Call of the Siren by Rosalie Lario

Council order that’s set to go down in a few days.”
    By the grim sound of Keegan’s voice, Taeg knew it wasn’t going to be a good one. “What is it?”
    “We’re getting deported back to Infernum.”
    “What?” Taeg’s throat clenched tight, constricting his air. “ Why ?”
    “Apparently there’s been some rumblings among the Council members. Some of them think we might’ve had something to do with Mammon’s escape.”
    “That’s fucking insane .”
    “Tell me about it,” was Keegan’s low reply. “But since we killed Asmodeus before he could tell us anything about the dark fae, and the fae seems to be the very person who broke Mammon out—”
    “They think we were involved.” Taeg took a deep breath and stopped in front of the window, peeling back the curtain to blankly stare outside. “Shit, bro. We really stepped in it this time.”
    “I know.” Keegan let out a ragged sigh. “And I don’t know how we could persuade them of our innocence.”
    “We can’t,” Taeg said flatly. He knew enough about their employers to realize they weren’t going to change their minds, not unless something drastic happened, like they caught Mammon or the fae the Council sought.
    Shit, if only they knew something about this dark fae, but the man was like a ghost. Taeg had even tried visiting the Vivi sisters, a trio of crazy-ass dark faeries who lived in Faelan and who’d once been Merlin’s lovers, to ask about him. The only thing he’d managed to learn from their demented ramblings was that they had no clue who he might be. According to them, the last remaining clan with powers of his level had died off from plague decades ago.
    “What about our families?” Taeg asked. “Brynn, Aegin, Maya?”
    “According to Tenos, they’ll have the choice of joining us in Infernum or staying on Earth.”
    Taeg’s hand clenched into a fist. That was no choice at all. They couldn’t remain alone on Earth, where they’d no doubt be hunted by his evil father, yet neither he nor his brothers would subject their loved ones to a life on hellish Infernum.
    “Fuck,” he breathed.
    “Yeah,” Keegan said. “You know what this means.”
    It meant they were up against a wall, big time. At least they’d planned for the possibility when Mammon had first escaped months ago. But damn, he really didn’t want to do what they had to do next.
    “I know,” Taeg said. “We’ll get on the next plane over there.”
    “Meet me directly at the hideout.”
    Taeg let out a reluctant chuckle. “Well, if I’m gonna be forced into being a fugitive, at least I get to do it with my family.”
    “Yeah, I guess it could be worse,” Keegan said with a grim laugh.
    “What about Ronin and Dagan? Did you tell them about the hideout yet?”
    Keegan let out a ragged sigh.
    “Uh-oh.” Taeg pushed away from the window and started pacing the room once again. “What’s up with them?”
    “Amara told me earlier that they got into a big fight and Dagan stormed out.”
    “Let me guess—Lina,” Taeg said drily.
    “You know it. Ronin found out Dagan went to Lina’s apartment and flipped out on him.”
    Just what they didn’t need right now. More family drama.
    “Seems to me like there’s some major-ass chemistry between the two of them, but I can’t blame Ronin for being pissed,” he said to Keegan. “I love our little bro, but if I had a sister, adopted or otherwise, I wouldn’t want a player sniffing after her either.”
    “I don’t know,” Keegan grumbled. “I just hope they can pull their shit together. I’m about to go down and talk to them.”
    “Good luck. I’ll see you soon.”
    “Later.”
    “Oh, hey, Keeg.” Taeg hesitated for a moment. “We are doing the right thing here, right?”
    “We’re doing the only thing we can,” was Keegan’s authoritative response.
    “Yeah. Okay.”
    Taeg hung up, the tightness in his chest assuring him that his brother spoke the truth. When he heard a rustle from the other