Page 19 of Citrine

He stops as I run out of breath and the whale hurricane sound ends in a whistling wind, his eyes narrowing as he regards me.

He makes a dark, grating sound, and it sends shivers spidering down my spine.

"A fierce challenge," he admits, his gaze never leaving mine. "You lack the strength to do it."

Diablos. What did I just say I would do?

Doesn't matter.

I square my shoulders, refusing to show any sign of weakness, though I'm burning with curiosity to know what I just said to him. It didn't feel like words.

"I would do even worse," I challenge, my voice steady despite the tremor in my hands.

He makes the grating sound again. Laughter? "If you expect fear, you will be disappointed."

With a sudden burst of movement, he lunges forward, his tentacles whipping through the air with terrifying speed.

He didn't even need to leave the water.

Shit.

I stumble backward, narrowly avoiding his grasp, my heart pounding in my chest as I try to keep my footing on the uneven ground.

Before I can even process what's happening, I'm drenched, a force pushing me to the ground as if a floodgate opened. It knocks me to the ground, more bruises added as I hit jutting rocks.

The water envelops me, soaking me to the bone, leaving me dripping and disoriented. Is this some sort of childish game of pool splashing on freaking steroids?

Better to use his tentacles that way than to crush me, I suppose. But it doesn't help make me any warmer.

"Useless shitty clothes," I mutter, imagining burning them in my rage.

And then, as if to make matters worse, I feel his eyes on me, his gaze burning into my skin as if he would really eat it alive.

I glance up to see him emerging from the water, his massive form towering over me like some ancient sea monster. His eyes are wide with surprise, his expression unreadable as he takes in the sight before him.

And then, to my horror, I realize why he's staring at me so intently.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" I curse, my heart racing as I realize I'm now completely exposed.

There are no clothes on my body.

It reveals every contour in stark detail. I can feel his eyes lingering on me, tracing the lines of my curves with a hunger that makes my skin crawl.

And then, as if by some cruel twist of fate, I feel a flush of heat spreading across my cheeks as his gaze lingers on the most intimate parts of me. An answering heat between my legs follows, just as persistent as the first moment I saw him.

What the hell? Nothing about him is the least bit attractive. Nothing.

I want to scream, to cover myself up and hide from his penetrating gaze. My mind is blank. I can't move, can't tear my eyes away from him as he stands there, a silent predator watching his prey with lust.

He could do whatever he wanted to me, and there's nothing I can do to stop him. And I'm aroused?

I don't know how.

I don't know why.

To my surprise, instead of advancing toward me, he remains where he is. And then, without a word, he turns and moves back into the water, disappearing beneath the surface with a sense of finality that leaves me feeling strangely hollow.

I lay there for a moment, my heart pounding in my chest as I try to make sense of what just happened.

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