Page 44 of Where the Current Takes Him
Beau opened his mouth to argue, but closed it when he realized he had nothing.
Loriun’s powerful tail whipped to the side, pushing him from the pool and onto the low wall at its edge. Inconsequential things like family lineages and last names evaporated from Beau’s mind as he watched muscles bunch beneath Loriun’s scales. A dorsal fin rose between his shoulders and ran the length of his spine, falling just short of the ribbon-like tail fin.
The scarlet patterns along Loriun’s back reminded him of sunlight through the water’s surface, casting shadows along the sand below. Long, red hair cascaded across his shoulders, concealing the rest of the markings.
The Mer twisted himself around to sit on the ledge. He glanced up, catching Beau staring silently in his direction.
“Yes?”
“You’re just. Really beautiful.”
The rush of heat over his face was both predictable and instantaneous.
Loriun’s mouth curled into a sly grin. “Would you like a closer look?”
Beau’s legs moved of their own accord, carrying him to where the Alpha sat. He perched himself on the pool’s low wall. Seawater enveloped his legs.
The Mer remained still, allowing Beau to trace the scale patterns and run his fingers along his fins. They were softer than he’d expected: no spiny bones holding them in place. Just smooth, flexible membranes, designed to catch the water.
The pair may have enjoyed a night-long sex marathon, but this was Beau’s first time seeing his mate’s body up close, in the daylight. Loriun was indescribably alien, and yet Beau’s cock twitched at the sight of him. A very distant part of his mind contemplated whether his attraction to the Mer was the result of his altered human Omega body, or if he would have experienced ichthyophilia regardless of alien invasion.
“How can you be attracted to me?” Beau blurted out. “I’m a boring, squishy, hairy human. How can there be so many Mer mated to humans when we look like this?”
He glanced down at his suntanned legs, dotted with fine hair. In comparison to the Mer, he felt vaguely repulsive.
Cool fingers gripped his chin. He found himself face to face with a now-serious Alpha.
“Beau. You do not see yourself clearly.” Loriun’s eyes flickered down, running along Beau’s jaw, brow, nose, and mouth.
“Your eyes are warmth made tangible,” he murmured. “Your lips are soft spring petals. Your skin is a gentle beam of sunshine on my scales.”
The cool fingers released Beau’s chin and traveled down his chest.
“Smooth. Soft. Curved.”
Loriun’s hands glided to Beau’s sides, coming to rest on his hips.
“A perfect fit.” Loriun lifted his face to his mate’s. “You are perfect, Beau.”
Beau’s throat tightened, and he choked on whatever response his brain had been attempting to push out. Before he could recover, Loriun’s lips met his.
Tarpine coiled into Beau’s lungs—crushed cedar and a musk that emptied his head of any conscious thought. Loriun’s lips were some of the only parts of him that were soft and pliable.
The Alpha pulled back just a few inches, giving Beau a searching look.
Thousands of words thundered through Beau’s skull, but none of them were right. Instead, he reached up, sliding his fingers through his mate’s hair, and kissed him.
Loriun gave a soft groan when Beau’s tongue flicked along his lips. His lips parted, and a much cooler tongue met Beau’s. The kisses were gentle, unhurried. Beau felt Loriun’s claws grazing along his scalp, sending a sharp tingle down into the base of his spine. His dick was already at attention, but the sensation paled in comparison to the aching need in his hole.
This was nothing like their pheromone-fueled, desperate fucking from days before. This felt like coming home.
Beau’s hands shook as they drifted down along the smooth scales of Loriun’s shoulders. Nerves? Fear? Excitement? The wordless emotions were too tangled for him to decipher. His fingers continued their journey, exploring the plane of his mate’s broad chest, then the flat expanse of his stomach. The scales were smaller here. They gave under Beau’s touch.
Loriun broke the kiss to take a sharp breath.
Beau paused. “Is it uncomfortable?”
The Mer shook his head. “No. Quite the opposite.”
