Chapter Seventeen

It wasn’t just the ocean floor. It was like a kingdom, one meant for sea creatures.

Structures towered from the seabed, coral and stone twisted together in impossible shapes. Arches rose like delicate spires, intricate and sweeping, as if carved by something beyond nature. Bioluminescent algae clung to every surface, casting everything in a soft, unearthly glow. Smaller forms dotted the landscape, organic and deliberate, like forgotten shrines left by ancient gods of the deep.

I stared, my mind struggling to process the sheer magnitude of it. This place wasn’t meant for humans. It wasn’t human. The city seemed alive, breathing, pulsing, as if every glowing surface carried a heartbeat I couldn’t quite hear.

“This is home,” Rynar said, his voice breaking through my awed silence.

“Home?” The word felt strange in my mouth. “For who?”

“For us.”

We drifted down to a clearing, the sand beneath us smooth and shimmering with a soft luminescence. Rynar’s grip loosened, letting me float freely while he descended. His silver tail curled gracefully, sweeping patterns into the sand with each controlled movement. His hands traced delicate lines, the glowing algae responding to his touch, illuminating the designs as they took shape. Spirals and curves unfurled, spreading like ripples, intricate and mesmerizing.

He moved with an ancient rhythm, a dance woven from the depths themselves. Every sweep of his tail and flick of his fingers felt deliberate, meaningful, like he was speaking through the motion. The patterns expanded, glowing brighter as his movements quickened. The clearing seemed to hold its breath, watching, waiting.

“What is this?” My voice was barely a whisper, trembling with awe and confusion.

“A declaration,” he answered, his gaze fixed on me. His eyes held a quiet intensity that made my chest tighten. “For you.”

“For me?” The words slipped out, shaky and disbelieving. My hands hung at my sides, useless, my fingers twitching with the urge to reach out. The glow from the sand reflected on his face, softening the edges of his features. For a moment, he looked less like a predator, more like something… sacred.

“Yes.” He glided closer, his tail brushing against my legs in a gentle, lingering caress. “You are mine, Pearl. And tonight, you’ll understand what that means.”

My heart thundered in my chest, so loud I wondered if he could hear it. His hands found my arms, his fingers cool and steady. A shiver ran through me, unbidden, as my body leaned into his touch. I wanted to fight it, to hold onto the anger that had kept me safe. But my defenses crumbled, too brittle to withstand him.

“You didn’t ask,” I said, my voice thin and raw. “You just take.”

He tilted his head, his gaze steady and unwavering. “Some things aren’t asked. They are known.” His fingers slid up my arms, featherlight but sure. “You are mine, and I am yours. The ocean knows this. The depths know this.”

“I don’t,” I whispered, but the words faltered on my tongue.

His lips curved into a faint smile, the kind that made heat bloom low in my belly. “You will.”

He cupped my face, his touch reverent, almost fragile. He leaned in slowly, his lips brushing mine in a whisper of a kiss. It wasn’t a demand. It was an offering, waiting to see if I would accept. My breath caught, my body poised between fight and surrender.

I didn’t pull away. His lips pressed more firmly, cool, and smooth, igniting something deep inside me. A soft sound escaped me, my hands lifting to clutch his shoulders. His tail coiled tighter, drawing me closer, his hands sliding down to trace the curve of my back.

“You are beautiful,” he murmured, his voice trembling with something raw. “Every scar, every breath, every thought... Beautiful.”

My throat tightened, a strange ache blooming in my chest. His words felt like a confession, a worship, and I didn’t know how to process it. All I knew was that my hands gripped him tighter, and when he kissed me again, I didn’t stop him.

The glowing patterns beneath us pulsed brighter as Rynar guided me lower, his tail coiling to cushion my descent. The sand beneath me was warm, soft, and alive with the same bioluminescence that illuminated the water around us. His hands never left my skin, trailing over my arms and shoulders with a touch that was both gentle and possessive.

I gasped as something brushed against my chest, an almost tickling sensation, delicate and unexpected. My gaze darted downward, and my breath caught at the sight of two glowing starfish. A wet brush against my chest made my breath catch. I looked down. Two glowing starfish latched onto my nipples, their bioluminescent arms curling, suction cups sealing tight. The first pull was sharp, a sting that sent heat racing through my veins. Their mouths clamped down tighter, teeth like tiny needles scraping the swollen peaks.

Pain flared, hot, and immediate. My body jolted, back arching instinctively. The suction deepened, pulsing in a rhythm that blurred pain and pleasure. My nipples throbbed, the raw ache building, twisting into something unbearable, and yet, perfect.

Rynar’s tail wound tighter around me. The smooth, scaled length coiled around my waist, snaked over my thighs, and wrapped around my wrists. The cold pressure pinned me, arms trapped at my sides. His grip made sure I couldn’t escape, not even if I wanted to.

He slid his claws up my neck, fingers spreading over the gills he’d carved into my skin. The touch was light, almost gentle. Then his hand closed, sealing the gills shut. Panic bloomed inside me. My lungs seized, my body convulsing as it fought for breath.

The starfish pulsed harder, their teeth biting down, tugging with maddening pressure. My nipples burned under their assault, pleasure spiking with each pull. My body shook, trapped between the pain on my chest and the suffocating grip on my neck. My wrists flexed against the tail’s coils, muscles straining, but there was no give. I was locked tight, every inch of me under his control.

The lack of air turned everything raw, every nerve exposed. My thighs trembled. The scars on my stomach and wrists, the gills he’d claimed, throbbed as his tail pressed them shut. Every breath, every escape, denied.

Black spots swirled at the edges of my vision. My body screamed for oxygen, panic clawing at the edges of my mind. The suction on my nipples grew sharper, the starfish tightening their mouths like they wanted to tear the peaks away. Pleasure and pain fused, the lines between them lost in the haze.

Rynar’s lips brushed mine. His voice slipped into my mind, dark and soft. “Breathe through me.”

His mouth sealed over mine, his cold breath flooding into me. Relief hit hard, dizzying, and brutal. The air rushed into my lungs, igniting the ache in my chest, sharpening the pleasure everywhere else. My nipples throbbed under the starfish’s bite, every pulse a spark that shot straight between my legs.

The moment stretched, unbearable. His tail tightened, the scales pressing into the gills on my wrists and thighs. My body bucked, overwhelmed. The suction at my chest, the pressure on my neck, the cold coil around my limbs, it was too much. My muscles shook, heat coiling tight in my core, ready to snap.

Rynar’s claws held steady, his mouth still feeding me air. His tongue flicked against mine, a cold tease that sent another jolt through me. The starfish pulled again, their teeth scraping, sending fresh waves of sensation crashing over me.

I shattered. My body convulsed, every nerve igniting, every inch of me caught in the storm. My scream was swallowed by his kiss, my lungs burning, my vision white-hot. The tail squeezed tighter, holding me in place as the pleasure tore through me, sharp and endless.

When it finally ebbed, I sagged in his coils, body trembling, chest heaving. Rynar loosened his grip, his claws sliding away from my neck. The starfish released their bite, their mouths leaving my nipples raw, swollen, aching.

He leaned close, his breath cool against my ear. “Mine,” he whispered, his voice reverent and possessive.

I slumped against him, shattered and drenched, the echoes of pleasure still rippling through me.

Just when I thought I couldn’t endure another moment, his tail loosened its grip and slid away. His hands moved down my sides, slow and deliberate.

“What… what are you doing?” I asked, confusion slipping into my voice.

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he lowered himself between my thighs, his dark eyes locking onto mine. “Worshiping what’s mine,” he murmured.

The heat of his gaze seared through me, making me shiver. I was already drenched, my body aching, strung tight between anticipation and exhaustion.

His claws traced along my inner thighs, their faint scrape teasing the sensitive skin there. Sparks of sensation flared under his touch, my muscles trembling under the restraint. With careful, reverent hands, he spread me open, his breath cool as it ghosted over my swollen flesh. My hips lifted instinctively, offering more, desperate for relief.

“You’re beautiful like this,” he said, his voice a low growl, edged with hunger.

His tongue flicked out, a slow, deliberate swipe that glided over my most sensitive spot. The texture was smooth, impossibly cool, and it sent a jolt of pleasure racing through me. My body quivered, the sensation building and tightening, leaving me breathless under his touch.

I gasped, my fingers gripping the sand and threw it all over the pressure of his mouth driving me to the edge of sanity. He licked again, slower this time, tasting me, savoring every drop. His lips closed around my clit, his tongue swirling in maddening circles. The cold slickness of his mouth contrasted with the heat building inside me, a sharp, unbearable pleasure that made me writhe beneath him.

“Rynar,” I moaned, the sound raw and desperate.

He responded with a low, pleased hum, the vibration of it shooting through me like lightning. His hands tightened on my thighs, holding me open, keeping me still as his mouth continued its sacred worship. Each flick of his tongue, each gentle scrape of his teeth, sent me spiraling higher, until I was gasping, begging, lost.

Just when I thought I would shatter again, he pulled back. His lips glistened and somehow the darkness in his eyes deepened.

He moved closer, shifting his weight with deliberate care. A ripple coursed through his lower body, and I felt the change more than I saw it. His slit, smooth and seamless moments ago, parted against my skin. Warmth brushed me as his cock emerged, thick and ridged, the texture unmistakable as it pressed against my thigh. The sheer size sent a jolt through me, the ridges promising sensations I couldn’t fully imagine.

“You’re ready,” he murmured. His voice wrapped around me, low, reverent, possessive.

I swallowed hard, my body trembling beneath him. “Please,” I managed to whisper, barely recognizing my own voice.

He shifted again, angling his hips. I felt the ridges move against me, teasing, deliberate. The head of his cock pressed at my entrance, firm but unyielding. I couldn’t see him from where I lay, but the sensation was enough. The texture, the heat—it was nothing human, nothing familiar, and yet it felt like it was made for me.

The weight of him, the way his body covered mine, left no doubt of his power. His glow pulsed faintly, brushing against my skin like a caress, as he guided himself to the edge of me. Every nerve in my body braced for what was coming next.

“You’re mine,” he said and then, slowly, he pushed inside.

The stretch was exquisite, a sweet ache that bordered on pain. My body clenched around him, the ridges dragging along my walls, each bump sending fresh waves of sensation through me. He filled me inch by inch, his girth impossible, his length pushing deeper than I ever thought I could take.

I cried out, my hands flying to his shoulders, nails digging into his skin. He growled, a low, guttural sound that vibrated through both of us.

“Perfect,” he whispered. “You take me so perfectly.”

He slid deeper, his hips meeting mine ashis cock buried to the hilt. The sensation was overwhelming, I was stretched, drenched, utterly claimed. He paused for a moment, letting me adjust, his breath ragged, his muscles trembling with restraint.

“Breathe,” he murmured. “Let me in.”

I exhaled shakily, my body relaxing just enough. He pulled back, the ridges dragging against my walls, then thrust forward again, slow and deep. My back arched, pleasure sparking in every nerve.

I wrapped my legs around him, pulling him closer, craving more. His tail coiled around my body, his grip sealing me completely. His hand slid up to my neck, his fingers pressing firmly against my gills, cutting off my breath. A wave of panic laced with pleasure, crashed through me. The lack of air heightened every sensation, making the heat coil tighter in my core.

My vision blurred, my body trembling. I slapped his cheek, my palm cracking against his skin. His eyes flared, his lips curling into a wicked grin. His hand tightened, the pressure on my neck sending a sharp thrill through me. I gripped his neck in return, my fingers squeezing, my need matching his.

He groaned, the sound dark and ragged. His hips snapped forward, the thrust brutal, perfect. My lungs burned, the world fading at the edges. He leaned in, his mouth capturing mine, his tongue sliding in as he exhaled into me, giving me his breath. The kiss was deep, consuming, his breath filling my lungs just as his body filled me.

I gasped into his mouth, the rush of oxygen making the pleasure explode. His pace grew wild, each thrust harder, deeper, the ridges dragging along my walls in a way that shattered me. The burn, the stretch, the sharp edge of pain, all blurred into ecstasy.

“You’re mine,” he growled, his voice trembling. “Every part of you.”

“Yes,” I gasped, my mind splintering, my body surrendering.

His tail tightened, his grip on my neck unyielding. The pressure built, sharp and consuming, until I was teetering on the edge.

“Let go,” he commanded, his voice rough with need.

And I did.

The orgasm ripped through me, my body clenching around him, waves of pleasure crashing over me, endless and raw. I was drenched in sensation, my limbs shaking, my mind blank. He followed me over the edge, his body shuddering, his groan reverberating through both of us.

We shattered together, lost in the dark, the abyss swallowing us whole.