“If you wanted to kiss me again, professor, all you had to do was ask.”
I snort at Caspian’s joke. For someone who is still getting a handle on the English language, the merman is fucking funny.
Hunter scowls at me. “As soon as we find a way out, Caspian will come back for the two of you.”
Madi frowns. “That’ll leave you alone somewhere.”
“Better me than you.” Hunter’s expression softens to something almost bordering on tender fear. “Please, baby. I don’t want you to be left alone in this city. Let me go first.”
Madi bites her bottom lip, but nods.
Caspian slips out of his shorts again with a chuckle. “I should stop putting them back on.”
“I wouldn’t mind.” I throw him a smirk and a wink.
“If that happened, we’d all be too distracted to ever find the library,” Hunter says, casually giving away his own lust for the merman.
“I knew I wasn’t the only one who found Madi’s mate irresistible." I hip check Hunter so hard he almost falls into the water.
Once he’s caught his balance, he glares at me. I ignore him and pick up Caspian’s shorts. It seems I’ve become the unofficial keeper of the merman’s clothing, and I’m not complaining about it. The thin fabric carries a heavy dose of his scent. It takes a good bit of willpower to shove them in my pocket rather than burying my nose in them.
When Hunter steps toward the canal, Madi flings her arms around him and kisses him. “Please, be safe.”
She then turns to Caspian and gives him a kiss that almost sends us all right back to the moss.
“Alright, it’s time,” Hunter growls. He slips into the water fully clothed, followed by Caspian.
“Watch out for her,” he says to me.
I wrap an arm around Madi’s shoulders. “Always.”
38
“Deep breath.”
Hunter fills his lungs, then gives me a nod. We decided that in order for me to swim at my fastest, he’d hold onto my shoulders and lie along my back. If he needs a breath, he’s to tap me on the shoulder so I can give him more air. As I dive under, I’m struck by how quickly I’ve grown to care about not only my starfish, but her two alphas as well.
I’ve never been super aggressive, even for an alpha, preferring to rest in one of my grottos than to train with our protectors. Guarding our citizens and especially the royals is a worthy duty, but as prince I would be expected to lead, and I’m not cut out for that. Which is probably why Hunter’s confident dominance appeals to me. Having him command me, my body, the pleasure I gave to my mate, was an experience I’d like to repeat over and over again.
Hunter taps my shoulder roughly, so I immediately stop swimming, spinning in his hold and bringing my lips to his. His big body is pressed tight against mine in thisposition, and though our mouths touching is not meant to be sexual, I can’t help but recall when he took control and stole the taste of Madi from my tongue. My cock hardens in its sheath, and I will it to calm down. Now is not the time.
Once Hunter has enough oxygen in his lungs, I twirl around again and continue swimming down the canal. It’s dark, but the veins of glowing stone along the walls illuminate our path. Detritus litters the floor, everything from pieces of rock, broken furniture, logs and seaweed where it seems fish have made their homes. Humans and merfolk may have left this city for some reason, but other forms of life have claimed it now as their own.
Those water-cats make me nervous. I’ve never seen such creatures in my life, and it makes me wonder what other dangers may lurk in these waters that are unknown to me. Each pile of stone or cluster of seaweed could pose a threat. At least the plants look somewhat familiar so far, but that could change the further we get into the city.
We’re still in the underwater tunnel when I feel another tap. I quickly resupply Hunter’s air and continue on our journey. I don’t want to keep him under any longer than I absolutely have to.
There are offshoots from this canal, but I continue straight, following the glowing signs and symbols that point toward the city center. I’m not sure if it’s the right choice, since the other paths might lead to the surface sooner, but they might not, and this is the guidance we’ve been looking for, so I stay the course.
Still, I worry for the man on my back.
Each time I have to fill Hunter’s lungs, I’m reminded that we're from two different worlds. Hisscent appeals to me more than any other alpha I’ve met, and there’s no doubt now that he and Madi are scent matches. Phoenix, too. But how would us being together even work?
Hunter has a life he’s made for himself here, and it isn’t like he can live in Tythas. Then again, neither can my starfish. After drying out yesterday, it’s also clear I can’t spend forever out of the ocean. If Phoenix hadn’t acted quickly, I could have perished. I just found my mate, I’m not ready to leave her.
When I came here looking for Ocearus and information on humans, I was acting on emotion, running from my duty, but deep down, I think I knew I would eventually go home, once I’d satisfied my curiosity. I told my mother I was going to check on an outpost near our border before the wedding. She would have expected me back long before now.
What does she think happened to me? What will she do if I don’t return?
