Page 50 of I Dated a Golden Vampire
In the distance, she saw an orca, but she ignored it as she looked at the battered coastline from her view under the sea.The pressure on her lungs was building, and the whale got closer until a bubbling column of someone obscured it.She laughed.He was going to be there for this first.
She kept her mouth shut, and her gills flexed, and there was a heavy wave of energy that ran through the water.Whoa.Pria let herself sink to the ocean floor and let her gills breathe for her.Riro stilled and dropped to the sand next to her.She gave him a thumbs-up and sat for ten minutes.He tapped the corner of his head and reached out to her.She smiled and shook her head.
Pria stood and slowly swam toward the shoreline.Riro moved behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist as they got to the shallows and stood up.He hugged her.She paused and looked up at him.
“That couldn’t have been easy, Pria.”
She didn’t reply.
“I know I messed up, but I am eager to prove that I am not a complete self-involved ass.”
She looked at him and didn’t say anything.”
He continued apologizing and then paused.“You don’t know how to purge your gills.”
She shook her head but smiled.
“Take a deep breath and force pressure through your lungs.That should blow the water out.”He smiled and kissed her forehead.
She followed directions, and the water blasted out sideways.She smoothed her hand over his cheek.“I accept your apology, but only because the gill thing made me insanely aroused.”
He blinked and then grinned.“So, that’s why you didn’t want the contact?”
She looked at him.“Try it.”
He staggered back at the roaring cloud of lust in her head.
She snorted and walked toward the town.“Told ya.”
“How are you just walking around so calmly?”
“This suit is very tight.The pressure is helping.”
He paused and started laughing.“Is that one of Thermot’s designs?”
“No idea.Cabree got it for me.There was some kind of negotiation involved.It leaves the gills open.”
They walked toward the shelter.The door opened, and people poured out, cheering and grinning.Cabree ran toward her, and Pria muttered, “Incoming.”
Cabree hugged her and said, “Oh, my goodness.We saw it all on the monitors.You were amazing.Your gills work.I’m pregnant!”She laughed the whole tirade out.
Pria hugged her back.“I am very happy for you.”
“Yeah, Zera is going to be pissed.”Cabree laughed.“Oh, where am I going to live?”
Riro smiled.“There are lovely villas here.Plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and a very thorough maternity team available here with a specialist a few islands over.She flies in.”
Cabree smiled.“Impressive pitch.”
“I was working on it for Pria, but you are practice.”Riro laughed.
Pria glanced at him.“Fixated, are you?”
“Yes.”His nod was frank.
“Don’t read into this, but where am I sleeping tonight?I am exhausted.That was a whole other thing.”
Cabree said, “So, you really let yourself drown?”
