They had finally removed the bit from Morrigan’s mouth. She had hissed and cursed until her throat was raw and dry. Her life had been very simple up to the point when Sergeant Trory captured her. She now had to ask for things, when before she took whatever she needed by force. Brute strength was not an option, however, as she had been bound by thick chains that would not break under all her might.

She had been taken under a big beautiful golden palace by the Sergeant. He had helpfully informed her that Lady Clearwater would see her come morning. With that, he left her in the darkness.

Alone, tied up and out of the water, Morrigan felt something akin to despair. Why is this happening to me? She tried to distract herself by imagining herself chasing a terrified seal – her fondest memory in this new world. But that brought on a pang of hunger. When she had asked for food she had been given a bowl of meat – little more than a snack. What struck her as odd was the fact that even though she had not eaten a proper meal since her capture, Morrigan’s body was still strong, with no signs of hunger or fatigue. Despite this, she felt like her stomach had been emptied with a shovel.

She languished in the damp darkness for a long time. How long she spent there she did not know. It might as well have been days. But finally, someone came to see her in the pit. She heard the pat pat pat of someone briskly walking down the steps. Flickering candlelight shone from somewhere above her. The chains on her neck prevented her from looking up.

A pair of leather shoes came into view, and the pressure at the back of her neck disappeared. Morrigan turned her face to see the person in front of her. They were completely covered in various layers of fur and cloth. The only features she could see was two light blue eyes and a wrinkly hand that held the candles.

“Do you have a name?” the figure asked.

As soon as she heard that voice Morrigan knew something was off. That voice sounded familiar, yet she couldn’t place it. Sort of like a half-remembered dream.

The figure squatted in front of Morrigan. “Can you speak?”

“Yes.” Morrigan was certain she had heard this woman’s voice before.

“What is your name?”

The memory of a woman with red hair floated up to the forefront of Morrigan’s mind. “My name is Morrigan. Have we met before? I feel like I know you.”

“Oh? They told me you were a mindless beast – yet here you are chaining sentences together.”

Red hair, green eyes… “I’ve heard your voice before.”

“I assure you, that is not possible.”

“You must have been younger when your hair was all red. And your eyes were green – how did you change your eye colour?”

“Green eyes, you say? [Holy Touch]” The woman’s free hand glowed faintly as she said the incantation. She forcefully pried open Morrigan’s mouth with her finger and inspected her teeth. Her touch felt like molten iron, causing Morrigan to let out a strangled scream “Are you a Vampire too?” she asked as she let go of Morrigan’s mouth.

Morrigan gingerly felt her lips with her tongue. No damage done. It still stings though. “No, I am not a Vampire. I’m a Siren.”

“Is that some sort of higher-tier Vampire? Or is it some fusion of Vampire and Mermaid?”

“Vampires drink blood – Sirens eat men whole.” Or at least, that’s how it was in the movies. “I’m pretty hungry lady, bring me something more than scraps please.”

“You say you know a woman with green eyes and red hair, right?”

“Isn’t that person you?”

“No. How do you know her? Where exactly are you from?”

“If I answer your questions, will you feed me?”

“Even better, I can take you to the woman you remember.”

“Will she have food for me?”

“That can be arranged.”

“Promise?”

“Promise. Now answer my questions.”

“I’m from a place called Ireland. I can’t remember where I met that woman however, might’ve been Ireland for all I know.”

“I’ve never heard of such a place, it must be really far off. That would explain your accent.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter. I got knifed in a riot and died.”

“You died? But you still have a heartbeat.”

“You could say I got it coming since I incited the riot, but I really did die. Then I-I…” Morrigan did not want to remember. “Then I woke up in the ocean. Now get me out of here.”

“Hang on, I still have some quest-”

“Haven’t I told you enough? Let me out of here.”

“You’ve barely told me anything. Calm down-”

“Fuck you.” Morrigan pulled on the chains. The links creaked but did not break.

“That’s Silverite; you won’t be able to break through it no matter how hard you try.” The woman stood up and gathered her skirts. “Anyway, I’ll be back at nightfall to take you away.” She started walking away.

“Wait! Please, don’t leave me in the dark.”

The woman placed the candelabra on the ground and left. The candle flames ate away at the wax stems until they went out, leaving Morrigan alone again in the dark with her hunger. She tried thrashing about but the effort exhausted her. She slumped forward, the chains holding her up like puppet strings. This was starting to feel a lot like her previous life. She tried distracting herself by imagining what she would do to whoever invented prisons – but the imagined smell of blood made her stomach growl.

When the woman came again, Morrigan was half-asleep. She was awoken by the sounds of many footsteps coming towards her. “She’s inhumanly strong,” the woman from earlier said, “so make sure she is secured properly.”

The three men with her stepped forward. Each of them save for one had a length of chain in their hands, while one held a bucket. The smell of the liquid in the bucket was like sulphur, it set Morrigan’s nose on fire. I have to bide my time, and attack if they let down their guard.

The bucket was upended on top of Morrigan’s head. The liquid washed over Morrigan like non-viscous lava. She did not bother holding back her scream as she was engulfed in pain. The chains holding her up clattered to the floor along with her. She could feel the visceral pain all over, but her limbs refused to move.

“That’s Holy Water for you,” the woman said.

Is that mirth I hear in her voice?

“I knew you were a demon when I examined you earlier. Good to see I wasn’t mistaken.”

“I’ll kill you. I swear I’ll kill you.” Morrigan winced as her arms and legs were restrained yet again.

“There’ll be time for that later – we have somewhere to be.”

They lifted her and carried her from the pit. Outside, the moon was shining brightly. They threw her into the back of a windowless wagon and locked her in. Soon the wagon began to move. Bolts of pain shot up her body with each pebble the wheels hit. It felt like the Holy Water had seeped into her bones.

An eternity later the wagon drew to a stop. The doors opened and moonlight streamed in. Had she not been gnashing her teeth in pain she would have lunged for the person at the door. A man lifted her and carried her over his shoulder. They went in through some grand double doors and into a spacious anteroom. She was dropped onto the floor – the pain bringing tears to her eyes.

The men left, leaving Morrigan with the woman. “What’s your name?” Morrigan asked through gritted teeth.

“Clementine Clearwater.”

“I’ll remember you, and what you’ve done to me.”

“I’m shaking in my boots. Ah- Druscilla is here.”

A third woman suddenly appeared. Morrigan could have sworn she materialized out of the shadow. She rolled onto her back to get a good view of this newcomer. It was the woman with red hair and green eyes. Morrigan was certain they had never met before.

“Who’s this?” Druscilla asked.

“Goes by the name Morrigan. She called herself a Siren.” Morrigan couldn’t properly explain it, but she got the feeling Druscilla was somehow forcing Clementine to act against her will.

“Interesting… Maybe she can sing for us.”

“Why would she do that?”

“She’s a Siren, no? That’s what Sirens do.”

“She said she is from a place called Ireland.”

Druscilla froze. She then knelt beside Morrigan. “You’re like me?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Morrigan answered.

“I’m from the Erythrean Seastead.”

“You died too?”

“I did, now I’m a Vampire.”

“How many of us are there?”

“Could be hundreds, could be just the two of us. Hey, Clementine, unbind her.”

“As you wish, although I must say that it is a terrible idea.”

“Did you cast some sort of spell on her?” Morrigan asked.

“I mind controlled her.” Clementine rolled Morrigan onto her back and loosened the chains. When they were off Clementine took a step back.

Morrigan brought herself to her knees and arms. Her limbs were still screaming, but she could do it. She put her weight on her feet, in a stance like the athletes had at the start of a race. She unleashed the energy in her muscles like a spring, leaping towards Clementine aiming to bite her face off.

A tremendous blow landed on the side of her head, sending Morrigan spinning through the air before she hit the wall and slid to the floor. She looked up and saw Druscilla in front of Clementine. The Vampire was not happy. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing. I need Clementine alive – we need Clementine alive. She’s pretty fucking important.”

Black blood was running down the side of Morrigan’s face. “No compromise. That woman needs to die.” Morrigan analyzed the situation, something she had never done before. Druscilla was strong. Freakishly strong. She could sense it. Morrigan was not sure she could win. Sergeant Trory had immobilized Morrigan by kneeling on the base of her spine, where her tail started. Luckily Druscilla did not know that technique. Unluckily, she was still feeling the effects of the Holy Water. Druscilla’s claws would tear her to shreds in her current state. This would’ve been easy underwater. Morrigan could only make crude lunges on land; she would have to make do with that.

Clementine, I have to get Clementine. The woman was standing still behind Druscilla, eyes wide in shock. The Vampire would undoubtedly rip her to pieces before she got to her prey. This is not looking good.

The doors to the inside of the house burst open and a slim blonde emerged. “I heard a noise. What’s going on?”

“Get Clementine to safety.”

The girl started moving towards Clementine. No! She’s mine! Morrigan used the wall to push herself into the air. Like an arrow, she shot in a long arc at Clementine. A pair of hands grabbed onto her abdomen and slammed her to the ground. Druscilla pinned Morrigan to the ground on her stomach. She did not need to kneel on Morrigan’s weak spot as she had so easily overpowered her. Morrigan tried thrashing but Druscilla was just too strong.

Morrigan felt pinpricks on her neck, accompanied by a mind-numbing pain. She was not alone in her displeasure as Druscilla let go of her arms – and then started spitting out Morrigan’s black blood. Seizing the opportunity, she scanned the room for Clementine. The woman was just at the door with the blonde in front of her.

Ignoring the agony her body was in Morrigan lunged, once again, at Clementine. The blonde caught Morrigan by the neck in midair. She spun Morrigan’s moving body as they collided. Morrigan was now facing the front doors, with one of the blonde’s arms behind her head and the other around her throat. Druscilla was still busy retching up Morrigan’s blood.

Another Vampire, but not as strong as Druscilla. Despite this, she was more than strong enough to restrain Morrigan.

Morrigan gasped for air as her throat was clamped shut. She flailed about wildly but the Blonde Vampire did not budge. She felt the gills at the bottom of her ribcage split open, gasping for oxygen. Darkness crept in at the corners of her vision. I hate the dark. She tried ripping her assailant’s eyes out, but her arms could not reach the Blonde Vampire’s face. She tried scratching the Blonde Vampire’s arms instead, but her nails were a far cry from the claws of these Vampires.

Morrigan’s arms dropped to her side, and her body went limp just as darkness engulfed her vision.