Page 58 of Hot Summer's Prey

The Witch drags her maw across Teresa’s skin. Every single cell in my body begs for me to stop it, but this is the least threatening thing she could be doing right now.

Teresa is so calm in the face of unbelievable dangers, her face shows no fear. In fact, she’s smiling now. Not in the threatening way that the Lantern Witch does, but in that soft, friendly way that shows off the beautiful curve to Teresa’s cheeks, the pink of her lips.

“Like I said, I have magic to trade,” Teresa repeats.

My heart hurts. To know a part of us has to be traded in this way. Something that was supposed to be secret and private and ours.

“Well, let’s see it, human,” the witch huffs.

I can feel the way Teresa’s face flushes through the heated waters.

“I didn’t think about getting it out, to be honest,” she admits. “A little invasive. Do you—you don’t have like a rock I can hide behind, do you?”

“And let you try to escape?” the witch sneers.

“Mm, yes, I definitely plan on escaping. Have you seen how fast I can swim?” Teresa laughs. “I wouldn’t have any idea where to go. Besides, I’m not going anywhere without Pacari.”

“Hmmm,” the witch ponders, those terrifying white eyes darting between us both. “Very well. And if you escape, I will enjoy making a meal of your beloved seducer.”

Teresa nods, and the witch finally releases her. I breathe for the first time in minutes. My nerves unwind just a little.

The witch turns towards me.

“Whatever you ask of me,” I tell her, ready to lay down my life for Teresa’s.

If she wanted to escape, she could. As long as she swam up. Though the witch is terrifying, she is a creature of the deep, and most of them do not swim very fast. Only creatures like me and Cirro, those made for the blue waters and the black, swim with any speed down here.

Teresa lets out a soft little moan from the other side of a rock lit by the Witch’s Lantern. The noise sends the wrong signal to my sifon, which despite the stakes seeks to be reunited with her. The witch’s grasp grows tighter, drawing blood. I steady my breathing, irked that she has sent a signal to nearby predators, knowing we must make it back to the surface safely.

When Teresa returns to us, she swims with her arms forward in much the same fashion as when we have swum together. I suppose there are not many options for humans to swim without the use of their arms. Every few dips, she kicks her legs instead, then gives up and goes back to undulating like a dolphin.

“So well-behaved around her,” the witch says to me. “Well, human. Let’s see it.”

“Promise,” Teresa demands. “My safety. Pacari’s. All the creatures in the garden.”

“Only if your magic is good enough,” the witch sneers. “I will promise your safety, and your safety alone.”

Teresa stares down the Lantern Witch with fury in her eyes. She holds her cupped hands to her belly, transfers the pearls to her lower hand, and uses her other hand to pull one pearl from the mass.

“I felt this. I know it’s worth. And you will allow every one of us the protection it’s worth.”

Teresa doesn’t back down when the Witch swims forward to take the pearl from her fingers. Teresa’s hand joins its twin against her belly.

Standing there, bearing the magic of our love within her hands, staring down one of the most powerful creatures in the sea, I could not be more in love.

This woman deserves the world and more. She is so fierce, so strong, so beautiful through and through.

“This isn’t ordinary sex magic,” the witch grumbles.

Teresa wiggles slightly. She’s excited, I can tell.

“Hand it over, the deal will be granted,” the witch says, holding out her hands.

Teresa shakes her head. “I didn’t bring all of them out to barter.”

“Then rot in the depths,” the witch laughs.

“Teresa!” I try, but she keeps going.

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