Page 6 of Kiss for My Kraken
CHAPTER 4
Sam floated moodily in the water outside the tavern. People had come and gone, but his female hadn’t reappeared. He’d seen Aidan leave, hauling two drunken pack members who kept snapping at each other. Aidan had knocked their heads together hard enough to make them yelp, then hauled them off up the road. But where was his female?
Maybe I should go and check on her.The thought shocked him enough that his tentacles actually stopped moving. What the hell was he thinking? Once people realized he was capable of surviving outside the water, he knew what would happen. A stream of well-meaning, but annoying attempts to have him participate in town activities—attempts that would end in disaster. He’d learned that lesson all too well, and no one had seen him outside of the water since he’d arrived in Fairhaven Falls. There were times when it was lonely, but it was also safe, both for himself and the town.
He didn’t really think she’d come to any harm. The doctor was still in there, and most Other males wouldn’t dream of hurtinga female.At least not on purpose, he thought uneasily. Most of them were very strong, and she was so tiny.
Two of his tentacles had actually emerged from the water when the door opened and she reappeared. Jekyll was with her, but it looked as if they were arguing, and he moved closer so he could hear the conversation.
“No, thank you,” she said firmly. “I’m quite capable of getting home on my own.”
“You’re still weak,” the doctor insisted.
“I’m stronger than I look.” She smiled up at the other male, and he slapped at the water before he could prevent himself. Both of them turned to look at the river.
“Did you hear that?” she asked.
“Probably just a fish,” Jekyll said with an annoying grin on his face.
Bastard.
“Are you sure I can’t give you a ride somewhere?”
“I’ll be fine.”
The doctor sighed. “All right. But if you start running a fever or feeling any weakness, I want you to come by my office.” He pulled out a card and handed it to her. “It’s on Oak Street, one block over from the town square. No charge,” he added before she could say anything.
She lifted her chin. “I don’t take charity.”
“It’s not charity. The town reimburses me for services I provide to newcomers. It’s part of our program to attract new residents.”
Liar, he thought, half annoyed and half grateful. She didn’t look as if she believed the doctor, but she gave a half shrug.
“I’ll keep that in mind if I start feeling unwell.” They stood there looking at each other for a moment longer, and then the doctor seemed to realize that she wasn’t going to leave until he did, so he nodded politely and walked away.
She watched him go, then hurried quickly off the other end of the porch with her dog trotting along next to her. “I hope I was right about a path,” she muttered, pushing aside the bushes and then sighing with relief when she discovered the narrow trail along the river bank.
He followed her back upstream and let his head break the water long enough to flick out his tongue and taste the air, then ducked his head back under before he let out an audible growl. The clothes she was wearing smelled of another male, partially masking her sweet scent, and he didn’t like that at all.She should be carrying my scent.He swore again as the thought occurred to him. What was wrong with him? His encounters with females had been few and far between, and he’d never felt possessive about any of them, never felt any desire for anything more than a brief respite from the loneliness.
It wasn’t a long walk, but she was drooping by the time she reached her car again.
“I don’t think I’m going to have any trouble sleeping tonight, Ozzie,” she said as she opened the door. “Maybe I’ll dream about my prince again.”
Prince? What prince?
The dog hesitated for a moment before jumping into the car, looking out over the river, and he had a sudden uneasy feelingthat the dog knew that he was there. The dog let out a soft woof, almost like a goodnight, and then hopped up into the car. Nina looked out over the river too, and she wasn’t looking at the water; she was looking at his island.
“Goodnight, magic island. I hope you’re still there in the morning.” Then she climbed in and closed the door.
He sighed, sending a stream of bubbles to the surface. Why did he suddenly have the feeling that his life was about to get complicated? Ignoring that suspicion, he settled down under the water, moving his tentacles just enough to keep him in place, and prepared to keep watch.
Perhaps it wasn’t surprising that she’d found her way here. Fairhaven Falls seemed to attract the lost and the lonely. He’d been one of them.
The first body of water he found after his escape had no familiar taste, and he’d drifted for a long time before finding his way to Fairhaven Falls. He’d been tired when he arrived, tired and lonely, and he’d lingered along the riverbank, listening to the conversations and observing the people of the town. At that time, there had been few humans living in Fairhaven Falls, and he’d found that reassuring. He’d also liked the fact that despite their differences, most of the Others seemed to get along well. But he still didn’t know if he would have stayed if he hadn’t met Flora.
It was long past midnight and the town was quiet when she appeared on the riverbank and looked directly at where he was floating beneath the water.
“Come up here and talk to me,” she said briskly, and for some reason, he obeyed. She didn’t seem in the least surprised when he surfaced. “I’m Flora. What’s your name?”
