Page 10 of Treasure of the Abyss

“I-I don’t know. To keep us warm? We have it all over our bodies, but it just…grows longer there.” She turned her face toward him. “You don’t haveany?”

“No.” He tilted his head to the side and moved his hand, running his fingertip over the shell of her ear. “It is much stranger to see in theflesh.”

Reluctantly, Macy lowered her hands, resting them atop his tentacle. She’d expected it to be slimy, but his skin was velvety-fine, soft over hard muscle. It wouldn’t take much for him to do her serious harm; he’d just need to tighten his grip, and he’d crush her insides and snap herspine.

“What do you mean?” sheasked.

“I have seen…ghosts of humans. It is different to see a human of flesh so close. Totouch.”

“Ghosts?” Her finger slid over one of the suction cups. It expanded, and she pulled her handaway.

His gaze dipped to her hand. “They can be seen and heard, but nottouched.”

“Where have you seen ghosts? Ghosts aren’t real.” Sea monsters weren’t real, either, but here she was, talking toone…

“There are a great many thingsunderwater.”

Jax didn’t elaborate; he shifted his attention to her nose, and his nostril slits flared as he leaned closer. She pressed a hand to his chest to stop him. His skin was just as soft there as it was on his tentacles. The thumping of his heart vibrated against her palm, stronger than she would’ve guessed, its tempo rapid and rhythm odd — it pulsed in sets of six quickbeats.

“Your heart is…different,” shesaid.

Jax glanced at her hand. He lowered his from her hair and placed it on herchest.

Macy nearly stopped breathing. Her heart raced as she stared at him with wide eyes. Part of his hand curved over her upper breast, and the tips of his claws rested against her bareskin.

“Hearts,” he said, brow falling. “Yours areweak.”

“It’s not weak. Humans only haveone.”

“Are you all so small? So…delicate?” Removing his hand from her chest, took her wrist between forefinger and thumb and lifted her hand off his tentacle, examiningit.

She tugged her hand out of his grasp. “What do you mean? Humans come in all shapes and sizes. I’m just…female. Aren’t your femalessmaller?”

“All shapes and sizes,” he muttered. “Doesn’t that make matingdifficult?”

“What?” Her cheeksheated.

“Do you have to find mates of the same size and shape for mating towork?”

“You thought…” She shook her head, her face burning with embarrassment. “Notliterallyall shapes and sizes. Some of us are smaller than others. Some are wider, some are thinner, but we’re more or less thesame.”

One of his tentacles brushed the back of her knee, and the tip slid up her inner thigh. Macy sucked in a sharpbreath.

“No!” she exclaimed, drawing her legs back and kicking the offendingappendage.

The tentacle snapped back. His hold on her waist tightened slightly, and his expression hardened. He stared at her with alieneyes.

“Put me down,” she said with a softer tone. “Please, just put medown.”

She didn’t think he’d listen; for the space of a few breaths, he didn’t move save for the slow rise and fall of his chest and shoulders. Finally, he lowered her. Relief flooded Macy as her feet touched solidground.

Jax withdrew his tentacles and backed away, putting a bit of distance betweenthem.

“Thank you.” Shaken, she wrapped her arms around herself and glanced past him, toward the dark part of the cavern. “How did you bring me inhere?”

“Through thewater.”

“So, you could…could take me back. You could help me to theshore.”

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