Stripping off my clothes, I don't wait for Caspian before I step down into the steaming tub, groaning when the hot water hits all of my sore muscles. But then I have a thought and stand up quickly. “The hot water isn't going to cook the eggs, is it?” I ask him, cradling my tiny bump. I may not want them yet, but I don't want anything to happen to them either.
He snorts with amusement before realizing that I’m serious. “No, Lila, it won’t cook the eggs, just like it doesn’t cook your own eggs inside you.” He strips off his shirt, exposing all his blue and purple skin, and I lose all interest in the conversation. I drop down into the water, leaving only my head above it, and continue to watch as this beautiful male strips off the rest of his clothing. He slides his jeans off, revealing his tentacled cock, already erect, and my exhaustion suddenly disappears beneath a wave of raging need. Still in his human form, he steps down into the water and makes his way across the small pool to stand just in front of me. There’s a cocky smirk on his lips, and his eyes sparkle with mischievousness. Licking my lips, my eyes trace the nautical tattoos on his well-defined arms. There’s an anchor, ships, and sea creatures, including a topless mermaid.
“That doesn't look like the mermaid in the tank; she had scales covering her breasts.”
He grins, the smile lighting up his face. “Yes, but that was because we were on Earth where they are very puritanical in their views. On the other planets, naked breasts are very much accepted and wanted. You’ll see.”
“So is that modeled after anyone in particular?” I ask, jealousy making me take a small step back from him. “Please tell me that I won’t actually come face to face with the woman on your arm with those amazing tits.”
He chuckles and lunges for me. I squeal and try to get away, but he’s just too quick. He pulls me in, and I automatically wrap my legs around his waist, his thick cock sliding through my lips, and I moan. He nibbles at my neck. “No, baby, it’s just a tattoo, not modeled after anyone. Mermaids are incredibly snobbish creatures, so they tend to stick to their own species. They wouldn't be caught dead with a Fluxxian kraken shifter.”
I rub myself up and down his thick length, and a moan escapes my mouth. “Really? The one I saw in the tank seemed friendly enough.”
“Was that Nixie?” he asks as he palms my breast and leans in to nibble on the nipple.
“Yes,” I groan out as the nip of his teeth sends shocks of pleasure straight to my core.
“You’ll probably find she’s the nicest of the lot, though her brother is a fucking asshole. But enough about them. I want to make my mate scream.” And with those words, he thrusts himself deep into my channel, both of us grunting as he seats himself fully.
“Mermaids? What mermaids?” I pant out as Caspian proceeds to do what he said he would. My screams echo through the bathroom as he makes sure I am well and truly sated before bed.
* * *
The following morning, Caspian and I are up early, following another blistering round of sex. We can’t seem to keep our hands, mouths, or tentacles off of each other, which is fine by me, but it means we haven't really gotten to know one another on more than a physical level. So I’m not surprised that when I suggest another round of bath sex, he counters that we should bathe separately then enjoy breakfast together, learning more about each other.
I agree, albeit with a pout, and hurry through a quick shower, not wanting to miss out on one-on-one time with him before my grandpas come and pick me up.
“Are you going to do the tour with us?” I ask him while eating my bowl of fruit salad.
“No, I thought I would give you some time with your grandpas. I have to go back to my quarters to grab a change of clothes and catch up on my mail and stuff. It tends to build up while we’re on Earth.”
His quarters?“But I thought you would be moving in here?” I reply, suddenly afraid that maybe he doesn't want this as much as I thought he did.
His eyes light up at my question, and he sits up straighter. “Really? That wouldn’t be going too fast?”
I snort, almost blowing my coffee out through my nose. That was bad timing. “Too fast? That horse has already left the stable, buddy. Fast was your beast deciding to implant his eggs into my womb without checking if it was okay first,” I tell him dryly, and he has the grace to look embarrassed. “No, I want you here. While the grandpas are showing me around, why don’t you move all your stuff in? Take whichever bedroom you want for your things, so you have a space if you ever need a break from me.” He looks thrilled at my suggestion, already hurrying to finish his breakfast so he can get started.
“Why don’t we meet at the Aquilian pool a little later? You can show me your beast.” God, you would have thought I told him he’d won the lottery with how he whoops and nearly smashes a kiss on my cheek before putting his plate in the sink and hurrying out. Well, that’s something to look forward to anyway.
It’s about half an hour later when I pull the door to my suite closed and follow my grandpas to the bridge of this ship. I missed most of it last night, having been unconscious when they brought me to my room, but the ship is apparently so big they use sideways elevators to get around. They slide around on a track that circles each level. When we step out of the one we’re in, I’m greeted by another huge picture window with a similar-looking setup to the circus pod but on a larger scale. There are quite a few crew members here that I don't recognize, so I whisper that to John, sure he’ll drop some info on me.
“All of our crew are Skarrian, and most of them stay aboard this ship while the circus pod is on Earth. This ship requires a lot more people to keep it running efficiently,” he whispers back before introducing me to Captain Broderick Potter. He’s a tall rugged redheaded gentleman with a bushy moustache and beard, but unlike Captain Lester, this man has a twinkle in his blue eyes.
“Well, who do we have here?” he asks, looking me up and down.
“Rick, this is our Lila,” William says, sounding proud, which warms me inside. “Lila, this rogue here was your father’s best friend.”
He sticks out a large hand, but when I reach out to shake it, he pulls me into a huge hug. “Of course she is! Spitting image of her gorgeous mother.” He pulls back, and I can see the sorrow in his eyes despite his grin. “Thank the universe she doesn't look like her ugly father.”
Everyone chuckles, while I frown in confusion.
“Your father was a very handsome man. How could he not be with us as parents?” Eric is still chuckling as he gestures to the three of them. I roll my eyes, but then I realize I can’t remember what my parents looked like. Any photos I might have had got lost in the system, and that’s something that just makes me sad. Sure, I’m reclaiming a part of my heritage now, but that doesn’t help bring me closer to them if I can’t even picture them in my mind.
“It’s nice to meet you, sir,” I tell him quietly, immediately receiving a shake of his head in response.
“Oh no, none of that. You will call me Bubby, like your mother did. You and I are going to be firm friends. Now, let me show you the bridge of this hunk of junk.” He offers me his arm, and for the next hour, ‘Bubby’ gives me a rundown of the technical aspects of the main ship. He introduces me to the staff, and by the end, my head is brimming with so much information that it starts to throb a bit. It’s John who notices me rubbing my temples even though he and the other two grandpas have sat out of the way and let Bubby run the show.
“Right, I think that’s enough. We’ve still got a lot to get through, and Lila probably needs to drink more water.” Ugh, even the mention of the water has me grimacing. With no signs of Skarrian power, this seems like an exercise in futility. I guess I’ll at least be an octopus now, though I’m not sure if that will be as important to the grandpas.
