~ The Siren's Song ~

by

Tonya Sue Harms

Prologue

Defiantly, Jamie raised his gaze to look at his captor. The whip cracked behind him, and he felt the lightning strike of the leather as pain pierced deep into his ribs once more.

He drifted into unconsciousness. A cruel image of the bloody battlefield came, and he saw the brutal Englishman. Somewhere deep in the recesses of his soul he heard the chant again, "it’s not over, never over," those dreaded words that haunted his dreams.

Struggling once more to remain lucid, he raised his head. Forester! The English knave ran him to ground in the Colonies. He closed his eyes and drifted back into darkness. America, I am in America. Safe! I’m only dreaming.

Frigid water hit him in the face, sodden, icy streams ran down his shoulders, and fire blazed across his back as fierce spasms racked his body. Nausea rushed over him, like ocean waves breaking on the shore.

His face jerked to the side from a vicious slap. The blows came again and again, each hit more forceful than the last. Then cold water doused him from head to foot. Agony rippled, bringing him to full consciousness. His eyes flew open, and he shook his head to clear his mind. His gaze lifted slowly and he found himself surrounded by a sea of red uniforms.

"He’s waking!"

Jamie heard one lone, benevolent voice, as the savagery of what the man witnessed became clearly disturbing.

"I see no sport in this, old boy. He’s helpless, nearly beaten to death and still you continue. Bad form, I must say."

"Lieutenant Strathington, I suggest you keep your opinions to yourself, or I will have your rank, Sir."

Jamie stirred. The voice from the meadow, Forester’s voice, this was no dream, only grisly reality. Awareness sharpened his wits.

He noticed the tiny shafts of light that crisscrossed the dirt floor. "The barn," he whispered, as memory slowly returned. His gaze traveled upward. His hands were bound together and held above his head by a rope thrown over a rafter. His legs were spread wide, and the ropes at his ankles staked to the ground. He hung defenseless, like a slab of meat on a hook.

Fire consumed him, and he realized it was the excruciating pain from being whipped until his back was little more than shredded flesh that made him ache so.

Jamie closed his eyes again. Those many years ago, Forester had been right, and although not yet over, perhaps it would be soon.

Hatred pulsed through him, just as strongly as the blood flowing through his veins. He cursed his stupidity for not anticipating the man’s hunger for revenge. He should have realized his sworn enemy would follow him to America. Here, as at home, they fought on opposite sides, perhaps destiny decreed them to do battle forever.

He should have been on his guard, but no matter. Alec would come. His cousin would search the depths of hell if necessary. Desperation seeped into his soul when he suddenly admitted the truth. No one had heard, or seen, his capture. No one knew, and no help would come. How could Alec track a ghost?

He heard the youthful voice speak again. Clearly, the lad did not recognize that the devil reincarnate lived in Forester.

"Your threat is vein, Sir. Remember I have connections. Highly placed connections."

A shout rang out, "He is an animal, a Scottish dog, and not worthy of your concern! I owe this man a debt that is long outstanding. Stay out of this, I warn you, or you shall suffer along with him."

He heard the creaking of the heavy door. Jamie squinted to keep from being blinded as brilliant light spilled into the barn. Several of the redcoats moved outside, and he realized his last hope for mercy just vanished into the hot, dusty air.

Someone roughly grabbed his hair, yanking his head backward. "Wake up you animal." The hideous, shrill voice rang out again. Animal. Animal. The word echoed in his mind. Suddenly, another slap across his face nearly broke his neck with its intensity. His eyes adjusted slowly, finally focusing on his nemesis.

Forester sneered with yellowed, decaying teeth exposed; his piercing black eyes burned brightly with a demonic hatred as he walked, tripping, and nearly falling. "Damn you! Why did you leave me like this? I would have killed you after the battle, not just maim you as you did me. You mutilated me in that meadow!"

Now, fully awake, Jamie used all of his remaining strength to fight. He jerked his body forward with fury and desperation, hoping to break free, only to be snapped back by the tightly strung ropes.

A feeble titter of laughter crossed the room, along with a few groans of those tired of the sadistic entertainment. Jamie watched as others walked toward the door.

"Well boy, remember what I said? It is not over, but soon, Scottish bastard, it will be."

Loud, harsh laughter came from every corner, and he watched several men move closer, waiting for the kill.

Jamie raised his head high, determined that if he were to die, he would do so with dignity. He looked into the nearly black gaze of the devil. He didn’t speak, afraid that he would scream in anguish. His strength drained slowly, like wine from an overturned bottle, yet despite that he raised his head and spit into the Englishman’s face.

"Agghhh!"

Forester’s scream of fury made Jamie smile. He looked back into the man’s eyes and struggled to take a deep breath. "Aye, it isn’t over and I swear to you it won’t end here. If I die, Alec will avenge me."

The shrill, insane shriek echoed, then the room grew still as Forester next spoke in an eerily, quiet voice.

"You think not, boy? You think it is not over?" He stepped forward, then whispered, "Die now brother."

Confused, Jamie repeated the word, "Brother?"

The whip snapped, and he jerked forward with such force he felt as if his arms would tear from their sockets. The thunderbolt from the whip struck again, and again, and Jamie felt himself held firm in the rhythm of death. Waves of excruciating agony were more than he could bear.

Strangely, the pain ceased as a blinding white light suddenly surrounded him. He could still hear the sound of his flesh ripping, yet it seemed as if someone else hung helplessly from the beams.

Jamie smiled. His head dropped forward and his eyes rolled back. As he drifted away everything grew dark, filled with complete silence, then finally peace.