Chapter Twelve
I woke up underwater. Not just surrounded by water, but also in the sea. I recognized the salty tang of the ocean immediately. My body breathed it in with relief, sucking in great drafts of it through my gills and pores. I was resting on something smooth that coiled around me, cradling my body. Confused, I opened my eyes and swiveled my head. Another much larger head lifted and angled an enormous eye at me.
Entranced, I reached out a hand. The face drew closer, close enough to touch. Smooth scales pressed into my palm. Like glass, but stronger than steel. He was the first dragon I had touched. The only one I ever wanted to.
"Your Majesty," I projected my thoughts to him. If he was open to hearing me, he would. I was certainly open to hearing him.
But King Vaxarion—it had to be him—didn't respond. He just nuzzled me and curled his strong body more tightly around me. Then, as I stroked his cheek, he closed his eyes and let out a sweet rumbling sound that vibrated through the water. It healed me as nothing else could, banishing the lingering past. I got to my knees and laid my torso against his cheek, arms extended in a hug.
"Thank you for saving me. Thank you. I don't know why you came or how you knew I was in trouble, but thank you, Your Majesty," I projected my thoughts again.
That happy rumble slid into my mind. And then came, "Zixin," in Vaxarion's deep, velvety voice.
"It is you!" I leaned back. "How did you know I needed you?"
"Zixin," he repeated.
"King Vaxarion?"
"Stay." His long, massive body unwound, and he swam away.
"Where are you going?"
"Stay!"
I stayed. King Vaxarion left. As he did, I noticed where we were. A cave. He had brought me to an undersea cave. But it had sea lanterns in it, sitting on ledges. So he must have been there before. Was this where he brought all his lovers? How strange. But who gave a shit? I was free! I was alive! I was with Vaxarion! And I was nearly strong enough to get up and do a happy dance. Not quite, but nearly. The sea revived me much faster than fresh water.
A disturbance in the currents alerted me to Vaxarion's return. I sat cross-legged on a rock shelf with a grin on my face, eager to see him again. He appeared in seconds, swimming faster than the Lu-Ken could sail, even with the strongest wind filling her sails. He came to a graceful stop, the water swaying me, and laid something before me. It drifted up from the sand.
A fish. He had brought me a fish.
Gleefully, I grabbed the dead thing and chomped into it. In my mind, I sent him a, "Thank you, Your Majesty. I was starving."
"Vaxarion," came his response.
I went still, pausing my meal to stare at him. "Thank you, Vaxarion."
"Zixin. Eat."
I ate but also frowned. What was up with the clipped answers? What was wrong with him? A Sea Dragon had the same intellect in their beast form as they did as a man, but King Vaxarion sounded as if he'd lost some brain cells.
Then I noticed the shackle. It was still on me, a length of chain coiled nearby like a snake. I jumped, dropping the fish, and yanked at it. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Vaxarion pull back, then come closer. But I was losing myself again. All I could see was that fucking iron. I needed it off. Inside my head, I whimpered.
"Zixin," the Sea King's voice calmed me. "Cease."
I went still but stared at him balefully. "Help me. Please. I can't be chained. Please."
Suddenly, the water shimmered. Bubbled. The sea dragon shifted, shrinking into a Sea Dragon man. And there he was, more glorious than ever. Vaxarion's long hair streamed around his nude body in the currents created by his dragon, the lantern light turning those dark strands into a dark rainbow. He bent, grabbed the shackle at both sides, and yanked it apart. Effortless. As if the thing were made of paper. He tossed it away, the chain trailing after the broken metal, then cupped my face in his hands.
In a daze, I stared at him. Vaxarion drew closer. I rocked forward, taken to him by the water. My hands pressed against his bare chest. He continued to hold my face, but it felt as if he surrounded me. His presence was still the size of his beast, wrapped around me so tightly that I'd never get free of him. I never wanted to. Closing my eyes, I lifted my lips to his in offering.
And he accepted.
Groaning, we came together, tongues weaving, telling a story of loss and recovery. Of near death and reconfirmed life. I felt Vaxarion's joy through his kiss, and that both amazed and excited me. He wanted me. He wanted me enough to tear down a fucking castle for me! I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him closer. Fell back with him.
We drifted down, then spun, floating just above the sand, our buoyancy and his magic holding us aloft. The baggy clothing I wore was drawn away, then drifted out of reach, and the King's hands slid over every inch of skin that was revealed. He touched and stroked and grabbed, but it was all slow, with a surprising tenderness. Reverence, even. I could only touch him in the same manner, my body not allowing me to reject his offer. Not this time. So when I moved against Vaxarion, it was in an undulating brush—a roll of my chest, nipples dragging over his, then my abdomen, a graze of my shaft on his thigh, and then our legs entwined.
"Zixin," he spoke in my mind again. "Need you."
"I need you too, Vax." The nickname slid easily from my mind and into his, and he made a delighted growl, accepting it.
The King's mouth found my throat, his tongue flicking over my open gills before moving down. As I shivered, he closed his teeth around my flesh. Still, it was tender. Sweet. Gentle. Things I didn't expect from a Sea Dragon. His hand tugged at my braid, unbound it, and slid through. The locks weren't nearly as long as his, but with them loose, they reached for him, and his hair spun with mine. We were entwined. He wove me into his fabric. A part of his weft. Just another piece of the Sea King. But a happy piece.
"An integral piece," Vaxarion said.
Had I sent that thought to him? I was so lost in this man that I couldn't keep my private thoughts to myself. But I didn't care. Not when he said things like that. Integral? After one night? Had we connected so brilliantly? Yes. Yes, we had. I'd felt it as much as he did. This was right. I needed him too. Should never have walked away.
I clutched at Vaxarion's strong shoulders as he worked his mouth down my chest, lapping at my nipples and nibbling my flesh. He nosed the line between my muscles, sending me into a backward arch that had us rolling again. His hair billowed around us, hiding pieces of him from me. It didn't matter. I could feel all of him. See him even with my eyes closed. Touching Vax was like worshiping a god. It sent a low vibration through my body, forming a holy union.
And then Vaxarion's hot mouth was on my cock, and I cried out, my shout lost to the water. So hot. So tight. That fucking suction. The vacuum of his desire. He felt as if he'd draw all of me into himself. I shuddered, my sacs drawing up and my thighs tightening, but Vax drew away before I came. And down he went, lifting me so that I spun backward again. Weightless, I couldn't tell which way was up. It didn't matter. The Sea King was my up and down. My everything. All directions led to him.
Vaxarion's tongue flicked over my entrance. A finger prodded, then a slick shaft. Not his. No, I knew the feel of his sex well, had been craving it even as I'd been tortured. That wasn't it. It was water. His magic spreading me gently. Opening me. Patiently. Coating my channel in a thin layer of moisture. I moaned as Vax pulled me into position, my hands knowing where to go—his shoulders. Those strong, broad shoulders that would serve as my anchor. I held on as his flesh finally slipped into me, the water inside me easing his way.
With that first thrust, I opened my eyes. I needed to see Vax as he entered me. And what a sight it was. The Sea King was glorious. No surprise there. But what shocked me was the adoration in his eyes. The way he stared at me as if he had searched all the seas of Serai for me and found me at last. I cupped his cheek and pulled him down to me. The pleasure of him pumping into me became a background to the delight of his wondrous kiss.
"More," Vax growled.
"Yes. More. All of me," I said. "Take everything. Leave nothing behind."
Vax's pleasure shimmered into me, pure emotion without words, but I still felt it. He was blissful. So was I. I wanted to be like this with him forever. Just rolling in the sea, our bodies joined along with our minds.
"My Zix," Vax said as he sped up. "Mine. I will take all of you. You belong to me now." He was finally giving me more than a few words.
"There you are," I spoke even as we continued to kiss. "I was wondering what was going on with you."
"I merely spent too long in dragon form," he said, though it felt evasive to me.
It was harder to hide such nuances when you spoke like this. But I didn't press him. It didn't matter.
"How did you find me?"
"Not now, Zixin." Vax thrust deeper, making my head fall back. Seeing the results of his prowess, he rumbled happily and claimed my throat, his jaw closing around the bend. "Need you. I need to come inside you. Over you."
"Yes, please." I shuddered, my cock responding with a need of its own.
Then he surprised me by asking, "Are you all right? If you're hurting, tell me. I'll stop."
"Hurting? Why would I be hurting?"
"Your injuries have just healed. You were . . ." He paused, and I felt his fury. His . . . fear? For me? His hips thrust harder against me. "You were badly wounded, Zix. And depleted. You needed the sea."
All three of my hearts melted. "I'm well. It was nothing."
"No, it wasn't. And as soon as I have you safe in my palace, I'm returning to kill everyone who hurt you."
Physical pleasure merged with the deadly sexiness of his vow to send me over. I clutched at Vax as my body bowed back and my cock jerked forward, releasing my desire into the water. Vax kept pumping as I came, his delight rippling through me and his mouth on my throat, kissing my muffled cries.
As soon as I trickled down from satisfaction, Vax shot up into it, his hips jerking against me. The heat of his seed was unmistakable with my body cooled to the temperature of the ocean. It filled my channel and its warmth spread, sending erotic shivers through me. And then he came again. And again. I was so full of him, my channel clenching to hold it all in even as he withdrew.
The Sea King held onto my waist and spun with me, streamers of cum shooting from his cock to spin with us. In utter awe at the sensual beauty, I watched the shimmering liquid twine about me, the milky ribbons splitting apart to turn into diamonds. Then the oddest thing happened. Even as we gently spun, the ribbons and droplets rushed to me as if my skin sucked them in. As if I were a magnet, pulling them to me. Everywhere they hit became sensitive and sent zings of ecstasy along my nerve endings until my cock rose and I ejaculated again.
Vax turned me away from him, still coming, those ribbons continuing to twine about me and sink into my skin. They floated down to my back, and I arched into the pleasure. Rapture took control. My mind swam in it. My body steeped. The only thing that kept me from floating away was Vax. His strong grip. The feel of him moving against me. And the deep satisfaction I felt from him.
It was too much for my freshly healed body. I trembled into oblivion. One word followed me into the darkness.
"Mine."