The world spun.His stomach heaved.He fell back, looking upto see Zaria’s face, seeing tawny furunder a black eyepatch, watching her grunt as she suddenly held up his entirebody.
“Oh, fuck me,” she said, “you’re legless.”
Being held horizontally did not agree with him.His stomachflexed.He began to gag, her eye went wide, the world spun again, and then hewas vomiting off the side of the gunwale, painting the hull of the ship withthe fresh chunks of his dinner.He barely had gaps in which to breathe.
When his guts stopped folding themselves, he made outfractions of conversation, somewhere close by.
“—ere’s the wine back—”
“—your quarters—”
“—not like to happen—”
Eventually, Zaria took him again.He was forced to stand andwalk.When he did, Vance was watching from outside her cabin, her tall formbathed in the glowing sail light.
“See you on the morrow,” she said, rubbing the broken lockon her door.
Isaac was taken below deck.The process involved moredragging than walking, and every breath Zaria gave seemed to have a curse.Allhis protests were yanked and hissed into silence.There was a flurry ofbulkheads, the ripe smell of the privy, the dull iron of cannonball mounds,crewmen on watch looming from shadow.
He was in a dark room.He was shoved onto a mattress thatwas as thick as a puddle.After some curses and fumbling, a lantern was lit,its metal casing dripping salt water as it swung with the swaying ship.Besideit, Zaria was hastily shrugging off her uniform, loosening the buttons on hercoat, vest, and shirt.She was doing it with such force that they barelysurvived the process.
“Is this your cabin?”Isaac asked.
He had never seen it before, owing to their need to keepapart while underway.It turned out to be little more than a shed.Her bunk wasthe only furniture, and it was just long enough that she could lie down withoutbending her knees.The sea was close, pounding loudly against the planks,creating a constant salty dew on every surface.
Zaria unclasped her brassiere.Isaac blinked at the sight ofher breasts.
She shoved a tankard at him.“Drink the water.”
“There they are!”
She slapped his hand away.“Drink the fuckin’ water.”
“There they are!”
She made him drink.Some groping was allowed.He downedenough water to wash the taste of vomit from his mouth,barely managing a few breaths before she was demanding more.By the end, hisstomach was full again, and some small clarity had returned.
She grabbed him.He was dragged down to her mattress.Theworld became a dizzy mixture of fur and motion.All resistance was met withforce, and every curse was met with laughter.When things settled again, shewas on her back, he was lying on top of her, and his face was buried in the furof her chest.It was a very pleasant surprise.Everything became secondnature—her smell, the heat of her body, the feeling of her hands....
“Fun’s over,” she said.“Lie still.”
He tried to push himself up, but her hands were on his back,keeping him pinned.Down below, the backs of her knees were locked against hislegs.
“So help your furless arse,” Zaria said, “you’re sleepinghere or the planks.Make a choice.”
He fell back into her fur.His world became scent and fluff.“Is this a bribe?”
“Aye.I’m buyin’ your compliance.”
“You’re a foul temptress.”
“And you best point that thing somewhere else.”
He blinked.After a moment, he lifted his hips, tucking hiserection off to the side.“Sorry.”
“He’s a good friend,” Zaria said, “but he’s sleeping indoorstonight.”
“Oh, how he misses his sheath.”
