Shark Bait (10 page)

* * * *

David kicked, feeling un-coordinated, behind the mermaid’s elegant batting tail. His arms windmilled over his head, and he turned his head to breathe as he’d learned all those years ago in summer camp.

Nereus remained close to the water’s surface and circled back to sweep alongside David’s body. Only a few feet in any direction, the water faded to black. The half-moon sky left shadows between the docks and the boats. If it hadn’t been for company, David would be scared out of his mind.

He paused to tread water and catch his breath, and Nereus lifted his head from the water, kicking his tail below to lift him like a dolphin at Sea World.

“I need to slow down,” David panted. “I can’t keep up.”

The merman flashed a grin and took his hand. When his tail pumped forward again, David speared through the water like a fallen water-skier dragged by a motorboat. They came to a stop alongside a sail-cruiser.

A thick padding of slimy green moss covered the hull. Strands of black seaweed floated at the water’s surface. The merman shoved the flora aside and gestured to David to follow him up the metal ladder leading from the water to the dock. “They never expect anyone to arrive by water.”

Nereus climbed first, and David smiled at the view. Merman or not, no one looked good when viewed from underneath. Still, David wanted to nuzzle that soft pink patch behind Nereus’s dangling testicles.

The docks were lit by the gentle yellow glow of halogen lamps. Nereus stood gloriously nude, water dripping from his long hair down his body. David wanted to lick those tiny droplets off each and every ridge and valley.

“This ship should work.” The edge of the merman’s lip curled up in a self-deprecating grin. David couldn’t help it. He leaned in and took that perfect mouth with his. Anxiety and excitement created a cocktail of desire that made David giddy, reckless.

Pulling away, Nereus smiled against his mouth. “Let me get you on the boat first.”
He watched those gorgeous arms press down and Nereus’s long body lift onto the side deck. Following suit, David pressed himself upward, hoping he looked half as graceful as the object of his desire. Before he’d even gotten his footing on the rocking fiberglass surface, Nereus took his hand and, laughing quietly, led him to a hatch to go down into the main cabin.
A padlock hooked through the lock on the door, but the merman rifled under the side benches and found several buckets of tools, oil, rope, and files. From the depths, he pulled a small set of rusty keys. “What do you want a bet this unlocks it?”
Padlock opened, the men descended the short staircase into the cabin. Small benches lined the walls. One had a little dining table folded in front. Paisley curtains covered the windows.
Nereus turned to face David, body rising and falling with the force of his breaths, and David felt a catch in his chest. The moment was too ripe, too desperate. He thought he’d burn up with it.
His hands launched, pulling the merman into a frantic embrace. His kiss an attack, David plunged his tongue into the cavern of Nereus’s mouth. David licked at his tongue, explored each of his teeth. The merman groaned, a low growl that David felt in every cell of his body.
Nereus grasped his neck and ass. The cock David had sucked and stroked a few hours ago pressed hard at his thigh. His own stood rigid next to its mate. In the frenzy if kissing, their dicks brushed against each other. Nereus’s hard satin skimmed his.
The merman’s long arm reached further until he pushed his finger into David’s anus. The thick digit pinched, and David stilled. His eyes pressed together, he bit his lip to stifle a groan. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to let on how much he liked it.
Nereus’s other hand trailed down his chest. Those strong, elegant fingers wrapped around his shaft and gave several firm strokes. “I want to fuck you while I jack you off. Can I?”
David’s heart raced. He swallowed against the fear and twinge of humiliation that rose from his gut. Shit, he wanted it. But he hadn’t before and didn’t want to be anything less than perfect for this dream man.
“Um…Yeah, I’d like that.” He tried to keep his voice low and raspy, but heard the higher-pitched edge of nerves.
Those strong digits invaded further, pressed harder. Soft caresses teased his erection, causing pre-cum to collect at the tip. Nereus smiled down at his cock, swiping his thumb over the sensitive head to spread the thick juice. “I’ll go easy.”
David’s pulse danced. Struggling to get back in control, he nibbled Nereus’s collarbone and reached down to cup his balls, fingertips gentling the taint. The merman gasped, and David’s confidence returned like a freight train. He sucked a line of kisses up the side of Nereus’s neck until he reached the coil of his ear. “Do me.”
“Hold on a sec.” David heard him rifling through supplies in the head. A second later, Nereus pressed him toward the bow of the boat, to the master berth. The mattress hit his knees, and David fell onto his back. The merman fell onto him, his heavy curtain of hair at either side, a shield from the outside world.
David fought a yelp when the broad, lubricant-coated cap met his anus. All his boyfriends had been younger than him, newer to exploring their sexuality. He felt like he was forever giving guys their first blowjob. To be with someone more experienced than him, who took charge and pushed David to new places, was a thrill he’d almost given up on.
Nereus pressed forward. David’s tight anal ring gave way with a harsh popping burn that left David gasping.
Stopping his advance, the mermaid rasped between pants, “You okay, baby?”
David forced his vocal cords to work for something other than moaning. “Did you just call me baby?”
That brilliant smile returned, right before Nereus sank forward, sheathing himself to the hilt in David’s ass. The scientist keened then panted. Nereus reached down and took his cock in hand then plunged again, twisting David’s erection in time with his thrust.
Holyfuckingmotherof…!
The burning stretch in his bottom intensified the pounding in his cock. David grasped Nereus’s shoulders, then lower to the tight muscles of his ass as they tensed with each drub forward. David’s neck strained up to take the merman’s mouth with his own.
“I can’t wank you if you don’t press me close, baby,” Nereus whispered between pants.
David responded by pulling him closer. The strokes at his prostate ached and billowed. Nereus’s taut, sweat-drenched stomach licked at his jumping cock. He wondered if he could come by this alone, and knew he’d shoot it the moment a hand again circled his erection.
Nereus bucked harder, his eyes pressed tight. David knew he was trying to control himself, not be too rough. “Don’t hold back...”
A slow, boiling roar rose from the merman and David took his aching dick in his fist and pumped. Once, twice. His balls burned like hot embers, and David wished he could draw this moment out forever.
Nereus fucked harder, merciless. His thick cock pillaged David’s sensitive opening, the bite ratcheting sensations higher. Suddenly that pole in his ass went rock hard and David pumped a few fast pulls, shouting Nereus’s name in the close cabin. The spasms alternated pain with searing pleasure, and David flew in the blinding white light of orgasm.

* * * *

Sophia’s eyes opened to the damp fiberglass walls of the small boat. She stretched her arms above her head. Her palms met the back wall of the V-berth and her feet pinched in the triangle in front. The motor revved, its loud vibration rumbling through the vessel. She pulled aside the curtains separating the bed from the cabin.

Her eyes met Raider’s jean-clad thighs. He stood at the steering wheel, legs apart. His free hand held her sat phone and his thumb texted furiously. Ever since he’d found the device in her dry bag, the shark had been online, gathering information on where they should go next.

He didn’t seem to hear her over the engine’s noise, because he put down the phone and scratched at his groin, and then lifted the front of his shirt to wipe his face. The ridged board of his belly flashed brown before his worn T-shirt fell back to his hips. She licked her suddenlydry lips. That pulsing ache in her center started again, human reproductive organs swelling and dampening.

His stance turned rigid.
She knew he could smell her heat coming. In a few more days even a human might sense it. The front of his jeans inflated, worsening that burn in her veins.
“Take the wheel, I need to sleep.” His tone was curt. She didn’t even consider arguing. She hurried out of the berth and to the head. After a quick brush of her hair and teeth, Sophia came up behind to Raider to grab the wheel.
He stiffened at her touch then threw open the curtain to crawl into the cave-like bed.
As Raider slept, Sophia wracked her brain to figure out what she’d done wrong. Not that it should matter why he was cross with her. In fact, in a crucial moment, his anger might make the situation more believable. Still…she didn’t enjoy the cold shoulder and resolved to discuss it when he woke up.
An hour later, his head emerged from between the folds. He’d taken his shirt off to sleep and as he pulled open the door to the tiny bathroom, she watched him from behind. Twin dimples graced the dip of his back, right at the curve of his hips. When he re-emerged, his hair stood at odd angles, ruffled from sleep. For a moment she thought he’d say something nice, but his face hardened like marble.
“Give me the wheel.”
She jumped out of the way, though her temper flared. “Stop ordering me around!”
He leaned in to her, eyes fierce. “If you’re going to be my prisoner, you’re going to have to act the part.”
Her mouth opened to respond but closed again. It was only for a few days anyway. “Fine. But could you stop being so mean? I didn’t do anything wrong.”
His shoulders twitched upward, though he continued to stare straight ahead. He neither argued nor agreed. “I’m going to take you out to a raft-up near the Canary Islands.”
Sophia plunked down on the bench and rested her elbows on the boat’s tiny table. “Fine, whatever.”
An island appeared in the distance, and as it approached, the outlines of several more appeared. The boat pulled through the slightly chopped water. The vessel bobbed and tilted, too small to absorb the ocean’s movements as the large pirate ship had. Darkening skies threatened rain.
Raider pulled into a small, empty harbor. “There’s protection here. We can throw anchor for the night.” He cut the engine and shoved past her to the sliding door. Her eyes followed his journey out around to the front of the boat. He opened a hatch at the bow and reached for the chain. He drew up the anchor hand over hand, each tug bunching the hard muscles of his arms and chest.
Her breath grew heavy, her human reproductive organs swelled even further. When Raider lifted the metal spike and threw it in the water she almost moaned at the sight of his chest.
It must have been her impending heat, but it seemed silly to resist what her body needed. Her mind spun as she frantically tried to justify her decision. What happened in human form wasn’t important anyway. It didn’t count in the real world. And anyway, bringing him sexual pleasure would no doubt rid him of that grating irritation.
Sophia squared her shoulders and tried to remember what she’d studied in school about human form mating.

* * * *

Raider let the cool air jolt his system and tamp down the head of steam building in his pants. The inside of the cabin measured no more than eight feet wide and ten feet long. The air inside reeked of female arousal.

He couldn’t understand why a female like that needed to find a mate anyway. She was too young to commit for life to anyone, too innocent in her weird, over-blunt way. Plus, her honesty couldn’t possibly help her out in the cultured and cautious world of the dragons. Too bad she didn’t see it.

Goosebumps covered his skin so he walked along the side decks of the boat holding tight the handrails and leading back. He saw her big eyes watching him through the window. Her burgundy lips parted, and he could have sworn he heard her sigh. It took all his strength to stop at the aft rather than circling the cabin along the edges watching her eyes grow brighter at each pass.

He stood outside the door, her image framed by the full-height plastic window.
Sophia’s small body was cornered in the tiny space. She looked scared. And he liked it. The only place for her to go would be the soft enclosure to the front. Some voice inside chastised him for frightening her. It sounded like his mother.
Even as he steeled his will not to slake his lust on the helplesslooking female, some glimmer shined in her eyes. He thought it tears, but then her chin rose.
Her hands crossed in front of her hips and clasped her dress. She drew it up over her head, and stood uncertainly in only pink underpants. Geez,
I have to get that girl a bra
, he thought. But then he watched as her mocha-colored nipples hardened to stiff peaks. Her breasts lay in generous swells, and jingled like a dinner bell when she took a shuddering breath.
She was trying to kill him, either that or get herself killed. A slow blush climbed her neck and she looked down at her feet.
He looked to the water, half tempted to dive in. The weirdest sensation settled in his chest. It was soft, squishy, and a little warm, different from the hot ache in his nuts.
He channeled the mushy feeling, let it drown other, lower feelings in heavy sludge and opened the door. All the tricks he’d used to survive the mere habitat of his birth came roaring back. Nice…Friendly…Sweet. All the things he’d tried to be for the mother who’d loved him despite everything.
Even though he plastered a smile on his face, she still took a step back. What the hell was he supposed to say to a female who’d looked him in the eye when she stripped but saw him as a means to an end?
“Um.” She nibbled at her bottom lip, making the lower urges overtake his higher ones. “I have something to tell you.”
And you needed to get naked to do that?
“Yeah?”
“Uh, yeah. Well…See the reason why I need to get a mate now is that I’m going into heat, um…now.”
Holy Christ on a crutch.
“Really? Uh…What does that mean, exactly. I mean, for me?”
Her head snapped up and her forehead drew tight and lowered over her eyes. “What’s up with you?”
I’m trying to be nice, stupid.
“Nothing.”
“You’re not being…I dunno, you’re not being you!”
He bit back a surge of anger. “Tell me what this means…for me.”
She caught the edge to his voice and backed away another step. Bad choice. It forced him to prowl closer. It highlighted that she was completely nude while he was clothed.
“Well…I shouldn’t really go into full heat for a few more days. But I believe I’m starting to attract…male attention. And I’m starting to want…”
His arm swept up without his conscious direction. The back of his hand brushed up her arm. “What do you want?”
Cock? In your cunt? Up your ass? Down your throat?