Chapter 30

Luna sensed they were dawdling on the way home, making the most of their time together. Holding hands and squatting down to look at small creatures in clear rock pools, swimming in lagoons, and marveling at the myriad sea life. Afterward, they would sit and warm themselves on the rocks, chatting about their amazing time in Merinda, and devouring the delicious food the Mer folks had packed for their journey.

But as they got closer to Motham, Luna sensed Kai was troubled, that he was experiencing the same heaviness she felt in her own soul. Even though she tried to be in the present moment, the fact that they only had twenty-four hours left together seemed to hang in the clear blue sky like a dark cloud. Increasingly, there were silences, the air heavier as the day drew on, and they swam and trudged through sand and over rocks on their journey home… Except that word didn’t fit. Motham, the marshes, her job on the docks… None of that felt like home. Never had, really. And now… She gritted her teeth, kicking herself for not asking Brooke about Tom’s gills and how he’d acquired them. Was it the fear of going after what she wanted? True happiness, with the guy who lit up her life. That maybe she didn’t believe she deserved him?

Was she going to let Kai return to Thedaka, never knowing that they may have had a chance.

Yeah, Luna thought sadly, home was where the heart was. And hers was not in that big dirty metropolis, but here with Kai.

She had to say something. But already her pulse sped up, her nerves fraying at the thought of raising it.

Because if he said he didn’t want this to go any further, she’d be devastated.

But you’d still have Tom.

That helped. A little.

As they climbed to the top of a sand hill, finally, they could see Motham laid out ahead, the smog hanging like a mantel over the East Quarter and the docks. Here, the air was still clear, and looking at the crescent of beach below them, Luna gasped. There were the hot pools, right ahead. She hadn’t recognized where they were, coming from this direction.

She sensed Kai had seen them too. Was he remembering their night here just before the games?

Luna forced herself to chirp, “Wow, nearly there. We could push on and make Motham tonight.”

He looked at her sharply, a frown pulling his brows over brooding eyes.

“Is that what you want?”

She shrugged, flapping her arms. “I… I…” What was the point of lying? “No, no it’s not what I want.”

He didn’t ask her to elaborate, just said, “Then we should put up here for the night, by the pools.”

“Okay,” she replied airily.

As they settled and shared the last of their Mer folk rations, he said softly, “Remember meeting me here the night before we fought?”

She smirked. “I was so mad at you. At all your people.”

“You just ran off and left me.” He huffed a laugh. “You did a fair bit of that in the beginning.”

“I won’t tonight, I promise.” How could she, when she had to treasure every last moment with him?

As she dusted off the crumbs and made to go get her pack and find her bedding, he suddenly burst out, “Shall we take a spa together?” Her eyes flew to meet his, and the unspoken message in their darkness made heat stir in her belly. “Just for old times’ sake.”

“Sure, okay.”

For some reason she felt stupidly shy. Like a virgin almost. Ha, Luna Storm all timid and virginal, that was kinda funny. After slipping off her clothes she sank up to her neck in the deepest pool. Then she gave a little squeak, because Kai was already there, arms and tentacles outstretched. The sight of him, so ripped and beautiful, made her juices flow. Her breasts felt full, her nipples peaking with anticipation and longing.

Please, if this is our last night together, Luna begged the heavens, let it be truly magical.

As Kai moved toward Luna, ready to take her in his arms and kiss her, he felt a change in his energy. Already he was unbearably aroused, just from watching her descend into the pool, her nipples hard little peaks on her upturned breasts, the little tuft of blonde hair over her mound, her supple thighs that he would soon be thrusting between… His cock was almost painful between his legs… Except… except, where were his legs, his arms?

“C’m over here,” she husked.

He felt his tentacles dropping below his torso, strong, heavy, powerful, his deep-sea self emerging, spreading out below him in full kraken form. One tentacle reached out and grabbed her as if it had a mind of its own.

“Oooh, wow,” she gasped, “you are super strong tonight.”

He coiled it back into his body real fast.

“And… you look different.” She moved close, pushed back his hair and peered at him.

Fuck. “In what way?” He tried to sound unfazed.

“More wild and exotic. Your eyes are bigger.” She kissed him, then gasped again. “Oh boy, what are you doing with your tongue? I swear you could make me come from just kissing me.”

“Luna, wait—” He held her away from him with tentacles that longed to wind around her and suction onto every part of her. The urge was so strong he had to restrain himself by hunkering down low in the water. He could feel his mating arm unwinding deep in his groin, thickening, wanting to surge toward her. To explore every nook and cranny of her, pleasure her beyond her wildest expectations.

“Luna, I—I look different because I’m full kraken. I—I think I’m about to attain Metan.”

“What happens then?”

“We mate. Fully.”

“Oh gods…” She giggled. “Oh fuck. Does that mean… I could get pregnant?”

He laughed nervously. “I really have no idea. But… I can’t control this happening. The only way is for you to get the fuck out of this pool and run.”

“I don’t want to run.”

“Just go to the other side at least, let me compose myself,” he gritted out. “I need to take a rain check here.”

She pouted. “No fucking way are you taking a rain check, Kai.”

“Please, give me a moment,” he begged hoarsely. Shit, this was extraordinary, his desire was like a raging storm building inside him. “I—I could hurt you.”

“You would never hurt me, I know that.”

Nevertheless, she did hop onto a rock ledge at the side of the pool, only to taunt him by opening her legs and showing off her glistening little cunt.

Kai gulped.

They gazed at each other from across the steamy pool, both panting, her eyes dark with desire, her lips wet from their wild kisses. Her body was calling him, and the urge to take her was like nothing he’d ever felt in his life. He had to have her. Possess her. Claim her as his.

His mating arm refused to be contained any longer. Kai stared down into the clear water as it uncoiled, ribbed and covered everywhere in pulsating suckers, every one of them seeping the liquid of his pre-cum, milky and opalescent.

“Go now, if you must, Luna, otherwise you will be bound to me and I to you,” he growled.

“No.” Her mouth was stubborn and if anything she spread her legs wider. “I’m yours, Kai.”

And that was all his mating arm needed to surge toward her through the water.

Now would she be shocked? Would she scrabble away from him like she had that first time in the pools?

But ah, no… he should know his Luna better by now.

Because, eyes dancing, the little minx stretched her foot into the water and wiggled her toes around his giant kraken cock. Kai let out a howl, half laugh, half bellow as hungry suckers grabbed onto her toes.

“Oh, that is soooo good,” she moaned.

“Fuck, Luna, don’t tease me,” he begged as each sucker zinged pleasure back into his mating arm. It felt like a thousand fireworks were going off inside his groin.

“If this is happening between us, then it is meant to be,” she said. “Take me, Kai.”

With a groan, Kai gave in to a power far greater than either of them.

His mating arm lunged out of the water and coiled around her hips, She let out a little yelp of surprise and delight as it tightened around her.

He knew she would have to come, multiple times probably before she was ready for him to enter her. Exactly how he knew, Kai had no idea, but it was as instinctual and as ancient as time.

Amazingly, it seemed Luna needed no instruction either. He watched as her body shivered with delight, her skin goose bumping as his mating arm weaved around her pelvis, across her belly, leaving a trail of sparkling pre-cum on her skin. She stared at it in utter wonderment, before dipping her finger into it and licking it off, all the time gazing at him out of smoldering eyes.

“You taste delicious,” she husked. Gods he wanted to kiss her, but he also wanted to watch. And besides, his mating arm, partially coiled between them still, was too big to allow him to get close. Until the moment when he would rise out of the water in his full kraken glory.

Not yet.

He stroked the tip along her folds now, readying her, driving himself crazy with the sensation. His mating arm knew exactly what to do, and all Kai could do was follow where Metan led.

And yet… oh gods, this was as new to him as it was to Luna, and he wanted to savor it, loving the sweet moans keening from her lips, feasting on the glorious sight of his kraken cock, exploring and teasing her folds. Kai gritted his teeth, resisting the call to mate her. But ye gods, it took every last drop of his self control not to.

A deep primal sound was prized from his lips as suddenly Luna grasped the thick snake of his cock, placed it between her open thighs and rubbed it along her seam. Every twitch and quiver of her sweet cunt, he felt, his body vibrating in perfect harmony with hers. She was panting, gasping now as she rode him faster. Crackles of pleasure ran up and down Kai’s spine as the suckers on his mating arm focused on her clit, suckling the swollen flesh. Luna bucked, her hips bouncing on the rocky outcrop.

Oh, sweet goddess, watching her nearly drove him over the edge.

Suddenly she threw back her head and sang out, “Oh my gods, oh fuck Kai, I’m coming,” her body jerking and shuddering as she rode her release, her gorgeous pussy lips quivering around him. But she didn’t stop there, she shuddered and moaned and came again, and then again, her face flushed and beautiful, her thighs squeezing around his pulsating cock, her body no longer hers, but his.

Cheeks rosy, panting still from her orgasms, she begged “Kai, I have to have you, NOW!” Gods, was there anything more beautiful than this wild Luna grasping his swollen member in both her small hands, her ripe little pussy fully exposed to him and her thighs running wet from her juices.

“I need you inside me.”

“Are you sure babe?”

“Yes, oh gods, Kai, you’re literally glowing,” she gasped. Kai realized she was right; there was a blue light encompassing both of them. Rising out of the pool, his lower tentacles scooped under her butt and formed a mating nest for her. And there she lay, totally open and trusting and gazed at him in awe.

“You’re so beautiful like this.” She sighed, tracing his features with her finger tips.

“I don’t put you off?”

“What? No... never. You are even more wondrous in your kraken form.”

All doubts gone now, Kai gave himself over to Metan. And his mate.

Propped on his primary tentacles, they both watched as the tip of that giant mating arm entered her and she took him, bit by glorious bit.

With a primal growl, Kai hauled himself higher, his strong chest holding him steady as he thrust deeper, the suckers along his cock caressing her inner walls, stroking her G-spot, eliciting little sighs and grunts.

Deeper and deeper he surged, and she spurred him on, with her hot sweet breath and words of love, and Kai found himself awed by how her small human body managed to yield and accommodate him.

He coiled a tentacle behind her, sliding it along her butt crack, teasing her little hole and she let out a long ecstatic moan.

“You like that?” he panted.

She nodded. “More… Kai, fill me— everywhere.”

Kai eased that tentacle deeper into her sweet ass as his mating arm filled her sweet cunt to the hilt. Until she was grinding against him to pull him deeper still, her head thrashing from side to side.

Volcanic heat built at his core, sweat sheened his body. “Oh Gods, Luna,” he gasped against her neck, almost past the point of no return. “Come again, babe, riding my cock. Come for me.”

“Oh Kai, oh yessssss…”

For a moment Luna’s body stiffened, her breath stood still and all Kai could hear was the wild pounding of three hearts in unison. Then with a howl, she came so hard around him it was like being buffeted by the waves of a gigantic storm.

Maybe there was lightning, even though the sky was clear. Maybe there was thunder, even though there was no rain. Because that’s how it felt as Kai’s orgasm pounded through him, cosmic and radiant, his gaze locked with Luna’s, as together they tumbled into bliss.