Page 87 of Poseidon's Island Flower

I was tired of crying at night, of being alone. I was very much like Poseidon in that aspect. Loneliness was not for us.

When Koma left, the hole I filled with Koma became like the deepest trench in the ocean. I had no one to take care of, no one to fill my heart with. But that emptiness didn’t last long, however. Poseidon was there to pick me up out of the water.

Poseidon needed me, but I really needed him, too.

Ha, I never thought I would need a man. I knew when I was supposed to leave after an encounter. Love was never a part of the equation. But that was ages ago. I filled my heart with Koma and took care of him instead. And now Poseidon was making a permanent home in my heart.

I’d learned a lot today, but there was more I needed to know. The ache in my heart told me I was missing another piece.

I let out a slow breath, trying not to wake Poseidon. He looked peaceful. The wrinkle that sat above his eyebrow softened when he was in this vulnerable position.

He trusted me to take care of him, even in sleep. And I loved it, I wanted to keep taking care of him.

I ran my finger across his chest. He shivered, holding me impossibly closer. I tried to keep from laughing, but a squeak escaped me.

His eyes fluttered open, and he stared down at me with confusion. “Are you okay? Am I holding you too tight?”

I shook my head, smiling as I put my head under his chin. Hewasholding me too tight, but I couldn’t bear telling him so. Being wrapped up in his warmth was comforting, and knowing he needed me, wanted me, was the best feeling in the world.

“No, I’m okay. Go back to sleep.”

He sighed and buried his nose in my hair. And this time, we both fell asleep, not worrying about anything.

For the next several days, Poseidon took me around the city that was attached to the palace. This crater, his kingdom, wasn't usually here. His kingdom was moveable, and he’d relocated it from elsewhere.

The glowing orb that sat above the city was a cloaking device to keep his kingdom hidden from prying eyes. The closer he came to the orb, the brighter it burned for him to see.

If there were any humans scuba diving in the area, they wouldn’t see the orb at all.

Instead, his kingdom usually resided in Bergarian—an alternate dimension or realm where it sat at the bottom of the sea. In Bergarian, where all the supernaturals lived without hiding. Vampires, shifters, fae, elves, and an abundance of other creatures all lived there. From that realm, they could cross over to earth, but they would have to hide who they were.

Because humans were experimenting bastards. I mean, look what happened in ET?

These supernaturals hid themselves very well, and I could have even served a few on the island. Poseidon said there were subtle ways to find out if someone was a shifter, a witch, or a vampire. You just had to know what to look for.

Mind blown.

So, then I had to bring up the women with the brightly colored hair who came to the resort and took Candice’s and my jobs. It wasn’t every day you saw those types of colors on the island.

And they were mermaids. Poseidon had called them from a small siren settlement in the Pacific which guarded an underwater portal to Bergarian to help with an “urgent matter.” That matter being he didn’t want Candice or me working anymore so he could spend more time with me.

Should I be freaked out he would go to those lengths?Yeah. But was I gonna be? Nah.

I needed a damned break, and that was the nicest thing anyone had done for me. This was better than Christmas.

As the days progressed, it became easier to accept the world around me. I no longer felt flustered, not knowing what was going to pop up around the corner. I accepted it far faster than I should have, and that was because of the bond we shared, as Poseidon explained.

Our bond, as Poseidon put it, was special. It kept us drawn to each other, helped us understand each other better than if we were two people that weren’t meant for each other. It helped Poseidon come out of his shell, feel comfortable with me, and be able to express his emotions.

He said I was healing him.

But from what, exactly? He wasn’t always this way. He’d mentioned that a few times before, that he used to function better than this.

And I was going to find out what.

Poseidon leisurely led me through another hallway. Explaining how his palace was created. The walls were clear, just like it was part of a giant aquarium. The overhead ceiling was the same, only this time the fish and the mermen tapped on the glass to get our attention instead of the other way around.

I smiled, waving to the outsiders, and Poseidon tugged me closer to his body.

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