The Sea Monster's Mate

by Delaney Rain

  A long tentacle suddenly shot out and wrapped around his leg. He chuckled as it tugged. “Okay, I’m coming back. I just wanted to make sure you were done talking about me and my anatomy.”

  Ty let him go as he started walking toward them. “Our preliminary discussion is complete, though we will have any further discussions below.”

  “Well, alrighty then.” Eric sat down in the doorway again, his feet tucked under the curl of Ty’s tentacles. “Did you get to our questions yet?” He phrased it like that so as not to give away the topic if Ty hadn’t already broached the subject.

  “We were just discussing that, yes.” Ty gestured to a very pale Cecaelia tucked into a shaded corner. “Rohins remembers much about breeding with humans, in fact.”

  They cleared their throat and straightened up a bit, looking like an ancient college professor who desperately wanted glasses to push up their nose. Eric had to wonder how far back the memories of an elder Cecaelia went.

  “I have memories,” they said in a creaky voice, “of the breeding stories our ancestors learned from the library scrolls after Pacilona Nepthis fell. We have passed these lessons down through the generations, but until Tyfodorus asked me, I did not remember the ones about humans.”

  “Um, if you don’t mind, why are the lessons only memories? Can’t everyone read the scrolls?”

  “Oh, no,” Rohins said, aghast. “We have not been able to enter what remains of the library for several generations. The air within became toxic not long after the collapse.”

  “Right, yeah.” Oxygen had a tendency to do that under extreme pressure. “Damn, that’s a shame.”

  “There was a concentrated effort to memorize as many passages as possible because they had no way to preserve the scrolls had they been able to remove them. Though our memories are always there, some will fade if not accessed routinely.”

  “And you’ve just now remembered something about breeding with humans?” There was a frisson of excitement inside Eric that had him leaning forward, hoping for good news.

  Rohins smiled. “I remember everything that was passed to me about breeding with humans now. Especially that it was the preferred method and done quite frequently.”

  Chapter Twelve

  That evening, they let Cyen and Falsor take the hatchlings down to Pacilona Nepthis for dinner. Eric was fine with Ty going too, but they didn’t want to leave him alone on the yacht. Eric had been about to insist Ty go when he paid attention and realized Ty wanted them to be alone together for a while. With real babysitters eager and available, Eric was happy to agree that Ty stay behind.

  They sat in the pool together with Eric on the rim and Ty in the water, leaning back against him. Eric had one arm looped over Ty’s shoulder and the other free to get the sushi rolls from a plate beside them. He’d gotten good at making a lot of different varieties, though Ty definitely didn’t like anything spicy.

  “I am disappointed,” Ty suddenly said.

  “Sorry. I underestimated how much the hatchlings would like avocado, so we’ve already run out.”

  Ty chuckled. “No, our meal does not disappoint me. Though we should always have avocado from now on.”

  “Deal.” Eric kissed their temple. “Why are you disappointed then?”

  “Could Rohins truly not have remembered about breeding with humans before today? There are generations of Cecaelia who might have been spared the ordeal of subduing animal hosts.”

  “Well, not every human would’ve reacted the way I did if they suddenly met a Cecaelia. Honestly, I think approaching one of us could be just as dangerous as catching a tiger. Or worse, because we can chase you right back.”

  Ty turned enough to look him in the eyes. “Like to hunt us?”

  “Yeah. You should think of me as an exception, not what’s normal.” He shrugged. “Maybe back when those Cecaelia wrote about breeding with humans, both groups knew all about each other and got along. But after the fall, everyone went their separate ways, and humans turned Cecaelia into a myth. Reversing that won’t be easy and could be really dangerous.”

  Settling back against him, Ty sighed. “I understand. Now I am disappointed that this knowledge might not change anything. The possibility that breeding with humans might help us evolve to a level where we can be our own hosts was very encouraging.”

  “Well, then, concentrate on the fact you’ll broaden the gene pool by breeding with me. I’m a whole new element in the Cecaelia population, and you said you all need that.”

  “We do. Falsor and I were only able to breed because our common ancestor is far enough removed. Others are unable to breed at all due to their closer relations to so many of us.”

  While it was a tiny bit creepy that Ty and Falsor were cousins, the kids seemed fine, and that was all that really mattered. “So regardless of whether Cecaelia start recruiting humans all over the place, we’ve already done well with the kids we have and we’ll do more good with the next set.”

  Ty picked up a sushi roll and fed it to him. “You seem eager to breed with me again.”

  “Of course.” Eric finished chewing and swallowed. “I love our kids. I had no idea they were something I needed in my life.”

  Ty caressed Eric’s arm where it hugged them. “I miss them.”

  Eric did, too, but since he had Ty to himself… “How about I distract you for a while?” he said in his most seductive voice as he slid both hands over the sleek muscles of Ty’s chest.

  Leaning more against him, Eric could just see the little smile on their face. Reaching lower, Eric caressed the thick bases of several tentacles where they met what would’ve been Ty’s hips. The way the muscular limbs undulated at his touch had him wanting to explore more. He kissed Ty’s cheek. “Sit up a second. I want to move around.”

  Ty did, looking curious as Eric stood and walked over to the side of pool. He sat down in the waist-deep water, shivered at the caress of warmth along his skin, and opened his arms for Ty to join him. Ty came close, those tentacles propelling them over his legs. When Ty settled on Eric’s thighs, their tentacles were all along his legs and reaching up his chest.

  “I love these,” he said as he stroked the different sizes. “They’re fascinating and strong and can do so many erotic things to me. Like that,” he said as a little one curled around the length of his cock. “Does it feel good when I touch them?”

  “Every part of me feels good when you touch me. It does not matter where; I feel it everywhere.”

  Eric nodded, glad it wasn’t like he was stroking some non-sexy part of them or something. He wanted Ty to feel adored and desired, but he knew he got lost in his own pleasure most of the time.

  When Ty’s cock started growing along Eric’s thigh, he reached down to explore that, too. He didn’t want Ty to feel like a science experiment, but everything about them was a marvel to Eric. He found the base of Ty’s cock and discovered it pushed out from a sheath of thick skin. Ty shuddered and moaned as Eric delicately touched where their slick cock slowly came out. Ty put their hands on Eric’s shoulders and lifted up, giving him more access.

  Eric explored the underside of Ty with his fingers, discovering everything he hadn’t seen yet. Ty couldn’t seem to keep still, tentacles writhing like a coil of snakes while they undulated their torso, dancing on his hands.

  He suddenly discovered a smooth patch of skin with a short tube protruding from the center. He could fit his thumb inside the tube, but the other end was closed up tight.

  “That is where the ink comes out,” Ty said breathlessly. “You could… You could enter me there.”

  Eric chuckled and shook his head. “If I stick my dick in there and it gets dyed black, everyone will know where I’ve been.”

  Ty covered their mouth and giggled, no doubt imaging that sight.

  Eric continued exploring that smooth skin and found another little pucker, this one without a tube covering it. “And this?”

  “You have the same one of those.” A purple blush bloomed o
n their cheeks even as they tilted their head back and pressed down on his swirling finger.

  So that was Ty’s ass. Did they have a prostate? Probably, since they made semen. The location might not be where Eric’s was, though, given all the additional anatomy Ty had in there.

  “Would it feel good for you if I went in here?” He pushed in shallowly.

  Ty shivered. “I do not know if either would be pleasurable, but we can try.” They leaned back, looking like they were trying to find the right angle.

  “Hold on. Why don’t you lay back? Then I can keep exploring and see what I’m doing?”

  Ty flung themselves back so fast, they made the water splash out onto the deck. Eric laughed, but then his breath caught when Ty lifted and spread their tentacles, baring themselves to him. He shivered at the sight of the full length of that massive cock. It felt thicker when it was up his ass than it actually was, but it was still a good two feet long.

  Eric leaned in and sucked on the head as he used both hands to stroke the whole length. He realized Ty was underwater when their moan sounded muffled. Grinning, he sat back and used just his hands and fingers while he watched Ty twitch and wiggle.

  With one hand stroking them and the other easing a finger in and out of that tight, dark blue hole—not the ink one, he checked—Eric knew he was bringing Ty to a quick and powerful orgasm. Their tentacles were split between the two sides of the pool, hanging on like they needed an anchor. One thick tentacle was wrapped around Eric’s arm that had the fingers inside them, as though making sure he didn’t stop.

  A muffled holler was Eric’s only warning before creamy whiteness spurted from the head of Ty’s cock and their hole pulsed on his finger. He kept stroking, using both hands now to draw out every drop as he watched the slit give it all up. He kissed it, used his tongue to probe inside, and suddenly all those tentacles wrapped around him. Chuckling at what felt like an order to keep going, he made out with the head of Ty’s pulsing cock, sucking and tonguing that fruity goodness out of them.

  Eric found himself being manhandled—well, tentacle-handled—away then as Ty sat up. He laughed in triumph since Ty had both Eric’s wrists held out to the sides like he might’ve done so well, Ty couldn’t handle any more.

  “You are marvelously wicked, Eric.”

  He grinned and accepted the kiss Ty gave him as they moved back onto his thighs. “Am I?”

  “Mmm,” was all they said as they pressed him back against the side of the pool and came in to kiss him deeply.

  With his arms held and tentacles roaming all over him, Eric moaned into Ty’s mouth over and over. He shuddered when those smaller tentacles wiggled back to find his ass and wrapped around his balls. Moans of pleasure bled from his lips as Ty used their hand to stroke his aching dick. With half of it sticking above the waterline, he felt warm water, cool air, and that firm touch.

  When Ty used those thick tentacles to make Eric spread his thighs apart, Eric came with a yell. Hot pleasure pulsed through and out of him, making him strain against the hold Ty had on him and groan for how good it felt when Ty didn’t let him go. When he finally slumped down, wrung out and breathless, Ty changed their grip on him to a full-body hug.

  “Eric?” Ty whispered.

  “Hmm?”

  “I want to go get the hatchlings.”

  He chuckled. “Yeah, go get them before it gets dark.”

  Ty pulled back, gasping. “I did not even consider the darkness. Cecaelia do not use light like you do.”

  The sun was already starting to set, so it could be pretty dark down there even now. “Right, go get them. Or maybe check on them? I don’t want to ruin their fun, but if they’re scared…”

  Ty didn’t bother walking the length of the yacht to get to the deck at water level. They rushed to the railing and went right over it. Eric hurried closer, despite hearing the splash, just to make sure Ty didn’t knock themselves out in their haste to rescue their children from the dark. He saw all those tentacles propel Ty deeper and chuckled at them and himself.

  “We’re those parents,” he said aloud. But, hey, their kids had to worry about sharks, so…

  Eric set about draining, rinsing, and refilling the pool.

  It wasn’t long before he heard the suction popping sound of Ty walking through the yacht. And then he heard the hatchlings chattering, apparently wanting to tell him everything before they even saw him.

  “It was so dark down there,” Primus said. “Sextus was afraid.”

  “So were you!”

  Primus ignored them. “Eric, there were fishes with lights on them, but they had big, sharp teeth, too! They were not friendly. Cyen said they would eat our fingers.”

  Eric refused to let them see how ill that made him feel, but he did pluck Sextus and Primus off of Ty’s chest and hug them to his own.

  “Tell Eric about the places you explored,” Ty said as they eased the rest of the hatchlings into the pool water. “And let him see your treasures.”

  He sat on the edge of the pool while they talked about exploring caves and ruins with Cyen and Falsor. They talked for nearly an hour, the sun setting completely. In the yacht’s lights, they showed him smooth rocks, twisty shells, and— “Holy cow, is this a doubloon?”

  Of course, none of them knew anything about money, let alone Spanish gold coins. He told them about the wooden ships and pirates and long sea voyages, and then he remembered that they hadn’t seen The Little Mermaid yet. They ended the day snuggled up together watching Prince Eric—ha-ha—and Ariel fall in love.

  And then they had a discussion about how, even though Ursula looked like them, it didn’t mean humans thought Cecaelia were scary or bad.

  At least, Eric hoped his fellow humans could learn to love Cecaelia like he had.

  Chapter Thirteen

  They spent a little over a week in the waters above Pacilona Nepthis before they decided it was time to go. Eric didn’t have an unlimited amount of food and water on board, so he took an inventory and concluded that they needed to resupply. Since going anywhere would take several days, they chose to go home.

  Ty gave everyone the information about how to get to the lagoon, since coordinates or maps weren’t their thing. And they both made sure the Cecaelia knew they could visit at any time.

  The hatchlings didn’t want to leave. Their daily adventures exploring Pacilona Nepthis were way more appealing than their playpen back in the lagoon. It was Eric who suggested that maybe they were ready to be free to go wherever they wanted to in the lagoon since they’d done so well out here. He wasn’t entirely convinced they were ready, but he was willing to let them try and grow instead of being what held them back. It definitely helped make it so they stopped crying and clinging to Falsor and Cyen and got back on the yacht.

  But if any of them thought their adventures were over since they were going home, they were wrong. Halfway there, as the sun was setting, they ran into a problem.

  Miles from land in any direction, they discovered a battered dinghy with one oar and a length of cloth acting as a shade in the bow. The dark-skinned legs of a person stuck out from under the shade.

  “I can’t tell,” Eric whispered, “if it’s the waves or if they moved right there.”

  Ty shook their head. They were both in the bridge looking down at the dinghy bobbing beside the yacht, while the kids stayed in the pool.

  “Ty, I can’t leave them. If there’s a chance they’re still alive, I can’t leave them here to die.”

  “I know.”

  “I’m scared, though. How can we help without risking discovery?”

  Ty held his hand and gave him a small, encouraging smile. “Go to them. If they live, we will bring them aboard and…think of something.”

  Eric went down to the aft deck and lowered it to make it easier to get the person aboard if it came to that. They might be unconscious now, so he’d have to do everything himself. And then they’d have to… What? Keep them locked in one of the cabins so they couldn
’t accidentally discover who else was on the yacht? Oh, this is going to be tricky.

  Never really one who enjoyed swimming in the open ocean—there was just too much water and things beneath him—Eric concentrated on the possibility of saving a life as he swam over to the dinghy. Grabbing the side, he carefully pulled himself high enough to peer in. The motion made the person inside rock to the side, and they moaned.

  “Hey,” Eric said, “can you hear me? Are you okay?”

  They moaned again but that was it. At least they were still alive.

  Eric moved the cloth away to get a look at what he might be dealing with, and gasped.

  First of all, the person was a man, probably of Hawaiian descent, and he had one hell of an erection. Secondly, there was a slick, slightly greenish goo around his mouth. And lastly, there were a few faint sucker marks on the skin of his chest and belly as though a tentacle or two had been wrapped tightly around him at some point.

  Ty suddenly called out, making Eric turn sharply to look at them. They were standing on the deck of the bridge, the highest point on the yacht, and waving one arm.

  “What’d you say?” Eric called.

  But when Ty answered, they didn’t speak English. Given what Eric had just figured out about the man in the dinghy, he looked around for what had to be another Cecaelia. The yelp he gave when he found them right behind him was involuntary.

  “They say you are not dangerous,” the Cecaelia said, though they floated well out of Eric’s reach.

  He chuckled. “I’m not. I’m really not. And I guess you’ve been taking care of this guy?”

  They nodded and swam close enough to hold onto the boat. “He has been subsisting on my elixir, but I do not know how much longer that will be enough. I was taking him to land in the hope that other humans might find him.”

  “Well, now you don’t have to. We can help.”

  They took a shaky breath and offered him a smile that seemed immensely relieved. “Thank you.”