Page 13 of Alien Kraken's Prize

“We can leave,” he says, and the words are so matter-of-fact that it takes me a beat to understand what he’s said.

“There’s a barrier all around,” I gesture. “We can’t leave. I can’t go under, where you came from, because I breathe air.” I enunciate each word carefully, fearful that a mistranslation right now might prove fatal.

I’m fond of my lungs and keeping them full of air, after all.

“I am not a fool,” he says, his eyes flashing.

I cross my arms and raise an eyebrow.

“I am not a fool, usually,” he amends. “I was a fool to assume you were not an intelligent creature.”

“How rude?—”

“That is the only reason you ended up my pet. That, and my courtiers seem to think it will make me more amenable to marrying their daughters to ply me with interesting land creatures.”

“Your pet,” I echo.

My gaze drifts from him to the pool of water, to the lamp hanging overhead.

His pet?

Hispet?

Hispet?!

“You, you?—”

“Yes, I am the king of this planet, won by combat, blood, and power alone,” he shrugs a shoulder dismissively.

“You are my owner?” I screech, stomping over to his tentacled ass, a hand raised in my fury.

A hand raised that is quickly covered in tentacle, wrapping around it as he tugs me close to him, his calloused hand at my chin, forcing me to look up at him. Another tentacle wraps around my waist, and his words finally sink in.

His pet. The king. Of wherever the hell this is.

I toss my hair, or at least, attempt to.

Considering he’s holding me tightly, I don’t get further than a hectic little flinch.

“What is wrong now? I told you I cannot keep you like this. You are a sentient, intelligent being.”

I glare at him. “You tried to put your penis in my mouth and you’re being courted by some other hussies,” I finally hiss. “That is messed up. I don’t go for men, er, octopi who are getting with other women, er, octopeople.”

“I am not an octopus.”

“Obviously,” I huff, slightly discombobulated by the sly smile on his face. “Now, where is my tentacle?”

“This one?” he asks, sliding one down my hip.

“Stop it,” I tell him, frowning. “I just told you?—”

“You’re jealous.”

My jaw drops, and he lets out a low chuckle. “I am not?—”

“You are. You don’t like the idea of another female with me, even though you deny my courtship pursuits.” He cocks his head at me and I sputter, trying to say something that makes any kind of sense at all, because he’s right and it’s fucking annoying.

“That’s all right, my little sea star, for I am the kind of male who appreciates a challenge. Now, do you want out of here, or not?”

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