought would happen.

As though she could sense he was trying to fight her sweet alluring voice, her singing suddenly intensified and his body fought even harder against the restraints. All around he heard the groans and calls of those around him who must have also been fighting to get to her. But she wasn’t concentrating on them; her sole attention was on him and him only.

The moon weaned and the glimmering light began to vanish as her singing slowly began to die away. She continued to stare at him, entrapping him in her terrifying eyes until the light finally vanished and her eyes slowly closed and her head fell against her chest again; her face now out of view.

As the curtains slowly closed and swallowed her with them, he felt his body slump and his muscles ache from all the strain. He was panting as though he had just ran a marathon and he could hear Leon panting, exhausted as well.

After sitting in the darkness, listening to his own heavy breathing and that of those around them, the lights slowly came back on. The female members of staff flooded back in to the room and the little Pixie; Flit; reappeared before him.

“You survived! Good boy!” Flit exclaimed excitedly as she began to undo his restraints.

“What was that!?”Axel gasped, instantly gripping at his chest with his freed hand as his heart raced with adrenaline.

“That my dear Alpha, was Maria.” Flit swallowed uncomfortably.

“Maria?” He asked her.

“Yes. Maria is the Real Siren, who shares Raine’s body.” She explained.

“The Real Siren? What!?” He looked at her utterly confused and dumbfounded.

“I’m sure Sigmund will explain, now that he knows.” She smirked.

“Knows what?” He quirked an eyebrow at her.

“He knows you’re the real deal now, sugar.” She winked at him. “Maria just confirmed it.”