“You have to leave behind your mortal life,” Penn said, turning back to look at her. She tilted her head to the side, and her fangs didn’t completely come together when she spoke. They were too jagged to ever truly close.

“I’ll leave behind anything you want,” Gemma said. “Just don’t hurt him.”

“This is what we do, though. This is part of being a siren.” Using one of her long talons, Penn pointed to Alex. “And since you refuse to give him up, what better way to teach you how to be a siren than by eating him?”

“It’s really not so bad,” Lexi chimed in. She and Thea were standing off to the side of the room, still in their normal human shapes. “It sounds disgusting at first, but it’s really amazing once you start.”

“It’s not about being gross. He’s a person,” Gemma said, trying to remain calm. “You can’t just kill him.”

“Yeah, actually, we can,” Thea said drily. “We have to, in fact.”

“I know, I know.” Lexi made a sad face, like she was empathizing with Gemma about a bad haircut instead of how morally reprehensible murder was. “But people die all the time. They’re so fragile that we’re really doing them a favor. When we kill them, they don’t suffer. They welcome death. And Penn’s right. Most guys are assholes, and they’re asking for it anyway.”

“Alex isn’t asking for it! He never hurt anybody!” Gemma fought back tears, but she was beginning to realize how futile it was to try reasoning with them. “Okay, you win!”

Penn exchanged a look with Thea, then looked curiously at Gemma.

“We’ve already won, Gemma,” Penn said.

“You’re right.” Gemma stepped toward her, staring straight up into her reptilian eyes. “I don’t know how to kill myself. Or you. Not yet. But if you hurt him, if you lay one claw on his head, I will make it my life’s mission to destroy us all.”

Penn narrowed her eyes and made a throaty growl.

“But if you leave him alone, I will go with you willingly,” Gemma promised. “I’ll do whatever you ask, whenever you ask, until the end of time. I will join you, and I will be your slave. Just please, leave him.”

Penn seemed to consider this for a moment, then turned to Thea and Lexi.

“It would be nice to have a slave.” Thea shrugged. “And we just ate, so I’m not that hungry.”

Penn let out a deep breath and closed her eyes. “Very well.”

“Holy shit!” Harper shouted, and Gemma turned to see her sister standing in the doorway of the cabin.