The Soldier and the Siren: A Wolf Shifter Fantasy Romance (Shifters of Black Isle Book 2) Read online

  The Soldier and the Siren

  Shifters of Black Isle Book 2 - A Wolf Shifer/Mermaid Fantasy Romance by Lorelei Moone.

  He's the enemy. Our union is forbidden. That's why I have to have him.

  Liliwen has all she could wish for, yet her sheltered life as Princess under the Seas leaves her unfulfilled. She goes rogue and travels to the enemy's territory. When she sees him, she knows he's a rare specimen. A soldier with many a battle scar. She ought to flee… but the challenge is on. Can she chisel through his defenses and seduce the enemy? Even though she risks losing her heart, or even her life, in the process?

  She's the enemy. I ought to capture the spy and throw her in the dungeon.

  Teaq, as General of Black Isle's armies, has always led a life of all work and no play. Being passed over as his younger brother took the throne left him disgruntled and bitter. All this changes when he finds a mermaid in the waters surrounding his territory. Something about her enchants and awakens feelings in him which he never thought he'd have. A ray of hope lighting up the darkness in his heart.

  Their meeting makes them rethink their allegiances. The war that has raged between their people seems nothing more than a pointless squabble with neither beginning nor end in sight. But in a world so dangerous and fragile, beauty rarely lasts. If discovered, their love will spell the end for both of them.

  The Soldier and the Siren is the second instalment in Lorelei Moone's brand new fantasy romance series, Shifters of Black Isle. Shifters, magic and relatable characters, set in a mysterious, distant land, where anything seems possible—and yet all its inhabitants hold dear could be destroyed in an instant.

  This story is intended for adult audiences only.

  Did you know that Lorelei Moone also writes (present-day) Paranormal Romance? If you're curious to find out more, you can try out Scottish Werebear: An Unexpected Affair absolutely free by signing up for Lorelei's newsletter!

  © 2018 Lorelei Moone

  Published by eXplicitTales

  Cover Design by MH Silver

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Table of Contents

  The Soldier and the Siren

  Map of the World

  Story

  About the Author

  The Black Isles

  Chapter One

  Liliwen had already lost the argument before even starting, but she had to give it one final try. After all, her entire purpose, her reason for being, was at stake.

  "Perhaps if I could learn how to fight. I might be of use. Send me to Siren's Rock to train, please, Father!" she pleaded.

  King Weiland merely shook his head and averted his gaze, as Liliwen paced the large coral hall that was the seat of the Merfolk's power. He might be content sitting there on his throne, but Liliwen was unwilling to remain a passive bystander. She wanted to do something with her life.

  What would it take for him to see sense? Why should she waste her talents by sitting around at home, watching, waiting, as the men of the Deep prepared for a battle they were unlikely to win?

  Their bloody conflict with the Others who lived on the islands east of their borders had raged on for so long, nobody alive remembered when or how it had all begun. What were they even fighting for?

  Actually, the entire situation was stupid. But convincing her father to end the war was even further outside of the realm of possibilities.

  "The battlefield is no place for a woman. Why can you not be content with what you have? Leave the fighting to your brother," King Weiland finally replied.

  Liliwen rolled her eyes. Why should Cadfael have all the fun, while she was stuck here in what might as well be a gilded cage?

  "But, Father!" she argued.

  King Weiland looked up at her, and forcefully banged his three-pointed staff into the ground. Its sound bounced around the hall, making the echoes sound a whole lot louder than the original noise.

  "That's enough. I will hear no more of it!" King Weiland roared.

  Liliwen had no choice but to retreat. The conversation was over.

  She looked back once at the elaborate throne, covered in precious stones and shells of all shapes and sizes polished up to a pearly shimmer. Her father still refused to acknowledge her.

  Did he think they could go on as they had and still stand a chance to win? If something did not change, they would surely lose.

  And without his approval, there was only one thing she could do: take matters into her own hands.

  Liliwen waited in her chambers, determined to follow through on her earlier decision. No matter what her father, the ruler of the Deep, had said, she had her own plans.

  As soon as the change of the guard was complete, and the halls of the royal palace were mostly abandoned, she made her move.

  "Lili," a voice whispered as she made her way down the hallway. "Hey, Lili. Where are you going?"

  Liliwen froze in her tracks immediately. There were few soldiers around at this time of day, but clearly she still failed to move around unseen.

  "Cara." Liliwen sighed as she spotted her closest friend waiting in a doorway several feet away from her own. "I'm just going out for a swim. Clear my head."

  "Lovely. I'll join you," Cara said. She blinked a few times and smiled one of her most radiant smiles. They'd grown up together and had been inseparable for most of their lives.

  Liliwen's heart sank. She couldn't involve Cara in her plans. At least not directly.

  She shook her head. "No, I wanted to go by myself."

  Cara frowned and brushed a long lock of her golden hair out of her face. "Did something happen?"

  Liliwen scanned the hall. There was nobody else in sight, but one could never be too sure. She gestured at Cara to follow her back to her chambers.

  Once inside, with the door securely locked behind them, she finally spoke up again.

  "Have you ever felt like you were… I don't know. More?"

  "I'm not sure I understand. More than what?" Cara asked.

  "More capable. More useful. More than what we're being given credit for."

  "We're of noble blood. We don't have to work like the commoners. We wear the best fashions and jewelry. And when the time comes, we'll have our pick of eligible bachelors. How much more do you need?" Cara folded her arms and cocked her head to the side.

  Liliwen looked down at herself. The elaborate necklace that hung halfway down her chest. The numerous pearl bracelets and gold rings that adorned her hands.

  These feelings she'd been battling, they proved harder to explain than she'd anticipated. And dressed up as she was, as was expected of a princess under the sea, her thoughts seemed out of place, even silly.

  "But the war… Don't you ever wonder what will happen if we lose?" Liliwen said.

  Cara shrugged. "We're safe here. The war happens out there." She gestured vaguely at the door. "It's nothing to do with us. Even if we do lose, do you think those savages are going to come down here and kill us? They can't even breathe under water like we do."

  There was no arguing with that last point. Perhaps the enemy wouldn't come down here even if they won. Perhaps nothing would ever change.


  Liliwen wasn't sure whether that was a happy or sad prospect.

  "Well, I for one wish to find out what's out there. I want to see what's beyond the Deep."

  Cara shook her head. "I don't know why you would. There's nothing there for us. We have all we need right here."

  "I'm just curious, alright? These walls are starting to feel like a prison rather than a home. I need space." Liliwen turned her back and faced one of the few windows in her chambers. The view was uninspiring. The same old courtyard of the same old palace she'd lived in all her life. A couple of guards, a few statues of their ancestors, and seaweed.

  A whole lot of seaweed in various shades of green, blue and purple.

  She'd been stuck here, while Cadfael, her elder brother, was climbing the ranks and making a real difference out there.

  What would it be like to go on dry land? Merfolk could do it; that was how they were able to fight effectively even on the enemy's territory. But of course she'd never been outside the Deep. Even Siren's Rock, the Merfolk's land-based training colony, was well out of bounds to her, and that wasn't even far away.

  She had tried to run away once when she was younger, but was quickly recovered by her father's guards. Ever since then, she'd never tried again.

  She turned around again.

  "You can't tell anyone. Promise me," Liliwen urged.

  Cara rolled her eyes. "Just don't do anything stupid."

  "I won't." Liliwen hid her lie with a smile. Once she got out there, there was no telling what she would do or how stupid it would turn out to be. But she couldn't sit around in the palace any longer. The outside world was calling, and Liliwen was determined to answer.

  It was a morning in late spring, stormy, like any other morning in late spring. The clouds hung low, hiding the sun from view. It was only a matter of time before the rains would start.

  Overall a gloomy day. Perfect for hunting.

  The Reaping was upon them. It had been eight years since the last human had moved onto the Black Isles. And what a long eight years it had been.

  Teaq found it hard to think about all the changes his people seen during this time, without feeling bitter about it all. He should have been king. He was the firstborn.

  Instead, his younger brother Broc had been crowned seven years ago. And now he intended to take the human as his own, to guarantee himself an heir.

  Again, Teaq would be passed over in favor of his younger sibling.

  Not that he was overly interested in taking a bride at this moment, but that was hardly the point. It would have been nice to be considered, at least.

  "Sir, the ship is ready. As are the men," someone said, interrupting these dark thoughts of his.

  "We'll leave shortly." Teaq gestured to dismiss the soldier, while keeping his gaze fixed on the dark clouds gathering in the distance. One solitary bolt of lightning lit up the sky.

  He could have ordered someone else to go on this excursion to the mainland. As General, it was his responsibility to keep the Isles safe from invasion, to command the army in battle and to strategize and strengthen their defenses during times of relative peace. Hunting was not in his job description.

  But the truth was, he relished the thought of letting his inner beast loose on the vast plains of the mainland. Hunting had always served as a much needed outlet for Teaq. Nothing cleared the mind like an intense chase. Nothing was as satisfying as returning home with a boatload of wild boar, caught with his own bare hands.

  It was a pleasure Teaq and Broc had shared when they were younger, and one of the things the king was forced to sacrificed upon claiming the throne. In a way, Teaq's participation in today's hunt would be all the more enjoyable because of that.

  Teaq forced himself into action and made his way down the path leading toward the harbor. A longship was waiting at the furthermost pier, and the hunting party he would lead had already gathered up on the deck.

  It was a mixed group; men as well as women, not all of them soldiers, but everyone eager to get their hands dirty. It was a rare pleasure, travelling to the mainland, which had traditionally been their home many generations ago, before the humans had forced them out during the Great War.

  The crowd consisted of land animals—predators, as one would expect. Wolves, like Teaq, and bears mostly. The most notable exceptions were the eagles, who would circle the skies as the hunt took place. Lookouts.

  Of course, for the moment, everyone was in their human form. But once they got onto the mainland, they couldn't risk being seen. Their truce with the humans forbade them from entering their territory. The islanders were simply too large to be mistaken for fellow humans.

  Luckily their animal side would enable them to disguise their presence during the hunt. It also made it unnecessary for them to carry weapons ashore.

  "Ready?" Teaq called out as he boarded the ship.

  The captain—the only fox on-board—nodded. "Yes, General."

  "We'll sail to the White Cliff," Teaq ordered.

  "Raise the sail! Rowers, take your positions!" the captain shouted.

  Teaq closed his eyes and took a deep breath of salty sea air. It smelled of opportunity, but also of a looming threat.

  They were not a seafaring people by origin, but by necessity. Still, they had adapted fairly well in the centuries since they'd taken up residence on the Black Isles. The water didn't bother them anymore. Neither did the harsh climate.

  Farming was an impossibility on the Isles, but most of its residents preferred meat or fish over vegetables anyway.

  Indeed the islanders' biggest struggle wasn't their own, but the continuing conflict with the Sea Folk, who considered the Black Isles part of their own territory. It was this ongoing war that made today's hunting expedition twice as dangerous.

  Not only did they risk the truce with the humans on the mainland if they were discovered, they also had to be on the lookout for Sea Folk soldiers who might try to ambush them along the way.

  It was these and similar thoughts that occupied Teaq as the longship started to cut through the choppy waters. He studied the expressions of the remaining hunting party, only to find that they were a lot less thoughtful than himself, and a lot more excited.

  Obviously they were looking forward to spending a few hours on a land much more vast than their own. He was too. But as General, he didn't have it in him to ignore the dangers that lurked all around.

  So he turned to face forward, his hand firmly gripping the butt of his sword, and scanned the waters for any sign of the enemy.

  Until finally, two hours into the journey, the stark white cliffs of the mainland came into view.

  Chapter Two

  Liliwen had swum for miles, further and further away from the palace she'd called home all her life. She had made sure to avoid areas that she knew would be heavily guarded, Siren's Rock especially. So instead she found herself traveling east.

  Nothing about her surroundings looked familiar anymore. But getting lost wasn't a risk she needed to concern herself with. She, like all of her people, possessed an immaculate sense of direction. No matter how many times she'd change course, she always knew in the back of her mind where home was. She'd find her way back with ease.

  At first, she'd felt anxious, be it for another reason. Had someone noticed her departure? Would she be intercepted and taken back home just like all those years ago?

  After her earlier disagreement with her father, the punishment for her act of rebellion would be unpleasant to say the least. The King under the Seas could be harsh when his authority was being challenged. He wouldn't let a small detail like Liliwen being his only daughter discourage him from dishing out justice. Even Cadfael, who'd always had a soft spot for his baby sister, wouldn't be able to shield her from that.

  But as the time passed, Liliwen felt calmer and more self-assured. She had been stealthy enough to slip away unseen. For once in her life, she was completely alone.

  And the views that accompanied her journey were indescribabl
e.

  Schools of colorful fish darting through exotic coral reefs as far as the eye could see.

  The water even smelled different here. Fresher, crisper.

  She didn't just stay down by the ocean floor either. In her eagerness to discover as much as she could, she swam closer and closer to the surface, hoping to catch a glimpse of the kind of creatures who lived beyond the sea, but which she had only ever heard of in stories and song.

  Birds. Seagulls.

  There weren't any out in the open sea, at least not on this day.

  But Liliwen did not let that discourage her. She kept going, until the landscape changed dramatically once again. A huge black granite landmass came into view. It grew upwards out of the ocean floor and rose steeply, extending up and out of the water. She had never seen anything as imposing in her life.

  "An island," Liliwen whispered to herself, as she tried to catch her breath.

  Having come so close to the Other World, she could not stop herself from exploring further.

  Sure enough, the winged creatures she had wanted to see earlier were plentiful around the shoreline. She approached the island and made her way up to the surface, mesmerized by the way they moved through the skies. Flapping their wings, up and down, diving and soaring effortlessly through the air.

  It was the most beautiful thing. How were they able to do that without being in the water, she had no idea.

  Liliwen knew she should be careful. The Others would be on the lookout for incoming Merfolk intruders. But her curiosity spurred her on to explore more and more of this foreign land. In any case, it seemed like nobody was watching.

  The hunting party had been a success. Teaq felt a great sense of accomplishment and calm as their ship started on its return journey. Although he still wasn't thrilled about the Reaping, at least the feast would be lavish. They had all the supplies they could have hoped for.

  Of course, his own efforts had accounted for a fair share of the wild boar caught by the islanders today. And the after effects of letting his inner beast out and running across the vast plains of the mainland were still raging through his body. His heartbeat was still elevated. His senses were heightened as though he was still in his wolf form.