Page 26 of The Kraken Games

What? Because a human had humiliated him by walking out after a night of wild sex, he would consider letting down those who trusted and loved him?

Shame on you, Kai Ganlan.

As the elevator hit ground level with a jolt, he strode out into the foyer, shoulders hunched, his eyes cast down so he wouldn’t see the seedy reception area with the condom machine and the list of rooms and services.

The sordid truth was, Luna had paid him to service her.

And now he sensed he was going to pay for that.

When she got home Luna put the kettle on and stared out of the cracked windowpane across the marshes. The sun was just rising. It had still been dark when she left the Hotel Amore, hurrying to where she’d moored her little boat on the quay and making her way home along the murky waterways.

Taking her mug of tea now, she went out onto the veranda, careful to avoid the rotten boards (water seeped up through them constantly, and she wasn’t speedy at repairing things).

As the sky streaked pink and purple above her, she remembered the retro purple lamp that lit up the room at the Hotel Amore, enough to see when she woke, how intimately Kai was sprawled next to her. Two legs, two arms, four tentacles, two of which seemed to be curled into him.

One muscled leg had been loosely intertwined with her own, a tentacle thrown over her waist, and she’d had to ever so cautiously remove them, watching his face the whole time to see if he stirred.

But no, he hadn’t. His lips parted as he breathed slow and regular, and his lashes swept his angled cheekbones. The beauty of the guy made her breath hitch. But she couldn’t let it affect her. She had to forget this ever happened. Except for his tentacles. She needed to remember those.

She’d peered closer, eyes widening as she saw the raft of scars on the tentacles that were coiled protectively into his chest. What the hell had happened to them? Some major injury for sure. These two, he’d maybe not used on her, she realized, counting how many of her erogenous zones had been stuffed and stimulated. She studied his powerful torso, the ripple of his pecs and six pack. Her gaze panned lower, to his cock, thick and veined even at rest between his roped thighs.

Holy fucking goddess, she’d ridden that cock to a mind blowing orgasm, tossed around on wave after wave of pleasure.

You shouldn’t have let him make you come.

Yeah, like I had a fucking choice.

Her body had simply taken over.

She winced now, recalling how she’d loved the way he’d traced his fingers over her face, and how she’d bitten his thumb then licked it better as she watched his tentacles stroking her breasts, gently kneading and squeezing—and when he’d slid one around her butt, and along her crack, playing at her hole as his cock moved in her… Hell, she was pretty sure she’d howled his name as she came, hadn’t she.

Bad move.

She’d pushed aside the memories, forced herself to keep examining him, to stay cool, objective.

Fact finding, that’s all I’m doing.

She’d examined his primary tentacles carefully, long and sinewy and strong, imagining how the muscular tissue would work in combat, how they’d squeeze around her and sucker on. The two he held close to his chest were thinner, with less muscle and suckers due to the scar tissue. Without suckers they wouldn’t be able to squeeze her as well during a fight, even if he used them. Yeah, she could work that to her advantage.

She just had to imagine waging war with this guy, not making love to him.

Hurry up, get on with the job.

Reaching stealthily for her jacket on the ground, she drew her phone out of the pocket. She took photos of his upper body, from all angles. Marrick would be able to work out how he’d use these tentacles in the ring. He’d be fascinated by Kai’s injuries. And together they’d plan how best to tackle him in a fight.

Guilt slugged her gut, but she hardened herself against it.

At least you didn’t take a dick pic. Tempting!

Luna got off the bed and put on her clothes. Shoving her cell phone into her pocket, she tiptoed to the door and left.

But now, back home, in the cool dank morning air, why did she feel so empty? So alone? How ironic that the very species she hated for making her alone in the world should be the one to make her feel like she was not.

Shit, this was crazy.

Putting down her mug, she went back inside the house and grabbed her computer.

She brought up the site for the Kraken Games.

---