Captive of the Deep (4 page)

Seeing a bright light, she moved toward it, knowing it had to be an escape. Soon she found herself outside. No one stopped her as she moved toward a long wall. It stretched around the side of the palace. Bright yellow lines ran along the glowing blue stones. Images of sea creatures were depicted along the walls, rising off the flat surface. Finding a narrow gate, she jiggled it until it opened and slipped beyond the palace wall.

The sky was dark blue, too dark for the daytime, yet it was light out. She vaguely remembered being told that the city beyond the palace was called Atlas and was considered sacred. From her place, she didn’t see a city, but she heard the faint sounds of one. Inching toward the noise for a better view, she discovered the town nestled in a valley beyond the main palace gate.

From her vantage point, she saw the square grid of the roads and the even spacing of the buildings. A large circular clearing was in the center, presumably the city square. The mermen took a lot of care in the planning. The city was just as she might expect an ancient city to be. There were no concrete sidewalks or streetlamps and the homes were squished together forming whole city blocks with no alleys or inlets. The roads were paved with large stones, and the homes had narrow slits in the wall for windows.

A man walked up a long path from the city toward the palace. She slowly backed away, intent on going the other direction. The city didn’t extend up the valley and there might be an escape on the other side. Lyra didn’t know where she would go, only that she had to go. She had never been one for large parties. When she was a child, she never dreamed of being a princess in a palace and she sure as hell wasn’t going to hang around as a prisoner in one.

She kept her hand on the wall and her eyes on the city. Then her progress stopped as she hit a solid wall of flesh. Rigel. She felt it was him before she even turned to look. Lyra closed her eyes.

“I did not kill your family. I pushed who I could to the surface. I did what I could to save them, but it was too late. There were two scylla in the water and we—”

Lyra didn’t want to hear him, so she turned to shut him up. Instead of a slap, she found herself grabbing him by his face and kissing him. His lips parted in surprise and she took advantage, thrusting her tongue beyond his teeth into the depths of his mouth. Instinct took over, in a way she would not have imagined possible before. The heat of his body drew her in and she jerked at his clothing, ripping the material as she tried to move it out of her way. Another rip echoed hers as he did the same, tearing at the dress he’d given her to free her breasts. Warm palms cupped her, pinching tight nipples and releasing a wave of hot desire throughout her body.

Her pussy ached, so wet and sensitive. She pushed at her torn gown, until it slid off her body to leave her naked. Then, maneuvering his hand down between her thighs, she thrust his fingers along her sex. She moaned into his mouth. His tongue now sparred with hers, dancing and battling in the heat of the moment.

Rigel let her ride his hand as he broke free from the kiss. His eyes seemed to carry within them a great storm as he trailed his lips over her neck. He pushed her hard, smacking her back against the palace wall. The cool air hit her flesh, tickling the moisture left behind from his kisses. Lips wrapped a nipple and she gasped at the almost suctioning power of the embrace.

Her hips jerked. Her back arched against the hard tile until it was imprinted into her skin. His finger slid inside her, from what seemed like an accidental thrust of her hips, but once it was there, she kept him from pulling out by clamping her legs tight. Rigel’s gaze met hers in surprise, but she circled her hips boldly as she showed him what she wanted. The finger wiggled and she moaned enthusiastically. It didn’t take him long to catch on as he thrust another finger inside her pussy and mimicked the thrusts of a cock.

Lyra gasped and moaned, riding his hand to completion. The climax felt good, mind-numbing and earth-shattering good. Her entire body shook with the force of it. Lyra hadn’t been with a man for nearly a year, and then it had been about as casual and as unstirring as meeting a foreigner in a bar could be. But, this… This… Oh, this…

She shivered, her arms falling from his shoulders. She’d been so focused on herself, she hadn’t noticed her hands digging into his flesh. Somehow she had managed to puncture his skin with her nails. Tiny lines formed in the shape of her fingertips.

“You enjoyed that?” he asked.

The way he said it reminded her of the confused look on his face as she encouraged his finger inside her pussy. “Oh, no, don’t tell me you’re a virgin.”

He didn’t readily answer.

“You’ve never had sex?” She gasped in surprise. Ok, so she didn’t mean for it to sound quite like that. How on Earth, or would that be how in the sea, did a man as deliciously looking as him stay a virgin?

“I have,” he paused, “done things.”

“Things?” She arched a brow.

“We have pleasure nymphs. The dolls are supposed to be lifelike and I use mine quite often.”

It took all her willpower not to laugh at that.

Rigel continued, “And before we became captives of the deep, there was a woman who I was very fond of. She did not make the dive down. Since the beginning of our curse, we do not generally pair up with each other for casual contact. Eternity is a long time to hold a grudge and if a couple has a bitter parting there would be—”

Lyra kissed him. How could she not? The poor, incredibly sexy man was trapped in the ocean with the body of a god, the cock of a porn star and apparently nothing but sex toys to use it on. When she pulled back, he acted as if he would speak. She pushed her finger to his lips.

“Don’t worry about it, hon.” She reached for his hard cock. Oh, but it felt nice, even through the material hanging in shreds along his hips. Lyra jerked at the cloth, stripping him. “I know how to take care of this for you.”

She dropped to her knees, grasped the base of his cock and opened her mouth wide.

* * * * *

Rigel watched Lyra took his cock between her lips and began to suck. The sensation of it was gloriously wicked and he groaned, torn between watching the erotic show and closing his eyes so he could feel every single second of the pleasure. Her head bobbed as she took him in and out, sucking and blowing, licking and teasing, teeth scraping, tongue soothing, hands gripping and stroking.

She went after him like a woman starved, aggressive and eager in her movements. Oh, but it was magnificent. Perfect, tight, wet magnificence.

Rigel gave her what she craved, unable to hold back even if he wanted to. His hips jerked and he exploded into her mouth, releasing all his pent up desires for her in a stream of fluid. She didn’t flinch, didn’t pull away as she swallowed him like a treat.

Then, licking her lips, she grinned as she stood. “Does your pleasure nymph do that?”

Almost weak, he shook his head in denial. “No.”

“I thought not.” Lyra picked her gown off the ground and looked around. He did the same. No one was out this time of day, at least not normally. Besides, with the banquet indoors, almost everyone would be feasting and enjoying the company of the new bride and groom.

“Well? Did you enjoy it?”

He could tell by her expression that she already had her answer. Still, he nodded. “Very much.”

“Why don’t you show me this pleasure nymph? I want to see what else I can do that she can’t.”

Rigel wasn’t sure what had happened to change her in such a way, but he would not question it for all the power of the abyss. He had begged the god Poseidon to bless and forgive him, to send him someone to ease the ache of loneliness. And here she was. She chose him. Out of her silence, she chose him. For only the will of the gods could have brought forth this transformation in her, just as it transformed his people. Surely this was a sign. She had come to care for him. She was choosing to be with him. His wife. His mate. His love.

* * * * *

Sex she could handle. Lyra knotted a couple strips of material together to hold her dress closed over her breasts. Rigel had really done a number on it. Then again, she’d really done a number on him. Not knowing what came over her, only that she wanted to numb her brain. Rigel seemed the perfect project to do such a thing with.

She wasn’t sure what made her get on her knees and suck him like that, let alone swallow the grand finale. But, for some reason, probably the same one that drove her to want to fuck him, she didn’t care about anything but the pleasure to be gained from the moment. She didn’t care if the surrounding tree line was filled with onlookers. Or if Rigel was a merman and she a human. He had a working cock. She had a pussy. That was all the logic she needed.

Oh, blessed numbness.

Before, all she could think about was running away. Now, she couldn’t wait to get back to his home. She gripped her torn gown, not really caring that her hip was exposed or anyone who passed would instantly know what had transpired. Public opinion really didn’t matter to her. Not now. Not with everything she’d…

No. She wouldn’t think about that. Not that. She needed to forget. She needed Rigel to make her forget.

Rigel gently touched her arm, directing her to turn. As they passed by two guards standing before a very ordinary looking door, she adjusted her hands against her chest to press the gown tight. They eyed her curiously.

Both guards wore an Ionic
chiton
she had seen on other Merr people. The short, white shirt was a rectangular piece of material folded in half and sewn up the side. It pinned along the sleeves and fell just over the knees, leaving the calves bare. A single stranded belt cinched the material about the waist. The
chalmys
cloak draped over one shoulder in a broad sweep of green. It pinned on the shoulder with a circular gold brooch, engraved with a now familiar Merr symbol of the sun. Like most Merr, they wore strapped leather sandals on their feet.

“Lord Rigel,” a darker guard said, nodding in approval.

“Vitus,” Rigel acknowledged, a strain in his voice. To the tall blond, he said, “Brennus.”

“Going to banquet?” Brennus asked, unable to hide his interest in their attire.

“We have been,” Rigel answered. The sound of his voice gave her a little shiver of excitement.

“We must be missing quite the feast,” Brennus told Vitus. Both guards didn’t even try to hide their amusement as Lyra quickened her pace. She still couldn’t bring herself to care that she’d been caught in such an obviously compromising position.

When they were once again alone, Rigel said, “I apologize if they offended you, but they mean no harm. Vitus himself is married and Brennus hopes to one day become a hunter. The only way this can happen is if King Lucius appoints more teams or if a member from one of the existing teams does not come back to Ataran.”

“I’m not offended,” she quickly answered, not wanting to discuss his job. “And I don’t want to talk about hunting or teams or going out into the abyss. In fact, I don’t want to think about the ocean.”

“I understand. I know that you have had a difficult time with—”

Lyra stopped walking, grabbed his face, kissed him hard and brief and said, “Shh. We’re not talking about any of that. The only thing you’re allowed to talk about is this pleasure nymph toy you have, any other toys you have, and the fastest route to see both.”

Rigel instantly pointed the way they’d been heading. “That way.”

She hid her smile. The promise of sex always shut men up. “Then this way it is. Lead the way and lead it fast.”

Rigel obliged, almost jogging as he rushed through the hall. At least now she knew for sure that he wanted her—if there had been any doubts. She glanced back to the guards. They watched intently until she turned out of their view.

“The nymph is in my sleeping room,” Rigel said the moment he opened to door to his home.

Lyra shut the door as he made his way to the bedroom. Her steps were more hesitant. Doubts tried to surface, but she forced all thoughts from her mind. Instead, she focused on the door, on the steps it took to get there. Inside, Rigel opened a small, slender wardrobe and stepped back so she could see.

“They are standard issue for hunters. They are the best pleasure instruments our inventors have to offer,” he explained. Was it her imagination or was he a little embarrassed by the admission?

Inside was everything he needed to pleasure himself. The centerpiece was a synthetic woman, more lifelike than the blow up doll she’d been picturing. The toy’s head was bald and her eyes closed. Designed to look like a woman, the nymph’s body appeared soft and almost lifelike. Unable to help the curiosity, Lyra ran her hand down the toy’s arm. Though more lifelike than any robot she’d ever seen, there was still a rubbery feel to its flesh.

“Does she have a name?” Lyra asked, biting the inside of her lip to keep from laughing.

“I call her, ah,” Rigel paused before mumbling, “Venus.”

“Venus. Goddess of love, right?” Lyra arched a brow.
 
“I suppose that’s very suitable.”

Looking over the small storage pockets lining the inside of the wardrobe door, she pulled out a round, tan disc. The shape of it matched the holder on the nymph’s neck. She pushed it in. Rigel didn’t stop her. Instantly, blonde hair grew from the head. Next, she matched a second blue disc to the temple. The nymph’s blue eyes opened.
 
She pulled out the blue disc and the eyes closed. She replaced it with a green. When they again opened, Venus had green eyes.