Siren’s Song Anthology with Melinda Barron, Jade Buchanan and Midnyte Dupree
Available in e-book and print
Poseidon’s half-mortal daughters, Iaha, Adara, and Aella, are irresistible to most men, but each has yet to meet her match… until now. They are being drawn to the sea, and to four very different men, by forces outside of their control. Will the Siren’s be able to uncover long-buried secrets and claim their birthrights?
Iaha is searching for an adventure. When she runs into underwater archaeologist, Shedd Collins, she is instantly drawn into his search for the lost civilization of Yumani. Despite her attraction, she isn’t sure she wants to reveal her heritage to him. But, Iaha isn’t the only one who has been less than honest; Shedd Collins is no ordinary man.
Adara is searching for a new beginning. With her life in shambles and desperate for sanctuary, she answers the call of the sea. But instead of finding insight and solutions to her problems, she is thrust into a hurricane and winds up stuck in a swimming pool. The pool’s owner, Jack, is a man with more than a few skeletons in his closet. Will he save Adara or will he destroy her?
Aella is searching for strength. When the seals under her care start to die, Aella needs all the help she can get. She asks two mermen, Damon and Pythias, for their assistance but they have secrets about themselves they aren’t willing to share, and their help could come at a very high price. Can Aella trust Damon and Pythias? Or will misplaced trust leave her under their spell, and in their control?
Buy it now from Resplendence Publishing!
Excerpt from Iaha by Melinda Barron
Shedd tapped a gauge on his equipment and turned a frown on Iaha. Her beautiful black hair was unbound and caressed her body, and she was clad in a red one-piece swimsuit.
For the first time since last night he reconsidered his decision to tell her about his dreams, and to invite her to help on the dive. Just the sight of her made him hard. She was too much of a distraction, and there was too much at stake.
“I thought you knew how to dive.”
“I do.” She smiled at him and he nodded. “I just don’t want to go down today. I, well, I’ve had a bit of a cold…”
“Right. Your cold didn’t bother you earlier.”
“Please. I’ll go tomorrow.”
“OK. Listen, if you’re reconsidering your decision to help me, just say so.”
“No, that’s not it at all. I promise, tomorrow, I’ll go. You go down now and find something fun for me.”
He nodded and turned toward the end of the boat. After his equipment was fastened into place, he plunged into the water. Two other divers, Blaine and Cody, were already down.
Shedd had made sure that the boat was in the exact same spot they were in when he’d found the artifact the day before. He aimed down and forced an image of a naked Iaha out of his mind. She was beautiful, that was for sure, but right now he didn’t need the distraction. He needed to focus on the dive.
He loved being in the water. He always had, even as a child. His mother had long teased him about her son sprouting gills whenever they were near water. He forced that image away. She’d teased him, yes, but she’d also hidden things from him. Now that she was gone, he would never know the truth about his parentage.
Blaine appeared beside him and gave him a thumbs-up signal, pointing down toward an outcropping of rocks. Shedd turned his face toward the stones. Cody was already there, looking around and pointing his camera at different places.
As he usually did while in the ocean, Shedd felt the pull of the water, the wonderful sense of belonging that wrapped around his heart and squeezed gently, reminding him that he was exactly where he was supposed to be.
And Yumani was close. He knew it. For years he’d searched for the long lost civilization. He’d been all around the Grecian coast, diving and coming up empty handed. But when he’d arrived here, he knew that he was close.
The artifact he’d found yesterday convinced him of that. Shedd put his fingers against the pouch that carried the stone, and the statue.
They felt warm, even in the cold water, almost as if they were radiating heat. But that couldn’t be, he knew. Neither object had shown such ability yesterday. They were nothing more than stones.
He shook his head and swam around the outcropping of rocks, touching the porous material lightly in some spots, knocking on it in others as if willing it to open and reveal a gateway to Yumani.
After an hour in the water, with nothing catching his eye, he turned to Blaine and Cody and shook his head. They both nodded and pointed up. Shedd returned the nod, a feeling of failure filling his stomach as they started toward the surface.
Shedd turned toward the rock and gently caressed it. Tell me your secrets. Show me what I want to know.
Warmth filled the lower half of Shedd’s body. Was it coming from the statue, or the aquamarine? He opened the pouch and touched the stone. The heat he’d felt earlier had intensified.
He tried to keep his breathing even. It wouldn’t do for him to put himself in danger by breathing too quickly while diving. Iaha. He needed to talk to Iaha. Maybe he could convince her to come back down in an hour or so and see if she felt the same thing that he did.
He kicked his feet to start his ascent, and panic gripped his insides. Something had a hold of him. He kicked out again and the hold strengthened. He bent and ran his fingers over his ankles. Nothing was there, physically. Whatever was holding him in place didn’t have a corporeal body.
Panic set in. His breathing, already more rapid than it should have been, quickened.
He shut his eyes and tried to calm down. Whatever kept him tethered to the spot tightened, and tugged on his body.
Iaha! Help me! Iaha, please, I need you.
The pressure on his calf moved to his thigh and Shedd gave in to total panic. Blaine and Cody were already gone. Whatever had been calling to him from Yumani was there, and it wanted him to stay.
*****
Iaha gripped the side of the ship. She could hear Shedd’s call for help in her mind. Something had gone wrong. She ran to the stern, watching, her breath coming harder and harder as bubbles appeared.
Blaine appeared, with Cody behind him. They were helped on board and the area behind them remained silent. Shedd was still down there. The workers all stared at each other uneasily.
Iaha could hear his pleas for help, echoing in her mind. Something had a hold of him, and wasn’t letting go.
Once the workers were all at the stern, looking down, Iaha moved toward the bow, shedding her bathing suit as quickly as possible and diving in. Her legs disappeared and her tail appeared as soon as she hit the water. She plunged downward, praying she was not too late.