Page 41 of Not So Stranded
Kit knew what they were remembering from last year. “Yes, if they come into the lagoon and can’t get back out, we can helpthem. But you have to tell a grown-up. And Keoni is older, but they arenota grown-up.”
“We really, really know that,” Sorrel said with an eye roll. “Keoni isnotgrown.”
Even at five, that kid was still a menace.
Thistle came over and, like their touchy-feely sibling, wound their tentacles all around Kit’s ankle. “But, Daddy, what if the baby turtles get lost and never come back here?”
“Some of them won’t come back if they’re boys because only the girl turtles come to the beach to lay eggs. Remember how we talked about gender?”
Thistle nodded and grinned. “Not everyone is amazing like us.”
“That’s right,” Kit said with a chuckle. “Cecaelia are amazing.”
Yarrow did another big jump, like they were practicing to become a dolphin. “And hybrids aresuperamazing!”
Hiaka was coming up from the surf just in time to hear that and raised their arms as if in triumph while giving Zenori a rather snotty once-over look. Kit laughed as Zenori just rolled their eyes, totally unfazed by their mate’s antics. Instead they tapped their wrist where a watch would go.
“Alright, my little squishies,” Kit said, “it’s time for bed.”
They made the usual grumbles and whines, half of them yawning even as they insisted they weren’t tired. But they’d been allowed to stay up late to witness this turtle nest hatching, and if they didn’t go to sleep soon, they’d be little demons tomorrow.
Oak and Thistle let go of Kit’s foot and ankle, and he couldn’t help twitching a couple times as they walked over sensitive patches of skin on their way back into the water.
“Kit?” Zenori asked. “Do you want to come with us?”
They meant to take him around the island and through the gate, but he had things to do before he returned. “No, it’s okay. I’ll finish up here and meet you in a few.”
Hiaka and Zenori gathered up their children, and then disappeared beneath the waves.
Kit picked up his clipboard and headed for the dock. Once there, he put his sandals on and retrieved his flashlight before going into the boat. It wasn’t the one he’d been renting when he first started on this adventure, but a converted trawler that Eric had bought for him. While it had been a difficult gift to accept at first, Kit had come to understand that Eric viewed the boat as something their community needed—even if it was just him using it to visit various islands to continue his work.
After stowing his notes, Kit headed across the dock and up the path. He waved a stick in front of him the entire way up and over the hill until he cleared the forested area. Never again would he forget that there were spiders on this island.
The fairy lights were still on around the lagoon, giving the place a golden glow, as parents got their kids tucked in beneath the surface of the warm, dark waters. There were fewer people here at the moment since the six-year-olds and their parents had gone with Eric and Ty on the yacht to Pacilona Nepthis for their first visit. It seemed to be a right of passage that often resulted in mated pairs coming back to the lagoon. Kit was looking forward to possibly meeting new cecaelia and maybe even some humans.
He waded into the water and immediately had nine sets of little hands grabbing his legs. Laughing, he scooped up each kid, gave them a kiss and a hug, told them goodnight, and set them back down again. All of their kids and those from other families had taken to sleeping in a pile in the center of the lagoon where it was deepest. He wasn’t trying too hard to understand why because the more water between little ears and what he wanted to do with his mates, the better.
While Primus, Mo, and Hiaka saw to the children, Kit found his chair with Zenori sitting in it. They held a long tentacle up to him, elixir pooling in the center, and Kit grinned as he lifted it to his lips. “You read my mind,” he said before he took a drink.
As the warmth of the elixir curled in his belly, Kit straddled Zenori’s lap and hummed into their kisses. Zenori’s hands wandered down Kit’s back and under the waist of his swim shorts to grip his ass. Moaning, sharing his tongue, Kit thrust his stiffening cock against Zenori’s abs. Tentacles slithered up the legs of his shorts and wrapped around his thighs, massaging and teasing every little bit they could reach.
“Mmm, are we ravishing Kit tonight?” Hiaka asked as they eased up against Kit’s back. “These shorts are a problem.”
Kit laughed as tentacles were both suddenly holding him aloft and working his shorts down his legs, while he held onto Zenori’s shoulders and tried not to face-plant into them.
“Ravishing,” Zenori said, their voice husky. “This is a good word.”
Hiaka giggled as they repositioned Kit on Zenori’s lap and returned to sandwiching him there. Now Zenori was lazily fingering Kit’s ass as Hiaka fondled between his legs. Kit kept moaning as he writhed between them, desperately loving their attention.
“Should we do it tonight?” Hiaka asked in Kit’s ear.
Kit gasped, stilling between them. “Really? Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.”
“I am as well,” Zenori said.
Sudden emotion made him choke up. “More babies…” he whispered.
