Chapter Twenty One

I sat in the cave, humming the lullaby under my breath, my fingers trembling as I unclasped my mother’s necklace. Carefully, I slid her ring onto the chain. The ring settled against the pendant, familiar and comforting. I refastened the necklace around my neck.

It felt like she was with me, her strength close enough to touch. And right now, I needed that strength more than ever.

The shift in the air was subtle at first, a crackling tension, a weight pressing down on the cave. I felt him before I saw him. His presence wrapped around me, a silent gravity pulling me closer to the abyss. My body tensed, every nerve on high alert, but I kept my head down, my song steady and clear. Even as dread twisted in my gut, even as my instincts screamed at me to look, to face the darkness that approached, I didn’t waver. I couldn’t.

“You’re still singing.” His voice slid through the space between us, low and magnetic, brushing against my defenses like an insistent tide. He knelt beside me, his silver glow spilling over the water. “Do you ever stop?”

I didn’t dare falter. “I like the sound,” I said lightly, my voice calm even as my chest tightened. “It keeps me focused.”

He leaned closer, the faint bioluminescence of his body shimmering against my skin. His claws hovered just above my shoulder, and the heat of his proximity sent a shiver down my spine. “It does more than that,” he murmured. “It draws me to you.”

His words coiled around me like chains, heavy with meaning. I forced a smile, my fingers continuing to trail through the water pretending I wasn’t affected. “I didn’t know you were so easily tempted.”

He chuckled in a way that made the sides of his crinkle. “Temptation implies weakness. What I feel for you is…” He paused, his gaze locking onto me, raw and consuming. “inevitable.”

The heat of his gaze burned into me, daring me to look at him. I turned slowly, my movements deliberate, and met his eyes. The darkness in them was endless, an abyss that promised to consume me whole. But I wouldn’t let him. Not tonight.

“You always watch me,” I said, my voice steady but low. “What are you waiting for?”

His lips parted, but no answer came. Instead, his hand rose, claws brushing lightly against my jaw. The touch was reverent, almost hesitant, and it made something in me twist. This was Rynar, the predator, the god who could rip me apart without a second thought. Yet here he was, poised as if I might shatter under his touch.

“You,” he said finally, the word heavy with a need that made my breath hitch. “I’m waiting for you.”

It wasn’t the answer I expected, and the honesty in his voice left me momentarily unmoored. But I didn’t let it show. Instead, I leaned closer, my song softening to a hum as I shifted onto my knees. I climbed into his space, straddling his tail where it coiled beneath him. His body went rigid, his claws digging into the stone floor with a sharp scrape.

“You don’t need to wait anymore,” I whispered.

His eyes widened slightly, the faintest crack in his composure. For once, he wasn’t the one in control. The realization sent a thrill through me, emboldening me as I let my hands rest on his chest. His skin was cool beneath my palms, the scales smooth and firm, shifting subtly with each breath he took.

“You don’t know what you’re inviting,” he said, his voice strained, though his hands rose to grip my hips. His claws hovered, as if unsure whether to hold me or push me away.

“Don’t I?” I challenged, leaning down until our faces were inches apart. His breath was cool against my lips, carrying a faint metallic tang that reminded me of the ocean. “Maybe I’m the one inviting you.”

His claws settled on my hips, firm and possessive, claiming me. His tail shifted beneath me, coiling tighter. The song on my lips faltered for the first time as his strength pressed against me, unrelenting. But I didn’t stop. I let my hands roam over his chest, exploring the ridges of muscle that moved beneath his scales. The faint glow of his body pulsed, responding to my touch in a way that made my pulse quicken.

When my hands drifted lower, over the curve of his stomach, his breath hitched. His cock rested against his abdomen, hard and thick, its ribbed surface catching the faint light. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen, alien and mesmerizing. My fingers hovered for a moment before I wrapped them around him.

The reaction was instant. His hips jerked, a low, guttural sound escaping him as his claws tightened on my hips. His eyes burned into mine as though he were trying to hold himself together. “Pearl,” he said, my name a rough exhale that sent shivers through me.

I began to move my hand slowly, deliberately, letting my palm slide over the ridges and curves of him. The texture was firm yet yielding, alive in a way that felt almost otherworldly. Each motion drew a new sound from him, a mix of growls, gasps and something rawer, something primal.

“You’re holding back,” I said, my voice low and teasing. “Don’t.”

His response was a growl, deep and resonant, as his claws flexed against my skin. But he didn’t take control. Not yet. His restraint was palpable, a tension that coiled around us like a storm on the verge of breaking. It was intoxicating, knowing I was the one unraveling him.

I leaned down, letting my lips brush against the cool surface of his chest. The taste of salt and metal lingered on my tongue as I trailed kisses down his torso, my movements slow and deliberate. His breathing grew heavier, each exhale a shuddering sound that filled the cavern.

When I reached his cock, I let my tongue trace the ridges, exploring the unfamiliar texture with careful precision. The response was immediate, his body tensed beneath me, and a sharp, inhuman sound tore from his throat. His tail coiled tighter around my leg, anchoring me in place as I took him deeper.

The taste of him was salt and sea, with an edge that was purely him. I moved slowly at first, letting my tongue map every ridge and curve, but as his growls grew louder, I quickened my pace. His claws scraped against the stone floor, his body trembling with the effort to contain himself.

“Enough,” he growled finally, his voice rough with need. His claws twitched against my hips, as though he wanted to pull me away, but the effort to resist was etched across his face. His composure was slipping, piece by piece, and I wasn’t about to let him take back control.

Instead of relenting, I tightened my grip on him, my hand stroking his cock deliberately as I took him deeper into my mouth. His sharp intake of breath was like a reward, his head falling back as his chest heaved. The ridges of his cock caught against my tongue, each one adding a new texture to explore, to conquer. His taste was intense, salty and sharp, a mix of the sea and something distinctly his.

“Pearl…” he rasped, my name breaking from his lips like a prayer, barely more than a breath. His claws scraped against the stone floor, the tension in his body coiling tighter with every flick of my tongue.

I didn’t stop. If anything, his helplessness spurred me on. I let my lips glide down to the base of him, my tongue tracing the grooves of his ridges before drawing back slowly, savoring the way he pulsed in my mouth. His cock twitched against my tongue, a desperate, involuntary motion that sent a thrill through me, heat pooling low in my stomach.

“You’re going to make me…” His voice broke, a deep growl resonating through his chest. His hips jerked, and his claws flexed as though he was trying to hold himself together.

“Do it,” I murmured, my voice low and commanding as I pulled back just enough to meet his eyes. “I want all of you.”

His gaze darkened, something raw and unrestrained flashing across his features. I didn’t give him time to respond before taking him deep again, my hand stroking him in time with the movements of my mouth. The pressure in his body was palpable, a storm threatening to break, and when it did, it was with a ferocity that left him trembling.

A low, guttural sound tore from his throat as he came, his release hot and sharp against my tongue. I swallowed greedily, my lips tightening around him as his cock pulsed in my mouth. His claws dug into the stone, his head thrown back in a way that made him look utterly undone. For a moment, he was silent, his chest rising and falling as though he couldn’t quite process what had just happened.

When I pulled away, his black eyes met mine, wide with something that looked like awe. “You…” he began, but his voice faltered. “You’re…”

“Not finished,” I interrupted, my voice calm and unwavering.

His breath hitched as I stood, straddling his chest. The smooth, cool surface of his scales pressed against my thighs as I shifted forward, positioning myself just above him. His claws hovered near my hips, hesitant, as though he couldn’t quite believe what was happening.

“My turn,” I said simply, my tone laced with authority.

His expression shifted, anticipation and hunger warring in his gaze as I lowered myself onto his face. The first stroke of his tongue sent a jolt through me, cool and electric as it traced over my clit. I gasped, my hands gripping his shoulders for balance as his claws settled on my thighs, holding me firmly in place.

His tongue was impossibly long, curling and flexing with precision that left me breathless. He moved slowly at first, exploring every inch of me with deliberate care. Each flick of his tongue sent shivers through my body, the ridges adding a sensation that bordered on overwhelming. When he focused on my clit, his tongue circling and stroking with maddening expertise, I couldn’t stop the moan that tore from my lips, louder than I intended, raw and unrestrained..

His claws tightened on my thighs, pulling me closer as his tongue delved deeper. The coolness of him contrasted sharply with the heat pooling in my core, the combination driving me to the brink. His hands slid upward, his claws grazing the soft skin of my hips before settling on my breasts.

When his fingers pinched my nipples, a sharp, pleasurable shock shot through me, adding another layer to the intensity of the moment. He rolled them between his claws, his movements perfectly timed with the rhythm of his tongue. My body arched against him, the sensations building to a crescendo that left me trembling.

“Don’t stop,” I gasped, my voice barely more than a whisper. My hips began to move instinctively, grinding against his mouth as his tongue worked me with unforgiving precision. The pleasure was blinding, a tidal wave that swept me under and left me breathless.

When I finally shattered, the release was earth-shattering. My cries echoed through the cavern, mingling with the low hums vibrating from his chest. He didn’t stop, his tongue continuing to stroke me through the aftershocks, drawing out every ounce of pleasure until I was trembling above him.

But I wasn’t done.

Sliding lower, I positioned myself above his cock, feeling the ridges press against me as I adjusted. His hands moved to my hips, his claws grazing my skin as he guided me down onto him. The stretch was exquisite, slow, deliberate, as I took him inch by inch. Each ridge added a new sensation, the pressure building in a way that left me gasping.

His growl rumbled through the cavern as I began to move, setting a steady rhythm that sent waves of pleasure crashing through both of us. His tail coiled around my legs, anchoring me in place as his claws gripped my hips, guiding me as I rode him. The ridges of his cock caught against me with every movement, amplifying the intensity until it bordered on unbearable.

His black eyes burned into mine as though I were the only thing holding him together. “Pearl,” he rasped, his voice raw and desperate. “You’re…”

“Mine,” I finished for him, leaning down to press my lips to his. The kiss was fierce, consuming, as our bodies moved together, each thrust pushing us closer to the edge.

When his release came, it was overwhelming. His body trembled beneath me, his claws gripping my hips tightly as a low, guttural roar escaped his lips. The heat of him filled me, a sharp contrast to the coolness of his scales. I rode out the waves of his climax, feeling the tension in his body unravel as his tail loosened its hold on my legs. For a moment, he seemed utterly still, his breaths ragged and shallow.

He looked up at me, his black eyes softened by something I couldn’t name. Reverence, perhaps. Or trust. It was almost too much to bear, the way he gazed at me as if I were the center of his universe.

“You’re…” His voice cracked, low and unsteady. “You’re everything, Pearl.”

I smiled faintly, leaning forward as though to kiss him. My hands slid over his chest, feeling the rapid rise and fall of his breath beneath my palms. He was vulnerable now, utterly undone, and he didn’t see it coming.

My fingers found the hilt of the dagger hidden behind the rock beside him, the one he’d gifted me in what he thought was an act of devotion. The metal was cold against my skin, its weight grounding me as I gripped it tightly.

His eyes fluttered shut, his head tilting back as he savored the moment, lost in the afterglow. That was when I struck.

The dagger sank deep.

His body went rigid beneath me, silver bioluminescence spilling from the wound like liquid moonlight. His chest heaved, a strangled sound caught in his throat. For a moment, his black eyes went blank, the void within them stilling as if time itself had stopped.

Blue blood oozed from the gash, coating my hands. It should have felt like victory. But instead, a chill dread crawled up my spine.

Then his eyes snapped open.

The darkness within them surged, a swirling blackness that drank in the faint light. His lips curled back, exposing rows of jagged teeth that glistened like wet glass. The glow in his wound dimmed, the blood pulling back as though retreating into his body.

A low, venomous laugh bubbled up from his throat.

“You thought you could kill me?”

His claws shot up, seizing my wrists with a crushing grip. My breath caught as his tail coiled around my legs, pinning me down, the cold scales biting into my skin. He sat up slowly, the dagger still buried in his chest, the handle slick with his blood. His gaze burned into mine, a void brimming with raw, unrelenting rage.

“You truly thought a weapon, such as the very dagger I gifted you, could end me?” His voice dripped with contempt, each word a drop of poison. “How na?ve.”

I struggled, panic clawing at my throat, but his hold was unrelenting. The shadows in the cavern seemed to stretch toward him, pulled by an invisible force. The water around us vibrated, trembling with a low hum that resonated in my bones.

“Let me go,” I gasped, my voice breaking. “You’re bleeding, you’re dying.”

His laugh was hollow, a sound that scraped against my mind like a rusted blade.

“Bleeding? Dying?” He leaned closer, his face inches from mine. “You still don’t understand, do you?”

The air grew colder, the water around us darkening as if light itself was fleeing his presence. The glow in his wound pulsed, then dimmed completely. He reached down and wrapped his claws around the hilt of the blade.

I watched, horror freezing my veins, as he pulled it out, inch by inch, the metal slick with his shimmering blood. There was no pain in his eyes, no weakness. Just a cold, consuming fury.

When the dagger slid free, the wound closed instantly, silver scales knitting together as if nothing had happened. He held the dagger up, studying it with disdain before tossing it aside. It clattered to the stone floor, forgotten.

“You think you understand what I am,” he said, his voice a cold whisper that echoed through the cavern. “But you’ve barely glimpsed the truth.”

His claws traced my jawline, the touch almost gentle, but the cold in his eyes was unbearable. “I am not a god, Pearl. Gods are fragile, tethered to the worship of those beneath them. I am older than gods. I am beyond them.”

I shuddered as the shadows around us thickened, swirling like ink in water.

“I am the Abyss itself,” he whispered. “The endless dark that waits beneath the waves. The hunger that can never be sated. The cold that seeps into your bones and never leaves.”

His claws dug into my wrists, pinning me in place. The faint light of the cavern twinkled, the bioluminescent algae struggling against the suffocating darkness that bled from him. The intensity of his presence pressed down on me, like a gravity I couldn’t escape. My lungs felt tight, my breath coming in shallow, frantic gasps.

“You thought you could kill me?” His voice was a low, venomous whisper, curling around my thoughts like a vice. His black eyes burned into mine, endless voids swirling with something ancient and monstrous. “Did you really believe I was just another creature of the deep?”

I couldn’t speak. My throat closed, shock pounding through me. My heart pounded like it might tear free of my chest.

The blade lay forgotten on the stone, slick with his shimmering blood, useless. The wound in his chest had already sealed itself, the silver scales smooth and unbroken. He was whole. Unstoppable.

He leaned in closer, his breath cool against my cheek. “I am not what you think I am, Pearl. Not a guardian. Not a protector.” His lips curled, revealing those jagged teeth. “I am the Abyss.”

The words slammed into me. My mind reeled, the enormity of it clawing at my sanity.

“The Abyss?” My voice was a strangled whisper. “You… you are the Abyss?”

He nodded slowly, his black eyes unblinking. “The endless dark beneath the waves. The predator lurking in every shadowed trench. The hunger that can never be sated.” His lips curled into a smile, cruel and triumphant. “I am the nightmare that waits at the bottom of the sea. And I have been waiting for a long time.”

My stomach twisted, nausea rising like bile. His claws sank deeper into my wrists, the chill of them seeping into my bones. I wanted to scream, to tear myself away, but I was frozen. The truth settled over me like a shroud.

“You lied to me,” I choked out. “You let me believe you were something else.”

A low, twisted laugh escaped him. “I never lied. I let you believe what you wanted to believe. Isn’t that what humans do? Cling to illusions because the truth is too unbearable?”

Tears burned my eyes, blurring his face. “But my friends… you said it wasn’t you.”

His eyes darkened, the swirling void within them deepening. “It was always me,” he said, his voice a cold whisper. “The Vurrax, the Sirenshade, the Drowner’s Hand, the Silvershrike, they are all my creations. Shattered souls, reshaped into weapons that enforce my will. That feeds my hunger.”

Their faces flashed before me, Kim, Jamie, Trevor, contorted into monstrous forms, twisted by torment beyond comprehension. Grief and fury tore through me, leaving me raw, hollow, shattered.

“Why?” I whispered, the word trembling on my lips. “Why do this?”

He tilted his head and gave me a calculating look filled with malice. “Because it sustains me. The souls offered to me grant me power, strength. I don’t take lives, I take what is given. In return for miracles, for protection, desperate fools offer up those they care for the least. The unwanted. The vulnerable.”

My breath caught, the horror of his words sinking in. The villagers, their rituals, their offerings, it had all been part of this endless cycle. A cycle of sacrifice and survival. My parents. My friends. Cast away like worthless tokens in exchange for salvation.

“You took them,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “My parents. My friends.”

He smiled, a joyless, cold twist of his lips. “Yes. They were given to me willingly. Offered by those who sought my favor. The souls of the desperate and the innocent fuel my power. They always have.”

My vision blurred with tears. “And me? What am I to you?”

His gaze hardened, something dangerous and possessive simmering beneath the surface. “You were also an offering. Just an offering “ he spat the words with loathe. “But I chose to keep you. To make you mine.”

His claws brushed along my jaw, the mockery of tenderness in his touch sending a shiver through me. “I wanted you by my side, Pearl. And yet, you betrayed me.”

The cavern’s walls seemed to close in, the shadows pressing tighter, suffocating me. My limbs trembled, the reality of his words were crushing me. I was meant to be a sacrifice. The final piece of their twisted salvation. And still, he refused to take that from me.

“Then finish this. Kill me now!” I forced out the words.

He leaned closer, his eyes gleaming with ancient malice. “Oh no. I won’t do that.”

“Why?”

“Because your death would be too simple. Too merciful. You will suffer, Pearl. You will feel the depths of my hunger, my wrath. You will understand what it means to betray the Abyss. To betray me.” He declared.