Her attention shifted to Dracchus. His head was tilted, and he had a curious look on his face. He made a series of quick signs. Larkin’s understanding of kraken sign language wasn’t anywhere near deep enough to translate.
“What did he say?” Larkin asked.
“He wants to know what we’re talking about.”
“Might as well tell him.”
Randall rolled onto his side. He pointed at Dracchus, and then lowered his hands to his pelvis, pantomiming wrapping his hands around a rather girthy object. Larkin doubted it was real sign language, but Dracchus seemed to get the gist of it. He shook his head with a frown, moved his hands down, and made an even larger circle with them.
“Is he serious?” Randall asked. “Fuck. Please don’t answer that.”
Larkin made no attempt to contain her amusement. She laughed so hard her sternum hurt.
Ikaros arrived with the harpooned gulper. The prixxir treaded water, whiskers twitching as he watched her laugh.
She blinked the tears from her eyes. “Oh, I missed you, big brother.”
“Yeah, well…kraken commander says you need to bag two more. Better get back to work.”
Larkin accepted Ikaros’s offering and loaded up a fresh harpoon while Randall tended to the catch.
“So, what were you really going to say before?” he asked as she resumed her watch.
Her smile slowly faded, and she sighed. “He hasn’t touched me since I was poisoned. He treats me like I’m glass, bound to crack and shatter at any moment.”
“He could break concrete as easily as glass,” Randall said. “He’s just worried about you, Elle. You were really sick, even with the antitoxin.”
“I know, and I get that.” Another shot; another gulper. Ikaros sped away. “But I’ve been fine for days now, and he still won’t.” She looked at Randall. “Not sure why we’re having this conversation. You are my brother.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I never give half-decent advice. Did you…did you tell him?”
She didn’t need him to clarify his meaning. “I did.”
“How’d he take it?”
“It shocked him, I think. Maybe even hurt him. God, Randall, just seeing him with those kids…”
“You’re not taking anything away from him, Elle,” Randall said firmly.
Larkin drew in a deep breath, and once again blinked away moisture from her eyes. “He’s assured me he’s fine with it, but part of me still grieves because I’ll never be able to give him that.” She turned her head toward Ikaros as he returned. “He left me after I told him.”
“That son of a—”
“I understand why he did. Not going to lie, it hurt, but I kind of laid it on him. It’s…not an easy thing to accept, especially for his kind, when they already have so much trouble reproducing. But…Dracchus chose me. He came back, and chose me, and as dedicated as he’d been before that, he was ten times more devoted afterward.”
“And then you got sick.” Randall took the harpoon from Ikaros this time, handing a free one to Larkin.
“Yeah,” she said, reloading the gun. “I know that hit him hard. It hit everyone hard, but I’m not dead.”
“No, you’re not, and you’re the one who had to suffer through the pain. But we both know him, Elle, pretty damn well. Think about how that affected him.”
“He’s so damn noble,” she said affectionately.
“And he hates being idle. The whole time you were sick, he was kicking his own ass because he needed to do something to help you, and he couldn’t. He tried to hide it, but he was too much of a wreck to pull it off. You almost died, and he was powerless to influence it one way or another.”
Larkin looked up at Dracchus again. He swam over the swaying seaweed, his form cast in shadow by the rays of sunlight streaming through the surface. “I love him, Randall.”
He sighed. “Shit.”
She turned her head to stare at her brother. “That’s not helpful.”
“Okay, okay. You want some real advice?” His gaze flicked toward Dracchus. “Things have been off-kilter lately with all the stuff that’s gone on, but normally, the kraken are all about challenges. Most of them happen between males, but sometimes, when a female is really interested, they’ll dance for the male.”
“You’re telling me to dance?” she asked lamely. “That’s your sage advice?”
“Trust me on this one, okay? That’s the way his people have done things. It will get his attention.”
“So, like, in the water?”
“Well…that’s how they usually do it.”
Larkin lined up her shot, focusing on another gulper. “I’m a damn ranger. What do I know about dancing?” She pulled the trigger.
And missed.
Ikaros chirruped questioningly.
“Fuck,” she growled.
Randall whistled. “Little dancing got you that scared, huh?”
“Oh, shut up, Randall.”
He passed her the other harpoon. She loaded it and skewered another gulper without a word.
“Done!”
Ikaros bolted toward the fish.
“What, you imagine my face on that one?” Randall asked.
Larkin rolled her eyes and stood up to survey their surroundings. The rocks upon which they’d positioned themselves were slightly elevated over the rest of the terrain. Straight ahead were stalks of seaweed, as thick as the jungle. Behind and to her right, the rock fell away in step-like formations, with various sea creatures scuttling in the crevices. To the left was a steep drop-off of almost thirty meters. The sandy seafloor at its base was lost in darkness from her vantage.
“What are we going to do, Randall?” she asked, frowning.
“Eat some fish tonight?”
“I mean about the rangers. About Dad.”
Randall was silent as he collected the final fish from Ikaros and bagged it. Dracchus made another pass overhead, looking from side to side as though watching for danger.
“We’re going to have to talk to him sooner or later,” Randall finally said. “It’s the only way we can get him to stop. Fuck, he’s doing this for us. It’s got to be us to end it, right?”
Larkin nodded. “I’m worried about him, especially with Neo and the others prowling around out here somewhere. We can’t stay down here forever, anyway. There has to be something, some way, to bring humans and the kraken together.”
“You’re right. And he,” Randall gestured toward Dracchus, “is the guy you have to convince. If you can get him to agree, he stands the best chance of getting the others to consider it.”
“I’ll talk to him.”
“You should do your dancing first,” Randall said with a smirk. His eyes followed movement behind her, and his smirk broadened into a grin.
Larkin turned. Dracchus was there, his amber eyes aglow in the sunlight, his smile somehow fierce and gentle at once. He signed; Larkin caught good, but the rest was too fast.
“You did good,” Randall translated with a laugh, “but I just wasted air.”
“Sounds about right,” Larkin replied.
Randall made a series of gestures to Dracchus, and the two went back and forth a few times before Randall tied off the net full of fish, strapped his harpoon gun to his wrist, and gathered the spare harpoons.
“What was all that?” Larkin asked.
“Told him I’m going to head back so you two can have a private lesson on sign language.” He offered an exaggerated wink.
“Guess you’d better practice your shooting while we’re at it, huh?”
“Ouch.” Randall called Ikaros to his side with another gesture, and swam backward for a short distance, smiling at her. “I missed you, sis!”
“See you later.” Larkin watched Randall swim away. “Sam, cut off all outbound communication.” She slowly exhaled and turned her attention back to Dracchus.
He stared at her with slight confusion — and a touch of anticipation — on his face. What had Randall actually to
ld him?
More importantly, what the hell was she about to attempt?
“Damnit,” she muttered, setting the harpoon gun down.
Dracchus didn’t need to sign his question; it was communicated perfectly through his expression.
What are you doing?
Larkin held his gaze and began moving; a soft swaying of her hips, twisting them side to side. The suit would leave little to his imagination.
She’d never felt particularly feminine. She’d grown up mostly around men, in the wilds, wearing the same clothes and doing the same work. Yet here she was trying to tempt her mate with a sensual display, feeling utterly ridiculous.
“Damnit, Randall, you better be right.”
The confusion on Dracchus’s face faded as he trailed his gaze down her body, and a new gleam joined the sunlight reflected in his eyes.
Encouraged, Larkin stepped closer to him, rocking her hips, and settled a hand upon his chest. His hearts thumped against her palm, muted by the suit, and she marveled at his color in the soft rays of light from above.
She walked around him slowly, trailing her hand over his shoulder until she reached his back. He turned his head to watch her over his shoulder as Larkin skimmed her fingers down his spine. He shuddered, arching his back and tilting his face upward. She took satisfaction in the reaction she’d elicited from him.
Dracchus flashed maroon as he spun to face her. He caught her arm and slowly raised her hand, pressing her palm to his face. She knew he was thinking the same thing as her — I wish our skin was touching.
Dracchus rose off the bottom, sliding his hand along her arm as he swam around her. His tentacles brushed over her legs, her hips, her backside and abdomen; he circled leisurely, and she could almost feel him looking through the suit to see the body beneath. His eyes were amber flames each time their gazes met. He rounded her again, and again, and her heart sped, her breath quickened, her anticipation built.
“Elevated heartrate detected,” Sam said. “Do you—”
“Shut up, Sam,” Larkin growled.
Dracchus’s claws grazed her shoulders and trailed along her arms. Tingles ran across the surface of her skin, heightening her desire. Her aching nipples hardened, constricted by the suit, and her sensitive flesh was suddenly aware of the faint thrum of the suit’s internal energy field.
He took both her hands as he came to her front. Continuing his slow spin, he drew Larkin upward, lifting her off the bottom. Sunlight flashed and flickered around them, and the ocean sparkled.
Colors pulsed over his skin. At first, she thought it was a trick of the constantly shifting light, but as the colors moved faster, she realized it was him. He was kaleidoscopic, beautiful, exotic. Dozens of colors and patterns flashed over him, flowing with liquid smoothness. She was transfixed by him.
And then he released his hold on her.
Her momentum carried her through one more rotation. She laughed and turned her head to follow his movement, and her heart stilled.
Dracchus was circling her again, but he did so now in a rhythmic spin that gained speed as he moved, tentacles spreading and twisting. The colors on his skin blurred hypnotically. Larkin moved her arms and legs absently, subconsciously maintaining her position; all her focus was on him, and she turned her head to follow his progress.
As his tentacles flared out, one of them slipped around her waist and pushed her into a spin of her own before sliding away. Shafts of sunlight danced overhead while Dracchus dominated her periphery vision, his hue changing to every color, to no color, and back again with every heartbeat.
He settled his hands on her hips and pulled her against him. The whole world spiraled around them, but Dracchus remained constant. Solid. Real.
She laughed, looping her arms around his neck, and met his eyes.
He held her gaze as they swam; she knew, instinctually, they were heading toward the Facility. Toward home.
Larkin smiled, wrapping her legs around his waist as she caressed the back of his neck.
His hands slid down over her backside and along her outer thighs. The scintillating colors on his skin faded, leaving only a rich maroon. He dipped his head forward, pressing his forehead to her mask.
By the time they reached the Facility, Larkin’s patience was exhausted. She wanted her hands on Dracchus, wanted her lips on him; she needed to touch him, to feel him, now.
“Do you require entry?” Sam asked.
“Yes!” she said before he finished speaking. The light above the door flashed green and Dracchus pulled them into the chamber.
He lifted her head over the surface of the draining water, and she hurriedly removed the mask, yanking the hood down to free her hair. She dropped the mask to take his face in her hands and pressed her mouth to his.
“I need you,” she said against his lips. “Now.”
“In our den,” he growled.
“Too long.” She bit his lower lip, then soothed it with her tongue; he tasted like the sea.
“No one else will see my female.” Dracchus slammed the button the instant the light turned green. Before she realized what he meant to do, he tossed her over his shoulder and charged through the open door.
Larkin’s shriek turned into laughter as he hurried along the corridor. She watched his tentacles moving beneath him, covering distance faster than she’d ever thought possible. Flattening her hands on his back, she smoothed them down his waist to caress what would’ve been his ass, if he were human.
“Enough, female,” Dracchus said, giving her rump a smack.
Larkin gasped; pleasure followed the brief sting. His hand remained on her backside, massaging it, heightening her arousal.
When they finally reached their room, Dracchus set her on her feet and yanked her suit off before the door had fully shut. Bared to his hungry gaze, she leapt upon him. He took her in his arms as their mouths met in another fiery kiss.
There was dizzying motion, and suddenly, the wall was at her back. Dracchus leaned into her and deepened the kiss, caging her with his arms and pinning her with his body. His hard shaft brushed beneath her backside. She arched, rubbing her nipples against his chest, and that little bit of contact sent flashes of bliss straight to her core.
Dracchus inhaled deeply and groaned. He drew back his head, and Larkin glimpsed his kiss-swollen lips before his hands untangled her legs from his waist, cupped her backside, and lifted her up the wall until her thighs settled over his shoulders.
She cried out when his mouth fell over her sex. He stroked her with his tongue, lapped at her, tasted her. Larkin grasped his head, her only anchor. Closing her eyes, she tilted her head back, submitting to the euphoria he bestowed upon her. His fingers curled over her thighs and spread them wider while his tongue delved deeper.
“Dracchus,” she moaned when his lips found her clit. He latched on and Larkin’s entire body tensed as he brought her to a swift, blistering climax.
He turned away from the wall and lowered her slowly, letting her sex slide over his chest, kissing up her belly and between her breasts until their mouths met. She wrapped her legs around his middle as he carried her toward the bed. She tasted herself on his lips, but it was him she wanted on her tongue.
Dracchus dropped her onto the bed and moved to follow her down, but Larkin held a hand to his chest, stopping him.
“Lie on your back,” she said.
He paused, holding himself over her on one arm, and gave her a smoldering, quizzical look, but he allowed her to guide him down onto his back when she exerted a bit more force.
Larkin sat up, meeting his gaze as she slowly trailed kisses down his chest and abdomen. She smiled at the brush of a tentacle over her thigh. The closer she came to his pelvis, the lower Dracchus’s brow dropped.
She curled her fingers around his dark shaft as much as she was able. It was steel and velvet, alien and beautiful, glistening with its own lubricant. Her hand glided easily along its length. With her other hand, she brushed the four pinky-leng
th tendrils around his base. Recalling the pleasure the little tendrils had provided sent a fresh rush of heat through her, wetting her inner thighs further.
His cock twitched at her touch, and his muscles tensed. The entire bed shifted as he put his arms to the sides and grasped the bedding.
“I have burned for your touch, female,” he growled. “I need you.”
“In a moment,” she replied. “You made me wait this long, you can wait a little longer.”
“Larkin,” he warned.
She flashed him a grin and held his gaze as she dipped her head toward his cock.
His eyes widened; given their sharp teeth, it wasn’t likely that kraken females ever did anything like this. Still, he didn’t stop her as she opened her mouth and lowered it over him.
He was too large for her to take any more than his head, but his tentacles writhed when she closed her lips around his crown. She sucked and teased him with her tongue, stroking his shaft and tendrils with her hands. The hint of sea salt in his taste was spiced with something more exotic, something sweet, and she greedily took as much as she could.
Dracchus groaned and arched his back to lift his pelvis toward her. One of his tentacles curled around the back of her thigh and slipped between her legs, caressing her sex.
Larkin moaned around his cock and spread her knees wider, undulating over his tentacle. The ridges of his suction cups stroked and sucked her folds and clit, flooding her with pleasure, intensifying her need.
She tore her mouth from his shaft when she came, panting out his name. Her sex clenched, hollow, empty, her slick ran down her thighs, her arousal scented the air.
“Now, female,” Dracchus growled, wrapping a tentacle around her waist.
She climbed on top of him, still gripping his length, and lowered herself upon him. The head of his cock entered her. Biting her lip against the pressure, she moved up and down, taking him in a little at a time as he stretched her.
Dracchus’s hands brushed along her thighs, the light grazing of his claws sending delightful thrills across her skin.
She needed him inside her, needed to be filled by him, needed to join with him and be overwhelmed by the electrifying connection they shared when their bodies came together.
Heart of the Deep Page 25
