Siren Awakened - C.R. Jane Page 0,60

as he kicked the door shut behind him, then locked it with the key sitting in the keyhole. “Apparently, you need my help tonight.” The cockiness of his voice made me half laugh.

“Yeah, don’t get used to it,” Keon barked back.

“What’s going on?” I asked as they all approached me. Four powerful men, towering over me, each carrying such heavy baggage from their past, their history lined with darkness. But I clicked with each of them like their darkness fit mine.

“A ritual to send a ghost back requires energies to be drawn from four different beings,” Seth explained, reaching over, his hand cupping my chin, lifting my head to face him. I couldn’t help but smile looking into his eyes, remembering our bonding last time we were together. “And you are the fifth, Selena. The soul to tie us all together. Once we begin, it will go rather fast. The biggest problem,” he said, staring at everyone around us, “is ensuring the ghost doesn’t latch itself to one of us. So don’t break from the ritual, no matter what you do.”

“Got it,” Alaric responded. “And what exactly are we doing?”

Seth released me and turned to Keon. “Did you bring the salt?”

Keon pulled out two small sacks of salt from his pockets and handed them over to Seth. We all stepped aside as Seth tore one bag open and proceeded to make a large circle on the side of the lawn where the grass was shorter and there were patches of bare earth.

“So, this is something you guys do regularly?” Laz asked, hands deep in his pockets, slouching on one leg.

“Nope,” Alaric answered curtly, and I went over to Laz.

“Did they tell you what we’re doing tonight?” It still surprised me that of all the people, they asked Laz. I didn’t ask to sound ungrateful, but it did play on the back of my mind that Keon must have known there was more going between Laz and I.

“Yeah, I got the lowdown. You’re possessed by a horny ghost who is trying to kill you, and we’re getting rid of it tonight.”

I cut a glare over to Keon, who chuckled.

“Thanks for helping us.” I turned back to Laz. “But in no way is the ghost horny.”

“Didn’t get much of a choice, but for you, I’d help in a heartbeat.” His voice would have definitely reached Alaric and Keon.

I thanked the stars that no one said a word about it. My nerves were jumpy enough without dealing with jealousy.

“We’re ready,” Seth called out.

My throat suddenly went dry, and I wasn’t sure I could get my legs to move. Seth instructed where each guy was to stand around the circle of salt. North, south, east, west, he’d told them, then he glanced over at me, stretching his arm out in my direction.

“Are you ready, beautiful?”

“Yes, I want this over with already.”

Quick steps took me to his side where I accepted his hand, and he walked me to the center of the circle, then he took his spot in front of me at the north position.

“At your feet is the bell,” he explained, and I looked down to find it nestled in a small cluster of grass. “I am going to begin a chant to bind us all together. No matter what, no one is to break the circle. And when I stop chanting and give you a nod, Selena, pick up the bell and ring it.”

“Then what?” I asked.

“Then the ancients from the afterlife will come to collect her back to where she belongs. Like I said, it should go rather quick.”

“I’m ready,” I said, standing tall and keeping my trembling arms by my sides. I didn’t know why I was so nervous. If something bad was going to happen, Seth would have warned us. What was the worst case scenario? It didn’t work and we tried again?

Silence fell upon us, and Seth’s words played through my head over and over about what I had to do. It wasn’t brain surgery, but with how fast my pulse was racing, I wasn’t sure I could count two plus two right then without overthinking it.

Seth started to hum, followed by soft words falling from his lips in a language that sounded like a song. I wished I understood what he said. I found myself swaying on the spot. It wasn’t long before the atmosphere changed from a cool night to a chill that covered my skin in goosebumps. Seth spoke with power, with eloquent persuasion by