Page 10 of Anchored to the Storm

Now found.

And Noma’s brass gift is here with me⁠—

I cringed when Saleeni kissed my ugly nub of a digit, thinking she must pity me, but that changed when she brought us back face to face, smiling. “Mad. G.”

East Three

Silly Rabbit

She is life. . . for me. . .

The world was moving on and spinning all around us, but at this moment in time, none of it was affecting me. Floating in the water, staring at what wasn’t supposed to exist, I felt centered. I take that back. I was the universe that spun around, only for Saleeni. That’s how it felt to be with her.

Deep inhale…

Enraptured by her beauty and hypnotized by her essence, I one-handedly cupped her face, my brass touching her. “I have so many questions for you.” I sighed. “If only we could communicate.” Just then, she turned her face into my palm, and her lips caressed the skin I never knew could be so sensitive. My eyes practically rolled back into my head as a shiver wreaked havoc in my body. “Oh yes, you have that communication down to a T.”

Surprising me, my eyes snapped open when I realized her nose was now drifting up my neck, sniffing. Then she gasped, right before pulling me closer to her.

This only spiked my yearning for her.

My human conscience kept hollering about how I shouldn’t take advantage of a sweet girl who didn’t even speak my language, yet it seemed language wasn’t a barrier when it came to the other side of me. The not-so-human side. That part of me was directly linked to the female who now had a calling of her own. Half of her soft, large fin wrapped around my feet, feeling like a warm blanket. The other half gently swirled, causing us to slowly spin in the water. Then her arms came around me, as mine did her.

Each of us wrapped the other in an embrace that was like a shield of love, something I had never encountered. The emotions were thick and blended with a natural way of life, combining with a spirit-to-spirit connection. Naked breast pressed against my bare chest as wild fury built between us. Her head lolled back, and the moonlight found her neck, as if to lure my lips forward.

When I kissed her skin, a sound vibrated from her chest. It was a purr of some sort. And it was fucking addictive. I couldn’t help but open my mouth and gently bite her neck. The purr only got louder⁠—

What am I doing?

I jerked my mouth from her skin.

Saleeni’s eyes opened as she followed me. “Mad. G?”

The inner guilt I felt was enough to fill me with shame. “Jesus, I’m so sorry.” I had a raging hard-on, so ready for sex. And I didn’t even know if sex was possible with a mermaid not in more of a human form!

I started to release her for some space, but the purr turned into a growl. She was suddenly half out of the water, her hands on my shoulders, looking down at me and pushing me under the water.

Oh shit!

As gentle and pretty as Saleeni was, she was a fierce creature.

Magnificent! It was the only thought I had as her lips possessed mine under the water. Then, as fast as the kiss had begun, it ended. Saleeni’s fin guided her back, away from me, a few feet, while she stared at me in a predatory manner. Her whole body was glowing.

Holding my breath, I watched her begin to move. I dare say she was dancing, but an instinct deep inside insisted something else was happening. My undivided attention told me the same. As she moved in a sultry way, a shark could have eaten half my body before I would’ve noticed. She was that enticing. Starting to choke underwater was the only distraction that could pull me away.

I clamored to the surface.

Coughing into the night, I asked myself, “How many times am I going to drown tonight?” Feeling Saleeni on her side, swimming like an eel around my waist, I chuckled and peered down. “I guess one more time can’t hurt.” Her purr vibrated through the water and me. I shivered, then hungrily growled, “There are worse ways to die, I suppose.”

Just then, I was rudely interrupted with, “What are ya doing, silly rabbit?”

Surprised and annoyed at the interruption, I peered up at Styx standing on the seawall casually eating an apple.

He lazily gestured to the water splashing around me as Saleeni continued with her delicious seduction, then complained, “My mermaid never did that to me.”

I hadn’t even noticed the floodlights turn on. They were glowing in the distance behind Styx, but silly rabbit was correct. I had been beyond distracted. Fuck. What am I doing⁠—

Abruptly, Saleeni left her post—me—and, with speed I’d never seen, was suddenly between Styx and me, shooting out of the water like a shark to shriek at him. She was no longer gorgeously glowing. Her whole body had gone menacingly dark and slick like an eel. Her breasts were covered with some sort of black, leathered scales.