Page 30 of Sunken Empire

"What about you? I loved seeing them in your ear," I confess.

This brings his fun side back out to play as he holds out his other hand. "Already got it covered." He starts putting the gold replacements in while adding, "I wasn't going to risk not feeling your tongue on them again, so I had to request a spare."

"You would've felt my tongue there again with or without them," I tell him. "I'd love to put it all over your body. Starting with here--"

I break off my words to slip his cock past my lips, and true to my promise, I lick him from as far down as I can reach back up to the tip. His breath whooshes out of his chest in an almost hiss. From this position, when I flick my eyes upward, all I see is my golden merman. The way his thighs bunch from restraint at holding back from pushing himself further into my mouth. Biceps that flex as one hand weaves into my hair and the other drops to my right breast. Chiseled Adonis belt that leads up into a mouthwatering six pack and then to a broad chest with beaded sandy brown hair resting against it from where it flows down. Last but not least, that normally amused face. Humor slipping into desire with freshly-kissed lips and golden eyes that flare like there's liquid gold behind them. Especially as I suck him in even deeper.

I'd gladly take any part of this beautiful creature in front of me, so I don't complain as he pulls himself out of my mouth to drop his weight down on top of me. As our mouths touch, a tingle of warmth spreads from my chest to fingertips. If I look hard enough, I'd be able to see that gold thread between us thrumming with life. Zephyr trails a fiery path of tongue and lips up my jawline to my ear. He sucks on one of those gifted gold hoops, taking my earlobe with it and eliciting a soft moan from me. There wouldn't be any stopping them if I tried as my thighs clench around his hips.

A soft huff of air is the last thing I hear before he backs away. However, it's only long enough to guide me over to my belly. When his hands grasp my waist, I bring my knees up, giving him a full display of everything my body has to offer from the back. Hesitating for only a moment like he did in the pool room, Zeph then settles himself deep at home within me while I struggle to catch up. It doesn't help that the mattress beneath us moves. With every jerk of his pelvis against my ass, the water rolls with him. All of it makes me feel like we never left the pool at all. Which brings a question to that tiny corner of my mind not consumed by Zephyr.

Mentally tapping into the magic given to me by my other mer mate, the water trapped under the surface responds to my calling. Instead of rolling forward with our natural movement, it forces me back even harder on Zephyr's cock. I gasp at the new level of sensitivity this brings to my clit. Especially as his balls start hitting it with every thrust. My playful mer unleashes a whole new level of wildness that could rival that of his magic.

His release hits him with such force, it drives me right over the edge of mine. My name is a shout so loud on his lips that it leaves my ears ringing. As he bends down to kiss the small of my back, that long hair brushing against tender skin has me tightening down on him again, but not in release this time. Just an automatic response.

Zeph groans as we separate, and he crashes down to my side on the bed where I instantly curl up against him. Those tanned arms go around me as he kisses the top of my head.

After a few moments of nothing but our breathing breaking the silence, he finally says, "I can see it now."

"See what?" I ask, drawing lazy circles on his stomach.

"Why we went to war. The sacrifices of so many lives. All of it," he admits.

I raise up on an elbow to gaze at him as he tries to explain. "Not the befores when all of the Kings were trying to best the others, but after when the other clans went rogue and stole the females from our Kingdom. The least I'd do is go to war for you. And if someone took you, it'd be the last thing they ever did."

A repeat performance of history spikes my gut with worry and fear at the thought, but what woman would be able to resist a man who says something like that? Probably makes me a pretty sick individual considering wars are a nasty business with blood, betrayal, and heartbreak. Regardless, it doesn't change my feelings.

"You know what, Zephy?" I jest with a ridiculous nickname.

His chest inflates like he's getting ready to laugh as he replies, "What's that, little siren?"

I give him a second to let the amusement float around us before I repeat his words, "I think I'm in love with you."

Time comes to a stop around us. His hands still against my back as the air freezes in his lungs. Then his lips drop to mine, and everything comes rushing back in full force. I would totally be up for going another round or two with him, but his energy seems to be waning. I'm not sure how I know, but I just do. It mentally pulls me down like an anchor.

Giving him one last peck, I force him to lie back again so I can drape myself on top of him. Within a minute or so without another word, his breathing evens out, and I know he's asleep. It doesn't stop his hold from tightening on me, though; if anything it gets worse. Luckily, I'm content to lie within the comfort of his embrace. His may have been at a low, but my energy feels like it's spilling over the edges. It's so bad that I lie awake for hours lost in my thoughts, while examining his room. I'd have imagined it being messy with things lying around, but it's the exact opposite. As a matter of fact, it's so clean that it makes Zanthus' immaculate space look grubby. The walls are sky blue but patchy in places, resembling damn near translucent small clouds. It works with the plush, light-brown colored carpet. Overall, it reminds me of a warm day on the beach, relaxing without a care in the world and a seriously sexy man at my side.

At some point, we shift. Zeph doesn't let me go, but I do get a better view of his barrier window. When I reach out with the magic he gifted me with, I concentrate on one thing to see how far I can stretch this new power. There's nothing for a few moments, but then the water is crowded with gliding gray bodies. Their fins flap at their sides like birds, but also like they're trying to talk to each other.

"In a pack like that, they're called a fever," Zeph's sleepy voice tells me with a wide yawn.

I rub my face against his chest, loving the vibration when he speaks.

"Did you get any sleep?" he asks, clearly not having gotten enough himself.

Shaking my head, I admit, "None. I couldn't get my brain to shut down."

"Could have something to do with you coming into your magic," he says. Sitting up, he adds, "I shouldn't have been so selfish and fallen asleep. Coming into one type of power is exhausting. I didn't stop to think about the repercussions of two mixing."

Not ready to let him go just yet, I wrap an arm around his stomach and bury my face into his back as I tease, "Careful. You're starting to sound like Zale."

His body stiffens slightly, but I can tell there's a smile on his face when he answers, "My brother isn't the only smart one around here. Maybe I choose to appear ignorant so as to escape responsibilities. But, no longer, little siren, because there's now something more to protect than my freedom."

My heart skips happily, and I move in to kiss his lower back, only to get stuck in the motion. For the first time, I notice black lines peeking out from his left hip. One of those tattoos he tempted me with on one of my first days here. Choosing this spot to shower my attention instead, I ask, "What does this say?"

"It's Luanerick," he replies without answering. "You should be able to read it. Can you not?"

I don't bother to mention that even if I were able to read the language, I still wouldn't know what it said, because half of it is hidden by the angle of his thigh. I shake my head, and he glances thoughtfully at me as he mumbles, "Strange. I wonder if taking on my magic chased his away since you aren't mated yet. Something you should fix soon."

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