Rising from the Depths

by Tiffany Roberts

  “I was left with nothing, and I could blame only myself for it. I could not return to the Facility without risking death, and I faced the same if I attempted to join the kraken who had once followed me. I had been wrong, so wrong…but Neo and the others…” He shook his head again. “They had cast honor and tradition aside just to pursue their hatred. That wasn’t what I’d wanted, but I enabled it. I could not let it go, could not allow myself to forget and move on.

  “I followed them, unseen, for two weeks. And when they decided to attack the Facility, to kill Dracchus, Jax, Arkon, Rhea, all the humans, and the younglings, I could not remain idle. That was not what I had fought for. So…I went back to the Facility, knowing it meant my life was forfeit, to warn them. I did not expect to leave alive. To be honest, I…I did not want to. It would have been a good way to die, I thought. A small act of redemption, and then…nothingness.”

  Tears spilled down Eva’s cheeks. She slid off the chair, down to her knees, but before her weight settled upon them, Kronus caught her and pulled her onto his lap. He raised a hand to her cheek and stared into her eyes.

  “I fought alongside the people I had sought to remove from the Facility. I bled for them, and I killed kraken who I had known all my life. And if I could cry…I would have.” He touched the tears on her cheeks and rubbed the moisture between his thumb and forefinger. “Tears became another thing for which I envied humans.”

  Eva wrapped her arms around his neck and cradled his head in the palm of her hand. She held him close, and he embraced her in return.

  “You can’t blame yourself for what happened,” Eva said. “You might have given voice, but they already knew that hatred in their hearts. You…you didn’t know true hate. You sought to protect those you cared for.”

  “I knew hate, Eva. First for the humans, and then…for myself. And when those I had wronged offered me forgiveness…I could not accept it. I did not know how.” His hold on her tightened. “Not until something more important came along. Not until you.”

  Eva’s breath caught, and her heart skipped only to begin beating rapidly an instant later.

  He drew back to meet her gaze again, leaning his forehead against hers. “I came to The Watch because there was nowhere else for me. No place I could fit in, no place where I could look around me and not be reminded of what I had set into motion, of the blood that has stained my claws. But this place never felt like a home to me until you came into my life.”

  She sobbed, unable to hold back fresh tears. “How? How could I have made such a difference? I was…” She shook her head. “I didn’t even see you as a person, either. I railed at you, hit you, hated you.”

  “You were broken, Eva. I knew that was not you. From the moment I took hold of you in that water, I knew the sort of person you were.”

  “What was I?”

  “Selfless. Your leg was shredded, and your blood was misting the water, and all you wanted was to go back for your friends. All you wanted was to save them.”

  I have you, female. You are safe.

  M-My friends Please! We n-need to save my friends!

  Eva closed her eyes as the fragmented memory arose in her mind — Kronus’s words, followed by her own. The desperation and pleading in her voice had been clear, and even now it made her stomach clench with dread.

  “When I carried you onto the beach, you tried to crawl toward them.” Kronus cupped her chin and tilted her face toward him. She opened her eyes to meet his golden gaze. “You had lost so much blood, teetered on the edge of death yourself, yet you spared not a thought for your own safety. That is who you are at your core. That is the female I wanted. That is the female I fought to save. All I did was help you remember who you have been all along.” He caressed her chin. “A worthy female. More than I deserve…but I could not keep away from you.”

  Warmth blossomed within her. She recognized the feeling in her chest — it was overwhelming, consuming, breathtaking. It was joyous and painful, and everything in between. She’d only felt a fleeting hint of it before Kronus, a shadow, but this…she knew what it was now.

  Eva framed his face with her hands. “You are worthy, Kronus. Everything you’ve gone through has made you into who you are now. It’s shaped you, made you stronger, just as you’ve done for me. You fought your way up from the depths to rise above it all. You are worthy. So worthy. And you are the male I want. The kraken I love.”

  “Love,” he repeated. He’d heard the word exchanged between the other kraken and human mates, had heard it from Eva, but it had never been directed at him. Though he had no prior experience with love, he somehow knew it was the correct word. It encompassed all the simplicity and complexity of what he felt for Eva; as mysterious as it was powerful, consuming and fulfilling. It was everything.

  She was everything.

  “I love you, Eva,” he said, and it felt right. “It was not long ago that I did not understand what that meant, but I do now. I love you.”

  Eva made a small sound, something between a whimper and a sob, and brought her lips to his. She kissed him hard, desperately, as though she needed him in order to breathe, and Kronus returned it, dropping his hands to wrap his arms around her waist to pull her close.

  “Join with me, Kronus,” she pleaded against his mouth. “Be my husband, my mate, in every way, and never leave me.”

  “I will never leave you.” His hearts thundered, and his blood ran hot through his veins. “I am yours, Eva, in every way possible.”

  Her hands smoothed down his back, and she clutched at him. “I need you. Now.”

  Kronus cupped her backside with his palms, arms pressed along her outer thighs. He rose, lifting her along with him, and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her to the bed. He laid her on the covers and followed her down, holding himself aloft with arms on either side of her.

  Her eyes opened and locked with his. She skimmed her fingertips down his chest and abdomen. His arousal was instant, and as soon as her fingers stroked his slit, his cock extruded into her waiting palm, aching and throbbing with want for her. She closed her fingers around his shaft and slowly moved her hand, up and down, twisting in the way she knew he liked. His hips pumped in time with her strokes.

  Kronus bared his teeth and growled. Each stroke flooded him with sensation, threatening to steal his strength. Her touch was too much pleasure for him to bear for long.

  Dropping a hand, he caught her wrist and stilled it. “Not yet.”

  He needed to be inside her.

  Eva pulled her hand away and shifted, forcing Kronus to draw back. She turned onto her hands and knees, crawled farther up the bed, and peered at him over her shoulder. Her eyes were dark, their blue nearly engulfed by her pupils.

  “No waiting.” She tugged her skirt up over her waist. “Now. Take me now, Kronus.”

  Kronus fixed his eyes on her backside. This position was new. Her underwear molded to her slit, and the dampness of the fabric served as a visual confirmation of her arousal — not that he could miss her scent.

  He stretched out his tentacles and drew himself up onto the bed, positioning himself behind her. She parted her thighs. He hooked a claw on either side of her underwear and pulled. The band offered only a moment’s resistance before tearing. He tossed the tattered fabric aside and shifted his gaze to her glistening sex, releasing a low groan. She’d been right; there could be no waiting.

  Keeping one hand on her hip, Kronus reached between her thighs and touched her scalding flesh, mindful his claws, to seek the little bud that provided her so much pleasure. She moaned and closed her eyes as he stroked it. Her hips undulated, grinding against his hand. He listened to her quickening breath and her soft sighs and soon felt the trembling in her thighs that signaled she was close to her peak.

  Before she reached it, he pulled his hand back, bringing it to his mouth to lick her nectar from his fingers. Her flavor burst on his tongue and made him crave a deeper taste, but his need to be inside her was stronger. He
needed to feel her sex clench around him, to feel her heat, to feel her.

  Whether it lasted for a second or forever, he needed her to be the only thing to exist in his world.

  “Kronus,” she rasped.

  He took his cock in hand and pressed the tip to her entrance. She eased back, taking that little bit of him inside her. He growled, set his hands on her shapely hips, and thrust into her as deep as she could take him.

  Eva gasped as her body rocked forward with the force of his entry. Blissful heat surrounded his shaft; her tight walls squeezed him, drawing him deeper still. Pleasure spiraled up his spine. He drew back and looked down at where they were connected, and another wave of pleasure speared him. His cock glistened with their combined oils.

  Kronus watched, enrapt, as he pushed forward and fed his erection into her body. He groaned again; this new position had altered the angle of their joining completely, creating stimulation he hadn’t imagined before. Gripping her hips tighter, he raised two of his tentacles and coiled them around her legs. He swept the tip of one over her sex to tease her clitoris as he gradually increased the pace of his thrusts.

  Eva grasped fistfuls of the bedding and inhaled sharply. Her body suddenly tensed as she came, her inner walls fluttering around him as a rush of liquid heat flooded her. She leaned down, hiding her face and muffling her cries. But it wasn’t enough.

  He slid two tentacles forward, slipped them beneath her shirt, and pulled them outward, ripping the fabric from her body and baring her back to him. He bent over her and caught the front of her throat in his hand, thumb and forefinger pressing against her jaw to tilt her face upwards. Wrapping his other arm around her middle, he pulled Eva back and forced her to lean against him in a kneeling position, adjusting the angle of her hips to allow him to push even deeper into her. She lifted an arm and cupped the back of his head.

  Kronus pressed his face into her hair and skimmed his lips over her neck. “You are mine, Eva,” he said huskily, nipping her ear as he moved a tentacle up her chest to cover her breasts, caressing her nipples with his suction cups.

  He quickened his thrusts. “You are my mate.”

  His building pleasure was so concentrated that it formed immense pressure inside him; it nearly hurt, but it felt so good. She felt good. “You are my wife.”

  Panting through parted lips, Eva tilted her head back. Her pulse ran wild beneath the pads of his fingers as she gripped his arms, blunt nails biting his skin.

  “And I will never—” he pounded into her as deep as he could go “—ever—” another powerful thrust “—let you go.”

  He slammed his hips forward on each of those last three words, and the final thrust was the one that sent him over. The pressure within him burst with enough force to lock up all his muscles while simultaneously sapping all his strength. He threw back his head and groaned low, loud, and deep. His seed pumped into Eva as she was swept away by her own release. Her sex quivered around him, and Kronus willed his seed to take root, to fill her womb with a youngling of their own.

  Dropping his hand from her throat, he pressed his palm over her heart — her solitary, human heart. It thumped rapidly. Her head lolled back, coming to rest on his shoulder, and he tightened his hold on her, inhaling deeply to draw in her scent. When she smiled, his eyes dipped to her lips.

  Withdrawing from Eva, Kronus guided her body to turn and face him. He swiftly peeled off her remaining clothing, leaving her naked; her skin glowed with pleasure, softly pinkened and beaded with sweat. Then he lifted her again and lowered her onto his cock. He laid her on her back and propped himself over her, catching her lips with his.

  He made love to her slowly this time, savoring her softness, relishing the taste of her sweetness on his lips, and thrilling in the subtle tremors that coursed through her limbs. Eva’s hands roamed over his body, trailing fire in their wake, as his tentacles rose to caress her skin in response.

  He was driven by an overwhelming need to possess every bit of her, to sear each moment they shared, each touch, forever into their memories, and to give himself over to her wholly.

  Her throaty sighs filled the room, rising in pitch as she reached another peak. Kronus followed, baring his teeth in a growl as pleasure ripped through him and spilled into her.

  Breath ragged, Kronus looked down at his mate, his beautiful Eva. His hearts constricted with emotion — with love. Her hair was a dark golden halo, her cheeks rosy, and her lips red from his kisses. She exhaled heavily and met his gaze, eyes sparkling with unmasked love.

  Eva reached up and cupped his cheek. He turned his face into her touch, kissing her palm.

  Everything he’d done had brought him, ultimately, to her — no matter the nature of his decisions, each had played a part in leading him along this path. Despite the hardships, despite the suffering, he would not have changed any of it. He didn’t care if it was selfish; so long as they led to her, he would swim those waters again and again.

  Chapter 17

  Eva tore an ear of corn from the towering stalk and dropped it into the basket in front of her, repeating the process for the next stalk, and the next. She’d fallen into a steady rhythm as she made her way along the row. Tabitha, the woman who was carrying the basket, walked backward silently, hurrying off to empty the corn into the wagon nearby whenever the basket was full.

  The field was blanketed with the sounds of rustling leaves, snapping stalks, and friendly conversation as at least two dozen townsfolk assisted the harvest. Eva kept her focus on her work.

  She relished the burn in her limbs, the sweat rolling down her skin to dampen her hair and clothing, relished the sunlight and the scents of vegetation and rich earth. Her left knee and stump ached and throbbed, but she appreciated even that. After four weeks spent indoors apart from the few outings she went on with Kronus, this was a welcome change.

  But it was bittersweet.

  She’d no longer hear Addison’s delighted squeal when Samuel snuck up behind her and kissed her neck or pinched her backside. Samuel would never make another silly joke, and Hailey could never utter another snarky remark. But they were all safeguarded in Eva’s memories, and she would always carry them with her.

  A shrill whistle snapped Eva out of her thoughts.

  “Time for break,” Tabitha said, offering Eva a smile as she set the basket down. “Great work.”

  “Thanks. You too,” Eva said, returning the smile.

  As the two women walked toward the edge of the field, another group passed them, heading to pick up where the workers going on break had left off. It was a constant rotation that kept people in the fields all day without wearing anyone out.

  Traversing the soft, lumpy soil presented difficulties for Eva, especially after a full morning of work, but she grew stronger and more confident each day. That was all because of Kronus. He’d pushed her to challenge herself from the start, refusing to accept I can’t as an answer. He’d known what she was capable of long before she realized it.

  Eva’s heart quickened at the thought of her mate — her husband. Though they’d only been apart since the first rays of dawn touched the sea, she missed him and knew it would be a long day for them both. She drew comfort from the knowledge that she’d be in his arms again that night.

  Once she emerged from the tall corn stalks, Eva made her way to the water table. She smiled and thanked the elderly woman who filled a cup of water for her. The woman chuckled when Eva guzzled it down and asked for more.

  There was another table nearby set with food — sandwiches, fruits, vegetables, and small muffins — where several of the workers were already lined up to fill their bellies before their next rotation.

  Eva stepped into line and pulled her braid over her shoulder, letting the breeze cool the back of her neck. When she reached the table, she plucked up her share of food and stepped away to find a place to sit and rest until her next shift.

  She chose a spot beneath a winefruit tree. It was about twenty meters from where the other
workers were gathered, but she couldn’t resist its shade.

  Though walking over the solid ground was easy, sitting on it was not. Holding her arm against her chest, she piled the food atop it and used her other hand to hold the trunk for support, slowly easing herself down. She released a slow exhalation once she was fully seated. She’d taken Kronus’s presence for granted; he was usually there, lending her a hand or simply picking her up and setting her down somewhere comfortable. It was nice to be independent, but she had to admit, she took delight in his thoughtfulness and pampering.

  Her stomach growled as she set the food on her lap. She unwrapped the sandwich, took a big bite, and closed her eyes, breathing slowly as she chewed. Before she knew it, she’d devoured both the sandwich and the muffin. She was peeling a violet-skinned winefruit when a pair of legs entered her peripheral vision.

  “Hi, Eva,” a familiar voice said.

  Eva looked up to see Macy standing nearby. The blonde woman smiled. She bore her own armful of food.

  How many times had Eva seen Macy as they’d worked in the fields since coming to The Watch? Likely more times that she could count. She had known of her then but hadn’t known her — many townsfolk still talked about Macy and the events surrounding her even years after they’d occurred.

  After hearing Kronus’s tale, Eva wanted more than anything to get to know this woman, the one who’d brought the humans and kraken together.

  “Is it okay if I join you?” Macy asked, gesturing to the ground next to Eva.

  “Sure. I’d like that.”

  Eva studied Macy in silence as she lowered herself to the ground and unwrapped her sandwich. Macy seemed a little older than Eva, but not by much. Her skin was lightly tanned from the sun, and her hair, which was pulled back into a messy bun, was golden blonde. Her brows were dark, resting over wide blue eyes. Eva’s gaze dropped to her slightly rounded stomach.