Song of the Sirens

(I originally posted this on the r/WritingPrompts subreddit, inspired by this prompt: https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/1g6hxbo/wp_you_are_a_chef_for_the_ultrawealthy_preparing/ )

People call me a monster when they hear what my job is. But what can I say? It pays really well. And it's not as if the creatures I slice and dice are sentient. Unicorns, cockatrices, griffins, dragons, they're all just animals with supernatural abilities. So long as they're humanely killed, I see nothing wrong with serving it up to those who can pay for it.

At least, that was how I felt before my latest client's request. I'm not exactly an expert when it comes to knowing what every single mythical creature is. So you can imagine my shock when I opened the box labeled as "young siren".

Not one, but two creatures were inside, each bound and gagged. One was a girl with feathered wings instead of arms, feathered legs, and feet like that of a bird. A harpy. The other was what I knew to be a mermaid. They each looked like they could be no older than age ten. And they both looked utterly terrified.

"By the living gods," I said, my eyes widening as the implications of what was requested dawned on me. This was the sort of technically lawful request that a cannibal would make. A shiver ran down my spine as I considered the possibilities of how my client would react if I refused.

If they were already dead, I may have just put my head down and done what I was hired to do. But no. There were two living girls inside. Sure, they weren't fully human, but human enough that the thought of killing them felt wrong. It felt like murder. And legal or not, I would not be a murderer.

Taking out my knife, I knelt down next to the two of them.

"It's okay," I said as they began to struggle against their bonds. "I'm not gonna hurt you. Just stay still and quiet, and I promise I'll get you out of here. Alright?"

The two girls nodded as they relaxed.

I quickly and quietly cut through their bonds, helping them out of the box that held them.

"Thank you, kind sir, for helping me," the harpy said as she tested her wings. She winced as she tried to move them. "My wings are injured. I can't fly free."

"They did not like when I freed their whale." the mermaid said. "They took me instead. They broke my tail."

"I'm so sorry this has happened to you," I said. "The boss won't like it, but I'm gonna do whatever I can to help you. You have my word."

"My name is Ava," the harpy said. "I'm in your debt. Your kindness and courage I won't forget."

"My people will sing of your gallantry once I am safely returned to the sea," the mermaid said. "My name's Eliana of Lyra Reef. Your courage has brought me great relief."

"Call me Thomas," I said. "Pleased to meet you. Now I need you both to listen very carefully, alright? If the boss catches us before we're out of here, we're all dead."

"We will be quiet as a mouse until we all escape this house," Ava whispered.

Eliana nodded in agreement.

I grabbed the fire blanket from underneath the sink, wrapping it around Eliana's body to hide her tail. Then I took off my long coat and placed it on Ava to hide her wings.

"This should help make us a little less conspicuous," I said quietly as I gently lifted Eliana into my arms. "Stay close."

Ava did her best to follow, but it was painfully clear that she wasn't accustomed to walking.

"Having a little trouble, are you?" A chill voice pierced the air behind us.

"I...of course not," I said, turning to face my current employer. "My wife is away on a business trip, which leaves me to care for the kids. I figured it'd be easier to keep an eye on them if I brought them to work with me."

"Care to explain why I'm seeing fins poking out from beneath the blanket?"

"My youngest is obsessed with mermaids. Wants to be one when she grows up. I figured that since she's got a broken leg anyways it couldn't hurt to indulge her."

"If it weren't for that open and empty box that's just the right size to fit both of them inside, I might have believed your little bluff."

"What do you mean? That box was already empty when we arrived."

"It's adorable that you think you can fool me," he said as he motioned for two of his best bruisers. "But you're clearly trying to steal what is rightfully mine. I'll give you one chance to do what I paid you for. Refuse, and you'll know just what happens when you cross the likes of me."

I swallowed.

"I've always wondered about the taste of human flesh," he said with a hungry look in his eyes. "Under normal circumstances, the sirens are the closest thing that's legal for me to try. But if you end up dying in your attempts to steal them from me, it would be a shame to let all that meat go to waste. Wouldn't you agree?"

"There's nothing in my contract that says I have to murder innocent kids," I said, my voice trembling. I was no fighter.

"Legally speaking, my sirens are not people. Therefore, to kill them is not considered to be murder. Your contract still stands. Either do what I paid you for, or suffer the consequences."

"What if I paid you back?" I asked. "I'll pay you back all the money you paid me when you hired my services, plus some extra in exchange for sparing their lives."

"No deal," he said, crossing his arms. "You have no idea how long it took to capture them. I will not let them slip from my grasp. But tell you what. You pay me back what I paid you, and surrender the sirens to me, and I'll let you out of your contract. I'll find someone else to do the job."

I looked at the two girls. They both looked just as terrified as I was, if not moreso.

"I don't suppose you know how to fight, do you?" I asked quietly as I looked to Ava.

"I know a bit; I can try to fight him. But without my wings, my chances are slim."

"That's what I was afraid of," I said, swallowing. "I'm not much of a fighter either."

"I'll fight by your side however I can," Eliana said, trembling, "but if you don't want that risk, I understand."

Ava nodded in agreement, trying and failing to conceal her terror.

I considered my options. I could try to fight back, but as the only one not currently disabled, I didn't like my odds.

Unless, perhaps, I could use the element of surprise to my advantage. Still risky, but a bit less so. Feigning submission would be my best chance at saving them.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I wish I could do more to help you. But the best I can promise you at this point is to make it quick."

The girls both nodded, tears rolling down their cheeks.

"So you've come to your senses," he said, a smile spreading across his face. "Good. It would be such a shame to have to kill a chef with such legendary skills as you."

"Just to be clear, I don't like you," I said. "But I know when I've been beaten. I'll do what you paid me for. No more, no less."

I gently laid Eliana on the counter, then lifted Ava into my arms and laid her down right next to her. "I really am sorry. But I promise it'll be over soon. Just close your eyes and breathe."

Ava nodded, breathing in and out to calm herself as I took out my knife.

Eliana started humming softly as she, too, closed her eyes. A deep sense of calm washed over me. All my doubts and fears gently floated away. Even with the element of surprise, I knew my chances weren't great. But somehow, I felt no fear. No worry. Only a calm acceptance of what was to come.

With one fluid motion, I plunged my knife deep into the chest of one of the bruisers.

"Seize him!" The wealthy man shouted as I pulled my knife out and prepared another swing.

The other bruiser tackled me to the ground, wrenching the knife out of my hands in a matter of seconds. Before I could react, I was bound and gagged. Nevertheless I was calm. Why worry about things I no longer had the power to change?

"You're bold, I'll give you that," my former client said with a laugh. "Stupid, yes. But bold."

I felt my legs crunch under the foot of the bruiser, yet I felt no pain.

I then realized. Eliana's melody must be the reason. That must be the supernatural aspect about her. The power to take away pain, both emotional and physical, with a melody.

"Are you on drugs right now? I heard your legs break, yet you didn't even let out so much as a whimper."

I rolled my eyes.

"You're no fun. Perhaps my sirens will produce a better reaction. I think I'll have them skinned alive. What do you think about that?"

I heard the sound of flapping wings from outside the window. Dozens of them. Could this be Ava's family, come to rescue her?

Regardless, I decided the best course of action would be to try to keep his attention on me for as long as possible. That would boost the girls' chances of survival.

With all the strength in my body, I thrust my head into the remaining bruiser's stomach. He gasped in pain and collapsed onto the floor.

"Impressive," my former client said, taking out his gun. "Even though your chances of saving them are pointless, still you continue to fight."

I looked him directly in the eye as he pointed his pistol at my head. If it weren't for Eliana, I'm sure I would've been terrified. But no. All I felt was calm. If death was what awaited me, at least I knew I did everything I could. I gave those girls a fighting chance at survival. That was enough for me.

A chorus of screeches pierced the air as the windows shattered.

"What in the--"

He screamed as large talons pierced his flesh. Ava's family was here. And boy, oh boy, they were pissed.

Several gunshots rang widely through the air as he frantically fought for his life. One of them hit his bruiser who was still struggling to get back on his feet. Another one grazed my shoulder. Another hit Eliana's tail. With that one, all the pain came back as her melody stopped.

Before too long he was completely out of bullets. He screamed as the harpies tore him to shreds. By the time they were done with him, his body was completely unrecognizable.

"My Ava," the oldest-looking harpy said as she approached. "Thank the stars you're alright. I was so worried when you vanished in the night."

"When they took me away, my heart filled with dread," Ava said. She gestured to me with her uninjured wing. "If it weren't for Thomas, I would've been dead."

Another harpy cut me free. I took off my gag.

"You have good timing," I said, wincing as my legs flared up in pain. "I bought them as much time as I could, but I'm no warrior. If it weren't for you, my efforts would've been in vain."

"You risked your life to save our girl," the elder harpy said. "Your tale will be spread throughout the world."

"We applaud your efforts, though they nearly fell short," the second eldest said. "Most humans would hunt us, for meat or for sport."

"I'm sorry you've had such terrible experiences involving my kind," I said, pulling myself up onto a stool next to Eliana. "You deserve better than that."

"I sense more humans are drawing near," the elder harpy said. "It's probably best that we fly from here."

"Not a bad idea," I said. "You mind giving Eliana and me a lift? With these broken legs I doubt I'll make it very far on my own."

"For now, we'll take you both to our nest. That should be a safe place for you to rest."

I smiled as the harpies lifted us into the air with their talons. Their grip was firm enough to keep us from slipping, but gentle enough so as to not pierce the skin. And at that point, I knew that everything would be okay.