Page 85 of Echo and the Homicidal Sea Panda

“I need air to get out of here,” Echo argued, reaching again.

“You’ll get it.” Mael tightened his pack and snatched Echo’s oxygen tank. He handed his omega the breather from it and twisted the air valve back on. “I’m carrying you out.”

“You can’t carry me and the tanks… and swim out, too.”

“The hell I can’t,” Mael muttered. After he snatched the wetsuit, he lifted Echo into his arms. “Hold on.”

He slid through the entrance into the next chamber. The downward slope of the chambers was a hell of a lot easier than going up, though he’d not been carrying anyone up. They descended into the water, and Echo placed his breather into his mouth. Mael swam toward the next opening, which was smaller than the last. Carefully sliding Echo through, he pushed himself out and then collected his mate again. One more and they reached the cave entrance where Rav and Tempest waited for them.

Once free of the cave, Mael whipped his legs into his tail and shot toward the surface. Barely ten minutes later, he lay his naked mate on one of the couches aboard Storm’s boat. Echowasdeathly pale.

He feared the blue shit in the water had made Echo sick. What the fuck was he thinking allowing them both to stay in there?

“What happened down there?” Havoc asked, brows knitted together.

“There was this weird cavern with a pool of water that had glowing blue light,” Mael told his brother, gaze never leaving his mate. “Echo fell in, and he half shifted… and then struggled to shift back into his human form once he got out. He was in pain. Intense pain.” He caressed Echo’s cheek. “You’re so pale, baby.”

“I’m okay,” Echo whispered. “Just tired.” His back arched… and he released a moan.

Mael’s hackles rose. After all that pain, his omega was going back into heat—with three of his alpha brothers nearby. He sensed them tense around Echo.

“Downstairs,”Storm grated out beside him. “Take the main cabin. Lock the door.”

Mael turned to eye his brother. He nodded before yanking off his wetsuit top and handing it over. He collected Echo into his arms again. As the others looked on, Mael carried Echo below. Once they arrived in the main cabin, he locked the door and then strode to the bathroom. He switched on the shower and then moved them inside.

He wasn’t sure what had been in that water, but he wanted to ensure it was completely gone. As well as he could, anyway. After lowering Echo to his feet, he washed every inch of his omega’s body with soap and water—and then did his own. Echo leaned against him as he washed himself, clearly exhausted.

The boat’s engine came on not long after they’d climbed into the shower, and they were finally in motion. Mael was too exhausted himself to tell which direction they traveled. He trusted his brothers. They wouldn’t take them back to the island, not with Echo in heat and onboard.

Echo’s whimper shot through Mael. He tried to fight the need to rut. Echo wasn’t well and he’d be even more exhausted after they’d fucked over and over again.

“Mael,” Echo whispered. “I need you.”

Mael gnashed his teeth. He wanted to protect Echo, yet nature refused to be denied. His body responded, the need to rut inside his omega screaming in his blood. Both of his cocks thickened moved toward Echo with a mind of their own.

Haphazardly, he toweled them dry before carrying Echo to bed. As soon as he slid Echo under the covers, he was yanked in himself. His little dolphin climbed on top and swiftly impaled himself on both cocks before Mael could stop him. He rode Mael, barely able to hold his own head up. Mael slowly rolled them over, continuing to give Echo what he needed without using up every ounce of energy his little dolphin had.

“Mael,”Echo whispered, his voice deathly low. “I love you.”

Mael caressed his mate’s cheek, chuckling as he fought off tears stinging the backs of his eyes. “I love you, too, baby.”

He stared down into his mate’s eyes, his heart ready to burst, as he surrendered to his mate’s heat. Capturing Echo’s lips, the kisses were somehow sweeter, even in the midst of their lust. His dolphin loved him, so of course they were.

When Echo arched against him and roared with release, Mael sped his pace until he followed a few seconds later, filling his mate with a double dose of seed. He rolled over to his side and brought Echo with him.

“Are you okay?” Mael asked.

“Uh-huh,”Echo whispered, the sound barely audible.

His eyes were already closed, his breathing even. Mael brushed back his damp hair and kissed his forehead.

He loves me?Mael smiled to himself.He loves me, and I love him.

Mael eased from Echo’s body and rolled to his back. Echo cuddled against him, mumbling inaudibly before growing quiet again curled up in the crook of Mael’s arm.

Even in the low light, he could see some of Echo’s color returning, which helped set him at ease. Maybe dolphins grew pale when they went into heat. He’d need to ask Echo what to expect before the next one.

Mael stared up at the ceiling and watched the light reflected on it from the water’s surface. The wavy white lines coiled together, stirring and undulating with the movement of the boat and the waves. Between the rocking of the boat and those peaceful reflections, he drifted off to sleep, content beside his mate.

---