Siren Nights (Series Part 1) (The Lure) Read Free Page A

“Yeah, it takes a bit to get
used to. This part of town’s pretty old. Heard it used to be the poor district,
centuries ago. Guess it hasn’t changed much from then.”
    “Have you lived here long?” I asked. Keep
the conversation on him and he wouldn’t think anything of me, I thought.
    “Just moved here a year ago myself... Me
and my sister, we don’t really stick around in one place for long.”
    I could sympathize. It was only recently I
could afford to pay even shared rent. Until then, I had gone from couch to
couch, at least the times I could find someone willing to put me up for free.
The rest of the time... well, the rest of the time, I made do.
    He misinterpreted my apparent discomfort.
“It’s not so bad, really. Each city has its own... I guess you could call it
its own spirit. My sister loves it here especially... did you know there’s a
street here with four independent bookstores? If not, I’m sure she’d be happy
to tell you,” he finished with a laugh.
    I shook my head. “No, I don’t really read
much.”
    “Fair enough. But if you did, the place she
works at is right near where we’re about to come out... here.”
    They left the alley into a narrow one-way
street with a row of parked cars on one side. Sure enough, they were right next
to a bookstore called Vyce Books.
    “Hers is across the way.” Jason pointed to
a glass-fronted store with the words “Apple and Bookworm” frosted across the
window and a picture of the same right below.
    “I see. Thanks,” I said, turning to go.
    My legs turned to ice as I saw Brett
peering into a window on the street. Numbly, I managed to stumble behind a car.
Fortunately, he didn’t appear to notice me.
    He swept his gaze up and down the street,
appearing to be searching. Searching for me? I clenched a fist. Maybe if I
stayed here long enough, he would go somewhere else. I went to my knees again,
mostly because my feet still hurt. I was still in no shape to run.
    My heart clenched as I realized that
instead of going away, he was actually walking right towards me. Just as it
made a bid for freedom out my throat, I saw Jason walking down the street
towards him.
    I groaned. What if Jason told him where I
was? Or that he had met me? I swallowed helplessly as the two men conversed,
straining my ears in vain to hear what they were talking about. Then, I saw
Jason point down the street, in the exact opposite direction from where I hid.
Brett nodded and turned away. I watched him go with a surge of relief.
    Had Jason... just saved me? Brett
disappeared down the street and I cautiously crept out from behind the car.
    Jason was waiting for me. “It’s all right. 
He shouldn’t be back for a few minutes. Told him I saw you duck into a nearby
alley... which happened to be the truth,” he added with a grin. “Then I saw a
pigeon and thought to point it out. He disappeared before I could explain,
though.”
    That was an odd technicality, I thought.
But I supposed it didn’t matter. Something else seemed off.
    “Wait, you said he went down the alley?
Will he be back?”
    “Maybe… That one doesn’t go very far before
it ends.”
    I considered my choices. Going back to the
restaurant was definitely out and I was probably fired already anyway for
leaving during a rush. Jason seemed decent. Maybe I could stick with him, at
least for a few hours.
    Finally, I licked my lips and spoke, mouth
still slightly dry. “So, where did you say that bookstore was?”
    ***

Chapter 3: Siblings and Love
    As it happened, the bookstore had closed at
three. But Jason rapped twice on the door and it opened with a jingle to reveal
a young woman with a brown ponytail tied with a pink scrunchie. She wore a
tee-shirt and cargo pants.
    The young woman pointed an old-looking
fountain pen straight at Jason. “Oh, it’s you. You brought a date here? How...
cheap,” Her eyebrow arched.
    “Sorry, no time to explain sis,” Jason
replied, taking my hand and leading me into the