Page 27 of Entranced By the Nakken
“I’ll make a new band and invite you to join.”
“I’ll join, and then I’ll quit that one.” Casey’s attention drifted back to the water.
“Then who will write the songs?” Sophie pouted. When Casey didn’t answer, she rocked forward on her knees to peer into the depths with him. “Maybe they’re getting ready.”
“They don’t wear clothes.” Casey’s worried glance snagged on her widened eyes, and he shot her adon’t evenlook.
“Maybe they’re nervous.”
“Maybe.” Casey frowned.
He dipped two fingers into the water, to be closer to Tsunis. A pain shot through his chest, and he snapped his hand away to rub at it. “Something’s wrong.”
“I have some old scuba gear at my mom’s.” Sophie, bless her punk goddess ass, sprang into motion. “I’ll be right back.”
Sophie raced away. Casey was too distraught to express his gratitude. Her mom’s house was one street up from his parent’s, so at least he knew she wouldn’t be gone long.
The memory of Tsunis expressing their desire to have children sucker-punched him. Would Casey be as good of a parent as his own? As Sophie was shaping up to be? Tsunis had to be okay, because he had to know.
“Please be okay, brat.”
What must’ve been less than forty minutes felt like hours by the time Sophie returned. She helped Casey dress in the scuba gear, complete with a tank of oxygen. Her calm demeanor kept him from flipping the fuck out.
He focused on that thought during his descent, past the ostensible bottom of the stream, channeling the calm energy Sophie had exuded on shore. In his mind, he shouted for Tsunis the whole way. Tsunis had yet to explain the matething in depth, but Casey had mentioned it to Sophie, who informed him exactly what her dirty romance novels believed of the bond between mates.
For a moment, he worried he’d gotten off track, but an invisible string pulled him forward until the sketchy hole in the stone came into view.
Casey carefully unhooked the oxygen tank the way Sophie had coached and shimmied feet-first through the hole, pulling the tank along with him.
Not much further. Casey paused long enough to reattach the tank, then forged onward.
The pain in his heart reached a fever pitch when he arrived at Tsunis’ dwelling. He rubbed his chest and observed his surroundings. The underwater oasis appeared untouched. Using the roots like monkey bars, Casey tried to keep his shit together until he reached the portal.
Tsunis, please answer me.
The portal was the same goopy bullshit as before. The porous stones and crawling coral were unbruised and stunning as ever. Nothing seemed amiss.
Casey’s gaze was drawn to a mangled mess of weeds and sticks. There was something odd about the clump of sea rubbish.
Two glowing spots stared back.
Recognition swept through his core. He’d know them anywhere, any form.
“Tsunis!” Bubbles filled the vicinity as Casey cried their name. He reached for the clump, prying it free from a bright magenta coral cluster.
“Casimir.”
Casey cradled the bundle of debris between his knees.“How do I help you?”
“Why…did you come…for me?”
A frustrated huff of bubbles clouded the space between them.
“Because I love you, you damn brat. How do I help you?”
The sticks twitched in his palms. Casey stroked them, desperate to show his affection.
“Like this,”Tsunis’ voice sounded in his mind.
