Freaky Deaky Tiki Read online

  “Kind of, but not really. It’s a myth that sirens lured only sailors. They lured all men when they could ... but only unfaithful men.”

  “Really?” I looked him up and down and then shifted my eyes to Griffin. The Detroit police detective was polite as Jen led them to their chairs, but he didn’t give the striking woman much attention as he pulled out Aisling’s chair so she could settle before sitting next to her.

  “What were you guys talking about?” Aisling asked, grabbing the menu resting in front of her.

  “The hostess is a siren,” I answered, my eyes on her as she left the beach area. Two men — both with women — were staring hard in the siren’s wake. “Sirens kill men if they sleep with them, right?”

  Galen followed my gaze, seemingly reading my mind. “Those guys aren’t going to die. The siren population on the island is limited. If they stay in smaller groups they don’t tend to act out. Jen knows that if she kills someone she’ll have repercussions to face.”

  “But those guys over there, both of them, they’re still staring after her and she’s been gone for, like, two minutes,” I pressed. “I don’t think that’s a coincidence.”

  “That’s Pat Johnson and Fred Montcalm. They’re both known womanizers. They probably hear Jen’s song.”

  I learned something new every day on this island “What song? I didn’t hear a song.” I turned to Aisling for confirmation. “You didn’t hear a song, did you?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t even know what we’re talking about.”

  “The hostess,” I volunteered. “Apparently she’s a siren and she can kill men by having sex with them.”

  “Really?” Aisling was officially intrigued. “Did you hear a song around her?” she asked Griffin.

  He shook his head. “No. Was I supposed to?”

  “Only men who cheat on women hear it,” Galen explained. “I don’t think he’s the cheating sort.”

  “Definitely not,” Griffin agreed, moving his hand to Aisling’s back and idly rubbing. “I can barely keep up with Aisling. Besides, I’ve been threatened with great bodily harm – and a really terrible death – by her father and brothers so many times I already know what sort of fate awaits me if I ever hurt Aisling.”

  “Griffin isn’t the cheating type,” Aisling volunteered. “But to be fair, not long after we started dating I did think he was cheating on me with his sister.”

  Now it was Galen’s turn to make a face. “Gross.”

  “It was definitely gross,” Griffin agreed. “It also isn’t how she’s making it sound. I was at lunch with my sister. Aisling had never met her, and assumed I was on a date. I was not dating my sister.”

  “You always have to make that clarification,” Aisling muttered, shaking her head. “It’s almost as if you’re embarrassed to have people think you’re dating your sister.”

  “And how would you like it if people thought you were dating one of your brothers?” Griffin shot back.

  “That has happened numerous times. Even though we all look like we clawed our way out of the same test tube together, people have occasionally asked me about my boyfriends.”

  “I saw two of her brothers when she Skyped them,” I offered. “I can vouch for the fact that they look a lot like her. It was pretty eerie. Those are some dominant genes.”

  “You should see them all together,” Griffin said. “Aisling’s brother Cillian has long hair, and I’m not kidding, I once thought he was her from behind. I almost grabbed his butt.”

  Aisling snickered. “He was traumatized. He hid from Cillian for hours.”

  “It sounds like your family is close,” Galen noted. “I’m guessing you work and play together.”

  “I think co-dependent is the word you’re looking for,” Griffin corrected. “They all feed on one another. Which brothers did you meet, Hadley?”

  “Um ... Redmond and Braden.”

  “Well, Redmond is the oldest, so he spoils Aisling almost as much as her father does, and Braden ... well, Braden is the most like Aisling. That means they fight. Constantly.”

  “We haven’t fought since the wedding,” Aisling countered.

  “You haven’t seen him since the wedding.”

  “And we haven’t fought in all that time. That’s simply the point I was making.”

  “Whatever.” Griffin turned his full attention to the menu. “What’s good here?”

  “Everything is good,” Galen replied. “The sushi is amazing. Do you like sushi?”

  Aisling made a face. “I can’t eat sushi. I’m pregnant. The mercury could kill the baby. I read it on the internet.”

  “Oh, well, then we know it must be true,” Griffin teased, leaning close and pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth. He seemed to be in doting mode despite his earlier anger. It was interesting to see. “Aisling didn’t like sushi before she got pregnant. There’s no way she’s going to eat that.”

  “I like my seafood cooked,” Aisling explained. “Although ... ooh. They have prime rib.”

  Griffin perked up. “Where are you seeing that?”

  Aisling pointed at his menu. While they were distracted by food, I flicked my eyes to Galen. He seemed as amused by Aisling and Griffin as I felt. As if he could sense my eyes on him, he slowly turned to me and smiled.

  “What?”

  “Nothing.” I hurriedly shook my head. How could I explain to him that it gave me hope to see them together? They’d clearly weathered incredible odds and come out the other side with their humor and love intact. That was the one thing that worried me about discovering I was a witch. I wondered if I would be able to find the balance necessary to keep him and myself happy. If Aisling and Griffin were any indication, it was possible. “You look really handsome tonight, too.”

  His smile was indulgent as he gripped my hand. “We won’t stay out too late tonight.” He lowered his voice as he leaned closer, his lips brushing the ridge of my ear. “I want you to see the show because I think you’ll find it interesting. After that, we’re out of here.”

  His tone thrilled me. “Okay.”

  “As for the prime rib, they’re right. It’s very good.”

  “I guess I’m getting the prime rib.”

  Everyone ordered the same thing — prime rib all around — and after our drinks were delivered talk turned to the obvious topics of the day.

  “What did your father say?” Galen asked, getting right to the heart of the matter.

  “He said he’s going to cut Griffin’s hands off when we get home because it’s obviously his fault I got pregnant before we were married,” Aisling automatically answered. “Griffin says he’s not afraid of my father, but I have my doubts.”

  Griffin scowled. “He’s talking about the dead reaper, not your father’s insistence that I’m some dirty pervert.”

  “I know.” Aisling’s smile was so wide it almost split her face. “I couldn’t help throwing in the other part because it makes me laugh. I keep picturing my father chasing you with a pair of gardening shears. It will be like a bad cartoon.”

  “Ha, ha.” He poked her side, smirking as she squirmed. “As for your reaper, Cormack did some research while we were on the phone. He said your reaper was highly regarded in the business for a long time, which is why he got the plum position on Moonstone Bay.”

  “I had no idea that Moonstone Bay was considered a plum position,” Galen quipped. “I guess I can see it, though. It’s an island and there’s not a lot to do. It’s more like living a constant vacation and having your day occasionally interrupted for work.”

  “Basically,” Griffin agreed. “Cormack said that Grimport had been here a good eight years or so and they never had a lick of trouble with him. He’s placed calls to the other bigwigs in the office and they’re going to figure out what to do. For now, he said to hope that someone else doesn’t die overnight.”

  “What happens when a reaper dies?” I asked. “I mean ... does a reaper need to be reaped?”

  Ai
sling nodded, her expression distant. “Yeah. Because reapers usually come in families, though, another reaping family is called in to reap. We get lists. Can you imagine if you got your mother’s or father’s name on your list? You would spend all your time trying to save them and it would be chaos.”

  Something occurred to me. “Is that what happened to your mother? You said she died but wasn’t really dead. Did you try to beat the list?”

  Aisling’s head shake was slow. “No. We thought she was dead. It was the other reaper family that pulled the shenanigans.”

  “And they’re being punished,” Griffin said, shifting closer to her. “Your mother is gone. She’s where she was always supposed to be from the start. Things are back the way they should be.”

  His tone was heavy, causing my heart to roll. I didn’t know the specifics of the story, but it was obvious whatever happened almost ripped a hole straight through the middle of Aisling’s family. I couldn’t help feeling sorry for her.

  “Things are the way they should be,” Aisling agreed, forcing a smile. She seemed determined not to dwell on her family woes. “Anyway, my father is talking about having a scepter overnighted here so I can take possession. It’s the only thing he knows to do in the short run.”

  “How will that work?” Galen asked. “Will you start getting the lists?”

  “No. That’s another problem. When we told my father that Grimport’s equipment seemed to be gone he was almost more worked up about that than the missed souls. No matter how diligent we try to be, occasionally a soul gets missed. That’s part of the game. But if someone has Grimport’s equipment they can look at his files. It’s a concern, and I’m pretty sure the reaper council is going to send a team to handle it.”

  “Will you know the team?”

  “I don’t know. My father said he would send a message to let me know what was happening. For now, I’m getting a scepter tomorrow morning. I’m not to go looking for the souls, but if they pop up I’m to absorb them. My father says he doesn’t want me running around looking for souls on my honeymoon.”

  “I would prefer that, too,” Griffin agreed. “I want you to stick close to me.”

  “Oh, don’t start that.” Aisling adopted a whiny tone. “I’m a grownup. I think I’ve proven that I can take care of myself.”

  “You’ve been injured, like, thirty times since we met, and a few of those were serious,” Griffin argued. “I’m not risking that on our honeymoon. I’m putting my foot down.”

  “You’re putting your foot down?”

  “I am and it’s going to be glorious.”

  Aisling, Galen and I snorted in unison, causing Griffin to glower.

  “Hey, I can put my foot down,” Griffin snapped. “I’ve done it before and it worked out well. I’m not afraid to do it again.”

  “Of course.” I fought to hold back a giggle. “You’re going to put your foot down.”

  “And it’s going to be glorious,” Galen echoed, smirking. “I look forward to seeing it.”

  “I get absolutely no respect,” Griffin complained.

  “Until it’s time to put your foot down I suggest we talk about something else,” Galen offered. “Tell me how the reaping business works.”

  Aisling was blasé. “Okay, but it’s nowhere near as interesting as you think it’s going to be.”

  “I still want to hear about it. Lay it on me.”

  11

  Eleven

  The “show” Galen referred to was something to behold.

  After we finished our dinner, and three of us indulged in cocktails, the staff started setting up close to the fire. What followed was a rollicking good time, with loud music, fire dancers and multiple performers wearing tiki masks.

  I really was entranced.

  “What do the tiki masks mean?” I asked Galen, who was snuggled close at my side.

  “I think they mean different things. Some are for protection and strength, others represent the elements, like fire and water.”

  “Were different masks placed on each body?”

  “I don’t remember looking. I’ll check tomorrow.”

  “It might help if I had photos of both masks.”

  “Okay.” He brushed his lips against my cheek. “For now, just enjoy the show. We’ll worry about work tomorrow.”

  Next to us, Aisling squealed (a sound that seemed out of place coming from her snarky mouth) when one of the fire dancers got close. She was laughing so hard her shoulders shook, and Griffin wrapped himself around her as a form of protection, whispering something in her ear that made her smile broaden.

  They were in tune with one another, completely lost in the moment. It was as if they were the only two people in their little world. When I shifted my eyes to Galen, I found he was watching me instead of the dancers. It made me feel a little self-conscious. “What?”

  He shook his head. “Nothing. You should watch the show, not them.”

  “I like them.”

  “Me, too.”

  “Aisling drives you crazy.”

  “She does, but I can see why he loves her. She’s mouthy ... and opinionated ... and full of herself. She’s also clearly loyal and absolutely adores him. Men like to be adored.”

  “Oh, really?” I was amused. “Do you think I adore you?”

  He shrugged. “I am adorable.”

  “That wasn’t what I asked.”

  He sighed as he slipped a strand of hair behind my ear. “I think I adore you. I don’t want to pressure you to feel the same way about me because we haven’t known each other all that long. We’ll get there.”

  Hmm. I couldn’t help but wonder if the question made him feel exposed. If our roles were reversed, I would’ve felt exposed. That was simply the natural order of things. “I adore you ... and it’s only partially because you’re smoking hot.”

  His grin was mischievous and flirty. “Thank you for that. We still have to talk about this afternoon. I haven’t forgotten.”

  My smile faltered. “I thought we were being all romantic and stuff. You can’t lecture me one second and expect to get my hormones pumping the next.”

  He chuckled. “I believe I can pump up your hormones regardless. I won’t ignore my duty as your boyfriend. You can’t break into houses. I’ll have to arrest you if you do it again.”

  “But I didn’t break in. I’m not the breaking-in type.”

  “I’ll still arrest you.”

  I jutted out my lower lip. “Fine.”

  He kissed me despite my pout. “I’ll bail you out if I have to arrest you. Don’t worry about that.”

  “Oh, well, that makes me feel so much better.”

  “I know it makes me feel better.” He slung an arm around my shoulders. “Now, watch the show. I’ll handle your hormones in a little bit. If I start now, we won’t make it five minutes before you’re dragging me out of here.”

  He was awfully full of himself. “I’ll have you know that I can resist your wiles. I’m a strong and independent woman. Your wiles are no match for me.”

  “Ah, a challenge. I love a challenge.”

  “So do I.”

  “I guess we’ll have to wait to see who is victorious.”

  Something told me we both would be victorious.

  Finally.

  BY THE TIME WE MADE it back to the lighthouse two hours later, I was ready to admit defeat. My hormones were officially rioting, ready to take over the prison, and Galen was all too happy to cede to their demands.

  By the time we hit the front porch and I fumbled for my keys, we were a mess of hands and kisses. There was no stopping us this time. I had no doubt about that. Wesley was absent and May would simply have to make herself scarce.

  It was time. My hormones, just like the tiki gods we’d watched dance, demanded a tribute.

  We almost tripped into the living room when I finally managed to get the door open. Galen caught me around the waist before I fell — which would’ve been mortifying given the fact that I was
trying to be sexy and self-assured — and he made sure to lock the front door before prodding me toward the stairs.

  May, floating at the edge of the room, merely widened her eyes when she saw us. “Well, well, well. I see someone took my words to heart.”

  I couldn’t even remember what she’d said to me because my brain was so fuzzed. “Have a nice night,” I murmured, as Galen crowded me onto the first step.

  “Maybe you should head out to the farm and bug Wesley,” Galen suggested. He was positively panting. “You might want to stay out there the entire night.”

  “I don’t have to visit Wesley to make myself scarce.” May’s smile was fond. “You guys have fun ... and be safe!” She raised an admonishing finger. “Don’t make me haunt you for stupid reasons, Galen.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it.” Galen’s eyes flashed as he started climbing the stairs. “You know your way out.”

  “I do.” She waved brightly before disappearing. “Have fun!”

  I probably should’ve been embarrassed by the scene, but I had other things on my mind. “We’re done arguing about breaking and entering, right?” I was breathless.

  He nodded. “Totally done. There’s something else I want to discuss with you now.”

  “Which is?”

  “I think it’s going to lose something in the telling. That means I’ll have to show you.”

  I WOKE LATE THE next day, the sun from my bedroom window already kissing my bare skin. Galen was still asleep beside me, his chest rising and dropping at even intervals. He looked relaxed, his morning stubble making him even more attractive than usual ... if that was even possible. He resembled a Greek statue, a perfect man carved from pure marble and put on display.

  And for now at least, he was all mine.

  I brushed my finger against his cheek, grinning when his reflexes kicked into gear and he grabbed my wrist before I could pull away.

  “What are you doing up so early?” he growled, his eyes still closed. “I must not have done my job if you’re ready to play some more.”

  “It’s almost nine.”

  His eyes snapped open and he looked to the bedside clock for confirmation. “Oh, well, crap.”