Page 19 of Sunken Empire

"What are you going on about? Of course, we don't," Zanthus sighs.

Zephyr shoots me a finger gun. "The vampyres probably do, though. Their magic works differently, so they've highly surpassed the technology of the human realm."

"Vampyres? Like---" I mime fangs with my fingers as my eyes go wide.

"You got it, damselfish," Zale replies. "Vampyres, dragon shifters, and fae all have their own realms."

"Holy shit," I mutter. This is just the neverending road to checking myself into a looney bin.

"Are you going to faint again?" Zanthus quips. "You're starting to look green around the gills."

"I'm not a fish," I snap offhandedly.

This earns me a full deep laugh. "Tell me that after you've gathered the courage to see your tail for yourself."

I'd be lying if I said his words don't make me more than a little curious to do just that.

My chance to comment on it, however, is fleeting as Zanthus smirks over at me. "Did you know the protein and vitamins in most things from the ocean in our realm could rival anything the humans have? None of our females were large unless they were with child. I'm assuming it's because we have less of that kind of food here."

Even Zeph stops to gape at his brother, knowing hell is about to break loose.

I narrow my eyes at the offensive brute. "Is that your way of calling me fat?"

His expression morphs into anger. "Of course, it wasn't. Simply stating a fact is all. Your body reacts to what you put in it. Now that you're in our realm, it may help to start getting used to it."

Facts or not doesn't change my mind from wanting comfort foods. It's possible there's a good point to his suggestion, but I'll drink saltwater before I tell him that.

"You must have been such a lady killer," I reply instead, my tone clipped.

A grunt falls between us, but it's an amused Zale who says, "Not by a long shot. They were all too scared of him."

That yanks a laugh right out of my throat because that I can definitely see. I bet he and Zeph didn't have any problems at all, which stirs a green sliver of jealousy and possessiveness in my chest that makes me feel funny. For once, I'm glad there aren't any of their beautiful, perfect-figured mer women around. Then I immediately feel guilty for even thinking such a thing.

"It's not all bad, you know," Zephyr says, surprising us all out of nowhere. "The food here, I mean. A lot of it isn't too much different than what you're used to."

He holds up a finger before getting up again and going over to where Zale was standing earlier.

After a few seconds, his voice flows back over to us in a mumble. When he comes back, I try to get a look into the bowl he's carrying, but he tips it up just far enough that I can't. Then he straddles the seat next to me as he says, "Close your eyes, little siren, and trust me."

It's a tough choice to do as he says, especially after what just happened outside of the barrier. As he speaks, his voice drops into a deep hypnotic sound that floats across my skin and makes me want to crawl into his lap. What can I do other than what he says? My heart is screaming not to let my head decide.

Letting my eyelids drop, for a moment I could swear I see a thin sliver of a gold thread connecting the two of us. Something to think on and maybe ask them about. Too bad I'm cut off from being able to.

"Open your mouth," he purrs at my side.

Throwing all my faith into this one action, I almost flinch away when something cold hits my tongue. Human instincts scream ice cream, but it doesn't have the solid sweetness of the dessert. For a split second, it's bitter then gives way to an intoxicating taste that almost rivals kissing the man who feeds me.

A thumb skims across my bottom lip, begging for entrance, and I don't leave him waiting. The next bite is from Zephyr's fingers themselves. I let my tongue run over his skin as he places what feels like an almond on top of it. Not wanting to waste the moment, I seal my lips shut over his fingers almost a second too late. A low rumble from his chest is the only warning I get before his body scoots closer to mine on the seat, bringing a salty-sweet scent and warmth that makes me want to rub against him like a cat.

When I finally bite down into the crunchy nut thing in my mouth, I let out that groan that almost slipped earlier. It tastes just like Zephyr. Before I know what's happening, I'm standing to straddle the seat between his legs and lowering my face to claim his lips. The bowl clatters to the table right before his hands wrap around the back of my thighs to work their way up to my hips. He uses it to yank our bodies flush against each other. This time, I'm the one making the purring noise.

All of that tanned skin is warm underneath my fingertips as I run them across his bare shoulders and up into the sandy brown locks. Clenching fistfuls of it, I try to pull him even closer which still doesn't feel like it's close enough. He sucks my bottom lip through his teeth until it's borderline painful before licking it and giving it back. I bite his tongue in retaliation and he just chuckles, vibration rolling through those sculpted pecs and straight into my hardening nipples. If this place was so magical and in tune to what I really wanted, this sexy mer prince would have lost the last of his clothes forever ago, and we'd be upstairs alone somewhere.

It isn't until I absolutely need a good breath of air that I pull back slightly. I didn't realize how much I wasn't having to actually lean down, because even in our positions the top of his head comes above my chin. Damn near perfect angle to catch the molten gold swirling in the depths of his irises. I'm pretty sure they weren't doing that before.

As much as I hate to say it, I forgot the other two Zs were even still sitting here while being locked into Zephyr. My face flames, noticing the two of them from the corner of my eye watching the show. Shame has my gaze dropping to where our bodies are still connected.

He lifts my chin back up until we're staring at each other once more. "Don't do that, little siren. My brothers don't mind you kissing me. They're probably just jealous its not them in my seat."

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