I had no regrets about saving her from drowning that night. My only mistake, if it could be called that, had been lingering too long to ensure she was safe…
I stretched my arms out and floated in the center of the tank, longing to feel the currents of the sea. I thought of Isla, the way her blue eyes had sparkled with curiosity and compassion. Her energy was unlike any I had encountered before. I yearned to see her again, to hear her voice, to touch her mind.
She was my only beacon of hope—my only source of companionship—
since arriving in this facility.
The laboratory door suddenly slid open with a softwhoosh, drawing my attention. Hope flickered within me and my hearts surged as Isla came into view. She was clad in the same sleek black bodysuit that hugged her form so enticingly. Her long colorful hair was tamed into a ponytail that swung with her every step as she pulled a large red container with a white top behind her.
Our gazes locked, and a delicate curl of her lips spread into a radiant smile. The warmth of her expression flowed through me like a gentle ocean breeze, calming my nerves and lifting my spirits. As she approached the glass barrier that separated us, her gloved hand touched it in a wordless greeting. I mirrored her, pressing my webbed hand against the cold, unyielding surface. It was a brief connection, but it was enough to make my hearts skip a beat.
How had I become so obsessed with her so quickly?
She began to speak, her voice muffled by the water but still audible. “Ky’rn,” she said, her lips forming my name. I listened intently, struggling to make out her words, as she gestured to the container she had pulled with her.
Confusion washed over me. The thought of her bringing me a gift was a welcome one. I nodded with genuine gratitude, trying to convey all the appreciation I felt through the intensity of my gaze. My eyes sought hers, hoping she could see the depth of emotion behind them, through the dim light that filtered into the tank.
She knelt to pick up the container and carried it up the stairs. It was a struggle for her, the weight of it visible as she strained to bring it to the ledge above the tank.
I followed her up, my eyes locked onto her form. The sight of her determination, her unwavering effort to bring something to me, tugged at my being, filling me with a deep sense of helplessness.
When Isla reached the ledge above the tank, I watched her place the container on the floor with care. She wiped her brow and grinned, her eyes softening with warmth. She opened the container and carefully dropped a large, live fish into the water. I watched it swim, its scales glistening in the artificial light. Visceral hunger clawed at my insides. This was fresh sustenance I had been denied for far too long.
I couldn’t resist.
With a surge of power, my powerful tail propelled me forward.
Primal instinct guided me as I captured the fish, the taste of fresh blood an exquisite revelation. It was as if every fiber of my being had been starved, and the simple act of consuming the fish was an awakening. The metallic tang of blood flooded my senses, and I reveled in it, each drop calling to the predator that lay dormant within me.
The succulent flesh of the fish yielded effortlessly to my razor-sharp teeth. Each bite seemed to melt in my mouth. A symphony of flavors that danced on my palate, the fish’s life essence fueling me in a way that the frozen, lifeless offerings from my captors never could. I devoured the fish whole, leaving no scraps.
And then, my gaze found Isla.
She stood before me, bathed in the soft, ethereal glow of the tank’s lights. It was as though the universe itself conspired to cast her in an otherworldly radiance. Her sapphire eyes, deep and mesmerizing, held mine, making me want to bathe in their depths.
My instincts, untamed and relentless, roared to life.
She’d offered me a meal—a fish she might have even caught herself—as a sign she thought I’d be a good mate. Did she know what her actions implied?
The predator within me, the ancient force that had guided my kind through the eons, recognized Isla as his mate. It was an undeniable truth, a magnetic pull that drew me toward her, no matter the boundaries that separated us.
My hearts, which had long felt cold, thudded with newfound purpose, and every fiber of my being resonated with the need to be by her side—to accept her offer and claim her as mine.
I traced her body with my eyes, the warm blood pulsed through her veins a tempting invitation. I wondered how she tasted, if she would yield to me, granting me the greatest honor of partaking in her life essence and marking her as mine.
Her blue eyes widened, and her full lips parted as she slowly bent towards the surface, offering me her hand. Despite the shock on her face, there was no hint of fear, only deep interest and intrigue, as her brow furrowed, waiting for me to accept her.
Her bravery honored me. She wanted me as much as I wanted her.
I surged forward, my instincts overriding any hesitation, and grabbed her hand, yanking her into the water. She gasped as the cool depths enveloped her, her eyes wide. She wasn’t Makezu, wasn’t even an aquatic species. She was a human, a land-dweller, unaccustomed to the depths.
I pushed her against the wall of the tank, making sure to keep her head above water. Her body pressed into mine as if drawn by an irresistible force. Her legs instinctively wrapped around my torso, her fingers finding purchase on my shoulders, and her sapphire eyes locked onto mine, delving deep into my very soul.
Water dripped from her face, her chest heaving as she gasped for air, her breaths coming in ragged bursts. Panic and shock were painted across her features, and I could feel the rapid beating of her heart against my chest. Her fingers dug into my shoulders as if grounding herself.
In that moment, my predatory instincts were drowned by a tidal wave of concern and protectiveness. The need to claim her, to make her mine, was replaced by an even more potent urge to comfort her, to let her know that she had nothing to fear from me.
She should never fear me; I would let the ocean run dry before I hurt her.
