Page 8 of The Kraken Games

“Harps, hon, I do sex, I don’t date.Did.” Luna corrected. It had been a year since her last hook-up; training had taken precedence.

“Yeah, but you know how toreadguys.”

Luna sighed. She wasn’t exactly proud of her dating history. But she wasn’t ashamed either. She had sex because it made her feel empowered. And probably because truthfully, it made her feel less alone for a short moment in time. The touch of a big paw, a large cock to ride, the sharp slap of a wing or tail on her butt, even if it made her eyes water with pain, it was good pain, the kind of pain that stopped her from scratching at her own skin. She’d found out sex worked as a panacea for her misery when she was just old enough to be legal. A minotaur had given her a gentle introduction to the subject and losing her virginity had been pleasant enough for her to decide to keep going.

Since then, she’d had no trouble picking up monster guys. They loved fucking a human. She’d been with most species by now. Always kicked them out of her bed before first light. Which conversely seemed to make them keener.

“Yeah, well if you want advice on the casual shag, I’m your girl.” She poured the chowder into a bowl. “Want some?”

“No, I’ve eaten.”

Luna sat down opposite her friend and tried not to look like she was about to die of starvation as she picked up the spoon. “I’ve a hunch advice on how to get shagged stupid by multiple guys is not what you’re after,” she said.

Harper shook her head. “No, just one. Hear me out and give me your opinion. Noah?—”

“Ah,Noah! Should have guessed.” Noah was a sexy cinnamon roll selkie who Harper had been in love with for as long as Luna had known her.

Harper buried her nose in her glass of wine. “Busted.” She glanced at Luna over the top, her big blue eyes sparkling. “Give me some seduction tips. He’s been coming to the café nearly every day recently and I - I need to give him a clue that I’m interested.”

Luna laughed. “Just ask him on a date.” She’d never been into the coy flirting act. Come to think of it, she wouldn’t know how to flirt.

Harper looked shocked. “Me— ask him!”

Luna laughed, filled her glass with wine, just one would be okay. She barely allowed herself alcohol during training, but hey, she had to support her friend. “What’s the worst that could happen? He could say no. Big deal. Then you move on.”

“I’d be devastated.”

Luna shrugged. “See. You’re asking the wrong person. If a guy turns me down, I shrug it off, no hard feelings.”

“Egh, I should have known you’d be no help.” Harper pouted.

“Truth is, you just want me to hear your seduction plan and approve it,” Luna said, then dug into her soup. Chowder heaven!

Harper laughed and took another sip of wine. “True. Damn you—And I wanted to bring you some food, you’re getting too skinny.”

Luna reached over and squeezed her friend’s arm. “Who needs guys when they have a friend like you. Now, shoot. I’m all ears.”

As Harper explained how she intended to make it clear to Noah that she was interested, by batting her eyelashes, holding his gaze for longer than was entirely necessary, giving him an extra-large serve of chowder with some free shrimp on the side, Luna made encouraging noises between mouthfuls.

Finally, Harper said, “Or I could just ask if he’s free for a drink sometime.” She scrunched up her face, drumming her feet on the floor. “Ooh noooo, I just can’t, if he turns me down, I’d die.”

Luna had to physically stop her eyes from rolling. How long had Harper had the hots for Noah? At least two years. In between, Noah had dated someone else, and Harper had dated Wyatt, Noah’s good for nothing brother. But she’d always really wanted Noah.

Luna didn’t get it; she was over a guy as soon as the chase was done. And her needs satisfied.

She guessed somewhere deep in her soul she would like to know what yearning for another felt like – the way Harper yearned for Noah. But it was like her capacity for loving someone was dead and buried…. down there in the briny depths of the sea with her family. Inside her chest, her heart felt like a small shard of sea glass, polished hard.

She would never fall in love. Some things you just knew.

Besides, life was easier on your own. No compromises. No arguing. Friends like Harper and Marrick were enough to ease the gnaw of loneliness in her gut.

Harper huffed a sigh. “Guess I’ve talked myself into… maintaining the status quo.” She drained her glass. “Maybe if I hadn’t dated Wyatt, I’d….”

“You broke it off with Wyatt six months ago. That’s a respectable time.”

“I s’pose. Anyway, enough of my dating dramas – or lack of them. Tell me in more than two words how training’s going?”

Luna threw her spoon into her now empty bowl. “Yum. That was divine. And yeah, I’m getting better, my moves are quicker, more skilful— I think. It’s hard, though when I have no idea how it will feel wrestling a Kraken, I mean I watch the footage over and over, but that’s not the same asfeelingit. Marrick does a great job, he knows the moves a kraken will make.” She remembered how she’d got it all wrong today. “And then of course, we don’t know who will compete this year.”