Ecstasy From the Deep

by Octavia Kore

  Little goddess.

  A scene played within his mind, and what he witnessed made his body go rigid with rage. She was fleeing from someone and the same fear he had felt moments ago poured off of her as she pushed herself forward. Gulzar’s mouth opened on a silent roar of rage as she was knocked to the ground, her body pressed beneath the bulk of her attacker.

  No! Clutching at the tree in front of him, Gulzar tore at it, shredding the bark with his claws, slamming his hands into the splintered wood. When the face of her assailant was revealed, he felt the rage grow tenfold. A tainted offspring of Nem. What were they doing anywhere near a goddess?

  He needed to get to her, but how? Unlike the tainted offspring of Nem, he had no means to travel the skies. Anger at his inability to aid her, at the absolute helplessness he felt, rolled through him, and he felt the young tree give beneath his hands. Dirt fell from the roots as he pulled it from the ground, sending it tumbling through the bushes and underbrush. The darkness at the edges of his vision began to close in and he stumbled forward, trying to reach his little goddess even though he knew his efforts were in vain. The last thing he saw was the ground rushing toward him as darkness closed in.

  When he woke, he found that he was no longer in the forest where he and Ky had been hunting. Instead, he was lying on his back, staring up at the high ceilings of his childhood home. The exposed timbers that ran from one side of the room to the other brought back nostalgic memories of when he used to climb them as a young one, his claws digging into the wood as he pulled himself up higher and higher. Kyra had often stood beneath him, pleading for him to come back down, to stop being so daring, but it had only made him laugh.

  A grin tugged at his lips at the memory just as something else wiggled back into his mind. The little goddess!

  With a gasp, Gulzar shot up, almost slamming his face into Kyra’s in the process. “Calm, sweet one. Shh, you are safe.”

  “She is not safe!” He felt the older female’s hand press against his chest as she tried to push him back down.

  “Kythea? She is in the main room. She brought you home.”

  A growl tore from his throat. “Not Ky. The little goddess needs me. She is in danger.”

  “Gulzar…” Kyra sighed.

  He knew that tone. His adopted mother might love him, but she had never truly believed in his visions. “I know what you think, but this is not something I have made up. I saw her in the forest. She was being attacked by a tainted offspring of Nem.”

  The frown that crossed her face told him that she, like the rest of the village, found the name disturbing. “This is something that should be brought before the elders and the goddess herself.”

  “You know they will never allow that.” The deep voice that rumbled from the doorway belonged to Kyra’s mate, Viseer.

  “It is a bad omen.” Kyra’s hands twisted anxiously in her lap. “He must seek the knowledge of the goddess.”

  Viseer nodded, his eyes coming up to meet Gulzar’s. “I agree, but the elders have shown us time and again that they will not listen to him. If he wants an audience with the goddess, he will need to seek her out himself.”

  “Viseer,” Kyra narrowed her eyes on her mate, “what are you suggesting?”

  “That I speak with her directly,” Gulzar answered. Viseer was right; the elders would never give him an audience with her, not even an accompanied one.

  “If they catch you—” Kyra began, but Gulzar wrapped his arms tightly around her.

  “They will not.” His xines wriggled anxiously. “All will be fine.”

  All will be fine.

  Gulzar nearly snorted out loud at the lie as he ducked behind one of the dwellings nearest to the temple. The darkness of night wrapped around him, the shadows shielding him from the few villagers who made their way to their homes. As fast and as silently as he could, Gulzar rushed up the steps of the temple and cracked the large, heavy doors. Slender candles covered nearly every table and their flames chased away the darkness within the open space. With a deep, steadying breath, he pushed the doors open just enough to squeeze in and then softly shut them.

  His mental bond sparked to life, searching, reaching out to the goddess that resided here, but he felt nothing. With a frown, Gulzar stepped further inside, eyeing the statue of the goddess, Una, and her mates, Ven and Nem, that stood in the center of the main room. He knew there was a certain way the others reached out to her, but because of his status, Gulzar had never been allowed to witness it.

  The sound of the large temple door hitting the stone wall behind it had Gulzar jumping and spinning around to face whoever had walked in on him. Instead of the elders or even the Chief, Trakseer, Gulzar saw Kythea’s shocked eyes staring back at him.

  “Sorry!” she whispered, grabbing the door and softly closing it behind her.

  “What are you doing here?” Gulzar hissed in annoyance, stomping over to the female.

  “You took off without even knowing how to speak to Una.” Hands planted on her hips, the female who had been like a sister to him his whole life raised a brow ridge. “How did you think you were going to accomplish this?”

  He hated admitting she was right. “Fine,” he grumbled. “Show me.” He silently begged the goddess for patience, fighting off the annoyed rattle that threatened to spring from his chest as she moved to the base of the statue, placing one delicate hand on the foot of the goddess.

  With wide eyes, Gulzar watched as a blue glow sprang from between her fingers, splashing the walls with its colorful rays. “Goddess,” she began, “we ask for your wisdom.”

  “Your request has been acknowledged. You may speak,” a soft, feminine voice said from within the stone.

  For a moment, Gulzar could only stare in awe. This was the first time he had ever heard Una speak.

  “Goddess?” There were so many things he wished to ask her, but only one thing was important enough to sneak in here. “How can I help the little goddess who reaches out to me?”

  “I do not understand your request. Please reword.”

  With a frown, Gulzar huffed. “There is a goddess who has reached out to me. She was being attacked by a tainted offspring of Nem, and I seek your guidance with how to assist her.”

  “More information is needed to resolve your request. Please reach out to the goddess in question.”

  “Reach out to her? I already have.”

  The sound of distant footsteps approaching from somewhere within the halls of the temple had Kythea jumping back and snatching his hand. She tugged at him, her fushori pulsing with her anxiety. “We need to leave, Gulzar!”

  “I have not gotten an answer—”

  “Now! If you are caught here, the punishment will be severe.”

  With a soft curse, he followed her through the doors and down the steps. They didn’t stop running until they were within the walls of Kyra’s courtyard.

  “I am sorry you did not get the answer you were hoping for.” Ky panted as she caught her breath.

  Though he felt frustrated at the lack of guidance, Gulzar knew the only thing to do would be to reach out the next time he saw his little goddess. He hoped, for her sake and his own, that it wouldn’t be long.

  Chapter 4

  Oshen

  Oshen shot up as he came to, sending water sloshing around the basin he was curled up in. His heart hammered against the inside of his chest, gills feeling like they were on fire as an ungodly taste overwhelmed his senses.

  The Grutex!

  Blinking quickly, he took in his unfamiliar surroundings. He was partially submerged in a basin that was far too small for his bulk, causing water to spill over the lip and onto the floor. Where am I? The room was cast in shadow, the only source of light coming from the gap beneath the door.

  “Female?” he called softly, leaning forward to peer over the edge.

  His ears twitched as hurried words filtered in from somewhere outside the room.

  “I just need you to get here, okay? Bring yo
ur med kit.” There was a short pause. “It’s not for me. I’m fine, I promise. I have someone here I need you to help. He’s hurt, and I can’t take him to a hospital.” Oshen tilted his head to hear her conversation better. There was no reply, so he assumed she was using some sort of comm unit. “It’s complicated. He’s not exactly human.” The female hissed in annoyance, “It’s not a Grutex! I don’t actually know what he is, but he saved me, and I need your help. Please. I can’t do this alone. I’m a marine biologist, not a medical professional, damn it!”

  Oshen stood as slowly as possible to keep from displacing the foul-tasting water and noticed that his uniform shirt had been removed. There was instead a long, white bandage wrapped carefully around his torso. It was soaked now, but he placed a gentle hand on his wound and grinned as the female continued her conversation.

  “You know I wouldn’t have woke you up unless it was an emergency.” His foot struck a box sitting on the floor beside the basin, making him arch a brow ridge. “He looks aquatic, Jun. I wasn’t sure what he needed.” Her voice sounded stressed. “I put him in the tub with some leftover aquarium salt from before I gave you the tank and turned off all the lights. What if he’s sensitive to light?” He crept to the door, gently turning the knob and easing it open. Water pooled under his feet, leaving behind large puddles on the wood as he made his way down the hall toward her voice.

  The female stood with her back to him, her attention focused on her task as she clutched an outdated handheld comm between her ear and shoulder. She bounced from foot to foot, her disheveled hair tied back in a careless knot at the base of her neck. The bright light overhead clearly outlined her form and she stood with her hip cocked against a small table. From his understanding of the data they had received from the Grutex, this was where human families ate their meals. In this respect, they were much like the Venium.

  Oshen padded toward her, curious to see what had her so distracted. The wood beneath his feet creaked, and she spun around to face him, screeching as she jumped. This close, he could see that the female was even smaller than he had originally thought, with the top of her head barely reaching the middle of his chest. A glance down showed him that she had been carefully working a small needle through his torn uniform top. Wide, startled eyes the same blue as the okeanos on his homeworld stared back at him from a soft, round face.

  “He’s awake,” she breathed, her throat working as she audibly gulped.

  Oshen took a step forward, and the comm fell from her shoulder as she stumbled away from him. A shrill voice howled from the device at her feet. “Amanda! Amanda, are you okay? I’m coming right now! That thing better not lay a hand on you!”

  Oshen and the female both looked down at the comm, neither knowing what to say as her companion continued to rant. A frown marred his face as he took another small step forward. She had told another human about his location. He wasn’t supposed to be on this planet, and he most definitely should not be interacting with the inhabitants in their own dwellings. He lifted his foot and slammed it back down on the fragile device, immediately cutting off the angry words as its screen shattered.

  Threat eliminated.

  “What the fuck!?” she screamed, jumping away from him.

  “Using an unencrypted comm device is not advisable. You don’t know who could be listening.” He grinned down at the angry female. “No need to thank me.”

  “Since when have you ever worried about what is advisable?” his AI butted in from his wrist comm.

  Oshen ignored the device and allowed his gaze to roam over the tiny dots that were sprinkled over the skin on her face and parts of her upper body. The voice on the comm had called her Amanda. He mulled the name over in his mind as she glanced around the room in confusion. Just a moment ago, she had looked so fiery, practically spitting flames at him, and he had found it incredibly interesting and surprisingly endearing. His bothersome AI, on the other hand, was going to find herself deleted if she didn’t mind her own programming.

  Amanda’s eyes darted around the room in confusion. “Where did that come from?”

  “It’s the artificial intelligence connected to my internal encrypted comm unit.” He gestured to his wrist where the device had been implanted many years ago. The slight movement caused the wet bandage to tug at his wound, and her face scrunched in concern as a small amount of his lifeblood seeped through the cloth.

  “Oh jeez, look, what you did! It took me so long to get this thing wrapped around you. Bandaging an unconscious person—err, alien, wasn’t as easy as I had hoped.” She clicked her tongue as she fussed.

  Running his hand over the wound, Oshen assessed the damage. The sudden slap from her tiny hand had his eyes darting up to her face.

  “Don’t touch it! I don’t know where your hands have been, but I’m pretty sure they’re dirty. Go sit down while I get some supplies. Shoo!” Irritation laced her voice.

  He couldn’t help the incredulous chuckle that fell from his lips. “This is nothing, Amanda.”

  Her eyes narrowed with suspicion as she shifted. “How do you know my name?”

  “The manic voice from your comm used it when addressing you. I assumed it was your name.” Oshen sank down into the cushioned couch just inside the doorway of the connecting room. “Was I wrong?”

  “No.” The way her blunt teeth tugged at her lower lip sent heat surging through him. “I’ll be right back.”

  Oshen watched her dart down the hallway. One look around the space told him this was a place for people to gather. Across from the light-colored seat he sat on, there was a dark, worn chair. He wasn’t sure if this was considered nice for humans, but it seemed warm and tidy. There were wooden shelves with small figures and frames holding pictures of many different humans scattered about on every surface and cluttering the walls. A frown pulled at his features when he saw that his blue lifeblood had stained the fabric of the furniture.

  “Was it really necessary to trail water all the way down the hall?” Amanda asked as she dodged one of the puddles.

  “I wasn’t particularly concerned with that when I came out here to find out who had dumped me into a container of foul-tasting water.”

  “Was the salt too much? I wasn’t sure what you would need and I sort of panicked a little.”

  “A little?” Oshen’s lip quirked as she crouched down next to his leg and began to unwrap him.

  “Maybe more than a little.” She chuckled. “I noticed your blood was blue. Is it hemocyanin that causes it to be that color? I’ve seen it in horseshoe crabs, but I have no idea if a species from another planet would have the same thing. Couldn’t help but notice you were aquatic. Do you all live in deeper waters? Do you also have piezolytes like a hadal snailfish that stop the molecules in your body from crushing you when you are so far down? What about—”

  “Female,” he interrupted, an amused smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, “I do not know what any of these horse crabs or snails are as they do not exist on my homeworld. As for the scientific portion of your questions, I’m far from capable of answering any of them.”

  “I’m sorry.” Amanda’s cheeks flushed red. “I have a habit of getting carried away. My parents used to say it was my nervous trait.” Oshen watched as she spread her towels out, taking advantage of the calm to study her. She looked softer and more vulnerable than any of his kind with no noticeable natural defenses. Blunt teeth and barely any nails to speak of.

  A rumbling, angry growl interrupted his assessment and he jerked his head up, ears flattening against his head when his eyes found the source. A small creature with flashing yellow eyes peered at him from the doorway. It was shaped like the cub of one of the deadliest creatures on his homeworld. A tigeara was capable of swallowing a Venium pup whole and was one of many reasons his people chose to remain in the water and limit any time on land.

  Were humans so fearless that they kept miniature tigearas in their homes? What if she was unaware of the danger? What if this creature had snuc
k into her dwelling while she was caring for him?

  “Female,” he whispered, slowly moving his hand to her wrist. “I do not wish to alarm you, but there is a very angry creature in your home.” The beast stepped closer to Amanda, hissing and flashing small, needle sharp teeth. Its striped tail swished behind it menacingly. “I’m not sure if you have anything similar to tigearas on Earth, but I would rather not take any chances.”

  “A what?”

  Amanda frowned up at him as he stood, placing himself between them. If it decided to attack, it would have to go through him first. He had just saved her from the Grutex, and now he was going to have to fight off whatever this was? Was death really so keen to have her? The little beast puffed up its silver and black-striped fur, pacing near the wall as it watched him predatorily. A warning yowl rolled through the room and Oshen bared his teeth, his tail curling protectively around Amanda’s leg.

  The sound of her laughter caught him off guard and he frowned, twisting to look back at her while keeping the creature in his sight. “This is amusing?”

  “I’m sorry,” A loud snort escaped her and she flung a hand over her mouth. “I have no idea what a tigeara is. That’s just Hades. He’s my cat.” Another snort had her doubling over with laughter.

  “Cat,” Mouni repeated. “A domesticated carnivorous mammal. Many breeds exist, and they are widely kept as pets in human households.” For once, she was being useful.

  “This,” he waved his hand at the creature, who hissed again, “is your pet?”

  “Mmhmm. Hades is his name.” He watched as she wiped tears from her eyes and smiled up at him. “What did you say your name was?”