I nod my head. “My grandfather is the king. My parents are gone. I am next.”
Liam looks at me in disbelief. “Next? You mean, you are supposed to be the next ruler, the queen?”
I nod. “When I get married.”
Liam’s bright eyes darken. “And when are you supposed to get married?”
“Two days before I met you.”
His mouth falls open. “You ran away on your wedding day and came to this island?”
I nod my head and smile, relieved that he understands what I’m trying to say.
“Why?” His eyes are concerned and curious.
How do I answer that? I’m not even sure I understand my reasons, let alone know the words to explain them. I decide to go with something simple.
“Kai didn’t love me. Kai loved Meribel, my friend.” I drop my head to hide my embarrassment. I was the highest ranking mermaid in the kingdom, and yet even the man I was supposed to marry didn’t want me.
Liam frowns. “Kai is the guy you were supposed to marry?”
I nod, still looking at the ground. “Grandfather chose him. He was the best.”
Liam puts a finger under my chin and lifts my face up, level with his. “He wasn’t the best if he didn’t love you, Coral. And he was cheating on you with your girlfriend? Sounds like an asshole to me.”
I gasp at the insult and shake my head; Liam never talks like that.
“Kai is a good merman; he was my friend. He didn’t cheat. But I didn’t want to marry him.”
Liam takes my hand, rubbing his thumb over my knuckles. “Of course not, Coral.”
He lifts his other hand and cradles my neck, his thumb rubbing my cheek, and gazes deeply into my eyes as his voice softens to a whisper. “You deserve so much better than that. You should be with someone who loves you.”
His words unlock the cage that’s kept me bound for so long. All my life, I’ve been told that my duty to the shoal was more important than anything else, more important than my own wants and desires. None of that mattered. I didn’t matter. But Liam validates what I’ve wanted to believe all along. I deserve to be loved. I am worthy of love. And now, I am loved.
He doesn’t say the words, but I see them in his mind, and my heart stutters. Now that I can speak, sometimes he forgets that I can still read his thoughts. My eyes start to tear, and Liam wipes them away gently. He’s afraid to say the words out loud, afraid I won’t want to say them back to him. I decide to show him how I feel and let him draw his own conclusions. I smile at him and lean my body into his, closing my eyes as my lips find his.
He meets me halfway, his arms reaching out to pull my body closer. I run my hands over his chest and down his sides, and his fingers clasp around my waist. He rains kisses down on my face and neck, his warm breath caressing my skin, and I groan as he sucks at the indentation at the bottom of my neck.
His fingers follow the ties that hold my chest covering in place then slide around to trace the edges of it. “The day we met, your hair was braided so intricately, and you were wearing this fancy bra; I thought it might be for a special occasion. Is this what mermaids wear to their weddings?”
“Yes. We cover our breasts when we get married.” I glance down at the decorated shells, realizing I’ve grown so used to wearing them that I’ve forgotten about them. Why am I still wearing them as if I was taken?
“It’s gorgeous, Coral, just like you. You’d make a beautiful bride.”
“I’m not a bride, anymore.” I say, and my hands reach around to undo the ties holding the shells in place, and they fall to my lap.
Liam gulps and drops his gaze to my chest. He gently covers one breast with his hand, and his fingers lightly trace the aureola of the other one. My breasts swell in response, and my nipples peak.
“Beautiful,” he whispers, then lowers his mouth, sucking on one nipple and caressing the other with his thumb.
I gasp at the sensation and raise my chest up to meet him. He slides a hand up my back and gently lowers me to the ground then continues his ministrations, switching sides. When both nipples are red and tender, he trails kisses down my stomach, swirling his tongue around my navel, and my abdomen pulses with waves of pleasure.
He lays a hand over the mound between my legs, and I feel the heat of his hand penetrating through the thin layer of material I wear around my waist, but he makes no move to go farther.
“Liam!” I cry out and press myself up against his hand, desperate for more contact.
“What do you want, Coral? Tell me.” His voice is hoarse with desire, and I know he wants me as much as I want him.
If he asks me to mate with him, I’ll say yes, but I don’t want to be the one to initiate it. I don’t want the others to be jealous that I didn’t ask them first.
“Touch me, Liam,” I whisper, hoping that’s enough to spur him on. His fingers move to the edge of the fabric and slide underneath.
His hands caress me, and I spasm as streaks of fire race through my body.
“More!” I cry out, reaching for him, but instead of continuing, Liam raises up and looks at me, stilling his hands.
“Are you sure this is what you want, Coral?”
I nod and pull him down to me, whimpering. “Please.”
Jude’s deft fingers untie the knot that holds my skirt in place, and he pulls away the fabric, exposing me. He’s so close, his warm breath ruffles the soft patch of hair. He slides a hand between my legs, letting his fingers trail between my slit, spreading the wetness, massaging me, and I writhe beneath him.He slips one finger inside me, and I clench around him as he strokes me, the heel of his hand pressing against my nub. The sensation is better than I could ever imagine.
I cry when he pulls his hand away, but it’s only so he can unbutton his shorts. He stands, and the fabric drops to the ground, followed by his briefs. My eyes widen at the sight of his naked body, firm and ready.
No wonder the guys keep themselves covered; their parts are so exposed, nothing like a merman’s organs that are hidden behind their scales. They only come out when a merman is ready to mate, or so I’ve been told. I’ve never had a chance to see for myself.
I reach out to touch him, and he lets me explore, waiting patiently as my fingers tremble up and down the length of him. He’s hard but silky, and the skin slides a little when I wrap my hands around him. I circle my finger along the rim, and a drop of moisture leaks from the tip. I touch my thumb to it, and Liam shudders when I rub the drop into his skin, breathing in the musky scent of him.
When my curiosity is satisfied, Liam stretches out on the ground next to me and runs a hand up my side, following the dips and curves of my body. I tremble under his touch, shivers of pleasure following his fingers. When he get to my neck, he cradles my chin in his hand and leans in. His lips alternate between whispers of affection and tender kisses, and I moan as I press my body into his, wanting more.
“Are you ready, Coral? Are you sure?” he whispers in my ear, his voice strained with him own need.
I nod and drag him closer, my fingers digging into his back. He slides a leg between mine and hovers over me, and my legs fall open, inviting him to settle between them.
Hot blood pulses through my veins, and my body thrums with longing as he lowers his body down onto mine and slides himself up and down along my cleft, torturing me with desire. With one gentle thrust, our bodies join, and pleasure floods my senses as he begins to stroke.
* * *
～～～
* * *
Later, Liam and I lay by the fire, our limbs entwined. My body is hot, but the night air is quickly drying my sweat, chilling me. I burrow against him as my skin cools.
It doesn’t take long before Liam’s sated flesh relinquishes control to his ever-inquisitive mind.
“So, instead of marrying Kai, you ran away and came to the island. Does that happen often? Are there other mermaids walking around on land that we don’t know about?”
I gaze at him, wondering how he�
�ll feel about the answer to that. “All mermaids come to the land to mate with humans. Then they go back to the sea.”
Liam’s eyes widen, and he sits up. “Mate with humans — you mean like we just did?”
I blush and nod as memories of my own experience come rushing back. “So their merlings can walk and swim.”
“Merlings. That’s what you call baby mermaids? So they’re like hybrids — half human, half mermaid? And that’s what you are, too?”
I nod, and Liam gets up and starts pacing. “So, you’re telling me that there is this entire species, that we know nothing about, that regularly cross breeds with humans? This is unbelievable, Coral!” His hair flops in his face as he walks, and he shoves it back, yanking on the ends.
Suddenly, he looks away, and his face turns to stone. “So, now that you’ve… mated,” he stumbles over the word, “are you going back?”
“No!” I jump up and go to him, embracing him, and Liam relaxes against me. “No. I want to stay here with… you,” I say, already wondering how our mating will affect my relationship with the others. So far, they seem willing to share my affections, but this is a lot different.
Maybe I can keep it a secret? Would Liam be okay with that? Probably not. If he’s anything like the mermen I know, he’ll want to brag to the others about his conquest. I can’t quite see Liam doing that, though. But I don’t think he’ll be willing to hide it.
When the sun comes up, Liam and I head back down to the beach, his arm around me, and he’s smiling and laughing more than I’ve ever seen before. I don’t regret what we’ve done, but the way he’s acting, it’s going to be obvious to everyone.
Sure enough, Avery takes one look at us and narrows his eyes at Liam. “Did you sleep with her?”
His words draw everyone else’s attention, and all eyes turn our way. I cower under his arm, but Liam doesn’t flinch. “Yes,” is all he says.
Jude rushes up to Liam and pulls back his fist, slamming it into Liam’s face. Blood spurts from Liam’s nose, and I scream as he covers his face with his hands and falls to his knees. I drop down beside him and wrap my arms around him as Jude hovers over us, huffing.
Gio stops what he’s doing and stomps over to us, pushing Jude away. His jaw is tight, his voice is cold and hard, and his fingers turn white as they clench around the coconut he’s holding. “Whose idea was it?”
My heart pounds, beating so hard I clutch my chest to ease the pain. My hands grow damp, and the hair on my arms bristles as I wait for Liam to respond.
He holds his ground against Gio, staring up at him, his hand over his nose. “I didn’t push her, if that’s what you’re asking. She asked for more; I just gave her what she wanted.”
Gio breathes loudly through pressed lips and turns to me. “Is that true, Coral? Are you okay?”
I nod and squeeze Liam’s hand, and Gio stares at me for another moment, nostrils flared. Finally, he backs off, and my tense body relaxes.
“What about protection, Liam?” Avery mutters, and every eye swings Liam’s way.
“It’s not a problem. I’m… sterile.” Liam stares at the ground, embarrassment flooding his cheeks.
Disappointment washes over me. I hadn’t given much thought to the consequences of mating with Liam, but in the back of my mind I knew that mermaids mate so they can have merlings. Does this mean I can never have merlings with Liam?
Gio jabs the knife into the coconut, dismissing the issue, but Jude and Avery glance at each other and glare at Liam.
“How could you do that, Liam? She’s innocent. She probably had no idea what she was asking for.” Avery sneers at him in disgust.
Liam curls his lip and shakes his head. “She’s not a child, Avery. And don’t try to tell me the rest of you haven’t touched her, kissed her. We just went a step farther. She knew what she wanted… and who she wanted it from.”
“So, you’re the one she’s chosen then, huh? You’re the winner? She belongs to you now?” Jude puffs his chest and looms over Liam, and the tension ratchets up till the air pulsates with it.
Liam flinches a bit under Jude’s gaze, but shrugs and glances at me. “That’s up to her, I guess.”
I suck in a breath and hold it, hoping the world will stop and give me a chance to think. How do I explain how I feel, what I want from them, when I’m not even sure myself? All I know for sure is, I don’t want to lose any of them. Maybe if I tell them my story, it will help them understand.
19
“So, you really are a princess, then, huh?” Jude wags his head, his brown curls flopping. “Just my luck, I get stuck on a deserted island with one girl, and she’s the least eligible bachelorette ever.”
Avery shakes his head, his sky blue eyes gazing into mine. “You don’t get it, Jude. All she wants is the freedom to choose for herself… or not. We think we have to follow some kind of rule that society has made. Well, look around. We are society.” Avery spreads his hands and glances at the other guys who are sitting around the fire, digesting my story.
“There’s no one else here to say what we can and can’t do. Coral doesn’t want to be bound anymore by someone else’s expectations. She wants to be free to pursue whatever, or whoever, she wants. We’re the one’s trying to make it complicated. We agreed to share before, to let her decide what she wanted from each of us. Why does anything have to change?”
“Is that what you want, Coral?” Liam asks me, holding my hand, and I drop my eyes. I don’t want to hurt him, but I don’t want to hurt the others, either.
The guys stay silent while I stare at the ground. When I look up, all eyes are on me. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, then nod my head. “I love you, Liam.” The others gasp, and Liam’s face goes still with shock. “But I love them, too.”
Their faces lift, and Liam gulps and nods. I reach for him. He wraps his arms around me and presses my head to his chest. “I love you, too, Coral.”
“So, the deal’s the same. Coral can spend time with whoever she wants to, take it or leave it. No one gets jealous, and no one starts a fight.” Gio glares at Jude, then stares at each of the other guys in turn, daring them to argue.
“So, whose turn is it tonight?” Jude asks, winking, and Gio slugs him. “Ohhff!” Jude grunts, clutching his chest, his smile betraying his act.
My heart flutters in my chest like a rush of bubbles rising to the surface, and I grin as the weight of my worry floats away.
Later, when the others are occupied, I sidle up to Avery and bump against him, laying my head on his shoulder. He’s cutting through the thick, yellow skin of a papaya. “Thank you,” I whisper, gazing up at him.
“For what, Princess?” He peers down at me, his sparkling eyes peeking through his long, blond hair. He holds out a chunk of the juicy, orange flesh and I take it, savoring the sweetness.
“For understanding me. And telling them.”
He lifts the corner of his mouth in a small smile. “I get it, you know? It’s not exactly the same, but my family — they have these expectations for what a guy should be like. They think men should like football and hunting and drinking, and I’m just not into that. I prefer art, and fashion, and music. I’m nothing like them.”
I don’t know what any of those things are, but the pictures in his head are fascinating, and I long to experience all of them.
“My name isn’t even really Avery. It’s Buck, like a deer — my father’s idea.” He rolls his eyes. “I refuse to be called that, so I go by my last name.”
Avery’s gaze is somewhere else, caught up in painful memories. “No matter how good I am, it’s never enough. My hair’s too long, my clothes are too prissy. If I don’t want to wrestle with my brother, I’m a wuss. If I help my sister with her hair, I’m a fag. When I told my folks I wanted to be a hair stylist, my father said he was embarrassed to have me as a son.” He hangs his head, shame flooding his cheeks.
I put a hand on his shoulder and kiss him on the cheek. “I like you just the way you
are, Avery.”
I run my fingers through his hair and trail them lightly down his golden chest, following the lines of his muscles. When I get to the top of his shorts, I slide my hand over the bulge beneath his zipper and whisper, “I think you are a man.”
Avery’s eyes pop open wide, and his breathing deepens. I give him another kiss and walk away, feeling a new sense of freedom and empowerment. I intend to let Avery show me how much of a man he is the next time we’re alone, which should be tonight if we stick with the same schedule for shifts at the lookout.
“I’m going to check the traps, see if we caught something new for dinner,” Jude calls out to whoever is listening and points to the trees.
“I’ll come.” I pop up and move towards him, anxious to let him know I still care about him, too. Jude’s smile widens and he holds out his hand for mine.
“Yeah, maybe you’ll draw the critters in. I’ve got terrible luck catching animals with these traps, and I’m sick of fish. Aren’t mermaids supposed to lure men with their songs? Maybe you should sing while we walk.”
I tense up at the mention of our ability. I didn’t realize they knew about that. No one’s ever said anything. “What’s a song?” I ask, hoping to distract him.
“You know, something you sing. Lalalalala…” His voice cracks and wobbles. “Sorry, I kinda suck at that, but you get the idea. I love music. I’m no good at making it, but I try anyway.”
Jude imagines himself playing some kind of instrument and holds one hand up and wiggles his fingers while he shakes the other hand in front of his stomach. “Air guitar — nere-nuh-nere-nere-nere!”
I giggle at his antics. “Will you teach me a song, Jude?”
“Sure, babe. Huh, let’s see.” He pulls on a curl while he thinks. Suddenly, his muddy brown eyes sparkle. “I know the perfect song for you! It’s from a movie about a mermaid.”
Sirens and Scales Page 17
