Page 20 of Entangled

“Well, mayhap just a bite.” Merrow realized that Sebastian didn’t seem rotten and evil right now. He actually seemed like he cared enough to offer her food, and that surprised her.

“Where are the shells?” she asked, looking around the tray.

“Shells?” She saw his hand go to his pouch that held her personal shell charm. The one that would enable him to control her sexual desires. He was careful not to let that out of his sight.

“Not that shell,” she scoffed. “I mean the shells to scoop up the pottage so we can eat it.”

He laughed heartily at that, and she didn’t understand why.

“What is so funny?”

“You are,” he told her. “Here on land, we use something called a spoon.” He held up a metal stick with a round indention on the end. She stared. “You really never used the spoon before, have you?”

“I don’t come to land often. And when I do, I don’t eat, so no, I have never used a…a spoon or anything like it.”

“Then allow me to show you how it works.” He used the indented end of the spoon to scoop up some pottage. Then he brought it to his lips, blew on it to cool it, and slipped the spoon with the food into his mouth. “Understand?”

“Of course I understand. I’m not addled!” She grabbed the spoon from him and tried to mimic his actions, but she forgot to blow on the food first. It was too hot to eat and she burned her mouth. “Ow!” she dropped the spoon and it went clattering to the table, spilling pottage everywhere. “I know how to use it, but I am not used to eating hot food,” she told him. “My sisters and I eat the fish raw. We don’t cook it.”

“I see. Well, allow me to help you then.” He repeated the process. Sebastian scooped up pottage onto the spoon, blew on the food, then slowly held it up to her mouth this time. “Open up, my little sea nymph.”

Merrow opened her mouth and he slid the food into it. An explosion of delicious flavors accompanied by a spicy aroma awoke her senses and brought her to life. She closed her eyes and moaned at the taste of the rich and savory seafood pottage. “Mmmm,” she moaned in pleasure. “That is soooo good.” When she opened her eyes again, Sebastian was fidgeting on the chair. “What’s the matter?” she asked him.

“Nothing.” He fed her again, and she let him do it. Merrow enjoyed the intimacy of a handsome man spoon feeding her.

“Mmmm, ooooh, aaaah,” she cooed, just loving the taste of this human way of eating food from the sea.

“That’s it!” He threw down the spoon. “I can’t do this anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

As soon as he stood, she knew exactly what he meant. His aroused form was tenting out his breeches. She giggled.

“You think it’s funny?” he asked, turning toward the fire. More than likely he felt too embarrassed to face her right now.

“What’s funny is that you have my shell charm and supposedly can control my sexual urges and desires. Yet, all I did was eat food from a spoon and suddenly I am the one controlling yours. Humans sure are odd creatures.” She ripped off a hunk of bread and gnawed on it.

“What exactly can I control by being owner of your charm?” He spoke to her over his shoulder, still not turning around.

“Owner?” She scowled at him.

“I mean, the holder of the shell.”

“What exactly are you asking?” She was thirsty and uncorked the bottle.

“What I want to know is, can I actually control everything you do? And am I able to keep you here? Or is it just sexual matters than I am able to handle?”

“Keep me here?” she asked. “You want me stay?” She brought the bottle to her mouth, taking a swig, thinking it was wine. It wasn’t. Fire burned her throat and she found herself unable to breathe. Choking and coughing, she ran to him for help, yanking on his arm until he turned around.

“Merrow? Are you all right?”

She was able to breathe air or breathe underwater. But right now, whatever that liquid was in the bottle, it stopped her from breathing in any way or form. She felt her head growing dizzy and gripped on to his arm so she wouldn’t fall. Then, the next thing she knew, her eyes rolled back in her head and she felt her body going limp as she passed out against him.