The Siren's Intent

The sight of the half-naked siren poised within the waters left the five onlookers momentarily transfixed.

After several seconds, Morven awkwardly averted his gaze, Katheren's cheeks flushed as she bowed her head, and Seraphine's brow furrowed slightly as she turned her attention to Grayson.

Unwavering, Grayson's eyes held fast to the woman, who seemed to recognize something unique in him, returning his gaze with her own luminescent gold eyes, unmarred by modesty or shyness.

She glided gracefully to the shore, reclining against the bank in a seductive pose, and crooked a finger at Grayson with a coquettish tilt of her head. Grayson's lips curled into an enigmatic smile as he took a step towards her.

Seraphine reached for his arm in alarm, but Grayson turned, offering a reassuring smile and continued towards the siren.

"Grayson!" Morven called out in a warning tone, but Grayson, unheeding, moved within a step of the woman. He surveyed her lounging by the water's edge with a smile and extended his hand, "My lady, can I be of service to you?"

The siren, silent, took his hand with her slender arm. Despite the barrier of his leather gloves, Grayson felt the tender warmth of her touch.

She extended her other hand, invitingly opening her arms to him. Grayson's smile softened with a blend of fascination and tenderness as he held both her delicate hands firmly in his own.

"Something's off," Morven muttered, turning to Seraphine and Katheren.

Sensing the anomaly, Katheren drew her silver pistol, ready to intervene, but Seraphine stilled her hand.

"Don't act rashly. We don't yet understand her motives," Seraphine cautioned while exchanging a knowing look with Morven, who subtly gripped the hilt of his scimitar.

The beautiful woman, with Grayson's hands in hers, gently pulled him towards her. As Grayson leaned down as if to kiss her, he suddenly froze mere inches from her face.

With a furrowed brow and gritted teeth, the siren strained to pull him closer, but he remained immovable—an unyielding statue.

In frustration, she summoned two more alabaster arms from the water, grasping at Grayson's arms with all her might, attempting to drag him into the waters. Yet, Grayson stood steadfast, a rock against her torrents.

"Apologies, miss, but while I'm sure you're seeking a bath companion, I'm not the one. I've always had an aversion to water, you see?" Grayson remarked with a mischievous smile.

Surprise flickered in the siren's golden eyes as Grayson suddenly pulled her from the water. With a swift kick to her abdomen, she fell back into the hot spring with a splash.

Behind them, the trio watched in astonishment. Before they could comprehend what had happened, the siren exploded out of the water, her true form revealed: four arms on her human torso, a long, scaly serpentine tail below, her once seductive face twisted with fury.

As the siren lunged at Grayson with claws bared, he calmly met her gaze and deftly dodged, his fingers striking precisely at her throat.

Time seemed to stand still; the siren's claws halted inches from Grayson. His confident eyes locked with hers, exuding the aura of a hunter rather than prey.

"Even the most beautiful serpent cannot hide her vulnerability," Grayson mused as he withdrew his fingers, leaving a gaping red wound on the siren's neck. Blood gushed forth, staining Grayson and the ground below.

As the siren fell back into the blood-red waters, Grayson turned calmly to his companions, wiping his hand clean without a word.

"There's a saying by a sage—no one knows what lies beneath a beauty's bosom, just as we can't predict if below her waist lies the legs of a woman or the tail of a serpent," he remarked, glancing wryly at Seraphine.

The mermaid protector flushed with embarrassment, but Grayson continued, "I hope you don't mind, dear guardian. My words weren't meant for you."

He offered Seraphine an apologetic smile and turned to Morven and Katheren, "Let's move on. The road ahead is long."

As they followed Grayson, Morven caught up, asking, "How did you do that? I've never seen anyone break a throat with their fingers, let alone fend off an enraged siren."

"It's nothing special. Demon hunters do what normal people can't. Our job is to handle the impossible," Grayson replied casually, then added with a hint of humor, "Had it been a male siren, I might have just extracted his heart."

The ladies looked up in astonishment as Grayson formed a hook with his fingers, "However, it would be ungentlemanly to resort to such measures against a lady, even a serpentine one, even in death."

"But enough of that. Dawn is near, and after a night's journey, let's find a place to rest," Elyra complained, poking her head from Grayson's hood.

"You sleepyhead, you've lazed all night while we walked. Now you complain?" Grayson playfully pushed her back into his hood and scanned the woods. Noticing another misty area, he suggested, "There seems to be another spring. Let's see if we can rest there."

"What if there's another serpent?" Katheren asked apprehensively.

"No worries, even if there is, it could be an opportunity to improve our provisions. The mage tower's rations are dreadful," Grayson said with ease, leading them towards the new spring.

Arriving, they found peace and no trace of threat. Deciding to make camp, they nestled by the lake, easing their weariness with the hot waters, and after a meal, lay down to rest, enveloped by the warm vapors.

As sleep took them, none noticed golden eyes peering from the shadows of the path they had arrived by.